DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

 

1. What Is A Triptych? 

A triptych is an image that consists of three different images that usually relate in some way. Why three? Well, items grouped in odd numbers are usually more compositionally pleasing and you can use three shots of different things or split one image up onto three separate panels. Generally, the image is presented so each shot is given the same space/shape to sit in on the canvas and they are evenly spread out. 

Triptychs are a great way to combine multiple viewpoints of the same place into a single shot so you can better tell the story of the scene you captured. It's also a good way to present images of a similar theme you've captured over time. 

 

2. What Photos Should I Use?

The images you use need to link to each other some way, but this doesn't necessarily mean it has to be of the same subject. They could be linked by colour, for example, or you could have applied the same treatment to them during post-production to make them appear similar. Images taken at the same focal length tend to appear more balanced when put together however, this rule isn't set in stone. You could also try linking them by movement, with three shots showing someone/something moving closer to the front of the frame or further away. 

 

3. Get Creative

Another way you could create a Triptych is to use several parts of the same scene in three separate images, capturing a wider view in the first then focusing on detail in the two that follow. Taking shots of the same scene at different times of the day or even the year can work effectively. For example, you could capture images of a tree during summer and autumn to show the contrast in colour/weather. 
 

4. Photograph Portraits

When shooting portraits, these types of shots tend to work better when your person, animal or object is looking into the frame rather than out as having them looking out of the shot will draw the viewer's attention away from the centre of the image. You can change the direction of which your subject is facing during post-production if you so wish. You could also have your subject creating three different facial expressions or poses a technique that can work particularly well with children. 
 

5. Fun With Photoshop

The easiest way to create a triptych is with editing software and we have a tutorial on creating triptychs in Photoshop over in our technique section: Create A Triptych For Your Photographs
 

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© Canon

 

Canon has released a free firmware update for the EOS C80 and EOS C400, enhancing image quality and workflow for professional filmmakers. The headline feature, Cinema Exposure Mode, improves highlight performance above base ISO and streamlines the log shooting menu. The EOS C400 adds Auto Exposure Ramping Compensation, while both cameras now support Canon's new CN30x40 Cine Servo lens. The update is available now for download.

 

From Canon UK:

Canon announces a new free firmware update for the EOS C80 and EOS C400, delivering image quality, workflow and compatibility enhancements for professional filmmakers. Headlined by the introduction of Cinema Exposure Mode, the update reflects Canon's ongoing commitment to evolving Cinema EOS products based on professional user feedback, helping customers get even more from their existing equipment.

Improved image performance and enhanced workflows

The latest firmware update introduces Cinema Exposure Mode, designed to improve highlight performance when shooting above base ISO levels (up to 2-stops), as well as providing a more streamlined camera menu specifically for log shooting. This gives filmmakers greater flexibility in challenging shooting conditions while helping maximise image quality throughout post-production workflows.

The EOS C400 also benefits from a range of workflow and usability enhancements, including Auto Exposure Ramping Compensation for smoother operation in broadcast and live production environments with supported Cine Servo lenses, alongside additional refinements that streamline day-to-day camera operation.

Further expanding the Cinema EOS ecosystem, the update adds enhanced compatibility with the all-new and optically groundbreaking CN30x40 Cine Servo lens, strengthening integration across Canon's professional imaging portfolio and providing greater flexibility for production teams.

By adding meaningful new capabilities at no additional cost, Canon continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting professional creators long after purchase, ensuring the Cinema EOS platform continues to evolve in line with the needs of filmmakers.

 

Availability

The EOS C80 and EOS C400 firmware update will be available to download free of charge from 19 August via canon-europe.com/support.

 

Beach huts are wonderfully photogenic and you can get great pictures of them almost regardless of the lighting conditions. However, beach huts get elevated to iconic status when the scene is complemented by a photogenic sky.

 

1. Gear Suggestions

A wide-angle will help you make the most of big skies, but even the short end of your standard zoom should be fine. Obviously the wider your lens the more sky that you can include. However, there is the danger of going too wide and including fantastic sky detail as well as more mundane bits, so do frame carefully. A selection of filters can come in very handy so do pack some graduates as well as the polariser.
 

2. When?

Lovely skies can occur at any time of year and at any time of day so you just have to be aware of the conditions and keep an eye on what’s happening. With heavy showers followed by brief spells of intense sunlight, there is every chance of dramatic skies, not to mention things like rainbows.

Periodically check what’s happening in the heavens as the day progresses and in the end, you might end up with a good set of images, all taken from the same spot but looking very different as the sky is constantly changing.

 

3. Metering

Exposure can be tricky because of the wide contrast range between the sky and the beach huts, so you need to think about metering to ensure the optimum result. In some cases, you might even find the foreground to be brighter than the sky, say when there is a doom-laden dark sky behind the sunlit huts.

With this sort of shot, the most important of the scene is the highlight detail (usually the sky) so meter off that and let the shadows worry about themselves. If the foreground then looks too gloomy use exposure compensation to help and reshoot.

If the light is changing quickly, and this can happen in stormy conditions, bracket exposures to make sure you get a result you are happy with. If you find the sky is still coming out too light, fit a graduate filter.

 

 

4. Enhance

A polariser can intensity a colourful or a stormy sky depending on the direction of the light so that too can work. A polariser can enhance a sky to make it work even better for a black & white conversion. However, you might prefer the natural approach and that is perfectly fine.

 

5. Composition

In terms of composition, being bold can help. Some people might want to compose using the rule-of-thirds, but this can actually look rather static. Lining up the huts along the very bottom of the frame can work better and give even more prominence to the sky. Just explore the options when you are framing up the shot.

 

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Use a tripod when shooting macro work to reduce the chances of shake creeping into the shot.

Camera shake, which can occur when you're not holding/supporting the camera correctly, can really spoil your shots but it's a problem that can be easily fixed. Most cameras now have features that help them prevent camera shake, however, there are still a few things the photographer can do to limit or even remove the shake that blurs your shots completely.

 

1. Use A Tripod

This may seem like an obvious response, but sometimes it may not be your first thought to use a tripod. A tripod will make a big difference to images if camera shake is a recurring issue. If you're travelling light, even a small tripod/stand that you can keep attached to the bottom of the camera will be handy for placing the camera down without worrying about scratching the bottom.

 

2. Shutter Speeds 

If you're working handheld, try and use the fastest shutter speed possible to minimise the risk of blur. If you're working in low light, try upping the ISO a little to enable you to shoot with faster shutter speeds, too. If your camera doesn't tend to produce good-quality shots when higher ISOs are used, take your tripod with you so you can use longer shutter speeds without having to worry about shake spoiling your shots. 

 

 

3. Remote Release

A remote release will enable you to trigger the shutter without physically pressing the shutter button and causing minute vibrations which can cause shake. Some cameras also allow you to trigger the camera using a connected smartphone or tablet device, which will work just the same as the remote release to stop vibrations. You can also use your camera's self-timer if you don't have one as even though you're still touching the camera, the timer should mean the camera's stopped moving by the time the exposure begins. 

 

4. Stance and Breathing

The way you hold your camera can have a big effect on the amount of blur caused by your own movement. Hold the camera with two hands close to your body and make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. If composing with the screen, keep your elbows tucked in as you'll stand a better chance of capturing a steady image. Being conscious of your breathing can further minimise shake. Some suggest taking a deep breath, holding it, taking your shot and exhaling while others prefer to do it the other way around. It's not something that's recommended for very long exposures, though! 

 

5. Use Objects For Support

You may find leaning against a tree or a wall useful to steady your images. Do use the built-in level if you do this, however, to make sure that your horizon stays straight, as leaning can cause wonky images. You could also take a beanbag out with you or if you're really struggling to find a support, see if your camera bag will help. 

 

 

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  If you're looking for a project that you can shoot over several weeks or even months have a go at creating a collection of images that all share the same colour.

As this is something that can take quite some time to do, it's something you can shoot alongside your other types of photography or you could try working on several different 'colour themes' all at once.

Your subjects don't have to be the same but it's important that the colour is, that way once you have a few images in your collection, you can begin to group them together to create panels and triptychs to hang on walls or post in online galleries.  

 

As you don't know what you'll be photographing until you see it, it's best to take a zoom lens out with you. By doing so you'll have various focal lengths to play with plus if you plan on walking for a while, you won't have lots of kit weighing you down.

You can sit and create a list of items organised into colour groups you can photograph or try visiting a location and wandering around to see which colour would be best to shoot in that particular place.

Do remember that the lack of other colours does mean you'll have to work harder to ensure your composition is interesting. That means you need to pay particular attention to textures, lines, shapes and framing.

     

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We know it's not a feature all cameras have but as many of the cameras we review do now have a flip-out screen, it got us thinking about why they're useful and actually, we came up with 8 reasons why more cameras should have a flip-out screen. 

 

1. Bright light 

If you've found the perfect position to shoot, but can't see the image on your screen because of bright sunlight, for example, it can be difficult to compose your shot effectively. If you didn't have a tilting screen, this would mean having to tilt the camera to see what you're shooting, which can end in you losing the ideal shot. With a tilting screen, you can simply partially tilt it to get rid of the glare, without having to move your camera set up at all. 

 

2. Selfies 

The selfie is a word and trend that won't be going away anytime soon so why not embrace it? You can turn your camera's lens to face you and simply click the shutter button but chances are, the framing won't be right and due to the awkward angle you'll be holding the camera at, shake could spoil your shot. Some like to use mirrors, but these don't tend to produce pleasing results either, especially with the camera in-frame. However, if you have a camera with a flip-screen, you can just turn it around so you can see yourself perfectly when setting the shot up. For those without a flip-screen who have a little more time, use a tripod and a remote release to take your self-portrait. For more tips on taking self-portraits, have a read of this: 5 reasons to shoot a self-portrait

 

 

3. Shooting in confined spaces

Taking a photo but can't get behind the camera to take the shot? With a flip-screen, you can leave the camera in its position and still see how the scene looks through your camera's lens.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

 

4. Shooting from higher angles

When taking photos in a crowd it can be difficult to capture shots of the stage, parade or whatever else you've gone to see when you have rows of people in front of you. If you can, get to the front which will involve a bit of planning and most likely arriving early but at least you'll have a prime spot for your photography. For those who have cameras with screens that tilt and flip, you can simply hold the camera up above your head and check your composition via the flip-screen.

 

5. Shooting at low angles using a tripod

If you are shooting low-level work using a tripod, it can be rather painful if you have to kneel with the camera for a long time to see what you're shooting. It can also lead to wet knees and ruined muddy clothes in bad weather. So, if you enjoy capturing images of fungi in Autumn or spend a lot of time in flowerbeds during the summer, you may want to consider purchasing a camera with a flip-screen so you can still compose your images without having to kneel or lay on the ground. 

 

 

6. Shoot around corners

A camera with a flip-screen allows you to shoot around corners at angles that usually wouldn't be possible with a non-tiltable screen camera. 

 

7. Street photography

By holding your camera at a lower angle and adjusting the screen so you can see what the camera sees without having to move it will mean candid shots in towns and cities will be easier to capture as it won't be so obvious that you're actually taking a photo. In fact, some may think you're just adjusting your camera settings. 

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

 

8. Use Live View

By having the ability to change the angle of your camera's screen you can tweak lights, move reflectors, direct models, adjust still life set-ups etc. and see the effect when using Live View without having to walk round the back of the camera. 

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

 

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© Calibrite

 

Since 1976, the ColorChecker has been the industry's reference tool for accurate colour reproduction. This simple 24-colour card is now marking its 50th anniversary as Calibrite honors a legacy spanning professional photography, filmmaking, and visual content creation. While the creative world has transformed from studio spaces to home offices and from professionals to independent creators, the ColorChecker's role has remained unchanged. It continues to be the standard that keeps color consistent for everyone, across all settings.

 

From Calibrite:

 

Launching September 1, Calibrite kicks off a year-long celebration marking 50 years of the ColorChecker, the small card of 24 colour patches that has quietly kept colour honest since 1976.

What began as a scientific tool for evaluating colour film has become one of the most recognised reference targets in imaging, used on film sets, in photo studios, in museums, and in camera bags around the world. For half a century, the creative world has transformed beyond recognition. Film became digital. Studios became home offices. Professional productions now share the stage with millions of independent creators making work every day. Through every technological shift, one thing has stayed constant:
the need for accurate, trustworthy colour.

The original chart was introduced in 1976 by three scientists at the Macbeth company, led by Dr Calvin McCamy, in a paper titled "A Color-Rendition Chart". Its premise was deceptively simple: place a set of known, carefully engineered colours in the frame, and every camera, screen, and printer finally has a shared truth to measure against. Fifty years later, that premise has not changed, and neither has the chart’s job.

 

© Calibrite

 

Every ColorChecker made since, including every Calibrite ColorChecker on the market today, descends directly from that original 1976 chart. Gretag and Macbeth merged in 1997, the line passed through X-Rite in 2006, and in 2021, the ColorChecker brand came to Calibrite, while the Munsell Color Company, whose colour heritage reaches back to 1918, still manufactures the targets. The lineage is unbroken.

A key factor behind the ColorChecker’s exceptional precision lies in the way its colour patches are manufactured. The reference colours are based on specially formulated pigments that are carefully produced and applied with the highest levels of accuracy and consistency. Each patch is not simply printed but created through a controlled manufacturing process that ensures reliable colour reproduction and long-term reference stability. This level of precision is what has made the ColorChecker an essential tool for photographers, filmmakers, and colourists around the world for 50 years.

 

"Very few products earn 50 years. The ColorChecker did it by being right, every single time, for every person who trusted it. Today, more people create visual content than at any point in history. Professional photographers and filmmakers continue to rely on the ColorChecker, but so do product reviewers, educators, designers, livestreamers, content creators, and emerging storytellers around the world. Our job is not only to protect this legacy. It is to ensure trusted colour continues to empower the next generation of creativity."  

Stefan Zrenner,

General Manager of Calibrite

 

To mark the anniversary, Calibrite has opened a virtual museum exhibit tracing the chart from a 1976 lab to the cameras in creators’ hands today.

The celebration also includes an interactive ColorChecker Challenge that teaches what each of the 24 patches actually does, and a Colour Perfectionist Quiz that matches creators to the right tools. Because while technology has evolved dramatically over the past 50 years, one thing has never changed: every great creative project begins with confidence in what you're seeing.

 

"Twenty years ago, when I first learned about this little set of colourful squares, I had no idea how meaningful it would become to my workflow," said Alan Shapiro, photographer and Calibrite Ambassador. "I keep one in every camera bag and in my studio, sometimes a few different sizes depending on what I’m shooting that day. This target ensures I’m starting from the most optimised place and never guessing, so I have that much more time for the creative edits. Happy 50th, ColorChecker. Colour Perfectionists Unite."

Alan Shapiro,

photographer and Calibrite Ambassador

 

© Calibrite / Alan Shapiro

 

To mark the milestone, Calibrite is also releasing a limited collection of 50th Anniversary merchandise.

This includes a t-shirt, cap, and tote bag featuring the iconic 24-patch design. These items will be gifted throughout the anniversary year as a thank-you to the Colour Perfectionist community that has helped shape the ColorChecker's remarkable journey.

The ColorChecker family today spans the pocket-sized ColorChecker Passport, the studio-standard ColorChecker Classic in sizes from Nano to Mega, and the 140-patch ColorChecker Digital SG, all carrying the same original DNA forward. Fifty years on, the question the chart was built to answer remains exactly the same: what colour is this, really?

 

For 50 years, the ColorChecker has helped creators capture the world as it truly is.

The next 50 are about empowering an even broader generation to tell their stories with confidence, creativity, and colour they can trust. The tools will keep evolving. The need for colour you can trust never goes out of style.

For more information, please visit the Calibrite website.

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to RobTurner (Day 29 - 'Circle' Theme).

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 23

Markets

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Day 24

Environmental Portrait

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Day 25

Swimming

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Day 26

Butterflies

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  Day 27

Canals

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Day 28

Storms

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Day 30

City Close-Ups

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Day 31

Villages

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

1. Focal Lengths

Choosing the right focal length is critical to balancing the key elements in the frame of a landscape. Before hitting the shutter button, take the time to think about where you're placing the camera and the focal length you're using. For example, try a longer focal length and step back. This will pull distant objects into the image and create harmony with what's in the foreground. 
 

2. Foreground Interest 

Another way to balance your landscape shots is with foreground interest. An object placed in the foreground can help guide the eye in the right direction as well as filling in what could be a vast empty space when your attention is on mountains and other background detail. Foreground detail helps give landscapes a sense of depth too. For more information, take a look at this article: Why You Should Look For Interesting Foregrounds For Your Landscapes.

 

3. Add A Frame

An alternative way to add foreground interest is with a frame. We don't mean for you to go out with a large photo frame in-hand but do be on the lookout for items and objects out in the landscape that can be used to create a frame for your shot. Overhanging branches, doorways and arches are just a few examples of frames you can find when out-and-about. 
 

4. Basic Rules 

Don't overlook the basic rules of photography which includes the rule of thirds, lines, shapes and various other elements as these can help you balance your shot. You'll need to use your lens to complement the rule which could mean changing its position or adjusting the zoom. Take a look at these beginner's tips for more information: Beginner's Guide To Composition
 

5. Shoot Panoramics

As wide-angle lenses sometimes create distortion, an alternative way to shoot photos that have more of the landscape in them is with a panorama. You can shoot panoramas with a short telephoto focal lens and using a tripod helps but it's not essential. The important thing is the choice of scene. Scenes with close to the camera elements will not stitch properly with this method. However, you can buy dedicated panorama heads for scenes that have foreground as well as background interest. More panorama photography tips can be found here: How To Shoot Panoramas and Panoramas Without A Panoramic Head.

More information on lens choices for landscapes can be found in this article: Make The Most Of Your Lenses For Scenics 

 

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As patterns, lines and symmetry surround us, it makes sense to use these features to help us create interesting compositions which in turn, produce a great photograph. So, to help you on your journey to creating better compositions here are 11 tutorials that use lines, symmetry and patterns as ways to enhance images. 

 

1. How To Capture Patterns On Your Travels

Patterns may not be the first thing that spring to mind when you're on holiday and capturing images of your trip but they can be an interesting subject to focus on.

Learn More

 

2. How To Use Patterns & Repetition In Your Photography

When you're out on a day trip or on your two-week annual holiday and are looking for some photographic inspiration, have a walk around and start shooting patterns, we'll guarantee you'll soon become addicted.

Learn More

 

3. Shooting Rocks As Patterns & Textures To Enhance Your Photos

Our landscape is abundant with rocky views from the gneiss rocks of Scotland, through the limestone pavements of the Yorkshire Dales, to the rocky Jurassic coastline of Dorset. Move-in closer and their patterns and textures provide fabulous abstract opportunities for photographers.

Learn More

 

4. How To Shoot Patterns In Architecture: 4 Quick Tips To Get You Started

Here are a few quick tips on looking for, and photographing, patterns in architecture found in towns and cities.

Learn More

 

 

 

5. How To Use The Power Of Lines To Improve Your Landscape Photography

Did you know that you can use diagonal lines to guide the eye, add interest and more to your landscape shots? If you didn't, here are 4 top tips on the subject for you to peruse.

Learn More

 

6. Why & How To Use Vertical Lines In Your Photos

Here are 6 reasons why you should try to use vertical lines in your images as well as a few tips on how to use them to make the most impact in your shots.

Learn More

 

7. How To Use Horizontal Lines Successfully In Your Images

Enhance patterns and add interest to your photos with horizontal lines which you can find almost anywhere when you really look.

Learn More

 

8. Three Reasons Why Converging Verticals In Photos Can Be A Good Thing

Converging lines and verticals don't always have to be avoided. In fact, they can be a clever tool for guiding the eye when used right.

Learn More

 

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When you head off on your holidays you'll probably spend some time at the beach and when the sun begins to set and the sky fills with those warm, summer shades, you and every other person on the beach will be pulling their camera out of its bag. The low sun may make great landscape shots but put anything in between you and the sun and it'll turn into a dark silhouette lacking shape and texture.

However, this isn't always a bad thing. For summer silhouettes to work you need a strong, recognisable shape so if you're headed to the beach with your family, why not use one or all of them in your shot? You could also spend time shooting other people as they walk along the shore or stand to watch the sunset.

 

1. Set-Up

Make sure you know what time the sun will be setting and in what direction as you don't want to turn up at a beach to find you can't actually see the sun setting from it. Once you have your chosen location make sure you arrive in plenty of time, which shouldn't be a problem if you've had a day out at the beach, but if you haven't been on the sand, at least an hour or two before the sun is due to set. Do check out tide times too as you don't want your kit and your family swept out to sea!

 

2. How To Shoot

Once you have a willing subject position them so your light source is behind them and it can help if you set yourself up so you’re shooting from a slightly lower angle, although this isn't a must. Take a test shot and have a look at the image on the back of the screen. Chances are unless you're working manually, you'll have shot a silhouette. If you don't get the desired look, try using exposure compensation and dial in a -1 or -2 setting. Using spot or centre-weighted metering will also help you capture a silhouette, although can still use multi-zone metering, you just need to aim the camera up at the sky and use exposure lock to take a reading from the brighter sky. Then all you have to do is recompose and take your image. 

 

3. What To Photograph

As mentioned strong shapes work well so get your subject to try and make different shapes while stood on the sand. This should be quite easy with kids but you may have to be more persuasive with adults!

If you have a group of people, get them to jump in the air so you can capture the shapes they create at the top of their jump. Try capturing a couple holding hands as they watch the sun go down or introduce props to keep your kids busy and more relaxed. Giving them a ball to throw or a bucket and spade to carry will create more interesting shapes and as a result, you'll have a more dynamic shot.

Experiment with angle and how far you crop in too to see how it can make a more interesting picture. If you're photographing someone's head, for example, shoot them as a profile rather than face on as you'll be able to see more features. Don't have too many objects too close together either as they'll all merge into one indistinct shape and the effect won't work as well.
 

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A quiet vista titled 'Swan Lake' by capturingthelight has been crowned our latest 'Photo of the Week' (POTW) winner.

Taken at Lake Brunner in the South Island of New Zealand, the image is full of detail with its cool blue tones, calm water reflections, thick mist, tall slender trees and two dark swans swimming together all combining to create one atmospheric image. It's a beautifully composed picture of a peaceful scene on the lake.

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2027, we'll crown our 2026 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards! 

Want to be our next POTW winner? Just upload an image to our gallery where you'll also find all of our past POTW winners.

  1. Community

Villages provide plenty of photo opportunities and most of us have one just a short drive away. The village community is one area to focus on, there's usually a few local speciality shops - maybe a hardware store or cobbler.

 

2. Portraits

Pluck up the courage to ask to photograph the employees at work. The worse that can happen is they say no, but if they accept you will have a brilliant opportunity to shoot environmental portraits. Try shooting with a wide-angle lens to include as much background while catching the owner at work. If it's fruit and veg you could have them weighing up a purchase, carrying a sack into the store, arranging the fare or even handwriting a display price ticket. While a cobbler could be banging at a heel or shaping a key. A butcher could be hacking away at a joint or arranging slices of meat.

Take this idea outdoors and follow the locals around catching them at the bus stop, crossing the road, chatting to neighbours over a fence. Whatever you do respect their privacy. It's best if you get chatting to them first and ask for permission, then you won't feel awkward and no one gets into trouble.

 

3. Flower Photography

Villages tend to have interesting flower displays, especially those who aim to win best-kept village awards. So if you're looking for colourful chocolate box style shots check out the local regions of the Campaign To Protect Rural England (CPRE) website. Use a wide-angle lens from a viewpoint close to the flower display and include the houses/street scene in the background. Or shoot with a telephoto to compress perspective and focus totally on the flowers.

Many Derbyshire villages have a summertime activity called Well Dressing, where they dress a well in pictures made of flowers and petals. This is a great opportunity for colourful shots.

 

 

4. Activities And Events

Look out for village activities, many have charity events at the local church. It may be a bring and buy sale, a flower or cake stall, jumble sale, book or record fair. All offer great photojournalism style options. Shoot with a telephoto lens to catch people unaware in a candid fashion. Shoot with a wide-angle to get the hall with all the stalls in. Use ambient light for more atmospheric photos.

  5. Chocolate Box Views

To get some ideas about which villages have good photographic potential look at calendars in stationery shops or jigsaws in toy shops. The popular calendars and jigsaws will have pretty village scenes – thatched cottages, quaint river scenes, floral street scenes. They usually have the location printed on them. You can plan a trip and take in two or three villages in one region.

Look out for vintage life in a village. It's the place you're likely to find a Victorian post box, there may be old street signs, and architectural details found in old buildings or monuments. Villages often have war memorials that make good focal points.
 

5. Pubs

The village's local pub might have an interesting pub sign to photograph. Shoot from further away with a longer lens to avoid a distorted shape. Nip inside and you could find a warm fire and local characters. Rest the camera on a table to take ambient light shots.

Once you've done your excursion, consider making prints of your best shots into postcards and selling them in the local cafe/gift shop/post office.

 

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to Leedslass1 (Day 11 - 'Negative Space').

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 9

Crop Fields

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Day 10

Tourists

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Day 12

Letters

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Day 13

People Outdoors

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  Day 14

Long Exposures

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Day 15

Patterns

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

Optical distortion is something that affects all lenses to some extent. However, the effect is more pronounced in certain lenses and can be used to give a different spin on an otherwise 'normal' view of an object. 

Although it distorts images, it is not always a negative effect and it can be used in different situations to create abstract or more creative shots of subjects.

Below, we've listed what types of optical distortion there are and how they can affect your images, either in a negative or positive way. 

• What is Curvilinear distortion?
• What is Pincushion distortion?
• What is Mustache distortion?
• What is Chromatic aberration / purple fringing?
• What is Vignetting?

 

What is Curvilinear distortion?

This is where lines that should be straight in your image appear curved or bowed in some way. There a quite a few different types of this distortion, but the most common you will come across is barrel distortion, where vertical lines appear to curve outwards like a barrel. This type of distortion is most common in wide angle or fisheye lenses. The effect will be really pronounced in the fisheye as the effect is more deliberate here.

This can be used in portrait images to create unique looking images where the facial features are stretched and warped, this works equally well with humans and animals. 

 

 

 

What is Pincushion distortion?

Pincushion distortion is the opposite of barrel distortion, as the lines bow inwards. The effect is usually quite subtle and can only really be seen in square or rectangular objects when they are shot straight on, such as architecture with windows and doors, and other straight lines. This effect tends to be more of an issue in long telephoto lenses. Pincushion distortion is a lot less pronounced than barrel distortion and so it is often not noticeable in images unless you look really closely. However, it can also be corrected quite quickly and easily in photo editing software. The majority of modern cameras will provide built-in options to correct for this as well.

 

Extreme example of pincushion distortion, from an uncorrrected image, from the Sony E 18-105mm lens - you can see corrected versions in the review.

 

 

What is Mustache distortion?

Mustache distortion is basically a combination of barrel and pincushion distortion. Some lenses display both at the same time. It is most commonly seen in wide angle zooms and makes straight lines in images appear wavy. It can be noticed on the horizon, for example when photographing seascapes, particularly if the horizon is near the top or bottom of the frame.  

 

 

What is Chromatic Aberration?

Chromatic Aberration creates colour fringing on an image, usually around the lines and edges on the image, but it can also be present in other areas of the shot, where there are areas of high contrast, for example a black tree branch, against a bright sky. It usually appears as a purple, glowing halo giving "purple fringing", or can appear as red/magenta lines, often with green/cyan lines as well.

 

An example of chromatic aberration can be seen above, note the megenta and cyan / green lines on the edges of the window frame. You can see an example of purple fringing below, where the gravestone is up against a bright (blown out) sky. 

This can often be corrected either in camera automatically in modern cameras, or in photo editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Lightroom.

 

Purple fringing can be seen around the top of the gravestone.

 

 

What is Vignetting?

All lenses have a little vignetting - it's the term used when the image is darker at the edges than in the centre, due the curvature of the lens. Vignetting can sometimes be used to your advantage as a stylistic tool, to highlight the main aspect of your image in the centre. Most modern cameras will automatically correct for vignetting, depending on the lens used, and this can be corrected in photo editing software quickly and easily, or alternatively added to give a creative effect and style to your photo. See our guide on how to add a vignette to a photo in Photoshop.

 

Severe vignetting can be seen in this image.

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

As Times Square is a popular location for tourists, it can be hard to shoot photos, particularly panoramas as people will often get in front of your lens, movement becomes blurred and when trying to stitch shots together, people often end up looking like they've got sliced in half. There are times when the square isn't so full of tourists but as photographer David Clapp explains, the photos aren't as interesting: "Even though shooting at busy times proved to be very complex and very stressful both in the field and in post-processing, I didn't want to go out 5am when there was no one about as it ruins the buzz intensity."

There are a set of steps which you can stand at the top of and shoot down onto the square, however if it rains no one sits on the steps, blocking the view and you're not allowed to use a tripod at the top of the steps as you will be told it's a 'safety hazard'.

A way to shoot Times Square without having to fight the crowds is to shoot up at the tower blocks and billboards that decorate the square.

Here's one David took looking vertically up at the tower blocks:

 

 

Moving your lens away from crowd level removes one problem but it's replaced with another and that's adverts changing constantly. If you want to blend images together, as David did for the above shot which is made up of three images, getting your timing right is crucial.

"The only way to do this is to shoot with the camera in Live View mode and wait until some kind of 'rest' occurs before capture. You can see I caught the 'eye' in the bottom left half way through transition. Still, it works. However, I am not altogether happy with the lighting of this image. The weather was so unstable that it made dusk shooting a lottery."

A way to really exaggerate the size of the structures in a city is with a fisheye lens. In the shot below, David moved down a few streets away from Times Square to shoot these buildings at a crossroads.

 

 

"I opted for the same technique I tried a few days before, using a faster shutter speed to capture two images for a blend, so the adverts wouldn't change between images. It works really well, but in the end the ambient light was good enough that I could process the image from just one RAW file."

For the next shot, David had to position half of his tripod on the pavement and the other on the road (watching for traffic in the process).

 

 

"This fabulous subway sign helps to set the scene even further, giving a title to the cluster of buildings rising upwards into the sky," he explained.

David increased the brightness in the centre of the photo with a circular gradient fill on a curves adjustment layer. He did this to give the impression that the lighting was consistent all the way up to the top of the tower blocks, which it wasn't.

This was shot following exactly the same concept but this time David twisted the camera and lens downwards, to show the full tower block above the road.

 

 

"These buildings are a riot of colours and lines. I love the cross-shaped gap in the middle, in particular," said David. "The image potential in Times Square is huge, all these shots were taken from the same place, give or take a few feet, but it does take serious refining."

To see more of David's work, visit his website: www.davidclapp.co.uk

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

© Adobe

 

Adobe is rolling out new Photoshop tools designed to give creative pros faster workflows and finer creative control. Key updates include non-destructive Light Adjustment Layers, visual Markup controls, and Firefly Image 5 powered prompt masking to protect vital brand assets. Designers can also explore a new beta AI Assisted Editor or use Prompt to Edit directly in the traditional Pro Editor for seamless, text-based image transformations.

 

From Adobe:

 

Great tools amplify your creativity while allowing you to focus on your ideas. That's been our focus since Photoshop's earliest days, and it’s what drives us today, especially as AI reshapes what's possible in creative work.

We're introducing a new set of Photoshop innovations to give you more choice in how you create, more flexibility in how you work, and more control over your results. Whether you're refining details with precision tools or exploring ideas through prompts, these updates are designed to help you work with greater efficiency and confidence so you can stay focused on your creative vision from start to finish.

 

More precision, less friction, greater creative control

As a creative professional, your time is your critical resource, and you want technology that streamlines the busywork without sacrificing the discretion and judgment that defines your craft.

Sharper, more precise editing:

• Light Adjustment Layer gives you professional-grade lighting controls — Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks — in a new non-destructive adjustment layer, so you get Camera Raw-level results without ever leaving your Photoshop layers workflow.
• Instruct Edit with Masks, powered by Firefly Image 5, understands the full context of your image so you no longer need to precisely mark every edit area yourself. Just describe the precise edits you’re looking for — such as opening closed eyes or placing a hat on a specific person’s head — with simple prompts. The unmasked areas remain untouched so your other important elements, like faces, logos, or brand assets, are protected.
• Markup lets you visually communicate edits by drawing directly on an image to show the model what you want — select areas to recolor, sketch arrows to indicate position, or brush in rough shapes to suggest new elements — so you can get results that more closely match your vision while reducing the ambiguity of text-only prompts.

 

© Adobe

 

More control, fewer interruptions:

• Dynamic Text, Shapes and Paths extends Photoshop's Dynamic Text to any custom shape or path, allowing text to adapt automatically along curves and freeform layouts so you keep your formatting without manual rework.
• Stock Panel Integration puts more than 900 million Adobe Stock assets right inside Photoshop in a dockable panel, so you can easily discover, preview, and use assets without leaving your workflow.

 

More flexibility in how you work

Everyone moves from idea to execution in different ways, which is why we're adding more choice by bringing in a new optional space in Photoshop to try prompt-based editing outside the familiar Pro Editor workflow.

 

Introducing AI Assisted Editor

The AI Assisted Editor, now in beta, gives you the option of using a dedicated interface and natural-language prompt bar alongside popular generative tools powered by leading AI models, so you can explore ideas and make edits using simple prompts.

 

© Adobe

 

AI Assisted Editor includes:

• Prompt to Edit: Transform images using natural language prompts without complex manual editing.
• Remove Background: Erase backgrounds, refine edges, and customize images in just a few clicks.
• Generative Expand: Extend image dimensions and generate content that blends naturally with your composition.
• Remove Tool: Eliminate unwanted objects and distractions while maintaining realistic image quality.
• Generative Fill: Add, replace, or remove content using simple text prompts.
• Generative Upscale: Increase image resolution while preserving sharpness and visual fidelity.
• AI Markup: Annotate images to communicate edits visually and generate more precise results.

Prefer to keep working in the Pro Editor? Prompt to Edit offers the same natural language editing directly in the Pro Editor's Contextual Task Bar, so you can transform an entire image using simple prompts, with no selection required, right from the context bar you’re already using. Every Prompt to Edit result becomes a generative layer in your layer stack, so your edits stay organized and non-destructive

Whether you prefer prompts, precision tools, or a combination of both, Photoshop offers the flexibility to support the way you create.

Start exploring what’s new in Photoshop today!

 

To help you give your urban photography an abstract feel, here are 8 top tips on what, how and where to take your photos when out exploring a town or city. 

 

1. Focus On What's Interesting

When you find something that catches your eye, think about how you can compose the shot to take the subject away from its surroundings so it becomes abstract rather than a great city shot with several interesting elements. The key to capturing an image that works is to create an image out of something ordinary that you wouldn't normally see while still creating an appealing shot.

 

2. More Than One Point Of Interest

When you have a subject that has multiple points of interest you have the opportunity to capture various elements, some which may not have seemed so obvious as working in an abstract way at the start.

 

3. Create Scale

Just because you're capturing abstracts doesn't mean you always have to work up-close. Think of it as cropping out unwanted elements rather than using your lens to zoom in. Use surrounding elements to emphasise size but still frame the image so the building's surroundings are removed, giving emphasis to its shapes and patterns rather than it having context. 

 

4. Use Colour

By using a single bright colour in a shot that's mostly of the same shades can give the viewer of the image a point of focus that can also be used to guide and lead the eye to other points in the shot. This is even more so when the area is limited and contrasts so greatly with the rest of the image. Strong blocks of colour can also work well but you don't want one to overpower the other so the viewer doesn't pay attention to the rest of the frame. 

 

 

5. Look For Shadows 

This isn't something our eyes tend to see but when arranged in the frame properly, they can be a great subject matter on their own or enhance the shapes/patterns of an object you're making your point of focus. 

 

6. Lines Work Well

 If you want to use lines in your image, try to find a location that gives you a shot that has lines that vary in size and colour. Bolder lines can have more impact than small, faint ones and do remember they will still guide the eye through the shot and tell the viewer where they should be looking. Don't think lines have to be straight either as a curved line will still guide the viewer's eye. 

 

7. Shoot Through Other Objects

If you find a rain-covered window or even a water feature that can be used to capture a distorted reflection thanks to the ripples in the water, use them to your advantage. Keep an eye out for coloured glass, reflective buildings and any other items you think will give your city shots that abstract feel you're searching for. 

 

8. People Like Patterns & Symmetry 

As humans, we like to see repeating patterns and symmetrical objects so take advantage of this. Patterns can guide the eye across an image as well as make your abstract shot more interesting thanks to the shapes they create. 

 

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© Jennifer Hadley / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

 

Celebrating 10 years of hilarious nature photography, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are bringing an immersive exhibition to FRAMELESS London on September 12. Running through January 2027, the limited-run gallery projects 91 award-winning photos across seven realistic habitats, complete with surround soundscapes that put you right next to surprised seals and ninja prairie dogs. Created with The Born Free Foundation, this fun display uses humor to highlight the lighter side of nature while raising support for wildlife conservation.

 

From Nikon:

 

• A new retrospective immersive experience celebrating a decade of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards arrives at FRAMELESS this autumn, opening 12 September and running through January 2027.
• The new experience will showcase 91 of the competition's best and funniest photographs of our natural world, reframed through seven unique habitats and environments, with spatial sound placing visitors inside each one.
• The limited-run residency joins FRAMELESS' collection of 40+ immersive artworks across four interactive galleries, all in one ticket.

 

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards, the global competition that has spent a decade using humour to campaign for wildlife conservation, is coming to FRAMELESS, London's largest permanent immersive art experience. Opening 12th  September, a brand-new retrospective experience will bring together ten years of the competition's funniest images presented at full scale inside the habitats where they were captured.

Staged in FRAMELESS' Blank Canvas Gallery, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Immersive Experience will feature 91 award-winning photographs from the competition's first decade, reimagined as a spectacular 15-minute immersive experience.

The colourful showcase takes visitors through seven different natural habitats, bringing them  face-to-face with some of the most humorous creatures that dwell in these environments. From surprised seals and sassy penguins on beach shores, bewildered bears and chortling mice on forest floors, to dancing monkeys and ninja prairie dogs in vast grasslands, visitors will discover the lighter side of life in habitats often remote from our own.

Each image is placed within the habitat it was captured in with spatial sound shifting around the gallery, from breaking waves on the shoreline to the hush of the forest floor, allowing visitors to feel as though they are walking through each environment as they meet the creatures that live there.

 

© David Parry / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards / Frameless

 

Ryan 'Woody' Atwood, Creative Director of FRAMELESS, said: "Nature photography is one of the most precise art forms. Capturing the perfect image as timeless as those featured in this new experience can require months of planning and split-second decision making. For ten years, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have demonstrated that comedy is a powerful medium for telling important stories about conservation and nature and we're honoured that FRAMELESS is now a part of their journey. Through our signature immersive storytelling, we are reframing some of its best and most hilarious images in their native environments and we hope our audiences will come away with a newfound appreciation for both this artform and our weird and wonderful natural world."

Using humour to inspire wildlife conservation has been the ambition of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards since its inception in 2015. By demonstrating that we are not so different from wildlife as we may expect, the Awards' mission is to broaden our understanding of nature and why biodiversity conservation matters. Every year, the Awards support a grassroots conservation organisation and this year, it is working with The Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity working to prevent the exploitation and suffering of wild animals both in captivity and in the wild.

Tom Sullam, Co-founder at the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards, said: "Being able to show some of the very best entries from our fantastic collection of images at FRAMELESS is an absolute honour for all involved with this competition. The strength of our message is only as strong as the people that see the images, and this upbeat, positive and enhancing exhibition will be an incredible experience for all visitors. We are genuinely thrilled by this exhibition and can't wait to see the positivity that comes from it!"

 

© Andrea Zampatti / David Parry / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

 

Running through January 2027, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Immersive Experience comes at a timely moment in the Awards' calendar, which is gearing up to announce the finalists of its 2026 competition in early October. The retrospective experience will take over FRAMELESS' Blank Canvas Gallery, which has hosted some of its most ambitious exclusive residencies, from showcases by up-and-coming artists to collaborations with renowned institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery. Entry to the Blank Canvas Gallery is included in all standard FRAMELESS tickets.

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards experience opens at FRAMELESS on 12 September 2026, running through January 2027. Entry to FRAMELESS begins at £29.50 for adults and £20 for children. Running across October half term and the Christmas holidays, the experience is suitable for all ages and included in every standard ticket. For more information, visit frameless.com/artist-residencies/comedy-wildlife-awards/