360Photography

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  • Flickr CEO sends out email asking users to help ‘keep the Flickr dream alive’

    In a very candid email sent out to users last night, Flickr (and SmugMug) CEO Dan MacAskill shared the current state of the Flickr platform, detailing the struggles the SmugMug team is facing regarding the financial situation of the photo-sharing network.

    The email opens up by saying ‘Flickr—the world’s most-beloved, money-losing business—needs your help.’ In the full email, which we’ve embedded below, MacAskill explains how the SmugMug team has done its best to optimize the platform from both a user and financial standpoint, but it hasn’t been enough. According to MacAskill, Flickr is ‘still losing money,’ despite its new owners’ best efforts to streamline overheard and bring on hundreds of thousands of new Flickr Pro subscriptions.

    Put simply, MacAskill says ‘We need more Flickr Pro members if we want to keep the Flickr dream alive.’ MacAskill doesn’t specifically state how long the ‘Flickr dream’ can stay alive in its current state, but such a letter wouldn’t be written if things weren’t heading towards dire.

    In conjunction with the letter, MacAskill also announced Flickr’s end-of-the-year promotion that will get you 25-percent off an annual Flickr Pro subscription, a push to bring even more users on board to support the platform. He wraps up the letter saying:

    ‘If you value Flickr finally being independent, built for photographers and by photographers, we ask you to join us, and to share this offer with those who share your love of photography and community.’

    After reading through the letter, we had a few questions, so we contacted MacAskill with a few questions regarding the future of Flickr. Specifically, we asked the following:

    In response, MacAskill responded with:

    After the above response from MacAskill, we inquired further about the ‘follow-up contingency plans,’ but are yet to receive a response. We will update this article accordingly if MacAskill responds.

    The email is an interesting one. MacAskill is known for his candor, so seeing this transparency is far from out of character for him. At some level, the email inspires would-be Flickr Pro members to subscribe to the premium version of Flickr. However, it also instills fear in current Flickr Pro members, who effectively see this email as the writing on the wall for their images and the network they’ve built on the platform. Proof of this dichotomy is clearly visible in the Reddit thread regarding this email, where users strike a balance of respect for MacAskill and the SmugMug-owned version of Flickr while simultaneously showing concern for the future of the platform in the comments.

    Full email:

    Dear friends,

    Flickr—the world’s most-beloved, money-losing business—needs your help.

    Two years ago, Flickr was losing tens of millions of dollars a year. Our company, SmugMug, stepped in to rescue it from being shut down and to save tens of billions of your precious photos from being erased.

    Why? We’ve spent 17 years lovingly building our company into a thriving, family-owned and -operated business that cares deeply about photographers. SmugMug has always been the place for photographers to showcase their photography, and we’ve long admired how Flickr has been the community where they connect with each other. We couldn’t stand by and watch Flickr vanish.

    So we took a big risk, stepped in, and saved Flickr. Together, we created the world’s largest photographer-focused community: a place where photographers can stand out and fit in.

    We’ve been hard at work improving Flickr. We hired an excellent, large staff of Support Heroes who now deliver support with an average customer satisfaction rating of above 90%. We got rid of Yahoo’s login. We moved the platform and every photo to Amazon Web Services (AWS), the industry leader in cloud computing, and modernized its technology along the way. As a result, pages are already 20% faster and photos load 30% more quickly. Platform outages, including Pandas, are way down. Flickr continues to get faster and more stable, and important new features are being built once again.

    Our work is never done, but we’ve made tremendous progress.

    Now Flickr needs your help. It’s still losing money. Hundreds of thousands of loyal Flickr members stepped up and joined Flickr Pro, for which we are eternally grateful. It’s losing a lot less money than it was. But it’s not yet making enough.

    We need more Flickr Pro members if we want to keep the Flickr dream alive.

    We didn’t buy Flickr because we thought it was a cash cow. Unlike platforms like Facebook, we also didn’t buy it to invade your privacy and sell your data. We bought it because we love photographers, we love photography, and we believe Flickr deserves not only to live on but thrive. We think the world agrees; and we think the Flickr community does, too. But we cannot continue to operate it at a loss as we’ve been doing.

    Flickr is the world’s largest photographer-focused community. It’s the world’s best way to find great photography and connect with amazing photographers. Flickr hosts some of the world’s most iconic, most priceless photos, freely available to the entire world. This community is home to more than 100 million accounts and tens of billions of photos. It serves billions of photos every single day. It’s huge. It’s a priceless treasure for the whole world. And it costs money to operate. Lots of money.

    Flickr is not a charity, and we’re not asking you for a donation. Flickr is the best value in photo sharing anywhere in the world. Flickr Pro members get ad-free browsing for themselves and their visitors, advanced stats, unlimited full-quality storage for all their photos, plus premium features and access to the world’s largest photographer-focused community for less than $ 5 per month.

    You likely pay services such as Netflix and Spotify at least $ 9 per month. I love services like these, and I’m a happy paying customer, but they don’t keep your priceless photos safe and let you share them with the most important people in your world. Flickr does, and a Flickr Pro membership costs less than $ 1 per week.

    Please, help us make Flickr thrive. Help us ensure it has a bright future. Every Flickr Pro subscription goes directly to keeping Flickr alive and creating great new experiences for photographers like you. We are building lots of great things for the Flickr community, but we need your help. We can do this together.

    We’re launching our end-of-year Pro subscription campaign on Thursday, December 26, but I want to invite you to subscribe to Flickr Pro today for the same 25% discount.

    We’ve gone to great lengths to optimize Flickr for cost savings wherever possible, but the increasing cost of operating this enormous community and continuing to invest in its future will require a small price increase early in the new year, so this is truly the very best time to upgrade your membership to Pro.

    If you value Flickr finally being independent, built for photographers and by photographers, we ask you to join us, and to share this offer with those who share your love of photography and community.

    With gratitude,

    Don MacAskill
    Co-Founder, CEO & Chief Geek
    SmugMug + Flickr

    Use and share coupon code 25in2019 to get 25% off Flickr Pro now.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: The crowdsourced winner of MKBHD’s blind smartphone test might surprise you

    Popular tech personality Marques Brownlee has published his latest blind smartphone camera test, this one featuring many of the most popular flagship smartphones from 2019, including the iPhone 11 Pro, Google Pixel 4, Galaxy Note 10+, Huawei Mate 30 Pro, and OnePlus 7T Pro.

    Each smartphone camera was used to capture a basic profile shot of Brownlee in a natural lighting environment in front of a partly cloudy blue sky. Assessments of the results came from public opinion; millions of Instagram and Twitter users were asked to choose which images they thought had the best quality.

    Brownlee reveals the results from these polls in his 2019 blind smartphone camera test video above. The results from the first polling bracket are surprising: the One Plus 7T Pro smartphone, for example, beat the iPhone 11 Pro in the court of public opinion.

    Both the Samsung Note 10+ and the Galaxy S10e took the final two bracket slots, with the Note 10+ ultimately crowned the victor.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Leak claims Apple will use sensor-shift stabilization tech in some 2020 iPhone 5G models

    Taiwanese tech publication Digitimes has published a new report claiming that the 2020 iPhone model featuring 5G network support will feature ‘sensor-shift stabilization technology.’ This alleged new feature will only be available on select iPhone 5G models, according to the report, potentially offering better image quality over models that only feature optical image stabilization.

    Optical image stabilization (OIS) works by shifting the lens whereas sensor-shift stabilization works by shifting the sensor. Though OIS is now a common feature on flagship smartphones, sensor-shift stabilization technology has been largely relegated to dedicated digital cameras, something Digitimes claims Apple will change starting next year.

    Past leaks allege that Apple plans to release four new iPhones in 2020, including cheaper base tier models and more expensive higher-end models. On the high end of that scale, the 2020 iPhone is expected to feature a new 3D camera system for augmented reality applications.

    It’s unclear whether the inclusion of sensor-shift stabilization technology would be limited to these higher-end models and whether the tech will play a role in Apple’s alleged AR ambitions. Digitimes itself has a mixed track record in regards to its consumer gadget leaks, though it has accurately published unreleased iPhone details in the past.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DJI patents land-based vehicle with built-in camera and new gimbal system

    Newly discovered Chinese patents hint at the upcoming launch of two new DJI products, including a gimbal or sorts that looks like a smaller version of the Ronin 2, as well as a motorized vehicle with a built-in camera. The latter product may be a land-based alternative to the company’s expansive drone lineup, giving users a way to surveil an area from the ground and capture new types of action shots.

    The camera car, which DroneDJ says is listed with the term ‘vehicle’ in the patents, resembles a mechanical rover with a camera attached to the top. Based on the patent illustration, the vehicle appears to have large rugged wheels, hinting at a design that may accommodate off-road use, as well as a series of shocks and dampeners to reduce vibrations.

    According to DroneDJ, the patent reveals that the DJI camera car’s wheels can rotate 360-degrees and that the camera’s height can be adjusted.

    Joining the camera car patent is another patent detailing a handheld device that looks like a gimbal similar to the company’s existing Ronin 2 product. The patent refers to this product as a ‘stabilizing device’ that includes a ‘handheld gimbal device.’ The product may feature a removable cage that makes it possible to attach the gimbal to different devices, potentially including the camera car detailed in the other DJI patent.

    Based on the patent, this stabilizer features two handles, a removable camera, as well as physical controls that include a focus wheel and buttons.

    As with any patent, it is possible that DJI will never actually bring either of these products to the market. However, the existence of both indicates the company is exploring an expansion of its product line that’ll appeal to filmmakers and that it may move beyond aerial vehicles to also offer land-based vehicles capable of transporting camera equipment.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Lensrentals breaks down its most-rented photo and video gear of 2019

    As it’s done for the past few years, Lensrentals has rounded up its most-rented photo and video gear of the year, breaking down the most popular cameras, lenses and accessories in rotation.

    The data Lensrentals provides isn’t necessarily valuable for judging the photography industry as a whole, but as noted by a Lensrentals spokesperson in an email to DPReview, it is ‘the largest inventory of photography and cinematography equipment for online rental in the U.S. [and its] annual list has become somewhat of a barometer of the equipment creatives are creating or experimenting with.’

    The full collection of data is available to peruse on Lensrentals’ website, but we’ve rounded up a few key insights worth pointing out.

    First up, these are the top overall rental products for the 2019 year:

    1. Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II
    2. Canon 5D Mark IV
    3. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II
    4. Sony Alpha a7 III
    5. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III
    6. DJI Ronin-S 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
    7. Canon 35mm f/1.4L II
    8. Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
    9. Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
    10. Canon 50mm f/1.2L

    Year over year, not much has changed. In fact, Canon’s 50mm F1.2L lens, released in 2007, is still in the top ten list more than a decade later and the top three products remain unchanged from last year (although the Canon 5D Mark IV and 70-200mm F2.8L IS II did swap spots). Additionally, the 5D Mark III still remains in the top 25 most rented products, despite being over seven years old.

    As for whether DSLR or mirrorless cameras proved more popular, it turns out it was almost split down the middle. According to Lensrentals, mirrorless and DSLR cameras accounted for 49.78% and 50.22% of rented cameras, respectively. This is a dramatic increase (21%) for mirrorless cameras compared to last year, where mirrorless cameras accounted for just 29% of rentals.

    On the topic of mirrorless, Sony’s E-mount still rules the roost, with 26% of total rentals. Canon’s RF and Nikon’s Z systems remain dramatically behind at 4.91% and 2.26%, respectively, but year-over-year the RF and Z systems have increased rental volume by 600%.

    Below are a few more breakdowns, provided to us by Lensrentals:

    Top five lens rentals by system 2019

    1. Canon EF 45.5% (up 1.5%)
    2. Sony E 23.9% (up 18%)
    3. Nikon F 14% (down 1.5)
    4. Micro Four Thirds 7% (up 9.8%)
    5. Fujifilm X 3.5% (up 14%)

    Top camera rentals by system 2019

    1. Canon EF 36.3% (down 7.5%)
    2. Sony E 27.1% (up 7.4%)
    3. Nikon F 13% (down 8%)
    4. Micro Four Thirds 9.23% (down 7%)
    5. Fujifilm X 4.3% (up 16.7%)

    Top lens rentals by brand 2019

    1. Canon 35.84% (up 5.5%)
    2. Sony 15.4% (up 14%)
    3. Sigma 13.9% (up 17%)
    4. Nikon 8.8% (up 12%)
    5. Tamron 4.3% (up 21.8%)

    Top camera rentals by brand 2019

    1. Canon 36.2% (up 1%)
    2. Sony 26.2% (up 8%)
    3. Nikon 9.7% (up 6.1%)
    4. Panasonic 7.66% (up 2.8%)
    5. BlackMagic 4.8% (up 130%)

    Top five NEW products 2019

    1. GoPro HERO7 Black
    2. Blackmagic pocket cinema camera 4K (the 6K made the top 20 list)
    3. Sony FE 24mm f1.4 GM
    4. Sony Alpha 6400
    5. Nikon Z6

    Overall, things remain mostly consistent, aside from movement within the full-frame mirrorless market, which is still in its infancy for both Canon and Nikon. You can dig deeper into all the information over on Lensrentals’ blog post and check out the 2018, 2017 and 2016 posts as well.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Gear of the Year 2019 – Dale’s choice: Laowa 15mm Zero-D

    Photo: Dan Bracaglia

    I feel like I’m stretching the rules a wee bit for my 2019 gear of the year by choosing a lens that was technically launched a couple years ago. However, Venus Optics released the Laowa 15mm F2 Zero-D in Nikon Z-mount and Canon RF-mount this year, and since I’ve been using the Nikon version I’m going to call it a 2019 product.

    Before you protest, let me review the rules for our gear of the year selections:

    1. The gear you enjoyed using most this year.
    2. If there’s any ambiguity, refer to rule #1.

    OK, with that out of the way let’s do this.

    If you’ve been visiting the site for a while you may have noticed that over the past few years I’ve become a keen aurora borealis photographer. No matter how many times I see the northern lights I never get tired of them. It’s addictive, and I mean that in a good way. In the process I’ve experimented with a lot of different gear in an effort to find my ideal kit, and I’m really loving this Laowa lens.

    Processed to taste in Adobe Lightroom.
    ISO 10,000 | 2 sec | F2

    I should clarify what ‘ideal’ means in this context. What it doesn’t mean is absolute technical perfection. I know there are hardcore astrophotographers who care very much about technical perfection, and for good reason, but that’s not me. My goal isn’t to create technically perfect images. It’s to create art, to tell a story, to share a unique experience with others.

    Yes, I want good technical quality, but I also care about factors like weight, cost and my enjoyment when using the equipment. Why? Because like everyone else I have a budget. Also, when I photograph aurora I often carry three cameras (‘carry’ being the operative word), but that means I have to carry three lenses, three tripods, yada yada yada… It starts to add up pretty quickly, so keeping things on the small side is really helpful. My back appreciates it more every year.

    Processed to taste in Adobe Lightroom.
    ISO 5,000 | 6 sec | F2

    One of the advantage of mirrorless cameras with short flange distances is the ability to create smaller lenses at wide focal lengths, and the Laowa leverages this fact. My other favorite lens for this type of work, the Sigma 14mm F1.8, is both larger and heavier.

    In terms of absolute image quality, I think the Sigma 14mm F1.8 – which I picked as my gear of the year a couple years ago – is a bit better. It’s also slightly brighter. The downside? It’s pretty freakin’ big. Three of them in my pack would be noticeably heavier and more crowded than three Laowas; enough so that it matters to me.

    The Laowa 15mm F2 (left) is significantly less bulky than the Sigma 14mm F1.8 (right).

    Another thing I love about this lens is its build quality. I would describe it as feeling dense; despite its all metal construction and small size it’s still a bit heavier than it looks. It reminds me a lot of my old manual focus Nikkors, including the very nicely damped focus ring.

    Speaking of which, it’s entirely manual focus, but I’m shooting the night sky and it’s not like the stars are running an AF test on a bike. (I’m not suggesting Richard Butler isn’t a star in his own right, but you know what I mean.)

    Is it perfect? No. There’s definitely vignetting wide open, and even for a couple stops beyond, but the lens profile in Lightroom does an admirable job of correcting it. If I really needed perfection corner-to-corner that would bother me, but I don’t.

    Processed to taste in Adobe Lightroom.
    ISO 5,000 | 2 sec | F2

    Similarly, there are some minor ‘angel wings’ on stars in the corners due to coma, but all things considered it’s not bad. Fortunately, most people aren’t focused on the stars in my photos, but rather the lights.

    I’ll admit there’s one thing that drives me bat**** crazy. The metal lens hood doesn’t lock into position securely enough, and the slightest bump knocks it out of alignment, which is easy to miss in the dark. This results in some occlusion of the image in a couple corners. I did it by accident a couple times at first, but I’ve trained myself to be ever vigilant.

    Processed to taste in Adobe Lightroom.
    ISO 5,000 | 4 sec | F2

    Some will argue that the wide angle Rokinons are better and even more affordable. Maybe they are, but in my experience it depends a lot on the particular copy you get. For what it’s worth I own two of them, and neither is as good in the corners as the two Laowas I’ve used.

    Is it the best wide angle lens I’ve ever used? No. Do I love using it? Yes. It’s not the right lens for everyone, but it’s certainly a great lens for me, and that’s why it’s my gear of the year.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Best cameras for Instagram in 2019

    Although smartphones are the default choice, a lot of the most attractive lifestyle photographs on platforms such as Instagram are shot using ‘traditional’ cameras.

    We’ve chosen a selection of models that make it easier to shoot high-quality, compelling lifestyle images, whatever you intend to use them for. We’ve considered the need to offer a pleasant degree of background blur, the availability of wide-angle lenses and the ease with which they’ll focus on people.

    The experienced photographer: Fujifilm X-T3

    The X-T3 makes an excellent camera for attractive lifestyle photography. Fujifilm offers an array of relatively affordable prime lenses that let you shoot high-quality lifestyle photos. The X-T3’s ‘Film Simulation’ color modes then make it easy to make these shots look as engaging as possible without requiring a ton of editing. The camera’s face and eye detection isn’t the best, but it’s sufficiently good that you can concentrate on your composition and conveying the almost-too-good-to-be-true life moment, rather than worrying about focus.

    For the beginner: Canon EOS M50

    The EOS M50 can’t match the Fujifilm for lens choice but both Canon and Sigma offer a couple of keenly priced prime lenses that can give that slight background blur that helps your subject stand out. Its main advantage is a simple, primarily touchscreen-based interface that lets you get great shots without having to play with lots of dials.

    We considered the cameras below when picking our winner, and even though we think the Fujifilm X-T3 and Canon EOS M50 are the best choices, the other cameras on our shortlist are also worthy contenders.

    • Our pick: Fujifilm X-T3
    • Our pick: Canon EOS M50

    Also consider:

    • Canon EOS RP
    • Canon PowerShot G5 X II
    • Fujifilm X100F
    • Nikon Z6
    • Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II
    • Sony a7 III

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • LG unveils 2020 UltraFine, UltraWide 32″ and 38″ 4K monitors for professionals

    Ahead of their CES 2020 debut, LG Electronics has taken the wraps off its latest monitor lineup, including the 2020 UltraFine and 2020 UltraWide 4K models. Both monitors, as well as a new UltraGear line designed specifically for gamers, are part of the ‘premium’ market segment, according to LG.

    Most notable among LG’s new models is the 2020 LG UltraWide 38WN95C 38in QHD+ 3840 x 1600 21:9 monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms Nano IPS display. This model, which is VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified, offers what LG calls ‘professional-level performance, picture quality and speed.’

    The 2020 LG UltraFine monitor also features 98% DCI P3 color space, Thunderbolt 3, NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, 450 nits brightness and an adjustable tilt stand.

    Joining the UltraWide model is the new 2020 LG UltraFine Ergo 32in 4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 32UN880 monitor featuring an IPS display, 60Hz refresh rate, 5ms response time, HDR10 support, AMD Radeon FreeSync, and 350 nits brightness. This model does not feature Thunderbolt 3.

    The UltraFine’s USB-C One Cable solution is joined by an ergonomic design with an ‘arm’ style stand capable of being adjusted in a number of ways and placed very close to a wall. LG says it designed this monitor specifically for professionals who spend ‘a significant amount of time’ working at a desk.

    LG hasn’t provided pricing information for any of its new monitors at this time, but we’ll likely get the price and availability details during CES 2020 in early January.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Rumor: Samsung Galaxy S11+ sensor to use Nonacell technology

    Yesterday we posted a story about the technology in Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL Bright HMX image sensor and said the chip was likely to make an appearance in the Korean manufacturer’s upcoming Galaxy S11 series.

    It looks like this might not be entirely correct. According to a tweet by infamous mobile industry leakster Ice Universe the Galaxy S11+ will use a customized version of the chip that uses a technology that Samsung calls Nonacell.

    The standard sensor comes with the company’s tetracell technology, also known as Quad-Bayer, that uses pixel merging for better detail and lower noise levels in low light. Nonacell follows the same concept but instead of four combines — you guessed it — nine pixels into one.

    The sensor is said to be called ISOCELL Bright HM1 and will be the successor to the HMX variant that we’ve seen in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. On the latter four 0.8µm pixels are combined into one 1.6µm effective pixel. On the new sensor the effective pixel size would increase to 2.4µm, theoretically allowing for significantly improved low light performance at a still more than acceptable 12MP output size.

    The Galaxy S11 series is scheduled to launch in February 2020, so hopefully, we’ll be able to have a closer look at then sensor and its performance then.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Slideshow: These are the winners and finalists of the ‘Hasselblad X You’ photo contest

    Hasselblad X You grand prize winners and finalists

    Over the past 3 months, Hasselblad X You, a competition put on by the camera company along with partners Peak Design and PolarPro, has been showcasing the best of what photographers have captured with Hasselblad’s X System cameras. 12 winners have been selected each week. The final grand prize winner is Chicago-based photographer Clarissa Bonet for her striking urban capture.

    “For me, this image stands out because of the mixture of subjects and genre – fashion vs street – all while maintaining a clear focus on the model. So much to take in and yet there is still a strong focus when viewing this image. Very nicely done,” said 2018 Hasselblad Master Jorge de la Torriente. Creative content duo, and Hasselblad content partners, Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís remarked, “As architects, we really appreciated the effort of the photographer in building – no pun intended – a connection between fashion and architecture with her photography.”

    Part of Grand Prize Winner Clarissa Bonet’s award includes a trip to Hasselblad’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

    Bonet will travel to Hasselblad’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she’ll tour the factory to see how their cameras are assembled. She’ll also get a tour of the Hasselblad Foundation and the Gothenburg Museum of Art. Prizes awarded will include a 907X Special Edition camera, travel bag, and accessories from the competition’s partners.

    Hasselblad’s 970X Special Edition camera.

    All captions for the following slideshow photos are the photographers own words. You can view all Hasselblad X You weekly winner features, in their entirety, here.

    Grand Prize Winner: Clarissa Bonet – Chicago, Illinois, USA

    About this photo: In Bonet’s own words: ‘This image is part of a fashion editorial I shot for Chicago Magazine that celebrates both the Bauhaus movement and architect Mies van der Rohe. The assignment was shot on location at multiple Mies buildings throughout the Chicagoland area. When thinking through the assignment, I knew the images must reference the Bauhaus style – minimalist, graphic, with bold lines and shapes.

    After scouting the location at multiple times of the day, I knew exactly when a slim beam of light would open on the west side of the building, creating a bold, graphic band of light for our model to stand in. This specific image was made in Federal Plaza, which has three Mies buildings next to each other. To capture all three buildings in the same frame, I used the 45mm lens and stood in the middle of the street during a red light. An assistant watched for cars so I could focus on nailing the shot.’

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F9,5; Shutter Speed: 1/350 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Julius Hirtzberger – Vienna, Austria

    About this photo: This image was captured at the first morning light on 2 January 2019 on the glacier of Margherita Peak (5109m above sea level), right before reaching the top of the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. This scenery, with this very intense light and the breathtaking landscape, was reward enough for endless hours of tedious hiking through mud and rough terrain during the 8 days before and the 1am wake-up call on the peak-day (at -15 degrees Celsius).

    These moments were so intense – I had tears in my eyes while taking this photograph, which made it a bit difficult to compose and nail the focus. As with all of my images in general, this image is by no means overdone in post. The intense morning light actually brightened the ice, giving these magenta and red tones!

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F3,5; Shutter Speed: 1/20 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Brian Love – Los Angeles, California, USA

    About this photo: For this series we really wanted to have a minimal, mono theme where Vivica would really stand out but also be in harmony with the colors selected. For light, I wanted a daylight look with a little more pop, so I created more of a shaded daylight with strobes and v-flats. It was also important to have a team who shared in the same vision, so the color of lipstick that the makeup artist used and the clothing we chose all came together perfectly in the end. Just enough texture and color harmony to keep it simple yet stunning.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F4,5; Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Björn Ceder – Jönköping, Sweden

    About this photo: Two years ago, I spent my summer vacation in Canada where I flew to the Great Bear Rainforest from Port Hardy with a sea airplane. I wanted to explore the temperate rainforest and found this amazing floating lodge where you made daily bear excursions with guides. One early morning rowing through the river delta in this unique Canadian environment, we found this bald eagle guarding his territory. It was a truly majestic nature experience that the X1D helped me capture.

    All the people in the boat were using extreme telelenses to get really close to the animals but I wasn’t interested in photographing the animals this way. It’s in the context of the nature and the weather that makes the shot special. I ended up photographing bears, dolphins, eagles and other animals on this trip. When adjusting the focus of the X1D in this quiet surrounding, the minimal noise the camera makes is really rewarding, almost like cracking the code on a safe. You really experience the quality of the camera in the moment and it’s special when you end up with a shot like this.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F3,2; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Jean Michel Voge – Millancay, France

    About this photo: Crossing through Iceland before arriving to Greenland, I found myself in front of this very inspiring landscape. After taking two horizontal photos with the XCD 120 to capture the exact gradient of the sky, the snow and the rest of the vegetation, I had the idea to take 6 or 7 vertical photos (handheld) trying to capture the same horizon with each view. The raw files allowed me to combine these photos very easily.

    To my pleasant surprise, the well-designed XCD optics gave results that kept the perspective uniform throughout the different shots. I also discovered throughout the past month on this trip that the XCD 120 is perfect for finding lines and framing in a wide landscape with the feeling of being neither too close nor too far – perfect!

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 120mm (XCD 3,5/120); F6,3

    Weekly Winner: Jacob Degee – Warsaw, Poland

    About this photo: The first challenge with this photo was being able to take my Hasselblad underwater. There is no branded housing on the market, so I custom-built one for my use. It took me 6 months and many underwater trials to have a X1D housing fully operational. The second challenge was to find an interesting wildlife subject. A few years ago, people discovered a congregation of whale sharks in the north of Isla Mujeres in Mexico. Once a year, some of the biggest fish in the world are drawn to this area for food.

    The final challenge was to approach the animal and position myself properly. I was freediving and photographing whale sharks when I was lucky enough to spot a manta ray circling around. This manta was so happy with the huge amount of food that she was even swimming upside down continuing her feast. I needed to get closer to minimise the amount of water between the subject and the lens and to be angle my shot from the right side in order to catch the sun beams. I wanted to present the manta as if it was flying in the sky, framing the photo in such a way that the surface is at the bottom and the crystal-clear water seems like the sky.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 21mm (XCD 4/21); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Saeed Nassouri – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    About this photo: I live in a city located on the outskirts of the desert and the sand dune formations have a special poetry about them that registers well with many people. The details in this series of photographs can be captured really well using medium format. The main reason I created these images was to show detailed impressions in the sand dunes. Little insect footprints in such a vast space fascinate me.

    When I walk through the dunes, which is usually in hot and humid conditions where the temperature can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius, I come across little details such as the footprints of small insects and desert wildlife. I positioned my camera directly above a small portion of the ripples and captured 3 different footprints going in different paths in one shot. Although I seldom see any of these creatures, their impressions lift my spirits, knowing that there is such diverse life in the empty desert and their footprints are renewed every day just like the prints I leave behind.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 45); F19; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Matthew Ng – Hong Kong

    About this photo: I was walking around Hong Kong, and I decided to explore the Polytechnic University campus. It brought back memories of when I attended university back in Canada. The exact building that this staircase is in is the Jockey Club Innovation Tower. When I took this image, I had the idea in my mind that it would look great in black and white.

    The colour temperature of the interior lighting was daylight so nothing special. When I post processed the image, I converted it into black and white but it didn’t feel right, so I converted it back into colour and still had this picture in a monochromatic style. I started moving the sliders until I found a cool blue tone that I liked. I do a lot of my editing without presets and just edit freely depending on how the photo speaks to me.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D II 50C, Focal Length: 30mm (XCD 3,5/30); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Rajiv Bhambri – Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA

    About this photo: The Quiraing is a massive landslip located in the Isle of Skye in Scotland. There are breathtaking views, with spectacular cliffs, hidden plateaus and pinnacles of rock. I started my hike early so I could watch the sunrise, and I was not disappointed. The sun shone through the clouds to light up this mountain and loch with sheep grazing at the foothills. I used the 135mm lens to better capture this gorgeous mountain scene.

    True to the unpredictable Scottish weather, there was intermittent rain, and at some point, the sun disappeared completely. Because of the large dynamic range of the X1D camera, I did not need to spend time with ND graduated filters because of which I was able to take pictures quickly in between the periods of rain and also enjoy my walk.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 135mm (XCD 2,8/135); F29; Shutter Speed: 1/25 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Martin Kube?ka – Pezinok, Slovakia

    About this photo: This image was created while testing my new lighting gear, which allowed me to also put the sensor of the X1D II 50C to the test. My aim was to shoot a simple portrait where the emphasis was put more on colours and the face of the model. As I wanted to make this simple portrait unique, I took inspiration from the show “Stranger Things”, specifically the character Eleven’s usual dark expression.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D II 50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Frédéric Bastin – Brussels, Belgium

    About this photo: Mostly it’s teamwork with the stylist, makeup artist and the hairdresser. They know that I like to shoot new faces in the fashion industry – the uncommon beauty. I’m at war with the obvious. As soon as I find a new interesting model, I submit a project and we work on it together. Last summer when the model, Heloise, entered the studio, she had this vivid, transparent skin full of freckles.

    My makeup artist had the brilliant idea to reveal and accentuate her personality with black vinyl dots – something organic, like a second skin with a high contrast of black and white. I wanted to shoot this portrait with an extremely soft light, a mix of daylight and flash to capture this alternative beauty. That’s how I describe her identity.

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F6,8; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

    Weekly Winner: Ellen McDermott – New York, New York, USA

    About this photo: While on an editorial assignment shooting interiors for CTC&G (Connecticut Cottages & Gardens) Magazine, our Editor in Chief DJ Carey introduced us to our lifelong friends at Hound House, CT – Collin Robison and Trent De Berry. I mention this because DJ’s skill at pairing the location with the photographer is significant in how an assignment is realized. Our continued friendship and collaboration with Collin Robison Design led us to this photograph with Nailah, the Ocicat.

    Incorporating animals into our interiors can add a warmth and humanness that is more approachable and visually interesting. I’ve always loved photographing animals. There is a moment of stillness when the subject becomes engaged with the camera. There is a connection. It is paramount to have the proper gear to capture these transient moments. The X1D’s excellence in handling low light situations with an elusive subject matter made this image possible with superior results!

    Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F8

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)