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How to Correctly Resize Photos to Print Images Big

The post How to Correctly Resize Photos to Print Images Big appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

In this digital age, fewer people are printing their images, missing out on what can be an amazing experience with their images. Many images only exist in the ether (or the internet, if you want to be more literal), or on people’s hard drives. However, there is nothing more impressive than to print images big.

Viewing images on phones and tablets means that the resolution is generally pretty forgiving. However, when you actually take photos and print images big, you need to resize them. Doing so will tend to expose problems related to resolution and color.

When you print images big, your images become even more impressive, with more vibrant colors and detail being visible, which can work for or against you.

Printing big always starts with a great image (f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 320).

Practical and technical issues to enlarging images

Beyond simply printing, there is a question of size.

What if that phenomenal image you took with your camera is so memorable, or of such a decisive moment, that you want to make it big?

There are practical and technical issues you need to address if you want to print those images, particularly when making images that are growing in size.

Questions like, for a given image resolution…how big a print is too big for the camera (or phone) that you used? What are the limiting factors? How do you properly resize your images to make them bigger and appropriate for the size of the print you are looking for?

Printing from a cell phone is typically limited in size.

Camera limits

In this day and age, even cameras on smartphones tend to produce at least 12 MP images. You should be able to print them if the image is good enough (sharp/well lit), to produce a 10 x 13 inch image natively.

With a little help from image processing software, you can improve this to some extent. There are some newer software techniques available to boost those images size, both internally from the cameras (such as high resolution mode and HDR), and externally from image processing software that uses sophisticated algorithms to boost the image size by interpolation.

Cell phones use multiple cameras and computational photography to make images better.

Understanding the fundamentals

The size of digital images is measured in megapixels. Each pixel is a single-colored individual group of photosites that are sensitive to particular colors of light (red, green or blue).

A pixel is the smallest dot that makes up an image. The combining photosites from your sensor produce each pixel. As you add more and more pixels, you eventually get an image.

A megapixel is 1 million pixels (give or take, depending on how it is calculated) for the entire image. When you have a camera with a certain number of pixels (i.e. 16 MP), that tells you how many individual pixels there are within the image. Camera sensors generally come in two flavors (3:2 or 4:3 ratios).

The ratio will affect the overall size relationship. What this also means is the megapixel count tells you how many individual pixels are in each direction.

Crop sensor relative sizes.

Basic math

Megapixels just provides you with the total number of pixels. In order to actually print it, you need to figure out how big you want your print and then do some very basic math to figure out what works best for your image.

When you print, typically, you are looking at print resolution, in dots-per-inch (dpi) rather than megapixels, that is appropriate for the medium and the size of print you are going to make.

For most print media you might hold in your hands, you need a minimum of 300 dpi. This means that megapixels divided by dpi will give you the maximum dimensions natively produced by your sensor.

If you simply use pixels, there is no weird conversion. For example, a 12-megapixel image (common cell phone resolution) on a 3:2 sensor translates into pixels that are roughly 4290 x 2800 on the sensor. If you use 300 dpi to give you a print, the maximum size is 14.3″ x 9.3″ (this is not overly large). Even for a 36-megapixel image, you only end up with printable dimensions of 24.5″ x 16.4″.

Native resolution to size of images.

Hold the Phone

Wait a second, isn’t a 36-megapixel camera a pretty high-resolution camera?

If a 36-megapixel image only corresponds to 24.5″ x 16.4″ that seems really small, how do they print billboards? How do you print something larger than that?

There are two answers to that. First, you don’t hold a billboard in your hands, and you view if from a distance, so the resolution to print can go down. Secondly, to enlarge an image, you use a process called interpolation. Interpolation is the process of how you create new pixels to fill the gaps between the existing pixels so you can enlarge the image.

Nikon D810 (from NikonUSA site) is a 36 megapixel camera.

Confusion in figuring out size

Sometimes, image processing software will tell you the dimensions of your image are 60″ x 39″ at 72 dpi. That seems so much larger. So where does this number come from?

There was a time where it was thought that the resolution you needed for monitors was only 72 dpi (this has changed with technology and time), but the early number of 72 dpi stuck and made the images seem pretty large. The reality is, all you really need to know is that the total number of pixels in each direction will define your image size, not theoretical inches and dpi combined.

The difference between 72 dpi and 300 dpi for the same image (hint: there is no difference) – (f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 200).

Viewing distance matters

To make matters worse, the image resolution of your print is also dependent on how big your image is. A magazine will need a minimum of 300 dpi, whereas a billboard in a subway station may only need 40 dpi. What really matters is how far away from the image you are standing when you view it.

As a general rule of thumb, you need to have a minimum printed resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi) for most prints.

Printing wall sized images (24″ x 36″ Print).

Real-world example

To make things more clear, let’s start with a simple 20-megapixel image taken on a micro 4/3’s sensor (the proportions are 4:3) and work through the process of printing an image for a wall, say a 36″ x 24″.

The image was taken by an Olympus EM1 mark II, 20-megapixel sensor. The image out of the camera is 5184 pixels wide and 3888 pixels. If you open it with image editing software, it may say that the image is 17.28″ x 12.96″ at 300 dpi (the software has done some simple math). The problem is, this is smaller than the image you actually want to print. I want to print an image that is 36″ x 24″

Sample image for printing big (f/5.6, 1/1250, ISO200).

Interpolation… the magic of resizing

The problem with resizing is that each pixel in an image is discrete. In order to make bigger images to print, we need to create new pixels to fill in the gaps between the existing ones. This sounds much simpler than it is in practice.

The classic example is a sharp edge.

As you enlarge the image, the pixels get jagged. It makes it look like something out of Minecraft. This is called pixelation.

Very early versions of photo imaging software would simply average the color and luminance, and put that new pixel in between the existing pixels. This just made the images soft and mushy.

Currently, Photoshop CC 2020 provides 7 different and discrete ways of changing the size of the image. Plus, it has an automatic setting (that selects from the other 7) to make 8 ways. However, it is limited by the content that is already there.

Each algorithm does something slightly different in its approach to interpolating between pixels. Depending on the type of image, each has varying degrees of success.

As you get close into the image, you can see the pixelation.

Although Photoshop has improved much of its algorithms for image size changes, these work reasonably well for smaller changes in size. However, significant changes in size of images can be particularly problematic.

For scaling larger, I have found the best way to increase the size of an image, as of the beginning of 2020, is to use a product from Topaz called Gigapixel AI.

Gigapixel AI uses artificial intelligence to look at the image compared to millions of similar images and creates new pixels with this algorithm.

This is a slow process and CPU intensive. That is because it uses AI to create the missing pixels to come up with a proper scaling that interpolates new pixels that work with the image. It really does work quite well. Each image can take up to 5 minutes, depending upon size.

The process using Gigapixel AI

To scale the images, here is the process I follow.

I shoot micro 4/3s (MFT), so my image sensor is a 20.1-megapixel sensor that produces raw files that average in size around 17 to 18 megabytes. The resolution of the image is 5184 x 3888 pixels.

Doing the math, for a print at 300 dpi, the largest size for the native image (not resized) is 17.28 inches x 12.96 inches. A fair size, but not a huge image.

Suppose we want to print a 36″ x 24″ image. We need to resize it.

In addition, the proportions are not exactly the same. 36 x 24 is a 3:2 ratio and my image is at a 4:3 ratio. Ideally, to get the 300 dpi, we will want to print an image that is 10,800 x 7200 pixels.

Before you start

Before I start, I always use a RAW file from the camera, not a JPEG. JPEG is a lossy format, so you never want any of your intermediate steps to use JPEG images. Even the final one should be a non-lossy image format like PSD or TIF. You can read more about file formats here.

Image sensors record light, not dark. The dark areas are the absence of light.

That seems obvious, but there are ramifications of this. In general, the majority of the image data is located on the right side of the histogram. This means that to have a successful image it must be properly exposed or slightly underexposed and brought back in a raw editor.

Close up of an image sensor

Calibration

Finally, before you start, you will need to ensure your monitor is calibrated.

Calibration of your monitor will ensure that the printed version of our image will be closer to the version you see on your monitor. In general, uncalibrated monitors are too bright. Using an uncalibrated monitor will result in prints that are much darker than what you see on your monitor.

This can sometimes happen even with a calibrated monitor too, but test prints will help assess how far off your monitor is from your prints.

Color Calibration tool for monitors

Noise

When you enlarge an image, you need to ensure that the noise levels are under control before you start.

Enlarging an image with a lot of noise will only increase the amount of noise present. All resizing programs will do their best to examine the underlying data of your image and use it to scale upward, but the noise on an image will only get worse.

High ISO image ISO 6400 (f/2.8, 1/13, ISO 6400)

Sharpening

The sharpening of your image should only happen at the end of the process of resizing an image. Sharpening is a process of looking at areas of high contrast (these are typically edges) and emphasizing the transition to make those transitions seem more distinct. If you do this early in your editing process or during resizing, the scale of the sharpening will create halos or bizarre artifacts that will be really obvious.

Sharpening can cause a crunchy appearance (f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 200)

Photoshop versus Topaz Gigapixel AI

Although many people use Photoshop to resize, as of 2020, I have found that it does not do as good a job as Topaz’s Gigapixel AI.

Larger scale resizing through Gigapixel AI takes longer, but the results are substantially better. All you need to do is to launch the application and tell it how big you want the new image to be. Press Start and go have a coffee, as it takes a little while. However, the results are really good.

Topaz Gigapixel AI is a tool for resizing images large

Making the Big Print

Finally, once you have resized the image to a larger size you need to print the image. There are basically two main methods to print images big. Chromogenic (C-prints) or Giclee (inkjet) prints.

Both can produce big, high-quality images, but the processes are quite different as is the look of each. I generally prefer inkjet-based, but there are lots of people who still use C-print techniques.

Final product printed and on a wall

Conclusion

When you print images big, there are lots of things to consider when resizing your images and then getting them ready to go to print. However, the results are truly breathtaking.

If you have a great image and you take the proper steps to resize the image and print it big, you will be incredibly satisfied with the result. Moreover, you will create a lot of interest in your images, particularly now that few images get printed anymore.

Do you have any other tips to print images big that you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments.

The post How to Correctly Resize Photos to Print Images Big appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

Digital Photography School

March 26, 2020
The dPS At-Home 7-Day Photography Challenge – Week Two

The post The dPS At-Home 7-Day Photography Challenge – Week Two appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

As many of us around the world are continuing self-isolation, and social distancing (whoever thought that would be a thing?) due to the C-word, we thought we’d make it a little less boring and stressful and give you (and us) an “At-Home, 7-Day Photography Challenge.”

This is week two of the challenge (you can see week one here, and still do those challenges, as there is no deadlines on any of these).

These are all things you can try in and around your home.

As always, we would love to see your results in the comments section. That way, we can connect and share, and keep ourselves occupied with something positive and creative!

At-Home, 7-Day Photography Challenge – Week One

Day 1

This one will be a lot of fun, and you get some interesting effects! Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters

Day 2

This one How to do High-Speed Photography – the Fundamentals

Day 3

Okay, so this one can also apply to any of your furry friends that you are self-isolating with. We’d love to see you take some photos of your pet and share them with us! Who doesn’t like a cute pic of a cat, dog, or hamster? Tips and Tricks for Photographing Your Own Dog

Day 4

So this next one gets you onto the computer for some fun creative editing. How to do Creative Photography Montages with a Contact Sheet Template in Photoshop

Day 5

Another one on the computer for more creative editing. How to Add a Toy Camera Effect to Your Digital Images Using Photoshop

Day 6

Want to learn how to create a cyanotype in Photoshop? Try this one. How to Mimic a Digital Cyanotype Using Photoshop with Ease

Day 7

You can try this one with someone in your household, or do them as self-portraits. Whichever way you decide to go, it has some interesting effects. Dragging the Shutter for Creative Portraits

Have fun! And share them with us in the comments section either on this page or the page of the challenge article.

The post The dPS At-Home 7-Day Photography Challenge – Week Two appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

March 26, 2020
DPReview TV: We re-created bad product photography
Like many photographers stuck at home due to the coronavirus, Chris and Jordan need a creative outlet. Let’s see what happens when they try to re-create bad product photography from a kids’ toy.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.
- Introduction
- The concept
- The original Marble Run box
- Product shots
- Can Chris pass for a 12 year-old?
- The results
- Want more?
Photos from this episode

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
March 26, 2020
Creative Uses for the GIMP Jigsaw Pattern
The post Creative Uses for the GIMP Jigsaw Pattern appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Are you looking for a fun way to display your photos? With the GIMP Jigsaw pattern, you can make your photos look like a puzzle in a single step. But why stop there? Take out some pieces or make a grid with it. Keep reading to learn how to use this filter and some creative applications for it.

Make a puzzle

It may look like elaborate work, but actually turning your image into a puzzle is extremely easy. The GIMP Jigsaw Pattern is a tool that allows you to control the way you want your puzzle to look, then applies it to your image.

Let’s get started.

With your image opened, go to the menu and select Filters > Render > Pattern > Jigsaw.

This will open a window where you can choose the number of pieces that will form the puzzle. You can also choose whether you want the shapes to have rounded corners or straight lines.

You’ll also see a section called Bevel Edges with two sliders in it. This is like a carving effect, giving the illusion of tridimensionality.

There are no right or wrong values – it’s a matter of taste.

Here’s a comparison for you to get an idea of what it looks like.

On the left, I had the values at the minimum: Bevel width: 1 and Highlight : 0.10
On the right I pushed them to the highest, so 10 and 1.0 respectively.

That’s all there is to it.

Choose the values you want in the pop-up window, and the GIMP Jigsaw Pattern does the rest.

Now, let’s see how you can break the puzzle into pieces.

Separating the pieces of the Gimp Jigsaw Puzzle

Make a template

Taking out a piece of the puzzle makes the image more dynamic – like you’re actually building it. However, unlike a real puzzle, we’re not just going to take it out from the puzzle we just made.

To make things easier, open a new white document. Here, in the blank canvas, you’ll apply the GIMP Jigsaw Pattern as you did on the previous exercise.

This will serve as a template to select the pieces, hassle-free.

Now you can put in the photograph.

Go to the menu and select File > Open as Layers, and choose the file of your image. It will get placed as a layer on top of the jigsaw template.

Next, copy the layer with the template. You can do this by going to the menu and selecting Edit > Copy. While it’s there on your clipboard, select the image layer and create a Layer Mask. Do this by clicking on the button at the bottom. Then paste the template that you copied by going to Edit > Paste.

To set it onto the mask you created, you just need to click on the anchor button.

Then right-click on the layer and choose Apply Layer Mask. The mask and the layer will then merge together.

I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s actually very easy. And this way, you have everything ready to ‘cut-out’ all the pieces you want very quickly. Let’s try one.

Cut-out piece by piece

Select the piece you want to cut-out using the Fuzzy selection tool. Make sure to click on it while the template layer is selected. That way, you’ll get it with just one click.

To perfect the selection, go to the menu Select > Grow Selection and give it 1 or 2 pixels.

Cut out the piece in Edit > Cut and then paste it with Edit > Paste. To finalize the pasting, click on the New Layer button so that the piece remains independent.

With the Move and Rotate tool, you can position the piece. Then go to the menu Filters > Light and Shadow > Drop shadow. You decide the values depending on whether you want it dark and defined or blurred and lighter. Use the X and Y sliders to make it appear closer or further away.

You can repeat the process for all the pieces you want out of place. Just go back to your template every time you need to select a new one.

Create a jigsaw grid

Open a new document and create a new jigsaw as you did before. The number of pieces depends on the number of images you want to add. I don’t recommend too many because it could look messy. But, it’s entirely up to you.

Add all the images you’re going to use by opening them as layers.

Then resize them with the Scale Tool and move them to fit each of the pieces of the puzzle. Don’t worry if they overlap in some places, you’ll fix that next.

In the template layer, click on the piece you want with the Fuzzy Selection Tool. Then go to the corresponding image and click on the Add Layer Mask button. A pop-up menu will appear. Choose Selection from it, and click Add.

That’s it.

Repeat the same for every image-piece combo until you complete your puzzle.

Have fun finding new and creative ways to use GIMP’s Jigsaw Pattern!

Supplementary Reading
- If you’re not familiar with GIMP, check out this brief introduction.
- If you want to edit your photograph before you turn it into a puzzle, learn here how to make them sparkle.
- If you’re loving GIMP and want to take it with you, learn how to install it on a portable device.
The post Creative Uses for the GIMP Jigsaw Pattern appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Digital Photography School
March 26, 2020

Canon says firmware fix for lockup issue is coming in ‘early April,’ offers workaround in the meantime

Canon U.S.A has announced a firmware update is being worked on to address the ‘phenomenon’ wherein its EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR camera will lock up under certain conditions.

Previously, we reported on a number of incidents wherein Canon’s latest flagship DSLR would lock up when pressing down the shutter in certain modes. While the exact cause remains unconfirmed, Canon’s changelog for the forthcoming firmware update suggests the bug is caused when the electronic level is turned on in the viewfinder display. Below is the exact text from Canon:

‘The phenomenon may occur when the camera is being used with the electronic level set to “Show” in the viewfinder display. In rare cases, the camera may not perform as it was designed to when operating the AF-ON button or shutter button.’

Note the magnified section, which appears to show a part of the interface used for the OVF level function. This would suggest Canon’s diagnosis of the level feature causing the lockups is accurate for at least one of the original cases we reported on.

Below is a video provided by DPReview reader Hamilton Pytluk, who showed how the bug was affecting shooting. At the time of our initial coverage, it wasn’t known what was causing this issue, but if you look closely (it’s only visible for a few frames), it does appear as though Pytluk had the level showing in the optical viewfinder, which Canon is suggesting is the problem causing the lockups.

Canon says the firmware update will be available in ‘early April,’ but in the meantime, it’s possible to prevent the locking by hiding the ‘Electronic level’ within the ‘Viewfinder display’ sub-menu, as shown in the below menu screenshots provided by Canon. Canon has provided a guide to disabling the viewfinder on its update page.

We will cover the release when the firmware is published, but you can also keep an eye out on the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III product support page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 26, 2020

Video: How to turn any room in your house into a giant camera

Photographer and DIY camera-extraordinaire Brendan Barry has shared a how-to video showing how you can turn a room in your home into a camera, and how to record the images it creates. Throughout the 30-minute video, he shows whole process from finding a suitable room and picking a lens right through to making the exposure and then creating a positive print. Although he shows the process using black and white photographic paper he also explains how pictures can be made using digital cameras.

‘It’s a bit of fun really’ Brendan explained to DPReview, ‘and a fun way to do something creative if you are confined to the house during this Coronavirus outbreak. I love the process as it playfully breaks down how pictures are made and allows us to see photography in a different way.’

In the video Brendan shows the effects of a series of lenses mounted onto a blacked out window, including a lens from a pair of glasses and a magnifying glass, but says if DPR readers want to get the best possible quality they should be picky about what lens they use. ‘In the video I quickly show a process lens. If you have one, this is what will give you the best results. They are designed to make very big prints and will allow you extra clarity and resolution. They don’t have to be expensive, and decent ones can be found on auction sites. If you measure your wall and find it is 2 metres across you’ll need a 2500mm lens, but you don’t have to make prints that big!’

‘If you are going to use a magnifying glass find a good quality one, not one with a cheap plastic lens – and the bigger the better. If it turns out to be too big you can always reduce the aperture by cutting a circular hole in a disc of card and sticking it over the lens. This will control the amount of light passing through it on a bright day. In the video I show a very roughly cut-out hole, but a smooth and even hole will produce better results. You can also buy great meniscus lenses from Amazing Camera Obscura that are ideal for making a room-sized camera.’

The projected image from the window shown from behind on a sheet of diffusing material

The tutorial shows Brendan mounting a sheet of photographic paper to make a paper negative that, once processed, is then contact printed with another sheet to create a final positive print. ‘I really like this process, and making the contact print while the original negative is still wet creates a beautiful soft look that can’t be got back once the negative has dried. However, if you’d rather shoot using a digital camera you can photograph the projected image from behind, as I show in the video, or you can project the image onto a high quality smooth white surface and photograph that from the front. Position your camera right next to the lens mounted on the window. You won’t be able to shoot it absolutely square-on, but you can fix the distortion in software afterward.’

‘Blacking out the window and mounting the lens only takes about an hour, but there are days of entertainment to be had once you get going.’

Making a room into a camera is one of Brendan’s more straight-forward projects; in the past he’s made a camera from a melon, another from a loaf of bread and one from a slab of cheese. He also has a shipping container that serves as camera and darkroom all-in-one.

You can see some of the other cameras Brendan has made, and how he made them, on his web site.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 26, 2020
Slideshow: Nikon Australia Announces 2020 Surf Photo of the Year finalists
Slideshow: Nikon Australia Announces 2020 Surf Photo of the Year finalists

Nikon Australia has announced the finalists for its 8th annual Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year Awards. The leading optics and imaging company partnered with Surfing Australia to invite photographers and videographers of all skill levels to enter the competition. 20 images were selected along with three videos for consideration.

‘The Awards are a hugely important event on our calendar because they give the Australian surfing community a chance to honour our best, whether it be in the water competing or behind a lens. Inducting our latest Hall of Fame member is always a massive moment we cherish,’ says Chris Mater, CEO of Surfing Australia.

Images and videos were selected from a panel of 10 judges in the surfing industry, including seven-time World Surfing Champion and Nikon Brand Ambassador, Stephanie Gilmore. Entries were judged on the following criteria:
- Innovation and creativity
- Dramatic effect and sensory impact
- Uniqueness
- Composition of the panel
All finalist images and videos can be viewed here. Winners will be announced March 25th on what Nikon deems ‘an exciting new television format.’

Finalist: ‘Warrior’ by Greg Rugli

About this photo: ‘Motion blur photo of a surfer riding a large wave at sunset, Bronte Beach, Sydney, Australia.’

Finalist: ‘Portugal Sunset’ by Peter ‘JOLI’ Wilson

About this photo: ‘Post surf catch up after a late session near Peniche.’

Finalist: ‘Duck Dive’ by Matt Dunbar

About this photo: ‘This is from my first trip to Tahiti I really wanted to walk away with a shot that was different. I was swimming with a big dome port to try and shoot “over unders.” The water clarity was a dream and I got lucky to shoot back as a surfer duck dived. Easily the favourite swim of my life.’

Finalist: ‘The Right’ by Ren McGann

About this photo: ‘No matter how many trips you do, some waves always stand out amongst the rest.’

Finalist: ‘Froth Monster’ by Travis Johnson

About this photo: ‘I was shooting little Harry at a bit of a secret spot the groms love to frequent on the Gold Coast for shallow little drainers and close out barrels. As he took off I moved across the front of him and heard him yelling out as the barrel began to encase him, his eyes wide and looking up at the roof of the wave almost in awe. As I passed through the wave my only thought was “did he make it?” I surfaced on the other side I heard an ecstatic voice yell out “I made it! I made it!’

Finalist: ‘No Looking Back’ by Peter Jovic

About this photo: ‘Some heavy water during a solid Indian Ocean swell and an unnamed local charger racing the gauntlet as the sun begins to set in the west. There’s no helicopters, no fanfare. Just an individual dealing with what mother nature has put in front of him…or behind him. The prospect is (apart from drowning) a long swim in waters that are very lively with large marine creatures.’

Finalist: ‘Cascade’ by Ray Collins

About this photo: ‘Flowing with great rapidity and force.’

Finalist: ‘Jack in the Box’ by Tom Pearsall

About this photo: ‘Jack Robinson gritting his teeth and holding his line through a deadly section in remote Western Australia. Shot at f/3.2, a 16 thousand of a second and 160mm creates a frozen moment that in real time was violently fast, with an interesting depth of field. As the wave roared past it almost grabbed me and my housing and ground us into the reef.’

Finalist: ‘The Big Bang’ by Ray Collins

About this photo: ‘A violent ignition of hydrogen and oxygen.’

Finalist: ‘Danny Sunset Stern’ by Stu Gibson

About this photo: ‘Picture perfect arvo at Shippies.’

Finalist: ‘Breathing. Surfer Scott Whip Dennis’ by Simon Punch

About this photo: ‘A perspective from deep behind the surfer riding the barrel as the wave breathes back before spitting.’

Finalist: ‘Gun Barrel Highway’ by Peter Jovic

About this photo: ‘This is an image of local shredder, Kael Walsh shot in the South West of W.A. I was really lucky to have someone who’s so unflappable in challenging conditions taking aim straight into the barrel and seemingly doing it with complete disregard for their own well being. It’s always a really good feeling when shots like this come off.’

Finalist: ‘Flume’ by Paul Smith

About this photo: ‘Taken at Sunshine Beach on the Sunshine Coast while most people were still sleeping. It was one of those perfect swells, and all the elements lined-up wave size, an offshore wind, and just enough light to illuminate the sea spray.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
March 26, 2020
TTArtisan to release a limited-run 50mm F0.95 lens for Sony E and Fujifilm X mounts

Lens manufacturer TTArtisan has released information on a new limited-edition 50mm F0.95 manual focus lens. According to Japanese photo gear distributor Shoten Kobo, TTArtisan will be making only 40 lenses: 20 with a Sony E-mount and 20 with a Fujifilm X-mount.

According to the product text, the lens is ‘designed for old lens fans.’ The manual focus lens is constructed of 12 elements in 7 groups, features a 12-blade aperture diaphragm, has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm (20in) and offers an aperture range of F0.95-F16.

The lens measures in at 69mm (2.72in) in diameter, 88mm (3.46in) in length and weighs roughly 725g (1.6lbs). Shoten Kobo says the lens will retail for ¥42,800 (~$ 410), but no release date is given.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 25, 2020
Artists and Explorers – What Photographer Type Are You?
The post Artists and Explorers – What Photographer Type Are You? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

What drives you to pull out your camera and take a picture? The answer to this question will help you understand your photographer type.

Does an image of a finished photo jump into your mind, and then you have to go out and make it? Perhaps you pick up your camera and walk out the door, not knowing where it will lead you.

Maybe you’re only compelled to photograph new places you’re traveling to, or your (grand) children as they grow up.

Understanding yourself as a photographer, and knowing what inspires you, is one of the best ways to grow. Once you know your photographer type, you can focus on the photography you love without feeling the pressure to be like other photographers.

“As a photographer, you need to develop a way of working that suits your personality.”

Tim Hetherington, Photojournalist

Let’s look at four photographer types; the traveler, the parent, the artist, and the explorer so that you can discover where you fit in and what your strengths are.

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I began my journey as the traveler type, mostly picking up my camera when I was on a road trip.

The traveler photographer type

You know you’re the traveler photographer type if you only pull out your camera when you go on a trip. You’re probably not concerned with being called a photographer and mainly want to take snapshots to capture places you travel to. But unlike typical tourists, you want those snapshots to look really good.

Here are some quick tips for the traveler photographer type:
- Learn how your camera works, so you’re not distracted and miss the joy of traveling.
- Master some useful composition elements to elevate your photos above sloppy snapshots.
- Learn to see light and your photos will begin to look beautiful.
- Practice new techniques on short day trips before you go on major travels.
As a traveler, some of my favorite places are the South West (USA), the East Coast of Canada, and Niagara Falls.
The parent photographer type

You know you’re the parent photographer type if your baby or children inspired you to get a camera. Like the traveler photographer type, you might not be concerned with being called a photographer. You just want to take snapshots and capture special family memories.

But unlike most other parents or grandparents, you want those snapshots to look really good.

Here are some quick tips for the parent photographer type:
- Learn how your camera works, so you’re not fumbling and missing moments.
- Master some creative composition elements to elevate your photos above sloppy snapshots.
- Learn to see light so that your photos will look beautiful.
- Your daily family life will provide you with infinite opportunities to practice these techniques, and you’ll capture a lot of memories along the way.
Once my kids came along, I became the parent photographer type and no longer thought of myself as the traveler.
It’s okay to just want good photos

If you’re the traveler or the parent photographer type, it’s okay to want good photos of your travels and your children without being totally obsessed with photography.

Learn the most powerful camera settings, the best compositional techniques, play with the light, and your photos will begin to transcend sloppy snapshots.

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Perhaps you’re even a blend of the traveler and parent photographer types. Things become more exciting when you blend two types together.

The artist photographer type

How do you know you’re the artist photographer type?

Easy! If you talk about making art with your photography, then you’re the artist type. Artists have a vision of exactly how they want their photos to look. Their goal is to go out and make the photo they’ve envisioned.

As an artist, you begin with a vision or at least a basic concept. You work toward making it turn out, and then produce a finished product like a print or collection of photos for some purpose.

When showing their photographs, the artist often says, “look what I made.” Whereas the explorer type often says, “look what I discovered,” or “look what I saw.”

Artists usually take a higher degree of control over the moment and their images. They are happy to transcend the original photo, adding textures, film grains, or swapping backgrounds, etc. Nothing will stand in the way of your vision!

Here are a number of other things that characterize the artist photographer type:
- Posing and direction in portraits
- The use of advanced Photoshop techniques
- Referring to their work as fine art
- Specializing in one form of photography
- Selling prints
- Food photography
- Fashion photography
- Stylized shoots
- Studio lighting
- Sticking with things for a long time
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I’ve always hesitated to call myself an artist because whenever I meet an artist photographer, I realize how unalike we are. We both have a camera, love photography, study light, and composition, but it seems like we have totally different goals for our work.

The explorer photographer type

If you’re the explorer photographer type then you don’t necessarily have much in mind when you pick up your camera. You wander off into the world and photograph new places, people, and things that you discover.

You might happen to travel the world, but you don’t have to travel far to be fulfilled as an explorer. Your own backyard or city likely keeps you busy.

When you photograph people, you’re not just making portraits, you’re exploring the people and relationships that you photograph.

Often enough, when you photograph an object, it’s more about the interesting light than the object itself.

You often find yourself telling others about what you discovered or learned while exploring.

This list characterizes many explorer type photographers:
- Street photography
- Travel photography
- Nature and landscapes
- You’re more of a generalist photographer
- Photojournalism
- Natural light
- Candid, natural
- New and unexpected situations
- Lifestyle photography
- Constantly moving on to new things
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Explorers are willing to go just a little bit further into the unknown. Just a little further into the murky places.

When it comes to photography, my mind is blank. I have no vision, no idea what I should do, not a clue about how my photos will turn out.

I’m more comfortable heading off into the unknown.

Throw me into a situation that I’m completely unprepared for and I’ll figure it out. That’s because I’m an explorer. I want to learn new things. I want to be thrown into situations that I’m not familiar with. And, for some strange reason, I want to do it with a camera in my hand.

“Taking pictures is like tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies.”

Diane Arbus

How are the traveler and the explorer different from each other?

The traveler may only pick up the camera occasionally, and only during times of travel. The explorer is likely dedicated to daily or at least weekly uses of the camera.

The explorer can’t help but pick up the camera more often and is not limited to landscapes and new locations. They also explore relationships. Often, the explorer learns new techniques, not because the technique is necessary, but simply because they are compelled to learn new things.

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The common link between artists and explorers

Even if we have different goals, the common link between artists and explorers is our creativity. When a photographer picks up their Fuji mirrorless to explore the streets, they’re no less interested in light, moment, and composition than the fashion photographer who reaches for their medium format camera.

Perhaps one is more interested in documenting and learning about human nature, while the other is creating art pieces. Photography is big enough for all sorts of intentions.

Exploration and artistry as a supertype

Just as the traveler and parent types can be merged to create a deeper type, so can the artist and the explorer.

If you’re the explorer type, you may find that you have a huge body of work that you’ve done nothing with. Perhaps it’s time to elevate your exploration toward something that approaches art.

Every now and then, an artist might do well to wander off into the world without intentions to create but to just see what they discover. Your art may reach a deeper level the more you explore your world.

Don’t be surprised if your type seems a little fuzzy at first, but pay attention and it will come into focus.

What photographer type are you?

Are you the traveler, the parent, an artist or an explorer?

Let me know your photographer type in the comments and add a link to your photos if you can.

The post Artists and Explorers – What Photographer Type Are You? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

Digital Photography School
March 25, 2020
Frozen soap bubbles create scenes from a fantasy world

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In a recent episode of DPReview TV, new host (and mad scientist) Don Komarechka introduced us to the magical world of frozen soap bubbles. Take a look at some of the fantastical images he captured.

View the frozen soap bubble sample gallery

This was a really fun video, so if you missed it you’ll want to give it a watch. You can see it below or watch it on YouTube.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 25, 2020