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How to Make Friends and Collaborate in the Photography Industry

The post How to Make Friends and Collaborate in the Photography Industry appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

Have you ever seen or been a part of a photography conference? Or even just walked into a camera store and spent some time observing people interacting in the store? It is as if we photographers speak another language, live in another world, or even belong to a cult. Of course, I mean this without any form of disrespect. Photographers and photography enthusiasts are a class apart. We all get excited about new lens and gear, talk in F-stops and ISO settings, and some of us save for years and years to buy a particular brand of camera or lens!

The photography industry is growing in leaps and bounds – not only in technology but also in the number of people who are aspiring photographers or even hobbyists. With easier access to gear and a wealth of free education around, photography is a career choice for almost any generation. However, it also means that many people are doing the same or similar things. Most photographers, at some point or another, think about industry competition to get ahead of the curve in the kind of money and work they think they need to get ahead.

I want to assure you that making a living is possible in this space. There is more than enough work to go around. Your peers and colleagues are not out to ‘get you’ or ‘steal work from you.’ Let go of that scarcity mindset and instead think of how you can collaborate with your competition in ways that can become a win-win for both of you.

Often times, the colleges and friends you make in the industry do more for you than you could imagine. They send their overflow work your way, and you make genuine friendships with people who speak the same language as you. You also get to collaborate on creative projects that improve your own skill as an artist.

There are several ways you can make friends and collaborate in the photography industry.

1. Attend conferences and photography related events

There is nothing quite like getting a bunch of photographers in a room to talk shop and discuss the latest and greatest gear and techniques. The energy and the learnings at such events are incredible. Most conferences and events get the best speakers and teachers, so this is a great way to increase your skill set and also meet some of your mentors and peers.

As someone who has started to speak and teach at conferences and events, I am just as nervous to get up on stage as you might be to come to an event! However, I am so happy to meet and mingle with my people – folks who love photography as much as I do.

So go with an open mind and be willing to put yourself out there to make genuine connections and friends.

I had the opportunity to attend a conference and took some food styling and food photography classes. While there, I made some amazing friends who, to date, have been very supportive of each other’s work.

2. Join local groups

If traveling for a conference or an event is not your thing, thanks to apps like Meetup and Eventbrite, there are plenty of local chapters and groups that are photography specific. Some groups routinely go out and photograph. Others have workshops and classes where members exchange ideas and knowledge. Find what works for you and be open to give as much or more than what you receive.

3. Connect with photographers who you admire

I have to admit; this one is one of my favorite ways to connect with others in the photography space. Most photographers are on social media because it is such a great visual tool to showcase your work. So I find it easy to find photographers whose work I admire on social and engage with them regularly. Sometimes it is a ‘like,’ other times it is a comment or a direct message (DM). Nothing crazy or weird, I just say hello and compliment them on something that I find enjoyable. This is not a place to ask favors or ask for work. Instead, this is a place to connect and be social. The more you engage, the more you become a familiar face. Then when the time comes to collaborate or work together, let that organically happen.

Don’t ask open-ended questions or ask to pick their brain. Instead, do your research and ask intelligent questions. Ask about their motivation or inspiration or an accomplishment that they are proud of. Perhaps you could ask how they get over a creative slump…anything that humanizes you and them.

I collaborated with another photographer who I met online. I stayed at her house for the weekend and created some amazing work that I am most proud of to date.

4. Be friendly and cordial

Always be friendly and cordial. No matter the stage of business you are at, always remember you too started at the bottom of the ladder too. Just because you have ‘achieved’ success doesn’t mean you have to be rude. On the flip side, to the person who is reaching out to other photographers, do the same. We are all in this together. You will make genuine friends when you are honest and genuine yourself. You will just put people off when you are insincere.

5. Offer something of value – no, it’s not always money

I am of the school of thought that money is not the ultimate form of success. Yes, we need money to survive – to put food on the table, pay the rent and other necessities like that – but there are many people out there who are motivated by something other than money.

Find your passion and find what feeds your soul. The money is sure to follow.

When working with others, offer something of value. When you are collaborating with other creatives, put your best foot forward so that the collaborative effort is worth its weight in gold. That way, it is a win for everyone included.

I conducted a styled shoot for new wedding photographers, and as a result, collaborated with many vendors who got photos in exchange for products and services – a win-win for all.

6. Pre and post follow through is important and essential

When collaborating with other creatives, communication about expectations and outcomes is critical. It is important everyone is on the same page so that each party knows what they need to put in and what they are going to get out of it.

Communication can be as formal or as informal as you all agree. Typically everyone pitches in or brings something of value (time, talent, props) to the table. After the collaboration, people share each other’s work, give critique and sometimes even share images for each other’s portfolios.

No matter what process you use, make sure everyone agrees.

It is also important to do a debrief on the collaboration. Figure out what worked and what didn’t. How can you all make it better next time? Make sure to address any issues so you can all walk away with a positive experience.

Collaboration isn’t just with other photographers. It can also include vendors and businesses in your area of specialty. You can make a trade of goods and services in exchange for photos. Here pre and post-follow-up are critical so that all expectations are met.

Collaborate with vendors and businesses not just other photographers.

Collaboration, when done properly, should be a mutually beneficial arrangement. By collaborating with others, you get to learn, improve yourself, and help others as well. It is a very healthy and creative way to inspire and be inspired while working on something atypical.

Have you collaborated on some great projects? Share your experiences with the dPS community in the comments below.

The post How to Make Friends and Collaborate in the Photography Industry appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

Digital Photography School

June 11, 2019
BCN Retail report: Japanese camera market still in decline

Graph: BCN Retail

Analyst firm BCN Retail, which collects daily sales data directly at on- and offline points of sale, has published data (Japanese) on the camera market in Japan for the fiscal year from April 2018 to March 2019. With almost all big manufacturers based in Japan, the domestic market is an important indicator for global trends and unfortunately, things have not improved from previous years, according to the numbers.

At 37.3 percent of all units sold, Canon remains the market leader, but Nikon has been able to increase its share, according to BCN, thanks to improvements in compact camera sales, and now stands at 26.7 percent. Sony is a solid number three at 13.1 percent but can rely on the highest average per-unit price. Olympus and Fujifilm follow on the next positions with 6 and 5.8 percent respectively.

In terms of units sold, these numbers are bad news for almost all manufacturers, though. Canon is down 1.3 percent year-over-year, Sony 6.6 percent, Olympus 13.8 percent and Nikon even 15 percent. Only Fujifilm has been able to increase the number of units sold—by an impressive 19.4 percent.

The picture slightly shifts when looking at revenue, though. In money terms, Fujifilm’s sales increased by only 0.6 percent. Sony, however, managed to expand sales by a whopping 14.5 percent, thanks to a focus on high-priced premium models in its camera lineup.

At the other end of the spectrum, things do look pretty dire for industry giants Canon, Nikon and Olympus whose sales value went down by 11.4, 28.5, and 21.3 percent respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 11, 2019
When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon?
The post When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

Moon phases are a key to understanding when you should be out taking photos. These days it’s easy to predict where and when you will see the moon for the type of photos you want to produce.

First let’s start with some tools you might want to look into, then options for different moon phase photos.

Tools

Astronomers have known the secrets of the moon’s phases and timing for eons. Ancient civilizations built monuments and shrines in regard to locations of the sun, moon and stars long before computers were invented. Our modern tools are a little easier to access.

Newspapers and Websites

Not into learning full astronomy? My first suggestion is to Google the phase you’re looking for. It’s that simple. One of the top sites that will appear in the results is Time & Date. You can find all the phases of the moon, based on the location of your Internet connection, right here. If the location isn’t correct, simply search for your city and the site will give you all you need to get started.

Another great option (that also has an app, but it is so much better on a large computer screen) is The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE). I wrote about using TPE here on DPS and they have a Web App available for those who don’t use phones and their apps.

The US Navy has a simple site that allows you to print out a year’s worth of times for any location on the planet.

Don’t have an Internet connection while you travel? Newspapers still print the information for the moon and sun phases (as well as setting and rising times).

Apps

Everyone loves a good app, and there are three that I keep loaded on my phone for photography purposes. All of these apps will show you the angle of the moon at any time, its phase, and some even help you calculate the best time to photograph the moon.

Full moon over Washington’s Cascade Mountains

My choices are:
- - Photo Pills (DPS astrophotography instructions)
  - LightTrac
  - Photographer’s Ephemeris (DPS full moon instructions)
Catching the Full Moon

The best time to photograph the full moon is the day before or after a full moon. Why’s this?

A full moon is marked at the height of its path across the heavens and this is often after midnight. Let’s say the moon reaches the height of its fullness at 12:26 am on July 2nd. This means the full moon actually rises on the day BEFORE that which is marked on the calendar. Throw in use of Daylight Saving Time and the timing can be wonky.

Full moon rising above Washington’s Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound

Going out the day before the moon is actually marked as full means you’re catching the moon rising just about at the same time as the sun is setting. So the sun is lighting the moon and often the foreground of your scene. This gives a nice, even lighting to your scene.

The same can be said for shooting the full moon setting the day it is marked on the calendar.

Late at night, you can still capture great images of the moon. However, you have to understand that the contrast difference between the moon (a giant reflector in space) and the black sky will be immense. This means you will lose detail in the moon if you attempt to hold the shutter open long enough to exposure the foreground. Some creative light painting can come in handy in this case.

Full moon and chorten with the Himalayas in the background. Mong La, Nepal

Half/Quarter Moons – Daytime wonders

Some people call them half-moons because half of the moon is illuminated. Some call them quarter because they are at the quarter phase of a full cycle. Either way, they look the same.

Half-moons will rise or set in the middle of the day. It matters on whether the moon is waxing or waning, meaning if it is getting closer to full or further away in its cycle. This is a good time to use an app or Astro calendar to plan ahead.

You’ll be best served by catching a half moon when it is rising or setting, just like with a full moon. Having it closer to the foreground subjects will help it appear larger. Let me give you an example.

Here’s the half moon rising in Canmore, Alberta, Canada just behind the Rocky Mountains.

Half moon and the Canadian Rockies

Nice and large when using a long lens and the moon is close to the ground. It is fairly high in the sky here as I am looking way up at the mountain.

Now, here are two examples with a nearly half moon over Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, and another of it over Seattle, Washington.

See the issue? It’s still a half moon, but later in its cycle, when it is far from foreground objects, it is relatively small and loses some grandeur.

Slivers or Crescents

Slivers, or crescents, are visible just before and after a new moon. Look for them a couple of days before and after the new moon and, just like full and half, try to find a time when they are low on the horizon.

Crescent moon setting over the Himalayas

You will also notice the sliver will seemingly rotate as it crosses the heavens and this may affect your composition choices. As with the half moon, you will have even more trouble giving the moon prominence in a mid-day shoot when it is high in the sky.

Lunar Eclipses

Lunar eclipses are all the fashion these days with this or that news source touting, “This will be the last blah, blah, blah for decades!” But don’t let them fool you; lunar eclipses happen often enough – about once a year. However, their location can be the biggest issue. Let’s go back to Time & Date’s site for more info on upcoming lunar eclipses for the next 10 years. You’ll need to click on the “Lunar” tab once on the page.

Not all of those eclipses will happen in your neck of the woods, so you’ll have to click through and see where they will happen. As with solar eclipses, when the sun is blotted out by the moon, people will often travel far and wide for lunar eclipse shots.

A full lunar eclipse, at its height, means the moon will be completely in the shadow of the Earth. Because of the distance between the Earth and moon, some light still slips past the Earth, which causes it to have all colors except red stripped away. This is why lunar eclipses are sometimes called blood moons.

Again, having a foreground subject helps because the eclipse often happens high in the sky. The whole sequence of the moon moving into and then fully out of the Earth’s shadow can take a little over an hour, and you should plan accordingly. The colorful and best ‘action’ of the eclipse will span maybe 5-10 minutes.

More tips on capturing lunar (and solar) eclipses are found in this DPS article.

New Moon or No Moon – Photograph the Stars

When the moon’s not out, it’s a great time to photograph the stars. And my, oh, my, do we have a batch of great articles to help you with that!
- How To Plan Astrophotography With The Photopills App
- Astrophotography Made Simple
- How to Choose a Lens for Night Sky Photography
- Reducing Digital Noise in Astrophotography Using Exposure Stacking
- How to Add More Interest to Your Astrophotography With Light Painting
Conclusion

Moon photography is a fun and challenging subject because the moon is constantly changing phases and its location in the sky. Thankfully, we have plenty of tools at our disposal to track and plan for great moon photos. While full moons are alluring, try your hand at the other phases, too.

Feel free to share your photos of the moon with the dPS community in the comments below.

The post When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

Digital Photography School
June 10, 2019
Fujifilm plans to bring back NEOPAN 100 Acros black and white film by the end of the year

Fujifilm has announced it will re-start black and white film manufacturing this year and will bring out a new version of its former Acros film. The new NEOPAN Acros 100 II will feature finer grain and the company claims it will be the sharpest black and white film on the market.

In a press release on the Fujifilm Japan website, President Kenji Sono explains that after the company stopped production of monochrome film last year many of its users asked for production to be started again. Part of the issue for the company, he says, was that some raw materials in the film were hard to source. For the new film alternatives have been found and the production process radically changed to account for them.

Using ‘Super Fine particle technology’ the company has achieved an extremely fine-grained emulsion that produces what are described as 3-dimensional results. Highlight details are also much improved over the way they were rendered in the previous film.

NEOPAN Acros 100 ll is due to go on sale towards the end of the year and will be available in 135 and 120 formats.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 10, 2019
Fujifilm X100F versus Ricoh GR III: Which is better for you?

Fujifilm X100F vs. Ricoh GR III: Which is better for you?

The Fujifilm X100F and Ricoh GR III are two very different cameras, but they’re broadly aimed at the same audience – camera-savvy enthusiast photographers who want a high-quality compact camera without sacrificing manual control or sensor size.

As you’d expect, the X100 and GR lineups each have a hugely loyal user base, built up over several years, and upgrades come slowly. But with the recent launch of the Ricoh GR III, and the continuing success of the X100F (with no signs of it being replaced any time soon) this seemed like a good time to compare the two models, to help you decide which one better suits your needs.

Focal length

Let’s deal with perhaps the most fundamental difference between these cameras first – the Ricoh GR III offers an equivalent focal length of 28mm, whereas the Fujifilm X100F provides a 35mm equivalent medium wideangle. Which of these focal lengths suits you better is of course down to personal taste, and your preferred style of photography.

As a very rough, casual comparison, 28mm is a loose proxy for a human being’s widest field of vision, whereas 35mm more closely matches your field of attention. As such, 28mm is great for images where you need to fit more in, or provide more context for your subject. Being slightly tighter, 35mm is more of an everyday ‘do everything’ focal length. It’s wide enough to make framing pretty easy for casual snapshots, but not so wide that your subject gets lost in the frame.

Verdict: Tie (depends on preference)

Adapters

But wait – it’s not quite as simple as all that. While the X100F and GR III offer native equivalent focal lengths of 35mm and 28mm, both can be paired with adapters to increase their lens’ versatility further. Fujifilm’s $ 349 screw-in WCL-100 II 28mm adapter is excellent, and increases field of view with very little image quality penalty. Another adapter, the TCL-100 II (also $ 349) can be used to magnify the lens’ effective focal length to 50mm. You might find that sharpness drops a little when the 50mm adapter is used (especially at close focusing distances) but if you enjoy shooting at 50mm, the added versatility might make the resolution penalty worth it.

Meanwhile, the GR III can be paired with the GW-3 wide converter ($ 149, plus adapter ring) to take its native 28mm equivalent lens all the way out to 21mm. We haven’t used the new adapter yet but performance of the older GW-2 adapter for the GR/II was excellent, which is encouraging.

The downside to adapter solutions for both cameras is that they add considerably to the size and weight of the cameras, not to mention additional cost.

Verdict: X100F wins for the added versatility of 28mm + 50mm equiv. converters.

Lens speed

Aside from their native focal lengths, another key differentiator between these two cameras is the speed of their lenses, expressed in terms of their maximum apertures. The Fujifilm X100F offers an F2 maximum aperture (equivalent to ~F3 in full-frame terms) while the GR III’s lens is slower, at F2.8 (~F4.2 equiv).

The difference in maximum aperture has a couple of important effects. For one, you’ll have more ability to blur backgrounds and isolate your subject from the faster lens of the X100F, aided also by its longer focal length. You’ll also be able to shoot at lower ISOs in lower light with the Fujifilm without resorting to a tripod. On the other hand, the wider lens of the GR III, and its stabilized sensor (more on this in a minute) mean that the low-light disadvantage is somewhat mitigated (assuming static subjects) and you may not need a tripod except in very dark conditions.

Verdict: Tie. Too many variables.

Stabilization

Ah yes – about that. Perhaps the most impactful upgrade to the GR III compared to its forebears is the addition of sensor-based image stabilization, which allows hand-held shooting down to at least 1/10sec without any trouble, assuming normal conditions (i.e., you’re not shooting from a helicopter or standing outside in a strong gale).

The addition of stabilization mitigates the limitations imposed by the GR III’s relatively slow lens when it comes to low-light shooting, and allows for creative options like creatively introducing blur (from flowing water, traffic, people walking by, asteroids striking the earth, etc.). The Fujifilm X100F has no such system, either optical or sensor-based, which is a major plus point in favor of the Ricoh.

Verdict: Ricoh GR III’s in-body stabilization means more options in low light.

Sensor

As a casual glance, the sensors in the Fujifilm X100F and Ricoh GR III look like they could be the same. And in fact, at a hardware level that might actually be the case. Both provide 24MP worth of resolution and on-sensor phase-detection autofocus pixels, and image quality is broadly comparable. Image quality is also in line with many of the best 24MP APS-C cameras on the market when it comes to Raw detail and dynamic range.

The difference is in the filter arrays. Ricoh uses a conventional bayer-type filter array, whereas Fujifilm uses its own proprietary X-Trans design. If you’re a JPEG shooter, there’s a definite – albeit subtle – advantage to X-Trans when it comes to critical detail retention, across most of the X100F’s ISO sensitivity range. And the X100F is well-suited to JPEG shooting, thanks to its suite of excellent Film Simulation modes, which replicate the look of classic Fuji film emulsions. We’re less enthusiastic about the JPEG output from the GR III, particularly in terms of color.

On the other hand, the more conventional design of the GR III’s sensor means that its Raw files play rather better with third-party Raw converters than those from the Fujifilm. While the difference isn’t massive, and Capture One deserves a mention as one of the software suites that actually does a great job. It might make a difference if you’re a Raw shooter with (for example) an established Adobe Raw workflow.

Verdict: Ricoh GR III’s more conventional Raw files are more flexible.

Body size

The Fujifilm X100F is styled after the classic rangefinder cameras of the 1960s and 70s, and it’s around the same size as a Canonet or Yashica rangefinder (if you’re old enough to remember either). It’s a small camera, and will fit comfortably into a jacket pocket or handbag but it won’t slip into a shirt or trouser pocket. You’ll probably need either a hand strap or conventional neck strap to keep it secure when shooting.

On the other hand (no pun intended), despite having a sensor-based stabilization system built into the body, the GR III is an impressively small camera. Compared to the X100F, the GR III is genuinely shirt-pocketable, and when turned off it takes up remarkably little space in a pocket or bag. Annoyingly, the GR III lacks proper strap lugs so it won’t accept just any conventional strap, but the slim (included) hand strap is probably all you’ll need. Obviously if you enjoy shooting with a viewfinder attached, the GR III becomes a lot less compact, which leads me on to my next point….

Verdict: Ricoh GR III is genuinely pocketable.

Viewfinder

…the GR III does not have a built-in viewfinder, whereas the X100F does. And in fact, the X100F’s viewfinder is one of its best features. Unique to Fujifilm, the X100F features a ‘hybrid’ finder which can be switched between a high-resolution electronic view, and an optical view with exposure and focus information overlaid. Personally, I use the X100F almost exclusively in EVF mode, but a lot of photographers swear by the immediacy of the optical view. Impressively, the X100F can offer a version of the classic rangefinder focus aid by overlaying a portion of the live view feed in the optical finder. It’s hard to describe in words, but works well if you’re a fan of manual focus.

With the GR III, on the other hand, you don’t have the same options. While simple optical finders can be attached (and Ricoh will sell you one, for quite a lot of money) you miss out on in-view focus or exposure information, and there’s no option to add an external EVF.

Verdict: Fujifilm X100F’s built-in hybrid optical / electronic wins by a mile.

Flash

Another thing missing from the GR III compared to the X100F (and in fact previous GR models) is a flash. Possibly for internal space reasons, possibly for battery life reasons (or a combination of both) Ricoh deleted the internal flash on the GR III, and own-brand external flashguns add considerably to the size of the camera. The Fujifilm X100F on the other hand features a small built-in flashgun. It isn’t the most powerful in the world, but is useful for low-light social photography and fill-in purposes when shooting in daylight. And both cameras have leaf shutters, allowing flash synchronization at very high shutter speeds.

Verdict: The Fujifilm X100F wins.

Touchscreen

What Ricoh’s engineers took away with one hand, they gave back with the other – in a significant upgrade compared to older GR models, the rear screen is touch-sensitive, and can be used to quickly place the AF point, and scroll through / zoom in to captured images. Some traditionalists might be tempted to disable the touchscreen (and the camera’s physical controls are there to take over if you’d prefer to go that route) but we’ve found that the addition of touch sensitivity makes a positive impact on the GR III’s handling experience.

The X100F is a more control and dial-heavy camera, and offers a conventional, non touch-sensitive screen. Whether this makes a huge difference to your purchasing decision is as much about personal preference as anything else, but with the camera held out away from your eye, it is easier to quickly position a focus point by touch on the GR III than it is with the AF joystick on the rear of the X100F. If you’re typically a viewfinder shooter, the lack of touch-sensitivity on the X100F might not bother you all that much.

Verdict: The Ricoh GR III’s touch-screen does make some key operations easier.

Control interface

The Fujifilm X100F is the fourth in a line of X100-series cameras which really set a template for the X and G-series mirrorless cameras that came later. A key part of the appeal of the original X100 was its (for the time) novel ‘retro’ styling, and every subsequent model in the lineup has shared a consciously old-fashioned hands-on design philosophy, with physical dials for key exposure settings, alongside the usual modal buttons and rear controls.

Arguably, you don’t really need all those dials, and personally I think the X100F is over-endowed with control input points. I haven’t used a physical shutter speed dial since the Nikon F4, so when I shoot with the X100F, mine stays locked to ‘A’, but some people swear by it. And they look great, which I suspect is part of the point. The downside to the X100-series’ distinctive styling is that the cameras do tend to attract attention. Be prepared to be asked, ‘is that a Leica?’.

Control interface (con’t)

The GR III on the other hand offers a simpler, more subtle, less cluttered control interface which arguably better suits its specifications. A simple exposure compensation toggle on the rear doubles as a modal control for quick access to key shooting settings, and a dial on the upper right of the top-plate serves as the main input for exposure settings. Meanwhile, a lockable exposure mode dial provides a simple (and visually clear) means of moving between PASM and automatic exposure modes. As as already been mentioned, the touch-screen on the rear of the GR III helps to simplify some actions, like setting the AF point and navigating through captured images.

In the end, the choice comes down to two things – how you like your cameras to work, but also how you like them to look.

Verdict: Personal preference (but the Ricoh GR III is more streamlined).

Battery life

This one is pretty straightforward – while neither offer spectacular stamina, battery life from the X100F is pretty ok, whereas battery life from the GR III is decidedly less ok. Both cameras will probably get you through a day of shooting without any issues, but we’d be much less confident about leaving the house without a spare battery for the GR III. One of the most welcome upgrades in the X100F over its predecessors was a more powerful battery, and its CIPA rating compared to the GR III speaks for itself (390-330 shots compared to 200).

In reality, in a single shooting session with minimal image review, both cameras should be able to capture a lot more shots per charge than the CIPA figures suggest, but there’s no escaping the fact that the GR III’s battery is on the skinny side.

Verdict: The Fujifilm X100F wins with roughly twice the battery life of the GR III.

Movie mode

Arguably, neither of these cameras is really suited to serious movie shooting, but of the two, the X100F is a far more convincing video camera. While not spectacular, its maximum video resolution of 1080/60p is fine, with a good degree of control over exposure. Focus is AF-C or manual only, but it’s still usable, and there is a socket for an external mic.

The GR III on the other hand offers a very thin video feature set. Although it also boasts 1080/60p resolution, exposure is locked to ‘P’ and there is no option for adding an external microphone.

Verdict: The Fujifilm X100F is the better of the two (but neither are great).

Summing up

So which of these two cameras is best for you? Aaaaaaall together now: It depends.

Obviously that’s the answer – that’s always the answer! You know how this works by now. If you value compact size over the convenience of a viewfinder, go for the GR III. If you’re one of those people that just doesn’t ‘get’ 28mm for some reason, go for the X100F. If you like to shoot a lot in low light but you don’t carry a tripod, the GR III is a better choice. If you want the camera to shoot video, frankly I think you’d be mad to consider either of them, but in a pinch the X100F is the less terrible of the two. Etc., and so on.

At the end of the day, both are excellent cameras with their own strengths and relatively few serious weaknesses. They’re just different. If you have the money, there’s actually a pretty good argument to made for buying both the X100F and the GR III, and using them alongside one another. Both cameras together will still take up less space in your bag than most mirrorless ILCs with a zoom lens.

Ultimately, you’re a grownup. You know what you like, and you know what you need. You’ve got this! Feel free, as always, to share your thoughts in the comments and let me know if I missed anything!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 10, 2019
Sigma issues product advisory for its 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 and 70-200mm F2.8 Sports lenses

Sigma has issued a lens product advisory for its 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM and 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM lenses.

According to the advisory, posted below in its entirety, Sigma has ‘found a phenomenon whereby when pressing the shutter button on the camera body, it may occasionally stop operating and not respond to the reoperation.’

Due to this ‘phenomenon’ (someone’s been looking at Canon’s product advisories), Sigma says it will offer free lens firmware updates free of charge to customers with affected products within the following serial number ranges:

Sigma 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports for Sigma, Canon EF and Nikon F Mount

Serial No.53824160 or earlier

Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports for Sigma, Canon EF and Nikon F Mount

Serial No.53846990 or earlier

Sigma notes its USB Dock can’t be used for this firmware update ‘as it requires an adjustment to optimize each lens individually.’ So, if you’re noticing your lens having this issue and it falls within the serial numbers, Sigma requests you contact an authorized Sigma subsidiary/distributor who will then direct you to take the proper steps to get the issue fixed. You can find a full list on Sigma’s World Network webpage.

We spoke with a technician at Sigma America who said lenses that aren’t experiencing the issue don’t need to be sent in at the time and in the event a lens still under warranty does have the issue occur down the road, Sigma will still provide the firmware update free of charge.

Sigma has also noted that some products within the serial number ranges provided have already had their firmware updated. As shown in the above graphic, units with a black dot sticker above the barcode of the box have already been updated.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 10, 2019
Sony World Photography Awards adds new 2020 category, reveals grant recipients

The Sony World Photography Awards has a new ‘Environment’ category under its Professional competition, the World Photography Organization has announced. Under this category, photographers are challenged to ‘address environmental concerns affecting the world today.’ Additionally, the 2020 Awards will also feature a new Youth competition that allows photographers ages 12 to 19 to submit up to three images per months through December 2019.

The 2020 Sony World Photography Awards kicked off its Youth competition this month; its deadlines are the last day of each month from June to December. Under the competition, photographers as young as 12 and as old as 19 can submit up to three single images each month. Every month has its own theme and will result in one winner and a shortlist.

In addition to the new Youth competition, the 2020 Awards will feature a new ‘Environment’ category in the Professional competition, which has a January 11, 2020 deadline. According to the organization, winning and shortlisted photographers will get a ‘global platform’ for showcasing their work.

The 2020 Awards will also include the Open competition with a January 7, 2020, deadline and the Student competition with a November 29 deadline.

In addition to revealing the new Environment category and Youth competition details, the organization has announced the 2019 Sony Grant recipients. In the Professional competition, 2019 Sony Grant recipients get $ 7,000 each alongside Sony photography gear. Recipients of the Student grant receive $ 3,500 each and will work together as a team to provide commissioned images.

The 2019 Sony Grant recipients are:

Professional category:

– Yan Wang Preston (UK)
– Ed Thompson (UK)
– Kohei Ueno (Japan)
– Thomas Uusheimo (Finland)

Student category:

– Joel Davies (Central St Martins, UK)
– Sam Delaware (Pacific Union College, USA)
– Tobias Kristensen (Danish School of Media & Journalism, Denmark)

You can find a gallery of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards competition in our previous coverage.

Press Release:

Sony World Photography Awards reveals new categories for 2020 and latest Sony Grant recipients

?Photography’s power to capture environmental issues recognized in new dedicated category
?Sony Grants awarded to four exceptional professional artists and three student talents
?Youth competition restructured to give young photographers more opportunity
?Exhibition tours to Japan, Italy, Germany and beyond in 2019

June 4, 2019, London: Submissions for the 13th edition of the internationally acclaimed Sony World Photography Awards are now open and free for all to enter at www.worldphoto.org.

The 2020 Awards are marked by the introduction of an Environment category to its Professional competition, recognizing the importance of the subject for contemporary artists, and a new format for the Youth competition, to engage and reward young photographers working worldwide.

The Awards also announced today the recipients of the 2019 Sony Grant. Chosen from the winners and shortlist of the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards, the Sony Grant give artists the freedom to create new bodies of work or develop long-term projects. In clear demonstration of this, a new film by 2018 Photographer of the Year Alys Tomlinson funded by her Sony Grant will be premiered at Rencontres d’Arles, France, this summer. The film is an extension of the artist’s 2018 award-winning series Ex-Voto.

Having been seen by 25,000 people in London, the exhibition of winning and shortlisted works from across the 2019 Awards will now tour internationally. Opening in Japan on June 1, the exhibition will travel to Germany, Italy, India, and Mexico giving audiences worldwide the opportunity to see the very best in contemporary photography from the past year.

Environmental issues highlighted in new Professional category

The Professional competition seeks serious bodies of work across ten diverse categories by artists working across fine art photography and photojournalism, and rewards those pushing the boundaries of what photography can do. The new Environment category will challenge artists to address environmental concerns affecting the world today and winning and shortlisted photographers are given a global platform upon which to showcase their work.

Speaking about the direct results of winning, Italian artist Federico Borella states: “Winning the 2019 Photographer of the Year title is one of the most important things for my career and my life. This kind of visibility is amazing because it allows me and my work to reach a global audience. My phone started ringing straight after the announcement and it hasn’t stopped ringing since! People want to listen to the story I want to tell. How can I ask for more?”S

Judges selected Borella as the overall winner in 2019 for a powerful photographic essay on the human effects of climate change in Tamil Nadu, India.A

New opportunity for young emerging photographers

The new Youth competition will give young photographers aged 12-19 the opportunity to enter up to three single images per month from June – December 2019. Each month will have a different theme and judges will select one winner and a shortlist per month. The seven monthly winners will then compete to be named Youth Photographer of the Year.

The monthly structure has been implemented to give emerging photographic talent more opportunity to be discovered and will be accompanied by expert advice on the monthly theme to help those entering.

In addition to the Professional and Youth competitions, the 2020 Awards includes the Open competition, rewarding outstanding single images across ten categories and the Student competition, for photography students worldwide. The National Awards program also runs in 60+ countries and celebrate local photographic talent.

The Awards are judged anonymously, giving all photographers across the world equal opportunity to be seen by juries of industry leading experts and win.

A total prize fund of $ 60,000 (USD) plus Sony digital imaging equipment is shared between winning photographers, with many also being flown to London to attend the annual awards ceremony. All shortlisted photographers are given exposure via the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition which opens in London before touring globally. The 2019 Awards saw 327,000 entries from 195 countries. For more details about all the competitions and categories please go to www.worldphoto.org/swpa

2019 Sony Grant recipients
The World Photography Organisation and Sony are committed to supporting contemporary photographers and contributing to the further development of photographic culture worldwide.

The Sony Grants program, introduced in 2016, is open to winning and shortlisted photographers of the Awards’ Professional and Student competition. Recipients of the 2019 Professional grant are Yan Wang Preston (UK), Ed Thompson (UK), Kohei Ueno (Japan) and Thomas Uusheimo (Finland). Each receive $ 7,000 (USD) and Sony digital imaging equipment to create work of their choice.

The 2019 Student grant was awarded to Joel Davies (Central St Martins, UK), Sam Delaware (Pacific Union College, USA) and Tobias Kristensen (Danish School of Media & Journalism, Denmark). Each receive $ 3.500 (USD) and have been commissioned to create a new body of images, working as a team.

The results of all grant recipients work will be shown at the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition. Find out more about the Sony Grant at www.worldphoto.org/sony-grant

2020 Competition deadlines
?Youth competition: Last day of each month from June – December, 2019
?Student competition: November 29, 2019
?Open competition / National Awards: January 7, 2020
?Professional competition: January 11, 2020

About World Photography Organisation
The World Photography Organisation is a global platform for photography initiatives. Working across up to 180 countries, our aim is to raise the level of conversation around photography by celebrating the best imagery and photographers on the planet. We pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with both individual photographers as well as our industry-leading partners around the world. The World Photography Organisation hosts a year-round portfolio of events including the Sony World Photography Awards, one of the world’s leading photography competitions, and PHOTOFAIRS, leading international art fairs dedicated to photography. For more details see www.worldphoto.org

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 10, 2019
An Interesting Subject Does Not Make An Interesting Photograph
The post An Interesting Subject Does Not Make An Interesting Photograph appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Many beginner photographers, and some more experienced ones, fall into the trap of thinking a good subject will make a good photo. It’s not true. I’ve seen loads of terrible photos of fabulous subjects.

A good photographer makes good photos, no matter what the subject. I like how British photographer Martin Parr describes his work. He says his aim is to make the ordinary look extraordinary.

The late afternoon light makes this landscape more interesting. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

To make the best photo, whether or not your subject is impressive, you need to:
- Expose it well.
- Time it right.
- Choose the best lighting.
- Compose it carefully.
- Connect on some level.
Achieving all these five aspects of interesting photographs in a single frame is challenging. It takes skill, practice, and patience.

Being mindful of these pillars of good photography will lead you away from the snapshot trap when you see something interesting. Learning to keep these things in mind, you will gradually improve and be able to make the most mundane object look great when you photograph it.

Without the interesting cloud formation, this landscape would be rather dull. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Master your camera technique

Confidence in managing your camera is essential. Using your camera without understanding much of how it works will frustrate your creative growth. Learning what each of the main settings does on your camera is not difficult.

Control of the exposure is made using the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings. Focus is either automatic or manual. None of these are hard to master when you put your mind to it and spend some time practicing. Figuring out what part of your composition needs to be exposed well and where the focus point needs to be are part of your creative choice.

Mastering the basic technical aspects of using your camera will free you up to become more creative with your photography.

Careful exposure makes this winter tree more interesting. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Press your shutter at the right time

Choose the optimum moment to take your photo. Consider the action happening in front of you. Look at the colors as they change when the sun is rising and setting. Watch a flower blooming in your garden. Each instance you take a photo, make sure it’s the optimum one.

What determines the decisive moment for when you take a photo depends on many things. Each circumstance is different, so it’s important for you to observe what’s happening carefully.

Sometimes you’ll need to respond quickly. Other times you’d best be patient and wait, or come back another time. This is so for landscape and architecture photography where the right light and weather conditions are so vital.

Anticipating when the best time is will help you nail it more often. Think about what will happen next. What is the sequence of events that will unfold? How are clouds moving in the sky? Will they cover the sun before it sets?

In situations where you have some control over your subject and the action, timing is not so difficult to predict. You can ask the model to flick her hair back on the count of three. You could ask your kids to run and jump over the sleeping dog and be ready for them.

Timing is one of the key elements which influence good photos. Each picture you take is a short moment in time. Making sure you capture the right moment can often make or break your photographs.

The day I took this photo it was raining – all day. The sun came out in the evening and it was worth waiting for. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Craft your compositions

Relying on your subject to make your photo interesting means you may not compose it well. Don’t just plonk it central in your viewfinder, focus and click. Everyone with a camera can do that.

Move around. Look for a better background without distractions. Take a little time to think through some rules of composition. Are there strong lines you could incorporate? Will using the rule of thirds make the photo stronger? What else is in the frame and is it relevant to your photo?

Use different focal length lenses to incorporate more or less background. With a wide lens, you’ll see more background. Using a longer lens will cut more of the background and help isolate your subject. Longer lenses also give the impression of compressed distance where wide lenses do the opposite.

Lots of the best street photography looks as if it’s been made in a hurry. People rushing past, glancing at the camera. Or absorbed in what they are doing. Mostly these photos are not snapshots. The photographer has planned well and anticipated the action. Then waited.

Action is more easily caught and composed well when patience and observation are applied.

The whole dam was interesting, but it was too hard to find an interesting angle for the whole structure, so I cropped in tight. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Lighting for feeling

Hard light or soft light will create different moods.

Strong contrast when you have hard light is more dramatic. If you want a softer, more romantic feeling, hard light is not the best. Even with an interesting subject, such as a newborn baby or a flower, harsh lighting will not provide a gentle feeling in your photograph.

Matching the lighting to the mood you wish to create in your photograph will make the photo feel right. There are no fixed rules. You must decide for yourself with each photo. This is part of your creative expression as a photographer.

Think about the direction the light’s coming from. It is hard or soft? How is it affecting your subject? Is there too much shadow or contrast for the mood you want?

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Connect with your subject

No matter what you choose to photograph, the more you connect with your subject the better photos you will make of it.

I always thought this applied only to people, and maybe animals. I’ve changed my perspective, and now think it can apply to anything you photograph.

I love flowers. My wife loves them more and loves to grow them. She takes much better photographs of flowers than I do because she has that passion. It shows in her pictures.

If you love the location you live in, or maybe where you grew up, you will photograph it more intimately than a stranger to it probably will.

How you connect with people you’re photographing will certainly make a huge difference in your photos.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Conclusion

Take your time. Be more observant. When you find your next alluring subject, consider how you can make the best photo of it. Don’t rely on its interest value alone.

Travel photography is prone to snap-shooting. When you travel, you always see new and interesting things to photograph. This is part of what makes travel so interesting. I often encourage people who take our photography workshops not to be travel snapshooters.

Ansel Adams said, “The most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” Think about your subject and how you can treat it.

Remember, it’s the photographer who makes the picture interesting, not the subject.

The post An Interesting Subject Does Not Make An Interesting Photograph appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School
June 10, 2019
DJI teases new release for June 11th with new video posted to social channels

DJI released a 21-second teaser video ahead of their latest product release titled ‘Learn to Win.’ An official announcement will be made this Tuesday, June 11th. The world’s top drone manufacturer released the Osmo Action camera less than a month ago.

Naturally, the Internet has offered up numerous theories on the next move for DJI, who hasn’t released a consumer-grade drone since the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom at the end of August last year. One possibility is their official entry into the lucrative and growing FPV racing market with a compact, agile drone. Another potential release could be a Software Development Kit (SDK) aimed at developers and tinkerers for custom applications.

The caption on the video, first posted to YouTube, hints at the latter SDK possibility as it reads ‘DJI was built by tiredless engineers who never stopped looking for answers and pushing boundaries. Now, get ready to push yours. If you’re ready to win, be prepared to learn.’

‘DJI was built by tiredless engineers who never stopped looking for answers and pushing boundaries. Now, get ready to push yours. If you’re ready to win, be prepared to learn.’

Rumors of a Spark 2 drone, slated for summer, have also circulated and are covered in detail by DroneDJ. The Phantom 4 series is still out of stock at DJI’s official online store, though representatives for the company have gone on record stating that a logical Phantom 5 follow-up is either on hold or, alternately, there was nothing to cancel in the first place.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 9, 2019
Sony Xperia 1 sample gallery

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Sony’s flagship mobile device packs some powerful imaging features, including a rear triple-cam, Eye AF and 4K HDR video recording. It seems like a natural place to find sophisticated autofocus and video capture features given its pedigree, and we were eager to take it for a spin when it arrived in the office. Take a look at how we got along.

See our Sony Xperia 1 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

June 9, 2019