Photography News

Buying memory cards used to be a simple decision: match the slot, pick a speed class, done. That's no longer the case, and not just because of price. Every memory purchase has become a longer-term investment rather than a one-off consumable buy, and getting that decision right matters more than ever. But what does this mean if you're thinking of upgrading your camera, for example, shooting on a Nikon DSLR with an aging XQD slot now, but with a mirrorless upgrade already on your mind?

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Street photography looks like a hobby about cameras and light, but the habits it builds bleed into how you move through the rest of your day. Watch strangers long enough and you start noticing patterns in yourself, not just in the frame.

 

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A constant f/2.0 aperture across a full zoom range used to sound like a fantasy. Sony now offers it in a body smaller than the Canon equivalent, and the results push the limits of what a standard zoom can do.

 

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Researchers in Germany have shown that an ordinary Wi-Fi network can pick a specific person out of a crowd with near-perfect accuracy, no camera involved. In a test with 197 people, the system recognized individuals in seconds, from different angles, no matter how they walked.

 

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Insta360 is developing two mirrorless cameras at the same time, and its CEO says one of them will have a shape you have never thought of before. He also says that camera could change the way we take pictures, moving past the old routine of framing, focusing, and pressing the shutter.

 

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Brightin Star launched a solid brass manual focus 28mm f/2.8 pancake lens last year, painted in gloss black lacquer. My first impression when I saw the publicity photos wasn’t its incredibly small size. It should have been, but I was distracted somewhat by that high-gloss black lacquer with gold and red engraving. It looked a little garish. That aside, a tiny, stealthy lens is what we street and travel photographers love, so I eventually decided I should test it out.

 

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1. Focal Lengths

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

2. Foreground Interest 

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

 

3. Add A Frame

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

4. Basic Rules 

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

5. Shoot Panoramics

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

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

 

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

 

The longer reach of telephoto lenses is a brilliant thing for photographers who want to photograph shy wildlife, pull far away subjects closer or simply want to fill the frame to create an attention-grabbing shot. 

To show you just how versatile a telephoto lens can be, we've got a top list of 8 ways these long lenses can be used. Plus, should you be in the market for a new telephoto lens, we have quite a few top telephoto lenses featured in our top lists which include both Telephoto Prime Lenses and Telephoto Zoom Lenses. 

If you're not sure if you should purchase a zoom or prime lens, have a read of this tutorial: Prime Vs Zoom Lenses

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Here Are Our 8 Top Ways To Use A Telephoto Lens:
1. Bring Far Subjects Close

© Joshua Waller

 

The telephoto effect these lenses have make objects, that may actually have quite a lot of distance between them, appear as if they're sat close together. The longer your focal length, the more obvious the effect will be. It's useful when you have a city skyline or mountains in the background which will give you a more interesting and pleasing shot if they're pulled a little closer to the object closer to your lens e.g. the bridge, building or boulder that's your main point of focus.

 

2. Fill The Frame

© Joshua Waller

 

When you want to exclude some part of what's in your frame e.g. a boring grey sky that's in the background of your landscape shot, use a telephoto lens to focus in on the colourful tree line rather than having the trees and sky in shot. It'll also pull a distant subject closer to you, which means you can get frame-filling shots of shy wildlife or of a particular aspect of the landscape that's too far for you to get to.

 

3. Pick Distant Subjects Out

© Joshua Waller

 

If you want to draw attention to a particular aspect that would be lost if shot with a wider focal length, use a telephoto lens to isolate your subject. You can do this with shorter focal lengths, but the longer reach of a telephoto means you can isolate a subject that's some distance away from where you're shooting from.

 

4. Capture Shots Of Wildlife

© Richard Hanson

 

As a telephoto lens closes the distance between you and whatever you're photographing, it's an ideal lens for photographing wildlife. With a telephoto lens you'll be able to take shots that look like you were just a few steps away from your subject when really you were some distance away. This distance means your subject won't be scared off and if you're shooting what could be considered as a dangerous animal, the distance makes it safer for you.

    5. Photograph The Moon

© Joshua Waller

 

Your shots won't be as good as those who use telescopes, but you can still get excellent shots of the moon with a long telephoto lens. As well as a very long lens you also need a tripod, clear skies, good weather, remote/cable release, a few hours to spare and good technique. You can even take a number of shots, and combine multiple shots to produce a sharper image.

 

6. Portraits

© Joshua Waller

 

Shooting head or head and shoulder shots with a longer focal length can give a better perspective and allows for a tighter crop when working further away from your subject. This distance also means you don't have to work too close to your subject and as a result, they'll be more comfortable, and you'll have more natural-looking portraits. You'll also be able to capture shots without any distortion and backgrounds are more easily thrown out of focus, even when they are just a couple of meters behind your subject, meaning all focus falls directly on your subject. Just keep an eye on your shutter speed if working hand-held, though, as you don't want shake spoiling your shot. Find more tips on shooting portraits.

 

7. Shallow Depth Of Field

© Joshua Waller

 

As mentioned above, telephoto lenses make it easier to get the blurry backgrounds in photos that isolate your subject and really make them the focus of your shot. You don't want a distracting background detail competing for the viewer's attention and a shallow depth of field will make sure this doesn't happen.

 

8. Capture Action

© Joshua Waller

 

For fast-paced action that you can't get close to e.g. motorsport and flying events, you'll need the longer focal lengths telephotos give you as most of the time, it'll be impossible to get close to the action. To create a sense of pace, use your telephoto lens to shoot a few shots where your subject is sharp but the background is nicely thrown out of focus. How good you are at panning, what shutter speed you use, how fast your subject is moving and how much light's around will make this task harder / easier every time you head to the track, but do it a few times and you'll soon perfect your technique.

  More Top Tips

How about picking up some top composition tips that will help you perfect the shots you capture with your telephoto lens? There are also hundreds of top tutorials to read in our 'How To' section of the site. 

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to TheShaker (Day 30 - 'Beautiful Bokeh').

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

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

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

  Day 25

'Hot' Theme

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Day 26

Ruins

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Day 27

Big, Bold Skies

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Day 28

Black & White Buildings

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  Day 29

Eyes

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Day 31

'Yellow' Colour Theme

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

The FX2 has been one of Sony’s most discussed cameras since its launch. So today, I got my hands on one and decided to take it for a spin. 

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In October 2017, a silver plate about the size of a paperback sold at Sotheby's in New York for $360,500. It is the earliest surviving photograph of anyone who has ever been President of the United States, and the man staring out of it had been out of the office for fourteen years by the time the lens cap came off. The question of who was photographed first is messier than a single plate suggests, and every leading candidate carries an asterisk.

 

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Modern cameras can produce a stunning image in minutes, which makes the darkroom look like a relic worth skipping. That assumption deserves a second look, because the skills a darkroom demands carry straight back into the field, whether you shoot film, digital, or both.

 

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

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

 

1. Set-Up

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

 

2. How To Shoot

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

 

3. What To Photograph

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

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

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

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

Light shapes every landscape photo you take, whether the sun is blazing or hidden behind heavy cloud. Getting a handle on how it falls on your subject is the difference between a flat frame and one with real depth.

 

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The Micro Four Thirds crowd doubles your depth of field on every shot, and depending on what you shoot, that either ruins the image or saves it. That single trade-off decides whether this system belongs in your bag or stays on the shelf.

 

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A photograph of an owl captured in flight has won ePHOTOzine's 'Photo of the Week' accolade this week.

The shot, titled 'Chaco Owl', was taken by Mike_Smith during a visit to the Bird of Prey Centre in Helmsley, North Yorkshire. The head-on angle gives you a proper look right at the owl, and the detail in the wings really brings out that sense of movement. A soft, plain sky behind it keeps all the focus on the bird.

It's a lovely capture with great detail and a brilliant subject, making it a fine example of bird photography.

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

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

Photoshop's newest blemish tool doesn't just erase spots. It removes them while keeping the skin texture underneath exactly as it was, which is the part that has tripped up automatic retouching for years.

 

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Imagine trying to photograph a moon the size of a fist while flying past it at 45,000 miles per hour, using a camera you cannot see through, cannot focus by hand, and cannot even talk to in real time. Every instruction you send takes hours to arrive. By the time you learn whether a shot worked, the target is long gone, and there is no second pass. That was the daily reality for the people who ran the cameras on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. 

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

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

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

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

  Day 9

Crop Fields

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Day 10

Tourists

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Day 12

Letters

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Day 13

People Outdoors

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  Day 14

Long Exposures

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Day 15

Patterns

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

ePHOTOzine members can enjoy exclusive savings on PortraitPro 24 from Anthropics Technology.

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