Why Monochrome Became the Ultimate Escape from Responsibility
Black and white photography promises seriousness without risk, coherence without effort, and intention without proof. In an era where color is technically trivial and visually unforgiving, monochrome offers shelter. It removes variables, postpones judgment, and replaces unresolved structure with borrowed authority. It is like dimming the lights in a messy room: the objects do not move, but the problems stop being visible. If an image cannot survive color, was monochrome ever a choice?
5 Used Cameras That Offer Insane Value Right Now
These aren't compromised relics from a forgotten era. They're the same tools that shot magazine covers, documented weddings, and produced professional video content when they retailed for two or three times what they cost today. The sensor inside a five-year-old camera hasn't degraded. The engineering hasn't gotten worse. These cameras have simply depreciated because photographers chase new releases with the enthusiasm of golden retrievers pursuing tennis balls, and that irrational behavior creates opportunity for everyone else.
Why ‘Gear Doesn’t Matter’ Is Bad Advice for Street Photography
The “gear doesn’t matter” phrase pops up constantly in street photography circles. It may encourage beginners, but it rarely holds up once you’re actually on the street.
An Incredible Whale Action Shot Wins Our 'Photo Of The Week'
A humpback whale rising from the cold ocean is our latest 'Photo of the Week' (POTW) winner.
Captured by ColinEJ and titled ‘Humpback Whale Breaching,’ we love the excellent timing and energy shown in this action shot. The snowy mountains and clear sky in the background frame the scene, showing the whale’s size against the landscape. This wide view makes the photo clear and well-timed. What a brilliant photo!
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!
Why Waterfall Photos Fail and How to Fix Them
Waterfall scenes look simple, but they fall apart fast when the eye has nowhere to go. If you want stronger landscape images, you need to think beyond the obvious front-on shot and start controlling flow, balance, and shutter speed.
Stop Shooting Down at Flowers: A Better Angle
Snowdrops demand precision in a way that most woodland flowers do not. Miss the timing by a week and the petals brown at the edges, flattening the very detail you set out to capture.
Photoshop Generative Fill Update: Firefly Fill and Expand Gets Real Improvements
Photoshop just updated Generative Fill with the new Firefly Fill and Expand model, and yes, it changes what you can realistically create. If you rely on AI inside Photoshop, this affects how large you can generate, how real people look, and whether hands and cars still fall apart.
10 Harsh Photography Truths That Will Change How You Approach Your Work
You wait for a break. You post your best shots. You assume progress will stack neatly, one win on top of another. That belief keeps you comfortable and quietly stuck.
3 Reasons Why Converging Verticals In Photos Can Be A Good Thing
Most of the time, particularly in architectural photography, we are told that converging verticals and lines are something which should be avoided. But there are occasions when they don't have to be avoided by architectural or any other type of photographer.
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1. Use Converging Verticles To Exaggerate HeightWhen shooting close to a building with a wide-angle lens, you can exaggerate the height of the structure with the help of converging verticals however, it can look like the building is about to fall over backwards so it isn't a style everyone appreciates. To exaggerate the sloping walls further, get lower to the ground with your wide-angle lens.
We've talked previously on how vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines can be used to add interest to shots and act as guides. If you take this further so you have multiple lines stretching towards the horizon, they can appear to be moving closer together, which, in turn, will help the viewer to focus on one specific area of the shot.
Where you set your camera up and how the lines move through your frame will change the feel of the shot. The most common way to use converging lines is to position your camera in the centre of the frame so you have symmetry as well as the converging guides working for you. But as the eye often looks at the bottom left of an image first before working across the shot to the top right corner, you can also position the lines so they flow from corner to corner. By having a line which follows this path, you will unknowingly guide the viewer through your shot. Try using multiple diagonals to guide the eye to one spot in the image by intersecting them where you want the attention to fall.
Do watch where the lines are going as if they lead out of the frame it can create a sense of wonder but equally, it could lead to frustration as your viewer doesn't know what's beyond the frame and as they've followed the direction of the line, they'll end up not looking at your shot. However, if you take the time to position yourself so the lines give the impression they meet/end where you want your main point of focus to be, you shouldn't have a problem.
You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition
ePHOTOzine Daily Theme Winners Week 2 February 2026
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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 CarltonR (Day 8 - Shots With Movement).
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 9Abstract Photography
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Day 10
Action Photography
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Day 11
Minimalist Photography
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Day 12Fruit & Veg Shots
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Day 13
Creative Blur
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Day 14
Flash Photography
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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.
5 Amazing Cameras You Can Still Buy Brand New for Under $700
The entry-level camera market has withered. Companies that once competed fiercely for first-time buyers have largely abandoned the sub-$1,000 segment, preferring to chase higher margins on enthusiast and professional equipment. But slim pickings isn't zero pickings.
Struggling With Focus? Here's What Actually Works
Running a wedding photography business with perfectionist habits and ADHD tendencies can wreck your focus fast. If you struggle to finish edits, send invoices, or stick to one task, this will feel familiar.
The Most Disruptive Photography Company of 2025 Isn’t Who You Think
Photography in 2025 looks different from what it did even five years ago, and not just because of sensors, codecs, or computational tricks. I think the biggest shift has been economic. For the first time in decades, access to truly capable photographic tools is no longer reserved for people with disposable income or institutional backing.
Stop Shooting the Obvious: A Different Way to Photograph
Places like Bamburgh Castle and coastal landmarks like it get photographed thousands of times a year, usually from the same spot with the same treatment. If you keep shooting the obvious angle, your work blends into that pile whether you mean it to or not.
A Better Way to Sharpen Photos in Lightroom
Sharpening often breaks an image in quiet ways. Edges buzz, noise creeps in, and soft areas start fighting for attention when they should stay calm.
Brightin Star 85mm f/1.8 Autofocus Review: Cheap Portrait Lens With Real Tradeoffs
An 85mm f/1.8 lens is a staple for portraits, and the Brightin Star 85mm f/1.8 autofocus enters the Sony E and Nikon Z market at a price that undercuts most rivals. When a full frame autofocus lens costs around $300, you need to know exactly what you’re giving up and what you’re not.
5 Reasons To Shoot A Self Portrait Today
1. Something New
If you're usually someone who only shoots one style of photography, having a go at a new genre can not only be fun but educational. It can also fuel you with inspiration, giving you new ideas to have a go at. As you're photographing yourself there's no pressure to get it right first time either as there's no one else to please but yourself.
2. Something For A Rainy Day
Walking around in the rain, shooting landscapes isn't fun so instead of getting wet, set up your gear at home and have a go at shooting self-portraits. You never know, you may find you enjoy it enough to take your gear outside, once the rain has stopped, to shoot some self-portraiture outdoors.
As you're not working with anyone else, you can shoot your photos when and where you want. It also means you can play around with the set-up as much as you like without having to worry about your model getting bored. You don't have to worry about time ticking away either which is something you have to consider when working with a model as they could have another shoot to get to.
4. Experiment
As you don't have a model to direct you can experiment with different poses and expressions much more easily as you won't have to spend time trying to explain the idea you have in your head to someone else. Don't' forget you can experiment with props, too.
5. The Challenge
Working behind as well as in front of the camera comes with its own set of challenges, however learning how to overcome problems and perfecting set-ups to help improve your technique can be fun, plus you're learning and expanding your knowledge in the process.
Some of the questions you may ask include the following: do you want to use a tripod? How are you going to fire the shutter if using a DSLR? Will you need a remote release or do you can have a camera which can be controlled remotely via a smartphone or tablet (although, if you're capturing your images with a smartphone, this won't be so much of an issue)? Are you going to shoot one shot at a time or make the most of a continuous shooting mode?
Take a look at our technique section for answers to these questions and more.
You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition
The Early 2026 L-Mount Alliance Report Card: Seven Years In, Is It Working?
On paper, the L-Mount Alliance has never been healthier. Ten members. Over 120 lenses. More than 20 camera bodies. Sigma shipped nine new lenses and an alien-looking unibody camera in 2025. Panasonic finally buried its autofocus reputation with the Lumix S1R II and Lumix S1 II. Leica celebrated its centennial. Viltrox joined as the tenth member and already delivered its first native L-mount autofocus lens. By the numbers, this is an ecosystem that should be thriving.
Choosing Between Canon EOS R6 Mark III and Sony a7 V in 2026
Choosing between the Canon EOS R6 Mark III and the Sony a7 V is not about brand loyalty. It is about how each one handles real shooting pressure, from fast bursts to long video takes in 90° heat.
OWC Express 4M2 USB4 Review: Flexible NVMe Storage Done Right
Getting fast, high-capacity storage has become a bottleneck in modern workflows. Codecs keep getting heavier, and a well-specced internal SSD can feel cramped quickly. Upgrades can be difficult or unreasonably expensive; enter the Express 4M2, a four-drive enclosure that addresses all these issues.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been using this enclosure as my primary working drive, and it’s proven to be a thoughtfully designed solution for creators who want serious NVMe performance without locking themselves into a fixed configuration.
