Photography News

One year into a leap from software to full-time creativity, I reveal the unexpected challenges and surprising victories that transformed my journey. What happens when passion meets the harsh realities of freelance life?

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The lens is arguably the most important piece of photography equipment you own. So, make sure you're spending your money wisely.

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Under the Foam by Henrique Casinhas

 

The World Sports Photography Awards returns for its seventh year and is now accepting entries. Canon joins as the official imaging partner, marking a new chapter for the competition.

The Awards acknowledge sports photographers who know how to capture the emotion, strength, and precision of athletic moments. Each year, a panel of judges from sport, media, photography, and branding selects the strongest images.

Canon’s partnership reflects its long-standing connection to sports photography. With decades of experience and technical leadership, Canon shares a commitment to supporting photographers who document the power and intensity of sport.

A new category has been introduced for 2026: the Canon Emerging Talent award. This section is dedicated to photographers under the age of 30 who show strong skill and creativity in documenting sport. It aims to recognise the next generation of talent and give them a platform to be seen.

Richard Shepherd, Product Marketing Senior Manager, Imaging at Canon Europe, adds:

"Canon has a rich heritage of capturing sport’s most iconic moments, and as the camera of choice for the majority of photographers entering these awards, this sponsorship reaffirms our commitment to delivering the robust, reliable, high-speed equipment that empowers them to tell those powerful stories. We are especially excited to introduce the ‘Canon Emerging Talent’ award, which will shine a spotlight on the remarkable skill and passion of the next generation.”

 

The Great Water Ditch by Magdalena Strakova

 

Photographers are welcome to submit up to 10 sports images taken between December 2024 and November 2025. This year's competition includes 24 categories and is free to enter. The deadline is 24 November 2025. Photos that were entered in last year's contest can't be submitted again.

 

Entry Details for 2026 Awards:

• Entries Open: Now
• Deadline: 24 November 2025
  • 13:00 New York City
  • 18:00 London
  • 19:00 Amsterdam
  • 03:00 Tokyo (25 November)
  • 05:00 Sydney (25 November)
• Eligibility: Up to 10 sports images taken between December 2024 and November 2025
• Categories: 24 sports categories
• Entry Fee: None

 

The World Sports Photography Awards has a zero tolerance policy for image manipulation or editing. All entries must be original and capture the moment as it happened. This rule is in place to respect the time, effort, and skill photographers put into their work. For full details about the competition, please visit the official website of the World Sports Photography Awards.

 

With half-term coming up in October, you may be looking for something that'll keep the kids entertained but still give you the opportunity to take a photo or two. One location that's worth considering is a safari park as there are some excellent ones based in the UK that'll give you the opportunity to capture frame-filling images of Lions and other animals usually seen on an African plane. 

 

1. Photographing wildlife from your car or a bus 

As you're going to be stuck in your car, or the safari park's transport service, a long lens is a must. Something like a 70-300mm telephoto will do nicely but if you have a longer one take that along too as smaller subjects such as birds will look tiny otherwise. The inside of a car isn't the place for a tripod but having something to support your camera when you're working with long lenses is a good idea. You can get window-mounted tripods but a beanbag is a cheaper and easier way to go. Simply place it on a surface, rest your camera on it and click away. As you're shooting through glass pack a lens hood and/or a polarizer filter as they'll both help minimise reflections. 

 

 

2. Use queueing to your advantage

People moan about having to queue but if you're a photographer at a safari park this could work to your advantage as it means you'll have time to observe your surroundings. If you can wait in one position for a while to snap interesting behaviour. If you're visiting the park to see one particular animal make sure you've done your research so you know what time of day they'll be out and most active. Keep an eye on the weather too as this can make some animals retreat to cover and you'll be left with empty shots of fields. However, if you do get to the park when it's raining don't get too down-hearted as some animals don't mind the rain and raindrops on the fur and the reflection of light on wet surfaces can create very moody photos.

 

3. Small changes make a big difference 

As you're in a small space it can be tricky to move and find different angles to shoot from but there are plenty of other things you can do to improve your shots. Always make sure the eye is in focus and when it is don't click the shutter straight away – wait for the glint in the eyes that can make both human and animal portraits come to life. Sometimes you'll have to wait for the animal to move to get this but all you have to do is keep re-adjusting your framing until the moment arrives. If it's portraits you're particularly after make sure you zoom in to make them frame-filling and if you have cars or other distracting items in the background wait until you've changed position to take the shot or blur it out of sight with a large aperture. If it's a group of lions or a herd of elephants you're photographing use a smaller aperture such as f/22 to limit the blur to get the whole group in the shot.

When you're in a hurry it's easy to forget about composition so you'll put your subject slap bang in the centre of the image. For some shots this will create a strong portrait but try to resist doing it every time and really think about the rule of thirds when framing up. You also need space for your animal to walk into and don't amputate an animals extremities – a lion missing the tip of its tail won't look right.

As you have to keep your windows up you'll be shooting through glass so to minimise reflections make sure you have your lens against the window. If you have one, try using a lens hood or you could put your spare hand above or to the side of the lens to help minimise reflection. As the engine will be running you'll find the glass will be vibrating so speed up the shutter speed to minimise shake. You may also find manual focus handy as glass can sometimes fool a camera.

One more, very important point is to observe the rules. We don't want to hear any stories of ePz members who were turned into lunch!

Are we making photos to be seen or to be felt? Today, photographers navigate between creating content for attention and creating meaning for expression—a choice that shapes not just our work, but how we experience it.

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Professional work often comes down to speed and flexibility. A fast standard zoom like a 24-70mm f/2.8 is one of the most useful tools you can keep in your kit, and Nikon’s update to their flagship model brings a mix of subtle improvements and some genuinely new features worth paying attention to.

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The Fujifilm GFX100RF challenges the way you think about medium format. A camera like this doesn’t simply compete with interchangeable lens systems. It pushes you to consider portability, design, and shooting style in ways that matter when you’re out in the field.

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A compact 75mm lens with autofocus is a rare find, and when it comes in at under $200, it turns heads quickly. The TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 promises sharp images, smooth background blur, and enough reach to compress a scene without weighing down your bag.

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Car photography often comes down to balance: placing a strong subject in a compelling setting. A lens that can handle both the environment and the vehicle in front of it can save you from swapping glass constantly and missing the shot.

Coming to you from Peter Fritz, this detailed video takes a close look at the new Hasselblad XCD 35-100mm f/2.8-4 E lens. Fritz explains why the zoom...

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You don't have to head to a place that's bursting with beautiful landscapes to shoot some autumn-inspired shots as your own garden can give you just as many interesting autumn subjects to photograph. An even better reason to stay close to home is if the weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse you only have to take a few steps to be back in the warmth, you have your kettle close to hand and you can even continue shooting some subjects from inside your house.

  1. Leaves / Trees

 

You can't talk about photography in autumn without mentioning trees and leaves and it's a subject we'll be looking at a lot over the coming month so keep an eye out for tips on shooting macros, using backlight and much more with Autumn leaves. 
  2. Berries

 

If you have a few plants that give berries at this time of year, they should be ripe by now and ready to photograph. If they're a dark colour, try underexposing your shot slightly to deepen their shade and use a polarising filter to cut down on shine/reflections.
  3. Portraits

 

Kids wrapped up in hats and coats, particularly when they're throwing leaves around, scream autumn. Keep your shoot informal and try not to shoot too many posed shots. In fact, if you're photographing your own children playing around in your garden just leave them to it and shoot candids as they play.

If you don't want the colours of the foliage to take over the shot, longer focal lengths, particularly with a wide to moderate aperture, can help, blurring and giving your background a nice bokeh effect as well as flattering the features of who you're photographing. You can use out of focus foliage as a frame too, adding a spot of colour to the foreground of your autumn portrait shot.

Even though early morning and the later afternoon is a good time to shoot, autumn light tends to be lower all day so you can get away with shooting during the day if you need to.

 

4. Birds

 

Some birds begin to migrate at this time of year which means you may have new species of birds visiting your garden.

Birds are easily spooked so you need to keep still and if you can, be hidden. Try shooting from an open window from your house, set up in your shed or if you have one, use a hide. If you work from inside and are shooting through the glass rather than an open window, make sure your lens is as close to the glass as possible and turn your room lights off to minimise reflections. You also need to be in a position that's quite close to where the birds will land as even though you're using longer lenses, they are really tiny and can look lost among your background if you don't get close enough.

Some cameras can be controlled via a Smart Phone which means you can set the camera up in your garden and head back in to the warmth of the house where you can release the shutter remotely from. 

Make sure you pay particular attention to the tips of feathers, particularly on the tails, as these can easily become out of focus when trying to get the right balance between a blurred background and sharp subject. You may need to switch to manual focus, so you can set the focus point more precisely. Light at this time of year can be low so be prepared to switch your ISO up and remember to use a high enough shutter speed to keep your subject sharp. Most small garden birds move quickly and tend to twitch and turn their heads frequently so you need a quick enough shutter speed to stop the movement becoming blurred.

We have more tips on photographing birds in our technique section. 

 

5. Mushrooms

 

If you have any damp, dark areas in your garden or have a compost bin, you'll find fungi specimens are now springing up. You'll find more whole specimens in the morning but as you're in your garden it's quite easy for you to pop out at any time in search of photography-worthy mushrooms.

 

Quick tips for mushroom photos:

• As well as single specimens, capture mushrooms in an odd group which is more pleasing to the eye and adds interest to your shot
• Contrast white mushrooms with backgrounds of moss and leaves
• Blur backgrounds out of focus
• Look under the mushroom for interesting textures
• Light the underbelly by directing light into the scene with a reflector
• If using wider apertures, check your shot as your subject can end up with parts that are out of focus 

For more, have a look at this tutorial: Fungi Photography Tips.   

- Partner Content - 

 

Autumn conditions can be challenging but they can be glorious too, so have your kit ready and the bag by the front door ready for early starts. Exposure for this was 1/1000 sec at f/10 and ISO 800. Image by Will Cheung.

 

With autumn almost upon us, keen photographers will be dusting down their lenses and charging their batteries, ready for this hectic season. Whether your passion is for birds, colourful leaves, fungi or deer, this season is prolific for photographs and you’ll need the right kit if you want to join the party. 

With massive stocks of used imaging kit, MPB is the best place to start building your autumn outfit and save money at the same time. MPB only buys items after they have been thoroughly checked over by its team of experts, and on its website, what you see are actual images of the items on sale. Importantly, every item is sold with a 14-day return period and a free 12 month warranty.

 

A long telephoto combined with the 1.5x crop factor of the Sony A6700 gives plenty of magnifying power for tightly cropped portraits of distant subjects. The exposure was 1/1000 sec at f/9 and ISO 800. Image by Will Cheung.

 

For our nature outfit, we’ve allowed a budget of £3000 for a Sony mirrorless outfit with lenses for wildlife and a macro lens for fungi and nature abstracts.

It was a tough call for the system centrepiece with Sony having full-frame and APS-C format cameras in its line-up. Budget, or rather the lack of it, ruled out models such as the A7 V and A1, but full-frame is always worth considering. On MPB’s site I found a good condition Alpha A7R IV with 82,329 shutter actuations under its belt for £1389. The A7R IV is a fine camera and having 61 megapixels under the bonnet gives the opportunity for cropping in editing while still giving a large final image. Upon reflection though, going APS-C offers better value for money and the 1.5x crop factor is an important benefit for nature shooting, giving telephoto lenses even greater pulling power.

Top of Sony’s APS-C range sits the Alpha A6700, a 26-megapixel camera with a five-stop benefit in-body image stabiliser, 11fps continuous shooting with its electronic shutter and a very capable phase detect AF system. 

MPB has stocks of the A6700 at prices from £1169 in excellent condition to £1279 for an ‘as new’ sample. An excellent condition A6700 had just 367 shutter actuations and that was priced at £1209  - a new model costs £1399 - so that’s an excellent buy. MPB has a big turnover so there is a regular churn on stock. If you don’t find your dream purchase on your first visit to its site, allow some time and try again.

 

Misty conditions can be challenging because of poor lighting levels and the lower contrast can make autofocusing a little less sure-footed. Exposure was 1/500 sec at f/7.1 and ISO 1600. Image by Will Cheung.

 

Being APS-C format, the A6700 body is naturally more compact than full-frame cameras but that does not compromise handling which rates highly. It’s true that the rangefinder design takes a little getting used to, with the viewfinder eyepiece on the far left side and there’s no focus joystick. However, the right-sided on/off switch, nice size AF-ON button, ample customisation options and articulating monitor are all major contributors when it comes to the camera’s user-friendly nature. 

Autofocusing is rapid, accurate and responsive with the system’s 759 phase detection points covering 95% of the frame area and there’s the option of subject detection and tracking for humans, animals, birds and various vehicles. 

When you need to shoot continuous bursts, the A6700 is capable of 11fps with AE/AF tracking and compressed raw format but this uses its electronic shutter. Rolling shutter is a risk with fast moving subjects so there is 5fps continuous shooting with the mechanical shutter. The buffer is big enough for bursts of up to 50 compressed raws, so there’s plenty of capacity.

On the all-important point of image quality, the A6700 won’t let you down even when you need to tap into its higher ISO settings where very clean results can be had at ISO 1600 and more especially with raws treated with software denoising.

 

With the denoising skills of the latest software noise, shooting at very high ISO speeds is not an issue. This was an ISO 3200 raw denoised in Adobe Lightroom. The exposure was 1/500 sec at f/7.1. Image by Will Cheung.

 

In respect of lenses for nature, there’s plenty in the way of choice whether you prefer Sony or third party options. A benefit of the success of Sony’s interchangeable lens cameras and its attitude to independent makers is that there is a huge choice available covering all sorts of focal lengths, zoom range and price levels.

It’s in the ranks of third party brands where we focused our search on MPB’s website for a telephoto with the range to handle distant birds and mammals. The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sport seemed ideal for our needs and an excellent example was on offer for £1079. With the A6700’s 1.5x crop factor that lens equates to a 225-900mm range in full-frame so there’s plenty of power to pull in distant detail.

 

Sigma’s 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sport powerful telezoom is ideal for capturing wildlife and will give a decent image size of distant subjects.

 

Considering the huge focal length range, this Sigma telezoom is surprisingly compact and is rich in features including weather sealing, an optical stabiliser, a useful 1:2.9 magnification and an advanced design with six of its 25 elements being special lenses to deliver an outstanding performance at a great price. Even shooting wide open gives crisp, flare-free images and fine detail rendition. It is a full-frame capable lens so with the A6700 looks small when it’s attached, but if full-frame comes along in the future you have a lens ready to go.

With the camera and lens earmarked, that leaves just over £700 out of our £3000 budget to spend. 

For fungi, leaf details and insects, the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS focuses down close enough to give life-size magnification and it’s known to be a capable optical performer. MPB has used samples of this lens in the £529-654 price range so going for one at the lower price leaves cash enough for a wide-angle prime for scenic shooting. Laowa, Sigma and Tamron are other brands with macro lens options worth checking out.

Finally, available for between £159-189, the Sony FE 28mm f/2 is a suitable contender to round off our nature-oriented outfit. It’s compact, lightweight, performs very well wide open and the focal length isn’t too difficult to use for frame-filling compositions.

 

Soon after dawn light levels are still low so using a monopod  is recommended. It provides invaluable support without being too unwieldy in fast moving situations. Exposure of 1/250 sec at f/9 and ISO 1600. Image by Will Cheung.

 

So with our £3000 budget and MPB’s keen pricing and vast stocks, here’s a three lens camera outfit that will go a long way to making the most of the shooting season ahead. The wide-angle prime suits landscapes and broader tree studies, the 90mm macro is perfect for fungi, textures and the patterns of nature and the 150-600mm zoom can cope with everything from small birds and mammals up to red deer, our largest native land mammal. 

Whatever kit you own, have a great autumn with your camera.

 

 

News from MPB

The summer’s over and, as we’ve discussed, the possibilities for great nature pictures are huge over the coming months. With the need for fast shutter speeds, ISO control and long telephoto lenses, there’s much common ground between action and nature regarding techniques and kit.

MPB has recently published two sports photography features on its website. Click here for MPB’s Top 5 Camera Bodies for Sports Photography and here for an in-depth Guide to Sports Photography. Full of advice and kit hints, these are unmissable features for budding sports shooters.

 

MPB Explained

You need kit to take photographs and produce videos, and taking the used route is a cost-effective way of making the most of your budget and keeping up with the latest developments in imaging technology.

MPB is one of the biggest used retailers with bases in the UK, Germany and the USA.

Trading with MPB the process is fair, safe, painless and incredibly easy.

Whether you have kit to sell, want to make a purchase or part exchange, start by going to the MPB website which is intuitive and straightforward to use.

If you have kit to trade, just start typing the name in and a list of suggestions from MPB’s huge database will appear. If a name on that list matches your product click on it and add its condition; if not, continue typing in the whole name and condition.

It’s worth bearing in mind that MPB’s database covers much more than cameras and lenses so if you have, for example, a photo backpack, tripod or filters to sell these can be shown as you type in their name too.

With all your kit listed, add contact details and a quote will appear in your inbox soon afterwards, although manually entered items will take one working day.

If you are happy with the quote, accept it and follow the instructions to get the kit ready for courier collection on a day to suit you. For higher-value deals, an MPB account manager will also be in touch, so you have a personal point of contact if you have any queries.

Once received by MPB, you will get a notification and after checking by its product specialists you will receive a final quote. This can vary from the original quote if there is a missing item —like a battery not being supplied—or your assessed condition differs from the actual condition.

A quote can go down, but it can also increase if the kit’s condition is better than your assessment.

The whole process doesn’t take long and MPB are in touch by e-mail at every step so you’re never in the dark, and only when you are totally happy with the deal, pass on your payment details or pay the balance in the case of part-exchange. Either way, the money or your new kit will be with you soon after.

Get A Quote From MPB Today

 

About MPB

• MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit.
• MPB is the simple, safe and circular way to trade, upgrade and get paid.
• MPB is not a marketplace, instead buying directly from visual storytellers and evaluating all items before reselling MPB-approved kit.
• MPB's dynamic pricing engine provides the right price upfront for all items.
• Circularity is at the centre of MPB, promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.
• MPB prioritises inclusive recruitment and supports employees with extensive training and development. They promote inclusive visual storytelling and an inclusive circular economy.
• MPB's business model is 100% circular. All packaging is 100% plastic-free. Their cloud-based platform uses 100% renewable electricity.
• MPB recirculates more than 570,000 products annually
• MPB provides first-class customer service. Customers can receive support through their Help Centre or by speaking directly with a kit expert.
• MPB's product specialists are trusted by thousands of visual storytellers in the UK.
• MPB is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot with over 37,000 reviews.

Visit The MPB Website

 

Our landscape is abundant with rocky views from the gneiss rocks of Scotland, through the limestone pavements of the Yorkshire Dales, to the rocky Jurassic coastline of Dorset. Move-in closer and their patterns and textures provide fabulous abstract opportunities for photographers.

 

1. Gear Choices 

The beauty of this technique is any camera/lens combination can be used. No special kit is needed - just a good eye for the best viewpoint and artistic flare to determine the best composition. You could use a tripod to be sure of a rock (excuse the pun) solid view, especially when shooting patterns on the ground, as it can be harder to hold the camera rigid when you're pointing downwards. If you do use a tripod make sure it has an option to splay the legs out wide so you don't get them in the shot.

A standard lens is ideal, especially for rocks patterns below your feet - either a fixed 50mm or short zoom from around 35-70mm range is fine. Use a longer lens if you can't get close enough to the rock face. This is ideal for distant coastal cliff faces or mountainsides. A lens with a close focus will be handy when the texture is more important...you can focus in close on the more intricate details of the rock's composition.

 

2. When To Take Your Photos 

Shoot in overcast light if you want less contrast, but this can reduce the impact of the photo. Sunlight casts shadows making the patterns of rugged rocks become almost 3D. You can use the flash from your camera set to fill to reduce the shadows. If you use a camera that has flash control set the flash compensation to -1 in sun-behind-clouds situations and -2 in bright sunlight. The result will be a reduction in the density of shadow areas, but still enough to give the necessary 3D effect.

 

3. Where To Look

Some of the best patterns can be seen in strata, layers of rock that have been formed by layer upon layer of rock or soil millions of years ago. These layers have become exposed by erosion from the sea or natural earth movement or from being cut away to make roads.

Some of the best viewpoints for photography can be found on the coastline. Go to any rocky coastline and you're likely to find interesting rock patterns and textures, whether on the cliff faces or the natural pavement you walk on. Cliff faces provide head-on views and show the strata with the most dramatic lines while the ocean bed, exposed at low tide, can provide smoother more interesting shapes.

Look for rocks covered on lichen - coastal and exposed mountain moorland areas or dense woodland where it's likely to be regularly damp are ideal for this sort of texture. Use the lens on close focus to crop in on the minute detailed textures and patterns.

 

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

Canon has released a vlog camera based on the popular Canon EOS R50 mirrorless camera. This APS-C camera is aimed at content creators and has an attractive set of video features without making it too complicated. Canon Netherlands provided the Canon EOS R50 V for a review.

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Applying your custom editing style to all of your raw files so every scene looks consistent can be exhausting. Lightroom presets can help, but with changing lighting conditions and variable exposure settings, you often still have to make tons of micro adjustments image by image. With the release of Aftershoot's Instant AI Profiles, you can now automate all of your presets quickly and easily.

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Professional photography isn't just about taking good pictures – it's about delivering consistent, high-quality results under pressure while managing client relationships, business operations, and technical challenges that would overwhelm most hobbyists. Too many aspiring photographers make the costly mistake of transitioning to professional work before they've developed the foundational skills, business acumen, and professional discipline that successful commercial photography demands.

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Adding a little set design to your studio photography can add huge value for your clients and really set your work apart. Today, I’m sharing three DIY sets you can create with simple materials from the hardware store—no power tools required.

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The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens is a unique option if you want razor-sharp portraits with serious background separation. A lens this fast and this long offers something most other telephoto primes can’t: the creamiest blur combined with wide-open sharpness. It’s the kind of glass that makes you stop mid-shoot to review the files on the back of the camera because they just look that good.

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A 20–200mm travel zoom changes how you work in tight rooms and sprawling streets. With this lens, you get framing options a 28–200mm simply can’t reach indoors, plus half-macro close-up tricks without switching lenses.

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Travel pushes you into long-reach situations you can’t plan but want to capture anyway. A compact super telephoto that stabilizes like a gimbal and fits under an airline seat changes what you can bring and what you get.

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Expired film doesn’t just shift colors or create funky tones. Once it’s old enough, it can completely fail, leaving you with nothing but blank frames. That risk is especially real with rolls from the 1940s and 50s, where the materials themselves may have already broken down beyond use. Experimenting with this kind of film can be fascinating, though.

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