The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 Art Has No Real Competition, and the Images Prove It
The Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is one of the most optically ambitious lenses ever made for portrait work, and it exists almost entirely because Sigma wanted to prove it could be done.
The Lumix L10 Has a Leaf Shutter and a Leica Lens, But How Does It Actually Shoot?
The Lumix L10 is a fixed-lens compact camera with a leaf shutter, a viewfinder, a hot shoe, and a Leica-branded 24–75mm f/1.7–2.8 lens on a Four Thirds sensor. If you're weighing compact cameras for travel or daily carry, the spec sheet here is worth a close look.
Leica M11-D Review: What Shooting With No Screen Actually Does to Your Photography
The Leica M11-D is a digital camera with no rear screen, and that single omission is either its greatest flaw or its greatest feature depending on how honest you are with yourself about how you actually shoot. If you've ever told yourself you'd stop chimping and never followed through, this camera calls that bluff immediately.
Panasonic Jumps Into the Compact Camera Game With the LUMIX L10
Panasonic has announced the LUMIX L10, a new fixed-lens compact camera built around a Four Thirds sensor and a Leica-branded zoom. The release marks the 25th anniversary of the LUMIX line, and Panasonic is launching the camera in three finishes: Black, Silver, and a limited Titanium Gold Special Edition.
Learn How To Photograph Birds Of Prey With These 5 Top Tips
Photographing birds of prey in the wild isn't something that's easy to do, however as the UK is home to some excellent birds of prey centres where photographers have the opportunity to shoot up close with these majestic birds when armed with the right kit and technique.
At centres, the birds are trained to fly close to visitors which gives photographers, with a bit of patience, the chance to capture images of birds of prey in flight as well as photos of other natural behaviour they demonstrate.
Thanks to the close range, photographers can generally capture shots of larger birds of prey with shorter lenses, however, for shots of birds in flight, you'll need a lens that has a longer reach.
For portraits, use a tripod but when in flight you may find this kind of support doesn't give you the fluidity of movement you need. Plus, these centres are popular locations and you can find yourself in a crowd where tripods won't be a welcomed feature. If you do have room for a tripod, put a ball head on it as this will allow you to adjust the position of the camera quicker and easier. A pistol grip could also be useful as they are ideal for pursuing and capturing fast-moving subjects.
Some places have hides which offer enough space for tripods so you won't be fighting for elbow room.
2. Make Sure You Follow The Centre's Rules
Centres have different rules when it comes to displays. Some allow you to move around while others don't so do check before you start taking your images. It's important to pick a good shooting spot before the display begins so do have a scout around the location well before the scheduled start time.
3. Capturing Shots Of Birds In Flight
Photographers with fast prime lenses are at an advantage with this but this doesn't mean you shouldn't try if you have a different piece of kit. It can be a little hit and miss and will take some perseverance to get right but there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of capturing a good shot.
Birds tend to take off and land into the wind so if you can position yourself so the wind is blowing from behind you, chances are you'll be able to capture a head-on shot of your subject in flight.
It's also worth manually focusing on a spot you know the birds will fly through/into as with some practice, this should improve your chances of capturing a good shot.
A bird flying across you is easier to track the path of than one flying towards you as you can pan with its movement and its path won't change as quickly. Continuous shooting will increase the chances of you capturing a shot with the bird in-frame, but depending on your camera autofocusing may struggle.
Aiming to capture a shot just before a bird lands tends to be a little easier, as Linda Wright explained in a previous article: "Birds stall just before they land – slowing almost to a stop and spreading their wings wide – so this is a good moment to aim for and easy to predict."
Do remember that each subject flies at a different speed and often has different characteristics of flight. Understanding this will help you improve and modify your technique accordingly.
For more tips on capturing shots of birds in flight, take a look at this article: Photographing Birds In Flight
4. Master Your Shutter Speeds
When it comes to shutter speeds, faster is good, although slower speeds can result in some interesting blurring of wings if you want to take a more artistic approach.
Check your exposure, taking a reading from roughly where you'll be aiming before the action begins can help, and go for a higher ISO rather than risking a wider aperture if you find light levels to be too low.
5. Check The Position Of The Sun
Note where the sun is for when you're shooting with your lens towards the sky as you don't want to pan and find it's shining down your lens. It's dangerous to look directly at the sun and can be very painful so do take care.
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What Can I Photograph Close To My Home?
This is something everyone can have a go it. It doesn't matter if you live in a mansion or a flat or usually shoot landscapes or portraits as this will give you the chance to think out of the box a little and really help you improve your photography.
Of course, if you live on the coast or in the Highlands or Lakes, you have got it slightly easier than some. But there are pictures to be captured everywhere, you just have to get out there and find them!
If you really don't fancy shooting near your home pick a location you love or know well and see how only having a few meters to work in will make you think differently.
If you're not travelling far you can set out your full array of lenses on your side and return to pick up what you need although your standard zoom will do a perfectly good job.
If you do have a variety of lenses to pick from your macro lens will be good for giving the ordinary a unique twist while a longer telephoto will get you close to birds in the garden without having to be sat on the branch next to them. If you're out in the garden you may need a tripod when using a longer lens but otherwise working hand-held will be fine.
What To Shoot?
Look at everyday objects differently. See how a fork, TV remote or even a shoelace look close up through a macro lens. Or try setting yourself a little challenge: shoot household objects, certain packets or how about items beginning with a particular letter or number? Try shooting candids of neighbours or how about limiting the number of pictures you take?
You can go on a mini safari in your garden, photograph birds from your window or shoot the flowers that are now decorating our beds. Have a go at photographing micro landscapes on dull days or how about capturing raindrops as they fall down your windows or land on plants? If you don't mind early starts, you can shoot some photos of morning dew or spend some time with your pets, photographing their antics.
As the months warm-up you'll be able to spot Ladybirds to photograph but while the weather's still chilly, why not stay indoors and shoot some still life work: kitchen utensils, cutlery and food.
You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition
Why Every Photographer Needs to Delete 90% of Their Portfolio
Most working photographers have a portfolio problem. The problem is not that the work is bad. The work is usually fine. The problem is that there is too much of it. Portfolios that should have 12 to 18 images contain 40 or 50 or 80. Websites that should load three galleries fast contain eight galleries that load slowly. Instagram grids intended to function as portfolios contain two years of inconsistent work that blurs the photographer's identity rather than sharpening it.
What Photographers Can Learn From Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson is certainly one of my references — not because he ever cared about photography, but because he understood something most photographers avoid.
Thompson wasn't just a journalist. He was the fracture inside the story, the man who erased the polite distance between observer and event and replaced it with something far more unstable. Gonzo wasn't a style. It was a position. A refusal to stand outside. He didn't look at the world — he entered it and let it deform him.
Bad Weather, Better Photos? Street and Urban Photography in the Rain
Most photographers put the camera away when it rains, but I believe this is a huge mistake. I've found that some of my best photos are made when it's raining, and I make the effort to embrace it. Let's talk about why.
The images in this article were shot recently on a trip to Bilbao, Spain. Everything was photographed on a Nikon Z6 III, which is weather-sealed and offered plenty of confidence.
Less is More: The Power of Simplicity in Landscape Photography
Discover the art of minimalism in landscape photography and learn how the deliberate removal of distractions can elevate your images. Join me as I share insights from my recent trip to Namibia, highlighting the beauty and purpose behind each frame.
The Camera Holding You Back Might Be the Best One You Own
Buying a new camera feels like the obvious move when you want to level up your skills. But the gear you already own, or something even cheaper, might be doing more for your growth than anything new ever could.
Finding Your Own Photography Style: A 3-Step Process That Actually Works
Most photographers spend years chasing a style without knowing what they're actually looking for. Sean Dalton has spent the last decade building his, and he recently looked back at 10 years of work to map out exactly how it happened and how you can shortcut the process.
The Fujifilm XC 13-33mm Kit Lens Is Cheap, Wide, and Surprisingly Capable on Some Cameras
The Fujifilm XC 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS is the one of the newest kit lens options for the Fujifilm's X-mount system, and it takes a different approach than most. Instead of the typical 15-45mm range, this lens goes wider, giving you a full frame equivalent of 20mm to 50mm, which opens up genuinely different shooting possibilities for landscapes, interiors, selfies, and vlogging.
When Plans Fall Apart Mid-Shoot
Shooting in brutal coastal wind is one of the fastest ways to learn what your gear and your plans are actually worth. When conditions fall apart mid-shoot, what you do next says more about your photography than any perfect golden-hour session ever could.
How To Use The Power Of Lines To Improve Your Landscape Photography
1. Where Should I Look For Them?
Rivers, walls and cracks in the ice are just three examples of how you can create diagonals within your landscape shots. Just remember you may have to alter the angle, height or position you're working at to see these natural elements take on the shape you need.
2. Use Diagonal Lines As A Guide
The eye often looks at the bottom left of an image first before working across the shot to the top right corner so by having a line which follows this path, intercepting interesting elements as it goes will unknowingly guide the viewer through your shot. They're particularly useful in shots where you have lots and lots of different elements that without a 'guide' would just look chaotic and the eye wouldn't know what to look at first. Try using multiple diagonals to guide the eye to one spot in the image by intersecting them where you want the attention to fall.
3. Don't Split Your Shot Into Two
If you position your diagonal so it flows from one corner to another your shot can look like it's split in two and won't work right compositionally. Instead, try shifting the line up slightly so it starts just above the bottom corner instead.
4. How Many Are Too Many?
Don't get too carried away using too many diagonals as your shot will just end up looking busy and the eye won't know where to focus. However, a few repetitive lines such as those left by a tractor in a field or the shapes left in the sand by the wind can work well as abstract landscape shots. Just shoot from a higher viewpoint and use a longer focal length with a smaller aperture to maximise depth of field. At the coast, try photographing footprints left in wet sand or the patterns left by the tide as it moves down the beach.
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Dream Lens for LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 Winner
Fish Eyes by Sophia Spurgin
Winner of the 2026 London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year, Sophia Spurgin, has today collected a Canon RF 400mm prime lens from the LCE team at their Strand, London store. Sophia beat 14,500 entrants to take top honour in this year’s competition with her stunning image ‘Fish Eyes’ captured on a trip to Vietnam on a Canon EOS R5 Mark II camera.
A retired teacher from Hertfordshire, Sophia is a keen outdoor photographer, and the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM was top of her wish list. A super-telephoto model offering a fast f/2.8 aperture, exceptional portability and optical IS, the RF 400mm is an outstanding low-light performer, perfect for wildlife, sports and action photography. The much sought after lens is rarely in stock at UK retailers and required shipping directly from Canon in Japan.
Sophia Spurgin commented, “I’ve never owned a lens of such quality and wanted to mark my win with something significant. I had never considered prime lenses previously, but now I’ve been able to obtain this incredible equipment thanks to LCE. I’m looking forward to testing it out during my travels this year.”
Sophia Spurgin, LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 overall winner, holds her grand prize, the Canon RF 400mm f2.8L IS USM lens. © London Camera Exchange
LCE POTY comprises 14 different categories including the publicly voted ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Emerging Talent’ dedicated to photography students. Sophia was shortlisted in three categories and was crowned winner of both the Travel category with ‘Fish Eyes’ and Wildlife category with
‘Fighting Foxes in the Rain’ – as well as taking first place in the overall competition. She scooped a total of £3,500 in LCE vouchers, to spend on equipment of her choice.
Lee Harasyn, managing director of LCE, commented, “We’re thrilled that Sophia has been able to acquire her dream lens as a result of winning LCE Photographer of the Year 2026, and can take the next step up in her hugely successful photographic journey. We hope she’ll inspire others to enter the competition next year and we can’t wait to see the images she’ll capture with this fantastic piece of kit.”
The LCE POTY 2026 Awards were presented in a ceremony at The Photography & Video Show at the NEC, Birmingham. A gallery showcasing the finalists’ images was located close to the show’s entrance and many of the shortlisted images were included in a special edition commemorative book. Winners received a share of the £10,000 prize fund and a unique trophy to take home. There are plans to tour the images at other locations around the UK this year.
For more information, please visit the LCE POTY website.
About London Camera Exchange
Founded in Guildford in 1956, London Camera Exchange is an employee-owned business and is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026. With 26 high street stores nationwide, the company delivers award-winning service and impartial expert advice. LCE stocks an extensive range of cameras, lenses and optical gear from top brands – and is the go-to destination for trading in or upgrading photographic equipment. Whether visiting in-store or online, LCE’s dedicated team is always on hand to help customers capture their next great shot.
Testing The Allen Smart Suction Snap Camera Mount
Today, I'll have a quick look at the new Allen Smart Suction Snap Camera Mount. It's a tool designed for mounting compact mirrorless cameras, action cams, and smaller DSLRs to smooth surfaces via a suction cup that can deliver dynamic moving shots.
Can Smartphones Replace Your Camera in 2026?
Nearly everyone has a smartphone in today's world. They have come so far, and the technology inside them is extremely impressive. When you think back 20 years ago, they had a small screen and could only be used to make calls. Now, you can use them for pretty much everything: to call people, to listen to music, use them as GPS to get around, and in a lot of cases as a camera.
Why Niching Down Is the Single Most Profitable Decision Many Photographers Never Make
The photography business has a strange relationship with specialization. Almost every working photographer starts as a generalist. The first few years of paid work are a scramble: weddings on weekends, headshots during the week, a real estate gig when a friend asks for a favor, some product work to pay for a lens upgrade, maybe a few corporate events when the calendar is thin. The logic is obvious and reasonable. Early in a career, any paying work is better than no paying work, and saying yes to every request builds both experience and cash flow.
Can You Come Home Empty-Handed and Still Call It a Good Shoot?
Landscape photography doesn't always end with a keeper. This video makes that case plainly, and it's one of the more honest looks at what a real shoot actually feels like from start to finish.