Photography News

For some photographers, firmware feels like a dirty word—especially for beginners. Should you install every update that appears, or leave things as they are if your camera works fine? For many, it starts with a more straightforward question: What is firmware, and why does it matter?

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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 Debmercury (Day 20 - Patterns).

 

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 18

'Three'

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Day 19

Statue

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Day 21

Journey

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  Day 22

Night

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Day 23

Still Life

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Day 24

Rain

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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.

A selection of our 'POTW' winners from 2025.

 

Our generous 'Photo of the Week' (POTW) supporter, Samsung, has kindly offered to award one of our 2025 POTW winners a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield as the prize for the accolade of Photo of the Year 2025 Award.

Which photo deserves the bonus prize and the 'Photo of the Year' title? We need your help to decide!

Until the end of January 2026, you can vote by hitting the 'like' button on your favorite 2025 POTW images in our Photo of the Year 2025 forum.

Start selecting your favourites using the 'like' button now!

Once the closing date is reached, the ePHOTOzine team will count up the 'likes,' and our 'Photo of the Year' winner will be announced.

We look forward to seeing how you all vote!

When creatively playing with focus, having out of focus areas that are the main focal point rather than having a sharp, in focus point of interest can add more intrigue and interest to a shot. You can also use out of focus foregrounds as frames, to guide the eye through the shot or throw sharpness entirely out of the window and create something much more abstract with your out of focus shots. But to do this you first have to know how you can control it then execute it in a way that doesn't make it look like something you did by mistake. 
 

How Do I Control What's In Focus? The easiest way is with aperture priority as you can change the size of the aperture to bring more or less into focus. If your camera struggles to focus where you want it to in auto-focus, use focus lock to get the image you want rather than taking a photo the camera thinks is right.

The elements can help you make more creative shots too as fog / mist can help soften scenes as long range images gradually lose contrast and far objects will disappear or appear as silhouettes. You can also try shooting through things. With a wide enough aperture and a close shooting distance they will add an extra level of out of focus interest to your shot.
  Portraits We are always told that sharp portraits with backgrounds thrown out of focus are what work but there are times when a little blur can go a long way. It can work well when you're trying to create the feel of a candid, reportage style shot rather than something that's posed and set up. It can also add a little romanticism and mystery to a shot. Indoors, making your subject a little less sharp can work in the studio too as Rossella Vanon explains: "I personally love shooting portraits by using a very big aperture and blurring the whole background and part of the subject too. It gives a very simple, creative twist to the picture and I would definitely recommend it."
  Same Shot Different Message A simple change in focus will not only change the main focal point of your shot but can change the message too. The two shots here are of the same two people but the first you're left wondering what the women in the foreground is looking at and thinking while the second shot is all about the subject in the background of the shot. 




Out On The Town Blurry backgrounds shouldn't be forgotten altogether but instead of throwing something that's usually seen as secondary out of focus, step further back from what you're photographing and throw the, what others would consider to be the main point of interest, out of focus. This can work well with landmarks, particularly in cities where you can use tourists taking photos of the landmark or even artists as your main point of focus. Do remember you need the right angle and interesting, contrasting elements for this to work successfully, though.

On rainy days, shoot through windows that have water running down them, blurring what's on the outside or use the ripples of a puddle to shoot a more abstract shot of city lights at night.
  Foreground Frames Frames are a great tool for guiding the eye to what's important in the shot but they don't always have to be obvious, frame – like objects such as windows for the shot to work. Some out of focus foreground detail such as foliage, grass, branches or even fabrics and plastic will add another level of interest as well as act as a guide for the eye to your subject. Make sure you're close to your foreground detail and use a wide enough aperture to throw it out of focus otherwise it won't blur and will pull attention away from your main subject. Auto focus may want to focus on what's in the foreground rather than the background so switch to manual if this happens.
  All Blurry If you're trying to create an abstract shot where everything is soft, you need a subject that's colourful and has interesting shapes and lines otherwise your shot won't have the impact you first intended it to have.
  Zoom, Zoom, Zoom This technique is more about having an image that's not sharp rather than focusing but still, it gives you an interesting result that shows sharp isn't always best. To get it right you need to set the zoom to either the short or long end of the focal length range, open the shutter, wait for a while then in one, smooth, quite quick movement, zoom out. By pausing at the start your subject will have a little definition before the blur kicks in. Fit a neutral density filter or a polarising filter if you can't get a slow enough shutter speed and meter from your main focus point. Make sure you have a low ISO set and switch to a small aperture to get the slower shutter speed that's needed.

   

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

You keep hearing that a Leica can change how you shoot, but it is hard to separate myth from real shifts in how you see and move. This videop puts that question in a messy, real setting, then pulls out a few specific changes that might sound small until you recognize them in your own contact sheets.

Coming to you from Ari Jaaksi, this reflective video starts with a family Christmas trip that is loud, crowded, and nonstop, then...

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Pick up a Sony a7 V. Now pick up a Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Now a Nikon Z6 III. All three cameras launched in 2025. All three hit roughly the same resolution. All three offer comparable autofocus performance, similar video capabilities, equivalent build quality, and nearly identical ergonomics. They are, for most practical purposes, the same camera wearing different logos.

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When you edit photos on a laptop, tiny desk decisions can quietly wreck your neck, your wrists, and your attention, even if the machine is fast. This helpful video will improve your working life.

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Foggy beach mornings are a stress test for your kit and your patience, especially when the background turns into a blank sheet of white. If you usually lean on long lenses or dramatic light, this video puts a spotlight on a different skill set: building strong frames from close-range texture, shape, and context.

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The Kodak Charmera Keychain Digital Camera is a tiny Kodak novelty that looks like a toy and sometimes behaves like one. It’s still the kind of device that can change how you shoot on a normal day, especially when you’re sick of chasing perfect files.

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There are many cameras that are now compatible with electronic viewfinders and they're an accessory that can become particularly useful when certain situations arise. With this in mind, here are three situations where an electronic viewfinder will come in helpful:

 

In Bright Light

When it's really bright, or the sun is shining straight onto the back of your camera, it can be really difficult to see anything on the screen, even if you up the brightness level. This is where the electronic viewfinder comes in, as you'll be able to see the scene perfectly clearly when you look through it, eliminating any glare getting in the way of composing your shot. 

 

 

Help Frame The Image

Sometimes, looking at the scene away from the camera slightly on the screen can result in a composure that's not so tidy. By using an electronic viewfinder, you can make sure everything you want is in the shot, and nothing you don't want creeps in thanks to the field of view they present. Sometimes, looking through the viewfinder and moving your camera around will allow you to discover new viewpoints that you wouldn't have thought of capturing before, too. 

 

Help To Stabilise Your Camera

Using the viewfinder can sometimes help you to stabilise the camera a bit more if using a tripod isn't an option. Holding the camera up to your eye while still holding the camera with two hands gives you three points of contact, helping to keep your image shake free. Plus, as mentioned earlier, this will help you to clearly compose your images too without getting distracted by what's around you.

 

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

ePHOTOzine is happy to announce the winners of the 2025 Christmas Prize Draw giveaway!

 

Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you again to our kind sponsors.

 

Here are the winners!

 

Day 1: £1,000 To Spend With MPB:

Dennis Debono (Bigdenbo)

 

Day 2: Nikon Z50 II + 16-50mm Kit:

Catherine Taylor (CathTay)

 

Day 3: £500 To Spend With MPB:

Andrew Thompson (AndrewThompson)

 

Day 4: Wacom Intuos Pro Medium:

David Lees (Dlees78)

 

Day 5: SIGMA 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art:

Steve Whitfield (boxer57)

 

Day 6: 1 of 10 Zoner Studio yearly licenses:

1. Gary Macleod (Gary_Macleod)
2. Joe Fuller (5hutterlag)
3. Arnie Livingston (zwarder)
4. Helen Jones (Opals_mum)
5. Andrew William McDonald (awmcdonald)
6. Richard Niglas (estonian)
7. Stephen (Steve_i2007)
8. Steve Walmsley (stevew10000)
9. John Askey (JJ_A)
10. Maggie Maddock (maggiem)

 

Day 7:

Exclusive 3DWiggle Packages - King package 1500+ Wigglegrams:

Chris Parnham (Metalhead)

 

Exclusive 3DWiggle Packages - Pro package 700+ Wigglegrams:

1. Zsolt Nagy (joelt)
2. KAT COMER (KITTYCOMET11)
3. Phillip James Davies (PJDz73)
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5. Neil Fernandes (neilossi)

 

Exclusive 3DWiggle Packages – Enthusiast package:

1. Andrew Donkin (TheShaker)
2. Katherine McNamee (Katmc3)
3. Adam D Chamberlain (Ad93)
4. Jodi Hill (Jhill1105)
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6. Izak Wilkinson (WilkinsonIzak)
7. ChiHo Hui (Baggio18)
8. RWPhotoGraphix (RWPhotoGraphix)
9. Austris Bokmanis (impix9)
10. Daniel Spalding (spaldingd)
11. Bartlomiej Soltys (FriendlyLlama)
12. Mark Rayner (markrayner1982)
13. Shane Weir (sweir1)
14. Sophie Carter (saffy11)
15. Neil Watson (onelastwin)
16. Kayleigh Beirne (kaybee1001)
17. Darren Mcowen (Dzzmm100)
18. Kathleen Hooper (katieskatie82)
19. Amy Vigrass (AmyJV)
20. Katy Leat (smurfpunx)

 

Day 8: 1 of 3 Datacolor SpyderPros:

1. Tony Agnew (Tony2645)
2. Geoff Rundle (GeoffRundle)
3. David Nordell (chalkhillblue)

 

Day 9: £250 To Spend With MPB:

David Ritchie (flatfoot471)

 

Day 10: 1 of 3 Samsung EVO Plus 1TB Memory Cards:

1. Emile de Sousa (Oldstoat)
2. Karen (KazG)
3. Steve Bell (steveb)

 

Day 11: Atomos Ninja TX GO:

Malc Bernhard (saltireblue)

 

Day 12: Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE Mark II lens:

Volker Brandl (Colourimeter)

 

Day 13: Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield:

Rita Testa (HoneyT)

 

Day 14: Atomos StudioSonic Mic + Headphones Bundle:

Mal Ogden (Techno)

 

Day 15: 1 of 10 Outdoor Photographer Subscriptions:

1. Pete Fiore (pmfiore)
2. Michael Di Stefano (MadManMikeD)
3. Mike Hughes (Bdc300)
4. Gary Stonewall (Stnrck64)
5. Henry Bohleke (blueridge658)
6. Steve Schild (steveschild)
7. Lesley S. Blevins (lesleysfix)
8. Lou Novick (lnovick)
9. Stephen Evans (k9pug)
10. Suzanne Offner (suz_usa)

 

Day 25: 1 of 10 ePHOTOzine 1-Year Plus Memberships:

1. Dermel
2. expederest
3. KBrowning2
4. robwin
5. MikeD61
6. Hirta
7. PhilipCal
8. foady
9. cardiffgareth
10. grangeb7

 

Not A Lucky Winner This Time?

Upload a photo to win our 'Photo of the Week' accolade that's up for grabs weekly! Each winner of the ‘Photo of the Week’ in 2026 wins a 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter from Samsung. We also have our for-fun Daily Theme Challenge, so join in and upload your favourite themed photos.

There is a moment early in every photographer's journey when they realize that simply pointing a camera at something interesting does not automatically produce an interesting photograph. The gap between what we see with our eyes and what the camera captures can feel impossibly wide. We stand in front of a stunning landscape or a compelling portrait subject, press the shutter, and somehow the resulting image falls flat. The scene that moved us in person becomes mundane in the frame. While there are countless technical explanations for this phenomenon, one of the most overlooked culprits is deceptively simple: we are shooting from the wrong height.

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A fast portrait lens can make it dangerously easy to lean on blur and call it style. The video focuses on the small portrait habits that quietly flatten your results, even when focus and exposure look “right.”

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I wasn’t planning to shoot any macro photography that day because it is something I very rarely do. But I have such a huge respect for the macro masters I see and thought, "I would give it a proper go." After all, photography is very much about experimentation and creativity, so let's dive in, shall we?

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You can get “window light” even when there isn’t a usable window, and the difference between fake and believable usually comes down to a few small decisions. If you shoot portraits in a controlled space, this approach gives you a repeatable look without waiting on weather, time of day, or room layout.

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Your landscape can look incredible in person and still turn into a flat photo once you open it in Lightroom. The video breaks down why that mismatch happens and what to do about it when a scene feels “big” to your eyes but small on the screen.

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An f/1.4 lens can make portraits look calm and intentional, but it can also punish mistakes in focus, corners, and color fringing. If you are considering a manual-focus short telephoto, the real question is what you gain in look and feel and what you quietly give up.

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At this time of year, there is a high possibility that you might get caught out by rain showers when you're out exploring. If you do experience some rain, even if you're at home nice and dry when it begins, here are some ways that you can capture rain creatively. 

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1. Macro Raindrops

Shooting the raindrops as they gather on the window can make some really pretty abstract shots. Fit a macro lens to enable you to get really up close to your subject. Take into account the background of the image as although it will be blurred by the wide aperture you use, any obvious shapes could still take away from the image. Use some card to shield any glare and reflections that may appear. You could also have a go at refraction - where a smaller version of the world outside appears in the drop.
 

2. Raindrops on flowers and plants 

After the rain shower, head outside to shoot the raindrops on the flowers and plants in the garden or at your local park. Saturated, glistening leaves on plants will be really photogenic, producing vibrant images. Shoot abstract, macro images from different angles to emphasise the water drops. 

 

 

3. Reflections

Rainfall provides an excellent opportunity for you to photograph reflections where usually there wouldn't be an opportunity. Use reflection to photograph textures of building in small puddles or symmetry images in larger ones. Puddles near flowers will allow you to capture them from a different angle, looking upwards towards the sky. Longer shutter speeds will help to create a smoother-looking puddle if it's windy.

 

4. Splashes

Using a faster shutter speed will enable you to capture the splashes from puddles as cars and bikes ride through them, or people walk through them. This might be better captured through a zoom lens to avoid splashes landing on your equipment. It might also be an idea to use a continuous shutter mode, allowing you to take several shots at once and choose the best one. 
 

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

 

Skylum, the creator behind the award-winning AI photo editor Luminar Neo, has introduced a new feature called AI Assistant that makes photo editing fast, smarter and more intuitive. Released in December 2025 as part of the Luminar Neo update, photographers can now use the AI Assistant to type simple text commands and get tailored editing suggestions to enhance their photos and speed up their workflow.

 

Edit Smarter Through Text Commands

Available in both Presets and Edit tabs, the AI Assistant works by analysing your image’s composition, colours, and objects, then recommends edits that fit the image. Photographers can type requests or prompts such as “Enhance this photo” or “Turn this photo black and white” to instantly see up to three suggested edits, each with previews and short descriptions. 

Once a suggestion is applied, you can fine-tune the results in the Edit tab. This cuts down on guesswork and gives you a clear starting point. The best part? You're never limited. You can keep asking for fresh suggestions as many times as you like, experimenting until you find the look that feels just right.

 

Explore Tools With Guided Assistance

The AI Assistant is not only about quick fixes. For guidance-type queries, the AI Assistant highlights the most effective tools and provides direct access to them. This makes it easier to explore Luminar Neo’s features while you’re actively editing, helping you learn the software step by step without interrupting your workflow.

 

 

Enhance and Create With AI Suggestions

AI Assistant can suggest general enhancements, help boost colours, adjust white balance, and apply toning styles directly to your photo. It also provides guidance for edits like brightening, adjusting contrast, dehazing, or using tools for creative effects such as sky replacement, adding a sunset, perspective fixes and background replacement. These suggestions help you choose the right tools and approach for each image, whether you want subtle improvements or bold transformations.

 

Integrated With Luminar Neo’s Features

AI Assistant works seamlessly with Luminar Neo’s existing tools such as Relight AI, Sky Replacement and Portrait Background Removal. This integration means you can combine automated suggestions with advanced manual controls, creating a complete editing workflow inside one platform.

 

Try Luminar Neo and AI Assistant Today

Luminar Neo’s AI Assistant is available now for all users with version 1.26.0 or later. Download the software to streamline your workflow and enjoy faster, smarter editing.

Special Offer: Use code EPHOTOZINE at checkout for 10% off and explore the entire range of Luminar Neo features today.

Get Luminar Neo Now

 

Wide-angle lenses usually fall into one of two categories: large, heavy, expensive monsters or budget-friendly options that often come with compromises not worth the cost. But has Viltrox hit a home run?

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