Photography News

Vintage lenses have made a serious comeback, and the question of whether a 50-year-old glass can hold its own on a modern mirrorless body is one worth asking seriously. The Minolta MD 35-70mm costs around $60 used, and if it can genuinely work as a daily walk-around lens, that changes the math on what you actually need to spend on glass. 

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When shooting travel images, as well as showing people back home that you had a really great time and that it was sunny every day, try capturing shots that convey a sense of place and culture as well. By doing so you'll have a much more memorable record of your trip and you should gain a collection of shots which are much more varied. To help you out, here are a few pointers that should help you improve your travel photography.

 

1. Do Your Research

 

If you're going on holiday to shoot photos every day rather than spending time sitting by the pool or building sandcastles on the beach with your kids you need to choose your location and work out when would be the best time to visit. For example, some locations have a monsoon season or there will be times when temperatures are way too high for visitors to be out, wandering around with cameras. By doing your research before you arrive will save you time and also allow you to plan correctly for the weather, terrain etc. you'll be facing.

You can take a look in online galleries to see where another photographer's visited and review travel guides so you can make a note of the places you want to visit and the type of images you want to create.

The more information you collect before your trip, the more productive you'll find it to be. In fact, if you make a shooting plan or note down a few ideas in a notebook you can take the notes with you so you're not always searching for shooting suggestions. Of course, there will be tourist information centres, maps and reps you can find more information from once you arrive at your chosen destination.

 

2. It's In The Details

 

As well as shooting sweeping vistas and portraits, use your zoom to shoot frame-filling, close-ups of detail. These detailed shots will help sum-up the essence of the location you're shooting in and you're more likely to capture something unique if you focus your attention on smaller items and detail rather than wider, popular shots. Small details such as spices on a market stall or strings of chillies drying in the sun are often very colourful and make interesting close-up subjects.

 

3. How Many Shots?

 

If you enjoy visiting new locations every year it'll probably be a while before you return to the same location so make sure you shoot plenty. However, we don't mean just point and click as you still need to think about good composition etc. Just remember to try different angles of the same subject and always have your camera ready to shoot the unexpected.

 

4. Don't Overlook Landmarks

 

Many places around the world have well-known landmarks that when photographed will instantly tell the person who's looking at your photograph where you went on your week off. It's always worth taking a shot or two of these landmarks during your break but do look for new ways to shoot them. This could include getting closer, shooting a panorama or using crowds of tourists to add another level of interest to your shot.

 

5. Capture Culture

 

Get away from main shopping and tourist areas and you'll often find the culture of the country/town becomes more prominent. Do be careful though and keep an eye on your gear as you will stand out and tourists do sometimes get targeted by thieves.

See if there are any festivals, ceremonies or other events happening that'll be worth photographing. You'll be able to capture lively shots and if you shoot with a telephoto lens, you'll be able to throw backgrounds out of focus more easily which should blur tourists and other distractions, allowing all attention to stay with your subject.

 

6. Photograph People

 

Even though candid shots of people in crowds, at work etc. do have a place, generally, it's advised and polite to ask permission before you take a photo of a stranger. Having said that, when people play a minor part in your image asking permission to shoot, particularly if it's a large crowd, can be impossible as there are just too many people.

If language is a barrier try smiling and pointing to your camera you should soon have a quick nod or shake of the head in response.

Always give your subject eye contact when you're talking to them between shots, smile and don't forget your manners. Try to learn what hello, please and thank you are in the language of the country you're visiting and if your subject looks uncomfortable when you start taking photographs, it is usually just best to stop and move on to something else as some people will say yes just to be polite when really they'd prefer to hide from your lens. If you have a willing subject who tenses up and becomes a little too rigid when you put the camera to your eye take the shot any way then quickly snap another when they think you've finished capturing a moment when they're more relaxed.

Once you've got your shot(s) be polite and show your subject the results. Just be wary of some people who'll expect a tip for helping you out. You can find out how much people generally ask for in tips before heading out on the street and you can barter if you think the fee is too high.

7. Time Of Day

 

Shooting early morning or later in the evening will give you the best light for landscapes and architectural shots. In a morning, the sun is at a lower angle so your shots won't have large, deep shadows running through them. There will be fewer people around at this time too as many holidaymakers enjoy staying in bed a little longer when they are away. Don't dismiss shooting a few shots of a busy beach though as a scene where no sand can be seen because of towels and deckchairs will be just as interesting.

      1. Make A Checklist

Before you leave for the airport make a list of all the equipment you're taking with you, writing down the serial and model numbers, too. It'll also help if you take photos of your equipment for your records.

2. Check Your Insurance

Make sure you have the right insurance just in case your equipment's stolen or damaged. If you're unsure if your equipment's covered, read your policy or ring your insurer.

3. Put Your Equipment In Your Hand-Luggage 

Camera gear is fragile so don't pack it in the case you plan on checking in at the airport. If you do, you run the risk of equipment getting damaged. Do remember to check the size and weight restrictions on luggage with the company you're travelling with as airlines tend to have different rules/restrictions when it comes to luggage you can carry-on.

4. Don't Take Trips On Your Own

If you're planning a few day trips don't go alone. That way, when you're framing up your shot, your 'buddy' can watch your camera bag and any other equipment you have.

5. What's Your Bag Look Like?

Don't use a bag that screams: "Look! I have a very expensive camera in here."

 

6. Don't Put Your Bag Down

Even when you're taking a photo don't leave your bag on the floor and never leave it unattended. When you're in busy locations such as markets, carry the bag on your front as if it's on your back, there is the chance that someone could access it without you knowing. You may think you look a little silly but that's better than finding all of your gear's gone.

7. Carry Spare Memory Cards

Don't just take one memory card with you as if it's stolen or lost that's it. Always carry a spare in your bag and keep one locked away in your hotel room too, just in case.

8. Try To Fit In

Having confidence and looking like you know where you're going (even if you don't) will mean you're less likely to be bothered. Try to blend in rather than stand out as a tourist.

9. Put Your Equipment In A Net

You can buy safety nets which you place your equipment in and then you fasten the net to a solid object that's fastened down.

10. Use A Safe

Most rooms have safes that will fit memory cards, chargers, a smartphone or a small DSLR body in. If you have lots of kit or there's no safe in your room, ask at reception to see if they have them available at the desk. Just make sure you make a note of everything you hand over and take images so you have proof if anything goes missing. 

If you have any tips for photographers heading off on holiday, add them to the comments.

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Back in September 2024, I sat down to write an article for Fstoppers called What I Wish I Knew Earlier. I had no idea it would eventually become a trilogy of books. At the time, it was simply an opportunity to reflect on some of the lessons landscape photography had taught me over the years. Not the technical lessons that can be found in camera manuals or specification sheets, but the things that only seem to reveal themselves after countless early mornings, long drives, missed opportunities, and disappointing photographs. 

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Have you ever wished for a photography accessory or tool and dreamed of making it yourself? If you're the kind of photographer who likes finding neat solutions, 3D printing might be worth checking out.

 

Photographers are often passionate about printing their images and hanging them on a wall. This endeavor often puts emphasis on the output. However, 3D printing, and the world of possibilities that it opens, can actually impact the process of creating. Here are some of the reasons why this might be the perfect side quest for a photographer to take on.

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Bokeh is one of those words you hear constantly in photography and almost never hear defined. People use it to mean "blurry background," they use it to mean "expensive lens," and they use it as a compliment without being able to say what they are complimenting. So let us clear it up, because once you understand what bokeh actually is, you can stop chasing it blindly and start using it on purpose. 

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Knowing what you want to make and actually making it are two very different problems. The gap between them isn't talent or equipment; it's the mental framework you're using to approach creative work. 

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Stacking a polarizing filter with an ND filter on a wide angle lens creates serious vignetting issues, and that's exactly where this long exposure edit begins. Knowing how to work through that kind of technical constraint while still landing on a warm, airy, high-key result is a skill worth building. 

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Patience is the crucial skill that separates wildlife shots you'll actually keep from the ones you delete. No lens upgrade fixes leaving a location too early. 

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Most Fujifilm shooters either ignore the Grain Effect entirely or crank it to Strong/Large, decide it looks too noisy, and turn it off again. That pattern makes sense if you've never seen what the setting can actually do when used correctly. 

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1. Where To Find Them?

The horizon has to be the most popular horizontal line photographers shoot. It's easy to find and most of the time rather simple to shoot. Just remember to not cut your image in half, position the horizon in the top or bottom third of the image, keep it straight and try to break it up with other shapes to give your shot more interest. Fallen trees and people laid down will give you horizontal lines that are a little less obvious while frame-filling shots of lots of horizontal lines together, such as boards on sheds or even lines on stripy jumpers, will give you more abstract shots that focus on the pattern the lines create.

 

2. Which Orientation?

Generally, lines which are obviously flowing in a particular direction such as left to right or up and down are best photographed in the same orientation. However, flipping to portrait when you're photographing horizontal lines can create the impression that there's so many and they're so wide that they can't fit in the frame. Where possible, shoot straight on for more impact and make sure shadows from surrounding objects, including yourself, aren't in the shot. Talking of shadows, if you're photographing something such as wooden panelling, bright sunlight can form deep shadows along the ridges of the individual planks, enhancing the shapes or even adding more lines to your frame.

 

3. Keep It Straight

Horizontal lines need to be straight or as straight as you can possibly get them for your shot to work. If they're wonky it'll just annoy the person who's viewing your shot and make them tilt their head to one side. Check the horizon is level with your frame before hitting the shutter, using a grid line that's built into most cameras or by using a tripod with a built-in spirit level. If your tripod doesn't have one you can buy spirit levels that sit on your camera's hot shoe. You can also correct any tilting horizons in Photoshop.

 

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Every dog owner likes taking their dog to the seaside. Some beaches do stop dogs going on the sand so check before you step foot on it.

 

1. How To Start?

Your approach will be dictated to a degree by your pet. Some dogs will sit and pose happily for hours for a treat; others need to be worn out with exercise before staying put for any period of time. Take the approach that suits you best.
 

2. Think Like You Would For A Shot Of A Person

Treat photographing dogs as you would a person. Consider the background and the composition as well as the subject itself. Use camera settings to make the most of the opportunity too. Wide apertures to throw the background out of focus and slow shutter speeds for deliberate blur. Relatively slow shutter speeds work well too if your dog has gone for a dip and emerges to shake itself dry. Add some backlighting, perhaps with a blip of flash from the camera's onboard unit, and you have a nice picture.

 

 

3. Capture Movement

For action shots of your pet running, try manually pre-focusing on a particular spot and when your dog runs into it, press the shutter. You'll also need a reasonably fast shutter if you want to capture them running along the beach.

Having someone with you will definitely help when you're trying to capture action shots as you can ask them to call for the dog while you concentrate on shooting.
 

4. Longer Lenses

You may find that using a long zoom makes it easier to capture shots of your dog as they will be less aware of what you're doing and won't try and play with your camera and lens. With longer lenses, use a wider aperture to create a shallow depth-of-field.
 

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For most of digital photography's history, medium format meant one thing: a five-figure investment, a deliberate studio pace, and a tool reserved for commercial shooters whose clients paid for the absolute ceiling of image quality. The format was the opposite of mainstream by definition. It was the thing you rented for the shoot, not the thing you owned and carried. 

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I am, by training and inclination, a black and white photographer. My very first exposure to black and white photography, as an artful medium, was a photograph that I saw when I was in art school many years ago that was entitled "Monolith, the Face of Half Dome." At that time I was studying to become a Board Illustrator, which would have been a bored illustrator. The moment I saw that one photograph became a transformative one for me.

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Getting better wildlife photos doesn't require buying anything. The gap between forgettable shots and compelling ones almost always comes down to technique, not equipment. 

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Buying a 50mm lens for under $100 sounds like a deal until you see what you're actually getting. The TTArtisan AF 50mm f/1.8 Neo hits that $89 price point on full frame, and the question isn't whether it's cheap. It's whether cheap is cheap enough to matter. 

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Finding a fast prime with an apochromatic design under $400 is almost unheard of, and that's exactly what the Viltrox 35mm f/1.8 Evo claims to be. Apochromatic lenses correct chromatic aberration by aligning all three color wavelengths to the same focal plane, a feature you typically only find in lenses costing several times more. 

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Getting genuine, relaxed-looking images from couples at weddings has less to do with knowing the right poses than most people assume. The mental shift behind how you approach directing people is what separates stiff, uncomfortable photos from ones that look effortless. 

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If you're looking for a way to improve your photography skills then a challenge is probably right up your street. To give you some inspiration on how you can challenge yourself next time you're heading out with your camera here are 6 shooting suggestions that'll get your grey matter working a little harder: 

  1. Use One Lens /Focal Length

Basically, we want you to select one lens, yes just one, go for a walk, visit a museum etc. and see what images you can capture. Try to make it a lens you've not used for a while as this should make your work even harder. 

A lens with a fixed focal length would be our choice for this but if you only have a zoom take that along and pick just one focal length to use. If you don't, it won't be much of a challenge!

Before you start snapping away you really need to think about what you're going to photograph because without a zoom your focal length is limited so rather than relying on the lens to do the work you have to get those grey cells warmed up and your feet moving to find a position/shot that works.
 

2. Limit The Shots You Take

As memory cards are reasonably priced and can hold hundreds if not thousands of images, it's easy to just click the shutter button continuously and pick the best shots when you're back home. However, by taking just one shot of each subject you plan on photographing you'll have to really think about your composition, framing etc. as you don't have the option of having another shot to correct your mistakes with. If you find this too restricting try setting a shot limit before you head out of the door and make sure you stick to it. By doing so you should be able to improve the quality of the images you take as you'll be finding the best shots through planning and careful thought. 

 

3. Photograph Just One Colour

Pick a colour, it can be any colour, and stick with it. It can be similar objects or totally different subjects, but their colour must link. You can write down a colour then make a note of possible subjects that fit the theme or just head out and search for potential subjects with your camera in-hand. The final results can give you a great set of images that you can also use in a panel for your wall. 

 

4. Focus On One Subject 

Instead of taking many photos of a variety of subjects why not spend a day, or longer if you wish, photographing just one subject. Take a tree, for example, you can photograph the whole thing, get in close with a macro lens, capture shots of leaves, stand further back with a wide-angle lens and capture it in its landscape etc. Visit your subject at different times of the year or at different times of the day and pay attention to how the light changes and when it's at its best. Venture out on foggy mornings, when the clouds are grey or when snow has covered the ground. You'll end up with lots of images and not all will be great but there will be some gems and they could be from ways you've not considered photographing a particular subject before. 

  5. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone

It's easy to stick with the familiar but by getting away from what you're used to, you'll discover new things and improve as a photographer in the process. So, if you tend to shoot landscapes, why not try photographing portraits instead? You'll be shooting with different settings, lenses and in different ways, learning as you go and expanding your creativity. You'll pick up new tips and more than likely learn more about the settings/options your camera has to offer, too. 

 

6. Enter A Photography Competition

If you're out taking photos that are specifically for a competition you'll probably think that bit longer about composition, lighting etc.to improve your chances of getting your hands on the top prize. It's also a good way to find new subject inspiration for your shots as a vast number of themes are used in competitions right across the web as well as in magazines.

 

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Landscape photography has a reputation as a gear-hungry genre, and it is easy to believe you need a closet full of equipment before you can shoot a decent mountain. You do not. The genre actually rewards a small, deliberate kit more than almost any other, because you are usually on a tripod, working slowly, with time to think. This guide walks through the categories that matter, points you toward solid current options in each, and is honest about what you can skip. 

 

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