Photography News

Open calls didn’t make photography more open. They simply replaced one gatekeeping system with another, built on paid submissions, administrative rules, and predictable results. And their influence reaches far beyond the photographers who actually apply.

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DaVinci Resolve is where a lot of “almost there” footage either gets rescued or exposed. This video argues that the difference between amateur and paid work often shows up in a handful of choices you keep repeating, especially once you start shooting log and stop trusting whatever look the camera bakes in.

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As the sun's still setting before most of us get home from work, now is the perfect time to have a go at night photography. Various types of photography are possible when the nights begin to draw in. Here's our guide to what you can do and what kit you'll need to do it.
 

Photo by David Pritchard

 

Essential Equipment:

 

Tripod

Aside from your camera, a tripod is the single most essential item in night time photography, when low shutter speeds are in use as hand-held photography is virtually impossible. It's a good idea to find a model that's lightweight and compact enough to carry around with ease.

 

Fast Lenses

When it comes to lenses, wide angle is often the way to go - the faster the better. An aperture of at least f/2.8 throughout the entire focal length is recommended as available light will be at a minimum. 

 

Filters, Lens Hoods And Rain Sleeves

A filter is not essential, however a UV filter can be used to protect your lens from the elements. In harsh weather conditions a lens hood can protect the front of your lens from rain while a rain sleeve will protect your camera body.

 

Flash Gun

An additional flash is a useful tool when working outdoors at night, and it's important to find one that's suited to your particular camera. Most flash guns will fit most cameras, but unless it's dedicated it won't work with the camera auto settings and could result in an incorrect exposure.

 

Light Meter

Night photography can be tricky and your camera's built-in metering system may not be accurate enough to get the correct exposure, which is where a light meter will be useful. One that has an illuminated LCD would be best as it'll make viewing easier in low light. Various brands create light meters who have various models which are lightweight, small in design and feature LCD displays.

 

Clothing

Waterproof and warm clothing is essential if you are going to be outdoors during winter for long periods. A waterproof jacket with a hood is ideal. Do wear layers instead of one thick jacket as you can always add or remove items if hot/cold. Wearing a good pair of walking boots and gloves is also a good idea.

 

Remote Shutter Release

Also consider adding a Remote shutter release to your kit. A remote control will activate the shutter release without any need for contact with the camera, eliminating the risk of blur caused by camera movement. Do check that the remote release is compatible with your camera.

Your camera's self-timer can also be used as an alternative, preventing the need for contact at the time of the shutter release.

 

Camera Bag

A weatherproof camera bag will keep your equipment dry and well protected from the elements, and backpacks are generally easier to carry and more comfortable than any other type of bag. Take a look at our review section to find a bag that's suitable for you.

 

Accessories

Depending on where you are planning to go to carry out your photography, a torch might be good idea as some areas will not have the benefit of street lighting. For those who prefer to keep their hands free consider packing a head torch.

If you are going to be outdoors for a while, a flask of hot tea or coffee may be a good idea.

 

Photo by Joshua Waller 

 

What To Photograph:

 

Buildings At Night

Shooting buildings at night can create a very different feel from the way they would look during daylight. Cityscapes are always a good choice, as are churches. Useful equipment for this type of photograph includes: Tripod, flashgun, wide lenses, light meter, torch and filters. Click the following links for tips on shooting buildings at night:

• Advice On Shooting In Towns And Cities At Night
• Photographing Night Time Urban Scenes
• Town / City Night Photography Tips
• Tips On Photographing Buildings At Night
• Photographing Architecture In Singapore

  Moving Cars And Fairground Rides

Moving cars and fairground rides are easy to find and can create some stunning streams of lights and patterns when done after dark. Experiment with different shutter speeds to see what effects can be created.

Useful equipment includes: Tripod, monopod, flashgun, light meter, shutter remote release and warm clothing.

 

Moon And Moonlight

Landscapes need not stop when then sun goes down. Try using the moon as a source of light to produce some dramatic as well as eerie effects. Click here to see the ePHOTOzine guide to photographing the moon. Useful equipment includes: Tripod, telephoto lenses and warm clothing.

 

Night Portraits

Outdoor portaits at night may be slightly more tricky than portraits during the day, but the results can be much more effective. Useful equipment includes: Tripod, light meter, flashgun and warm clothing.

 

Wildlife

A whole new world of wildlife emerges after dark. Disguise yourself in a hide and see what turns up! Useful equipment includes: Tripod, camera trigger, flashgun, hide, warm clothing and a flask.

 

Star Trails

Even though it takes a while, the effort is worth it as the effects captured can be amazing. For more tips, take a look at these tutorials: Photographing star trails part one and two.

A 12-24mm wide angle lens can make a calm shoreline look chaotic if you do not control the foreground. It can also hand you leading lines, texture, and scale in a single frame, if you work it with intention.

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Sony’s a7 V is being framed as the hybrid body to watch going into 2026, and it’s getting a head-to-head test against the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. If you shoot both stills and video, this matchup hits the exact problems that waste time later: skin tone cleanup, shadow recovery, and how far you can push footage before it turns weird.

[ Read More ]

 

A magnificent kingfisher bursting from the water with its catch has earned ePHOTOzine's 'Photo of the Week' honour.

Captured by Tonyd3, this beautiful shot shows the kingfisher coming up from a dive with a fish in its beak. The timing is spot on, catching it as water sprays all around. The colours are vibrant, with the bird's orange and blue feathers really popping against the deep blue water. Everything is sharp and clear, from the feathers to the water droplets frozen in mid-air. This is what great wildlife photography looks like, showing off both patience and quick thinking behind the camera.

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 2026, we’ll crown our 2025 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!

 

After you leave the basic compact camera market you can group the other models into four main groups of camera which are: DSLR, Mirrorless / Compact System camera, Bridge Cameras and the Advanced Compact.

It can be difficult to know what type of camera that it is you want or need, so we've created this article to outline the main differences, and the pros and cons of each camera, to help you make a more informed decision about what camera is best for you.

 
What Is An Advanced / Serious Compact Camera?

An advanced compact camera is generally quite small, and these days is packed with loads of features. They usually have more fun features than their larger counterparts, such as lots of inbuilt image filters and effects.

Advanced compacts are quickly becoming bigger competitors with mirrorless cameras in terms of image quality and settings every year. As technology advances, compacts get more megapixels, more zoom and loads more settings in a small body that is easily carried everywhere.

Smaller compact cameras will most likely use a CCD or CMOS sensor. These sensors are small and vary in image quality. A CCD sensor will provide better quality and clearer, less distorted images, but they use a lot more power than CMOS sensors and are more expensive to make. CMOS sensors can be more susceptible to noise but are much more energy-efficient and easy to produce. Although the recent introduction of "Backlit" or Back Side Illumination (BSI) CMOS sensors has helped improve noise performance. The smaller the sensor, the smaller the pixels will be on that sensor, resulting in more image noise as the pixels can't take in as much light.

Compact cameras as a whole these days will include features like a program and manual mode, to give the user more control over the settings. However, compact cameras often don't have the necessary control over features like focusing and exposure. Because of the small size of the system, compact cameras will not have the aperture or ISO range of a larger camera. 

Take a look at our Top 10 Best Serious Compact Digital Cameras guide to see which serious compacts top our list. 

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Advanced Compacts?

Pros:

• Small size
• Nowadays they have 16MP plus, making them more than adequate for most photography
• Many effects and filters
• They have many of the programs and manual features that were previously only found on DSLRs a few years ago

Cons:

• Less zoom capability than cameras with interchangeable lenses and bridge cameras
• Lesser image quality than cameras with bigger sensors
• Sometimes can be difficult to get a good grip on due to their small size and slim designs
• Less control over exposure settings

 

 

Bridge / Ultra Zoom Cameras

Bridge cameras are generally larger and more chunky than compact cameras. They don't have interchangeable lenses, but often offer more zoom and larger megapixel numbers because of their larger size. A bridge camera is a great purchase if you are looking for something with a little more to give than a compact. They are often easier to hold and feel a little more robust than compacts, and some mirrorless cameras too. This style of camera lets you get wide-angle shots and then zoom into distant subjects.

You can find more information on Bridge cameras in our Top 10 Best Ultra Zoom Digital Cameras Article which you can find here.

 

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Bridge / Ultra Zoom Cameras?

Pros:

• Manual controls are often available 
• Plenty of zoom for your money!
• Good handling
• Choice of battery type
• Good or excellent macro performance, as well as increased depth of field, so more of the picture is in focus

Cons:

• Lesser image quality than cameras with bigger sensors
• Can be bulky in size
• Generally, not too great in low light
• Difficult to obtain blurred backgrounds/subject separation

 

 

What Is A Mirrorless Or Compact System Camera?

Mirrorless or compact system cameras are the latest edition to the camera family. They were designed as a hybrid between a DSLR and a compact, keeping the high image quality but lessening the size of the camera body drastically to create something small yet powerful.

Mirrorless cameras have no TTL viewfinder which means body size is reduced. Most mirrorless cameras use a large back screen to display the image and some have electronic viewfinders, or the ability to attach an electronic viewfinder to them.

Mirrorless and interchangeable cameras have evolved a lot since they were first introduced and have now formed two subgroups; cameras that look like DSLRs but are smaller in size and those that look like compacts with interchangeable lenses. Today's technology means that mirrorless cameras can use very flat pancake lenses that still provide a very high image quality.

Different brands of mirrorless cameras use different systems for attaching the lenses, meaning that only certain lenses can be brought for certain cameras. For example, Panasonic and Olympus use the Micro Four Thirds system, while Samsung uses the NX mount and Sony uses the E-mount. Some cameras have adapters allowing you to fit different lenses and even DSLR lenses.

The mirrorless camera will generally have more manual settings and more of the advanced features of a DSLR. Their interchangeable lenses mean that they are more versatile as a camera, as you can fit specific lenses for your preferred area of photography, for example, macro or wide-angle lenses.

Mirrorless cameras can have the same size sensors as DSLR cameras, but they vary a lot from make-to-make. Mirrorless cameras are still a fairly new and emerging style of camera, but often feature some of the latest innovation and technologies.

 

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Mirrorless / Compact System?

Pros:

• Small and with technology are now very much as good as DSLRs in some respects
• Manual setting and more control than compacts but still in a small body
• Modern and still evolving
• Shallow depth of field possible/blurred backgrounds
• Less complicated mechanically than a DSLR, therefore often cheaper to buy

Cons:

• Can sometimes be top-heavy due to large lenses on small compact style body
• Potentially limited lenses available for each camera due to different systems of attaching
• Still have less telephoto zoom capability than DSLRs
• Macro performance of standard lenses can be poor, requiring dedicated lenses for macro work
• Battery life often not as good as DSLRs

   
What Is A DSLR Camera?

DSLR cameras are the direct digital descendants of the SLR film cameras. Standing for Digital Single Lens Reflex, DSLRs are chunky but are still unrivalled in terms of possible image quality. New DSLRs can pack a lot of megapixels into an APS-C or full-frame sensors, making them the best in terms of quality and manual preference settings.

DSLRs generally have black bodies that can be quite hefty, especially when they have a long zoom lens attached. What makes the DSLR a good choice is that you are not tied to only one or two brands of lens for your camera. Most DSLRs fit third party lenses such as Sigma or Tamron, giving you variety in terms of price and features, depending on what you want.

DSLRs can be quite difficult to get your head around at first, with all the different settings and possibilities, but over time, a DSLR can become a great tool for producing stunning photos. They have a lot more breadth in terms of settings than other cameras. Because of their size, they have larger aperture brackets and higher ISO settings, meaning that they provide better opportunities for a much wider range of photographic genres and subjects. Have a look at some of the best APS-C DSLRs or best Full-Frame DSLRs.

  What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of DSLR Cameras?

Pros:

• Great image quality
• Manual settings
• Loads more exposure breadth
• Generally longer battery life than the other cameras
• Optical viewfinder so can see directly through the lens
• Good handling

Cons

• Big and hefty
• Can be complicated to get your head around
• Expensive for the camera and lenses

    So, What Camera Is Best For Me?

At the end of the day, it depends on what your budget is, what you want from a camera and how professional you are looking to go. It will surely depend person-to-person, but as a rough guide, ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I want photographs of professional quality?
• Do I want a camera that has to be carried around in a separate bag because of its size?
• Do I have the money to buy lenses and other equipment to improve my kit?

If the answer to two or more of these is yes, then you may want to consider investing in a DSLR for that image quality edge. If the answer to two or more of these is no, then perhaps something smaller like a mirrorless or advanced compact is the camera for you. While still having good image quality and a host of different settings, these cameras provide a more portable option.
 

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

We are living in a paradox. Cameras have never been more capable, yet the experience of buying and using them is still frustrating in many ways. The sensors are incredible. The autofocus is borderline supernatural. The lenses are sharper than anything we had a decade ago. And yet, there's a lot that can still be improved.

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Instagram is still where most people will first see your work, even if you also have a website. Ignore it entirely and you hand that first impression to chance.

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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 mikeuk (Day 7 - Winter Silhouettes)

 

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 1

'New'

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|322794|322794_1767485802.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 2

Close-Up Outdoor

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Day 3

'Learn'

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  Day 4

Sport

[COMMENT_IMG]portfolio|44582|3340745[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 5

Black & White Landscape

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|21670|21670_1767603366.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 6

Sunrise Landscapes

[COMMENT_IMG]portfolio|154993|3871022[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 8

Winter Wildlife

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|158870|158870_1767866688.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 9

Long Shutter Speed

[COMMENT_IMG]portfolio|161002|3877555[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

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.

Photography is often spoken about as if it were a competition, measured by likes, awards, or comparisons with others. Yet at its core, photography is a deeply personal practice. The way we see, decide, and capture moments is unique to each of us, shaped by our experiences, timing, and attention. Understanding this distinction is essential to sustaining a meaningful and fulfilling relationship with the creativity that photography allows.

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Discover how intentional choices in photography can transform ordinary moments into compelling visual narratives, revealing profound stories hidden within everyday experiences.

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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!

 

 

There are plenty of great mountain ranges scattered around the UK that are well worth a photo at any time of year but in winter, when a covering of snow's fallen or a hard frost has settled they tend to look even more impressive.

The cool, clean air of winter is good for capturing mountainscapes as everything seems much more clear with distant subjects appearing crisp. However, snow, ice and cold plus a mountain equals conditions you have to be extremely careful in. Make sure you dress correctly, have a route planned, carry the right equipment (map, compass, phone etc.) and tell someone where you're going.
 

What kit will be useful?

You'll find both a wide-angle and longer lens useful so make room for both in your camera bag and don't forget your tripod or monopod as a support is a must. A polarising filter will cut down on glare/reflections while an ND Grad filter will balance out the contrast between the sky and ground.

Sweeping shots from the tops, especially with snow and a crisp, blue sky look great but if you go too wide with your lens choice the sense of grandeur can be lost so be careful and check your frame before hitting the shutter button.

Think about scale

For shots that give the mountain(s) more depth compose your shots from a spot where you can make the most of their size from. Don't forget that foreground interest such as the mountain's ridge help give your image scale and can be used to lead the eye through the shot.

For shots with foreground and background interest where front to back sharpness is needed you'll need to use smaller apertures which can mean longer exposure times are needed so make sure you have your tripod or monopod with you.

Consider a panorama for impact

Don't forget about panoramas as they work particularly well for shots of mountain ranges. It won't give you shots that really show off the mountain's height, but it will emphasise how far the landscape stretches out into the distance for. For tips on panoramas, have a look at our previous articles.

Shots of the mountain are what really show how tall these natural structures are, rather than photos taken from the top of them - good news for those that are a little less intrepid! You can use a wide lens but you have to be closer than you think to the mountain(s) to create any sense of height and more often than not, whatever is in the background tends to lose impact with the foreground taking centre stage. It's much easier to use a longer telephoto that pulls the distant mountain to you, filling the frame and as a result, giving the shot more impact.

Comfort and readiness can matter more than the plan you wrote down. You can do everything right and still miss the shot that appears for 30 seconds while you are fumbling with your bag.

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Taking only one camera into winter hills sounds simple until the camera is a plastic Holga with one shutter speed and one aperture. If you shoot film and still want usable negatives when the light swings from predawn to harsh midday, this setup forces decisions you normally avoid.

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The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.2 Pro just landed in Nikon Z mount, and it is aimed straight at that classic portrait look on APS-C. If you shoot people on Nikon DX and you want strong separation without jumping to larger, pricier full frame glass, this lens sits right on the pressure point.

[ Read More ]

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  

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)
4. Phil Ridley (PJR2200)
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)
5. Emma Steigmann (redrose1414)
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.

Mobile phone cameras are now capable of producing shots which even the most critical photographer will say are decent and well worth displaying in portfolios. Modern smartphones have had a major impact on the photography market as a lot are now capable of producing images just as good, or even better, than basic compact cameras. If a compact is all you wanted to use for your travels, why not upgrade your smartphone and have one less item to pack? 

When you couple this improved technology with the hundreds of apps that are available which are designed to help you be more creative and take better photos, it's easy to see why there's a growing admiration for this form of photography.

As most people now carry a smartphone that has a camera built in we thought we'd put a list of ten tips together to help you improve your shots taken with cameras built into mobile phones, for those situations when you want a good shot and all you happen to have is your phone. 

 

 

Think Of It As A Camera

Holding your phone in one hand and trying to press the shutter button will only result in blurry, wonky shots. Holding your phone with two hands quite close to your body will mean your phone is much more stable and as a result, your images will be better. A lot of modern smartphones now have dedicated shutter buttons to help you capture photos easily, and some even have the ability to take a photo from a squeeze of the sides, like the HTC U11. 

 

Stay Still

Having your arms tucked close to your sides and standing as still as possible will stop any blur caused by movement from spoiling your shot. Don't move your phone away as soon as you've clicked your shutter button either as shutter lag can mean your camera's still processing the shot so you'll end up with a blurry photo of another part of the scene rather than the person or object you want a photo of. Phones like the Samsung Galaxy S9 have OIS built-in, to help combat this too. 

 

Use Accessories

Many companies are now producing lenses and supports for iPhones and other mobile phones which can help enhance and improve your mobile phone photos. One example is the USB Fever Super 20x Macro Lens which offers a magnification of 20x. You can find out how the lens performs in our review. Lensbaby also make a kit which uses magnets to let you interchange various creative lenses.

 

 

 

Zoom With Your Feet

If your camera phone doesn't have an optical zoom use your feet to move you closer to your subject rather than using the digital zoom which can lower the quality of the shot.

 

Light

You'll be relying on natural light most of the time so get outside, when possible, and set up near windows or patio doors when working inside. If you need to turn a few lights on, do watch the colour cast they create. You can tweak the white balance on some phones or there are apps available which you can do this with too. Some also give you exposure compensation options so you can brighten or darken your shot. It's worth checking your settings, which we'll cover next, to find out exactly what your phone's camera can and can't do. Most modern phones pride themselves on having good low light capabilities, many of which use apertures of f/2 or wider to maximise light entering the lens.

Be careful where you position yourself when shooting outdoors as shooting in the direction of the sun can result in flare, although some people like the effect and it can actually work quite well with some shots. As well as having too much light in your shot too little can result in grainy shots where not much detail can be seen.

 

Check Your Settings

Go into your camera's settings and make sure that you camera is primed for the shot. Are there different scene modes to choose from? Experiment to find the right one. A lot of mobiles offer 'pro' or 'advanced' modes, allowing you to change the ISO and shutter speed, white balance etc manually, and experienced photographers will find this useful to personalise images. You may also find there are various shooting modes on offer as well as presets such as night, panorama and portrait mode all designed to help you take the best shot possible.

 

The Lens

It's quite easy to take a shot where a finger or thumb is covering the lens so watch where you position your hands. As phones are put in pockets and carried around in bags they get dusty easily and due to us handling them a lot they get covered in greasy fingerprints quite quickly too so make sure you keep your lens clean and check it before you take any shots.

 

 

Try Different Angles

Working with a phone generally gives you more flexibility than a camera that's on a tripod so make the most of this freedom by varying your shooting angle and trying new shots. People don't always know you're taking a picture when you're holding your phone either, making them good for quick street candids. This doesn't mean you can take photos in places that say you can't though, you still have to obey the rules.

 

Don't Forget About Post Production

Using a phone to take photos with isn't an excuse for not correcting wonky horizons or adjusting the brightness levels in a shot. You can edit your photos with apps on your phone but the screen is a little small so don't overlook transferring them to your computer so you can edit on a larger screen.

 

Experiment With Apps

There's no excuse for not experimenting with your phone photography as the many apps that are available mean you can colour pop photos, add frames, create film effects... the list goes on. There's also apps out there that offer you shooting advice in the palm of your hand so if you want to brush up on your wedding photography while out and about, for example, you can. Some apps you have to pay for but there's also many free apps available which are just as good. Take a look at our review section to see what apps we've liked the most.