Photography News

© Beate Ammer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

 

Nikon has announced this year's winner of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. Mark Meth-Cohn, a keen amateur wildlife photographer from the UK – and a finalist in last year's awards - took home the top prize for his hilarious image, 'High Five'.

"High Five" is a perfectly timed capture of a gorilla dancing through a forest clearing, taken in Rwanda earlier this year. The comical photograph stood out among a record-breaking 10,000 entries from 109 countries – the highest number in the Awards' illustrious eleven-year history. From this extraordinary collection, 44 of the very best entries, including videos, were shortlisted for the judging panel to select their favourites. The competition was as fierce as ever; however, Mark's photograph emerged as a clear favourite among the judges – with the shot also claiming the Mammals Category Award.

Mark Meth-Cohn says: "We spent four unforgettable days trekking through the misty Virunga Mountains in search of the gorilla families that call them home. On this particular day, we came across a large family group known as the Amahoro family, they were gathered in a forest clearing where the adults were calmly foraging while the youngsters were enthusiastically playing. One young male was especially keen to show off his acrobatic flair: pirouetting, tumbling, and high kicking. Watching his performance was pure joy, and I'm thrilled to have captured his playful spirit in this image."  

Stefan Maier, Senior General Manager of Marketing at Nikon Europe, says: "We are so thrilled to celebrate the incredible talent and creativity showcased in this year's Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. All of our category winners use joy, skills and imagination to capture the natural world, and Mark's winning image perfectly represents the playful spirit of wildlife. At Nikon, we are incredibly proud to support these visual storytellers and provide them with the tools to share their unique perspectives, inspiring audiences everywhere to connect with and care for our planet's remarkable wildlife."

As the overall winner of the competition, Mark Meth-Cohn will enjoy an unforgettable safari experience in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, thanks to Alex Walker's Serian. He will also receive a stunning handmade trophy crafted by the Wonder Workshop in Tanzania and a premium photography bag from the renowned THINK TANK.

Commenting on the moment he found out he had won the top prize, Mark said, "Doing well in any competition shows that the images you are producing are working. The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are one of the major competitions of the year, easy to enter and fun but with a seriously committed underlying ethos and, after reaching the finals last year, I'm absolutely delighted to have gone one step further and win the competition this year."

There were several other category winners this year, with special recognition for the generation of wildlife photographers. Grayson Bell from the USA won the Nikon Young Photographer Award (16 & under) and the Reptile, Amphibian & Insect Category with his striking close-up of two frogs wrestling in the water, and will receive a Nikon Z50II kit as his prize. Further celebrating the photographers of tomorrow, Paula Rustemeier from Germany triumphed in the Nikon Junior Category (25 & under) with her playful fox image "Hit the dance floor", earning a Nikon Z6III kit. Meanwhile, Tatjana Epp, also from Germany, won the Video Category with a captivating clip of a surfing heron and will receive a Nikon ZR kit.

The winners were announced on Tuesday 9th December, and the announcement is followed by a free, week-long exhibition from the 10th -14th December, where Nikon will showcase the exceptional work of the 2025 Award Finalists at the Oxo Galery in London.

This year, in collaboration with our valued partners - paper sponsor, Hahnemühle, and printing sponsor, Metro Imaging - we're proud to share that the entire Nikon Comedy Wildlife Exhibition has been curated with sustainability at its heart. All the stunning images you see on display at the exhibition have been printed by Metro on Hahnemühle's Bamboo paper – the world's first inkjet paper made from 90% bamboo fibres and 10% cotton, offering a fast growing, environmentally friendly alternative. By choosing materials that minimise environmental impact, we are ensuring that the exhibition's strong conservation message is reflected not only in the imagery but also in every aspect of its presentation. We are delighted to champion both creativity and sustainability, setting a new standard for eco-conscious exhibitions.

Nikon is also pleased to announce that voting is open from 10th December for the People's Choice Award, where the public to get to choose their favourite Finalists from 2025. The public can cast their vote at www.comedywildlifephoto.com until March 1st 2026 and the Winner of this Award will be announced on March 14th.

© Leica

 

Leica Camera AG has introduced firmware version 4.0.0 for the Leica SL-System and Leica Q3 family, bringing important upgrades that improve speed, precision, and ease of use. These updates are designed to give photographers and videographers a smoother and more creative shooting experience.

For the Leica SL3 and SL3-S, the new firmware delivers faster hybrid autofocus with more accurate detection of people and animals. System speed has been improved, and the new Multishot mode allows images to be captured at up to 240 megapixels. Direct cloud connection to Adobe Frame.io also supports a seamless professional workflow.

The Leica Q3 family benefits from a completely refreshed user interface inspired by the SL3. The update introduces redesigned icons, a clearer menu structure, faster navigation, and enhanced touch controls. With improved autofocus and customizable Leica Looks, users can enjoy a more personal and intuitive experience.

Firmware version 4.0.0 is available now and can be installed through the Leica FOTOS App or via SD card.

For more details, please visit the Leica website.

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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 Leedslass1 (Day 29 - Night Winter Shots)

 

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 24

Urban Portraits

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Day 25

Christmas

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Day 26

Fill-In Flash Portraits

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  Day 27

'Technology' Theme

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Day 28

Mountains In Winter

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Day 30

Black & White Winter Theme

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Day 31

Paths & Lines In Cities

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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.

  Close-ups of textures can make interesting images on their own, but they are most useful for blending with other images to add interest to plain backgrounds or to give a particular shot a different look/feel. Towns and cities are great places for hunting down textures and once you start looking at detail rather than buildings as a whole, you'll soon find a variety of textures to fill your memory card with. Walls, steps, doors, sheds, modern metal structures, roof tiles and windows are just some of the locations you'll find interesting textures at.    What kit is best?

When it comes to kit choices for this subject, zoom lenses are useful for selective cropping while a macro lens will get you close to the patterns you're capturing. Pick up a telephoto lens when you want a tighter perspective. A tripod is handy for when you're using a telephoto lens and will also help ensure your shot's straight. A remote release or the camera's self-timer are tools you'll be using quite often, too. 

 

Look for patterns

Subjects that have a pattern that repeats such as a brick wall or the lines found in wooden planks and doors look great but don't think they all have to be symmetrical. Having a variety of colours and lines can work well especially if you have two contrasting objects to work with. Try to find somewhere new buildings meet old and see if any of the strong metal structures overlap or cross the older, softer structures. Head out after it's rained too as surfaces take on a different feel/look when they're damp and covered in water drops.

Don't zoom in too much as often a shot that's taken with a little more distance between you and the subject will look better and that way there's always the option to crop the photo when you're in front of your computer back home.

 

Cut out the distraction

If there's a distracting object, shadow or mark in the frame either move your feet to find a different angle or use your zoom to cut out of the frame. Try shooting straight on to make your texture as flat as possible before moving on to experiment with different angles as these types of shots are often great for adding to other images and the flatter the surface is the easier it is to use. To emphasise the shapes/textures, position yourself so your light is on one side. This will create a strong shadow and give your shot extra depth.

If you're working on a new building watch out for glare and reflections which can easily be removed by simply moving your feet a little and finally, pay attention to your white balance as you may find the cloudy or shade options produce better results.

So, you've waved goodbye to your photo journeys of last year are raring to get the new photographic year off the starting line with a bang but you're not sure where to start... Well, how about getting stuck into a photo project that can take you right through from 1 January to New Year's Eve? A 365-project is an obvious choice but there are other options for those who don't want to commit as much time to a project or if you'd like more of a challenge, there's an even more time-intense task you can take on. Have a read of our suggestions below and see which creative project appeals the most. You could even use ePz's blog system to share your project with other members on site. 

 

1. 365 Day Project

Photo Joshua Waller 

 

Even though this is something many will have done, it's still worth a mention but be warned; it's not as easy as it sounds! Basically, you need to take a photo every day for a year. Sounds straightforward but when you've done a few, inspiration could start to wear thin. The key is to not think too grand all of the time. Yes, it would be great to have 365 cracking landscape shots but it's just not feasible most of the time. Look at small details, get creative with apps, get out of your comfort zone and try something new...these are all ways you can keep your 365 project both creative and interesting. Another point to remember is to always carry a camera with you. This doesn't have to be a DSLR but do make sure you have your Smartphone, compact or even a film camera (if that's your thing) with you so you never miss an opportunity. If you do miss a day, don't beat yourself up too badly, just take two shots the following day (we won't tell anyone you bent the rules slightly). 

  2. 52 Week Project

Photo Joshua Waller 

 

If taking a photo every day seems a little daunting how about one a week? This could be of anything and everything or how about giving it a theme? Take a portrait shot every week for a year or how about taking a photo of a dinner at least once a week? There's plenty of things to try, you just need to get those grey cells working and think of something that really gets you excited about the project so you see it through to completion. 

 

3. 12 Hour Photo Project 

 

 

Pick a day and take a photo every hour for 12 hours. A workday may prove to be difficult but a day out at the coast, a day while you're on your annual vacation or a weekend in the city should provide you plenty of opportunities to take a photo every hour. It'll give you the opportunity to expand your photographic skills, taking photos in various lighting situations, locations and from a variety of angles. 

 

4. Photograph 1 Item / Object

 

If you don't want to set yourself time limits you could focus your attention on one object/item for a year. This, for example, could be a particular tree in your garden or landscape that you take a shot of from the same spot for an X amount of times. You could also pick an item and take it to various locations throughout the year to photograph. Timelapse could also be an option, especially in spring when you can capture flowers blooming in your garden. For broader themes, think of items you'll be able to capture images of in one place such as shop signs in towns. 

 

5. Take On An A-Z Challenge

 

This is one that can be completed in an afternoon while you take a walk around your local town so won't be too time-consuming but it will still challenge you to look at the world through a more creative eye. This project is something we've actually discussed before so won't go into much detail but basically, you capture shots of items around you that are shaped like letters of the alphabet. For more tips, have a read of this: Kickstart Your Creativity With An A - Z Photo Project

 

6. Think In Colour

 

This is project that you can shoot over several days, weeks or even months and the key is to focus just on one colour which means you can capture photos of various subjects so long as the colour theme matches. It's also a great project to keep running alongside your other photography pursuits. 

 

7. Self Portrait Project

 

'Selfies' are all the rage and can be captured with any camera and anywhere (they've even been captured in the International Space Station!). Take on the 'daily self-portrait' project for a week, month or even a year and you'll have an interesting collection of images that document your face, clothing choices etc. for a small pocket in time. 

 

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

Photo by Joshua Waller

Living in the UK, most of the best clothing in our wardrobes is probably winter stuff so why not encourage people to get out and about with their favourite coats, hats and scarves and have fun shooting some outdoor winter portraits.

 

Think about different lighting sources

During the Winter months, strobe lighting can help bring out details and highlights that might not be captured without it but this doesn't mean it should be given prevalence over natural or tungsten lighting. By not overusing one particular light source, you can produce a variety of images, giving your subject more choice at the end of the shoot. 

Sometimes you'll find the flash, colour balance and ambient light will conflict but in the right settings, this can give fashion type portraits a great look. Try playing around with the white balance setting on your camera to give surrounding daylight a cool blue tone. For portraits with a warmer feel, set your white balance to cloudy. 

Don't forget to pack a good reflector as these can be really useful for redirecting winter sun and take your longer lens along which can be used at wider apertures to create sparkling highlights in the background of your shots – Bokeh to those who like the technical words. A spare battery or two are useful and if you want to shoot some indoor shots after walking around outside for a while do remember that moving from outside to inside on cold, damp days could mist up your lens and camera eyepiece up and some acclimatising time will be needed.

 

 

Photo by Joshua Waller

 

Plan your shoot before the day

Rural or urban locations can both work with Christmas lights adding further interest to town and city shoots at this time of year. It's a good idea to have a route in mind so have a look for potential shoot locations before the shoot day actually arrives and it's also worth factoring in a cafe or bar stop along the way where you can make a pitstop. This will give you the chance to warm up, apply fresh make-up etc. If you're heading for woodland, bright clothing can work well as it'll contrast against the trees which are starting to take on their winter appearance. 

Think of ideas and adjectives that'll help you portray a theme to your subject and do remember to help them relax so they don't feel so self-conscious when you're taking their photograph.

 

What Are Paths And Lines And Why Do It?

Basically, when you look at a photo, your eye is naturally drawn to a certain point and to make sure the viewer of your shot focuses on the right spot in your image, you can create a "path" for the eye to follow through the scene. This won't work for every shot but do consider it before hitting the shutter button.

 

Photo by David Clapp

  What To Use As Paths?  When shooting outdoors, there are lots of elements that can be used to achieve this effect fairly easily.

Examples of paths:

• Lines in crop fields
• Roads
• Fences
• Streams
• Trails
• Walking Paths 

These are just a few of the things you can use to guide the eye through a shot. The image above illustrates this well, with the lines leading the eye through the image to the castle in the background.

For tips on using converging verticals and lines, read this tutorial: When Are Converging Verticals And Lines A Good Thing?


  Guide The Eye With Blur If using lines won't work, try using blur to guide the eye to a particular point of focus. For example, this could mean using a shallow depth of field to make your person 'pop' from the frame. For more tips on using apertures creatively, have a look at this tutorial: Creative Aperture / Depth Of Field

We also have this tutorial with a few focusing tips to get you thinking about your photography more creatively: Think About Your Focus

Photo by David Clapp - www.davidclapp.co.uk
  Give Moving Objects Space

If you are photographing moving objects, consider which way they are heading. For example, if the object is on the left side of your shot and heading out of the frame, rather than into the centre, this will ultimately lead the eye away from the main body of the image and can also frustrate the viewer with its mystery destination. Having the object, or objects, heading towards the middle of the frame will make the image more pleasing to the eye and will stop the object from guiding the viewer's eye out of frame. For more tips, take a look at this tutorial: Looking/Moving Space.

© Paul Morgan

 

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of long-time ePHOTOzine member Paul Morgan, who died on 15 November 2025 after battling pancreatic cancer. Paul was a valued part of our community and will be remembered for his creativity, generosity, and love of photography.

In a tribute shared by his son, Leon Morgan:

Paul Conrad Morgan sadly passed away on the 15th November 2025, after battling Pancreatic cancer for much of this year.

Paul was born in London in 1964 before moving to Reading. He was creative and used photography to express this. He would always have a camera with him. He had a love of black and white photography and at one point had a makeshift darkroom set up in the bathroom, and a studio set up in the living room.

He loved the photography community here on ePHOTOzine and would often spend hours browsing users’ portfolios.

Paul would volunteer for the British Thyroid Foundation and received an award for his charity work from Nationwide.

He indulged in his hobby right up to his final days, and has passed it on to myself, his son.

Paul will be remembered fondly in all his photographs he took during his life.

Paul’s dedication to photography and his kindness toward others left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. His work continues to inspire, and his presence in the community will be greatly missed.

For those who wish to pay their respects, please visit his MuchLoved memorial page or explore his ePHOTOzine profile to see the photographs that defined his journey.

Our thoughts are with Paul’s family, friends, and loved ones at this difficult time.

Photo by Peter Bargh. Gear Suggestions:

• A macro lens is very useful but not essential
• Tripod – one where the centre column can be turned horizontal is useful so you can get right in over the surface you’re working on. You could also use a table top tripod.

  Technique:

Before you start you need to make sure your cutlery is clean and that your egg doesn’t have any imperfections.

You need to work where there’s plenty of light so position yourself near a window/ patio doors. Plain backgrounds, particularly reflective ones, work best. Still life tables that have a perspex base work well but try using a piece of white card or plastic tray if you don’t have one. If you have white plastic windowsills try setting your still life up on it but you may need to place a sheet of paper, netting or cloth on the glass to diffuse the light slightly.

When it comes to placement, experimentation is key as there are various ways to arrange your props for a successful shot. However, one that works particularly well is where you balance the egg inside two crossed over forks. Shooting this straight on produces perfectly good results but do try adjusting the angle of your setup or move your feet so you're shooting from a different position.

Make sure your camera focuses on the correct point so you don’t end up with a blurry egg, watch your white balance and if you have a problem with unwanted shadows creeping into your shot, try moving your set-up or any objects nearby that could be casting them.

You can keep your shot in colour or to give more focus to the shapes and structure of the shot, convert it to black & white and / or use a slight vignette to draw the eye to the middle of the photograph.