DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

 

The Moon. We've walked on it, watched it eclipse the sun and many of us will have spent many an evening looking at it as it sits above us in the night's sky. Another popular moon-related activity is to photograph it and with the right kit, a little understanding on how cameras 'see' and a bit of patience, it's actually not that tricky to capture a decent image of this giant lump of rock that we see every night. 

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1. Camera, Lenses & A Tripod

Obviously, you won't get very far without a camera and while most will reach for long lenses and their more advanced camera, it is possible to capture a half-decent image of the moon with a compact so long as it has a good zoom range on it. If you are going for the interchangeable lens option, reach for something around the 300mm plus mark and you'll capture much more frame-filling shots. A tripod and remote release are handy, especially if you plan on capture multiple shots to blends together, and do wrap up warm. 

 

2. Overexposed Moon 

Once your kit's out and you've taken your first shot, you'll probably see an image that has a very dark sky with an extremely bright, white circle in it. This happens because of the large amount of black surrounding the moon confuses your camera's light meter. To fix this, dial down the exposure compensation or you can try using Spot metering (or meter manually) as this will tell the camera to take an exposure reading just from the moon.

It'll also help if you use a smaller aperture (try a few test shots around the f/11 mark and adjust from there), particularly if you're noticing small spots on the moon which are appearing brighter than others as you'll be able to keep adjusting your settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO) until most are removed. It's also worth remembering that using a smaller aperture will mean less light reaches your camera's sensor and as a result, you may need to reduce your shutter speeds slightly but we're not talking so much that the movement of the moon is blurred (the moon moves quicker than you think). Try something around the 1/125sec mark and tinker from there.

You'll also need to work rather quickly as spend too long messing with settings and you'll find the moon will have already moved out of the frame and you'll have to adjust your tripod's position again.

 

 

3. Bracketing Your Shots 

Right, back to exposure. What we've mentioned previously is great if you just want to capture a frame-filling image of the moon set against the night's sky but it won't really work for images where you want to capture some foreground interest as well. For this, you'll need to bracket your shots. Many cameras have a feature that automates this process but if your camera doesn't, you can do it manually. In a nutshell, bracketing is where multiple shots of different exposures are captured and merged together, either in-camera or manually on a computer, to create one image that has all the elements you want to feature in your shot correctly exposed. Take a look at ePHOTOzine's 'Inspiration' section for more tips on this technique. 

 

4. Location, Location, Location 

If it's possible, you'll want to get away from towns and cities as light pollution can reduce the amount of detail you'll see in your moon shots and don't always think the sky has to be completely dark either as the blue of twilight can add an interesting twist to your moon imagery. The weather, how cold it is and levels of pollution can also change how your final image will look so do take plenty of shots and consider taking images on different nights, too. 

 

 

5. Half Moon Or Less

Your idea of the perfect moon shot will probably be of a full moon and there's nothing wrong with this, but to really capture the shapes and lines of the craters, wait until there's half or less of the moon visible. By doing so, you'll see how shadows and light emphasis shape and really enhance to 3-D feel thanks to the side-on light the sun creates during this phase. Using an app or having a look online for a moon phase calendar will help you figure out when will be the best time to set your camera gear up outside. 

 

6. Boost Contrast 

You may find you need to boost contrast levels in your editing software or have a play with curves to pull detail that might have become lost but don't be tempted to adjust the size of the moon in your shot as this will just look unnatural and spoil the composition of your image. 

 

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Accidentally formatting an SD card in-camera renders stored images immediately inaccessible - a scenario familiar to photographers who have mistakenly initiated a format after a critical shoot.

However, formatting does not permanently delete your image data. In most cases, the files remain intact on the card and are recoverable. This guide outlines the professional process for recovering photos from a camera after accidentally formatting the SD card, using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

 

Why Formatting Doesn’t Destroy Your Photos Immediately

To understand why recovery is possible, you need to understand what "formatting" actually does. 

When you format an SD card in your camera, you aren't wiping the data clean like a whiteboard eraser. Instead, you are simply clearing the "address" in the file system that tells your camera where the photos are located.

The camera marks that space as available to write new data over, but the original photo file data remains physically on the card. Therefore, as long as you don’t write new data that occupies the “available space”, your deleted or formatted photos can be restored via EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

 

The Golden Rule of SD Card Recovery: Stop & Protect

The chances of formatted SD card recovery are extremely high, provided you follow one non-negotiable rule: 

1. Stop using your camera immediately! Do not take more pictures or record new videos on the formatted SD card. Why? Using the card after formatting writes new data, which overwrites the original files. This process can partially or completely corrupt the data, rendering previously recoverable images irretrievable.
2. Remove the SD card from your camera right now. If you need to continue shooting, switch to a different card.

 

How to Recover Photos from a Camera After Accidentally Formatting the SD Card

For photographers, a truly reliable recovery tool goes deeper than a standard undelete function. It must understand the intricate file structures of various camera systems and possess the capability to reconstruct fragmented data directly from an SD card.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard stands out as the best solution for photographers due to its unparalleled success rate with RAW formats (CR3, NEF, ARW) and its intuitive, stress-free interface.

Here’s how to recover photos from a camera after accidentally formatting its SD card:

Step 1. Remove the formatted SD card from the camera and connect it to your computer using a direct card reader for a stable connection.

Step 2. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and select your SD card in the left panel. Then, click “Search for Lost Data".

The software will immediately begin analyzing the formatted SD card. Depending on your card's size and speed, this may take several minutes.

Step 3. Find and preview the lost photo you want. This is where EaseUS truly shines for photographers: With its graphic interface, you can filter the results by type, specifically "Pictures" and "Videos", and then click to preview the photo/video you want.

Before you spend a dime or commit to saving files, you can double-click a file to preview it, and verify that your Canon CR3 files are intact or that your Sony ARW files are sharp. This confirmation is an invaluable piece of mind.

Step 4. Once you've confirmed photos from the formatted SD card are recoverable, select them and click to recover.

The only thing you should notice is that never save the recovered photos back to your camera's card. Why? Doing so risks overwriting the very fragments of data you're trying to rescue, potentially causing permanent corruption.

Always save your files to a safe storage location, ideally, a folder on your computer's external backup drive.

 

Why EaseUS is the Go-To Choice for Photographers

While free tools exist (like the notoriously complex PhotoRec), they often come with hidden costs: lost filename structures, jumbled folders, and a steep technical learning curve.

For professional work where organization is key, EaseUS offers distinct advantages. It consistently outperforms competitors in recovering and correctly rendering complex RAW formats from Canon, Nikon, and Sony.

What’s more, EaseUS company introduces SmartSector Rebuild and Deep Video Construct technologies in EaseUS data recovery software, which enhance fragmented-file recovery capabilities by over 30% and significantly improve success rates for restoring camera photos and videos.

These advancements mitigate the critical issue of recovering corrupted files that appear intact but remain unviewable, ensuring that recovered media remains fully accessible and structurally sound.

 

Conclusion

Suppose you accidentally format your camera's SD card without realizing that important photos are on it. First, stop using the camera and remove the card, then use the reliable and trusted SD card recovery tool, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, to restore your photos.

 

 

Photos are an important part of family history. We look back on them to remember our childhood. We think of times that we can't go back to. Regrettably, time inflicts its damage. Photos crack, stains appear, and colors go from bright and vivid to faded and dull. Restoring old photos is a way to bring back a part of family history, but without the right methods, you could damage them beyond repair. Many people want to know how to restore old photos, but some people are apprehensive about how the restoration process may affect the photograph.

In the past, old photo restoration was time-consuming and expensive because it required professional editing and the use of expensive tools. With the advancement of AI, everything is digitized, and new-age software can perform repairs to old photos automatically. In this article, we will discuss the reasons why old photos become damaged, the difficulties of restoring damaged photos, some tips to prepare, and the process to restore old photos using HitPaw FotorPea.

 

Why Old Photos Get Damaged Over Time

The first step to restore old photos is understanding the damage. Most old photos are printed on paper. Light, heat, and moisture damage that paper. Sunlight can fade photos and cause yellow tones. Heat and humidity can cause stains, mold, and even curling edges. If photos are stored in poor conditions, there can be scratches, cracks, and torn corners.

Careless handling can damage photos. Finger oils can leave permanent marks. Dust can settle on the photo and will make it look less clear. Some people try to edit old photos and don't know what they are doing. As a result, they remove important parts of the photo.

Digital restoration is therefore superior to physical restoration. You can keep the original photo safe by creating a digital version of it.

 

Common Problems People Face in Old Photo Restoration

People think restoring old photos is pretty easy, but that's not the case for many people. They lack skills and time and are afraid of damaging their memories, which makes the entire process stressful, especially with the use of manual editing tools.

 

Manual Editing Takes Too Much Time

Fixing scratches, stains, cracks, and faded areas requires patience and a level of expertise that beginners usually don’t have, and they often end up spending hours on a single image and still don’t get it to look right or like a complete photo.

 

Faces Are Difficult to Restore Naturally

Old photos can have blurry facial features, faded tones, or details that are simply missing. Changes made manually can change expressions, remove key facial features, or make the subject's face look overly smooth and unrealistic.

 

Over-Editing Reduces Photo Quality

When a lot of filters are applied to a photo, it may seem clearer, but many details and textures are lost. This can result in many of the emotions and the essence in the photo being ruined.

 

Large Photo Collections Become Overwhelming

Restoration of just a single photo may seem easy, but it gets really tiring when it comes to large family albums. Because of the required time, someone may just entirely give up restoring old photos.

 

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How to Restore Old Photos with HitPaw FotorPea (Step by Step)

Old photos can be challenging to restore when they are scratched, faded, or blurry. Manual editing can be time-consuming and ruin crucial parts of the image. HitPaw FotorPea is designed to restore old photos using AI. It automatically fixes damage, improves the clarity, restores color, and brings back facial features. This makes HitPaw FotorPea user-friendly for photo editing novices.

 

Key Features and AI Models for Restoring Old Photos

HitPaw FotorPea uses advanced and powerful AI models that have been designed and developed for old photo restoration. Each feature is designed to address one of the most common issues that we find in photos that have been damaged or aged over time.

 

Key Features

• Removes scratches, cracks, and visible damage from old photos
• Enhances clarity in faded or low-quality images
• Restores natural tones in dull or washed-out photos
• Colorizes black-and-white photos with realistic colors
• Recovers facial details like skin texture, eyes, and expressions

 

AI Restoration Models

• AI Portrait Restoration: Repairs old or damaged portraits
• Scratch and Damage Repair: Fixes worn and scratched areas
• Blur Removal and Clarity Enhancement: Sharpens blurry photos
• Black-and-White Photo Colorization: Adds natural color
• Natural Color Enhancement: Improves tone and balance

 

These AI models work in unison to edit and restore old photos, while maintaining the integrity of the original image and not over-editing it.

 

How to Restore Old Photos 

Step 1: Download and install HitPaw FotorPea on your computer.

 

 

Step 2: Open the software and click on “Image Restoration”.

 

 

Step 3: Upload the old photo by clicking the “+” button, or simply drag and drop the image.

 

 

Step 4: Select the right AI restoration model according to your image.

 

 

Step 5: Click “Export“ to save the restored photo, or click “Enhance” if you want to further improve the image quality.

 

 

Tips to Get the Best Results When Restoring Old Photos

Keep edits light and keep it looking as natural as possible to get the best results. Small changes and careful previews can improve clarity, detail, and balance without ruining the original look.

• Start simple: Let AI do touch-ups first. Fix scratches, blur, and fading first.
• Preview often: Before and after views can help achieve more natural results.
• Face balance: Face enhancement can distort natural and real expressions so use with caution.
• Avoid over-editing: Too many effects can make editing photos look fake.
• Save versions: Saving different versions of the photo helps you see the difference between all the edits.
• Protect originals: Make sure you do not lose the original image file.
• Natural finish: Make sure you aim for a natural soft look where the original image can still be appreciated.
• Final review: Make sure to check the details before saving the image, while zoomed in.

 

Conclusion

Restoring old photos isn't as hard or time-consuming as it once was. With AI tools, anyone can repair damages, improve clarity, and revitalise faded photos. For example, HitPaw FotorPea allows users to restore old photos quickly and easily. Its automatic features let users fix scratches, details in faces, and photo blurriness. If you're looking for an inexpensive and straightforward way to restore old photos, using HitPaw FotorPea is the best option.

 

Why Do We Need To Do This?

When you're working with tall structures such as a mountain range, it can sometimes be difficult to grasp how tall they really are but if you add an object the viewer recognises the scale of, it's much easier for them to understand how big the other object is. As a result, your shot will have various points of interest that can lead the eye through the frame, depth and scale. Another reason for doing this is to give your shot impact. For example, when you see an image of the desert with a person mid-frame you are suddenly reminded of the sheer size of the landscape which often results in a 'Wow' moment.

 

What To Use?

People work well as they are an easily recognisable shape that's easy to grasp the size of. In turn, this makes it easier for the viewer of the image to understand how vast the area is that's surrounding the person. Of course, you can use other objects that are easily recognisable or even part of a subject. This works well with very large man-made objects such as cruise liners as it suggests they are so big, they can't be fitted into the frame. Add holidaymakers walking next to it and suddenly you're realising that it's a huge piece of engineering.

 

 

Where To Position Your Person / Object?

Positioning your secondary subject roughly anywhere from the middle to the back of the shot will make it easier for the viewer of your image to grasp the size of the mountains, dunes trees or whatever else sits in the surrounding shot.

If it's difficult for your subject to reach this area of the shot move further back if you can or if you have to, position them in the foreground without pulling focus from the landscape. If you position your secondary subject too close it can distort the perspective as your foreground subject will appear larger in the frame but this still shouldn't be a problem if you're using a person.

 

 

Change Perspective With Your Lens

The lens you choose to use and its focal length can change the perspective of your shot too.

By moving the position you're shooting from, altering the zoom or by using a different type of lens altogether will change how the final image looks and in some cases the distance that appears to be between objects in the frame. For example, you may be shooting a landscape that has a single house or tree in it and by using a wide-angle lens you can include more of the scene around the object, creating a sense of isolation and demonstrating how small it is compared to what else is in the frame. Go the opposite way and zoom in or use a telephoto lens to pull the object to you and it will fill the frame, becoming more of a focus rather than a way to express the size of its surroundings.
 

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The camera displays the error message "Card cannot be accessed." Formatting the SD card would wipe data out and fix the problem. If the card has many images and videos, discover the best ways to resolve the "card cannot be accessed" issue.

 

Why Your Card Cannot Be Accessed

Examine the following section to determine the main reasons why your SD card cannot be accessed on the camera:

• Inadequate Physical Contact: You can't read from or write to your devices if your SD card isn't inserted correctly.
• Compatibility issues: It might arise when a user's file system is incompatible with the device they are using.
• Software bugs: Viruses that infect the SD card may eventually destroy files and images or render them unreadable.
• Physical Damage: SD cards most often sustain physical damage for unknown reasons, which can eventually lead to complete data loss.
• SD card locked. Any modifications or access are prevented if the card's lock switch is turned on.
• Incorrect format. Recognition problems arise when using a card that is not prepared for Canon cameras.

 

How to Fix the 'Card Cannot Be Accessed' Error on Canon

These targeted fixes address the most common underlying causes—from SD card corruption to camera firmware issues.

 

Fix 1. Inspect the SD Card for Physical Damage

A damaged SD card will trigger the 'Card Cannot Be Accessed' error on Canon cameras, even if the card works on a computer. Carefully inspect the SD card for signs of physical harm that can disrupt the camera’s ability to read it:

• Check the gold contact pins on the back of the SD card for scratches, oxidation, dust, or dirt. Wipe the pins gently with a clean, dry microfiber cloth to remove debris.
• Inspect the card body for cracks, bends, or a broken lock switch.
• Check for water damage or discoloration on the card, which indicates internal corrosion.

If the SD card has visible physical damage, replace it. Damaged cards cannot be reliably fixed and risk data loss during use.

 

 

Fix 2. Repair the SD Card’s File System Errors on a Computer

If your Canon camera still shows the 'Card Cannot Be Accessed' error after reinsertion and camera formatting, the SD card may have deep file system corruption that the camera’s built-in formatter can’t fix. You can repair these errors using a computer, then reinsert the card into your Canon to test.

1. Connect the SD card to your Windows PC using a card reader.
2. Open “This PC” and locate the SD card’s drive letter.
3. Right-click the drive and select “Properties”, then go to the “Tools” tab.
4. Click “Check” to scan the SD card for file system errors and repair them automatically.
5. Once the scan is complete, safely eject the SD card from the PC and reinsert it into your Canon camera.

 

 

Fix 3. Update Your Canon Camera’s Firmware

Outdated camera firmware can cause compatibility issues with newer SD cards or trigger SD card read errors such as 'Card Cannot Be Accessed'. Canon regularly releases firmware updates to fix bugs, improve SD card compatibility, and add features.

1. Canon’s firmware update process is universal for all models:
2. Visit the “Canon Support” website, search for your camera model, and navigate to the “Firmware” section.
3. Download the latest firmware file and save it to a formatted SD card.
4. Insert the SD card with the firmware file into your Canon camera, then power the camera on.
5. Navigate to the “Setup” menu, select “Firmware Update”, and follow the on-screen prompts to install the update.
6. Do not turn off the camera during the update.
7. Once the update is complete, the camera will restart. Insert your original SD card and check if the error is gone.

 

Recover Lost Photos from the Card that Cannot Be Accessed

We advise you to follow this procedure to recover images from the corrupted SD card to a safe location, provided that your files on the Camera SD card are important. 

We recommend using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, which provides a variety of scanning choices to serve a wider audience. SD cards, CF cards, and other memory card types, both new and old, can all have their lost data restored using this tool.

Step 1. Select the SD card to scan

• Download and install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your Windows PC.
• Use the proper way to connect your SanDisk/Lexar/Transcend SD card to the computer. 
• Open EaseUS SD card recovery software and choose SD Card Recovery on the left panel. All connected drives will display here. Select your SD card and click "Scan for lost data".

 

 

Step 2. Check for scan results

• Wait for the scanning process to complete.
• Specify one or several file types to show up, like Pictures or Videos.
• Click "Preview" to check if they are the wanted files.

 

 

Step 3. Recover SD card data

• Preview the recovered files and click "Recover".
• Choose a different location to save the recovered files instead of the original SD card.

 

 

Preventing Pictures from Being Lost on the Failed SD Card 

Preventing this error is far simpler than fixing it, and these easy habits protect your Canon camera and SD cards, ensuring you never miss shots due to SD card issues.

• Use Canon-recommended SD cards: Check your camera’s manual for supported brands, speeds, and capacities. Stick to high-quality options from SanDisk, Lexar, or Kingston, and avoid cheap counterfeit cards that easily corrupt.
• Handle the card and camera carefully: Never remove the SD card or turn off the camera while the memory card light is blinking.
• Keep camera firmware up to date: Regularly check Canon’s support website for firmware updates that fix SD card compatibility issues and add support for new SD card models. A quick check every 3-6 months is enough for hassle-free use.

 

Conclusion

The 'Card Cannot Be Accessed' error on Canon cameras is frustrating, but it is almost always caused by simple SD card issues, improper handling, or minor firmware bugs—not a faulty camera.  If the error persists across multiple compatible SD cards, the issue may be with the camera’s SD card slot or outdated firmware. Physical damage to the SD card or camera slot is the only rare case that requires replacement or professional repair.

 
 

Photographing a flower head on a black background is a simple but effective way to make yourself a piece of wall art. The bright petals against a stark, dark background make a vibrant image that wouldn't look out of place on the shelves of stores that are designed to fill your home with accessories and decorations.

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1. Gear Suggestions

• Macro lens 
• Window for light or two constant light sources placed either side of your set-up
• Black background
• Flower(s)
• Tape
• Container to hold your flower
• Tripod - keep your hands free so you can adjust the position of the flower head etc.

  2. Constant Light Source 

If it's a sunny day you'll have plenty of free light falling through your windows to work with, however, if it's a gloomy and really overcast you'll need a couple of constant light sources to place at either side of your set-up. You want just enough light so the petals have contrast and don't blend together. Take a look at the edge of the flower too as you don't want it to vanish into the background too much.
 

3. Background Choices

You can use whatever you have to hand as long as it's black and not reflective. As holding a flower still is rather hard work, we used a plastic cup as a stand and taped the flower to it but a vase or any other container will work just as well.

  4. Do & Don't

Don't use an aperture that's too wide as you'll lose too much detail towards the edges of the flower and if you're shooting straight on make sure the centre of the flower is sharp. Experiment with your shooting distance, taking shots of just the centre of the flower or try changing the position of the flower to shoot it on a slight angle.
 

5. Photo Editing 

Once you have your shots why not get creative in Photoshop? Take a look at ePHOTOzine's technique section for Photoshop, Lightroom, Elements and GIMP editing tutorials. 

 

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© Skylum

 

Skylum is celebrating four years of Luminar Neo, reflecting the impressive evolution of its AI-powered photo editing software since its 2022 launch. A standout achievement came in late 2025 when Luminar Mobile received Google Play’s Best Multi-Device App Award, recognizing its smooth and consistent experience across phones, tablets, and desktops. To thank its growing community, Skylum is offering new customers discounts of up to 74%, creative anniversary gifts, and a special video message from the team.

 

From Skylum:

The software company Skylum is celebrating four years of Luminar Neo. The AI-powered photo editing software enables access to professional photo editing for both experienced photographers and beginners with just a few clicks. To mark the anniversary, Skylum’s development team has released a dedicated video. It particularly honors the creativity of Luminar Neo users and serves as a thank-you for the shared journey so far.

The video is available here:

 

From Desktop App to Ecosystem

Since its launch, Luminar Neo has evolved from a standalone desktop application into a fully developed cross-platform ecosystem seamlessly connecting PC, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS. The software synchronizes photo editing across all devices, allowing users to edit photos on the go using a smartphone or tablet and finalize them later on a desktop if desired. Advanced AI technologies can be used to automatically analyze image content as well as add or remove elements. This makes editing significantly faster, more precise, and more intuitive.

 

Google Awards 2025: Best Multi-Device App

A major highlight of the past year: Luminar Mobile was named Best Multi-Device App at the Google Play Best of 2025 Awards. The award particularly recognizes the seamless cross-platform use of the Android app, including Chromebook support, as well as its integration into desktop workflows. This category honors apps that provide an especially consistent and high-quality user experience across multiple devices.

“Four years of Luminar would not have been possible without our loyal community. We thank all our users for their trust, creativity, and valuable feedback, which plays a key role in the ongoing development of our software. Our goal is to continuously improve Luminar so that professional photo editing remains as simple, intuitive, and accessible as possible for everyone in the future,” says Yevhenii Tymoshenko, CMO at Skylum.

 

Benefits for New Customers

Skylum is currently offering various licenses with discounts of up to 74% as well as an anniversary gift. More information about the deals and pricing information for your region is available at: https://skylum.com/luminar/pricing

 

About Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo (skylum.com/luminar) is a powerful, AI-driven photo editing software developed by Skylum, a global company specializing in imaging technology. The software combines an intuitive user interface with advanced AI technologies to make professional-level photo editing accessible to everyone—whether beginners or experienced photographers. Thanks to Generative AI, users can effortlessly remove elements, extend backgrounds, or replace objects in just a few clicks. Enhance AI brings together more than 20 adjustments in a single tool, automatically optimizing color, detail, and exposure, while tools such as Relight AI and Atmosphere AI enable precise control over lighting moods and depth effects. Luminar Neo also offers non-destructive editing, RAW support, layers and masking features, as well as seamless integration into existing workflows. From portrait retouching and landscape enhancement to creative photo compositions, Luminar Neo revolutionizes photo editing with cutting-edge AI and unlocks entirely new creative possibilities for photographers.

As a comprehensive ecosystem, Luminar Neo also enables cross-device editing between desktop and mobile devices, allowing projects to be continued anytime, seamlessly. With integrated web galleries via “Spaces,” AI-powered photo restoration for old or damaged images, and an intelligent AI Assistant that provides personalized editing suggestions, the software supports creatives throughout the entire workflow—from the initial idea to the final presentation.

You can wait for hours, days or months for the right sky and still be disappointed. But don't get too downhearted as a little bit of digital processing will give your image the sky it needs.
 

Photograph The Sky Whenever & Wherever 

Before we get to this stage we need a sky to import and having a library of stormy, bright blue and sunset-coloured skies is a time-saving idea that's practical and easy to create. In other words, just shoot interesting skies whenever you see one and do so with wide-angle, standard and telephoto lenses. Also, consider the many varieties of lighting - back, frontal, side, for example - so you build a library of sky images to cover all creative options.

  Quick Gear Checklist 

For most skies in the open, all you need is a wide-angle or standard zoom lens but a long telephoto lens can be useful too. If you're planning on taking several images of the sun LiveView is crucial as you don't want to be looking down the lens with it burning back into your eyes. A strong neutral density filter will help reduce the sun's glare and a polariser is perfect for creating saturated blue skies.

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Fill The Frame With Sky 

Usually, you're told to remove some of the sky but this time it's our focus so you want to shoot from a position that allows you to get plenty of it in the frame and be in a location where there are no distracting objects such as trees, buildings and long grasses.

Pay attention to which direction the light is coming from and note it down as you don't want to use a sky with light coming from the left when shadows on your original image lay in the opposite direction.

Don't ignore the clouds either as they can alter the light and make certain areas of the shot darker than others. For sunsets, which work well dropped into shots of people or buildings silhouetted, you need to fill the shot with the sun but don't stare at it through the lens as this will damage your eyes. Use LiveView, point and press.

Stormy skies are perfect for atmospheric shots where castles or any other old building are your centrepieces. Watch for breaks in the clouds where long streaks of sunlight burst through for more interesting images.

For more tips on replacing skies or shooting images where the sky is your main focus, have a look at these tutorials: 

• Shooting Landscapes With Interesting Skies
• Create A Dramatic Sky In Photoshop
• Enhancing Sky In Photoshop
• How To Replace A Sky In Elements
• Adding A Sky Behind A Lighthouse
• Photographing Beach Huts With A Big Sky

 

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Here are 10 top tutorials that will get you looking a little closer at your photographic subjects as well as providing some handy tips along the way which includes lens choices, advice on lighting, set-up and more. 

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1. 4 Top Tips For Creative Fruit And Veg Photography

 

We thought we'd put together a quick and easy to follow tutorial on photographing fruit and veg slices with a light source behind them which you can do indoors when it's raining outside. Why do this? Well, the bright light combined with a single or even a few slices of fruit or vegetable can produce an interesting 'arty' style photograph that's really easy to capture at home. 

 

2. Five Quick Still Life Photography Tips

 

This step-by-step guide will give you a great basic introduction to the world of still life photography so if you're new to the subject, or are short on time, this could be the perfect place to start. 

 

 

3. Christmas Macro Photography Tips

 

Christmas is a great time of year to try out some macro photography, with loads of trinkets and brightly coloured objects to shoot. Here are some tips for festive macro photography.

 

4. How To Photograph Kitchen Utensils And Cutlery Creatively

 

Once you start searching, you'll find plenty of objects in the kitchen that have photographic potential. Things like pots and pans, colanders and, as here, a trivet can be pressed into service as subjects. A kitchen work surface will make a perfectly good background but so can the sink or any material you have in your house. Objects can be arranged on the worktop in various compositions, with the camera and lens aimed downwards.

 

 

5. Autumn Close-Up Photo Tips For Point & Shoot Digital Cameras

 

Autumn is the perfect time for capturing close-up/macro shots and this is something you can do even if you're a compact user who doesn't have an arsenal of lenses at their disposal. Be on the lookout for subjects that have interesting textures or are full of colour, plus look on the ground as well as up at the trees as you'll find conkers and other interesting items that make the perfect subject for an Autumn macro shot. 

 

 

6. How to Photograph Fungi In 10 Easy Steps

 

if you're venturing into the world of fungi photography for the first time or just want a quick reminder on what kit you'll need, have a read of our guide on photographing mushrooms, toadstools and fungi.

 

 

7. Macro Photography Tips - Raindrops On Windows

 

Raindrops on windows produce interesting patterns which can be photographed with ease on days when venturing outside will just soak you and your camera. Choose a window that has interesting raindrop patterns and that is facing a plain background. The background should be a long way off so a window into a garden with trees, grass or a fence at a good distance is ideal. The choice of background can really make a difference; a light background such as a sky will often result in the droplets having a darker more defined outline while a dark background will make the centres of the droplets more prominent.

 

8. Do I Need A Tripod For Macro Photography?

 

Outdoor macro photography, particularly during the Autumn months, can be very rewarding but as you'll most likely be doing some walking, you may be wondering if fastening a tripod to your camera bag is really necessary as, after all, they can be heavy and a bit awkward to carry. Well, the quick answer to this question is 'yes' but here are 6 reasons that'll further explain why you'll be annoyed at yourself if you don't pack your tripod when heading out of the door. 

 

9. 6 Outdoor Flower Photography Tips Every Compact User Needs

 

Just because you're a compact user doesn't mean you shouldn't shoot outdoor flower shots. In fact, with these few tips, you'll soon be on your way to capturing excellent examples of flower photography. 

 

10. Ten Top Macro Photography Tips

 

Macro and close-up photography allows us to see the world from a different viewpoint and sometimes, shots can be almost magical with what they unveil. Plus, with so many subjects waiting to be captured, you really can put your macro photography skills to the test and, you don't have to venture much further than your own garden either.    To get you started, here are our 10 top tips on capturing images with close-up/macro lenses. 

 

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Before heading out for a shoot or even while on one, make sure you don't overlook some of the most important but basic things. To stop you doing this, we've put together a quick checklist which may seem obvious but the things on it can often be overlooked and can cause a day out shooting to descend into chaos!
 

1. Charge Your Camera's Batteries

 

The most important thing to remember is to make sure that your batteries are charged. If not, your day out will be rendered useless when you discover that your battery has died. If your battery is low the night before but you don't want to charge it before it's fully dead, consider wearing the battery down on purpose so it can be fully charged overnight. You could also consider taking a spare battery if you have one, or a spare camera if you don't, so at least you can still shoot if your primary equipment fails.
 

2. Memory Card Check

You should ensure your memory card is not full or going to be quickly filled when you're out shooting. Always carry a spare card or two just in case one goes missing or shows a fault.

 
3. What Am I Trying To Say?

 

How you frame, light and compose your shot will provoke a different feeling, thought or emotion so think about what message you're trying to convey before hitting the shutter button.

4. Watch The Horizon

 

One of the main things to remember is to keep your horizon straight. If not, the shot will look wonky. If you're on flat ground, an easy way to ensure this is to use a tripod which has a spirit level built-in. However, do remember that if you're working with a hot shoe spirit level on terrain that's uneven the spirit level on your tripod may tell you the shot's wonky when actually it's not. 

 

5. Don't Make It Too Busy

 

Although you will want to portray a lot through your photos, try not to overcrowd the image. If you do, the eye will not know where to settle on the photo and ruin the feel of the image. Do a quick check of the foreground and background before you take your shot to check there's not unsightly elements and take the time to consider if your shot will work better with the background out of focus.

 

6. Fill The Frame Or Leave Some Space?

 

 

You should also consider how close you are to your subject/how much space you want in your shot. If it is too far away, the image can lose impact, however, if you're trying to create a sense of scale in your shot, moving a person further away, for example, moving a person further into an area of sand dunes, will make the landscape appear as if it stretches on for miles. If you do want to fill the frame, use the zoom on your camera or move your feet.

 

7. Have A Focal Point

 

Identify your main focal point so you can then decide if you're going to use secondary points of focus or just place your subject in the frame so all attention falls on them.

 

8. Look At The Lighting

 

The light's angle and how strong it is will, of course, change the look of your photograph but so will the type of light source you're using. For example, if the light is tungsten or fluorescent, your camera may have a specific white balance setting to make the scene look natural. If you're shooting in darker conditions and don't want to use flash, consider using a higher ISO instead.

9. Consider Creating A Path

 

Having a path within the photo for the eye to follow can help guide your viewer through your shot. The picture above is a good example as the metal railing guides the eye down the beach to the person in the distance. 

 

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Town photography at night is a cool subject as objects that seem mundane in daylight can suddenly take on a whole new feeling/look at night. You can also use a variety of different techniques, too, to capture scenes in more creative ways. 

There's quite a bit to cover on night photography but to get you started, we've got 5 quick but essential pieces of advice. 

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1. Gear Suggestions

 

Your DSLR and normal lenses are fine for this sort of work but long exposures are the norm so a good, stable tripod is recommended, that together with a remote release. If you do want a camera that's particularly good in low light, have a read of our 'Top 21 Best Low Light Photography Cameras' list. 

Important non-photographic essentials include suitable clothing, protective kit for the camera, a watch for timing B exposures and a torch – a wind-up head torch is a good idea. It is also taking someone with you, for safety and for companionship during your time when you are hanging around waiting for the exposures to finish.

 

2. White Balance

 

Auto white balance is fine but feel free to try the preset, perhaps incandescent or fluorescent. AWB is fine and colour casts can add to the image anyway.

 

3. ISO

 

In low light, the temptation is to whizz up the ISO scale and shot at ISO1600 and higher. Most cameras cope well at higher ISO levels now but even though this is true, it is still best to stick to ISO100 or 200 and go for high quality and long shutter speeds. By the way, windy days, bridges that gently move, traffic vibration, poor technique, wobbly tripods, can all result in blurred images so watch out for that.

 

4. Buildings And Lighting

 

Office blocks and lit buildings are obvious subjects – and if it is raining, even better, especially, if your chosen location has cobbled streets.

Stop down to small apertures and highlights come as pinpoints of light and that can effective. Including streetlamps can result in flare – if they are in shot, there is nothing you can do about it so just go with the fact. In fact, on rainy evenings with water droplets landing on the lens you can get some graphic flare effects.

 

5. Traffic And Light Trails

 

Light trails of moving traffic is a popular subject and it is easy to do. just find your scene, open the shutter and the moving traffic with its head and rear lights on will record as colourful lines. Popular places to try this technique is on bridges over main roads, roundabouts and busy junctions. Obviously, take great care with traffic and where you place the tripod.

.

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London Camera Exchange has revealed the winners for its 2026 Photographer of the Year competition following a significant 40 percent increase in participation from the previous year. Retired teacher Sophia Spurgin earned the overall first prize for her spontaneous portrait of a Vietnamese fisherman, securing the top spot among nearly 14,500 submissions. This year’s contest featured a 10,000 pound prize fund and introduced strict authenticity policies to ensure all winning entries represented genuine photographic talent. The awards ceremony took place at The Photography and Video Show in Birmingham where category winners were recognized for excellence in genres ranging from landscape and wildlife to emerging student talent.

 

From London Camera Exchange:

London Camera Exchange has announced the winners of its LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 (LCE POTY) competition. Nearly 14,500 entries were received this year – a 40% increase on 2025, demonstrating the contest’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s leading competitions for photographers of all abilities and experience.

Now in its third year, the free-to-enter LCE POTY competition comprises 14 different categories including the publicly voted ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Emerging Talent’ dedicated to photography students. The latter category offers a prize for both the photographer and their university or place of study, and celebrates the next generation of photographers.

 

First prize winner:   Sophia Spurgin – ‘Fish Eyes’

 

© Sophia Spurgin / London Camera Exchange

 

The overall first prize winner is UK-based retired teacher Sophia Spurgin with her humorous portrait of a fisherman, captured spontaneously on a boat in Hoi An, Vietnam. Sophia commented, “I was keen to dedicate some time to serious travel photography during a family holiday and had been taking photos of this fisherman at work alongside a local photographer. This was the playful end of the photography session and a genuinely entertaining moment! I especially like that his fishing net is visible in the background, adding context and authenticity to the image.”

Sophia added, “I am absolutely delighted to win the London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year 2026. Photography has brought me immense joy – not only through the places it has taken me, but also through the wonderful friendships I’ve made along the way. To be recognised in this competition means a great deal, as it shows that my photography resonates with others.”

‘Fish Eyes’ was shot on a Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Sophia was awarded £3,000 in LCE vouchers as the overall competition winner and Travel category winner. She also scooped £500 as winner of the Wildlife category with her stunning image ‘Fighting Foxes in the Rain’.

 

Category winners (£500 vouchers each):

• Action – ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ by David Lyon
• After Dark – ‘Lonely is the Night’ by Hardijanto Budiman
• Birds – ‘A Gazing Owlet’ by Louise Norris
• Creative – ‘Swan Song’ by Brooke Shaden
• Emerging Talent (student award) – ‘Imprint’ by Millie Melvin
• Events – ‘Half a Second Before’ by Jacek Salaga
• Landscape – ‘The Lotus’ by Colin Page
• Macro – ‘Teamwork’ by Dikye Ariani
• Pets – ‘Silent Sentinel’ by Carole-Ann Chambers
• Portrait – ‘Red Rebel’ by John Lynch
• Street – ‘Crossing the Curves’ by Helen Trust
• Travel – ‘Fish Eyes’ by Sophia Spurgin (overall winner)
• Wildlife – ‘Fighting Foxes in the Rain’ by Sophia Spurgin
• People’s Choice – ‘Magical Uphill Lincoln’ by Andrew Scott

The Emerging Talent category for students attracted a significant number of entries, with some outstanding work submitted.

© Millie Melvin / London Camera Exchange

 

This year’s category winner was Millie Melvin, currently studying an MA in Photography at the Royal College of Art, with ‘Imprint’ – a powerful image inspired by an old family photograph and created using botanicals from her garden. Millie, who has aphantasia, uses her images to produce a visual archive, as she is unable to visualise objects in her mind.

Once again, water, wildlife and birds were popular subjects for 2026, with some standout photographs representing the natural world across a full spectrum of themes – from orangutans and ants in action, to owls and ospreys in flight.

 

© Louise Norris / London Camera Exchange

 

This enchanting portrait of a Little Owl chick by Louise Norris secured the top honour in the Birds category, while ‘Teamwork’ by Dikye Ariani – a striking close-up depicting a group of red ants performing a curious acrobatic display – emerged victorious in the Macro genre.

 

© Dikye Ariani / London Camera Exchange

 

Following feedback from previous years, LCE switched the Music category to ‘Events’, and this saw entries double compared to 2025, making it one of the most popular themes. Entries to the Street genre increased by 50%, and Portrait also saw a notable rise to become the 4th most entered category. Landscape remained at the top of the ‘chart’ with almost 12% of all entries.

Designed as a platform to highlight genuine photographic talent, LCE POTY introduced an AI-Generated Imagery Verification and Authenticity Policy this year, ensuring that only authentic photographs were eligible for entry. The competition saw a marked increase in AI-generated submissions. While AI images are becoming progressively sophisticated and difficult to detect, LCE POTY was set up to provide exposure for photographers capturing images of real people, places and events – rewarding them and giving them a stage to showcase their work.

Lee Harasyn, managing director of LCE, commented, “Once again, we were stunned by the quality, creativity and sheer volume of entries. The standard was just incredible. It was also encouraging to see the considerable growth in the number of entries, with more than 30% being new participants to the competition. A particular highlight for the judges was the ‘Emerging Talent’ category, which attracted entries from students across a diverse range of subjects. We look forward to continuing the competition next year, supporting true photographic talent across all genres. Congratulations to all winners and runners-up – and thank you to everyone who took part.”

The LCE POTY Awards were presented in a special ceremony at The Photography & Video Show on Sunday 15 March 2026 at the NEC, Birmingham. A gallery showcasing the finalists’ images, was located close to the show’s entrance and many of the shortlisted images have been included in a special edition commemorative book. Winners received a share of the £10,000 prize fund and a unique trophy to take home. There are also plans to tour the images at other locations around the UK during 2026. 

The competition was generously backed by leading manufacturers including headline sponsors Canon, Fujifilm and OM System, partners Lexar, Nikon and Sony, and affiliates Cewe and Sigma. LCE would like to thank the judging panel – SheClicks founder and journalist Angela Nicholson, Chris George, content director at Future Publishing, and professional portrait and travel documentary photographer Jimmy Cheng – for their expert opinions and help during the tricky process of selecting the winning images.

For more information, please visit the LCE POTY website.

 

Comfy integrates the HitPaw FotorPea API that allows for image enhancement for Comfy users. Users can now benefit from the technology that will help automate and enhance the quality of images. These tools will help restore, enhance, and denoise images, all operating directly inside Comfy.

This integration shows how photography is changing with the help of AI tools to add detail to older, lower-quality, and compressed images. Rather than replacing creative editing, these tools are focusing more on streamlining multiple edits and ensuring overall consistency and clarity. 

For photographers, content creators, and platforms that manage lots of visuals, processing large amounts of visuals with less post-production work can be really helpful.

 

What HitPaw FotorPea Brings to the Comfy Platform

 

HitPaw FotorPea focuses on enhancing photos without changing their overall natural look. Instead of using filters that change the photo more aggressively, the system leans on AI models that have been trained to understand the structures, textures, and minutiae of photos.

Due to Comfy integration, photo enhancement features can now be used within a single workflow. This also means no more exporting images or using other tools to improve the quality of images because improving images has been included in the workflow.

While this functionality aids individual creators, it is particularly useful for teams and services dealing with high volumes of images, especially when the prospect of manual editing is impractical.

 

AI Image Enhancement Integrated into the Core Workflow

 

 

With the integration of AI image enhancer, Comfy now has the ability to auto-enhance different types of images. It uses AI to analyze the images and adjust clarity, noise, and resolution while keeping the textures and features of the people in the images faces as natural as possible.

Most traditional upscaling tools enhance the whole image and result in a generalized view, often causing the person in the portrait to look artificial. HitPaw FotorPea, on the other hand, uses AI realism-based portrait enhancements, meaning they look natural.

 

Key image enhancement capabilities include:

• One-click enhancement for portraits and scenes
• Separate AI processing for faces and backgrounds
• 2x and 4x super-resolution options
• Noise reduction without heavy softening
• Batch processing for large image sets
• API access for automated workflows

The system's features are ideal for mobile phone photography, low-res web images, scanned images, older digital photos, and also for slight improvements to already high-quality images.

 

Model-Based Enhancement for Different Photographic Scenarios

 

The integration does not consist of simply applying a singular enhancement method across all images. Instead, it uses various AI models tailored for particular subjects as well as certain quality levels. This gives the end user more options to choose from when dealing with more challenging photographic materials.

 

Available image enhancement models include:

• Face Clear Model (2x / 4x): Upscales portraits and softens the skin to give a clearer picture and accentuates the surrounding details.
• Face Natural Model (2x / 4x): Maintains the skin texture and facial features to make them look more natural.
• General Enhance Model (2x / 4x): This model is used to enhance general and everyday images, like landscapes, architecture, animals, and many more.
• High Fidelity Model (2x / 4x): This tool is specifically designed for subtle enhancement of DSLR photos, posters, and AI images.
• Sharp Denoise & Detail Denoise Models (1x): Reduce noise in photos taken on mobile devices and cameras, while retaining the original flexible image size.
• Generative Portrait & Generative Enhance Models (1x–4x): Diffusion models that focus on rebuilding some of the details that may be missing because of heavy compression or destruction of the image.

This model selection structure enables photographers and content teams to select the specialized image enhancer AI technique that fits the source material the best instead of using a one-size-fits-all solution.

 

Built for Automation and Platform-Level Workflows

 

A key element in this integration is the API-based design. Rather than putting the tools just as creative editors, Comfy enables automated enhancement as part of broader content pipelines. This gives the value not just to individual photographers but to any platforms, publishers, and services that handle extensive image libraries. With the goal of quality improvement while maintaining smooth, automated workflows, Comfy integrates AI enhancement directly into the platforms.

 

Who Benefits Most from This Integration

 

The Comfy and HitPaw FotorPea integration streamlines work for various users, but some users enjoy better integration benefits, such as:

• Photographers wanting to recover detail of challenging light or old files
• Content creators seeking cleaned-up images without tedious edits
• Media platforms dealing with large quantities of user-generated or old images
• Creative teams desire consistent image quality across all their projects

In all these cases, the advantage lies in achieving improved image quality with minimal effort.

 

A Tool Designed for Modern Image Workflows

 

Today’s image workflows are speedy, multi-source, and often automated. Images come from phones, cameras, scans, and archives and have varying quality levels. Users do not need another complex editor; they need a reliable way to enhance the baseline quality.

HitPaw FotorPea seamlessly integrates with this environment because its AI models focus on realism, detail retention, and efficiency. The Comfy integration removes friction and allows image enhancement in the place where the work already exists.

 

Conclusion

 

The integration of HitPaw FotorPea's API with Comfy exemplifies the increased importance of automation in the contemporary photography world. Focusing on natural results, adaptable models, and the ability to handle larger projects shows how AI tools are becoming more flexible and are now more about improving technical quality than being used for creative purposes. HitPaw FotorPea is at the center of this integration. Its image enhancement models now work with Comfy to provide consistent and workflow-friendly visual improvement.

© Morris Hersko / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

 

Nikon has officially opened entries for the highly anticipated Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 for photographers and filmmakers from around the globe to share the humor and charm of the animal kingdom. Building on last year’s overwhelming success, this year’s competition promises even more laughter, creativity, and conservation awareness. With categories spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, aquatic life, and youth divisions, the awards celebrate the joy of wildlife while inspiring audiences to appreciate and protect the natural world. Entrants have the chance to win extraordinary prizes, including Nikon gear and a safari adventure in Kenya, making this year’s contest both entertaining and unforgettable.

 

From Nikon

Nikon is thrilled to announce the return of the world-renowned and delightfully entertaining Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. Now officially open for entry, the award celebrates the funniest and most heartwarming images from across the globe, showcasing the extraordinary animals we share our planet with.

Following the incredible response to last year's awards, 2026 is set to be even more ambitious and entertaining. By harnessing the charm of witty, offbeat wildlife images and videos, the competition continues to spark meaningful conversations around conservation and promote a deeper appreciation for nature.

To celebrate the launch, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards has released an exclusive collection of never-before-seen entries from 2025 - each one certain to raise a smile while inspiring photographers and filmmakers alike to take part in this year's competition.

Plus, with a host of spectacular prizes up for grabs - including Nikon cameras and lenses for the Nikon-sponsored categories - top entrants have the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, hosted by the incredible Alex Walker's Serian, along with a beautifully handcrafted trophy. All category winners will also receive a premium camera bag courtesy of ThinkTANK, and a professionally designed website from Amazing Internet.

This year's judging panel brings together a brilliant mix of fresh talent and seasoned experts. Three Nikon Creators - Cameron Whitnall, Hannah Stitfall, and Roxy Hemadani - are joined by Charlotte Kemsley, Regional Director for Nikon in Northern Europe, TV presenter Kate Humble, actor and comedian Hugh Dennis, wildlife photographers Daisy Gilardini and Will Burrard-Lucas, wildlife expert Will Travers OBE, and conservationist Bella Lack.

Joining the awards for the first time are Jamie Smart, an inspiring young wildlife photographer; Will Fortescue, adventurous photographer and safari expert; the witty Climate Comedian Stuart Goldsmith; and Roma Wells, a wild storyteller and nature/travel presenter extraordinaire.

This heart-warming competition is free to enter and open to the public until June 30th 2026. The shortlist will be unveiled in October, with the winners announced at a celebratory awards night in December.

Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe Senior General Manager Marketing says, "We're thrilled to continue our partnership with the Comedy Wildlife Awards, an initiative that has captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences worldwide. These awards showcase how humorous wildlife imagery can entertain, inspire, and bring people closer to nature. At Nikon, we are passionate about empowering photographers and filmmakers to create with purpose, and this collaboration is a wonderful way to celebrate their talent while highlighting the importance of conservation."

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards is proud to support Born Free, an international wildlife charity that has been championing compassionate conservation for over 40 years. Founded by Bill Travers MBE, Dame Virginia McKenna DBE, and Will Travers OBE, Born Free works around the world to protect threatened species, defend natural habitats, and ensure wild animals are treated with compassion and respect. Nikon is honoured to shine a spotlight on their vital work and longstanding commitment to keeping wildlife in the wild through this competition.

 

2026 competition entry categories include:

• Mammals Category
• Birds Category
• Reptiles, Amphibians and Insects Category
• Fish and Other Aquatic Species
• Nikon Young Photographer (25 yrs and under)
• Nikon Junior Category (16 yrs and under)
• Portfolio Category
• Nikon Video Category
• Photo People's Choice Award

For more information, please visit the competition website.

 

Spring officially begins this month so we want to fuel you with spring ideas and suggestions so when it does arrive, you'll be ready to head out with your camera. So, here's a list of all the best photographic opportunities this spring you won't want to miss.

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1. Lambs

 

One of the most notable and iconic features of spring is the abundance of baby animals. The easiest of these to go out and photograph freely are lambs. They are spritely creatures, and so to capture them sharply, use a higher shutter speed as they are liable to move just as you have set up your shot. There is more information on lamb photography in our lamb photography tutorial.

  2. Flowers

 

At the beginning of spring, snowdrops and daffodils will begin to shoot and bloom, providing ample opportunity for some macro and flower cluster shots. Head out to your nearest wooded area to find some wild spring flowers as well as waiting for the flowers in your garden to show.

More tips on photographing spring flowers can be found here: Spring Flower Photography Tips

 

3. The Last Frosts

 

At this time of year, the weather is getting milder, but you'll still be able to capture some frost if you're up and about early enough. Frost looks great when it forms on newly sprouting plants, as the vibrant colour contrasts nicely with the white of the frost.  You can find out more in our frost photography tutorial.

  4. Fresh Vegetation

 

Spring is not just about close-up shots. Take advantage of the blooming colours and fresh greens to create wider landscape shots, or even panoramas, that look more vibrant and alive. ePHOTOzine has plenty of landscape tutorials over in our technique section. 

  5. Sunrise / Sunset

 

You can still capture the sunrise at a reasonable time now and the sun is still going down just after most finish work giving you the chance to capture a cracking sunset too. 

  6. Showers/ Shooting In The Rain

 

Showers are a key part of spring, and they shouldn't put you off getting out with your camera. Some great shots can be achieved in the rain, and more information on how to capture them can be found in our tutorial on shooting daffodils in the rain and in our tutorial on coping with bad weather. 

 

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The ‘Above the Glacier’, a captivating mountain shot by RobTurner, has been awarded our ‘Photo of the Week’ (POTW) on ePHOTOzine this week.

This is an impressive image that shows the full scale of an alpine glacier. The view captures the glacier’s flow, with crevasses and a central moraine line visible as the ice moves between rugged peaks. The tall cliffs and snowy slopes add contrast, while the swirling clouds bring atmosphere and drama to the mountains.

It is a powerful landscape photograph that brings out the raw feel of high-altitude terrain. The drama of the mountain view is hard to miss. A beautiful shot and a very deserving POTW.

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 2027, we’ll crown our 2026 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!

Wildlife photography is a subject that all of us can have a go at in some shape or form as everything from pets and garden birds to wildlife in safari parks can be photographed. With so many animals waiting to be photographed, we thought we'd put together a list of our best wildlife tutorials so you can access all of the top tips from one easy-to-find place. 

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1. 10 Quick Tips On Photographing Garden Birds

 

Here are 10 basic but essential tips on photographing garden birds you can use to capture awesome wildlife images. You're going to need a telephoto zoom (300-400mm) for capturing frame-filling shots, a tripod and if you have one, a hide so you don't scare the robins and blue tits away. 

 

2. Winter Wildlife Photography Tips

 

Learn how to take great images of winter wildlife with our list of 9 top tips and essential advice which includes knowing how your camera and any other gear you have out with you works before you're outside in your hide. It may sound like a daft statement but knowing how to quickly adjust a setting can make all the difference when you only have a few seconds to take a shot.

 

3. Winter Bird Photography Tips

 

Winter days leave us with a shortage of daylight hours for photography but you don't have to venture far to photograph birds during this season, making them a perfect subject choice. Although, as well as garden birds, the British Isles – with its thousands of miles of coastland, is a haven for wintering waders, with Hooper Swan, Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Knot numbers swelling through the winter months. A visit to the coast can prove very successful through the winter.

 

4. How To Take Great Waterfowl Photos With Ease

 

Feeding ducks is something everyone enjoys but next time you head off for your Sunday morning stroll around your local pond, pocket your camera as well as the treats you take for the Mallards and Swans.

 

5. Photography In UK Wildlife Safari Parks

 

One location that's well worth a visit with your camera is a safari park as there are some excellent ones based in the UK that'll give you the opportunity to capture frame-filling images of Lions and other animals usually seen on an African plane. 

 

6. Why Use A Telephoto Lens For Wildlife Photography?

 

If you're thinking of trying nature or wildlife photography, as well as a camera it's worth investing in a telephoto lens. Why? Well, this is something we cover in this article but first, you need to decide which telephoto lens will work best for you. 

A medium telephoto can be useful for shots taken in and around zoos and wildlife parks but if you're capturing smaller subjects such as birds, even if it's in your own garden, you'll need a telephoto that has much more reach (300mm +). For shots of swans and ducks in the park, a shorter telephoto lens will be fine. 

 

7. Photographing Dragonflies And Damselflies

 

Head to ponds, lakes and rivers and chances are, you'll soon spot Damselflies and Dragonflies which make interesting subjects for a macro image. If you do want to have a go at capturing these flying insects in your shots ideally, you'll need a macro lens but a longer zoom with a macro function at the longer end will also work fine, especially when coupled with extension tubes. Approach slowly, and start taking pictures from a distance so if they do fly off, at least you've got a few images saved to your memory card.

 

8. How To Stop Wire Fences Ruining Your Wildlife Shots

 

Zoos and wildlife parks are great places to get up close with wildlife, but the fences and glass keeping us and the animals safe can cause a few problems for photographers.

Fences often rise above eye level and the tops aren't in easy reach (for good reason) so you can't hold your camera up above it to take your shots. As a result, we often have to take photos with the cage in front of us but this doesn't mean the fence has to appear and as a result spoil the shot.

 

 

9. 5 Common Wildlife Photography Mistakes To Avoid

Wildlife photography is a popular photographic subject, but it's not one of the easiest photography types to master. Subjects are fast, shy and can be tricky to capture, plus precision and patience are a must which means it's not something we can all get right. With this in mind, we've put together a list of 5 common mistakes along with advice on how to avoid them

 

10. Master Swan Photography With These 4 Tips

 

Swans are rather photogenic and you can easily spend half an hour or so taking pictures of these majestic birds. If you're in a particularly rural place where not many people venture and a swan sees you it probably means you won't be seeing it for much longer! But if you're at your local park where people often feed them you'll find it much easier to snap a swan's portrait. Nature reserves do have public hides you can sit and wait in but as we've said if you're in a place where the swans are used to seeing people you can leave your camouflage gear at home.

 

11. How To Capture Top Birds Of Prey Imagery

 

Photographing birds of prey in the wild isn't something that's easy to do, however as the UK is home to some excellent birds of prey centres, photographers have the opportunity to shoot up close with these majestic birds when armed with the right kit and technique. 

 

12. Photographing Lambs

 

Lambs are not only cute, but they're also a sign Spring is well-and-truely on its way so they make us doubly happy. Cuteness and happiness aside, they're great subjects for outdoor photos as not only do they make people go 'ahh' they're also pretty active so you can capture some great action shots as well as images that are a little calmer. 

To set you up for your lamb-themed photography shoot, we've got 5 essential tips to share with you. 

 

13. Perfect Your Pet Photography

 

Some people put their pets before family and have images of their favourite dog sat alongside their wedding, holiday and children's pictures. This might be you too! Of course, you are stuck if you do not have a dog, but the odds are you know someone with one so if you are really keen, finding a subject is not an issue.

 

  14. Butterfly Photography

 

Here we have a few tips to aid you in your pursuit of the perfect butterfly image. Meadows with wildflowers growing in abundance are great places for photographing butterflies but please don't trespass on other people's property. You could also visit one of the many nature reserves or public gardens found right across the UK.

 

15. 7 Essential Zoo Photography Tips

Take your camera along to the zoo for some close-up animal photography. Before you set off, go on the zoo's website, find a map and make a plan. Arrive early to beat the rush and try walking around the opposite way to the crowds to give yourself chance to capture shots without the crush. Feeding times are great photographic opportunities but they're popular with visitors so arrive early.

 

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

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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 Jimev (Day 11 - Close-Up).

 

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 8

Dogs

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Day 9

Church

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Day 10

'Fresh' Theme

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  Day 12

Lamb

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Day 13

Park

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Day 14

People

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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.

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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 CathTay (Day 24 - 'Balance').

 

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 22

Twilight Photography

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Day 23

Grey Weather Days

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Day 25

Creative Lighting

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  Day 26

Family Photos

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Day 27

Building Detail

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Day 28

Snowdrops

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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.

 

The national flower of Wales is the Daffodil and as it's St David's day today, where the flower is traditionally worn, we thought it was quite appropriate to kick-off March with a few tips on photographing this Welsh emblem. 

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1. Focus On One Flower 

Have a look at a clump of daffodils and single out the most interesting heads that can be photographed without too much clutter.

 

2. Plain Backgrounds 

In situations where there are no options to shoot the daffodil without a distracting background, place a piece of card behind the head to remove all the clutter. If you do have a clutter-free dark background in your garden, such as a conifer, you may need to underexpose by one stop using the camera's exposure compensation feature to ensure detail is picked up in the flower's petals. You could also use manual mode if your camera has that option.

 

3. Side-On Shots 

The most obvious way to shoot a single head is from overhead but if you position your camera so you can still see the front of the flower but you're positioned slightly to the side, almost as if you were shooting a portrait, you'll produce a more interesting result.

 

4. Blue Sky Backgrounds 

Try shooting upwards so you can position the head with blue sky behind it for dramatic contrast. Using a polariser will deepen the blue. Alternatively, as a member has previously suggested, use a mirror and photograph the reflection so you can include the sky without having to get low to the ground. 

 

 

5. Get Close-Up

Don't just shoot the whole head, go really close and offset the stamen, placing it in on the left or right third intersection of the photo for a more pleasing balance. Your camera's macro function will help you get closer to the flowerhead or fit a macro lens if your camera uses interchangeable lenses.

 

6. All The Flowers 

If you have a large patch in your garden that's a blanket of yellow get out your wide-angle lens which will still let you get in close but with the added bonus of excellent depth-of-field. The flowers will appear smaller but the convergence will make them look like they're reaching out towards the edge of the frame.

 

7. Remove Shadows 

If it's sunny, consider shading the flower with your hand to reduce the contrast. The overall tone will be more even and longer shadows which can appear on the flower's head will be removed.

 

 

8. Small Apertures 

Focus can be a little tricky so use the smallest aperture you can to stop blur creeping into your image.

 

9. Arty Blur 

Alternatively, use a wider aperture so the back petals fall gradually out of focus, focusing on the tip of the petal nearest to your lens. 

 

10. Giant Softbox

Don't see cloud cover as a bad thing as a light covering of cloud will act as a giant softbox. 

 

 

 

11. Wind Is Not Your Friend

As well as creating backgrounds, a card can be used to shield your subject from the wind. If you have one, you can use a plamp to steady a flower. 

 

12. Water Droplets 

Spray the petals with water so that droplets appear making the petals look fresh and glowing. It'll also add another level of interest to your shot. 

 

13. Use A Reflector

Take a reflector out with you, particularly on dull days, so you can bounce extra light into your shot without having to use your flash. You can make your own reflector from silver foil if you don't own one.

 

14. Cuttings Inside

Take a cutting and place it on a different background for a more graphic result. 

 

 

15. Shoot From Under The Flower Head

Capture your shots from under the flower head, turning it into a strong silhouetted shape against a bright sky.  If you don't want it to appear as a silhouette use exposure compensation and expose one stopover what your camera considers to be correct to give your shots a creative twist without removing detail. 

 

16. Backlit Fun With Old Flowers

Don't throw out old flowers once they wilt. Wait until the head has gone crisp and photograph that against the sun to create backlit effects.

 

17. Creative Effects 

Play around with your shots to achieve various creative effects. This can be done in-camera via Art Filters or during post-production. 

 

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