DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

© Fujifilm

 

Fujifilm Corporation announced a major investment of 5 billion JPY to strengthen its production facilities for instax films at the Ashigara Site in the Kanagawa Factory. This move is designed to meet the growing global demand for the popular instax series.

The new production lines will start operating in stages from spring 2026 and are expected to be fully running by autumn 2026. Once complete, Fujifilm will increase its instax film production capacity by about 10 percent compared to FY2025.

 

Global growth of instax

Since its launch in 1998, instax cameras and films have become a worldwide brand available in more than 100 countries. The lineup has grown from instant cameras to hybrid instant cameras, smartphone printers, and compact palm‑sized cameras. Fujifilm also introduced instax Biz, an application that allows businesses to create custom photo templates for events.

 

Continuous investment

Fujifilm has been investing in instax film production facilities since 2022. With 2 billion JPY invested in 2022, 4.5 billion JPY in 2023, and this latest 5 billion JPY investment, the total investment now reaches about 11.5 billion JPY. As a result, production capacity will rise by about 50 percent compared to FY2022.

 

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Company statement

Fujifilm stated it will continue to explore new possibilities in photography and expand the world of instax instant photo printing, giving people more ways to enjoy photos on the spot.

 

Investment overview

• Company: Fujifilm Corporation, Ashigara Site, Kanagawa Factory
• Location: 210 Nakanuma, Minami‑Ashigara‑shi, Kanagawa, Japan
• Total Investment: Approx. 5 billion JPY
• Details: New production lines for instax films and related facilities
• Operation Start: Spring 2026, fully operational by autumn 2026

 

How instax film works

• Instax film uses silver halide photography technology with 18 layers that react to light.
• When the film is ejected, developer fluid spreads evenly across the surface to start the chemical reaction.
• Excess fluid is absorbed by the frame, and the photo gradually appears in about 90 seconds.

instax and instax Biz are registered trademarks of Fujifilm Corporation.

 

For more information, please visit the Fujifilm website.

 

If you enjoyed our technique on cross polarisation photography have a look at this variation. As it is winter I thought we'd take an icy deviation to the standard plastic cross polarising effect. Here we've still used plastic but added a colourful background to a frozen texture.
 

Gear Suggestions

All you need is a CD case, some tape and a little bit of pre-planning, along with the essential hardware comprising of a camera with any lens (ideally with a close up mode), LCD computer monitor and a polarising filter. Oh, and a steady support for the camera.

It doesn't matter if your camera doesn't have a filter thread (often the case when using compact cameras) as you can hold the filter over the lens when taking the shot.
 

The Set-Up 

First the preparation. Prise out the CD retaining tray (the bit with the clips that go through the centre of the cd to hold it in the jewel case) out of a standard CD jewel case. Use the Album type not the slimline or clam case. Close the case and tape around all the edges where there are gaps to make the sides and base water tight. Make sure the top gap is open so you can pour water in. Fill it with water through the gap on top and insert it into your fridge's ice box.

When it's frozen set up your mini studio set. Turn on the computer monitor and set it so the background is uncluttered. A standard mid grey desktop is perfect, avoid a fancy pattern. If you don't have one and cannot work out how to change your windows desktop pattern open up a mid-grey image in an image editing program and expand it to fill the screen. 

As the ice will melt quickly in the tray it's best to set up using a different CD case so you can arrange everything and switch to the icy one when you're ready to take a photo.  So position your stand-in CD case about 20-30cm in front of the screen. I used a McClamp, but you could use any form of support or even just pile up some books and balance it on top. Remember that the ice will melt as you take photos so you'll need some sheet to protect books and a cloth to mop up excess water. If you're quick you won't end up with much mess.

Position the camera in front of the CD case with the lens set to fill the frame with a portion of the case. If your camera doesn't focus close enough to fill the frame shoot as close as you can and crop the picture when taken. Again you can use books as a support and stack them to the necessary height. Alternatively use a tripod which gives a sturdier and much more versatile support.
 

 

Add The Ice

When everything is set up, switch from stand-in CD to the real ice-filled CD. Take the front of the case so you have the ice layer and then the back of the case. Balance on your support and make sure the camera back is parallel to the case so you maximise sharpness.

Now, adjust the camera position to frame in on a specific are of the ice. Areas with cracks or large bubbles can look best. The ice slab will provide lots of different textures and by rotating the polariser you can deliver different colours from the same position.

Focus carefully on the bubbles so they look really clear. You can shoot on automatic as the metering should be pretty accurate.

If you're using a camera without a filter thread hold the polariser to your eye and rotate around until the screen goes black. keep the filter in that position and move it in front of the lens.  The shutter speed will probably be slow so set the camera to the self-time mode and take pictures using that. The 2 or 10-second delay is enough to allow the camera to be still before the photo is taken.

Take pictures until the ice begins to melt fast. You have about 10 - 20 minutes before a puddle will appear.

© 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.

  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.

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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 Zwarder (Day 9 - 'White' Theme)

 

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 10

Christmas Bauble

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Day 11

Christmas Plants

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Day 12

Festive Theme

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  Day 13

Low Light Architecture

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Day 14

Light Painting

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Day 15

Cold & Frosty Morning

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Day 16

Still Life Indoors

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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.

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.

© 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.