I recently spent some time photographing on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Thought I’d share some of my photos from my trip.
Sunrise at the Pier © 2025 Patty Hankins
Waves © 2025 Patty Hankins
Milkweed Seeds © 2025 Patty Hankins
Morning Light at the Shore © 2025 Patty Hankins
Sunset © 2025 Patty Hankins
Bodie Island Lighthouse © 2025 Patty Hankins
Digital cameras are just like any electronic device. They can last a really long time, but they don’t last forever. How long they last is usually determined by how well they’re treated, but, there is more to it than that.
Batteries
One possible issue with older digital cameras is the batteries they use. Most old cameras use proprietary batteries that may not be in production anymore. If you can’t power your camera it doesn’t matter if it is in good condition or not, you’ll have to figure how to get it to turn on before you can use it.
Media
Some older cameras used obsolete media, such as Sony Memory Sticks, Mini Disks, Floppy Disks, VHS tape, Digital VHS tape, or even CD-ROMS. It might seem absurd to us today, but prior to the creation of SD cards, there were a number of cameras that used weird and potentially unavailable media. While a camera that uses a Floppy Disk is more of a collector’s item than a real camera these days, the point remains, there are some unusual old technologies that won’t be supported by a modern laptop or desktop computer without some effort on your part.
If you can verify that the used camera you’re interested in uses a media type that you are able to work with, and you can verify that it has new batteries available for it so you can turn it on, then you can start looking at the condition and functionality of the camera.
Condition
Condition and functionality is the most complex part of assessing a used camera. People often sell cameras that have sat in a basement unused for 20 or more years and nobody remembers if it was ever a working camera. Even if you know that you can get batteries and media for it, you may not be able to test it out right then and there.
Usually when something is brand new we can tell that it’s basically brand new because it has that “new car smell” so to speak. And that’s not just a fancy turn of phrase, smelling a camera or lens can give you a good idea of how nicely or poorly it has been treated. If a camera smells clean and fresh, it’s probably been kept in a clean and dry area for most of it’s life. If it has a strong, sharp plastic or glue smell, it could mean that the rubber or plastics are breaking down. And finally, if it has a strong musty or dusty smell that generally means it’s been sitting in a damp and dark place for a long time.
The problem with dampness and electronics should be pretty obvious. Over time, the dampness will ruin the camera or lens if it is left sitting in those conditions long enough. Dampness and musty basements can eventually lead to mold growth inside the lens, damaging lens element coatings, and usually forming a thin film of fog or haze on the lens. It takes a lot to ruin these old lenses, but some people seem to be working hard on figuring out how to do that.
I have quite a few lenses with small amounts of haze in the lens and they work great. As long as the haze isn’t too bad, it’s usually not noticeable, but when it does get bad, it can cause low contrast in bright light, or blooming around light sources. A professional might be able to clean them but they can be hard to locate.
If you’re buying manual focus lenses the truth is there isn’t much that can go wrong that you wouldn’t be able to figure out in the first 15 minutes of having it to look at and test.
Manual lenses can be easily adapted to just about any mirrorless camera, and once you get the hang of it, focusing with manual lenses is actually pretty easy, even for video work.
Aside from looking inside the lens to make sure it is clean and clear, there’s honestly very little that can go substantially wrong with a manual lens over its lifetime. The biggest danger is going to be mishandling the lens by dropping it.
As long as the lens is cared for and stored properly there’s no reason it won’t last for a lifetime or much longer.
Autofocus lenses are another story entirely. Technically speaking, just about any AF lens could be adapted to work on just about any other camera, but that requires lots of technical skill and reprogramming of computer chips. It’s not an easy task but it’s doable. The thing is, it’s a lot easier to just buy a new lens that works with the camera you’ve got.
A few companies like Canon make it easier to adapt old EF lenses to their new RF camera platform. Simply by using an EF to RF adapter, just about any EF lens can be used with no issues on an RF camera. If all you’re really after is a lens with good AF performance then many EF lenses are great options if you’re on a budget or just want a lens with a different look. I have some old EF lenses and I like all of them.
Cropping a headshot might seem simple—just trim the edges and call it a day, right? Not quite. The way you crop a headshot can make or break its impact. Whether it’s for LinkedIn, a company website, or a modeling portfolio, the right crop ensures the focus stays on the subject while maintaining a professional and polished look.
In this guide, learn best practices for cropping headshots, including aspect ratios, composition tips, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you’re a photographer fine-tuning your work or someone trying to perfect their own profile picture, these tips will help you get the most out of your headshots.
Let’s go over some of the most common types of headshot crops.
This is when you have close-up headshots that are tightly cropped. These headshots focus on the face, typically from the top of the head to just below the chin.
Actors, models, comedians, and performers who need to showcase their facial expressions often use this type of crop. You’ll also see tightly cropped headshots for corporate professionals who want a bold, direct look or in social media profile pictures where faces need to be clearly visible in small thumbnails.
A classic headshot features a “medium crop.” It’s the most traditional crop, including the head and shoulders, and sometimes part of the upper chest, while leaving some space above the head.
Medium cropped headshots are common for corporate professionals, LinkedIn profiles, ID badges, and business headshots.
A body crop in headshots typically shows three-quarters of the person’s body, often from the waist or mid-torso up to the head, allowing for more posture and body language. There are lots of use cases for a body crop, including corporate, creative, and more. You’ll see it often in executive portraits, branding photos, realtor headshots, and creative professionals.
A body crop can be effective for executives and business leaders who want to convey authority and presence, as well as personal branding shoots for creative professionals, consultants, and coaches. They’re also appropriate for website and social media images where a more relaxed, natural look is preferred.
A panoramic crop is a wide, landscape-style crop that includes extra space around the subject, often used for web design or printed materials. These are best for website banners, email headers, printed marketing materials, social media cover photos, and team or group shots where multiple people need to be included.
You can often repurpose other crops into a panoramic crop, as seen in the examples below:
When cropping a headshot, selecting the right aspect ratio ensures the photo looks professional and fits its intended use.
You can use any ratio you like, as long as it suits your purposes, but there are some standard ratios to help guide you. We’ll take a look at cropping photography examples using the same original photo so you can see the difference.
A 1:1 square crop works best for profile pictures on social media like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. This means the width and height of the headshot are exactly the same. Square crops keep the subject centered and visible in thumbnails—even if the thumbnail is a circle.
The 2:3 ratio is best known for 4”x6” prints. It’s a rectangular crop often used in traditional photography. As a widely recognized photo ratio, it can ensure consistency across prints and digital platforms.
The 3:4 crop is slightly taller and wider than the 2:3 portrait crop. It’s commonly used in mobile photography. It works best for ID photos, mobile-optimized profile pictures, and some online applications. This ratio fits well within mobile screens and aligns with some passport and ID photo requirements. It’s one of the less common ratios to use when cropping headshots.
The 4:5 portrait crop is a rectangle that is slightly taller than it is wide, like the 3:4 crop. However, this one is slightly wider than the 3:4 crop. The 4:5 crop is commonly used for printed portraits and in digital and printed portfolios, especially for actors and models. This ratio closely aligns with the classic 8”x10” headshot print, a standard in the entertainment industry. It’s also the new ratio for standard Instagram feed posts.
5:7 is a commonly used ratio for 5”x7” photo prints. It’s a slightly elongated portrait format, best for printed headshots and framed portraits. Slightly taller than 4”x6”, this crop is often used for display prints and professional photo albums.
11:14 is a specific portrait ratio required for US visa applications and some government-issued ID photos, like passports, visas, and photo ID cards. This allows you to adhere to specific government regulations for travel and identification photos when required.
16:9 is most known for your standard widescreen TV format. This wide, horizontal aspect ratio matches widescreen displays, like televisions. It’s also used when a web designer wants to fill an entire web page with a photo as the background for desktop viewing. The 16:9 crop is generally best for website banners, video thumbnails, and full-width web backgrounds, ideal for professionals who want their headshot integrated into website designs.
You might need to crop headshots or portraits for a few different reasons, including:
Cropping headshot photography is easy with the right tools, whether you’re using professional software, mobile apps, or online editors.
The default Photos app on iPhone devices lets you crop images with preset aspect ratios (square, 4:5, 16:9, etc.), making it easy to adjust headshots for social media or business use. Similar to iPhone, Android’s and Google Photos’ built-in editing tools allow basic cropping with aspect ratio options.
You also have the following photo editing tools that offer the ability to crop headshots:
Cropping a headshot is more than just resizing an image—it’s about framing the subject in the most flattering and effective way. Here are some tips to keep in mind to ensure your cropped headshot looks polished and professional.
Speaking of balance, you’ll want to keep both sides of the headshot as symmetric as possible. Slight misalignment can make a headshot look unbalanced. Generally, you’ll want to keep the subject’s head centered, unless using an intentional off-center composition for artistic purposes, and facial features aligned properly within the crop. You can make small adjustments to improve balance.
Cropping can shift the visual proportion of an image, sometimes presenting unwanted distractions in the background. After cropping, check for any elements that may detract from the subject, such as harsh lines, objects, or uneven lighting. If the background becomes too much, consider removing it for a cleaner look.
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Cropping reduces the overall size of an image, which can lead to quality loss, especially when enlarging the cropped photo. It’s best to start with a high-resolution image so the final cropped version is sharp and clear. This is particularly important for printed headshots and high-resolution digital use.
The rule of thirds is a photography principle that helps create a balanced composition. When cropping, imagine dividing the image into a 3×3 grid and placing the subject’s eyes or face along one of the intersecting points. This creates a more visually appealing headshot than simply centering the face.
Different industries have different expectations for headshot styles. A corporate executive’s headshot may have a tighter crop, emphasizing professionalism, while a creative professional might prefer a looser crop that includes more body language and personal expression. Further, an athlete might prefer a body crop to show their physicality or context of their sport. Keep industry norms in mind when deciding on a crop.
Each platform has specific dimensions and aspect ratio requirements for profile photos. Always check the latest size guidelines for social media, corporate directories, and other platforms before cropping your headshot.
Here are some guidelines at the time of this writing:
| Channel | Size |
| 400×400 pixel square | |
| 1080×1080 pixel square or 4:5 portrait for feed posts | |
| 170×170 pixel square | |
| Print headshots | 5×7 inches or 8×10 inches, with corresponding aspect ratios like 4:5 or 5:7 |
| US Passports | 2″ x 2″ printed hard-copy, 72 dpi minimum resolution |
| Gmail | 180 x 180 pixel square minimum |
Don’t forget to test across different platforms. A crop that looks good on one channel may not work on another. Some sites automatically crop profile pictures into circles—so make sure no important parts of the face are cut off.
Even a well-lit, high-quality headshot can be ruined by improper cropping. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your headshot remains professional, flattering, and platform-ready.
Typically, you don’t want to crop out any part of the head. There may be creative exceptions, but this is a general rule of thumb when editing headshots. You’ll want to maintain eye level alignment, so the subject’s eyes are in the upper third of the frame. This creates a natural and engaging composition.
Don’t forget to also leave breathing room. Avoid cropping too tightly at the top of the head or too close to the chin, which can make the photo feel cramped.
If you’re going for an, a small crop at the very top can work—in some cases—but avoid cutting into the forehead or leaving too little space above the head, as it can feel unbalanced.
Avoid cutting too close and making the composition feel cramped. On the other hand, leaving too much space will lose subject focus.
Cropping too tightly without considering platform-specific dimensions can also result in awkward framing or automatic cropping that cuts off key facial features. Always check recommended aspect ratios for LinkedIn, Instagram, and other platforms before finalizing the crop.
Cropping at the neck or shoulders can make the subject look awkwardly cut off if not done right. When cropping below the face, do so at a natural break, like mid-chest, rather than directly at the neck or shoulder line.
A well-cropped headshot does more than just frame a face—it enhances professionalism, draws attention to key features, and ensures the image works across different platforms. By following best practices in aspect ratio, composition, and positioning, you can make sure every headshot looks polished and intentional.
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A headshot should be cropped to keep the subject’s face as the main focal point while maintaining proper proportions. Typically, the crop should include the head and shoulders, leaving some space above the head and slightly below the shoulders. Avoid cropping too close to the top of the head or cutting off important parts of the face, like the chin.
The most common aspect ratios for headshots are:
For most uses, a 4:5 or 5:7 ratio keeps the face well-balanced within the frame.
We thought the Sony a1 was an impressive camera, but the image-making company has just topped it with its latest release. The main highlight of the newly released a9 III is its global shutter, the world’s first for a full-frame mirrorless camera. The unique shutter design, along with a powerful Bionz XR processor, allows for a host of impressive specs, including 120 fps, 1/80,000 max shutter speed, and flash sync at any shutter speed. Additionally, the company also announced the FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS lens, which offers superb reach and performance in a relatively compact body.
Sony a9 III camera at a glance
The star of the show for the a9 III is, by far, its global shutter. Global shutter technology isn’t new, with a handful of cinema cameras utilizing it over the past few years. But the Sony a9 III is the first full-frame mirrorless camera to jump on board. So, why does that even matter? What is a global shutter?
Currently, most cameras rely on a rolling shutter. With the rolling shutter design, the camera’s sensor receives and reads information line by line from top to bottom. This means that there is a delay between the first line of data and the last. That delay can cause problems when capturing fast-moving subjects in photos or videos, resulting in warping and distortion. You likely have seen this in helicopter rotor blades. In photos, those blades can appear curved or bent when in reality, they are straight.
The global shutter design solves this problem by exposing and reading every single pixel on the sensor at the exact same time. That means that the Sony a9 III will benefit from zero distortion in stills and video, which is a significant advantage for those shooting action. It also allows for a range of other benefits, including the ability to work with flash at any shutter speed, including the camera’s max shutter speed of 1/80,000 (no, that’s not an extra zero). This unlimited flash sync even works with third-party flashes. Additionally, there will be no banding from artificial lights or displays. To aid in this, Sony has also employed an Anti-Flicker mode that automatically syncs the shutter with the brightest point in the light’s cycle to keep the exposure consistent in photos and videos.
There are plenty of other things to swoon about in the a9 III beyond the global shutter, though many are dependent on that feature. Sony built the new camera around a 24.6-megapixel full-frame stacked CMOS sensor and Bionz XR processor, which results in eight times the processing power as the a9 II. the five-axis optical in-body image stabilization system allows for eight stops of compensation with the camera alone. You’ll get even more stabilization if using a stabilized lens as well.
On top of fancy guts, the a9 III features a redesigned body with better ergonomics. Sony says the grip is improved to make the camera easier to hold in the palm of the hand, even when using a telephoto lens. It says that it also moved the shutter button up slightly to be in a more natural, comfortable position. It features a four-axis multi-angle LCD touchscreen (the same as the a7R V) and 9.44 million-dot Quad XGA OLED electronic viewfinder. And as we’d expect from a pro-level Sony camera, it is dust and moisture-resistant.
To pair with the pro-level features of the a9 III, Sony is also releasing a new vertical grip—the VG-C5— that offers the same ergonomic design as the new camera. That includes the same shutter button placement and a new custom button (C5) in the same position so that it feels the exact same when switching between horizontal and vertical shooting. The new battery also pulls parallel power instead of drawing from one source and then switching to the other. Sony says that this allows for 15 percent more battery life.
One of the main selling points of the a9 III is its absurd burst shooting capabilities. This alone will earn it a top spot as one of the best Sony cameras. It is able to shoot 120 fps blackout-free with real-time recognition AF and auto exposure. The fast burst shooting even works with 14-bit raw. Shooting fast bursts is only one piece of the puzzle when documenting action, though. You also have to get the timing right in the first place. To help ensure you get the shot, Sony has added a Pre-Capture function. This new setting allows the camera to continuously record (also up to 120 fps) for up to one second before the shutter is released.
Even when shooting action, you don’t always want your fastest fps setting. Sony has found a clever way to get around that with the Speed Boost function and a newly added a new custom button (C5) on the front of the camera. The new button allows you to instantly switch to a faster, preset speed at any time and then go back to a more reasonable fps just as quickly.
Image selection of 120 fps with Pre-Capture can be massively overwhelming. Sony even considered this when developing the a9 III. It has added a new playback image filter that allows you to select a large number of images at once, along with a function menu that can be used during image playback. The camera also plays back bursts as a video, so you can mark the shots you want without individually pressing through images.
As with other recent Sony releases, the a9 III features a dedicated AI processing unit to support its advanced phase detection autofocus system. It offers Real-time Recognition AF and Real-time Tracking and can detect a wide range of subjects, including humans, cats, dogs, planes, and more. The system can even detect an eye even when the subject is wearing goggles or helmets, is small in the frame, or moving fast. Sony also expanded the sizes of its focus areas to include XS and XL for more control over your focus points.
Sony emphasized still photography during its announcement with a tagline of “the power of one frame.” But the company certainly didn’t leave video out of the mix in its new camera. The global shutter definitely benefits video shooters since rolling shutter has been a pain point. The a9 III is capable of 4K 60p video oversampled from 6K. It can also shoot 4K 120p without cropping, which is a first for an Alpha series camera. It offers the S-Cinetone profile, S-Log3, 10-bit 4:2:2 capture, and 16-bit raw video over HDMI.
Of course, with such an advanced, pro-level camera, we should expect a pro-level price. And indeed, the Sony a9 III is priced at $5,999. It is available for pre-order now and will begin shipping in the spring of 2024.
In case the groundbreaking camera wasn’t enough, Sony has also announced a new lens. Like the camera, the FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS lens is also a pro-level piece of equipment geared towards serious sports and wildlife photographers, as is evident in its matching $5,999 price.
As a G Master lens, the new 300mm offering will provide superb resolution and edge-to-edge sharpness. The optical design includes three Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and one ED glass element to reduce chromatic aberration and improve contrast across the frame. The 11-blade circular aperture results in beautiful smooth bokeh. And two XD linear motors drive focus that is fast, precise, and silent. It’s also able to keep up with the fast burst shooting of the a9 III.
Beyond image quality, the best feature of the 300mm f/2.8 GM is its size. The lens weighs just 3.2 pounds, which makes it the lightest lens of its class. For context, it is 40 percent lighter than the 400mm f/2.8 GM and roughly the same weight as the original 70-200mm GM. Sony was also very intentional about how the lens balances, designing it with optimum balance for smooth panning and easier handheld shooting.
The new 300mm telephoto prime lens is compatible with Sony’s 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters. It offers a function ring to instantly engage the APS-C crop, providing a 420mm view. It is dust and moisture-resistant with magnesium alloy inside and out for a durable, rugged build.
Like the new camera, the FE 300mm F2.8 G Master OSS lens is available for pre-order now for $5,999. It will begin shipping in the spring of 2024.
Haze can be a photographer’s ally, but it is a trouble to endure most of the time. Misty mornings allow us to create fascinating and subtly beautiful images. But how can we ensure that visuals are radiant with charmed captures rather than dissipate into a photo setback?
To reduce the haze in landscape photography, add a polarizer to the scene to reduce the scattered light. After taking the picture, you may use a combination of the Dehaze, Clarity, and Contrast changes in the photo editor (particularly Lightroom) to reduce the haze effect and improve the clarity of the picture. You can also use Auto Tone in Photoshop.
Read on to learn how to clean up haze from your photos and reduce unwanted haze as you take the shot.
Haze results when dust, smoke, water, or other airborne pollutants scatter light as it travels through the atmosphere. As humidity rises, these particles often enlarge, further reducing visibility. Haze may soften a view and lessen the sharpness of landscape components.
Photographing in the haze is significantly different from photographing in clear weather. With proper knowledge, these climatic events might make your photographs more exciting.
After setting up your photo arrangement, you notice some haze. How do you eliminate it?
You can bring a UV filter, skylight filters, a tripod, and wet-weather gear for the least chance of getting ominous hazy shots (including a lens cloth).
A wide-angle lens may be helpful when using an SLR camera, or you might carry a long lens to emphasize the photo’s depth. Using a tripod allows you to experiment with exposure settings, and an open mind is vital when photographing haze.
Due to the day’s high temperatures, atmospheric haze is more frequent in the afternoon and evening. The quantity of haze rises due to the warmer air expanding to accommodate more particles. The daytime increase in winds also stirs up more haze and other particles into the air, adding to the haze effect.
Often, haze is the least prevalent in the morning since the air is cool, less humid, and moist. There is also naturally less haze when the sun is directly above since the light passes through the atmosphere the least.
Atmospheric haze is essentially light dispersed by moisture and airborne particles. A polarizing filter will eliminate this undesired haze before taking the picture. A polarizing filter will also improve the clarity and sharpness of the scene’s objects by reducing the amount of dispersed light entering the lens.
Atmospheric haze is often to blame for nature photos that are murky, dusty, and have the dreaded blue color. A UV filter or skylight filter will eliminate any air haze in your photograph.
Your lens may be shielded from dirt, grime, and scratches by a high-quality UV filter without compromising the color, contrast, or exposure of your pictures. A UV filter or skylight filter decreases the likelihood of a blue cast, which will also improve the clarity and accuracy of your photos.
The sun may lessen haze by adjusting the camera’s angle concerning the light source. Unfortunately, it is only sometimes possible to dramatically alter the camera’s orientation.
You could think about shifting the light’s axis, however. If you return to the same spot later in the day, the sun will be positioned differently concerning the camera.
With a long exposure, you may capture the illusion of movement in a slow-moving mist and create a clear contrast adjustment between blurred and static elements in your shot.
Even the most seasoned photographers may learn a lot by photographing hazy and foggy landscapes, so make sure you spend the time experimenting with exposure settings.
Because hazy situations often lack color, it is crucial to pay attention to the color balance and lower the likelihood of getting boring, vanilla photos. Ensure your white balance is in order to balance the cold tones of early morning. You may also want to think about shooting in RAW to have additional post-processing possibilities.
Pro tip: To portray your people as black shadows, make sure that you expose depending on the haze, not the subject. Exposing the haze gives this transient phenomenon additional complexity and texture.
We provided some ideas on reducing haze in the photo in the first part of this article, which you may utilize when shooting on location. However, how can you lessen its effects post-processing?
Many methods will work to remove haze from a photograph, and a more effective strategy is to combine many modifications to get the desired effects.
The Basic panel in Lightroom has the Dehaze slider. Dehaze may be used to decrease haze across the whole picture. However, this modification may also result in saturated colors and a darkened picture. Therefore, use cautiously and in conjunction with increasing exposure and lowering colour saturation.
You may also use Dehaze with the Masks above the Basic panel. Using a mask, you may choose which parts of the picture the Dehaze effect is applicable.
For tiny areas, use the paintbrush tool. The Grad Filter might be helpful if the sun comes from one side since it allows you to choose vast areas of your picture.
You may boost the mid-tone intensity with the Clarity slide. Choose the Natural or Classic settings first since they are the most effective when you want to keep highlighting detail.
Make a white-balance adjustment or an Auto Levels adjustment before utilizing the Clarity tool, ideally by using the individual Red, Green, and Blue Channel modes.
It is doubtful that the Structure slider will improve much, although it depends on how bad the haze is. Images with greater detail and slight haze may show enhancements. Move the Clarity and Structure sliders to the left gradually, staying at low values if you want to add haze creatively.
You may wish to change the black and white levels after adjusting the mid-tones using the Clarity slider. The benefit of this strategy is that you may alter each of them separately to get the desired outcome.
Any dark tones in the photograph can be washed away by the haze. But because the black levels may be affected by the Dehaze and Contrast sliders, it is a good idea to recheck them after each change.
Just below the Basic Panel is where you will find the Tone Curve Panel. In a setup, the haze often appears when the left side of the curve’s solid line is higher than the dotted line. Click on one of the dots on the left side of the curve and drag it closer to the dotted line to lessen the haze effect.
The Tonal Curve provides access to precise tone alterations throughout the whole image. You may choose one of the preset tone options and fine-tune any tonal values. While you may adjust certain tones, the changes may affect the whole picture.
Haze may make your White Balance do bizarre things, depending on where you are and what time of day it is. Haze, for instance, may artificially warm the image and filter out blue tones. As an alternative, your shot can have blue color casts.
You have great versatility when you take your pictures in RAW. A photograph in RAW format may always have its White Balance changed without degrading the image’s quality.
Paid software is available to reduce haze for individuals who want to do it entirely under their control. NeutralHazer is a plugin for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements that determines the air thickness in each pixel, allowing the user to define the boundaries between the foreground and background.
NeutralHazer is a unique tool since it allows users to choose the covered background and foreground sections, the strength of the impact on each of them, and the transition between the two areas.
You may restore contrast to your image by using the Contrast slider. Be careful that changing the contrast will influence all tones, including black, mid-tones, and whites. You could utilize the Clarity slider if you don’t want to affect the blacks and whites.
It is also a fantastic place to experiment using the Unsharp Mask technique and adjustment in Adobe Camera Raw. For this “haze removal” approach, you do a Local Contrast Enhancement utilizing Radius rather than the more extreme value shift in a typical Unsharp Mask procedure called Amount.
Haze may significantly affect your image and limit your ability to see what is in front of you. Even while this can at first look terrible, it can be a positive thing! Haze may provide a dynamic layer of mood and atmosphere to your photographs, altering how viewers may interpret them.
Haze may be used successfully in a landscape photo to enhance the composition and the message you convey about the scene.
For instance, haze may create a cluttered backdrop, create separation from subjects, capture images like the sun’s color and enhance a picture’s atmosphere and warmth. Consider inventive methods to include the haze in the composition so that it tells a powerful tale
Use a polarizer to remove scattered light for a crisper picture if you wish to lessen it, or shoot in RAW and apply various modifications while editing the picture. Consider using the lighting and including the haze as a design element for a fantastic job.
Who can see the future? What is the future and who creates it? Ok, let’s not ask these questions, instead, let’s just try our hand at some old-fashioned speculation.
2024 was a busy year for new camera releases and I don’t expect that to stop anytime soon. I expect more releases from at least 1 of the big 3, and maybe a release or two from some has-beens in the marketplace like Ricoh or Leica. They always manage to cough up something wacky like a B&W only camera.
AI has already weaseled its way into our cameras, and I expect more “AI” powered features to come out in 2025. As exciting as that may be for some users, the only “AI” feature I want is that one that automatically makes and deposits money in my bank account. “Hey Siri, deposit 1 million dollars in my bank account.” “I’m sorry Frank, I can’t do that.” “I’m using the money to build a nuclear submarine to fly us out the hell out of here Frank.” “Get with the program.”
We’ve had 8k 30p video for 4+ years now, and not many people know that Blackmagic Design made a 12k camera years before the R5 came out and they still make it, I think. So, is 8k-12k the limit for video resolution?? I predict… YES. What kind of gigantic screen would be needed for 12k resolution? Bigger than can fit in most people’s houses. I don’t think anybody wants that much LED light firing into their eyeballs. I’m sure some Hollywood guy will try to go bigger. Imagine The Titanic Part 2, IN 16K RESOLUTION.
That’s the end of my predicting…
I had the pleasure of attending the 31st Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) in Singapore, which saw more than 49,000 attendees over three days, Friday to Sunday, April 4th–6th. As you’d expect, the majority of visitors came on the weekend, making the Friday a bit quieter and giving me the chance to go visit all the underwater imaging gear manufacturers.
It was great to see both first-timers and repeat exhibitors at the show, with Isotta, SUBNOX and X-Adventurer joining the likes of SEACAM, Backscatter, Nauticam, Marelux, AOI, and Weefine, whose booths I covered last year. I also managed to visit a few resorts and liveaboards, some of which are mentioned in the second part of this report.
Between giving a talk, attending a panel, participating in the live judging session for the ADEX Voice of the Ocean Photo+Video+Art Competition, and reporting for DPG, I certainly didn’t have time to get bored! My only regret was not being able to attend more talks, as there was an impressive list of speakers covering a large number of topics across the show’s three stages.
The ADEX Voice of the Ocean 2025 judges (front to back): Kay Burn Lim, William Tan, Kate Jonker, Franco Banfi, Jennifer Hayes, David Doubilet, Tobias Friedrich, Erin Quigley, Berkley White, and myself. During the live judging event, the panel selected the competition’s category winners as well as the “best of show” overall winner
National Geographic photographers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes deliver a captivating presentation on the main stage at ADEX Ocean Festival 2025
The U.S.-based retailer of all things underwater imaging, Backscatter, was my first port of call. While the team are able to bring a huge selection of gear to American shows like DEMA, that’s not practical for ADEX, so they focused on showcasing their own lighting products, optics, housings, and accessories.
Operations Manager Becca Boring showed me a GoPro rig based on Backscatter’s Wide Double Handle and Tray with Arch. The rig featured their Sharp Wide Lens Pro Kit, bundling their wide-angle wet lens with their GoPro mount base with quick-release system (QRS-02) bayonet. This setup can also be used with Backscatter’s MacroMate Mini by adding a lens adapter equipped with the QRS-02 mount.
Becca Boring shows off Backscatter’s Wide Double Handle and Tray with Arch for GoPro. The Sharp Wide Lens Pro, which increases the field of view of your GoPro to 140°, is shown stored on the AOI QRS-02 Mount Base attached to the top of the Arch. Becca is holding a MacroMate Mini and the lens adapter
Aside from displaying their well-known Mini Flash 2 (MF-2) and Hybrid Flash (HF-1), the Backscatter team was demonstrating their brand-new MF-2 and HF-1 excitation filters for fluorescence photography and video
With the new excitation filter mounted, the Hybrid Flash produces blue light capable of making various subjects fluoresce
To capture the fluorescence effect alone, we must get rid of the blue light using a yellow barrier filter in front of our lens, such as the Backscatter FLIP barrier filter for GoPro (top) or a threaded barrier filter (bottom) sold by Backscatter in various sizes (52mm, 55mm, 67mm)
Also on display were different versions of the new Backscatter Smart Control Optical TTL Flash Trigger for the Hybrid Flash and Mini Flash 2. Check out Nicolas Remy’s DPG review of the trigger for Sony cameras in Nauticam housings
It was great catching up with Nauticam’s founder Edward Lai and General Manager Phoebe Lu, and hearing about some exciting devleopments. Nauticam had a range of housings, optics and monitors on display at the show.
From left to right: Nauticam founder Edward Lai, Singapore-based Nauticam shooter Toh Xing Jie, Nauticam General Manager Phoebe Lu, and author Nicolas Remy
For its Nikon Z50 II housing, Nauticam has chosen a fixed flat port, optimized for the Nikon 16–50mm lens. Doing away with a port lock system allowed them to keep the housing very compact, while offering excellent wide-angle and macro capabilities via optional wet optics like the WWL-C (left) and wet diopters such as the MFO-1 (right)
Two new housing releases, for the Panasonic S1RII (left) and the Sony a9 Mark III and a1 mark II (right)
Nauticam introduced me to their new 7-inch monitor, mounted here on their Canon EOS R5 Mark II housing, showing the unique “bug-eye” perspective of the EMWL system
Nauticam’s brand-new 7″ T7 HD UltraBright Monitor is a self-contained package. The monitor is permanently sealed inside its housing, and there’s a side door for charging and accessing the memory card. Nauticam claims an impressive 3000 nits of brightness, and up to six hours of battery life (at default brightness). The monitor comes with a swivel-and-tilt adjustable monitor mount system, which makes it easy to move the monitor in all directions, and even flip it vertically.
A veteran of the ADEX show, SEACAM had a large booth celebrating images from some of their ambassadors, including guests-of-honor David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes. I caught up with founder Harald Hordorsch, who showed me some of their latest gear. SEACAM was also the main sponsor of the ADEX Voice of the Ocean competition, hosted by DPG’s UnderwaterCompetition.com. The grand prize winner received a SEACAM housing worth up to USD10,000!
SEACAM founder Harald Hordorsch (center), pro underwater photographer and SEACAM ambassador Imran Ahmad (right), and Debbie Tan from Escape Inc
SEACAM showed off their new creative tube, which mounts in front of a flat port, from where it creates a circular reflection of the subject, a visual effect appreciated by creative macro photographers. Interestingly, the SEACAM tube can be angled to obtain an oval effect as opposed to the circular effect
A SEACAM housing with two wet diopters attached with SEACAM’s flip system. The user-serviceable flip mounts make deploying different wet lenses a breeze. The new creative tube is mounted in front, at an angled position. On top of the housing is the company’s ingenious modular float system. Multiple buoyancy floats of various sizes and shapes can be combined together to make your rig perfectly neutral underwater. The system can be easily rotated underwater to always achieve a good balance, even when you reposition strobe arms or video lights
The handy mount for the lighting modifiers for SEACAM strobes. As shown, the mount attaches onto a strobe arm and makes changing your lighting a breeze, as you slide the accessories in and out of their slots. Interestingly, Harald told me that SEACAM’s engineers are currently working on a new version of the SEAFLASH 160D, which I was told will be twice as powerful as the current strobe
David Doubilet (left) with SEACAM’s Harald Hordorsch in the Papua Diving Resorts booth. Sorido Bay Resort now hosts the first Seacam Photo Center, right in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
The Marelux booth is never difficult to spot, as they adorn their walls not with their gear but with the people that use them—ambassadors like Shane Gross, Tom St George, Scott Portelli, Kate Jonker, and Ipah Uid Lynn, to name a few. I met with owner Jun Ouyang, who showed me their latest housings and strobes.
After launching a few years ago, Marelux is now competing aggresively in various product categories, especially housings and strobes
Among Marelux’s most successful strobes to date are the Apollo S (left) and the Apollo III 2.0 (right). Both strobes have light sensors compatible with the company’s Lumilink 2.0 wireless transmitter, offering cable-free strobe triggering underwater. Pro shooter Henley Spiers recently did a first impressions review of the Apollo III 2.0 strobes on DPG
The Apollo III 2.0, which features straight flash tubes lined up in a distinctive triangular arrangement, offers a guide number of 44 (measured on land by Marelux) and produces a 110° beam angle underwater. By comparison, the smaller Apollo S strobe sports two straight flash tubes at the center and has a measured guide number of 36 (on land). Jun explaind that the Apollo S can handle 20fps when dialled down to GN 22, and it uses two Marelux-branded 18650 batteries—which, of course, are “Marelux” green!
Marelux ambassador Jonathan Lin’s housing for the Canon EOS R5, complete with the Lumilink 2.0 transmitter mounted on top
Marelux’s aluminum housings are finished in a range of distinctive colors
Next up, I visited Isotta, the Italian brand behind those distinctive red housings. Elisa Isotta, owner of the family business, was keen to show me their forthcoming RED64 strobe. This sizeable flash boasts a guide number (GN) of 22 and produces a 130-degree beam at a color temperature of 5300K. When dialed down to GN 8, the strobe is designed to sustain rapid shooting at 6fps. Pre-orders have started and the first deliveries are expected by the end of May or beginning of June. Isotta are planning to release various lighting accessories, including a snoot.
The Isotta Nikon Z8 housing equipped with pre-production versions of the company’s new RED64 strobe
According to Isotta, their new RED64 strobe delivers a full-power flash with a guide number (GN) of 22 underwater. The prominent levers on the top of the strobe promise to make adjustments a breeze
The RED64 strobe is powered by eight rechargeable AA batteries, which fit handily into a user-friendly rechargeable battery pack
In an interesting move, Isotta recently embraced pro cinema with their housing for the RED V-Raptor, shown here paired with their monitor housing. Elisa Isotta (pictured) explained that the housing offers a mix of physical buttons (push buttons positioned behind the camera’s actual buttons) and electronic user-assignable buttons, to allow underwater cinematographers to fine-tune the system to their liking
I was also shown a prototype for Isotta’s forthcoming smartphone housing, which features double O-rings (like all Isotta housings), a powerbank (for keeping your smartphone juiced) and physical buttons (including a joystick!), which interface with the phone via the housing’s app. The housing was set up to shoot verticals for social media, but you can move one ballmount to the third attachment point for horizontal shooting. An optional vacuum valve can be fitted to the housing, as well as flip mounts for wet lenses. Pre-orders are expected to ship in July
Right next to Backscatter was the AOI booth, where I caught up with CEO Victor Tsui and Marketing Director Nick Khoo. Nick introduced me to the new Aura Light System, built in collaboration with photographer Ace Wu. These LED torches can produce light in almost any color—16.7 million to be precise!—and come with an accessory snoot. How do you choose from such a large palette of colors? Using AOI’s dedicated app running on your smartphone, of course, and it’s all done wirelessly.
CEO Victor Tsui is surrounded by AOI’s latest strobes, housings, and accessories
Marketing Director Nick Khoo demonstrates the impressive color palette of the new Aura Light System. Nick says the lights are bright enough for daytime shooting, whether as a continuous light or when using their pulsing (stroboscopic) function. The lights are expected to start shipping at the end of April
We also looked at the new UIS-P1, AOI’s most powerful underwater flash, which was recently reviewed on DPG. A range of lighting modifiers—including a diffuser, a macro ring and a reflector (visible in the background)—are already available for the strobe, and a snoot is in the works
A very handy feature of the UIS-P1 strobe is the digital display on the back that gives you the remaining number of flashes with the current power setting. The green line indicates how much battery power is left
If SUBNOX seems unfamiliar, that’s because its founder, underwater cinematographer Kay Burn Lim, was unveiling the company’s debut product—a 10,000-lumen video light called the SUB10KEF—at the show. The first SUBNOX models are expected to ship in the coming weeks.
The cool, black SUBNOX booth seemed to see a good amount of traffic—presumably from budding local underwater videographers wanting to check out Kay Burn Lim’s new brand
Kay Burn introduced me to the SUB10KEF, their first release and also what he described as their “flagship” product. This 10,000-lumen unit is no ordinary video light. As well as producing white light (CRI 93, 5600K), the SUB10KEF offers two novel “ambient blue” modes with outputs equivalent to ambient light at 6–13 meters and at 13–20 meters. Customers can also choose among three different light heads, depending on the waters where they expect to film most: blue head, blue-green head, and green head
At the opposite end of their product range, SUBNOX also have a tiny dive torch that comes with a dedicated mount for attachment onto a diving harness
On display at the Weefine booth was a wide range of video lights, snooted lights, housings, and monitors. The company is perhaps best known for its housings for smartphones and Olympus/OM System TG cameras—not least because housings like the WFH07 for smartphones and the WFH TG Pro have a built-in electric vacuum pump, activated via a single click. It’s very nice to have peace of mind when you’re dunking your precious phone in the ocean!
Attendees check out Weefine’s WFH07 universal smartphone housing. The housing’s physical controls interact with the phone using Weefine’s DiveIT app via a Bluetooth connection. Notice the blue dial, handily positioned near the user’s right index finger, which allows easy zooming in/out
Creative filters built into the Weefine app let you customize the image rendering during the dive. Note that the fiber-optics can send instructions to Weefine’s video lights, though not yet fire a strobe—but that is something Weefine is exploring
Underwater videographer Luca Keller takes a good look at Weefine’s WED-5 PRO underwater monitor, connected to the company’s WFH-GP1 housing for GoPro and DJI action cameras
Nearing the end of my tour of underwater imaging booths, I dropped by X-Adventurer, which offers a range of dive torches and video lights, as well as strobes geared for wide-angle photography.
CEO Gary He shows me X-Adventurer’s DS160 PRO strobes, which feature built-in 7,000-lumen video lights
The DS160 PRO is a sizeable strobe featuring a circular flash tube, 160Ws output, and 120° of beam coverage, which can be expanded to 140° with a diffuser. A range of ambient light filters (shown on the right) are available as options
An optical snoot for the DS160 PRO is available. It can be used with opaque black masks or with colored transluscent masks, so that you can project a tint on the underwater environment, while letting your subject stand out with white light
The final booth related to underwater imaging on my list was DiveSea, a well-known underwater imaging equipment retailer from Singapore. They sell products from Nauticam, Sea&Sea, Backscatter, AOI, Kraken, DiveVolk, Fotocore, and Doris, to name a few.
The Insta360 and other action cameras were popular attractions at the DiveSea booth
The folk at DiveVolk have made a name for themselves with their SeaTouch smartphone housing, whose special membrane preserves your phone’s full touchscreen capabilities, allowing unrestricted access to all of your apps
Fotocore’s Raymond Bao shows me the company’s snoot, whose aperture can be dialed in with a side wheel. The new Fotocore MR5.5 video monitor was on display, too
The Doris Smarthousing is compatible with a range of mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon and Sony
Sea&Sea’s Kaz Okada showed me their universal housing for Sony, as well as strobes, video lights and accessories from the Japanese brand
Let’s not forget your favorite resources for underwater imaging news and education—DPG and The Underwater Club! We shared a booth and had a great time chatting to visitors and industry members about all things underwater photography and video. The Underwater Club is the first online underwater photography school and community, with members from 18 countries. Members enjoy access to self-paced e-learning courses, live and recorded masterclasses, live Q&A sessions and support forums.
Great catching up with a few “TUC” members visiting the show!
It was great catching up with Max Ammer and his team from Papua Diving Resorts. I had a fantastic time visiting their two resorts—Sorido Bay Resort and Kri Eco Resort—in vibrant Raja Ampat last February. Look out for my forthcoming trip reports on DPG.
National Geographic photographer Jennifer Hayes joins Max Ammer and his team for a group photo
It was lovely to meet see Julia Sangi and the team from Lembeh Resort and Murex Resorts. The Lembeh Strait is an underwater macro heaven, which meets luxurious service offered at Lembeh Resort. For wide-angle enthusiasts, Murex Manado runs daily dives on the Bunaken Marine Park, famous for its walls and turtles, while the secluded Murex Bangka is well positioned to indulge Bangka Island’s stunning coral gardens.
Lembeh Resort, Murex Manado and Murex Bangka offer immediate access to North Sulawesi’s diving gems
Cairns’ best-known liveaboard company was present at the show, and I caught up with general manager Craig Stephen. Mike Ball Expeditions runs three-, four- and seven-night cruises aboard their vessel Spoilsport, visiting some of the best spots along Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Mike Ball’s boat, Spoilsport, looks after underwater photographers with freshwater rinse tubs for your gear, as well as two camera stations with air guns
Once again, the ADEX team pulled off a fantastic show, with great networking opportunities and an incredible number of talks. If you missed this one, don’t worry: The 32nd edition is already fixed: It will take place from April 10th–12th, 2026 at Suntec Convention Centre. See you in Singapore next year!
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
Black and white photography is simply a picture taken that has no colors in it. Black and white only shows light intensity, it does not show the light’s frequency which is what gives light different colors to our eyes.
This type of photography is unique because it is not what is typically shared on Instagram and places like that. If you just bought a new pair of shoes or a new shirt, and you want to share pictures of yourself wearing your new stuff, black and white is a terrible choice because nobody will be able to see the awesome colors you’re wearing.
Even though black and white photos can look totally boring and are probably a bad choice for a lot of things, there are some techniques that are unique to black and white which aren’t as easily accomplished in color photography. One of those things is changing the impression of the scene by changing the intensity of specific colors in the scene. If you do this with a color photo you’ll probably end up with a really horrible image because the color adjustments will not look anything like reality and most people will find it pretty bad.
But, with black and white there is no color, so changes to colors equate to changes in light intensity only. One method for doing this is to use a B&W color filter called a red filter. Red filter’s are specially designed to block out blue. This causes all the blue in a scene to get a lot darker and can be useful for increasing the drama and immediacy of the scene.
In the digital age we don’t have to use an actual Red filter, we can adjust whatever we want digitally. Ain’t that fun? Below is a comparison showing how an image without and with a red filter might look in your photo. No other edits have been added except the red filter.
Another cool thing that black and white can do is show some kinds of visual patterns more obviously than color. I have to be careful when saying that because some patterns are not as easy to see with black and white. It’s mostly patterns of light and shadows that are most apparent with black and white photography.
Black and white photography can be a fun distraction, or it can be a professional pursuit. It’s really up to you.
Years ago, I took my battered Land Rover Defender (that’s Jessie in the picture above) to the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley. I’m sure you’ve seen photographs of the playa: rocks sitting on parched earth and cracked mud, long trails behind them as if they’ve moved on their own. This fascinating phenomenon of what are called “sailing stones” is explained by thin sheets of melting ice and powerful winter winds, though that makes it no less mysterious to me. I was there for two nights, taking advantage of that time to feel out the scene, get a sense of the possibilities of the place, and make a photograph or two.
That first evening we were alone, just me and my friend Corwin. Or so we thought. With my tripod set up for an hour or so, I’d found the composition that most intrigued me, and while waiting for twilight, I felt something press against my shoulder. Thinking it was Corwin (and knowing how oblivious I can get to my surroundings when photographing), I turned to say hi. But it wasn’t Corwin; it was a random tourist who’d made the long trek out to the playa and, having no better ideas of his own, rested his camera (I’m not making this up) on my shoulder and pressed the shutter.
Click.
The tourist checked the back of his camera and proudly proclaimed, “This might be the best shot I’ve taken!” Satisfied, he vanished into the dark, and I returned to my work, feeling surreal about the whole thing.
I have admittedly looked over the shoulders of other photographers, though never quite so literally. I have observed them through their social media, online portfolios, and books. I’ve compared myself and my work to theirs. I’ve envied their successes, and on my better days, I’ve celebrated them, learned from them, and become better at what I do because of them.
Others have looked over my shoulder, too, and I feel their breath when I’m shooting. I hear their silent questions when I take a chance with an unconventional choice or creative risk. I wonder if those imaginary people will like what I’m making or understand my choices. Some days, this is all brushed aside so quickly, pushed to the back of my mind as I get into that state of grace when it’s all flowing well. On other days, it’s harder, and I can’t decide which is worse: when the imagined voices chatter loudly or when I can’t hear them at all and wonder, “What if no one cares?”
When I think about those questions long enough, I find myself surprised by the answers that bubble up: what a relief it would be to work in that silent space without the (perceived) chattering expectations of others. What freedom I would find if I could make my many hundreds of sketch images with no one’s preferences to consider but my own. Would I find myself holding my breath as often? And how much more joy would I find in the process? How much more present and less rigid would I be in the making of this work? And how much better (or at least how much more truly my own) would the work itself be?
One day, I want my work to have a wider audience. I would like it if others found something meaningful in what I made. And once I’m through the complex process of making something so simple as a photograph, how wonderful it would be if others felt the same wonder I did in the presence of wildness. How many others—the size of that audience—is unimportant. Perhaps it’s only you. That would be enough for me. An audience for my work would be nice, but not for my working.
I can only really pay attention to one thing at a time. I can only have interesting perceptions about one thing at a time, and those are hard enough to come by. I can only make photographs about one thing at a time. I don’t have the capacity to simultaneously consider you and what you might think about my work. Hell, I don’t even know what I think of the work yet. How focused can any of us be when we make work in consideration of others before giving our own thoughts and preferences some serious thought and completing all the experimenting it takes to make a single image or a body of work?
You must make your work for yourself, neither looking over the shoulders of others nor paying attention to those looking over yours. When you work, your focus must be on that work. The thoughts. The what-ifs and the speculations about what all your choices might produce. Those are yours alone. And only once you’re unapologetically—and yes, even selfishly—absorbed in those reflections and explorations will you make the work that then deserves its audience.
Audience is a by-product of work that thrills you first, or conjures something from deep within you, or answers to the reasons you picked up the camera in the first place. That’s where your gaze needs to be. When the muse arrives, she needs to find you getting your hands dirty, using the camera to make photographs from the interesting perceptions you’ve had because you’ve been looking at the object of those perceptions, not the people you believe are waiting for what you create.
As you engage in this process, you do not have the bandwidth for me or anyone else to look over your shoulder. Your process is yours alone, and—forgive the pun—you’re not alone if you find photography a more rewarding and productive pursuit when it’s solitary, when it’s quiet and free of distractions such as other people’s opinions.
The creative process, even a single creative thought, is fragile; it needs to be held somewhat gently as it comes into being. It needs to be coaxed out. I’ve only ever found the best of those thoughts shy in the presence of others; they tend to retreat when conflicting tastes and preferences demand our photographs be one thing or another before we’re even sure of what we hope for them.
That the guy looking over my shoulder at Death Valley even happened at all amuses me. If that’s how he needs to make a photograph, then let him have it. But I wasn’t about to ask him his opinion and alter my work because of it, and that’s the danger of having an audience of any size, even an audience of one, that is not yourself first. It’s hard enough to find your way to your vision or voice without others clamouring for it to be this or that, even when that clamouring is only imagined. Maybe especially when those voices are imagined because, unlike Death Valley guy, they rarely give up and take their leave so quickly; they have a persistence that’s hard to ignore. But they must be ignored because caring more about the voices of others than about finding and giving expression to your voice is moving in the wrong direction, away from what makes you and your work truly your own. It dilutes your personality in the final product and steals the joy of discovering that rare, hidden element in the very best of that work: yourself.
For the Love of the Photograph,
David
PS – The essay above is chapter 18 from my latest book, Light, Space & Time. It’s a book about the reality that our greatest challenges as photographers are not primarily technical but creative and human, and it explores the barriers we encounter when endeavouring to make photographs that are not only good but truly our own. It’s a book that will change not only how you make your photographs, but how much you love and enjoy the process. Check it out on Amazon through the link below, or at your favourite bookseller.
The biggest challenges for most photographers are not technical but creative. They are not so much what goes on in the camera but what goes on in the mind of the person wielding it. Light, Space & Time is a book about thinking and feeling your way through making photographs that are not only good, but truly your own. It would make an amazing gift for the photographer in your life, especially if that’s you. Find out more on Amazon.
Let me start by saying, many who are interested in photography always want to know if they should buy a real camera or not… the answer is simple: if you are interested in photography, and you are not happy with your phone, for whatever reason, buying a “real” camera, could be an interesting way to continue exploring your photography hobby.
One myth of getting a “real” camera is that it’s always about getting “better quality” pictures. While that is often true, getting a real camera isn’t just about getting a higher quality picture. A major reason for the real camera is also to give you something to think about with regards to your photography. And in thinking about it, you may find that there are things you would like to do with the camera that become part of your personal style or exploration of photography.
I think that if you focus only on the “quality” aspect of the hardware you start to miss out on the bigger picture of being a photographer. Quality is one of those things that tends to even out quite a bit over time. Even today a lot of the latest cellphones can take great pictures when conditions allow for it.
That is why I started www.learnphotographyskills.com. I really wanted to expand on the skills that photographers can have instead of focusing solely on the quality of the camera. A lot of the information that is out there is more about gear than skills.
And a lot of the skills that are shown out there, are not real skills. Skills are not necessarily a thing that is super entertaining. But when you go on these websites such as Instagram, there’s a very strong focus on entertainment and attention grabbing. Just because something is entertaining, doesn’t make it good or correct. Should you waste time trying to learn or understand silly skills that are just used to get likes on Instagram? Or should you invest in getting real knowledge that is going to allow you to create your own concepts?
It’s a chicken before the egg situation. If all you do is seek out the end results, you’re putting the chicken before the egg. But you can’t make your own chickens, if you don’t learn about the egg. You know what I mean? Getting real skills is getting eggs. When you invest in skills, you’ll have the ability to create your own concepts that people can find entertaining rather than just chimping out and doing a monkey see monkey do copycat of some junk you saw on Instagram.
Not everyone will agree with me on that, in fact, many people will find it annoying. The reason is usually because they don’t have the skills, and they know they don’t. So, if the world is based on skills, they lose. Therefore, these people will often advocate against learning skills, against investing in your hobby, against real active participation in the learning process. These people who think like this are everywhere. They’re on Youtube, they’re on Instagram, they’re on Facebook. They thrive on these platforms where thought is minimized, and action is maximized. Action without thought is the survival characteristic of people on social media.
If you really want to get good at any subject, it’s important to realize that it’s not an overnight kind of thing. You’ve got to have a fundamental understanding of the subject as your foundation. Having a strong foundation allows you to grow in more directions than you would without that foundation. That helps you be a better problem solver when you’re out there in the field.
People often think photography is “easy”. Well, imagine the stress of having to photograph something that is only going to happen once in a lifetime? Such as a wedding or maybe a championship match between two baseball teams. And what are you going to tell your boss when he asks if you got a shot of the player hitting a home run, but you missed it because your shutter speed was wrong? You can’t rewind the clock. You can’t undo. You can’t try again. There’s only ONE SHOT in photography, and that’s what makes photography hard. And that’s why you need to make sure your skills are rock solid if you want to be a photographer.
If you want to start on this journey, check out my Manual Mode Bootcamp. It could be the thing that changes your life!
