Marelux has released its underwater housing for the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II. The second-gen pro-level full-frame mirrorless camera features a back-illuminated, stacked 45MP sensor, shoots up to 30fps using its electronic shutter, and records 8K/60p RAW video internally.
Aiming to take full advantage of the R5II’s capabilities, Marelux’s anodized aluminum alloy housing features an ergonomic design with controls arranged around the built-in handles. A quick-release baseplate allows the camera to be easily inserted with precision and removed again. Dual locking levers ensure the housing is safely closed, while ports and extension rings are secured in place using another locking lever. The housing ships with a vacuum detection and moisture alarm system.
The housing is compatible with various novel accessories, including the Flashfuel FF2100, which combines a flash trigger and a power bank (for charging the camera as well as powering the flash trigger); and the Remote Shutter Module, which allows you to control the shutter remotely using the Marelux Artemis 4500 RMT video light.
The MX-R5II housing has an MSRP of $3,398 and can be ordered directly from the Marelux website.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
MX-R5II Housing for Canon EOS R5II Mirrorless Digital Camera
INTRODUCTION
Marelux housing has the industry leading design that’s not only more compact than other brands but also more simplified in mechanical structure to make it easy to assemble. With 125mm port diameter, the biggest in the market, users can easily install and uninstall cameras with large lens through the housing.
Marelux housing is built using uniquely anodized aluminum alloy which provides superb scratch resistance, sea water erosion durability as well as the attractive options of various surface colors. The housings maintain a perfect balance between sturdy body and lightweight. It has the best-in-class ergonomics with all the camera controls readily available at your fingertips including AF-ON and Q Menu.
Marelux housing can be connected to other innovative products made by Marelux, such as 180-degree Smart Viewfinder etc., making diving and underwater photography easier, safer and more enjoyable.
FEATURES
Flashfuel FF2100 (Manual Flash Trigger + 2100mAh Power Bank Combo)
Patented Design: Tailored for underwater photography and high-speed shooting, combining flash triggering and camera power supply in a single compact device.
Ultra-durable Trigger Performance: Powered by a single CR123A 3V lithium battery, it can handle up to 300,000 flash triggers before replacement.
Robust USB-C Power Output: Integrates a 2100mAh rechargeable battery, offering up to 30W output (5–20V), capable of powering your camera directly.
Remote Shutter Module
With an invention patent, the Remote Shutter Module is designed to enhance underwater photography by providing remote control capabilities to remotely control the camera shutter release via Marelux’s Artemis 4500 RMT Light (42703). It features an effective receiving distance of 10 meters and an optical signal receiving angle of 140 degrees, allowing for flexible positioning and reliable performance.
Dual Locking System
Requires little effort to lock it in place, while making it almost impossible to be unlocked by accident, and it will take only a second to open if needed for a battery change.
Manual Flash Trigger
The flash trigger can translate the electric signal from the camera into light signal, with an extremely long battery life of 10,000 triggers on only two CR2032 batteries.
Built-in Lock
Extension ring and port can be safely locked in place with the built-in locking system on the housing with one simple click.
Sturdy Baseplate
A 50kg force is applied to secure the camera with the design of the quick release baseplate, while being extremely convenient to operate.
The R5 Mark II has arrived! It is a good camera but very similar to the old R5 which came out in 2020. I’ve had the original R5 since it came out in October 2020 and the question I want answered is should I buy the new R5 Mark II?
In this post I will strive to answer this question with an honest comparison of these two great cameras.
Taken with the R5.
The old R5 has already been marked down by $1,000 on most websites. Previous generations always get reduced in price prior to the next gen camera’s but it still seems like a bit of a low price for a high quality camera like the R5. It looks like market demand for the R5 has tailed off substantially, and that is true for the R3 and R5C as well. That is why Canon is going for a relatively quick refresh of the R5 after almost exactly 4 years they’re upping the ante with a new R5, the R5 Mark II.
The main thing I want to know is this, is the old R5 at it’s reduced price a good purchase? Below are some stats to help you make sense of this puzzle.
Canon claims that the R5 Mark II is using a stacked sensor with Sony’s BSI technology. Stacked sensors are supposed to be able to “read out” the sensor much faster than the “old technology”. However, when it comes to video rolling shutter, the R5 Mark II performs exactly the same as the original R5. Perhaps the original R5 had a stacked sensor even though it wasn’t marketed as such? Or, maybe Sony’s sensor technology just isn’t that great.
Resolution
The R5 Mark II has the exact same resolution as the current R5.
Readout Speed / Rolling Shutter
The R5 Mark II has faster read out speed when using electronic shutter for still photos only. When using the fully electronic shutter for stills, the new R5 Mark II is more than twice as fast as the original R5 which makes the new R5 a lot better if you like to use electronic shutter… but it still isn’t anywhere close to as fast as a mechanical shutter.
The R5 Mark II’s readout speed remains the same as the R5 for video with a maximum speed around 13 milliseconds. However, the R5 Mark II now adds in 8k 60fps shooting at 13 milliseconds readout speed. This results in a similar readout performance to the original R5 which shot 4k 120fps at its maximum. 4k 120 is equal to 8k 60 in terms of readout performance as 4k 120 is done line skipped in the original R5. Reading half the lines at 120fps is obviously the same speed as reading them all out at 60fps. This type of readout is called “line skipped” readout. The new R5 Mark II, unfortunately, also does 4k 120fps as line skipped, limiting its maximum readout speed to the same as the original R5 for video purposes.
Video Improvements
The R5 Mark II now has 8k 60fps resolution which goes above the original R5’s 8k 30fps video resolution.
The R5 Mark II has also improved upon the dreaded overheating issues the original R5 had, even without the new external cooling battery grip available only for the R5 Mark II.
AF improvements
The R5 Mark II has the same AF system as the original R5 just with more firmware updates. There are no new features other than supposedly better tracking AF. Despite initial reports, I doubt the R5 Mark II will be as good as the R1 when it comes to subject tracking.
Faster CPU
There is no indication that the R5 Mark II has a different CPU when compared to the current R5.
Dynamic Range
According to online review sites, the new R5 Mark II has no dynamic range improvements in stills from 100 ISO to 6400 ISO. In fact, it appears to have slightly less dynamic range than the original R5. It is not known if the new R5 Mark II uses a dual gain sensor like the R5 used, but if it does use a dual gain sensor, it no longer switches to another gain circuit at 400 ISO, instead, this appears to be done at a much higher ISO past 1600.
The R5 has no problem picking up all the details in this scene of a white building with a gigantic white dome.
The 100% view crops below show that there are very few details missing in this shot taken in bright midday sun.
The basic point is, if the R5 isn’t adding more dynamic range then how is it going to make an image like this substantially better?
Well, for video at least, the R5 Mark II is going to add a couple features that some people will want to buy. It appears to have slightly more accurate colors out of camera which is great for people who want a faster workflow. I think the R5’s colors are close enough most of the time but it does require some color grading to look normal.
The R5 Mark II is also supposed to have a lot more dynamic range in video mode when shooting in LOG formats. Camera’s like the R5 C have a lot of dynamic range in LOG getting all the way up to 14 stops, but, the R5 Mark II is supposed to have 16+ stops when shooting LOG. That puts the R5 Mark II less than a stop below the latest and greatest cinema cameras… I know a lot of video people will be interested in that capability.
Ergonomics Updates
The R5 Mark II has slightly changed ergonomics and physical design. The power switch has been moved to the right side of the camera and there is now a fan included in the battery grip which modestly increases recording times for video. There is also a new flash hot shoe which allows the camera to work with Canon’s new lineup of super high-performance flashes.
Bottom Line
The new R5 Mark II is a great camera, which makes sense, since it is nearly the same as the original R5, but now with a few performance updates. Because of all the updates it is now $4,299. And at this price the fully electronic shutter is now competitive with the Nikon Z9, the Canon R3, and the Canon R1. In stills mode the electronic shutter can readout in about 6.3 milliseconds, whereas the original R5 is set to read out in about 16.8 milliseconds for a still photo. Unfortunately, the video readout speeds are just about the same between the two cameras. Because the new R5 Mark II still has overheating as an issue when shooting high resolution video, the sensor is intentionally slowed down to about the same speed as the original R5 to help increase shooting times. On a brighter note, the new R5 Mark II has 16+ stops of dynamic range when shooting in video LOG formats. Since there is no log format for stills, the dynamic range there is just about identical to the original R5. But, getting 16+ stops of dynamic range for 8k 60fps video means the R5 Mark II can definitely deliver some high quality video if called upon to do so.
If you shoot video the new R5 Mark II appears to be an upgrade over the original. However, if you shoot stills, the original R5 doesn’t give up a whole lot compared to the new one. True, you can shoot with the new electronic shutter, but, the good old mechanical shutter is still superior to every camera’s electronic shutter. Yes, the MECHANICAL SHUTTER IS STILL #1. Basically, there’s no point to an electronic shutter just yet, even though random dip shits will say ITS SOOO IMPORTANT. Well, it really isn’t GOOD ENOUGH. If electronic isn’t better than the mechanical shutter then it really isn’t a replacement for the mechanical shutter, is it?
If you really need maximum electronic shutter performance, the R5 Mark II still isn’t good enough in my opinion. It reads out in 6.3 milliseconds which is still quite slow. While it’s not exactly the same, it’s still only as fast to scan as a 1/160th shutter speed. And that means it’s more than 3 times slower than the R1 which reads out in 2 milliseconds. That disparity is partially explained by the lower resolution sensor (24mp vs 45mp), but it isn’t entirely explained by that. All things being equal the R5 should be able to read out in about 3-4 milliseconds.
Ok, the bottom line is this, the new R5 Mark II is a solid camera, but it’s more of a video-oriented camera. If you shoot video, it appears to be better than the original R5, but not really better than the R5 C which doesn’t overheat. For video, the R5 Mark II kind of makes sense if you want 8k 60fps right now, but it overheats even with the fancy battery grip. However, if you don’t need the highest resolution settings, you can enjoy 16+ stops of DR when shooting in LOG. Previously, the only Canon camera with that amount of dynamic range was the C300 Mark III.
For stills shooters the R5 and R5 Mark II are a little close for comfort. Aside from the electronic shutter being improved and the supposed AF improvements, there’s not a lot to get excited about. With the R5 now being about $1,500 cheaper it seems like the better option if you’re a landscape photographer or the like. It remains to be seen how much the R5 Mark II can really improve on its predecessor.
Nauticam has unveiled its latest housing, the NA-CV1, designed to accommodate Canon’s new point-and-shoot, the PowerShot V1, released in February 2025. The compact (aka vlogging) camera features a 22.3-megapixel 1.4-inch sensor (which is similar in size to Micro four Thirds, but with a 3:2 aspect ratio), a DIGIC X image processor, and a fixed zoom lens with a focal length range equivalent to 16–50mm f/2.8–4.5. Boasting Canon’s Dual Pixel AF II autofocus system, the PowerShot V1 can record uncropped 4K/30p video oversampled from 5.7K and achieves 15fps burst shooting with its mechanical shutter.
For the NA-CV1, Nauticam has opted to use their N50 port system but ship the housing with the N50 3.5-inch acrylic dome port, which allows the full 16–50mm zoom range out of the box. Switching to their N50 Short Port 25 gives users the opportunity to mount various Nauticam water-contact optics, such as the WWL-C (FOV: 130°–71°), WWL-1B (FOV: 130–80º) and SMC/CMC (via Nauticam’s bayonet mount adaptor). Like Nauticam’s other housings for compact cameras, users have the option of adding a tray and handles, an LCD magnifier, and a vacuum valve (via the housing’s M16 port)—the vacuum monitoring and leak detection system is pre-installed.
The NA-CV1 housing is priced at $2,000 and is available now from retailers such as Backscatter.
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
INTRODUCING NA-CV1 FOR CANON POWERSHOT V1 DIGITAL CAMERA
The Canon PowerShot V1 Camera
Key Camera Specifications
22.3MP 1.4″ CMOS Sensor
16–50mm Equivalent f/2.8–4.5 Lens
Full-Width 4K 30p; 4K 60p with 1.4x Crop
10-bit Recording; Canon Log 3
Dual Pixel AF II for PowerShot
Optical Stabilization; 3-Stop ND Filter
Active Cooling Extends Shooting Times
The Nauticam NA-CV1 Housing
NA-CV1 is the latest iteration in a lineup of advanced housings for very capable compact cameras supported by Nauticam. Many features found on professional DSLR systems have been integrated into this system, and the result is an underwater housing that allows the user to harness the full potential of this advanced compact camera in the water.
The basic functions and ergonomic enhancements that Nauticam users have grown to know and love are incorporated in NA-CV1. The housing is machined from a solid block of aluminum, then hard anodized to seal out corrosive salt water. It is closed via a simple, yet secure locking rotary latch. The right side of the housing is sculpted to fit the palm of the user’s hand, and Nauticam’s two-stage shutter release lever provides clear differentiation between the half press and full press shutter release positions. All functions are clearly labeled.
The Nauticam leak alarm and vacuum monitoring system is installed as standard equipment. This system provides an audible and visual alert to any water entry in the housing, and when combined with an optional accessory M16 Vacuum Valve II (25625) the watertight integrity of the system can be tested before ever entering the water and monitored during every dive.
Expert product design, modern manufacturing techniques, top quality materials backed by a two-year warranty, and a critical focus on the user experience combine to produce the premier system for Canon Powershot V1.
The N50 Port System
The NA-CV1 ships with the N50 3.5″ Acrylic Dome Port that allows the full 16–50mm zoom range, but other ports are available from the N50 system. When combined with the 38703 N50 Short Port 25, you can add on the 83203 WWL-C for a converted FOV of 130 degrees to 71 degrees.
What’s in the Box?
NA-CV1 housing
N50 3.5″ Acrylic Port
Spare main housing O-ring (90131)
O-ring remover
CR2032 battery (for moisture alarm)
Lubricant
Set of Allen keys
Padded Housing Bag
Set of handle brackets with shutter release trigger
Recommended Accessories
25625 M16 Vacuum Valve II (Pushbutton Release)
25131 LCD Magnifier attachment Rails
25106 LCD Magnifier with Dioptric Adjustment
71206 Easitray II with left handle (with 2pcs 1/4” screws)
71207 Flexitray II with left handle (with 2pcs 1/4” screws)
71208 Adjustable right handle II (for Easitray II & Flexitray II)
38703 N50 Short Port with Bayonet Mount (To use with WWL-C or WWL-1B)
If you were one of the nearly 50,000 attendees at the last Asia Dive Expo in Singapore—or any of the 30 previous editions of the hugely popular dive show—you will already know that ADEX is a must-attend event on the dive calendar. But the next one just got even more interesting, with the announcement of the first ADEX 360 BLU Awards.
Per the press release (below), the ADEX 360 BLU Awards will honor “outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of diving, innovation, ocean conservation, arts, and more,” with some 46 awards being given out during an evening ceremony on the second day of ADEX 32nd Edition in April 2026. The awards fall into four categories—“Sports & Education,” “Ocean Tourism,” “Arts & Science,” and “Individual Excellence”—and you’ll be pleased to know that “Photographer of the Year” is among them.
The nomination period is from June 1st to October 1st, 2025, with shortlisted nominees put to public vote between October 10th, 2025 and February 10th, 2026. Check out the press release below to find out more or head over to the ADEX website.
PRESS RELEASE
ADEX 360 BLU AWARDS 2026
Honouring Excellence: Celebrating the Industry and Community!
The ADEX 360 BLU Awards 2026 will honour outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of diving, innovation, ocean conservation, arts, and more. The diverse range of traditional and new award categories will recognise everyone who plays a role in this space, ensuring we celebrate contributions from both the industry and the community. We hope to celebrate leadership, sustainability, and creativity, while supporting marine conservation through a high-impact charity auction.
As part of the ADEX 32nd Edition Singapore Ocean Week, the longest-running and largest dive show in Asia, the ADEX 360 BLU Awards will be held on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, at Suntec Singapore. This ceremony is not only a celebration of excellence but a tribute to the passionate individuals, leaders, and changemakers who are shaping the future of diving and ocean protection.
Nominations are open to individuals and organisations worldwide and awards will be presented at both Asia and Global levels, with dedicated trophies recognising contributions across the diving world.
Award categories cover four key pillars, which are:
Sports & Education
Ocean Tourism
Arts & Science
Individual Excellence
Some of the awards include:
Diver of the Year – Celebrating a diver whose achievements have significantly advanced diving and marine exploration.
Ocean Hero of the Year – Honouring a changemaker whose impact and advocacy have made a real difference for our oceans.
Most Certified Dive Centre of the Year – Recognising excellence in dive training and outreach across the region.
Photographer of the Year – For imagery that captures the soul of the sea and the urgency to protect it.
Best E-Learning Platform of the Year – Acknowledging innovation in accessible, high-quality dive education.
Eco-Tourism Dive Resort of the Year – Celebrating leadership in sustainable diving and responsible travel.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Awarded to individuals whose lifelong dedication has shaped the global dive community.
The nomination period is open from June 1 to October 1, 2025. A shortlisting official committee will announce the Top 10 per sub-category by October 9, 2025, with public voting taking place from October 10, 2025 to February 10, 2026. Final winners will be announced live at the ADEX 360 BLU Awards Ceremony in April 2026.
Join us as we recognise those who inspire, protect, innovate, and lead in diving and ocean advocacy. The ADEX 360 BLU Awards 2026 are more than just awards, they are a celebration of our global ocean community.
ADEX 32nd Edition
The 32nd edition of the Asia Dive Expo, Asia’s largest and longest-running dive expo, will be held from April 10–12, 2026, at Suntec Singapore, during Singapore Ocean Week to celebrate ocean-related industries, culture, and conservation. ADEX 2026 will be dedicated to the Humphead Wrasse, raising awareness for its protection, and the Blue Revolution – Reduce, Innovate, Reuse: a commitment to promoting sustainability in ocean and diving practices. The show will feature diving innovation, ocean culture, sustainability, and community, from the TEK Asia Conference and underwater arts to tourism, tech, conservation, and beyond.
The winners of the twelfth annual Photo Competition for United Nations World Oceans Day were announced today surrounding the United Nations World Oceans Day celebration in Nice, France. A panel of world-renowned judges selected winners from thousands of global entries made by both amateur and professional photographers. This year’s competition featured the recurring categories “Big and Small Underwater Faces,” “Underwater Seascapes,” and “Above Water Seascapes.” The category “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us” was newly added in celebration of the 2025 UN World Oceans Day theme sharing the same name. The 2025 winning photographers hail from eight different countries: Rachel Moore, Luis Arpa, Steven Lopez (“Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”); Andrey Nosik, Giacomo Marchione, Lars von Ritter Zahony (“Big and Small Underwater Faces”); Dani Escayola, Gerald Rambert, Pedro Carrillo (“Underwater Seascapes”); Leander Nardin, Nur Tucker, Andrey Nosik (“Above Water Seascapes”).
Historically hosted at the UN Headquarters in New York, this year’s United Nations World Oceans Day moved overseas, taking place ahead of the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which will also be hosted in Nice, France from June 9–13. The winning photographs will be presented live during the United Nations Ocean Conference, during a panel event on 11 June at the Agora in the La Baleine (Green Zone). The winning images will also be displayed in gallery exhibitions at NEO VogelART LAB (Nice) and at The Explorer’s Club (New York) throughout the week.
The 2025 photo competition was coordinated in collaboration between the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DPG, Oceanic Global, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Since its inception in 2014, the competition has been curated by underwater and wildlife photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, and judged by a world-renowned panel of judges. Judges for 2025 included: underwater photographer Ipah Uid Lynn (Malaysia), underwater photographer William Tan (Singapore), wildlife photographer Vanessa Mignon (France), and underwater photographer Marcello Di Francesco (Italy).
The Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is a free-and-open public competition that calls on photographers and artists from around the world to communicate the beauty of the ocean and the importance of the respective United Nations World Oceans Day theme each year. All winners and participants in the competition signed a charter of 14 commitments regarding ethics in photography. Winning photos from 2025 as well as from previous years can be viewed via the virtual gallery on www.unworldoceansday.org and on DPG’s World Oceans Day Photo Competition mini-site. (On DPG’s mini-site, you can find extended captions for this year’s winners, which tell the stories behind the images.)
Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us
Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — Winner by Rachel Moore (USA)
Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — 2nd Place by Luis Arpa (Spain)
Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — 3rd Place by Steven Lopez (USA)
Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — Honorable Mention by Ollie Clarke (UK)
Big and Small Underwater Faces
Big and Small Underwater Faces – Winner by Andrey Nosik (Russia)
Big and Small Underwater Faces — 2nd Place by Giacomo Marchione (Italy)
Big and Small Underwater Faces — 3rd Place by Lars von Ritter Zahony (Germany)
Underwater Seascapes
Underwater Seascapes — Winner by Dani Escayola (Spain)
Underwater Seascapes — 2nd Place by Gerald Rambert (Mauritius)
Underwater Seascapes — 3rd Place by Pedro Carrillo (Spain)
Underwater Seascapes — Honorable Mention by Lars von Ritter Zahony (Germany)
Above Water Seascapes
Above Water Seascapes – Winner by Leander Nardin (Austria)
Above Water Seascapes — 2nd Place by Nur Tucker (UK/Turkey)
Above Water Seascapes — 3rd Place by Andrey Nosik (Russia)
Above Water Seascapes — Honorable Mention by Ken Findlay (South Africa)
There is something I have observed, particularly with newcomers to photography. That is, they will often try to capture everything in a scene rather than isolate a subject. That trait tends to diminish as we become more experienced, but there is another thing we often do, concentrate on the subject as a whole rather than isolating details.
We should be doing both, and so today I want to share with you why I think the devil is in the details.
Photography Is Storytelling
At first, we just want to take pretty, creative pictures. That’s a good thing. But as we develop, we begin to realise that photography is so much more than individual images. We can tell complete stories and control the narrative using our images alone. Of course, documentary photographers know this very well, but subconsciously,y anyone who takes photos also knows this.
Imagine you are taking pictures at your child’s birthday party. You photograph his or her friends arriving, you photograph the cake, the blowing out of the candles, the beaming smile on their face as they open their presents. Without even knowing it you have told a story. And within that story, you will have isolated some details. Close up of the candles, hands ripping open wrapping paper.
As photographers, we don’t have to apply storytelling to some long thought-out, socially aware documentary series, we can do it on a trip to the city or an afternoon at the beach. Telling a story can boost your creativity. Let me tell you why.
Next time you watch a documentary film on TV, take a closer look at the shots that go into that production. There will be wide establishing shots, talking head shots, but also close-up detail shots.
Now let’s apply that documentary style to taking a trip to the city. We can shoot a close-up of our home as we leave, reflected in the car mirror. We can take a close shot of traffic lights with an iconic building behind. In the city, we can shoot close-ups of people on transport, window dressing details, glimpses of a famous transport or city emblem. The list of detailed shots that we can get is virtually endless.
Now, all of the above items are not necessarily things that I have shot before, they are ideas that popped into my mind as I wrote this article. That’s the point, by looking for the details in our scenes, not only do we open up so many more photographic opportunities, but also we are increasing and improving our creativity.
But do I need anything special to photograph the details?
The whole bridge was pretty, but concentrating on the reflections made a stronger image. By Jason Row Photography.
What Gear Will I Need?
This is the great thing about shooting details as part of a story. You don’t necessarily need any new equipment. A camera with a standard zoom is ideal. If the zoom doesn’t bring you close enough, move closer. At the wider aspect of your zoom, you can shoot the detail by getting close and perhaps leave some room for something out of focus in the background that hints at your location.
That said, a moderate telephoto or telephoto zoom will be helpful. You will be able to isolate details better and create a better separation with a shallow depth of field.
If you really want to ramp up creativity, a small portable LED light can be great for adding some extra illumination to your scene and punching out some texture details.
Of course, you can also find details in more macro situations. If you own a macro lens or close focusing lens, that’s fine; however, for the occasional macro, a set of close-up filters is a good budget alternative.
Details Need Light
As I alluded to in the last section with the LED light, details do need decent illumination. If, for example, you are shooting a gargoyle on a church, without good light, that gargoyle will just merge with the stone background. Add in a little directional light and the gargyle will cast a shadow on that stone, giving a feeling of depth.
The time of day is also going to affect how your detail shots look. Harsh light in the middle of the day will give well well-defined but jarring separation of your subject. Morning or evening golden hour is a much softer, warmer light, making your detail look more inviting.
More importantly, the light should be constant with your wider, establishing shots. If you were shooting a documentary film, a shift in light and colour between two shots in the same narrative can jolt you out of the story. The same can be true to a certain extent when using still photography to create a story.
The Narrative Is Important
Whilst it’s very easy to shoot detail shots, shooting and maintaining the narrative is harder yet more creatively rewarding. Your detailed shots must fit the story. For example, going back to our trip to the city, as well as the traffic light shot, we should also have a wide, establishing shot of the iconic building behind. However, that wide shot should contain the traffic lights. They act as a visual clue to the next line in the story. Your wide and mid shots should contain or at least hint at the content of your close, detail shots.
As I have said, details are everywhere, in every genre of photography. However, the real creativity comes when using those details to tell an ongoing story. Finding interesting ways to connect different images within a sequence is both challenging and highly rewarding.
If you want inspiration on shooting details within a narrative, some of the very best at it are good wedding photographers. Look at how they will shoot the usual shots, bride, groom, and family, but also hunt out the little details, close-ups on the rings, the knife cutting the cake, and the bride preparing her hair. All of these are prime examples of detail shots as part of a narrative.
So next time you are planning a shoot, think about turning it into a story. Think about how you can combine the shots you had originally planned with more close and detailed shots that combine well together. You will soon find yourself thinking outside of your own photographic box, and that can only be a good thing.
Welcome to the Light Stalking weekly wrap-up of our wonderful little community.
We had another great week on the site this week with some very interesting photographs being submitted for our weekly challenge – Colour in Simplicity.
Here are a few of our favourites.
Pat Garrett:
Frogdaily:
Patrick:
Tersha:
Pat Garrett
Robert Apple
Member Highlight
Over the last several months, Patrick has been producing some extraordinary black-and-white street photography that we thought was well overdue for a bit of a spotlight. Patrick has managed to develop a style all of his own, and, miraculously to us, he manages to produce it on a very regular basis with his posts and his Instagram being updated daily as far as we can see.
Anybody who has been in different photography knows how difficult this is. But here are some of the wonderful images he’s produced lately:
Join the Photography Contest to Win Some Cash!
Don’t forget to jump into our monthly contest for the chance to win some cash. This month, it is Minimalism and Simplicity, which is always a popular type of theme when it comes to photography.
It takes a while to learn to use your camera like a photographer for whom the camera feels natural in the hands, to move your fingers across the buttons almost unthinkingly, with intent and purpose. It takes even longer to think like a photographer for whom thoughts about composition and the look and feel of the image come in a way that feels intuitive.
Photographers seem more excited to lean into the former than into the latter, which is unfortunate if you believe that your thoughts as a photographer must be thunk before you decide what to do with your hands.
Our photographs are a result of how we think about the world, the scenes in front of us, and how our perceptions of those scenes can be translated into a picture by our creative use of the camera.
If you and I were photographing together and you asked me, “What are you looking for?” your actual question would be, “What are you thinking?” It’s not how I use my eyes that you’d be inquiring about, but what I think about what those eyes are seeing. And when I’m alone, sitting in the presence of some wild thing and failing to make the beauty translate to the picture, I usually ask myself the same kind of question: “How should I be thinking about this?”
When the process is challenging, it’s not my eyes that aren’t working; it’s my mind. As a starting point, it sometimes helps to think about specific things and look for them. One of those things is contrast.
The contrasts or differences in the scene are often something we can build a photograph around. That could be a contrast of tones or of colours. It might be a contrast of shape, texture, or line. A contrast between the sizes of elements, perhaps, or the magical contrast of light.
It might be a contrast of ideas, what we usually call juxtaposition. Organic and inorganic in one frame. Hard and soft. Old and new. Ancient and modern. Predator and prey.
And it could also be contrasts that will only really come to life when I amplify them with the camera. A contrast of moving subjects against stationary backgrounds made clearer with a slow shutter speed. A contrast of focused elements against those I allow to blur with a wide aperture. Even the contrast between highlight and shadow might look one way to my eye, but magnified in effect by my exposure choices.
In the images above, which contrasts do you identify? Can you find the colour contrast? The contrast in size? The contrast of ancient and modern? What contrast do you see in the image of the vultures?
It is not necessarily true that the stronger the contrast, the stronger the photograph, but I think it’s certainly the case that more interesting contrasts captivate us. I don’t know why, but I know that we’re drawn to the differences. And I know this:
The fewer interesting contrasts I see in an image, the fewer mood and story hooks there are on which to hang my emotions and my imagination.
Not all contrast is helpful. We’ve all looked at a scene where the light is hot and contrasty, but not in a good way. Some colours contrast in an unappealing way. And there might be other contrasts in a scene that pull the eye, but not how you’d hoped. And maybe that’s what I’m getting at: contrast naturally pulls the eye. You can use that intentionally or pretend it’s not there, but it won’t pull the eye any less without you making some decisions. Maybe that’s where wider apertures and shallower depth of field help. Maybe a longer lens to exclude those unwanted contrasting elements. Perhaps this is when you convert the image with clashing colours into black and white.
Before you mash that shutter button or spin the dials, it’s worth asking which contrasts you see in the scene and if there’s a way—either with the camera or in post-processing—to draw my attention to them. It might just be that all you need to do is notice them and follow whichever instincts take over from there, but I know that learning to see is about learning to notice, and we notice things we think about.
I am amused by the contrast of the “have and have not” in the image on the left (click it to see it larger on my blog). Without that contrast, the image wouldn’t have the interest it does or the appeal to my humour. The image on the right is a contrast of size and age, but also of action: attentive vs. asleep. That’s where the story is.
So think about contrasts. Maybe look at some of your photographs today and seek out the differences. Contrast isn’t everything, but it’s one element I see in the best images. And when you’re sitting down doing post-production, asking where the interesting contrast is and how you might want to amplify it is a worthy question.
Without differences between elements, we have nothing to look at, no hook on which to hang our interest. The more interesting those differences, the more intentionally you work with them, the stronger your photographs have a chance of becoming. The more you think about this, the more you’ll see it.
