Photography News

 

There are several places in the UK, and the rest of the world, where you may find your tripod easily fits into three small holes already made by fellow photographers with their kit. Joking aside, there are several locations that are considered to be honeypots for photographers, and often tourists, which means it can be difficult to shoot something that's different to every other shot produced in that particular location. 

You can, of course, head off in search of your own locations but this can take time and these popular, honeypot locations are popular for a reason: they're very photogenic so why should you ignore them? Instead, we've thought of a few simple things you could try to make your shot slightly different to everyone else’s. 

 

1. Change Focal Length Or Orientation

The majority of landscapes are shot with wide-angle lenses, however, if you switch your wideout and replace it with a telephoto lens you will start to shoot photos of a popular location in a slightly different way. 

Telephoto lenses allow you to be much more selective with what you include in-frame. You'll be able to focus on detail that would be lost in a wider shot, plus telephoto lenses make it easier to crop out a blank, boring sky. 

By standing back and zooming in with a telephoto lens you'll be able to compress perspective so objects in the background will appear to be closer to your foreground subjects than they do with the eye. This means mountains can look like they are towering over foreground detail, almost as if they are stacked on top of one another. 

Do take your tripod with you when using telephoto lenses as they do make camera shake more prominent. 

If you're not using a DSLR with interchangeable lenses you can switch from a landscape orientation to portrait to give your shot a different perspective and feel. 

2. Move Your Feet

It's worth scouting out your chosen location for viewpoints that show the popular spot in a different way. This could mean climbing a near-by hill, moving further down a beach or changing the side of a lake you take your photos from. 

 

 

3. Weather

In a previous article, photographer John Gravett said: “There is no such thing as bad weather, only different types of lighting.” With this in mind, try heading to a popular photographic location on days when the weather's not playing ball. Stormy days with heavy skies, rain and mist work well at the coast while foggy mornings can add an extra level of interest to an over photographed scene, particularly if you can get up high so you can shoot down over it. Landscapes can often look moody when photographed in bad weather and you can enhance the mood further by converting your shots to black & white.

Do remember to protect your equipment correctly when heading out in the rain with a waterproof cover and keep a microfibre cloth handy for drying surfaces. It's also worth packing a few lens cloths, as rain on the lens can spoil photos taken on rainy-days. 

 

4. Season

If you do a quick search online for the location you want to take your photos in you'll soon see what season most people visit it in. Do take the time to shoot at the same time of year as everyone else as some subjects, such as woods in autumn, do look particularly great during certain times of the year. However, don't be afraid to approach the same location during other months to get a shot others may not have. 

 

5. Time Of Day

If you don't want to wait for a whole season to pass, you could just try visiting your chosen location at a different time during the day. Instead of shooting a sunset, get out of bed early and use the cooler morning light in your shots. Another bonus of early mornings is there will be less people around so you won't be fighting for space and you shouldn't get people walking through your shot. In towns and cities, venture out in the evening as the sun sets to capture the outline of buildings that have shape thanks to their lights rather than shooting in the day. 

 

The Call for Entries is now open for LPA Futures Competition 2026-28!

Are you an emerging commercial photographer? Then don't miss this chance to win an agent for 2 years,  plus lots of other incredible prizes to kickstart your career.

All you need to do is enter 10 images and answer 5 questions by October 19th. Entry is free. 

Please find all the details below on how to enter, the judges, the prizes and the terms. Go for it and good luck! 

 

Terms and Conditions:   1) Eligibility

 

ENTRANTS MUST:

1. Be over 18 years old.
2. Be based within the UK or Channel Islands.
3. Only submit work that was produced after October 2020.

 

WINNERS MUST:

1. Agree to the LPA contract (a standard industry photographers/agents contract), which will be provided to all shortlisted photographers who make it through to Round 2 of the judging process.

 

2) Entry Procedure

 

To enter the Competition please submit a total of 10 images (no less and no more) via the entry form here or email question answers and images to futures@lisapritchard.com.

Please only submit work that you feel demonstrates a consistency in your style and is potentially relevant commercially, for example to brands and businesses, advertising and design agencies. Please see the LPA website for more specific examples of commercial work by the LPA photographers and past and current LPA Futures winners.

You will receive confirmation that your entry has been received.

There is no entry fee.

Closing date for entries midnight 19th October 2025.

 

3) Judging Procedure

 

ROUND 1

A panel of industry judges as specified on the Call for Entries, will select a shortlist of photographers online to go through to Round 2.

All shortlisted photographers will be contacted via email by November 3rd. Please note that unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted.

 

ROUND 2

A group discussion will be held by the judges to decide the 3 winners. The final 3 will be contacted via email and/or telephone by EOP December 2nd or sooner depending on Round 2 judging.

The judges’ decision is final and no further discussion will be entered into.

We will also contact the unsuccessful entrants that went through to Round 2 including the 10 runners up who will receive a free 30 minute video portfolio review by Lisa.

 

4) Criteria

 

The goal is to select 3 photographers who demonstrate the potential to be successful commercial photographers. 

We are looking for emerging photographers who have the potential to gain commissions from communication agencies and businesses directly to advertise and promote their products and services. In our experience, photographers who succeed in this area have a recognisable or 'signature’ style, their work has a strong identity and often evokes an emotion or a mood. Aside from having a good eye and being technically faultless, good commercial photographers have a certain something that makes their photography memorable and engaging, whether that's defined by an aesthetic or a subject matter, or both, the viewer often finds something in the images that resonates and that they can connect with. 

We are judging the photography on the portfolio of 10 stills images we have asked the photographers to submit. If the photographer also shoots moving image, that is something that we can also promote during the 2 year representation period and it can be mentioned in the entry form if you feel relevant. However we won’t be selecting the 3 winners based on moving image at this stage.

 

5) Winners

 

Upon signing the LPA Futures contract, photographers will be represented by LPA Futures for a period of 2 years, subject to the terms of the LPA contract. LPA will contact the 3 winning photographers via telephone or email by December 2nd. 

Please note that unsuccessful entrants still in this round but not one of the 3 winners, will not be contacted, aside from the next 7 photographers in the top 10 overall. We will contact these 7 runners up regarding their free 30 minute video portfolio review by Lisa by December 5th. Should any of the selected photographers’ circumstances have changed, we will ask the judges to revote to replace them. 

Upon signing the LPA Futures contract, photographers will be represented by LPA Futures for a period of 2 years for January 2026-January 2028, subject to the terms on the LPA contract. Both parties reserve the right to terminate the agreement with one month notice throughout the 2 year term.

 

6) The Prizes

 

- Representation by LPA for 2 years subject to contract

- A 12-month licence to Bikinilists, a leading global database of photography commissioners

- £300 towards a specialist photographic insurance policy from the UK’s most established photographic insurance broker Williamson Carson

- CAA (Creative Assistants Agency) will provide one creative crew member for up to a day for a test shoot/personal project. This could be a wardrobe, props or set stylist, an assistant, a make-up artist or a home economist and is subject to CAA selecting appropriate crew and availability. CAA and the artist/crew reserve the right to be credited and to use the imagery for their own promotion

- A dedicated feature in Spotlight (category of choice) or Showcase UK Magazine from Production Paradise, plus a two-year international directory listing and global promotion through their newsletter and social channels

- A shoot space for a personal project, provided by JJ Spaces Ltd the UK’s top location resource for photoshoots. This is subject to JJ Spaces Ltd sourcing the appropriate space and availability. JJ Spaces Ltd and the location owner reserve the right to be credited and to use the imagery for their own promotion

- Professional talent for a test shoot from Gingersnap Models. This is subject to Gingersnap Models sourcing appropriate talent and availability. Amount of talent sourced for this test shoot is the ultimate decision of Gingersnap Models. Gingersnap Models and the talent reserve the right to be credited and to use the imagery for their own promotion

- The next 7 photographers in the shortlist (from the top 10) will also be offered a free 30 minute video portfolio review by Lisa Pritchard at a mutually agreeable time

- All entrants will receive a 10% discount to join the Production Paradise directory if they fit the criteria of Production Paradise entry requirements. Please note that Production Paradise is a curated platform, so all new members’ portfolios are reviewed ( by Production Paradise) to ensure they meet commercial relevance and quality standards

All prizes need to be redeemed within the 2 year period January 2026-January 2028

 

7) Copyright/Usage of Images

 

Copyright remains with the photographer at all times. All work must be the photographer’s own original work. The selected 3 photographers must have the full right to allow their work to be reproduced in the LPA Futures exhibition and associated press, publicity and promotional material in all media worldwide, including but not limited to the LPA blog, social media and website, plus external press and publicity for the Competition. LPA may crop the image to fit the design. Each entrant warrants that they own the entire copyright worldwide in their work and that all necessary model releases and other third-party clearances have been obtained so all images can be used for the promotional purposes outlined above. Images by entrants not selected will not be used for publicity without prior written consent. There will be no additional usage of images by winners without prior written consent.

 

8) Indemnity

 

Entrants agree to indemnify Lisa Pritchard Agency against all expenses, damages, claims and legal costs arising out of their breach of any of the warranties in paragraph 7 above.

 

9) Further Information

 

The organiser of the LPA Futures Competition is Lisa Pritchard Agency. For more information and to enter the competition, please visit the LPA website.

How good is a $40 flash? We kick the tires on the Powerextra DF-400, a budget hot-shoe flash intended for DSLR and mirrorless shooters who want more power and flexibility than a built-in flash without breaking the bank. It offers only manual control plus a couple of simple wireless trigger modes.

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The photography community is in the midst of an existential crisis. Open any photography forum, Facebook group, or Reddit thread, and you'll find photographers convinced that artificial intelligence is about to obliterate their careers. Meanwhile, others dismiss these concerns entirely, insisting that "real photography" will always matter. The truth, as usual, lives somewhere in the middle.

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At the end of 2024, SmallRig, in collaboration with YouTuber Potato Jet, released a unique hydraulic video tripod. This tripod now has a successor, the Second Edition. You can read more about this tripod in this review.

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Today, we’ll have a look at the brand-new color calibration tool from Datacolor: the Spyder Express.

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The right edits can turn a dull sunset into a showstopper. Color, light, and local adjustments all work together to create warmth and contrast that feel alive. This tutorial walks through how to transform a flat raw file into a vibrant sunset image with rich tones and clean detail.

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The release of the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 lens for the Nikon Z mount completes something people have been waiting on: a full f/2.8 G2 zoom lineup that covers everything from wide to telephoto. You get the range, the light, and the stabilization that makes handheld shooting easier across situations from portraits to wildlife.

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Masks in Lightroom Classic are no longer niche tools. If you shoot wildlife, landscapes, or portraits, smart masking decides whether an edit looks polished or clumsy.

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JPEGs are having a moment again, and not just on small sensors. When you shoot fast, deliver same day, or want a clean preview without a laptop, dialing in color in-camera changes how you work on set and what you hand off later.

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Meike is currently offering discounted prices on its lenses during Amazon Prime Deals, running from October 7–8, 2025. The deals include up to 20% off on selected Meike lenses for various mirrorless camera systems.

Get discounts for Meike 85mm f/1.8 STM for Sony E-mount, a fast portrait lens built with a metal mount and quiet autofocus system. The Meike 50mm f/1.8 STM for Canon RF and the 85mm f/1.8 STM for Nikon Z are also included, both offering bright apertures suited for low-light and portrait work.

You can also save on the Meike 35mm f/2.0 STM lens, which is currently discounted at $159.99, down from $199.99.

For APS-C shooters, the Meike 55mm f/1.4 STM lens is also part of the promotion down to just $159.99 from regular price of $199.99. It’s compact and lightweight, with fast focusing and a wide aperture that creates smooth background blur, ideal for portraits and everyday photography.

To check out the full selection of discounted lenses, click below to visit Meike’s Amazon store. Hurry before the deals end today!

Shop Meike's Amazon Prime Deals

 

Markets are full of photographic opportunities thanks to the colourful array of products and people that pass through them. However, they can also be a little daunting, especially in foreign locations but if you remember a few simple steps, you shouldn't have too many problems. These include asking to take close-up portraits, not getting in the way of those running a business and the most important but simple step: be polite.

 

1. Lenses for photographing candid market images

Wide lenses will give you the opportunity to capture stallholders and customers in their environment while a longer lens can be useful if you'd prefer to shoot more candidly. Consider a telephoto zoom for more flexibility.

2. Flash can make photos look less natural

Try to avoid flash as not only can it be distracting, it can also spoil the atmosphere you're trying to capture. As indoor markets tend to be low on light this can mean working with higher ISOs but most DSLRs cope with this fine so you can still capture great low light imagery.

Leave the tripod at home as the legs will just get in the way of other visitors. If you find you really do need a support, find a flat, solid surface you can rest your camera on. It's also worth keeping an eye on your white balance as some indoor lighting can leave a coloured tint in your shots. 

 

 

3. Interact with people to gain their trust

Capturing portraits of people at work or shots of those visiting the market, buying goods, is the best approach to take. Shooting candidly is fine but for portraits with impact, take the time to ask the stallholders if you can take some shots of them up close. If language is a barrier, try smiling and pointing to your camera as this will often get the message across. Always thank your subject and take the time to show them the result. It'll also help if you can learn how to say 'hello', 'please' and 'thank you' in the language of the country you're visiting, if venturing away from home. 

If someone looks uncomfortable because you're taking their photograph make sure you stop and walk away and always read up on what's acceptable and what isn't and respect the views/practices of the country you're visiting.
 

4. Capture as much as you can

Remember to shoot lots and often as lots can happen in a market. Switching to continuous shooting mode can help, but it's not essential, you could also try shooting from the hip if you don't want to draw as much attention to yourself. 
 
When you do have the opportunity to work more closely, try a slightly tighter framing to see what results are produced. If you have particularly large stalls to deal with that have lots of produce between you and the seller this could mean using the power of a zoom lens to pull them to you rather than you moving your feet. 

If you're making a special trip to a particular market do remember to check:

• Opening times
• Busy times
• Restocking times (so that you're not in the way)

 

Here are 7 things you can still photograph when you're stuck at home sheltering from the bad weather.
 

1. Photograph Cutlery

The kitchen holds a world of photo opportunities and all you need is some imagination to exploit it. Forks, colanders, wooden spoons etc. can make interesting photographs when shot right. For more tips, have a look at these articles:

• Tips On Shooting Cutlery
• How To Photograph Kitchen Utensils And Cutlery

 

2. Explore The House With A Macro Lens

Take a different look at your home through a macro lens. You'll find patterns, textures and shapes you didn't know existed until you looked down a macro lens. Cushions, glasses and salt & pepper pots can all make interesting subjects. 

If you do not own a macro lens, just try using the lens's minimum focusing distance. Or consider investing in a close-up lens.

It's important when shooting close-up and macro photographs to use a tripod and a remote release - so as to maximise depth-of-field, avoid camera-shake, and ensure accurate focusing. Anchor your camera firmly, though, and your shutter speeds can be as long as you like.

Maximising depth-of-field, by setting an aperture of f/16 or smaller, is important because the closer you get to your subject the more limited depth-of-field becomes. At a larger aperture, such as f/5.6, parts of the subject will almost certainly be out-of-focus.

Using a tripod also makes it easier to ensure accurate focusing. Even at a small aperture you may only have a few millimetres of depth-of-field in front of and behind the point on which you focus - and the natural sway of the body when hand-holding can easily take you outside that, and leave you with an unsharp image. You'll also find it easier, if you have an autofocus camera, to switch to manual focusing.

 

 

3. Coloured Liquid In Glasses

Get a selection of glasses, add water and your choice of food colouring to them. Place them on a clear, reflective surface (glass on white paper works well) and place a large piece of white card behind them. If you want to light the background use your flash off-camera to do this. You want an even light that will bounce off the background back onto the scene you're photographing without causing flare. 

 

4. Water Droplets On A Window

There are plenty of opportunities to get great pictures of rain on patio doors or windows and you don't even have to get wet! When rain hits the pane it leaves tiny water droplets and when these droplets are combined they create fascinating patterns. With a close-up lens you can fill the frame with interesting shapes or use a macro lens to give your piece even more impact. 

If a white sky is behind the droplets they will all appear white with just a thin black outline. If you move around so a wall or greenery is in the background instead, the droplets will take on those colours and patterns making more interesting shapes.

 

5. Frozen Items

This technique is brilliant with a macro lens but will work with the lens at minimum focus. 

Freeze water in a suitable clear container. Once frozen place the container or either a white or even coloured surface so it shows through the container. If you have a lightbox, place the container onto it so light shines through from the bottom. If you don't have a lightbox, just be creative your whatever furniture you have. Ideally, being able to get a lamp or flash under the ice container is what you want.

A 50mm macro lens with the camera on the tripod will let you get closer to capture the patterns that form in the water and cracking ice as it melts. Use a kettle of hot water and gently pour it onto the ice to cause cracks and to start the melting process. Look through the viewfinder for interesting patterns and snap away. 

A twist on this is freezing objects - leaves, flowerheads, shells, pebbles - in the container and then shooting them.

Obviously, this idea needs a little bit of planning, so get the container in the freezer early on and try shooting some of our other ideas while you wait for the thing to freeze. 

 

 

6. Cross Polarisation

Cross polarising effect is where you use a pair of polarising filters - one on the camera and one on the light source (behind the subject) to show stress in plastic which appears as wonderful multicoloured pattern. 

You can use an LCD computer monitor as a light source, plus they have a polariser built-in. You'll need to use a camera with a polarising filter either attached or positioned in front of the lens. Of course, you'll need a monitor and a steady support will also be useful.

Some clear hard plastic items will also be needed as well as something to hold the plastic item steady in front of the computer monitor.

For step-by-step tips on how this technique works, have a read of this: Easy Cross Polarisation

 

7. Capturing Oil On Water

With a few items you'll find around your house you can create interesting abstract shots of oil on water. You'll need a camera with a close focus facility, tripod, a light source, a clear dish, water, oil and something to add colour to your shot (card, paper, t-shirt....etc.). You'll find a guide on what to do next in our article full of tips on how to photograph oil on water with just a basic set up.

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to Leedslass1 (Day 22 - River).

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 16

Rugged Landscape

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Day 17

Night Architecture

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Day 18

Cats

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  Day 19

Textures

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Day 20

Safari

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Day 21

Ducks

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

Fog and mist give instant mood, adding an extra level of environmental interest to your shots. You actually do not have to do anything special apart from just being out in it with your camera. So, whether you are walking the dog or on your daily commute to work, it is worth having a camera with you for those unmissable mist images.
 

1. Camera Choice

Any camera is good for mist photography and you can use any lens too, so just stick to your favourite combination. There is nothing wrong with using a top-end compact if carrying a DSLR around with you is not feasible.
 

2. Lens Options

In terms of lens choice, a wide-angle lets you show the tonal differences between foreground and misty background in a gradual way. Look for bold foreground detail and strong lines (rocks, trees, pathways, rivers etc) to make the most of this effect.

The foreground is just as important with [AMUK]telephoto lenses|telephoto+lens+lenses+zoom[/AMUK]. Shoot a misty scene with no foreground and there is no perspective, no sense of depth. This can work fine but most scenes need some foreground interest to give that three-dimensional quality and the tonal transition is much more abrupt.

3. Ultra-Violet Or Skylight Filter?

You probably already have your lenses fitted with an ultra-violet or skylight filter; if you don't it is a worthwhile consideration if you bear in mind that a filter is cheaper to replace than a lens.  On misty days when you can have tiny water droplets settling on your lens this will affect image sharpness, so being able just to wipe them off without being too delicate is a bonus.

 

 

4. Use A Tripod

If you have the room it's a good idea to pack your tripod as exposures can be on the long side as not much sunlight will be able to get through the fog/mist you're photographing. It should also help you keep horizons straight too, although some cameras feature a level or some sort of grid-guide that can help you level your camera for straight horizons. 

 

5. Valleys And Low-Lying Areas

Mists forms in low-lying areas (valleys, for example) and over water so if you fancy the idea of shooting mists, those are the sorts of places to head for. To add a touch of mysticism or eeriness to your work head for thickly wooded areas where fog and mist will weave around the trees.
 

6. Meters Can Be Fooled

Camera meters are often fooled into underexposing misty scenes so they come out looking very grey, rather than light and airy which usually looks better. Setting +0.5EV or +0.7EV will help avoid this. In strongly backlit scenes you might need up to a +1 or +2 exposure value to record the delicacy of the mist.

Shooting in Raw and doing the adjustment later is an option but it makes sense to get it right in the first place.
 

7. Work Quickly

Finally, remember to get there in plenty enough time so if there is a mist, you have time to scout a few good spots and then decide which is best. Conditions can change very rapidly, so shoot quickly, perhaps bracketing exposures, and then move on.

I set out to photograph and light paint a collapsing market in Desert Center, California. Here’s how I pulled it off. I'll take you behind the scenes of my desert ghost town night photography safari.

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Shiny specs like megapixels and frames per second grab the headlines, but they don’t always make a camera worth carrying every day. The real difference between a tool you love and one that gathers dust often comes down to overlooked features hiding beneath the marketing gloss.

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In the world of photography, few things inspire as much love and hate as post-production. Some photographers trust this as the place where the vision comes alive. Others (myself, for example) dread it and put it away for months at a time. AI has promised to make editing faster but was met with criticism from artists who are afraid to lose creative control. I spoke with Miles Witt Boyer, a pioneer in the world of AI editing, about this and much more.

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Photographers talk a lot about gear, technique, and style, but one of the biggest factors in whether you get hired (or keep getting hired) has nothing to do with your camera. It comes down to how you show up as a team member. A member of my private community asked how I hire for my sets and for staff. I decided to create a casual video about it, and I’m hoping you are able to benefit from my experience.

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Light can make or break a portrait. You can have the best camera and lens, but if you don’t understand how light behaves, your images will always feel flat or harsh. The secret isn’t in power settings or expensive gear. It’s in one simple principle that affects every frame you shoot.

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