DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

 

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.

 

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

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|42656|42656_1758169450.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

  Day 19

Textures

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Day 20

Safari

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Day 21

Ducks

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|48973|48973_1758470179.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

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.

 

Reflections are something you can shoot all year round but as bright colours and bold shapes make the most interesting reflections, autumn's the perfect season to try this technique.

 

1. Where should I go?

You can head to a picturesque area of landscape where you have reservoirs and lakes by the dozen to pick from. You can also stay a little closer to home and take a walk through your local park after it's rained and use the puddles that have formed as your reflective surface. If you have a pond in your garden and a tree or two that's decorated with autumn colours, you don't even have to walk to the park as you can set your gear up in your own back garden to shoot these abstract style shots.

 

2. Photograph The Wide Landscape

If you head to a national park area you can capture a few wide shots where you include the body of water in the photo with the tree line and rolling hills sitting alongside it. For this, you want an almost mirror-like reflection and this means shooting on a very still day. Better still, do your research and find a lake or reservoir that's sheltered by hills or find one where at least part of it's out of the way of the wind. It helps if you're an early riser too as the air tends to be stiller first thing in the morning than later on in the day. Ripples still a problem? Try using a slightly slower shutter speed to blur them.

You'll need a tripod to stop shake creeping in and a remote / cable release can be handy but it's not essential. You could even start your exposures via a Smart Phone if the camera you're using has wireless capabilities. 

When working with slower shutter speeds by lakes, have a look at the distant trees and other objects that can move in the breeze to see if they've blurred slightly. If you do have a problem with blurry trees, try taking two exposures then combined them when you're back in front of your computer. The first exposure needs to be shot with a slower shutter speed and the second with a quicker shutter speed that won't allow movement to be introduced into your background. 

It's also a good idea to pack an ND Grad Filter as you'll find that the reflection will look darker than the 'real' scene that's creating it. If you line up the darker part of the filter so it sits over the sky and finishes at the shoreline, you'll produce a shot that balances the exposure of the bright sky/surroundings with the reflection.

  3. More Abstract?

Shooting reflections on their own, particularly if the water's slightly choppy, will result in interesting abstract images. You just need strong colours and / or shapes to create shots with real impact and Autumn's oranges and reds are just the shades you need to produce abstract shots that really pack some punch. You can shoot a wider shot of the landscape, as above, then crop in when you're back in front of your computer but it's much easier to just frame up so the water's surface is your main point of focus. Some lenses struggle to focus on moving water so you may need to switch to manual focus so you get a sharp shot.

Just remember to shoot plenty of photos at quite quick intervals as the patterns created by the moving ripples will change quickly.

If you prefer to shoot water flowing and falling over rocks, use a slower shutter speed to blur its motion. As a result, you'll have smooth waves of water that have the autumn shades/colours of the trees dotted along the banking flowing through it.

 

A beautiful image of a rosemary beetle in a garden by simmo73 has been chosen as this week’s featured photo.

The colours are terrific, with the beetle’s iridescence standing out sharply against the soft background. Every detail on its shell and legs is crisp and well defined, showing excellent focus and control.

The close-up view gives a fascinating look at this small garden visitor. The composition works well, keeping the beetle centred while allowing just enough space around it to balance the frame. It’s a simple, beautiful shot that captures the beauty of nature up close and shows macro photography at its best.

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2026, we’ll crown our 2025 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards!

 

Rivers make a wonderful subject for the outdoor photographer, yet people rarely set out with the intention to photograph them. Rivers offer an abundance of opportunities from grand sweeping vistas to detailed abstracts to wildlife as well as being fantastic places to enjoy the outdoors. Here are 6 key pointers to help you achieve better river and open water landscapes.

  1. What is the unique character of the river?

As river locations have their own unique character, one role of the photographer is to identify and emphasise this character. You can do this by asking a series of questions when you first arrive at a location:

• Is this a large and impressive river or a small natural bubbling stream?
• Is this a setting people might describe as being idyllic and picturesque or is it more of an urban or industrial setting?
• Is the river clean and pure or dirty and full of litter?
• Does the setting convey a feeling of tranquillity and calm or are there other emotions it sparks and if so what?
• Is the river fast-moving and powerful or more slow and sedate?
• Is the water surface rough and broken by rocks or flat, calm and full of reflections?

 

2. Shutter speeds

Give some consideration to the shutter speed you will be using. Don’t just stop down to a small aperture for good depth of field and accept the shutter speed. Increase the ISO a little if you need to as the shutter speed can be a big influence the character of the image you create.

Long shutter speeds give smooth water and reflections, which all add to a sense of calm and tranquillity. Fast shutter speeds freeze the water and can really emphasise the feeling of power and strength in the water.

 

 

 

3. Use a remote shutter 

With the remote shutter, you could position your tripod in a shallow part of the river to get a shot with a different angle without having to be stood for a long time in the cold water. Obviously, you need to be very careful if you want to try this as you don't want your camera or yourself going for a swim! The remote control is also useful when photographing wildlife that lives around the river as you'll be able to set your camera up and move away, increasing your chances of shy wildlife coming back to the spot your camera is in.  
 

4. Make the most of the weather

The weather conditions, time of day and time of year all help in determining the type and quality of light you will have to work with. It may sound obvious but you can’t do too much about these factors so look to create photographs that make the most of the light you have available.

Immediately after a rainstorm, when the weather breaks can also produce magical lighting. The clearing rainstorm in the image above produced very dramatic lighting, despite being shot at midday. The rain also helped swell the river to give a great cascading effect over the rocks.

The weather condition that is one of the best for adding mood and character is mist and fog. Rivers in autumn are often great locations for mist early and late in the day. Such conditions tend to be best around sunrise and sunset, often catching the colour of the early morning sun. Look for the larger slow-moving rivers located in open fields as these often give rise to the best mist.

 

 

5. Consider the time of day 

Early morning and late evening light is probably what most photographers think of as being the best light. Typically the sky is colourful and with larger, slower-moving rivers, this great light will be reflected making the river appear to glow. Shutter speeds will be longer at this time of day which also helps smooth out the surface of the river. This is probably the best lighting conditions to create a mood of calm and tranquillity. It’s not always easy to organise yourself to be out photographing at this time of day but it is immensely rewarding in terms of images and the sheer pleasure of watching a sunset or sunrise.

Midday light, at least outside the winter months, tends to be a little harsh and it can be difficult to reflect the character of the river in its setting. If however, the river is in an urban landscape this type of lighting can still work well at it can be used to emphasise the unattractive elements. Also, if the river is strong and powerful you can use the bright lighting to freeze the action. If you find yourself trying to work under harsh lighting conditions that don’t suit your location, try to seek out wooded areas where there is plenty of shade or focus in on capturing detail shots.

Autumn is also a great time of year to photograph rivers and streams in woodland areas. Trees will be changing colour making for vibrant scenes. Leaves will be falling into the river, often gathering in pools around rocks. Here be on the lookout for opportunities to shoot swirling patterns caused by leaves caught in the river's current. With longer shutter speed this slow movement can be recorded as a swirling pattern. Consider using a polarizing filter to give a longer shutter speed but also to emphasise and saturate the vibrant autumn colours.

 

6. Think about where you stand

The direction in which you shoot the river can also have a huge impact on the character of you convey in your photograph. Shooting across a river tends to create a rather static image that flows in on one side of the composition and out on the other. If you have to compose with the river flowing horizontally across the image try to include something in the foreground of the frame to create a feeling of depth to the image.

Often large areas of the riverbank are nothing but grass. In these situations, there is little to hold the viewer's attention. Try to find locations where there is something to include in the foreground such as rocks and reeds.

Shooting along the river from its bank offers more potential especially where the river tends to bend and meander. Long straight rivers are less photogenic but can offer some potential. Look for long stretches where the perspective of the river can be emphasised using a wide-angle lens. The best positions, however, tend to be on bends as this lets you show off the bend and lead the eye into the image. Curves are more photogenic and pleasing to the eye than straight lines. Bends also allow you to position yourself so you look like you are shooting from in the river. This can further be enhanced by a long lens to ensure there is no foreground. When doing this though remember to include a point of interest to focus the viewer’s eye and attention.

Thanks to its warm, golden colours and varying weather, Autumn is a very photogenic season. However, the different locations you can shoot in coupled with weather and light changes can occasionally make setting the correct exposure tricky. With this in mind, here's a quick check list of ways you can ensure your exposure's correct every time. 

Photo by David Clapp

 

1. Use An ND Filter

Placing an ND Filter over your lens will balance the brightness levels of the ground and sky so that sky detail can still be seen without the ground appearing underexposed.

 

2. Check Your Histogram

Even though digital cameras do have good built-in meters you still need to keep an eye out for burnt-out highlights as you'll lose detail in these areas. A good way to check if your image is correctly exposed is with the histogram.

A 'good' histogram that shows an even exposure will peak more towards the middle and get lower to either end. If the graph is occupying mostly the left-hand side it means your image has more dark tones than light (underexposed) and if it’s shifted to the right, there are more lighter tones (overexposed) which means you could have really bright areas that look blown out.

Also, as a side note, when you playback your images there’s an option you can set that makes the highlighted areas 'blink' so you can pinpoint their exact location. Check your camera's manual for the instructions on how to do this. 

 

Photo by David Pritchard. 

 

3. Work On Overcast Days

Overcast days give you the perfect conditions for capturing autumn shots in woods and forests. Why? Well, on sunny days it can be hard to keep contrast to a minimum and you can end up with large areas of dark shadow and patches of bright, dappled sunlight that's broken through the forest's canopy.

 

4. Meter From The Right Spot

Positioning yourself so the yellow and orange coloured leaves can be backlit will add extra punch to your shots, but again, your camera can get confused by the variety of light sources around. As a starting point, you can meter for the mid-tones but it's best to take a meter reading from the leaves to ensure they are correctly exposed. Also, by doing so the background, which you'll want to be thrown nicely out of focus, should appear darker, allowing your subject to 'pop' from the frame.

 

5. Use Exposure Compensation

Mist and fog are common conditions to be shooting in at this time of year but you may find you have exposure problems once out in the field. This is because camera meters are often fooled into underexposing misty scenes so they come out looking very grey, rather than light and airy. You can fix this by using the + compensation option. How many stops you need to move up by will depend on the scene and how many EV steps you can go up by will depend on the camera you are using. 
 

   

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

   

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

 

1. An opportunity to get close to wildlife

As ducks are used to people visiting with goodies they're not usually skittish so getting close to them shouldn't be a problem. Even still, taking along a small bag of birdseed to scatter will keep the ducks in front of you for longer increasing the chances you have of getting a good shot.

Flat banks are the perfect location for photographing ducks as the low angle gives you a shot that has more of a duck's eye view. If you don't want to work hand-held, take along a light-weight tripod or beanbag to sit your camera on.
 

2. Which season is best?

Winter's a great time to head to the water's edge as the sun sits at a lower angle for longer which means you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn for softer light. You'll also get mist rolling over the water – perfect for silhouetting a bird against. For a bit of variety try shooting their reflections or look for interesting behaviour such as fighting or preening activities.

 

3. Need more details?

If you find their feathers are lacking in detail try adding a little fill-in flash. Just remember for birds such as Swans that have lighter feathers you'll need slightly stronger light. This time of year when lakes can be slightly frozen light will be reflected off the icy surface back under the duck, highlighting detail in their plume. For particularly gloomy days switch to a slightly higher ISO so you can use a quicker shutter speed. If you're out when the sky is rather bright keep an eye on your exposure if Swans are around as a white bird against a bright sky may mean your camera underexposes the shot.

For shots of birds in flight make sure you're on continuous focus and get the focus locked on the bird straight away. To freeze their movement in the air or when they're splashing on the water try a shutter speed of around 1/500sec but if you want to be a little more creative try to blur the motion of the wings with a slower speed of around 1/30sec.   

 

 

As winter approaches we're going to see many more days of rain but this shouldn't stop you taking photographs. Instead, use the weather to your advantage to capture great raindrop patterns on windows from the comfort of your home.

 

1. The Beauty Of Variety

You may not have noticed, but raindrops are not always the same on windows. If it's heavy rain the drops tend to be large and blobby after a short shower the droplets are much neater and the best sort to photograph. They look the type you'd see on a spiders web, all almost perfectly round. Droplets can also act like miniature lenses and present an upside-down image of the background in each concave shape. If you adjust focus you can make these images appear sharper to become part of the creative picture.  But that's another technique!

 

2. Gear Choices

All you need for this technique is a camera with close focus capabilities which covers most types of cameras including compacts. Ideally, the camera should have some form of creative exposure mode that will allow you to shoot at different apertures. It would also help if you had a tripod to steady the camera but this isn't a must as if you find your shutter speed is creeping towards the slow side, just use a slightly higher ISO.

 

3. The Set-Up

1. Choose a window that has interesting raindrop patterns and that is facing a plain background. The background should be a long way off so a window into a garden with trees, grass or a fence at a good distance is ideal. The choice of background can really make a difference; a light background such as a sky will often result in the droplets having a darker more defined outline while a dark background will make the centres of the droplets more prominent.

2. Make sure the window is clean! Any fingerprints or smears will show up. Double glazed windows should be in good condition free of condensation.

3. Set your camera up on a tripod and point it at the window. Make sure the camera back is parallel to the window for the best results.

4. Focus on the drops. You may have to use manual mode if your camera has it because the drops can sometimes confuse the focusing sensor so it misses them. On double glazing, some cameras may be fooled by the closer inner layer so manual focus is a really useful option.

5. Move the camera position to get the best range of drops in the frame and watch the background for change in tone. If there's an area where the tips of shrubs meet the lighter sky and that's in the photo it will spoil the result. Move either up so you just have sky or down so you just have shrubs as a backdrop.

6. Set an aperture to its widest setting so the background is thrown totally out of focus.  If you have a compact with no manual control but with scene modes, try taking pictures at different scene modes and compare the results to see if one throws the background out of focus. This will usually be something like portrait, food or close up mode, not landscape or infinity modes.

 

Check out more Close-up photography tutorials.

Under the Foam by Henrique Casinhas

 

The World Sports Photography Awards returns for its seventh year and is now accepting entries. Canon joins as the official imaging partner, marking a new chapter for the competition.

The Awards acknowledge sports photographers who know how to capture the emotion, strength, and precision of athletic moments. Each year, a panel of judges from sport, media, photography, and branding selects the strongest images.

Canon’s partnership reflects its long-standing connection to sports photography. With decades of experience and technical leadership, Canon shares a commitment to supporting photographers who document the power and intensity of sport.

A new category has been introduced for 2026: the Canon Emerging Talent award. This section is dedicated to photographers under the age of 30 who show strong skill and creativity in documenting sport. It aims to recognise the next generation of talent and give them a platform to be seen.

Richard Shepherd, Product Marketing Senior Manager, Imaging at Canon Europe, adds:

"Canon has a rich heritage of capturing sport’s most iconic moments, and as the camera of choice for the majority of photographers entering these awards, this sponsorship reaffirms our commitment to delivering the robust, reliable, high-speed equipment that empowers them to tell those powerful stories. We are especially excited to introduce the ‘Canon Emerging Talent’ award, which will shine a spotlight on the remarkable skill and passion of the next generation.”

 

The Great Water Ditch by Magdalena Strakova

 

Photographers are welcome to submit up to 10 sports images taken between December 2024 and November 2025. This year's competition includes 24 categories and is free to enter. The deadline is 24 November 2025. Photos that were entered in last year's contest can't be submitted again.

 

Entry Details for 2026 Awards:

• Entries Open: Now
• Deadline: 24 November 2025
  • 13:00 New York City
  • 18:00 London
  • 19:00 Amsterdam
  • 03:00 Tokyo (25 November)
  • 05:00 Sydney (25 November)
• Eligibility: Up to 10 sports images taken between December 2024 and November 2025
• Categories: 24 sports categories
• Entry Fee: None

 

The World Sports Photography Awards has a zero tolerance policy for image manipulation or editing. All entries must be original and capture the moment as it happened. This rule is in place to respect the time, effort, and skill photographers put into their work. For full details about the competition, please visit the official website of the World Sports Photography Awards.

 

With half-term coming up in October, you may be looking for something that'll keep the kids entertained but still give you the opportunity to take a photo or two. One location that's worth considering is a safari park as there are some excellent ones based in the UK that'll give you the opportunity to capture frame-filling images of Lions and other animals usually seen on an African plane. 

 

1. Photographing wildlife from your car or a bus 

As you're going to be stuck in your car, or the safari park's transport service, a long lens is a must. Something like a 70-300mm telephoto will do nicely but if you have a longer one take that along too as smaller subjects such as birds will look tiny otherwise. The inside of a car isn't the place for a tripod but having something to support your camera when you're working with long lenses is a good idea. You can get window-mounted tripods but a beanbag is a cheaper and easier way to go. Simply place it on a surface, rest your camera on it and click away. As you're shooting through glass pack a lens hood and/or a polarizer filter as they'll both help minimise reflections. 

 

 

2. Use queueing to your advantage

People moan about having to queue but if you're a photographer at a safari park this could work to your advantage as it means you'll have time to observe your surroundings. If you can wait in one position for a while to snap interesting behaviour. If you're visiting the park to see one particular animal make sure you've done your research so you know what time of day they'll be out and most active. Keep an eye on the weather too as this can make some animals retreat to cover and you'll be left with empty shots of fields. However, if you do get to the park when it's raining don't get too down-hearted as some animals don't mind the rain and raindrops on the fur and the reflection of light on wet surfaces can create very moody photos.

 

3. Small changes make a big difference 

As you're in a small space it can be tricky to move and find different angles to shoot from but there are plenty of other things you can do to improve your shots. Always make sure the eye is in focus and when it is don't click the shutter straight away – wait for the glint in the eyes that can make both human and animal portraits come to life. Sometimes you'll have to wait for the animal to move to get this but all you have to do is keep re-adjusting your framing until the moment arrives. If it's portraits you're particularly after make sure you zoom in to make them frame-filling and if you have cars or other distracting items in the background wait until you've changed position to take the shot or blur it out of sight with a large aperture. If it's a group of lions or a herd of elephants you're photographing use a smaller aperture such as f/22 to limit the blur to get the whole group in the shot.

When you're in a hurry it's easy to forget about composition so you'll put your subject slap bang in the centre of the image. For some shots this will create a strong portrait but try to resist doing it every time and really think about the rule of thirds when framing up. You also need space for your animal to walk into and don't amputate an animals extremities – a lion missing the tip of its tail won't look right.

As you have to keep your windows up you'll be shooting through glass so to minimise reflections make sure you have your lens against the window. If you have one, try using a lens hood or you could put your spare hand above or to the side of the lens to help minimise reflection. As the engine will be running you'll find the glass will be vibrating so speed up the shutter speed to minimise shake. You may also find manual focus handy as glass can sometimes fool a camera.

One more, very important point is to observe the rules. We don't want to hear any stories of ePz members who were turned into lunch!

You don't have to head to a place that's bursting with beautiful landscapes to shoot some autumn-inspired shots as your own garden can give you just as many interesting autumn subjects to photograph. An even better reason to stay close to home is if the weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse you only have to take a few steps to be back in the warmth, you have your kettle close to hand and you can even continue shooting some subjects from inside your house.

  1. Leaves / Trees

 

You can't talk about photography in autumn without mentioning trees and leaves and it's a subject we'll be looking at a lot over the coming month so keep an eye out for tips on shooting macros, using backlight and much more with Autumn leaves. 
  2. Berries

 

If you have a few plants that give berries at this time of year, they should be ripe by now and ready to photograph. If they're a dark colour, try underexposing your shot slightly to deepen their shade and use a polarising filter to cut down on shine/reflections.
  3. Portraits

 

Kids wrapped up in hats and coats, particularly when they're throwing leaves around, scream autumn. Keep your shoot informal and try not to shoot too many posed shots. In fact, if you're photographing your own children playing around in your garden just leave them to it and shoot candids as they play.

If you don't want the colours of the foliage to take over the shot, longer focal lengths, particularly with a wide to moderate aperture, can help, blurring and giving your background a nice bokeh effect as well as flattering the features of who you're photographing. You can use out of focus foliage as a frame too, adding a spot of colour to the foreground of your autumn portrait shot.

Even though early morning and the later afternoon is a good time to shoot, autumn light tends to be lower all day so you can get away with shooting during the day if you need to.

 

4. Birds

 

Some birds begin to migrate at this time of year which means you may have new species of birds visiting your garden.

Birds are easily spooked so you need to keep still and if you can, be hidden. Try shooting from an open window from your house, set up in your shed or if you have one, use a hide. If you work from inside and are shooting through the glass rather than an open window, make sure your lens is as close to the glass as possible and turn your room lights off to minimise reflections. You also need to be in a position that's quite close to where the birds will land as even though you're using longer lenses, they are really tiny and can look lost among your background if you don't get close enough.

Some cameras can be controlled via a Smart Phone which means you can set the camera up in your garden and head back in to the warmth of the house where you can release the shutter remotely from. 

Make sure you pay particular attention to the tips of feathers, particularly on the tails, as these can easily become out of focus when trying to get the right balance between a blurred background and sharp subject. You may need to switch to manual focus, so you can set the focus point more precisely. Light at this time of year can be low so be prepared to switch your ISO up and remember to use a high enough shutter speed to keep your subject sharp. Most small garden birds move quickly and tend to twitch and turn their heads frequently so you need a quick enough shutter speed to stop the movement becoming blurred.

We have more tips on photographing birds in our technique section. 

 

5. Mushrooms

 

If you have any damp, dark areas in your garden or have a compost bin, you'll find fungi specimens are now springing up. You'll find more whole specimens in the morning but as you're in your garden it's quite easy for you to pop out at any time in search of photography-worthy mushrooms.

 

Quick tips for mushroom photos:

• As well as single specimens, capture mushrooms in an odd group which is more pleasing to the eye and adds interest to your shot
• Contrast white mushrooms with backgrounds of moss and leaves
• Blur backgrounds out of focus
• Look under the mushroom for interesting textures
• Light the underbelly by directing light into the scene with a reflector
• If using wider apertures, check your shot as your subject can end up with parts that are out of focus 

For more, have a look at this tutorial: Fungi Photography Tips.   

- Partner Content - 

 

Autumn conditions can be challenging but they can be glorious too, so have your kit ready and the bag by the front door ready for early starts. Exposure for this was 1/1000 sec at f/10 and ISO 800. Image by Will Cheung.

 

With autumn almost upon us, keen photographers will be dusting down their lenses and charging their batteries, ready for this hectic season. Whether your passion is for birds, colourful leaves, fungi or deer, this season is prolific for photographs and you’ll need the right kit if you want to join the party. 

With massive stocks of used imaging kit, MPB is the best place to start building your autumn outfit and save money at the same time. MPB only buys items after they have been thoroughly checked over by its team of experts, and on its website, what you see are actual images of the items on sale. Importantly, every item is sold with a 14-day return period and a free 12 month warranty.

 

A long telephoto combined with the 1.5x crop factor of the Sony A6700 gives plenty of magnifying power for tightly cropped portraits of distant subjects. The exposure was 1/1000 sec at f/9 and ISO 800. Image by Will Cheung.

 

For our nature outfit, we’ve allowed a budget of £3000 for a Sony mirrorless outfit with lenses for wildlife and a macro lens for fungi and nature abstracts.

It was a tough call for the system centrepiece with Sony having full-frame and APS-C format cameras in its line-up. Budget, or rather the lack of it, ruled out models such as the A7 V and A1, but full-frame is always worth considering. On MPB’s site I found a good condition Alpha A7R IV with 82,329 shutter actuations under its belt for £1389. The A7R IV is a fine camera and having 61 megapixels under the bonnet gives the opportunity for cropping in editing while still giving a large final image. Upon reflection though, going APS-C offers better value for money and the 1.5x crop factor is an important benefit for nature shooting, giving telephoto lenses even greater pulling power.

Top of Sony’s APS-C range sits the Alpha A6700, a 26-megapixel camera with a five-stop benefit in-body image stabiliser, 11fps continuous shooting with its electronic shutter and a very capable phase detect AF system. 

MPB has stocks of the A6700 at prices from £1169 in excellent condition to £1279 for an ‘as new’ sample. An excellent condition A6700 had just 367 shutter actuations and that was priced at £1209  - a new model costs £1399 - so that’s an excellent buy. MPB has a big turnover so there is a regular churn on stock. If you don’t find your dream purchase on your first visit to its site, allow some time and try again.

 

Misty conditions can be challenging because of poor lighting levels and the lower contrast can make autofocusing a little less sure-footed. Exposure was 1/500 sec at f/7.1 and ISO 1600. Image by Will Cheung.

 

Being APS-C format, the A6700 body is naturally more compact than full-frame cameras but that does not compromise handling which rates highly. It’s true that the rangefinder design takes a little getting used to, with the viewfinder eyepiece on the far left side and there’s no focus joystick. However, the right-sided on/off switch, nice size AF-ON button, ample customisation options and articulating monitor are all major contributors when it comes to the camera’s user-friendly nature. 

Autofocusing is rapid, accurate and responsive with the system’s 759 phase detection points covering 95% of the frame area and there’s the option of subject detection and tracking for humans, animals, birds and various vehicles. 

When you need to shoot continuous bursts, the A6700 is capable of 11fps with AE/AF tracking and compressed raw format but this uses its electronic shutter. Rolling shutter is a risk with fast moving subjects so there is 5fps continuous shooting with the mechanical shutter. The buffer is big enough for bursts of up to 50 compressed raws, so there’s plenty of capacity.

On the all-important point of image quality, the A6700 won’t let you down even when you need to tap into its higher ISO settings where very clean results can be had at ISO 1600 and more especially with raws treated with software denoising.

 

With the denoising skills of the latest software noise, shooting at very high ISO speeds is not an issue. This was an ISO 3200 raw denoised in Adobe Lightroom. The exposure was 1/500 sec at f/7.1. Image by Will Cheung.

 

In respect of lenses for nature, there’s plenty in the way of choice whether you prefer Sony or third party options. A benefit of the success of Sony’s interchangeable lens cameras and its attitude to independent makers is that there is a huge choice available covering all sorts of focal lengths, zoom range and price levels.

It’s in the ranks of third party brands where we focused our search on MPB’s website for a telephoto with the range to handle distant birds and mammals. The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sport seemed ideal for our needs and an excellent example was on offer for £1079. With the A6700’s 1.5x crop factor that lens equates to a 225-900mm range in full-frame so there’s plenty of power to pull in distant detail.

 

Sigma’s 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sport powerful telezoom is ideal for capturing wildlife and will give a decent image size of distant subjects.

 

Considering the huge focal length range, this Sigma telezoom is surprisingly compact and is rich in features including weather sealing, an optical stabiliser, a useful 1:2.9 magnification and an advanced design with six of its 25 elements being special lenses to deliver an outstanding performance at a great price. Even shooting wide open gives crisp, flare-free images and fine detail rendition. It is a full-frame capable lens so with the A6700 looks small when it’s attached, but if full-frame comes along in the future you have a lens ready to go.

With the camera and lens earmarked, that leaves just over £700 out of our £3000 budget to spend. 

For fungi, leaf details and insects, the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS focuses down close enough to give life-size magnification and it’s known to be a capable optical performer. MPB has used samples of this lens in the £529-654 price range so going for one at the lower price leaves cash enough for a wide-angle prime for scenic shooting. Laowa, Sigma and Tamron are other brands with macro lens options worth checking out.

Finally, available for between £159-189, the Sony FE 28mm f/2 is a suitable contender to round off our nature-oriented outfit. It’s compact, lightweight, performs very well wide open and the focal length isn’t too difficult to use for frame-filling compositions.

 

Soon after dawn light levels are still low so using a monopod  is recommended. It provides invaluable support without being too unwieldy in fast moving situations. Exposure of 1/250 sec at f/9 and ISO 1600. Image by Will Cheung.

 

So with our £3000 budget and MPB’s keen pricing and vast stocks, here’s a three lens camera outfit that will go a long way to making the most of the shooting season ahead. The wide-angle prime suits landscapes and broader tree studies, the 90mm macro is perfect for fungi, textures and the patterns of nature and the 150-600mm zoom can cope with everything from small birds and mammals up to red deer, our largest native land mammal. 

Whatever kit you own, have a great autumn with your camera.

 

 

News from MPB

The summer’s over and, as we’ve discussed, the possibilities for great nature pictures are huge over the coming months. With the need for fast shutter speeds, ISO control and long telephoto lenses, there’s much common ground between action and nature regarding techniques and kit.

MPB has recently published two sports photography features on its website. Click here for MPB’s Top 5 Camera Bodies for Sports Photography and here for an in-depth Guide to Sports Photography. Full of advice and kit hints, these are unmissable features for budding sports shooters.

 

MPB Explained

You need kit to take photographs and produce videos, and taking the used route is a cost-effective way of making the most of your budget and keeping up with the latest developments in imaging technology.

MPB is one of the biggest used retailers with bases in the UK, Germany and the USA.

Trading with MPB the process is fair, safe, painless and incredibly easy.

Whether you have kit to sell, want to make a purchase or part exchange, start by going to the MPB website which is intuitive and straightforward to use.

If you have kit to trade, just start typing the name in and a list of suggestions from MPB’s huge database will appear. If a name on that list matches your product click on it and add its condition; if not, continue typing in the whole name and condition.

It’s worth bearing in mind that MPB’s database covers much more than cameras and lenses so if you have, for example, a photo backpack, tripod or filters to sell these can be shown as you type in their name too.

With all your kit listed, add contact details and a quote will appear in your inbox soon afterwards, although manually entered items will take one working day.

If you are happy with the quote, accept it and follow the instructions to get the kit ready for courier collection on a day to suit you. For higher-value deals, an MPB account manager will also be in touch, so you have a personal point of contact if you have any queries.

Once received by MPB, you will get a notification and after checking by its product specialists you will receive a final quote. This can vary from the original quote if there is a missing item —like a battery not being supplied—or your assessed condition differs from the actual condition.

A quote can go down, but it can also increase if the kit’s condition is better than your assessment.

The whole process doesn’t take long and MPB are in touch by e-mail at every step so you’re never in the dark, and only when you are totally happy with the deal, pass on your payment details or pay the balance in the case of part-exchange. Either way, the money or your new kit will be with you soon after.

Get A Quote From MPB Today

 

About MPB

• MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit.
• MPB is the simple, safe and circular way to trade, upgrade and get paid.
• MPB is not a marketplace, instead buying directly from visual storytellers and evaluating all items before reselling MPB-approved kit.
• MPB's dynamic pricing engine provides the right price upfront for all items.
• Circularity is at the centre of MPB, promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.
• MPB prioritises inclusive recruitment and supports employees with extensive training and development. They promote inclusive visual storytelling and an inclusive circular economy.
• MPB's business model is 100% circular. All packaging is 100% plastic-free. Their cloud-based platform uses 100% renewable electricity.
• MPB recirculates more than 570,000 products annually
• MPB provides first-class customer service. Customers can receive support through their Help Centre or by speaking directly with a kit expert.
• MPB's product specialists are trusted by thousands of visual storytellers in the UK.
• MPB is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot with over 37,000 reviews.

Visit The MPB Website

 

Our landscape is abundant with rocky views from the gneiss rocks of Scotland, through the limestone pavements of the Yorkshire Dales, to the rocky Jurassic coastline of Dorset. Move-in closer and their patterns and textures provide fabulous abstract opportunities for photographers.

 

1. Gear Choices 

The beauty of this technique is any camera/lens combination can be used. No special kit is needed - just a good eye for the best viewpoint and artistic flare to determine the best composition. You could use a tripod to be sure of a rock (excuse the pun) solid view, especially when shooting patterns on the ground, as it can be harder to hold the camera rigid when you're pointing downwards. If you do use a tripod make sure it has an option to splay the legs out wide so you don't get them in the shot.

A standard lens is ideal, especially for rocks patterns below your feet - either a fixed 50mm or short zoom from around 35-70mm range is fine. Use a longer lens if you can't get close enough to the rock face. This is ideal for distant coastal cliff faces or mountainsides. A lens with a close focus will be handy when the texture is more important...you can focus in close on the more intricate details of the rock's composition.

 

2. When To Take Your Photos 

Shoot in overcast light if you want less contrast, but this can reduce the impact of the photo. Sunlight casts shadows making the patterns of rugged rocks become almost 3D. You can use the flash from your camera set to fill to reduce the shadows. If you use a camera that has flash control set the flash compensation to -1 in sun-behind-clouds situations and -2 in bright sunlight. The result will be a reduction in the density of shadow areas, but still enough to give the necessary 3D effect.

 

3. Where To Look

Some of the best patterns can be seen in strata, layers of rock that have been formed by layer upon layer of rock or soil millions of years ago. These layers have become exposed by erosion from the sea or natural earth movement or from being cut away to make roads.

Some of the best viewpoints for photography can be found on the coastline. Go to any rocky coastline and you're likely to find interesting rock patterns and textures, whether on the cliff faces or the natural pavement you walk on. Cliff faces provide head-on views and show the strata with the most dramatic lines while the ocean bed, exposed at low tide, can provide smoother more interesting shapes.

Look for rocks covered on lichen - coastal and exposed mountain moorland areas or dense woodland where it's likely to be regularly damp are ideal for this sort of texture. Use the lens on close focus to crop in on the minute detailed textures and patterns.

 

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Here are 16 photography projects for you to tick off your photo list this Autumn. Think we've missed one? Add your suggestions in the comments. You can also find tips related to each subject by clicking on the headings. 

 

1. Autumn Wide-Angle Landscapes 

When the landscape is full of burnt oranges, warms yellows and other Autumnal shades, take advantage of this warm colour palette and capture some autumn-themed vistas with your wide-angle lens.

  2. Focus On A Single Tree This Autumn

When you've captured your shots of forests and national parks, focus your attention on one tree, shooting under the canopy or try using a lonely tree in a wide, sweeping landscape shot of a crop field. 

 

3. How To Photograph Abstracts

Instead of focusing on scenes as a whole, look for areas where you can strip your image back to shape, patterns and form which will give you an image that's still very much Autumn themed but it's different from the norm. Why not go against the rule that everything has to be sharp and create an Autumnal drag landscape? The warm shades of leaves which turn into long lines of colour help create striking pieces that are perfect for wall art. 

 

4. Top Tips On Photographing Reflections

Reflections are something you can shoot all year round but as bright colours and bold shapes make the most interesting reflections, autumn's the perfect season to try this technique.

 

  5. 10 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos Of Trees

When in the woods with your camera kit look upwards and capture a shot of the trees with a wide-angle lens. When you do, you'll produce a shot that looks as if the trunks of the trees are almost falling out of the image due to the effect wide-angle lens have on verticals and the trees will seem a lot taller, too. This technique can produce great results at all times of the year but when you have the orange tones set against a blue sky it's particularly eye-catching. 

You could also apply this technique in towns and cities where parks can be surrounded by tall modern structures that contrast well against the trees. 

 

6. Add An Interesting Sky

Use slower shutter speeds to turn the movement of the clouds to create leading lines to guide the eye through the photograph or how about waiting for a colourful sunset to compose your Autumn scene against? 

7. Play With Back Light

One way to exaggerate the colours of Autumn is with backlit leaves. Plus, it'll really make the intricate pattern of veins stand out and focus the viewer's attention. You can also shoot some Autumn themed outdoor portraits with backlight to make your subject 'pop' from the frame. 

  8. How To Photograph Fallen Leaves

Make the most of the fallen leaves starting to decorate the land and use them in your landscape shots. If you're working by water where leaves are decorating the land surrounding it or are floating along the surface of the water as it flows downstream, experiment with longer exposure times to blur the water's movement.

 

  9. Top Tips On Photographing Birds

Some birds begin to migrate at this time of year which means you may have new species visiting your garden.

 

10. Capture Photos of Dew Drops

As evening temperatures begin to fall the sight of morning dew decorating grass and other plants is something that will become a regular occurrence. As dew can add extra interest to your macro garden shots, it's well worth getting up early and taking some shots of morning dew. 

 

11. Shoot Sunbeams On Autumn Days

When you mix early morning fog with the rising sun you get a recipe for strong beams of sunlight appearing in woodland areas. These beams of light bursting through trees make an early morning rise from your bed covers well worth it.

 

12. Still Life Photography Can Be Autumn-Themed

Pumpkins, leaves, conkers and berries can all be used in still life set-ups when you're looking for something to keep you occupied on a rainy day. Play around with compositions, props and backgrounds to see what interesting still life creations you can create. 

 

 

13. Top Tips On Using Lens Flare Creatively 

 You can use flare in your shots to add a little romanticism, mystery and warmth to your autumn shots.

  14. Top Frost Photography Tips

The cooler evening temperatures and clear nights mean frost will soon be making an appearance once again and it's a great photographic subject for both landscape and macro photography fans. 

 

15. How To Use Paths And Roads In Your Photos

Paths, lines and long roads will always be excellent composition tools but when combined with lines of Autumnal trees your landscapes suddenly become even better. 

  16. Top Halloween Photography Tips 

As well as landscapes and close-up shots of leaves Autumn brings Halloween.  It's a perfect time to shoot some portraits and capture the other fun details of this event. 

   

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There seems to be a current trend for larger, fast prime lenses, and this Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens absolutely follows that brief. It is large, it is moderately heavy, and it is also the only f/1.4 AF lens of this focal length available today. This makes it look rather attractive and we might expect beautiful out of focus backgrounds for portraiture in particular. It is a full frame DG lens, and also one of Sigma's state-of-the-art Art range, aspiring to the highest standards. So let's couple it up with the 42MP Sony A7R III body and see whether or not it delivers all of its promise.

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Handling and Features

The lens is bulky but the actual weight does not feel too onerous. The figures vary slightly with lens mount.

 

Sony FE 111.7mm x 137.5mm

1420g quoted

1425g measured with tripod foot

1546g measured with tripod foot and hood

L Mount 111.7mm x 135.5mm 1430g quoted

 

The lens is solidly made and feels great to handle. There is a large provided round lens hood that bayonets smoothly into place. There is a locking catch. Within the bayonet mount for the hood is a standard 105mm filter thread, quite an expensive option if a few filters need to be purchased. The hood is very deep, and should be efficient at protecting the front element.

 

 

As we take our tour of the lens, next up is the well ribbed and utterly smooth electronic focusing ring. This Sony version supports all the usual options, selected via the camera menus. AF is driven by two HLA motors (High Response Linear Actuators) and is certainly virtually silent, very fast and very accurate. Focusing is down to 1.1m (43.4"), for a maximum magnification of 1:6.9. This is closer than a traditional manual focus 135mm lens, although not approaching macro distances.

There are two AFL buttons provided, and just three switches. The usual AF/MF switch is joined by a de-click switch for the aperture ring (useful in particular for videographers) and also an aperture ring lock switch. This last option prevents the A setting from being accidentally nudged off its setting, or indeed engaged accidentally if we wish to use the excellent aperture ring instead.

Optical construction is 17 elements in 13 groups, including 4 FLD and 2 Aspherical. FLD elements are fluorite-like and approach the qualities of the very expensive fluorite elements and bring the corrections they allow into an affordable form. The diaphragm comprises 13 blades, and as we look into the front element we can clearly see that the result is an impressively rounded aperture. This bodes well for bokeh.

 

 

Dust and splash resistance is almost a requirement and rounds out an excellent specification. The front element also resists contamination by dust, grease and moisture and should be easier to keep clear. The tripod foot rotates, useful for changing from landscape to portrait orientation when on a tripod, and in any event helps to keep the body of the lens well clear of any tripod mount. It also helps to keep the lens steady when hand held, improving the grip.

There is no inbuilt IS, so the camera is relied upon and Sony's SteadyShot handles this very well indeed. Of course, no amount of IS can reduce subject movement, so the wide aperture can be very useful when shooting close wildlife. Handling is hazard free. It does not take long to find the best grip for what is quite a chunky lens, but it is not excessively heavy and that helps considerably. The lens is great to handle, but is the performance great to match? Let's find out.

 

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Performance

Central sharpness is excellent at f/1.4 and f/2, outstanding from f/2.8 to f/5.6, excellent at f/8 and still very good at f/11 and f/16. The edges are excellent from f/1.4 to f/8, rising to outstanding at f/4, and still very good at f/11 and f/16. The performance is also very even right across the frame.

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Sony A7R III using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA is approaching zero at the centre, and at the edges are held to a creditable half a pixel or so. It is highly unlikely that colour fringing will be noticed in even the most demanding subjects.

Distortion measures +0.23% pincushion, so we really might as well say totally rectilinear. This is great for architectural subjects in particular.

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Sony A7R III using Imatest.

 

Bokeh is the smoothness of the out of focus areas in an image and the general gradation of such areas. This is one of the things we would be looking for in this lens, being both a short telephoto and a very fast (bright) maximum aperture. It excels, and the bokeh is just sublime, especially at wider apertures. Lovely.

Flare is almost totally eliminated, and even with bright light sources in frame it is all but impossible to generate any artefacts.

Vignetting is minimal, with some of the lowest figures seen in any lens.

 

Aperture Vignetting f/1.4 -0.8 f/2 -0.8 f/2.8 -0.4 f/4 -0.4 f/5.6 -0.4 f8 -0.4 f/11 -0.4 f/16 -0.4

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art|Sigma+135mm+f/1.4+DG+Art[/AMUK] lens is priced at £1649.00 and is available in Sony FE and L mount versions.

As it is the only 135mm f/1.4 AF lens available at the time of writing, it stands alone in terms of VFM. However, we can compare its cost with the increasingly large number of top quality 135mm f/1.8 lenses:

• [AMUK]Canon RF 135mm f/1.8L IS USM|Canon+RF+135mm+f/1.8L+IS+USM[/AMUK], £2399
• [AMUK]Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena|Nikkor+Z+135mm+f/1.8+S+Plena[/AMUK], £2299
• [AMUK]Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE|Samyang+AF+135mm+f/1.8+FE[/AMUK], £794
• [AMUK]Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG Art|Sigma+135mm+f/1.8+DG+Art[/AMUK], £1149
• [AMUK]Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM|Sony+FE+135mm+f/1.8+GM[/AMUK], £1599
• [AMUK]Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 Z|Viltrox+135mm+f/1.8+Z[/AMUK], £829

The new Sigma is pitched at an impressively low cost and seems excellent VFM.

 

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Verdict

The current trend seems to be for large, fast lenses with high quality optics, and the new Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art lens fulfills that brief perfectly. Although in the past I have felt that 135mm was a little too long for a portrait lens, when coupled with the current wider apertures it does deliver a new look of its own. We can add to that suitability for close range sports, landscape and wedding/social photography.

It has the quality, has a character of its own and is priced very attractively. It's a great lens at a great price and is Highly Recommended.

 

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Pros

• Excellent to outstanding sharpness
• Central CA virtually banished
• Excellent flare resistance
• Minimal vignetting
• Very well made
• Virtually rectilinear
• Dust and splash resistant
• Sublimely smooth bokeh
• Slick handling
• Excellent pricing

Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG Art Cons

• Heavy and bulky

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=4.5|R_performance=5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=Highly Recommended – Beautifully made, sublime bokeh and outstanding sharpness|E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

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