Photographer Luo Xin, better known by his artistic moniker Lahem, was presented the Discovery Award on Sunday at the 9th Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival in Xiamen, East China’s Fujian province.
“The artist uses pure photography to explore an individual’s strong, intricate ties with their homeland, the city, memory and identity,” said the jury. “His work transcends personal experiences and scrutinizes the inevitable cycles and connections between man and nature, life, and death.”
The holiday season is here, and just in time for Christmas, instruments used to observe the vastness of the cosmos have honed in on a certain astronomical in celebration for the time of year.
The specific astronomical object is officially called NGC 2264, which is also known as the Christmas Tree Cluster. This cluster contains a group of stars that astronomers estimate to be anywhere between one and five million years old, which is considered to be extremely young for a star. Notably, the sizes of these stars within the Christmas Tree Cluster vary drastically, with some stars being much larger than our Sun and others being far smaller.
The above image was captured using NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory, along with optical data from the Nation Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope. The image showcases gas in the color green, which NASA writes “corresponds” to the “pine needles of the tree,” while infrared data from the Two Micron Sky Survey shows foreground and background stars in white.
2VIEW GALLERY – 2 IMAGES
“In this composite image, the cluster’s resemblance to a Christmas tree has been enhanced through image rotation and color choices. Optical data is represented by wispy green lines and shapes, which creates the boughs and needles of the tree shape. X-rays detected by Chandra are presented as blue and white lights, and resemble glowing dots of light on the tree. Infrared data show foreground and background stars as gleaming specks of white against the blackness of space,” writes NASA
“I don’t post very often, compared to many photographers, and I suspect I may be just pushing my selectivity ‘upstream’ by being very stringent about what I choose to edit and post in the first place,” says photographer Ian Garrick Mason to the Phoblographer, noting our observation about his online presence. “If a picture makes that cut and survives my editing process, it can go on all of my platforms. I do tend to restrict my website by total number of pictures, so I have a tendency to put both my latest and my favorite older pictures there – but I don’t have a carefully worked-out strategy in that regard.” His opinion of what his best work is changes often; and so he tends to switch things out online. This is far different from what most photographers do these days and perhaps it comes from how long Ian has been working as a photographer.
All images by Ian Garrick Mason. Used with permission. For more, please visit his website and Instagram.
Ian got started around a decade ago by taking photos of buildings while in Toronto. He was fascinated by how the light played off of tower windows. “It looked ‘Liquid’ to me,” he tells us. He then went on to buy a Nikon D3300 — what he calls a proper camera. In 2014, we published our review of that camera, which you can find here. From there, he experimented with casual portrait photography, headshots, etc. Eventually, Ian started working with models and realized he enjoyed fashion photography. “I took photography more seriously from then on, and the more I do it, the more it’s clear to me that a person can spend a lifetime at it, always searching for an ever more perfect balance of light and personality and movement and line and color.”
My general philosophy about gear is that I only allow myself to buy something new if I feel I’ve mastered the possibilities that my current equipment allows; I haven’t reached that level of mastery yet with the D3300 so I’ll stick with it for a couple more years at least. I do have a longer-run notion that I might buy a medium-format camera one day, as I like the cropping flexibility it can provide since the pixel count is so large.
Ian Garrick Mason
After all that time, he’s still shooting with that Nikon D3300 — and he hasn’t switched to mirrorless still. Paired with a 50mm f1.8 and 35mm f1.8 prime, he shoots all the photos that you can see on his website and social media pages. “I’m a strong believer in the idea that fashion photography is about two humans interacting and that the camera lens (and the shooting distances it partly determines) should reflect the reality of the humans involved,” he tells us. “I worry that if I used a longer lens I wouldn’t feel ‘there.‘” This sentiment is reflected through the work of many other photographers — indeed, they want people to feel in the moment with them.
When looking at Ian’s photographs, we noticed his use of color. The images we saw look influenced by Polaroids and Fujifilm 100C. This comes not only from the editing, but also with the wardrobe that the models have. Indeed, his color usage is very specific — and we learned that this comes from the way he edits.
“My fundamental approach to editing is to start from an openness to what a given photograph truly is, in its essence — or what it wants to be,” he describes. “As I edit, I often try a wide range of possible color approaches, and then start working with the one that feels most strongly aligned with the photograph and its personality. I might keep the look simple or (more often) I may layer semi-transparent looks on looks to find the right combination of tones and values.” His influences are also many. In fact, he even references Byzantine-era religious icons along with modern paintings.
Other times I’m inspired more by movies I’ve seen – I admire the great directors and cinematographers, and I’ve made short films myself. Sometimes I find the light rather than the colour is the dominant element and I play that up and let it run. Again, it’s about finding out what the picture wants to be and helping it realize its potential.
Ian Garrick Mason
Ian’s thoughts on AI imagery are fascinating — especially because of his work in the fashion world. He believes that it can be a great visualizer of possible ideas that are yet to be executed. He also believes that it has the potential to vacuum up many of the higher-volume tasks that photography has taken on in the commercial world. But overall, he believes that AI will be limited by the fact that it’s unlimited. “What I mean is that the power of photography comes directly from the reality of the scene and of the subjects captured by the camera: the awareness of the audience that the model and the clothes are real, the awareness of the model that she is being photographed, the awareness of the designer that the clothes must look beautiful on a real human in a real setting,” he explains to us. “AI maximizes the range of what can be depicted (faster though no further than painting does), but at the cost of losing its tether to reality and reality’s constraints. Limits, after all, are what compress the magic of the real into the diamonds we call art.”
Our underwater world is unique, inspiring and bizarre. With over 30,000 known species of fish and over 6,000 different species of coral, the oceans are awe-inspiring havens for water-based wildlife. However, unlike on dry land, not everyone can access these areas nor get to shoot them without the right specialist equipment, both for the dive and the camera.
Maria Munn first considered the idea of underwater photography when she was in hospital after sustaining life-threatening injuries in an accident in which she suffered 15 fractures. While in hospital, Maria watched a programme about whale sharks and decided that if she survived and could walk again, she wanted to learn to photograph them.
Once she had recovered, Maria set about her quest, travelling the world and shooting underwater environments. From launching the first underwater compact camera photography courses with Emperor Divers in Egypt to shooting white sharks in Mexico, Maria has seen and done it all.
“Scuba diving can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of physical ability,” she says. “If you have a disability, scuba diving offers a unique sense of freedom, transporting you into a world of weightlessness and intrigue.”
Shooting with both compact cameras and DSLRs, Maria was the first person in the UK to gain a distinction from the Royal Photographic Society for her work, before she turned her hand to helping beginners. Now teaching the genre from her studio in Dorset, her students have won awards, been published in National Geographic and worked on programmes such as the BBC’s Blue Planet II.
Maria Munn is an award-winning underwater photographer and a leader in teaching the genre with compact cameras, starting the UK’s first dedicated courses for beginners from her studio in Swanage, Dorset. Her first book, Underwater Photography for Compact Camera Users, is a best-seller, winning Book of the Year in the UK diving industry.
Absolutely not. There is so much beauty beneath the waves around our UK coastline, from snorkelling with friendly seals to incredible encounters with blue sharks and the second-largest fish in the sea, the basking shark. Don’t forget lakes and ponds, these are magical havens for so much underwater life. Remember to check the weather and conditions beforehand and wear adequate protection to stay warm or prevent sunburn.
I believe that the best way to learn is to have fun, so my sessions are run for individuals or small groups in a relaxed manner. They are tailor-made to each guest’s needs and the particular areas that interest them. I have a studio in Swanage, which is just a few steps away from the sea and is designed to inspire visitors to photograph the beauty both here in the UK and overseas.
During the lessons, we will go for a snorkel and practice techniques learnt in the shallow, safe waters of Swanage Bay. I also run day trips to locations where my students can photograph and swim with seals. I offer online help and I’m also looking to run overseas trips too. They’re a fabulous way of practicing and developing skills you have learnt, from settings through to composition and lighting.
I love compact cameras for their ability to capture both close-up and wide-angle images during the same underwater shoot. Additional lenses made by Olympus, as well as other manufacturers, can easily be added and are kept safe underwater using a lens caddy system on an arm. You can also add external lights, which helps keep the whole system small and light to travel with.
I’ll never forget swimming for my life in pursuit of whale shark images with my Canon DSLR in a large, heavy housing.
I love working with my Olympus TG6. I just can’t put it down anymore. I love capturing split-level scenes showcasing the beauty of an area above and underwater in the same image without the need for Photoshop. A wide-angle lens is my perfect companion but it needs to have at least a 100° field of view to achieve the best results.
I also use a Sealife Sport Diver underwater camera housing, which Sealife Cameras kindly lent me to use with my iPhone. I can’t put it down! It makes creating underwater images so easy for a beginner and delivers incredible results. The software is compatible with most makes of both Android and iPhone, meaning there’s no need to upgrade the housing when purchasing a new phone.
The most important thing to remember is that water reduces sharpness, colour and contrast, so it’s imperative to get as close as you can to your subject. It is just as important, if not more, to remember not to damage reefs or harass creatures. Make sure the camera and housing will give you the results you want. If your passion is seascapes, caves or large subjects, such as whale sharks, then make sure a wide-angle lens will fit on the front of your housing to give you the best results. If your passion is close-up or macro subjects then a strobe or external light are the best accessories to buy. Some housings like the Olympus TG-6 allow the built-in flash to be used for macro subjects – just make sure the part that covers the flash is opaque.
Mastering how to expose subjects near the surface using both natural and artificial light is one. It can be tricky to get the exposure right when there is a burst of sunshine overhead. One of the golden rules in underwater photography is ‘always shoot with the sun behind you’. But ignore that rule and you can get some eye-catching images.
Pro advice
Don’t forget to take care of your equipment. Always double and triple-check that your O-ring seal is clean from sand, grit and any lurking hair. One tiny element going wrong could cause a dreaded housing leak.
Essentially, so many things can affect the quality of your image – the operator’s ability to stay still, the clarity of water, distance, available light, where the subject is and how fast it’s moving. Being able to think in a nano-second to change the camera’s controls or position yourself at the best possible angle takes a lot of practice. And whether you’re freediving or going out with scuba gear, you have to remember to keep yourself safe too.
It would be that taking award-winning images was possible with a compact camera. I still can’t believe that, back in 2001, when I started to encourage those with smaller cameras to get into underwater photography, there was no one else doing that. Even the Royal Photographic Society were astounded when they learnt that my portfolio for my distinction comprised both digital compact and DSLR images.
I have seen so much change since I started – and it’s incredibly worrying. Organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society say that, whereas there once were just eight species of jellyfish in the UK, they are now regularly finding 11. One of them, the bioluminescent crystal jellyfish (or Aequorea victoria) is normally found in Pacific waters, but rising sea temperatures have damaged coral reefs and displaced some migratory species that usually live in cooler water.
Then there’s the huge danger to all kinds of marine species from unsustainable fishing practices. It’s an important time to support organizations such as Sea Shepherd and Ghost Diving, which remove illegal fishing nets and protect ocean animals worldwide
I’ve just returned from volunteering with the Ocean Film Festival team – it was incredible to meet so many people passionate about the ocean. I’ve also been asked to be a UK ambassador for the Mares watersports brand, to help encourage newcomers into our blue wilderness through snorkelling. Nothing makes me happier than giving beginners the confidence to develop their skills to explore our oceans safely and create captivating images underwater. I’m also writing my third book, which I’m really excited about.
Get ready for underwater photography:
The pilot and photographer aboard a television news helicopter were killed when it crashed in a wooded area of southern New Jersey Tuesday night (Dec. 19). The single-engine Eurocopter AS350B2 went down in the Wharton State Forest, about 30 miles from Philadelphia, around 8 pm while returning from an assignment on the New Jersey shore to its home base at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The helicopter and crew were contracted through U.S. Helicopters and were long-time members of Philadelphia’s 6ABC news team.
New Jersey State Park Police Chief George Fedorczyk told reporters the park police were first notified at 11 pm that the helicopter was missing. The wreckage was found just after midnight. The park police identified the victims as pilot Monroe Smith, 67, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, and photographer Christopher Dougherty, 45, of Oreland, Pennsylvania.
There were no immediate reports of radio transmissions from the helicopter or any indication of what may have caused it to go down. Investigation teams from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were on site today and will remove the wreckage to a secure area for examination.
Retired photojournalist Pete Kane worked for another area television station and told reporters he was not only a colleague of Smith, but also a classmate from an area high school. “We’re competitors at TV stations,” he said, “but in reality, we’re all friends. We all look out for each other.”
“Don’t Worry, Darling” (2023) by David Yarrow.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MELISSA MORGAN FINE ART
British photographer David Yarrow has joined Melissa Morgan’s eponymous gallery, which will host a Dec. 1 reception to coincide with the opening of the artist’s monthlong exhibition.
The timing couldn’t be better. Yarrow, known for his collaborations with supermodels Cara Delevingne and Cindy Crawford as well as his like-you’re-there sports and wildlife images, created his latest series of highly stylized, almost cinematic photographs in Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Amboy, and locations in the Mojave Desert.
“Roy’s”(2023) by David Yarrow.
In a view titled “Don’t Worry, Darling,” Yarrow attempted to encapsulate the “hot and beautiful utopia” of Palm Springs in a single frame but said, “There was no room to be earnest. I simply wanted to be long of parody, color, and symbolism.”
The image features Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosia outfitted in brilliant 1950s resortwear and seated in a vintage Ferrari with her coiffed white standard poodle riding shot- gun. Bunches of towering palm trees frame an incident in the rear distance. “Who knows who is being arrested in the background,” Yarrow said of the scene, “but it doesn’t look like it’s particularly interfering with her morning.”
The photographer explained his deliberate saturation of the color: “to evoke the gauzy, sac- charine pleasures of the town. Is it really paradise or is it a parody of itself?”
Philadelphia news helicopter crashes in New Jersey forest, killing pilot and photographer
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