The Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG is one of those lenses that’s become so legendary it’s pretty much a meme at this point. It’s a lens that many people would want to have in their collection – if only they had 26 grand to throw away.

But how does such an extreme telephoto zoom stand up to something like street photography? Well, photographer and YouTuber Tom Calton decided to find out and document it in this video.

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Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 – The real Bigma!

The Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 is one of those lenses that almost everyone knows exists, but almost no one knows someone who owns one. There have been a few reviews and videos about them before, including an equally ridiculous portrait session (also by Tom).

In typical British sarcastic humour, Tom walks us through the history of the lens and its significance in lens history. It’s a lens that’s no longer being made, but when it was available, it cost a whopping $26K. But it was the world’s first ultra-telephoto zoom lens to offer an f/2.8 aperture at 500mm.

That wide f/2.8 aperture is why this lens is so huge. It’s why most of the something-500mm zooms a lot of us use have such small apertures. Wider apertures mean larger optics. That means more size and weight.

With the lens being discontinued and many existing owners choosing to hold onto them, they’ve become somewhat rare in the used market. And even though it’s discontinued, there’s still a listing on B&H, which has a couple of amusing reviews on it. Honestly, I’m surprised there aren’t more.

One of the world’s smallest cameras

To make the scenario even more ridiculous, he paired one of the largest lenses in the world with one of the smallest cameras in the world. He chose the Panasonic Lumix GM1, a Micro Four Thirds camera with a 2x crop.

However, Tom also went with a Canon EF to Micro Four Thirds speed booster. This brought the crop back to a more reasonable 1.29x. This effectively made the 200-500mm lens a 258-645mm full-frame equivalent as far as the field of view goes.

Obviously, a lens like this has distinct advantages for things like sports and wildlife. But Tom takes it on several adventures, including some street photography.

I don’t want to spoil things too much, but the images do look intriguing. They offer a unique and interesting perspective and presentation that shorter focal lengths do not. And sure, there are other 500mm zooms out there, but how many have an f/2.8 aperture?

Understanding the pricing landscape in photography can be a daunting task for both emerging and seasoned photographers. The vast range of prices, from a simple potato image fetching millions to a seasoned professional receiving a few hundred dollars for a day’s work, can leave many scratching their heads. 

Coming to you from Justin Mott, this interesting video looks at the complexities of photography pricing and explores the factors influencing these disparities. Mott uses the example of Kevin Abosch, a photographer known for his minimalist portraits of Silicon Valley executives and celebrities, who commands exorbitant fees for his work. Despite the seemingly simple nature of his portraits, Abosch’s strong branding and network have enabled him to transcend typical market rates. 

Mott emphasizes that while technical skill is undoubtedly important, branding and networking play a crucial role in a photographer’s ability to command higher prices. He compares Abosch’s work to that of legendary photographers like Richard Avedon and Irving Penn, noting that while their minimalist styles might appear similar, the latter possessed a unique ability to capture the essence of their subjects’ personalities, elevating their work beyond mere technical proficiency. 

The video underscores the importance of recognizing the dynamics that drive pricing in creative industries. As a photographer, understanding your niche, target audience, and unique value proposition is essential for establishing a sustainable career. While stories of exorbitant prices often grab headlines, it’s crucial to remember that these are outliers. Mott encourages aspiring photographers to focus on honing both their technical skills and marketing acumen to carve their own path in the industry. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Mott.

If you would like to learn more about the business of photography, check out “Making Real Money: The Business of Commercial Photography With Monte Isom!”

By Monique Rubins For Mailonline

Published: 10:45 EDT, 29 April 2024 | Updated: 11:24 EDT, 29 April 2024

Royal fans keen to mark the 13th wedding anniversary of the Prince and Princess of Wales were delighted to discover a previously-unseen portrait of William and Kate from their special day this afternoon. 

Posted to Instagram with the caption ’13 years ago today!’, the black and white photograph was taken not by the couple’s official wedding photographer, Hugo Burnand, but by their private photographer, Dorset-based Millie Pilkington.

When asked abut her biggest break, Millie, who received her first camera from her mother at the age of 8, told The Gold Edition:

‘I’m not sure you can ask for a bigger break than being asked to capture the private wedding photographs for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in April 2011.’

Prince William, 41, and Kate Middleton, 42, married at Westminster Abbey in 2011, with around 37 million people watching in the UK and while official photographs were released after the big day, Millie was chosen to take more intimate shots for their private wedding album. 

And Millie, described as ‘one of the UK’s most respected and accomplished portrait photographers’ on her website, turns out  to be the woman behind a whole host of royal images. 

Most recently, the photographer, who specialises in children and family, took a smiling picture of King Charles and Queen Camilla. 

Released on Friday 24 May, the image accompanied Charles’s encouraging health update announcing that the King would be returning to some of his public duties after undergoing cancer treatment. 

Millie is open about the enjoyment she gets from working with the royal family. Speaking to The Gold Edition in April 2023 she explained that, rather than finding the royals intimidating, she considers them to be ‘more humble, kind, thoughtful and approachable’ than a lot of people who lack their titles. 

Millie has also taken photographs of William and Kate’s three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. 

As well as taking portraits of their youngest child, Prince Louis, which have been released on various birthdays, Millie was on hand to capture Prince William with all three children ahead of Father’s Day last year. 

According to her website, Millie, who is based near Sherborne in Dorset, ‘is known for doing whatever it takes to get the shot’. 

The combination of her professional mindset and playful personality has seen her balance on top of a ladder and wade through a pond to get the right shot. 

When she’s not photographing royals, Millie is busy taking pictures of families and pursuing editorial projects for publications including Country Life and Hello!

Speaking to The Gold Edition, Millie explained that her mother gave her a camera for her eighth birthday. 

‘I quickly became obsessed with, taking photos of almost anything that moved, albeit predominantly my dog and horse,’ she said.

But Millie believes her ‘love of portraiture’ stems from upgrading her camera to a Minolta SLR at the age of 15. At that time, she especially enjoyed taking pictures of her family and friends. 

Millie credits Jane Brown, the late English photographer who spent six decades at The Observer, as one of her most important influences. 

She elaborated: ‘Be they candid snaps, such as her portrait of three Beetles fans or Cilla Black sipping tea, or even a close-up portrait of Mick Jagger laughing, her striking portraits all contain an honesty which I aspire to achieve in my portraiture.’

Another key feature of Millie’s oeuvre is her work with Country Life magazine, her biggest editorial client.

For the November 2018 issue, she photographed Dame Judi Dench for the magazine and has since shared that Country Life was a publication she had ‘always wanted to work for’. 

While she has honed her craft since her early childhood, becoming a fulltime photographer after she married in the year 2000, Millie is happy to admit that sometimes a brilliant portrait comes down simply to ‘a stroke of luck – being in the right place at the right time and being quick.’ 

Outside fashion, Lin can often be found photographing people of prominence. Most recently, she’s made portraits with Lindsay Lohan, boygenius, Kimora Lee Simons and Pat Cleveland. The binding agent between her creative worlds of fashion, beauty and portraiture is an arresting simplicity. “It’s so instinctual to me. I’ve always been more drawn to the subject’s expression than the theatrics that might surround it,” remarks the image-maker. “I think a simple image can often be the most powerful!” Through her discerning eye, Lin manages to make work that occupies the intersection of striking and subtle, playful yet refined. Rich textures, props and palettes are employed in small quantities, conjuring a calm and soft energy that is distinct and memorable. 

Connection—with people and objects —is the driving force behind Lin’s storytelling. Pulling from life to craft narratives that blend the familiar with fantasy to unite people and provoke conversation. “It’s the most wonderful thing,” Lin says excitedly, as she reflects on the potential of image-making. “I’ve always been a deeply emotional person who experiences very high highs and low lows. I didn’t have an outlet for any of that until I started shooting, and once that clicked for me, it was very natural to use the medium to channel those thoughts. ”

Capturing the essence of athleticism and the thrill of competition has always been a driving force for sports photographers. But the landscape of this genre has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, evolving from isolated photo shoots to comprehensive media days involving entire teams and extensive production crews. 

Coming to you from James Quantz Jr, this insightful video takes you on a journey through time, revisiting Quantz’s first-ever behind-the-scenes sports photography video from 2013, offering fascinating glimpse into how much the industry has changed in just over a decade, highlighting advancements in equipment, techniques, and the overall approach to sports photography. 

Quantz’s original video was created as a marketing tool, showcasing his innovative approach to capturing college athletic teams. Back then, teams relied on piecing together in-game action shots for promotional materials. Quantz proposed a more controlled and stylized approach, photographing individual star players to create a portfolio of images for various media needs. This concept, which now seems commonplace, was groundbreaking at the time, eventually landing Quantz work with several NFL, NHL, and NBA teams. 

The video delves into the technical aspects of the 2013 shoot, comparing the equipment and methods used then to those employed today. Beyond gear, the video highlights the shift from static tripod-based shooting to a more dynamic and flexible approach, allowing photographers to better capture the energy and movement of athletes. 

The evolution of sports photography extends beyond technological advancements. The rise of social media and the increasing demand for behind-the-scenes content has transformed how teams and athletes connect with their fans. What was once a niche service offered by pioneering photographers like Quantz has become an integral part of the sports industry, with dedicated media days and full-time staff photographers now the norm. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Quantz.
 

Post-processing is not just a common step in photography; it’s where your images come to life, revealing the vivid details and emotional depth that you managed to capture through your lens. Handling it like a professional isn’t always an easy task but thankfully, we have a powerful ally in Photoshop. Adobe Photoshop stands at the forefront of this transformative process, offering photographers unparalleled tools to refine and enhance their work in just a few clicks.

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Considered a powerhouse in photo editing, Adobe Photoshop delivers a suite of sophisticated tools designed to meet the demands of modern photography. From subtle adjustments to complex compositions, this software enables artists and professionals alike to push the boundaries of digital image editing. Whether you’re aiming to correct lighting issues, enhance colors, or create intricate visual effects, Photoshop provides the capabilities to turn your visions into reality.

By choosing Adobe Photoshop, you’ll have access to a precise and innovative tool that will help you edit all your photos like a professional. In this article we will guide you through the essential features, learning resources, and pricing strategies that make Photoshop an invaluable asset for photographers seeking to elevate their craft. Let ‘s go!

Why Choose Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop enjoys a well-earned reputation as the industry standard in photo editing, all thanks to Adobe’s relentless innovation and unwavering reliability in all its products. Professionals across the globe rely on Photoshop not only for its comprehensive toolset but also for its ability to integrate seamlessly into diverse workflows and its consistent performance in delivering high-quality results.

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These are some of Photoshop’s key features that stand out for photographers:

• Layering and Compositing: Stack adjustments without altering the original image, blending various elements to produce something entirely new and visually striking.
• Color Correction and Adjustment Tools: Adjust hues, saturation, and luminance to correct lighting imbalances and color mismatches.
• Retouching and Restoration: Remove blemishes, smooth out imperfections, and bring faded images back to their former glory
• Advanced Selection Tools: Sophisticated selection tools for meticulous edits. Cut out complex shapes or selectively apply effects to ensure every edit as intended.

These capabilities make Adobe Photoshop not merely a tool but an extension of a photographer’s vision, providing all that is needed to transform good photos into great ones. As we delve deeper into these features, it becomes clear why Photoshop is the top choice for professionals looking to advance their photographic artistry.

Key Features of Adobe Photoshop for Photographers

Adobe Photoshop stands out as a premier editing tool due to its rich array of features that cater specifically to the needs of photographers. Each feature is designed to enhance, correct, or transform photographs and improve the final outcome. These are some of its most outstanding features:

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Layering and Compositing: Expanding Creativity

In Photoshop, layering and compositing offer unlimited creative possibilities. Layering involves stacking different elements such as images, adjustments, and effects in a sequence where each layer can be individually modified without affecting others. This approach is essential for maintaining flexibility throughout the editing process.

The non-destructive nature of this layering means that all changes, whether they’re opacity adjustments, blending modes, or filter applications, can be tweaked or reversed at any point. This capability is crucial for photographers who need to experiment and iterate on their vision without losing the option to revert to the original state of the image.

Compositing takes this a step further by allowing to merge elements from multiple sources into a single image. This process is often used to craft scenes or effects that would be impossible to capture in a single photograph. For instance, a photographer can combine elements from different times of day or various weather conditions into one cohesive image that tells a unique story or conveys a specific mood. Moreover, Photoshop’s advanced masking and selection tools play a critical role in compositing by enabling precise control over which parts of each layer are visible and how they interact. 

Color Correction and Adjustment: Mastering Mood and Tone

Photoshop’s color correction tools are powerful and user-friendly, designed to give photographers complete control over the color dynamics within their images. These are crucial for both correcting common photographic issues, like exposure or color problems as well as allowing the adjustment of an image to better reflect the intended mood or style.

• Curves and Levels: These tools let users easily tune-up exposure and contrast. Curves allow precise control over the luminosity of an image across different tonal ranges while levels provide a more straightforward approach to adjusting brightness, contrast, and tonal range.
• Hue/Saturation: This tool is essential for adjusting the color intensity and hue of an entire image or specific colors within the photography. It’s particularly useful for making colors pop, muting overly vibrant areas, or changing a color entirely.
• Selective Color: For more targeted adjustments, the selective color tool allows changes to individual color components within an image. This tool lets you fine tune specific colors without affecting the rest of the image, enhancing its accuracy, or creatively altering the color scheme to achieve a specific atmosphere.

Retouching and Restoration: Reviving and Perfecting Visuals

Adobe Photoshop’s suite of retouching and restoration tools is meticulously designed to tackle a wide range of photographic issues, from simple cosmetic fixes to complex restoration of aged or damaged photographs. Here’s some of them:

• Healing Brush: Ideal for removing small blemishes or inconsistencies in an image, this tool is perfect for correcting skin imperfections, removing dust spots, or any other minor flaws that distract from the main subject.
• Clone Stamp: For more direct control over the pixels being copied, the Clone Stamp tool allows photographers to duplicate one part of an image to another. This is particularly useful for larger areas or where a precise match of texture or tone is necessary. 
• Patch Tool: Combining aspects of the Healing Brush and Clone Stamp, the Patch Tool lets users select a specific area of an image and then replace it with a sample from another area. This is especially effective for larger flawed areas and provides a quick and seamless way to correct them by matching the lighting and shading of the surrounding area.

Advanced Selection Tools: Precision at Your Fingertips

In Adobe Photoshop, the suite of advanced selection tools lets you easily perform highly detailed edits. These tools enable photographers and designers to isolate and manipulate specific areas of an image with precision, which is essential for complex modifications that require fine attention to detail.

• Magic Wand: This tool selects parts of an image based on the color and tone similarities. It is particularly useful for quickly selecting a consistently colored area without having to manually trace its outline. 
• Lasso Tools: The Lasso tool suite offers three options: the standard Lasso for freehand selections, the Polygonal Lasso for straight-edged selections, and the Magnetic Lasso that clings to edges as you trace around them. 
• Pen Tool: Perhaps the most precise of all Photoshop’s selection tools, the Pen tool allows for pinpoint accuracy and control. It is used to draw paths around objects, which can then be converted into selections. 

Why Photoshop is the Industry Standard for Photographers

Photoshop is, without a doubt, the industry-standard photo editing software. With features designed from simple retouching to complex graphic design and 3D modeling, Photoshop offers unmatched versatility. Adobe has shown a full commitment to their star product with continuous innovation and improvements to Photoshop since it launched all the way back in 1990. Even today, it remains way ahead of the cutting edge of digital imaging software. Regular updates introduce new tools, enhanced performance, and better integration with other platforms and devices. 

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Setting New Industry Standards

In 2024, thanks to the introduction of new AI features such Adobe Sensei and Adobe Firefly, users are already making image generative technology a standard part of image enhancement workflows. This integration represents a significant shift towards more automated and intelligent editing processes, allowing for quicker enhancements and creative possibilities that were previously difficult or impossible to achieve manually. As these tools become more embedded in daily use, they are setting new standards for efficiency and innovation in digital imaging.

Productivity and Real-Time Support:

Adobe Photoshop users benefit from its extensive range of resources and professional support. Adobe provides regular webinars and live training sessions where users can interact with experts and get answers to their queries in real time. For more personalized support, Adobe’s customer service includes technical support and troubleshooting, which are invaluable for professionals working under tight deadlines. This level of support ensures that users can maintain productivity without having to deal with any downtimes or disruptions.

A Special Introductory Price to Access all of Adobe Photoshop’s Features

Adobe Photoshop is available with a subscription-based model through Adobe’s Creative Cloud (CC). This means that once you have an active subscription you can access continuous updates, new features, cloud storage, and integration with other Adobe applications.

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Monthly or Annual Plans

Users can choose to subscribe to Photoshop either monthly or annually, with significant savings typically offered on the annual commitment. 

Photoshop is also available as part of various Adobe Creative Cloud bundles, which can include other Adobe apps like Lightroom, Illustrator, and Adobe Premiere Pro. These bundles are particularly attractive for professionals who rely on multiple tools for their creative workflows.

First-Year Discount

Adobe often provides a reduced price for the first year of a subscription, making it more accessible for new users to start using Photoshop. This introductory offer is an excellent opportunity for those unsure about the commitment to try the software at a lower risk.

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The availability of this promotion can vary significantly depending on your country and region.

Take the Next Step with Adobe Photoshop

Ready to transform your photography with the world’s leading image editing software? Visit Adobe’s official website to explore the various subscription options and find the plan that best suits your creative needs. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an enthusiastic beginner, Adobe Photoshop offers a powerful suite of tools to elevate your work.

• Visit Adobe to Download or Purchase Photoshop: Start your journey by navigating to Adobe’s website. Here, you can view detailed information about Photoshop’s features, subscription plans, and pricing. Choose a plan that aligns with your needs and click ‘Buy Now’ to begin the process.
• Sign Up for a Free Trial: Not sure if Photoshop is right for you? Adobe offers a free trial, allowing you to test all the features without any commitment. To access the trial, simply select the ‘Free Trial‘ option on the Photoshop page. This is an excellent opportunity to experience firsthand how Photoshop can enhance your photographic projects.
• Explore and Learn: Once you’ve installed Photoshop, take advantage of the vast array of tutorials and resources available on Adobe’s website and through the Creative Cloud application. These resources are designed to help you get the most out of your Photoshop experience, from basic introductions to advanced techniques.

Harnessing the Power of Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop stands unrivaled as the go-to choice for photographers both aspiring artists to professionals in the industry. Its comprehensive suite of editing features ensures that every photo you take has the potential to become a masterpiece. Whether you are correcting minor flaws, adjusting colors to capture the right mood, or creating complex composites, Photoshop provides the tools you need to transform and give shape to all your ideas. 

Subscribing and downloading Photoshop opens a world of creative possibilities. As you explore its vast capabilities and powerful tools, this amazing tool will become your best ally to boost your creativity. Don’t waste any time and add Photoshop into your workflow to discover just how much further you can push the boundaries of your photography. Take the step today to explore how Adobe’s most famous program can elevate your photographic art to new heights. Are you ready to get your free trial now?

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