Understanding why a photographer remains loyal to a particular system, like the Micro Four Thirds, can offer valuable insights into the nuances of photographic equipment, and in an age dominated by APS-C, full frame, and even medium format, the perspective of a micro four thirds user can be particularly good to hear. 

Coming to you from Robin Wong, this great video shares the reasons for his enduring love for the Micro Four Thirds system. With over a decade of experience, Wong articulates why this system continues to be his choice for both professional and personal projects. His preference stems from the system’s compact lenses, renowned for their sharpness and performance even at wide apertures. Wong highlights lenses like the Olympus 75mm f/1.8, which combines a compact form with high-quality output, as a key reason for his steadfast loyalty. This preference for smaller, high-performing lenses is particularly relevant in an era where many photographers grapple with the size and weight of their equipment.

Another significant aspect Wong touches upon is the system’s reliability. Having used Micro Four Thirds cameras like the Olympus EM1 for professional work, he emphasizes the confidence these cameras instill, ensuring that he can always deliver quality results to his clients. In addition to reliability, he praises the superior handling and ergonomics of Micro Four Thirds cameras. This aspect is crucial for photographers who spend long hours on shoots and value comfort and ease of use. Wong’s perspective underscores an essential truth in photography: the best camera system is the one that meets your specific needs, be it for ergonomics, image quality, or reliability. The truth is there is no wrong system, only what’s right for you. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Wong. 

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a worldwide natural wonder. They form when solar wind from the sun slams into Earth’s atmosphere, ionizing the oxygen and nitrogen molecules there. As they release that extra energy, they give off an ethereal glow.

This year’s winners for the Northern lights photographer of the year, the sixth edition from Capture the Atlas, includes 25 of the best northern lights photography from around the world.

The 2023 finalists includes selections from latitudes where the lights have never been photographed before. As Earth approaches the solar maximum, or the chaotic peak of 11-year solar cycle, the northern lights can be seen at these lower latitudes.

From the Arctic landscapes of Alaska and Norway to the Southern Hemisphere’s Australia and New Zealand, this awesome collection of photography showcases greens, purples, and magentas that shouldn’t be missed.

Winner: Storm over Sukapak, Nickolas Warner

This green northern light display over Sukakpak Mountain from Nickolas Warner took first place in the contest. Located approximately 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle, the peak is part of the Brooks Mountain Range in Alaska, USA.

Second place: The Arctic dance, Vincent Beudez

French photographer Vincent Beudez captured this neon burst of light in Tromsø, Norway.

Third place: Lost who I want to be, Jordan McInally

This image of a yellow and magenta aurora over Moke Lake in New Zealand, from photographer Jordan McInally, took third place.

Finalist: Red alert, William Preite

This dazzling, red solar event, photographed by William Preite over the Dolomites in Italy, is actually known as a stable auroral red (SAR) arc, an event even rarer than the aurora. Contrary to its name, this phenomenon is neither particularly stable, nor an aurora, Live Science previously reported. SARs form when oxygen molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere are superheated by the large electric loop that circles our planet.

Finalist: Infinity, Giulio Cobianchi

In order to shoot this “double arc” image properly, a few factors need to be in play, according to photographer Giulio Cobianchi. Clear skies and a moonless night coupled with an aurora only visible to the north, enabled this capture of the lights over the Lofoten Islands in Norway.

Finalist: Bakers oven aurora australis, Josh Beames

Photographer Josh Beames captured this fluorescent scene of the aurora australis, or southern lights, in Bakers Oven, Australia.

Finalist: Goleuadau’r gogledd, Mathew Browne

The image’s title “Goleuadau’r gogledd” translates to “northern lights” in Welsh. Photographer Mathew Browne captured the rare occurrence of the aurora borealis in the United Kingdom over Paxton’s Tower in Wales.

Finalist: The platform, Virgil Reglioni

Photographer Virgil Reglioni shot his finalist work during a geomagnetic storm over a peak in Ottertinden, Norway. The team climbed a 47-degree steep incline in minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 21 degrees Celsius) temperatures to obtain the surreal image.

Finalist: The red flame, Laura Oppelt

Germany’s Wadden Sea National Parks is an unusually southerly location for the aurora borealis, but photographer Laura Oppelt was able to capture this explosion of light on Sept. 25, 2023.

Finalist: Waning sun, Alex Wides

This spectacular 300-degree panorama, which showcases the setting sun during an intense display of the northern lights, was captured on Senja Island in Norway by photographer Alex Wides.

Finalist: Lady in pink, Kenneth LeRose

Shot from the lowest altitude in the United States, this violet aurora was captured in Death Valley, California by photographer Kenneth LeRose. Auroras aren’t typically seen so far south either.

Finalist: Island of aurora, Kat Lawman

Photographer Kat Lawman captured this rare display of the aurora over Wales, United Kingdom.

Finalist: Aurora explosion, Jason Perry

This magenta and yellow display of the southern lights was captured in April, 2023 by photographer Jason Perry in Tasmania, Australia.

Finalist: Gatklettur northern lights, Stefano Pellegrini

After chasing the northern lights for over a week, Stefano Pellegrini captured this magnificent auroral swirl in Gatklettur, Iceland.

Finalist: Beauty of the north, Elena Ermolina

This purple and green aurora waltz was captured by photographer Elena Ermolina on Russia’s Kola Peninsula.

Finalist: March Michigan nights, Justin Miller

Michigan native, Justin Miller, shot this northern lights display over a farm in Glen Arbor.

Finalist: Fleeting moments on ice, MaryBeth Kiczenski

Photographed in March, 2023 by MaryBeth Kiczenski, this Alaskan ice cave collapsed over the summer, making this view of the aurora from within truly one-of-a-kind.

Finalist: Green snakes, Filip Hrebenda

Taken on a lesser-known beach in Lofoten, Norway called “Vikten,” photographer Filip Hrebenda captured this winding aurora, which resembles “green snakes.”

Finalist: Northern lights in Nova Scotia, Kristine Rose

Canadian photographer, Kristine Rose, captured this aurora, along with its reflection, in Nova Scotia.

Finalist: Circle of life, Frøydis Dalheim

Photographer Frøydis Dalheim shot this winter spectacle in Lappland, Finland on a March night in 2023 that reached almost minus 22 F (minus 30 C).

Finalist: Aurora flame, Richard Zheng

Richard Zheng photographed violet aurora australis over the Dunedin Peninsula in New Zealand. The photo shows the Large Magellanic Cloud in the upper right corner, the Colloidal Nebula as a red mass in the upper left, and the Carina Nebula below.

Finalist: The dance of the green lady, Luis Cajete

This geyser of green light was photographed by Luis Cajete over Iceland’s Haifoss waterfall.

Finalist: Blåvatnet, Lukas Moesch

Photographer Lukas Moesch “had a magical encounter with a rare white reindeer (a sign of good luck),” on his way to capture this moment of the northern lights in Tromsø, Norway.

Finalist: Echant, Paul Wilson

This photograph by Paul Wilson, taken from Camp Saddle in Canterbury, New Zealand, shows the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds beside the aurora australis, galaxies that are only visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Finalist: Kirkjufell explosion, Marc Marco Ripoll

This green vortex was photographed by Marc Marco Ripoll on Iceland’s Mt. Kirkjufell, located on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

Hattenheim, Germany

A wine-tasting stand is flooded by the high water of the Rhine. According to the Hesse state agency for nature conservation, environment and geology, the flood situation in Hesse is gradually easing as the weather calms down

Photograph: Arne Dedert/AP

A beloved photographer will be laid to rest on Friday [December 29]. Neil Johnson passed away Saturday, December 23, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Word of Johnson’s death spread rapidly in the Shreveport-Bossier area – in a mixture of shock and sadness that he is gone so soon.
Friends, family, colleagues, and the general public are mourning Johnson’s death as a large figure in the artistic community.
Longtime friend John Prime describes Johnson’s work as transformative, showing the beauty of northwest Louisiana to the rest of the world. “Everybody knows who Bill Joyce is. And they know who James Burton is. I would say that Neil was like a photographic equivalent of those two.” Prime describes how “Somebody could see a flower or a landscape or a person’s situation and think ‘ha!’ And Neil would look at that, frame it in his mind and come up with a picture that told a story.”
Johnson was far more than an accomplished photographer. He became an author and photographer of books including Louisiana Journey and Shreveport and Bossier City. Local writer, artist, and longtime educator – Robert Trudeau – describes Neil Johnson as a very generous and kind friend to so many people. Trudeau especially remembers Johnson’s unassuming, low-key presence. “You never heard from him how much his camera cost or anything like that. He was not that kind of a fella. He was all about being friendly, warm, and getting a great image or a great piece of writing.”
A service to celebrate Neil’s life and faith will be held at First Presbyterian Church at 900 Jordan Street in Shreveport at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Johnson was 69.