This year the International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition celebrates its 10th birthday and more than 4,000 submissions were received on its first major milestone. Professional and amateur photographers alike are invited to enter the competition which celebrates some of the most breathtaking landscapes from all over the world. 

The coveted title of the 10th International Landscape Photographer of the Year is based on a portfolio submission of at least four images. Australian photographer Tony Hewitt earned the esteemed title with a selection of aerial photographs showcasing a selection of brightly colored abstract aerial photos of river beds and shorelines around western Australia. Runners-up included Canadian photographer Andrew Mielzynski and Matt Meisenheimer from the USA in third place.

• Check out the best cameras for landscape photography and get creative with nature’s most beautiful scenery

For the single image category, the International Landscape Photograph of the Year 2023 was awarded to Blake Randall from Canada for his image Fire and Water taken at Abraham Lake in Canada. The depiction of a smooth, mirror-like lake with frosty colors and fiery red gives the image a true fantasy fiction feel. 

Aside from the two main awards, a winnr was also picked from the Black and White category which went to Jim Guerard from the USA for another image of a crisp reflection of trees on a lake taken at George L Smith State Park in Georgia, USA. The aerial award went to Caey McCallister for his monochromatic, minimalist image of birds on the shoreline of a lake in Colorado, Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan claimed the Snow & Ice award for Austfonna Ice Cap which is composed of 26 images carefully stitched together to immortalize the transient beauty of the natural wonder.

Irish photographer Cieran Willmore landed the Seascapes award for a stunning long-exposure image taken on the Faroe Islands showing a stream that leads your eye to two freestanding stone formations known as the Petrified Witch and the Giant while John Seager from the UK won the Desert Category for his capture of a spectacular geological formation known as El Cono Arita I the vast salt deserts of Argentina. 

First, second and third place winners will take home anywhere between $5,000 and $500 plus a selection of photographic equipment, inclusion in the 2023 ILPOTY book plus their very own copy. Winners of each of the special awards will receive a one-metre-wide print of their photo, a trophy and inclusion in the ILPOTY book. 

Each of these photographers demonstrated exceptional skill and creativity within their respective categories and was selected by a judging panel comprised of esteemed professionals in the field, who played a crucial role in determining the winners. They included David Burnett, co-founder of Contact Press Images, Tim Parkin, On Landscape Magazine Editor, Benjamin Briones Grandi, 2022 International Landscape Photographer of the Year, Kaye Davis, NZIPP Grand Master of Photography and Jim M Goldstein, a fine Art Photographer and Author. 

Now celebrating its tenth year, the International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards expressed gratitude to all the photographers who have contributed to this remarkable journey. The competition continues to showcase a broad spectrum of landscape images, from classic to contemporary, demonstrating the richness and diversity of this art form.

With entries from all over the globe, the ILPOTY will appeal to audiences worldwide and provide a platform for landscape photographers to elevate their work to new heights. To view the entire winner’s gallery and find out about entering next year’s competition, head to the ILPOTY website. 

You might also need one of the best camera drones if you fancy having a go at taking aerial shots of your favorite landscapes

There’s no mistaking that you – our audience – have been touched by photographs showcasing the body. Taking the top spot this year is our article on Sarah Piantadosi’s Bone, a series born out of her experience at a techno fetish-sex party in London four years ago, that later grew into a series displaying women’s bodies across a variety of shapes and sizes. But, you weren’t only drawn in by intimate portraits like those in Bone, you were also captured by the bodily connection in Filip Custic’s human product. Examining the connection between tech and our bodies, human product still leaves us wondering if there are truly any boundaries between the two worlds.

Community-centred narratives were also popular this year. Nathaniel Bailey uncovered the personality and livelihood of Jamaica’s people in ongoing series Parish Wells. Then to east Asia we go as Liling Cui and Kin Coedel both document communities Tibet, and Coco Capitán explores the activity of Kyoto’s teens. And, we see a perspective of London beyond its central areas in Sukhy Hullait’s documentations of communities in southeast London and Jack Smethers’ portraits of a community resisting gentrification in north London. But that’s not all; family series were also big hitters. One of your favourite articles was on Emma Hardy’s photobook Permissions, collating her documentations of family over 20 years. Putting her grandfather at the fore, Celine Van Heel shows us that age has no bearing on fashion sense, and James Barnett flips the script documenting his parents going about their everyday lives.

December 18, 2023

Lead Imagehurricane kiss (alexis and kat), 2021Photography by Dean Majd. Courtesy of Matte Magazine

Posted: 18th December, 2023 by The Editor

Earlier this year, New Jersey’s emo rock legends Armor For Sleep announced a headlining tour to celebrate 20 years of their debut album, Dream To Make Believe, and it became an immediate must to attend one of the shows. Lucky for us O.C. and L.A. fans, the tour included a stop at House of Blues in Anaheim on December 7th. Joining Armor For Sleep for the party were iconic bands The Early November, out of New Jersey and The Spill Canvas, out of South Dakota.

The Spill Canvas kicked off the night at the SOLD OUT show by playing a 30 minute set, which included fan favorites such as “Staplegunned”, “All Over You”, and “All Hail the Heartbreaker”. After warming up the crowd, The Early November came through to deliver a memorable performance that won’t soon be forgotten as the band played their debut album, The Room’s Too Cold, in its entirety from BACK TO FRONT. In addition to hearing songs off the album such as “Baby Blue”, “Something That Produces Results”, and “Ever So Sweet”, the band couldn’t end their set without playing a fan favorite, “I Want To Hear You Sad” off their first EP, For All of This. For anyone wondering if 30-something year olds are still up for crowdsurfing during that song as they sing it loud, the answer is an absolute YES. The Early November left the crowd hyped up and prepared for the performance that was to come from Armor For Sleep.

The quartet almost played Dream To Make Believe from front to back. As soon as the band took the stage, the faces of fans against the barricade lit up. The band kicked off their set with “Dream To Make Believe”, “All Warm,” and “Being You Walls”, the first three tracks off the album. They continued on with the order of the tracklist as they played “My Town”, “The Wanderers Guild”, “Frost and Front Steps”, and “Phantoms Now”. Before playing the rest of the album, Armor For Sleep sprinkled in a couple of tunes from their second album, What To Do When You Are Dead and played “The Truth About Heaven” and “Awkward Last Words”. Every song the band played until that point, was filled with almost 2,000 souls serving as backup singers. The band took care of business and went back to Dream To Make Believe as they played the remaining songs off the album: “Raindrops”, “Kind of Perfect”, and “Slip Like Space”. With the band playing their first album in its entirety and many of us in attendance being fans of What To Do When You Are Dead, the band played more fan favorites off their second album, which included “Remember To Feel Real”, “The More You Talk the Less I Hear”, “Basement Ghost Singing”, “Stay On The Ground”, and to end the night, super fan favorite, “Car Underwater”.

Had I been told 20 years ago when I was just learning about these bands that we’d hear Dream To Make Believe and The Room’s Too Cold in their entirety, I honestly would’ve said that I couldn’t even see that far into the future. We constantly hear at shows from bands that play anniversary shows that it’s an honor to be able to do that. To see all these bands come together to play our favorite music all these years later is an honor FOR US to be able to witness. Thank you The Spill Canvas. Thank you The Early November. Thank you Armor For Sleep.

Photos by Jazmin Lemus

The Alternative is ad-free and 100% supported by our readers. If you’d like to help us produce more content and promote more great new music, please consider donating to our Patreon page, which also allows you to receive sweet perks like free albums and The Alternative merch.

The best way to photograph jewelry is with a mirrorless or DSLR camera and a macro lens. You’ll need a tripod to avoid camera shake and to free your hands up. Also, you’ll need some studio lighting to make sure your jewelry is lit evenly and consistently.

Set your camera to the correct aperture and make sure your product is in focus. Then take the photo. Sounds easy right? Sadly there is a little more to it than this.

Photographing jewelry, whether it’s a dazzling diamond ring or an elegant gemstone necklace, is known for its inherent challenges. However, there are several tricks and techniques that can streamline the process and add a sparkling touch to your images.

Photographers often encounter challenges when capturing images of watches, rings and necklaces. The smooth and shiny surfaces of these items create disruptive reflections. Additionally, their small size, coupled with the high magnification required, makes it challenging to attain an ample depth of field. So let’s break it down.

Backgrounds for jewelry photography

Before diving into considerations like lens selection or lighting, your initial focus should be on choosing the right background. The background plays a crucial role in your shot, and it’s essential to make a thoughtful selection. Opt for something that complements your product, avoiding overpowering elements. Consider factors such as color, texture and shape. Contemplate how these elements will harmonize with the overall styling of your image. This doesn’t mean it needs to be expensive either. Black fabric, paper or a light tent can work really well. Consider natural elements like stone, brick or even plants. Also, make sure your jewelry is clean of fingerprints. Gloves can be handy to have on hand.

Lighting setups for jewelry photography

Depending on your subject matter, a light tent could work really well with two or more strip boxes on either side. The light tent acts as a secondary diffuser and can minimize distracting highlights. Another option is a beauty dish. I used a 85cm Phottix G-Capsule beauty dish to front-light some necklaces on a (cheap) black velvet jewelry stand. It was placed up high and angled down above my subject. The beauty dish spreads the light evenly.

Jewelry photography lighting setups for rings and watches

Rings and watches, with their smooth and curved surfaces, act as mirrors, reflecting everything around them — the base surface, background, and even the photographer. Therefore, the critical aspect of successful ring (and watch) photography lies in minimizing these reflections. If the lighting setup for photographing rings appears more complicated compared to necklaces, it’s for this reason.

To deal with the challenge of excessive reflections, try a unique approach with a conical-shaped light tent that enveloped the rings while enabling me to direct light through it. You may need several different light sources, but using a conical-shaped light tent can remove many distractions. These can be made from opaque plastic or tracing paper, or you can buy commercial ones. Wrap around your lens and over the top of the rings or watch.

Depth of field

After achieving the desired lighting, the next challenge to tackle is the depth of field. Despite setting your aperture to f/11 or even f/16, the small size of the rings and the close proximity at which you will be working presents a difficulty in achieving overall sharpness. To solve this problem, try Focus Stacking.

This method involves capturing a series of images, each with a different focal point, then blending these images during postproduction. The outcome is a single image where the entire subject is in sharp focus. Many cameras like the Sony A7RV have in-camera focus bracketing (or focus stacking).

For effective focus stacking, it’s crucial to secure your camera in place on a tripod. Capture a sequence of images, gradually adjusting the focus from the front to the back of the object. These can be blended in Photoshop or Helicon Focus. On the image below, I stacked 15 images, but still only kept my focus on the middle three pendants of this necklace, letting the outside edges fall off in focus and blur. Stacked with a f/2.8 aperture, but I could have used f/9 or f/11 too.

Post-processing

Don’t forget some final touch-ups in post-processing, especially dust and scratch removal for a flawless image. This is where using gloves and wiping down jewelry before the shoot is an advantage with less cleanup in post. Also, a High Pass filter can add some extra detail.

Choosing your gear

When it comes to photographing jewelry, the right equipment and techniques can make all the difference in showcasing the beauty and intricacy of your pieces. Let’s explore some options for capturing stunning jewelry photos using a mirrorless or DSLR camera.

Choose the right camera

For optimal results, invest in a mirrorless or DSLR camera. These cameras offer superior image quality and flexibility, allowing you to capture the fine details and textures of your jewelry with precision. I am currently using a Sony A7RV and Sony 90mm macro lens for photographing jewelry.

Use a tripod for stability

To eliminate any unwanted camera shake and ensure sharp, clear images, a tripod is essential. This stable foundation allows you to focus on framing your shots without worrying about blurriness. I am currently using a Peak Design Travel Tripod.

Achieve consistent lighting

Even consistent lighting is crucial for highlighting the beauty of your jewelry. Avoid harsh shadows by setting up diffused lighting or using natural light sources. Take the time to position your jewelry in a way that maximizes the play of light on its surfaces. I am currently using Godox AD400Pro and AD200Pro with stripboxes and a Phottix 85cm G-Capsule Beauty Dish.

Adjust aperture settings

Set your camera to the correct aperture to control the depth of field and achieve the desired focus. A wider aperture (lower f-stop) can create a beautiful background blur, drawing attention to the jewelry, while a narrower aperture (higher f-stop) ensures more elements are in focus. Try shooting at f/16 or alternatively, f/2.8 and focus stack your images.

Ensure sharp focus

Before taking the shot, double-check that your jewelry is sharply in focus. Use your camera’s autofocus or manually adjust the focus to capture every detail. Taking the extra time to ensure focus will result in professional-looking images. Use your in-camera magnification to double-check focus, and use Peak Metering if your camera has it.

In summary

By following these steps and incorporating the right equipment, background and lighting, you can elevate your jewelry photography to new heights. Experiment with different settings, lighting conditions, and compositions to discover the unique ways in which your jewelry can be beautifully showcased in photographs. With practice and attention to detail, you’ll be capturing stunning images that truly do justice to your exquisite pieces.

Interested in learning more about photographing jewelry or product photography? I have a brand new self-paced online class just about to go live. It is now available for pre-order: “Basic Product Photography.”