Nikon’s growing range of Z-mount lenses for its mirrorless cameras – which we rate among the best mirrorless cameras – has a new addition, and it’s a true classic for street, reportage and event photography; the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4.

As the 43rd Z-mount lens, it’s surprising to read that this is the first f/1.4 lens in the range, and the fast aperture prime is also more affordable than expected. 

Retailing for $599 / £649 and available from July, the street shooter isn’t afforded Nikon’s pro ‘S’ moniker, but it does feature the fast f/1.4 aperture for low-light work and a shallow depth of field that many pro photographers harness to help their subjects stand out.

It’s a simple lens with no external buttons; you get a focus ring and a customizable ‘clickless’ control ring that can be used to adjust one of aperture, ISO, exposure compensation and more.

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There’s no official dust and drip resistant rating, which is what you’d get if this was a pricier pro lens. However, it is a compact lens, weighing just 14.6 oz / 415g, making it a good fit with Nikon’s mid-sized mirrorless cameras, such as the new Nikon Z6 III.

All in all, Nikon has taken a vastly different approach to Canon who also recently launched a 35mm f/1.4 lens. Canon’s RF-mount version is a pro ‘L’ lens that’s three times the price of Nikon’s new lens, and it’s a chunkier hybrid lens packed with controls for video creatives.

Mind you, Nikon stills bills its new 35mm lens as being equipped for today’s hybrid shooters: it suppresses focus breathing, while linear focusing enables accurate manual focus pulling. It also features Nikon’s multi-focusing system for quick, smooth and steady autofocus, while close focusing is up to 0.89ft / 0.27m.

Is this the 35mm lens Nikon fans wanted?

There was a time in my professional photography days in East Africa, before becoming TechRadar’s Cameras Editor, that I almost solely used a 35mm f/1.4 lens. It’s a versatile type of lens especially for reportage photography, telling stories of people and places.

I often utilized the maximum f/1.4 aperture of my classic Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art lens to help subjects stand out in street photography and on-location portraiture, plus it comes in handy for low-light scenes such as indoor events – scenarios that pros often find themselves in.

Nikon’s new Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 is not the optically complex and rugged lens that some pros would hope for, for working in extreme outdoor environments. However, I still expect it to be one of the most popular Z-mount lenses available. 

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There is more than one way to take amazing close-up photos, and not all require expensive gear or even a dedicated macro lens. In his latest video, Adam Gibbs ventures out on a quest to capture stunning close-up images of wild roses near his home. He shows several ways to take close-up photos, including some you may have not even considered.

The unconventional methods

A telephoto lens

The unexpected hero of this shoot is a 500mm lens. While not meant (or ideal) for close-up shots, Adam decides to give it a go. The lens offers a significant working distance, but focusing at close range becomes an issue.

To overcome this limitation, Adam employs a creative combination of tools. Extension tubes increase the magnification of the lens, allowing him to get closer to the subject. A 1.4x teleconverter further extends the focal length but also reduces light-gathering capabilities.

A zoom lens with extension tubes

Adam explores the concept of working distance while photographing smaller flowers. He highlights the importance of working distance, which allows you to move around the subject without interfering and manipulate the background. He recommends a 70-200mm zoom lens with extension tubes.

Close-up filters

Adam also uses a 77mm close-up filter from Kase. These filters screw onto the front of a lens and provide magnification for macro photography. While Adam hasn’t used it extensively yet, he finds it a promising alternative, especially for those who don’t own a macro lens.

Close-up filters offer key advantages: unlike extension tubes and teleconverters, they don’t reduce light transmission. They also work well with zoom lenses, offering more versatility. Focusing can be a bit tricky though, often requiring adjustments by zooming and using the focus ring. Still, compared to dedicated macro lenses, close-up filters can be a more affordable option.

I personally use this $70 thingy (Raynox DCR-250), and since I’m not a full-time macro shooter, it’s perfect for my needs. Still, if you want to devote your time and skill to macro photography more than just occasional shooting, Adam emphasizes that high-quality macro lenses remain the ideal choice. This brings us to the “conventional methods” for macro photography, aka dedicated macro lenses.

Conventional method: dedicated macro lenses

Finally, Adam also shows the results he got with a dedicated macro lens. If you want to invest in one of these, he suggests getting a 105mm or 200mm macro lens for optimal macro photography experience. They go from $500 to $800-ish on the cheaper end, depending on the brand and specs.

Adam’s video offers a unique perspective on macro photography, offering multiple options for different types of photographers. It showcases how resourcefulness and creative thinking can lead to captivating close-up images, even with unconventional and/or affordable gear. Watch the full video for Adam’s sample images, and take your pick for your next macro photography adventure.

“I derive most of my creative peace from walking through the neighborhoods and hills of Los Angeles,” photographer Lauren Pelesky tells the Phoblographer of the city she so adores. “I am so blessed to live in such a beautiful place and it only feels right to document the beauty of it to share with others just as I started out documenting sunrises to show to my loved ones.” Lauren is a wedding and portrait photographer that feels like she’s still growing. Yet to many others, the fact that she’s able to photograph for a living is a dream. And at the heart of it, she’s found strength in community. Particularly, she’s been giving a lot of credit to VSCO as of late.

All images by Lauren Pelesky. Check out her VSCO profile and her website. Used with permission. This article is brought to you in partnership with VSCO.

Lauren Pelesky: The Photographer.

Lauren started with photography at around 17 years old — and it all started with falling in love with sunrises and sunsets. “I was always a night owl and I would find myself staying up a few extra hours to catch the sunrise so that I could snap a photo and share it with everyone who I knew was asleep,” she tells us. “Soon after began my affinity for landscape photography which only progressed as I had time to travel to such incredible places like Banff, California, and Colorado.” Then with time, she began to shoot more weddings and portraits — which seems totally different from what most landscape photographers start out doing. However, she still loves shooting landscapes — and her VSCO profile reflects tons of those.

To do all this work, Lauren totes along specific tools. She never leaves her house without a Canon Sureshot film camera. However, she also uses Canon mirrorless cameras, mist filters, and Godox flashes. The filters help her soften the light in her images. “I am so lucky to have such incredible gear, but some of my favorite photos were created with pantyhose or plastic ziploc bags over the lens to create a hazy glow,” Lauren admits. “I’m very much so a believer that you can make incredible photos with any camera gear.” To that end, she also uses an iPhone and a Fujifilm X100T.

With portraits or weddings I do my best to tell the story through the emotion, the people, and the scene. At the end of the day, whether I am working with a wedding client and or a brand I will always do extensive communication back and forth to ensure that my vision aligns with theirs, but often my approach remains the same. 

Lauren Pelesky

A handful of her clients have requested that she shoots with film. Typically, she shoots half a roll of film at every wedding whether or not it’s requested. She loves the tones, grain, and color of Portra 400 — just like so many others. From the film photos, she edits her digital images in a specific way. “I’m hoping someday to work with more clients who love and appreciate film as much as I do!”

Lauren is a photographer who also adores VSCO. Known by many for their film-like presets for several years, the community is now a place where photographers can call a safe-space from the dopamine casino. On VSCO, she seems to reach a broader audience of people who really adore her work. Otherwise, she’s doing lots of meeting people in-person since moving to LA from Chicago. For her, it was a bit nerve-tracking — though networking has helped her in so many different ways. “I truly believe that there is so much growth to be had by getting involved in your community especially through assisting and forming relationships with other photographers. And sharing your work!”

I love sharing my work on VSCO because it seems to reach a broader audience of people who genuinely connect with my work. I’ve always felt as though VSCO prioritizes art over anything else which really makes me appreciate the platform. I’m always amazed at how much incredible art there is to study and connect with on VSCO, and that’s definitely something I need to stay grounded and inspired in my field of work. As I grow in the photography community I’m also greatly prioritizing meeting and working with other photographers! I recently moved from Chicago to Los Angeles so I’ve been working to grow a new community of people here while maintaining my Chicago community. I do this by continuing to share my work online and updating my VSCO profile to let people know what kind of photography experience I have and that I’m available for hire! I truly believe that there is so much growth to be had by getting involved in your community online and in person. 

Lauren Pelesky

Lauren’s post-production process starts with her culling thousands of images all by hand and eye. Then she chooses the ones she sends to the clients based on what they’re looking for. From there, she does what she considers minor edits. “I may edit out distracting signs or trash, but I do my best to keep the images very minimally photoshopped,” she tells us. “I think AI has maybe made putting out content much quicker and easier, but as a documentary-style photographer, my whole philosophy of photography is to tell a story with my images, and I have no desire to drastically alter someone’s story in any way.”

Besides doing portrait and wedding work, she works with brands as well. For her, it’s all about putting movement, emotion, and setting into just the right place. “I recently did a shoot for a company that creates very warm, mid century modern style lamps,” Lauren relates. “So for my work with Wooj I really wanted to create this very calm, peaceful scene of turning on your warm glowing bedside lamp before crawling into bed or turning the lamp on during a late night work session.”

Thoughts on AI Imagery

Lots of photographers have been complaining about generative AI and how it has been threatening to replace them and their jobs. Lauren thinks it can be very helpful to the science world. “That said, I don’t think AI art will have much of a stronghold on those who genuinely appreciate and want to support art, artists and the act of creating art,” she states. “I think there is something so inherently human about creating art and I believe/hope it will stay that way. I also would hope that if AI will be using art created by humans that those humans will be compensated fairly at the absolute very least.”

AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT

The Phoblographer is a member of Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative and works with human photographers to verify that they’ve actually created their work through shoots. These are done by providing us assets such as BTS captures, screenshots of post-production, extra photos from the shoot, etc. We do this to help our readers realize that this is authentically human work. Here’s what this photographer provided for us.

Chosen as the victor from over 9,000 submitted images to the 2024 World Sports Photography Awards competition, Belgian photographer Erik T’Kindt has been declared the overall winner, for his image of 22 year old Japanese gymnast Daiki Hashimoto.

The image was taken at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, where Hashimoto won three gold medals. 

The youngest man in history to win all-round champion at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Hashimoto is hoping to win a third world title in Paris next month, despite recovering from an injured finger. He told journalists last week: “I think it’s looking good, but my finger still isn’t 100% so I can’t let my guard down.”

T’Kindt shot the image with a Nikon Z9 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, using an exposure of 1/1600sec at f/3.2, ISO3200.

The image is one of 24 winners across sports including American Football, Basketball, Cycling, Gymnastics, Extreme Sports and Rugby. 

More than 1,400 professional sports photographers from over 80 countries worldwide submitted their photographs to the competition to be judged by leading figures from sport, media, and photography.  

Sophie Collins, Chief Marketing Officer at MPB said “As a judge and sponsor of the 2024 ‘World Sports Photography Awards,’ I am once again astounded by the exceptional talent showcased in this year’s entries. Photography has the unique ability to capture the raw emotions and intense moments of sports, telling stories that resonate deeply with viewers long after the moment has passed.”

A full list of winners can be viewed on the World Sports Photography Awards website, but below are a few of my favorites… 

Take a look at the best cameras for sports photography, as well as the best action cameras, and the best slow motion cameras. 

Attention all IAM members who enjoy taking photos. The 2024 IAM Photography contest is now open, so get out your cameras or smartphones and start snapping some pics of your Union sisters and brothers.

The official call letter and entry forms can be found here.

Submit your pictures of IAM members in their workplace, union function, or performing community service for a chance to win a cash prize and have your photo featured in the 2024 IAM Calendar. The entry deadline is May 26, 2023.

Two dollars from each calendar sale is donated to Guide Dogs of America/Tender Loving Canines (GDA/TLC). You can order your 2024 Calendar here.

Scan to enter online from your mobile device

afterhrs. is excited to announce its photography division that will showcase emerging, established and extraordinary artists that lens the role of culture in art and advertising. Managing this dynamic roster of exclusive artists, the studio proudly announces Annie Henley as its new executive integrated producer. Annie Henley’s qualification for this unique role is derived from her experience as both an Integrated Art Producer and as well as photographic agent. Her roles have been pivotal in curating artists for integrated campaigns for global brands such as Google, Meta, Pepsi, Gatorade, BASF, and Pfizer. 

The photographic artists in residence at afterhrs. are:

• Jason Al Taan (he/his) Jason Omar Al Taan began his career as assistant and apprentice to legendary fashion photographer David Lachapelle. His immediately recognisable voice blends the voyeurism of modern art photographers like Gregory Crewdsen with the democratic accessibility of classic pop and fashion creators. 
• Nick Walker (he/his) Nick’s work explores contemporary musical and cultural landscapes through music videos, feature-length documentaries, and scripted narratives. Collaborations include Beyonce, Billie Eilish, FKA twigs, Future, Olivia Rodrigo, and Playboi Carti.
• Liz Barclay (she/hers) Liz is a creative living between New York City and Los Angeles; exploring where cultural realms and the arts intersect through storytelling, creative direction, and photography. Clients include Nike, Jordan Brand, Netflix, The New York Times, Instagram, Apple, Google, Beats, Capitol Records, Rolling Stone, Nowness, SSENSE, GQ, and Bon Appetit. 
• Eli Wirija (they/theirs) Elizabeth “Eli” Wirija is a non-binary photographer and director originally born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. Currently based in New York, Eli has executed imaginative and surreal fashion campaigns for clients like Nike, The WNBA, RCA Records, Facebook, Coach, Microsoft, SSENSE, Footlocker, British Vogue, Vanity Fair, I-D, FADER, and Nylon.
• Ryan Schude (he/his) Blending influences from cinema, literature, and street photography, Ryan’s productions often focus around a single, wide image of a distinct location, telling stories of multiple characters in a single frame.
• Noa Griffel (she/hers) Noa’s work is a collision of technical skill and other-world-ism that is as beautiful as it can be offhand. Light and colour are her preferred vehicles. Clients include Estee Lauder, YouTube, Conde Nast, DKNY, Vogue, and Michael Kors.
• Chessa Subbiondo (she/hers) Through her thoughtful composition and her ability to elicit candid moments, Chessa creates narratives that escape the confines of staged photography, inviting viewers to connect with humanity and a spirited perspective. Clients include Highsnobiety, Interview Magazine, Office Magazine, SIXTEEN Journal, KingKong Magazine, Vogue Italia, KENZO, Levi’s, Coach, and Balmain.
• Tyler Ash (he/his) Tyler Ash is a Los Angeles-based photographer specialising in fashion and beauty, often collaborating with his wife, Amanda, on styling for various clients including FentyXPuma, Dior, GQ, ON and Purple Brand. 
• Lian Benoit (she/hers) Montreal-born photographer and creative, her work is rooted in empathy, intuition and the need for authentic representation. She believes in the female gaze as a form of activism and self-actualisation. Her background in branding, acquired through years in creative agencies like TUX, Sid Lee, and K72, provides her with a holistic understanding of each project and a desire to create with purpose.
• Kai Regan (he/his) A cofounder of afterhrs, Kai has worked at the intersection of art and commerce as a photographer and DGA director for top fortune 500 brands and the most contemporary culture brands. He brings a unique perspective on culture in his work with elevated execution and relationships in casting, styling and in tasteful, unique executions for integrated photography and video campaigns.
• Camila Cornelsen (she/hers) Camila Cornelsen is a Brazilian director, photographer, and cinematographer. She grew up influenced by her dad, a photographer, and by her mom, a producer. Effortless and energetic movement punctuates campaigns for the likes of APPLE, Google, Instagram, PUMA, AVON, VOGUE, Netflix, and Nike.

Like many of the photographers in the afterhrs. photo division, Annie’s journey in the advertising industry is as inspiring as it is unorthodox. Starting from her early days as a model, where she collaborated with the industry’s top photographers, Annie’s passion for visual storytelling led her into photo production and laying the foundation from being in front of the camera to crafting the process and final product.

Now, as she spearheads into the role of executive integrated producer at afterhrs. Annie is poised to take on new challenges and drive innovation in the ever-changing world of advertising. With her keen eye for talent and strategic mindset, she is committed to supporting artists and pushing the boundaries of the conventional.

Playing safe is not an option for wildlife photographer Greg du Toit. The South African has spent the past two decades photographing lions, rhinos and elephants, embracing more adventure and danger than most people will experience in a lifetime.

Unlike many in his field, du Toit says he doesn’t use bait, camera traps, digital manipulation, captive bred animals or drones. All he needs is his Nikon camera, a chance to get close to his subject, the right natural light, and a lot of patience. It’s a combination that has won him international accolades, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2013, and in April, the wildlife category at the Fine Art Photography Awards, for “The Enchanted Forest,” a series showing elephants in a forest on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Speaking with CNN by phone, on the way to Tanzania for his next project, he shared his approach to fine art photography, what the past two decades have taught him and why taking pictures in Africa feels different to anywhere else in the world.

The conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

CNN: What are the most important aspects to you when you’re taking a picture in the wild?

Greg du Toit: I learned to photograph on film, so I like my work to resemble a moment that I experienced from behind my camera, sort of a moment in nature. So I never do multiple exposures. The fundamental thing remains the same as it always was since the very first time I picked up a camera, and that is light. I really like to work with beautiful quality light, golden or blue even sometimes. And then beyond that, sort of adding a touch of mood or a touch of mystery.

CNN: How do you achieve mood in your pictures?

Du Toit: I spend a lot of time in nature. I get up super early, for the good light, I stay up late and then, like for this Enchanted Forest series, I just found places in the forest that work right, where there was a beautiful window or there was a beautiful light coming through, and I just wait for an elephant to show up. So that portfolio, it’s literally five photographs and it took me five years. From a business point of view, that makes absolutely no financial sense whatsoever, but I’m just an artist. For me, it’s all about just creating the art even if it comes at a great expense in terms of investing time. I do just love being out there as well, so it’s not like a major sacrifice.

CNN: In the age of social media, I’d expect photographers to be constantly posting series after series instead of really taking their time…

Du Toit: I had always focused on only quality. I used to get, like, six photos a year and I’d be happy with that. Then social media came along and especially Instagram, and it was like, ‘no, you need at least an image a day,’ or more than that even, and I just couldn’t do that.

I kind of gave up on social media, which sort of felt like I was committing career suicide when I did that. But I’m just sticking to my guns. I can’t sort of adapt and just produce quantity because the way I work just does not allow for that.

CNN: What are you hoping to convey with your wildlife photography

Du Toit: I just want to tell people that it’s not too late, especially here in Africa. We still have such incredible wildernesses, full of these amazing animals, and that’s why when I photograph, I really try and focus on not just the animal itself, but on the environment in which that animal lives. That winning series of elephants is exactly that.  There are still these incredibly wild places that are still full of incredible animals and it’s not too late for us to enjoy them, to preserve and conserve them.

CNN: You mainly focus on taking photographs in Africa. What would you say that makes wildlife photography in Africa different from other parts of the world?

Du Toit: I’ve been on trips and the other parts of the world are wonderful. For example, I’ve been up to the Arctic to photograph polar bears, and I’ve been to India for tigers and things like that. But every time I’ve done that, I’ve just felt that those places lacked this energy that Africa has. It’s like a wild energy … there’s that feeling of mystery and intrigue, the feeling that this place is so big and so vast and a little bit dangerous, and I love that.

Du Toit famously once spent 16 months photographing lions at a waterhole in Kenya’s South Rift Valley. For the first 13 months he sat in a hole in the ground next to the water hole, followed by three months laying in the water, in an effort to get the perfect shot.

CNN: When you took your iconic pictures of the lions, you were there sitting in the water for months, you caught malaria. Is there a kind of contradiction between the beauty of the end product, and the reality of the work that goes into getting the image?

Du Toit: Yeah, the photographs you see are just polished and they just look beautiful, but the reality of getting those photographs is very different. Very often in these really wild places in Africa, you get gypsy flies and so you end up being bit by these flies and it’s really painful, so between shots you’re kind of swatting flies. It’s hot and sweaty, so it’s not glamorous work. Also, your cameras get dirty and [Africa] it’s a very sort of dusty place. But I really just love the end product. Getting a good photograph is the sort of best thing I can do. It’s the best feeling, and I really do just love nature. I’d rather be there than anywhere else.

CNN: One thing that many people don’t realize is that, apart from the picture of the two lions, there is another one with a bunch of lions just standing there…

Du Toit: That’s right, there were others watching me. I sort of unpacked this in my book [“Wilderness Dreaming,” published in 2022], but I’d only thought about getting the shots, I didn’t think beyond that.

So when those two lionesses finish drinking, they just lay on the edge watching me and then it started to get dark. So I slowly started trying to move to the side of the waterhole (…) I’m moving, I’m getting to the edge of the water. The water’s getting shallower. So more and more of my body is becoming exposed and these lionesses are getting more and more interested…

I’m quite amazed I lived to tell the tale. Eventually I managed to get to the edge of the water hole, and I just jumped up and ran off.

CNN : You don’t use camera traps, digital manipulation or captive-bred animals. Why is that important to you?

Du Toit: I want to photograph animals in their wild habitats, doing what they naturally do. For me, it’s all about wildlife… It’s all about the subject and the subject’s environment, and then it’s about light, and really using good quality light because that for me is what brings that kind of mystery, and then just working with good angles. I love good backgrounds as well.

CNN: Do you have any particular tricks for capturing animals’ natural behaviour without disturbing them?

Du Toit: Wild animals know the shape of a human being and I don’t want to scare or intimidate my subjects; I want them to just be doing what they would do naturally. So I’ve learned ways to conceal the human form, and one of the simplest ways is to photograph from a vehicle. I can spend 10, 12 hours a day in a car, so well over 50,000 hours a year in a car. The other thing I do, which I did with the lions, I dug a hole in the ground, so you sit in the hole and then you have a roof over you, and then you photograph from there.

CNN: What is your next photography project?

Du Toit: I’m trying to create a body of work and then go to Ngorongoro crater [in northeastern Tanzania] because it’s one of those places in Africa that’s glossed over. It’s the most incredible place. It’s an extinct volcano and it’s nature’s own game reserve. It’s kind of like Jurassic Park. I’m going to be spending a week there now, which is fun.