Proving its mettle beyond the ordinary, the Honor Magic 6 Pro, a forthcoming flagship smartphone from Honor, has demonstrated its robust capabilities by surviving a Near Space journey. The device withstood altitudes exceeding 16,000 ft and freezing temperatures approximating -18 degrees Celsius, while maintaining an impressive 86% battery life after a three-hour journey, during which it continuously played video.

Honor Magic 6 Pro’s Cutting-Edge Features

Apart from this high-altitude endurance test, the Honor Magic 6 Pro has been put through its paces in a series of promotional activities, showcasing its advanced capabilities in the field of photography. The device was used to capture images of the swift and intricate sport of fencing indoors, where lighting conditions are often challenging. The ability of the phone’s camera to take clear, blur-free shots of fast-moving subjects is a testament to its advanced features.

Among the exceptional features of the Honor Magic 6 Pro is the improved Falcon Camera system, equipped with the Motion Sensing Capture 2.0 technology. This technology enables the capture of sharp images of rapid movements, a crucial requirement in sports photography. The phone also incorporates a state-of-the-art Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and an AI algorithm that enhances the photo-taking process by detecting motion and capturing multiple frames, thus allowing users to pick the best image.

Real-World Sports Scenario

This demonstration was executed in collaboration with Cecilia Berder, a world champion fencer and Olympic silver medalist. The activity highlighted the camera’s prowess in a real-world sports scenario, capturing the intensity and speed of fencing with remarkable clarity. Furthermore, the Honor Magic 6 Pro features an impressive 180MP telephoto camera, further enhancing its photography capabilities.

Global Launch on the Horizon

The official global launch of the Honor Magic 6 Series is scheduled for February 25th. With its superior sports photography capabilities, particularly in capturing fast-paced fencing movements, the Honor Magic 6 Pro is set to make waves in the smartphone market. Its high-altitude endurance and advanced camera system, combined with the AI Motion Sensing 2.0 technology, promise unparalleled image quality and clarity, setting new standards for smartphone performance and capabilities.

Niépce prize, Nadar prize, Bourse du Talent, Prize for the print of the International College of Photography in Paris and, since this year, Camera Clara prize: the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF) has diversified its support for major photographic prizes. For the 3rd year running, each of the prize-winners will be exhibited at the “Photography at all costs, A year of photographic prizes at the BNF” exhibition.

Observers of the contemporary world

The Nadar prize, organised by the association Les Gens d’Images, alongside the Niépce prize, has been awarded to Nous l’horizon resterons seul by Jean-François Spricigo, published by Éditions Le Bec en l’air. Over the past 20 years, Spricigo has been developing an artistic language that blends different photographic styles, fuelled by a dialogue between writing, sound, video and staging. “Humbly, I observe nature and recognise it as the only tangible standard in the face of the mutations of our societies”, explains Jean-François Spricigo, who has an “unconditional love for nature and animals”. For him, there is no hierarchy of respect: whatever form Life has chosen to take, the important thing is Life in the form. “In this way, we can all recognise ourselves as intensely alive”, says the photographer, who describes himself as “often funny, enthusiastic, quick to marvel and quite impatient”.

Similarly, photographer Juliette Agnel, winner of the Niépce 2023 prize as a unique artist in the French photography scene, has set out on a quest to “understand the world” through a “global philosophical” approach. From the heavens to the earth, Juliette Agnel draws her inspiration from her relationship with the cosmos and telluric forces. “She photographs what is invisible”, says gallery owner Clémentine de la Féronnière, and “tries to convey what is of the order of feeling and interiority”. “The calm that emerges from them is the most concrete example: they are a machine for passing through time, which also bears the imprint of an ecological evidence.” “The art that moves me has to do with the relationship between reality and the invisible, with the forces that surround us but that we can’t see. It’s a licence to believe in an absolute. In Greenland, Sudan, Dogon country or Finistère, it’s the same quest that I tirelessly pursue: to grasp what unites us at the deepest level, reminding us that the human body is a meaningful fragment of the cosmos”, explains Juliette Agnel on her website.

Created in 1997, this year’s Bourse du Talent showcases three photographers who are also witnesses to the world: Daesung Lee, Florian Ruiz and Kamila K Stanley. Originally from Busan, South Korea, and based in Paris Daesung Lee is presented as a humanist photographer, a witness to peril and a engaged observer. Between poetry and research for meaning, the artist awakens consciences through beauty. Florian Ruiz, a French photographer, has made the opposite journey and now lives in Japan. His photographic work expresses an atmosphere, a feeling or an impression of desolation. Using collage, superposition and assemblage, the artist seeks to make the invisible visible. Paris-based Anglo-Polish photographer Kamila K Stanley also works on societal issues, documenting Brazil’s LGBTQI+ community under President Jair Bolsonaro’s homophobic mandate and questioning European identity in the wake of Brexit. Through her work, she seeks to “raise our sights”.

Based in London, Laura Pannack is the winner of the Camera Clara 2023 prize. Created in 2012 by Joséphine de Bodinat Moreno, this prize rewards artists working in the photographic ‘chamber’, far from the hustle and bustle of contemporary digital images. Slowness is seen as a virtue. The prize rewards “an original work by an artist, presented as a series or photographic ensemble so that it can be judged on its coherence, both in terms of form and content”. “Laura’s remarkable ability to establish a relationship of trust and respect with her subject allows her to express a raw vulnerability that is as sincere as it is difficult to capture”, said photographer Terry O’Neill. Laura Pannack’s work highlights the complex relationship between photographer and subject. This means fully understanding their lives, and ‘listening’.

The exhibition La photographie à tout prix. Une année de prix photographiques à la BnF (Photography at any price. A year of photographic prizes at the BnF) takes place at the Bibliothèque nationale de France until 24 March 2024 in the allée Julien Cain, Quai François Mauriac, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.

The mesmerising image of a slumbering polar bear on a small iceberg has been announced as the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award.

The photograph was captured by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani at the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Titled ‘Ice Bed,’ the image features a male polar bear who has just laid down to sleep on an iceberg.

Sarikhani said he was honoured to have won the award this year. “This photograph has stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it… Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope. There is still time to fix the mess we have caused,” he said in a statement.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, witnessed an overwhelming response this year, with over 75,000 people participating in the voting process.

There were around 50,000 entries from 95 countries, while Sarikhani’s ‘Ice Bed’ was selected from a shortlist of 25 images.

Dr Douglas Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum said “Sarikhani’s breath-taking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet.”

“His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss,” Gurr added.

As per the Natural History Museum, Sarikhani spent three days searching for polar bears aboard an expedition vessel, but he was thwarted by thick fog around the Norwegian islands. Luckily, he came across an area of sea ice, where he encountered a pair of bears one younger and one older.

Sarikhani tracked the two bears for almost eight hours until the younger male decided to rest.

Besides ‘Ice Bed,’ there were four other images that were highly commended by voters. All of them will be displayed at the London-based museum till June 30.

The other four images include ‘The Happy Turtle’ by Tzahi Finkelstein, ‘Starling Murmuration’ by Daniel Dencescu, ‘Shared Parenting’ by Mark Boyd, and ‘Aurora Jellies’ by Audun Rikardsen.

FUJIFILM India has introduced the INSTAX Pal digital camera, the latest addition to its renowned INSTAX series, aimed at capturing spontaneous moments with ease. The palm-sized camera, available in five vibrant colours, offers mobility and convenience for users on the go.

The INSTAX Pal stands out by removing the printing function, resulting in a compact design that fits in the palm of your hand. It features a detachable ring for better grip and perspective while shooting, or it can be used as a stand.

Packed with features, the INSTAX Pal offers a Standard Mode for unique shots from various angles and heights, activated by pressing the shutter button. The Remote Mode, accessible via Bluetooth and the INSTAX Pal App, allows for remote shooting, selfie capture, and photo customization with emojis, stickers, and text. The Interval Mode captures a series of photos at three-second intervals, catering to different shooting preferences.

The INSTAX Pal is compatible with the INSTAX Link Printer Series and other INSTAX cameras, enabling users to print images instantly in various sizes. Pricing for the INSTAX Pal starts from Rs 10,999 and is available at FUJIFILM India retail stores and online.

FUJIFILM India marks 25 years of its INSTAX instant camera series this year, showcasing its evolution from analogue to hybrid cameras and smartphone printers. With the launch of the INSTAX Pal, the company continues to innovate and expand its presence in the instant camera market, catering to modern photography trends and technology.

Speaking about the new launch, Koji Wada, Managing Director, FUJIFILM India, said, “As the younger and upcoming generations embrace effortless and convenient photography to freeze timeless moments in their fast-paced lifestyle, they are looking for trendy options that match their vibe. Catering to this segment, the newly launched INSTAX Pal ensures that impressive photography fits in everyone’s hands which has been our mission with the INSTAX series for the past 25 years. It also enables users to preserve their beloved moments within their pockets with on-the-go printing.”

“As youngsters opt for convenience while capturing spontaneous moments of joy and happiness, FUJIFILM India is also innovating its INSTAX instant camera series to accommodate this shifting consumer preference. Our palm-sized and pocket-friendly INSTAX Pal camera is here to change the whole scenario of instant photography, turning it into a valuable part of the modern lifestyle. With its compact and versatile design, this camera will be your trusted companion for all future travel adventures, capturing the vivid moments of life on the go,” said Arun Babu, Head of Digital Camera, INSTAX & Optical Devices Business, FUJIFILM India.

Conflict has been changed by photography, and photography has been changed by conflict in turn. In the past, images were typically taken by passing photojournalists and circulated by the international news media organisations that employed or commissioned them. While they still exist, nowadays these are increasingly supplemented by citizen documentation of scenes that spread across social media with a greater sense of urgency.

These evolving forms of image-based communications are shaping creative practice too, with projects like Taysir Batniji’s Disruptions placing the live nature of imagery in the centre of the frame.

Amsterdam’s Foam museum is hosting a pop-up exhibition called The Camera as a Weapon, which examines the role of the camera in times of conflict through the work of six artists and groups: Rahib Mroué, Sakir Khader, Émeric Lhuisset, Negin Ahmadi, activist group Equipe Media, and research agency Forensic Architecture.

The exhibition’s name touches on the negative effects of photography amid conflict that are examined in the exhibition, such as disinformation and reinforcing stereotypes. Yet it seeks to illustrate the positive uses of photography, whether that’s generating awareness or capturing evidence.

The museum is also staging a one-day symposium on February 10 that will feature relevant screenings, talks and lectures, promising to tackle topics such as social media, polarisation, and how opinions and action can be dictated by everything from algorithms to photo editors.

Although the show has a short run, Foam will continue to explore these subjects through its ongoing Photography and Conflict programme, which is set to inform the future exhibition programme and other initiatives within the museum.

Against a fraught backdrop within the European culture sector, where many organisations have stymied conversations around conflict in the last six months, the exhibition not only asks ‘What is the role of photography in times of conflict?’, but also examines the role of an arts institution in such times.

The Camera as a Weapon runs at Foam, Amsterdam until February 14; foam.org