The winners of the MPB Scottish Portrait Awards in Photography 2023 have been announced, showcasing talented young photographers, skilled amateurs and established professionals.

David Gillanders from Glasgow has been crowned the winner in the black and white category with his portrait ‘The Makers – Alastair. E. Blain, artist & poet’.

The work is part of an ongoing portraiture project depicting Scottish people with an infectious passion for what they do, whose lives are devoted to the pursuit and perfection of their craft.

Ruaridh Fraser, also from Glasgow, has won the new colour category with the portrait ‘Vanilla in the Kitchen’.

The image captures an intimate moment between brothers during the juvenile budding stages of drag, set against a timeless domestic backdrop.

Each winner also received a total of £2,000.

This year the awards welcomed guest judge, the internationally renowned photographer Albert Watson OBE, who personally reviewed every photographic work entered before choosing ‘Summer’ by Nina Davidson as the winner of the SPA Albert Watson Portrait Prize.

Open to anyone over 16-years-old, born, living or studying in Scotland, regardless of experience, the Scottish Portrait Awards has quickly established itself as a barometer of contemporary Scottish art practice.

It aims to give visibility to a mix of well-established artists as well as newcomers across a diversity of styles.

The exhibition spotlights artists and photographers telling the stories of our time.

Presenting the awards in photography, Simon Murphy, chair of the photography panel, said: “One of the most exciting things for me about this competition is the opportunity it gives those new to the medium to have their work displayed alongside some of Scotland’s best and most experienced practitioners.

“What matters is the power of the portrait, and everyone has the capability to produce a memorable and meaningful image whether it’s a meticulously crafted portrait or a simple captured moment that exudes joy and energy. Expanding the exhibition to include categories for colour and phone photography makes the competition even more relevant and accessible.”

On learning of winning the new MPB Scottish Portrait Award in Black and White Photography, David Gillanders said: “To win and for your work to be recognised is incredible. One of the great privileges about being a photographer is that you get to meet so many incredible people and walk in their shoes a little bit to try and understand them.

“Alastair, my sitter is a remarkable character, incredibly distinctive and fascinating to speak to – he makes his own paints, he tans his own leather, he is one of those characters who after meeting him, you just keep thinking about him. I always like to try to make portraits of people that show more of their character rather than my style as a photographer. What you see is a portrait of Alastair – who he is, surrounded by his work, a very proud man, very distinguished, very hard-working, and incredibly passionate about what he does.”

In response to being selected as winner of the new MPB Scottish Portrait Award in Colour Photography, Ruaridh Fraser said: “It means so much to be recognised by the Scottish Portrait Awards in this way. My brother had just started getting into drag.

“We decided that my parents’ retro kitchen would be a great setting for a photoshoot as it would become a timeless backdrop, just as my brother, in his drag, was timeless and not pinpointed to a particular moment in time.

“The film came out very dark because it was set to the wrong settings but this added to the image, bringing in all these other colours. It was a lot luck and chance but it worked out really well.”

Receiving the new Albert Watson Portrait Prize, award-winner Nina Davidson said: “It’s beyond words. I am very touched to be the first winner of the Albert Watson Portrait Prize. I entered the award on a whim so for this very striking photographer to recognise my work is humbling.

“Photography has always been a part of my life from being very young. It is a way of focusing on the good things, the little snippets in life, the beautiful moments I share with my family.”

Jaime Prada has collected the MPB Young Photographer Award and £500 prize plus an MPB voucher worth £250 with their poignant work ‘Chosen Family’.

Of the work Simon Murphy (chair) said: “This is an intimate moment bathed in orange light captured by young photographer Jaime Prada. Although the photographer is present, an affectionate, undisturbed moment reminiscent of a film still has been skilfully captured.”

Jaime Prada, originally from Madrid and now living in Edinburgh, said: “I saw the exhibition last year and it spoke to me. I have always focussed my work on the human experience and very raw representations of human emotions, so this year, I threw my hat in to the ring.

“I focus on making sure queer people see themselves represented in my work. I try to make sure that people know there is someone like them. Every picture I take represents queer joy and tenderness. This picture is a self-portrait of my fiancee and myself. The picture was taken with a makeshift tripod out of books and a camera bought through MPB.

“It was the first picture demonstrating how I wanted to work in the future – projects that take on the beauty, intimacy and warmth of our chosen families. It is important my presence in the awards is represented by this picture because it is of my chosen family, the beginning of a new chapter in my life.”

Chris Close has won the Scottish Arts Club Members Prize for Photography with his portrait ‘Professor Higgs’.

Chosen from over 280 entries, the new SPA Phone Portrait Photography Award has been won by Alliyah Enyo with her entry ‘so very very far far far away’.

This year, free entry to the awards was once again offered to photographers and artists living in Scotland who receive any form of income support or Universal Credit.

The Scottish Arts Trust Bursary Fund, established in response to the cost-of-living crisis, aims to enhance opportunities for artists who require assistance to enter the awards.

The Scottish Portrait Awards 2023 exhibition is free and launches at the Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh from September 9 to 30 before travelling to Kirkcudbright Galleries, Dumfries and Galloway from October 14, 2023 to January 14, 2024 and to the Charles Rennie Macintosh Gallery at the Glasgow Art Club from January 19 to February 29, 2024.

Entries to take part in the MPB Scottish Portrait Awards 2024 will open January 1 to April 30, 2024 and will again include the MPB Scottish Portrait Award in Photography (colour); the MPB Scottish Portrait Award in Photography (black and white) as well as the SPA Albert Watson Portrait Prize in photography and the online SPA Phone Portrait Photography Award.

The winner of the Sutherland Independent Scottish Portrait Award in Fine Art, and £5,000 prize will be announced on Friday.

As a landscape photographer and van owner myself, I know just how much goes into every shoot that I head out on, plus the ever-present worry that exists in the back of my mind, where I see myself stuck in the middle of nowhere after my trusty steed has broken down. Recently, I had the misfortune of this exact thing happening, and let me tell you, not only does it pull the handbrake on any adventures, it also adds the complexities of where it can be fixed, if it can be fixed, and finally, how much will it cost to be fixed!

Most landscape photographers will be aware of Thomas Heaton and his consistent churning out of quality landscape content, but did you know that he recently drove his van from his home in the UK, over to Amsterdam, and on to Denmark, before finally getting a long ferry to Iceland? No small feat in any form, however, as he documents his adventures on his highly successful YouTube channel, we can all come along for the ride!

In his latest episode, he shares how his trusty steed actually did develop an issue and what that meant for him, being in a totally foreign country on a trip alone. He also discusses what lies ahead, as he was planning more shoots plus also needs to drive his van back home to the UK.

This video and his channel give a fantastic insight into the highs and lows of owning a photography van, plus you get to see just how much work is involved in making weekly videos happen.

We don’t often extensively cover video gear here at PetaPixel, but we thought it might be helpful to cover some of the best hybrid cameras out there — those cameras geared toward both photographers and videographers.

With the nearly industry-wide move away from DSLRs and over to mirrorless have also come significant advancements in video technology and performance in camera bodies that are traditionally stills oriented. More and more people are interested in shooting video — whether it’s vlogging or filmmaking or something else — and more and more professionals are juggling jobs as both photographers and videographers.

As such, we wanted to put together a list of cameras that best suit the needs of such users.

What We’re Looking For

There are a number of things to consider in a list like this, which is always inherently quite subjective. First, we have approached this list from the perspective of users who do a relatively even balance of photography and video work — the choices need to excel fairly equally as stills cameras and as video cameras. Therefore, while some cameras are technically hybrid, like the Panasonic Lumix S1H or Canon R5C, these were disqualified because they are overwhelmingly geared more toward video users than photographers.

So, we are looking at just about every aspect you want in a good hybrid camera for each category. For video, we want cameras that excel in image quality, bit-depth, bitrate, codecs, inputs and outputs, filmmaking tools like shutter angle or false color, autofocus, rolling shutter, etc. For stills, we are looking for things like dynamic range and overall image quality, autofocus performance, build and ergonomics, frame rates, and all the other features that we shutterbugs love. And naturally, price and other factors like the native lens ecosystem play a considerable role.

So, here are our picks for the best hybrid cameras currently on the market, broken down into seven categories.

At a Glance

Best Overall Hybrid Camera: Fujifilm X-H2s

Fujifilm’s flagship APS-C camera and long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s X-H1 was released last year to much acclaim. The Fujifilm X-H2s sports a stacked sensor design — the first for an APS-C camera — with 26.1MP of resolution, and Fujifilm’s proprietary X-Trans array, the X-H2s is a powerhouse camera. Thanks to the extraordinarily fast readout speed of the stacked sensor (1/180 of a second) and the new X-Processor 5, it can shoot 40 uncompressed RAW frames per second with continuous autofocus and without any EVF blackout for up to 140 RAW frames.

The X-H2s’s body features a considerable grip, a PASM dial with seven custom modes, a 5.76m-dot OLED viewfinder with 0.8x (equivalent) magnification, vari-angle 1.62m-dot, 3.0” rear LCD, 1.28” top panel LCD, 5-axis IBIS rated for seven stops, dual card slots (one CFexpress Type B and one UHS-II SD), full-size HDMI Type-A port, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, and a large NP-W325 battery that is CIPA rated for 720 shots in Economy Mode. An optional VG-XH Vertical Grip is available, as is the Fujifilm FAN-001 Cooling Fan, which helps cool the camera body to extend video recording time.

The camera’s video capabilities are as impressive as its photo features, placing the X-H2s firmly in the hybrid category. Internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording in DCI 4K at up to 120 fps (1080 HD at up to 240 fps), as well as 6.2K open-gate recording at up to 30 fps. The latter is a rather unique feature — Panasonic is the only other company that allows for open gate recording in its hybrid models. The X-H2s offers not only H.265 recording but also internal ProRes 422 HQ in both DCI 4K and open gate 6.2K. The camera’s full-size HDMI port allows for external ProRes RAW and Blackmagic RAW (with appropriate recorder) output at various resolutions up to 6.2K. Fujifilm also debuted its new F-Log2 gamma curve in the X-H2s, which supports higher dynamic range and is particularly conducive to filmmaking and HDR video.

Uniquely, the X-H2s allows users to select either 14-bit or 12-bit readout when shooting video (F-Log2 is only available with 14-bit). And thanks to the camera’s stacked sensor, DCI 4K reads out at an astonishing 9.5ms in 14-bit mode and an even better 5.5ms in 12-bit, while open gate 6.2K is around 11.5ms in 14-bit mode. These are among the best rolling shutter values of any camera — hybrid or otherwise.

The Fujifilm X-H2s has it all – excellent image quality, robust build, excellent ergonomics, superb autofocus tracking and shooting speeds, and some of the best video specifications of any hybrid camera. While it isn’t full-frame, Fujifilm does have the best line-up of APS-C lenses – both Fuji branded and third-party – and its APS-C sensor closely mirrors the Super 35 film/sensor size traditionally used in filmmaking. It is also significantly cheaper than any stacked-sensor full-frame camera, making it the best all-around option for most users.

PetaPixel’s review of the Fujifilm X-H2s can be found here.

Best Full-Frame Hybrid Camera: Nikon Z8

Nikon is far from the first name anyone thinks of when it comes to video — until the Nikon Z6 and Z7, no one really would have thought of any of its cameras as true hybrids. And yet, the Nikon Z8 is one of the best cameras you can buy, no matter what you intend to do with it. Essentially a smaller version of the Nikon Z9 (but $1,500 cheaper and 30% smaller), it is also the most affordable camera on the market with a full-frame stacked sensor — the next non-Nikon option is $2,000 more expensive. There is almost nothing the Nikon Z8 doesn’t excel at; landscape, portraiture, sports, wildlife, you name it, it can do it. It’s also one of the most feature-rich hybrid cameras ever made for video work.

The Nikon Z8 features a 45.7MP BSI stacked sensor with the fastest readout of any interchangeable lens camera at 1/270th of a second, which allowed Nikon to do away with the mechanical shutter completely. The body features a robust grip and larger profile than many other mirrorless cameras, making it handle somewhere between a mirrorless camera and a DSLR. The Z8 also boasts a 3.2” 4-axis tilting touchscreen with 2.1m-dots, top panel status display, one CFexpress Type B and one UHS-II SD card slot, backlit buttons, a full-size HDMI Type-A port, and two USB-C ports (one for file transferring and tethering and one for battery charging and power delivery). One of the USB-C ports also supports USB-LAN connectivity when paired with a USB-C to Ethernet adapter for file transferring over FTP.

Full-resolution lossless compressed RAW is available at 20 fps — 30 fps for JPEGs — for up to 1,000 frames, giving the camera a virtually unlimited buffer, up to 60 fps in DX crop mode (19MP), and 120 fps at 11MP — all with full autofocus and autoexposure performance. The Z8 also introduces pre-release capture, which commences burst shooting when the shutter button is half-pressed, and the buffer will continuously retain up to one second’s worth of frames prior to fully pressing the shutter button — this is great for sports and wildlife shooters who are anticipating an action but don’t know when it will happen. I love the feature on my OM System OM-1 for wildlife photography.

On the video front, the Nikon Z8 does not disappoint, with video specifications unmatched by any other hybrid camera on the market. Full pixel readout allows for 8K UHD video at up to 30p, and sub-sampled 4K UHD is available up to 4K 120p, both in 10-bit 4:2:0 H.265. ProRes RAW HQ is also available (internally!) at sub-sampled 12-bit 4.1K (up to 60p) or full pixel readout 5.4K (up to 30p, APS-C crop). Finally, Nikon’s 12-bit N-RAW allows for 8.2K at up to 60p, 5.4K APS-C crop up to 60, sub-sampled 4.1K up to 120p, and UHD 4K at 120p with a 2.3x crop. N-Log gamma is available in all modes and codecs except for H.264, and Hybrid Log Gamma is available in H.265. While the Z8 can’t record RAW video for the whopping 2 hours and 5 minutes of its bigger brother, it is still capable of a very respectable 90 minutes. I suspect using the Nikon MB-N12 Vertical Grip would extend this somewhat, as might your shooting environment.

The Z8’s 493-point phase detection autofocus — which can focus down to -9 EV (with an f/1.2 lens) in Starlight mode — combined with its stacked sensor and new EXPEED 7 processor make the Z8 one of the best-performing cameras on the market for autofocus speed, tracking, and accuracy.

There just isn’t much to complain about here. Some critics complain about the 3.69m-dot EVF, which is lower resolution than the EVFs of many other high-end cameras, but Nikon’s EVFs are as good as any I’ve used. The EVF is crystal clear with a high 0.8x magnification and is always at its highest resolution and magnification no matter what — many other cameras, like the Sony Alpha 1, drop their resolution and magnification at higher frame rates, making the reported specs mostly applicable only to playback and menu.

In short, you simply can’t go wrong here. At its unbeatable price point of $3,999 (given its specifications), high resolution, low native ISO of 64, high dynamic range, exceptional performance, and unmatched video features, it is the clear pick for the best full-frame hybrid camera.

Best Budget Full-Frame Hybrid Camera: Panasonic Lumix S5 II or S5 IIx

Panasonic didn’t come to play when it released its second generation of the popular Panasonic S5 cameras. One of the highlight features of the new Panasonic S5 II was the completely revamped autofocus system, which, for the first time in a Panasonic camera, finally features phase detection autofocus. And Panasonic’s first outing with PDAF was no smaller success — it’s genuinely excellent, rivaling Canon, Sony, and the Nikon Z8/Z9 in many situations.

The Panasonic S5 II features a 24.2MP BSI full-frame sensor, 779 phase detection autofocus points, up to 30 fps full-resolution shooting with the electronic shutter, a 3.68m-dot OLED EVF with 0.78x magnification, 3.0” 1.84m-dot vari-angle touchscreen, dual UHS-II SD card slots, full-size HDMI port, and 5-axis IBIS rated for up to 6.5 stops when using Dual I.S. 2 with appropriate lenses.

On the video side, open-gate 6K 10-bit 4:2:0 recording is available up to 29.97p, 6K and 4K DCI, 4K APS-C crop up to 59.94p, and 3.3K APS-C anamorphic up to 50p are available internally in H.265 and H.264. Gamma curves like V-Log, Hybrid Log Gamma, and Cinelike D2/V2 are available, with V-Log featuring dual native ISOs of 640 and 4000. Other unique video features like shutter angles, vectorscopes, waveforms, and anamorphic desqueeze are also included. The camera also offers the ability to import LUTs (Look Up Tables) in the industry standard .cube format, which can be used only for preview or applied directly to the recorded footage.

The Panasonic S5 IIx, which runs $200 more than the regular S5 II, adds RAW video output via HDMI, internal ProRes capture (422 and 422 HQ), direct recording to an external SSD via USB-C and ALL-Intra codecs. While S5 II owners can purchase an upgrade for RAW video output, the upgrade costs the same as the difference between the S5 II and S5 IIx — if you want that or any of the other features the S5 IIx offers, just buy it.

Panasonic cameras have always been a great place to look for powerhouse hybrid cameras. However, the S5 II and S5 IIx up the ante by integrating PDAF and removing the issues that Panasonic’s DFD autofocus presented.

Best Bang-For-Your-Buck Hybrid Camera: Fujifilm X-S20

Released earlier this year in March, the Fujifilm X-S20 stunned many with some rather unexpected features, particularly on the video front. The Fujifilm X-S10 was already an outstanding stills camera for its price point, so Fujifilm took things to the next level with the X-S20, making it one of the best budget cameras on the market.

The Fujifilm X-S20 features a 26MP X-Trans BSI sensor, 5-axis IBIS CIPA-rated up to 7 stops, a 3.0” fully articulating touchscreen with 1.84m-dots, 2.36m-dot OLED EVF, hybrid contrast and phase detection autofocus, a single UHS-II card slot, and a larger, upgraded battery which is CIPA-rated for 750 shots using the LCD. On the stills side, the X-S20 shoots up to 20 RAW frames per second with the electronic shutter (30 fps with a 1.25x crop). It has an excellent autofocus system thanks to the new X-Processor 5 and improved autofocus algorithm inherited from the Fujifilm X-H2s.

Video is where the X-S20 really surprises for the money. Internal H.264 ALL-Intra, H.264 Long GOP, H.265 ALL-Intra, H.265 Long GOP are all available in both 8 and 10-bit 4:2:0 and 4:2:2. DCI 4K is available up to 59.94p, along with DCI 2K and Full HD at up to 240p.

It doesn’t end there. Unique to a camera at this price point, the Fujifilm X-S20 offers 6.2K open-gate recording up to 29.97p in various codec flavors. Furthermore, ProRes RAW and Blackmagic RAW output are available via HDMI — unfortunately, the camera only has a micro-HDMI port. Still, this is quite a feature at this price level! Fujifilm also includes the new F-Log2 gamma curve for maximum dynamic range, and the camera is compatible with the Fujifilm FAN-001 to extend video recording limits.

Best Hybrid Camera for Vloggers: Sony ZV-E10

While many of the cameras on this list are focused on more serious video users — those making narrative, documentary, commercial, or other types of work — there is an ever-growing number of folks getting into vlogging. These cameras typically have different requirements from a camera like the Nikon Z8 — price and size perhaps being the two most important.

A great vlogging camera also requires excellent autofocus tracking, a flip-out LCD screen, a great selection of wider-angle lenses, and, ideally, some quality audio capabilities. In my opinion, things like a full-frame sensor and incredibly high dynamic range are of lesser concern, at least for most users.

The Sony ZV-E10 fulfills most of these requirements and, perhaps unsurprisingly, is explicitly built with vloggers in mind. Featuring a 24.2MP APS-C sensor, BIONZ X processor, and a 425-point Fast Hybrid AF system that covers 84% of the sensor field, the ZV-E10 is a vlogging powerhouse at only $698 for the body. Sony’s Real-time Eye AF and Real-time AI tracking are one of the camera’s best features, allowing users to focus on creating content without concern about whether the autofocus is keeping up. Real-time Eye AF can prioritize human and animal eyes and produce seamless, real-time focus on moving subjects.

Full pixel readout with 6K oversampling produces finely detailed 4K UHD footage with no recording limit. A special S&Q (Slow & Quick) mode lets users choose frame rates between 1 and 120 frames per second in 1080p Full HD. Both S-Log2 and S-Log3 gamma curves are available, as is HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). The ZV-E10 also offers specialized video modes such as Product Showcase, which uses AI for smooth autofocus transitions between a subject’s face and an object that’s placed in front of the lens. Face-Priority AE (Autoexposure) smoothly adjusts exposure on a subject’s face and is even able to avoid abrupt exposure changes if a subject quickly turns away from the camera. Refined color science is offered to optimize skin tones, and Soft Skin Effect can be engaged to soften and smooth wrinkles or blemishes on a subject’s face — this effect can be tweaked to the user’s preference.

The ZV-E10 also features a 3-capsule directional mic integrated into its top plate, which is specifically designed for recording audio in front of the camera. The camera comes supplied with a windscreen for cleaner outdoor audio. A traditional 3.5mm mic jack and a headphone jack are also available for users who require more serious audio recording. The camera also sports Sony’s Multi Interface Shoe, which supports certain digital audio devices for superior audio recording, such as the Sony ECM-M1 Compact Digital Shotgun Microphone.

A front tally light to let the user know they’re recording and a USB-C port, which allows for live-streaming and tethering, round out most of the camera’s main features.

On the stills side, the camera lacks nothing except an EVF — so all image preview and review must be done with the rear LCD. But the ZV-E10’s 24.2MP APS-C sensor is a stellar performer, and the camera is capable of up to 11 fps in RAW. All of the features available for video, such as Real-time Eye AF, are also available when shooting stills.

Sony also offers a quite robust selection of APS-C lenses — the best outside of Fujifilm — especially with the many third-party offerings. The Tamron 11-20/2.8 Di III-A RXD (16-25mm FF-equivalent) is an excellent option for vloggers needing a fast wide-angle lens, and the Sigma 18-50/2.8 DC DN Contemporary (27-75mm FF-equivalent) is a fantastic, lightweight normal range zoom for Sony APS-C cameras.

Best Hybrid Camera for Low Light: Sony Alpha 7S III

Sony’s Alpha 7S line has always been geared toward video users, with the low-light capabilities being touted in particular. The Sony Alpha 7S III followed in the footsteps of its predecessors with a 12MP full-frame sensor, though this time, it uses a 48MP BSI quad-Bayer sensor with 2×2 binning for improved dynamic range. 12 megapixels may not seem great these days for stills shooters, but it is enough for those who only post online or don’t need super large prints with ultra-fine detail. I still have and occasionally use my Nikon D700 and Nikon D3 (also 12MP), and I have taken some of my best photos with that camera.

The lower megapixel count has several advantages, most notably the sensor’s extremely fast readout speed, which allows for 4K at up to 120 frames per second, making this the only full-frame hybrid camera to shoot 4K at 120fps without a crop. The fast readout also enables the camera to produce the lowest rolling shutter of any full-frame hybrid camera on the market at under 9ms, and the large pixels also make the camera a low-light beast. The Alpha 7S III, like many of today’s cameras, features a dual gain sensor, with the first base ISO at 640 and the second base ISO sitting at a staggering ISO 12,800 in S-Log2 / S-Log 3; in Hybrid Log Gamma, those values are ISO 100 and ISO 2000. As far as stills photography goes, the camera has a base ISO of 80 with a second gain at ISO 1600.

Most excitingly, the dynamic range at ISO 12,800 is virtually the same as the dynamic range at ISO 640. Though some of this is undoubtedly due to internal noise reduction, the Alpha 7S III still produces very detailed footage.

Rounding out some of the best features for both video and stills users are dual card slots — both supporting UHS-II SD or CFexpress Type-A, a full-size HDMI Type-A port, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, Multi Interface Shoe, extensive weather-sealing, and a speedy hybrid AF system with Real-time AF Tracking and 759 phase-detection points that cover 92% of the sensor. It also features Sony’s unmatched 9.44m-dot EVF with an enormous 0.9x magnification and a high 25mm eye point.

Best Hybrid Drone: DJI Mavic 3 Pro and DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine

DJI dominates the consumer and prosumer drone industry, and there’s a reason for that: it makes damn good drones. I own the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, which is an exceptional piece of equipment, but I can’t lie and say I don’t yearn for its successor, the fantastic DJI Mavic 3 Pro, and its slightly upgraded sibling, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine. The Mavic 3 Pro brings tons of new and great features to the table, and most notable are its advancements in photography and videography features.

Up from the Type-1 size sensor in the Mavic 2 Pro, the Mavic 3 Pro’s primary camera sports a 4/3 size sensor with 20MP of resolution. A 24mm full-frame equivalent lens sits in front of the sensor, with an aperture adjustable from f/2.8 to f/11. Like the Mavic 2 Pro, this camera is Hasselblad branded and offers the phenomenal Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS). The Hasselblad branding isn’t just a marketing point — the HNCS produces the same natural and highly accurate colors in the company’s medium format cameras.

In addition to the much larger sensor, the Mavic 3 Pro adds two new cameras: a 70mm (equivalent) f/2.8 lens paired with a 48MP Type-1/1.3 and a 166mm (equivalent) f/3.4 lens mated with a 12MP Type-1/2 sensor.

The 24mm camera offers 5.1K video at up to 50 fps in 10-bit 4:2:2 H.265 (H.264 is also available). The Cine version goes a step further by offering 10-bit ProRes 422 HQ (ProRes 422 and ProRes 422 LT are also available). DCI 4K is also on tap at up to 120 fps and 1080 HD at up to 200 fps. The 24mm camera also supports D-Log, D-Log M, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) for those who want to have maximum latitude in post. The 70mm and 166mm cameras offer 4K UHD recording at up to 60 fps in H.264, H.265, and the various ProRes flavors.

Both cameras are rated for 43 minutes of maximum flight time (37 minutes of hovering time), and the maximum horizontal speed of either is 46.98 miles per hour (21 meters per second). They both offer internal memory, with the Mavic 3 Pro sporting 8GB of storage, while the Cine version provides significantly more at 1TB.

For a more thorough review and details about the performance of the Mavic 3 Pro, check out PetaPixel’s review of the Cine version.

Generally, you can expect relative stability in the amount of couples needing wedding photography services, at least across short to medium periods of time. However, the COVID pandemic was an unprecedented hit to the industry that resulted in less couples getting engaged in subsequent years, meaning that a few years later, we are seeing a drop in those couples getting married, placing strain on wedding photographers. What can wedding shooters do to weather the lull? This helpful video tutorial offers a range of great ideas and advice. 

Coming to you from John Branch IV Photography, this excellent video tutorial discusses the current “engagement gap.” While there is a ton of great advice in the video, perhaps the most salient point is to remember that this is not forever. The world has largely recovered from COVID in terms of social interaction, which means we can reasonably expect dating and relationship trends to recover and engagement and wedding bookings to subsequently recover. In the meantime, photographers should absolutely take proactive steps to protect themselves, but also should not become overly discouraged, as this won’t last forever. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

If you would like to continue to learn about wedding photography, be sure to check out “How To Become A Professional Commercial Wedding Photographer With Lee Morris and Patrick Hall!”

Most of us just pick up a cell phone camera and shoot. It’s easy. But not John Shen. He built his own camera and uses a traditional dark room – remember those? Born in China, and a longtime resident of New Zealand, Shen later immigrated to Rhode Island. Shen brings an expanded view to his art as a way of finding his own identity in the world. He’ll be part of the Prairie Ronde Artist Residency program in Vicksburg, Michigan, this September.

Shen says the camera he built is made with a view through 28,000 straws that creates unique images.

“It creates a 16- by 20-inch image, and it took me a year to hand-glue each one of those straws,” Shen says. “Imagine if you stack a bunch of straws and then bundle them up, that’s what it is. And that’s the only thing there in the camera to produce an image. It’s very similar to a pin-hole camera, for people who may be familiar with that process. But instead of a single hole, there are 28,000.”

He says the only way to get an image through these holes is to have the camera directly in line with the subject Shen is trying to capture.

“The reason why I built this is because we take photographs using direct-positive photo paper,” Shen says. “It’s a paper that is sensitive to light that I put behind the camera. If you imagine these straws, a huge square bundle, and you look through them, the image will pass through the whole of the straws. And then when I take the photograph—it’s normally done in a completely dark room—then I will affix the paper to one side of the straws on a wooden backing.”

Using a flash to expose the paper and developing it in a dark room, the resulting images have something of a pixelated quality, like the “pointillism” style in painting.

Another influence on Shen’s work is his multi-cultural background, having lived in different countries and different cultures.

“Being a third-culture kid, neither from here nor there, it’s a thing where, if I go back to China where I was born, people will say, ‘You’re not Chinese anymore’,” he says. “They says, ‘You’re a foreigner, you’re a New Zealander.’ Then in New Zealand, you see that you don’t necessarily don’t fully become immersed or accepted. It’s something that my work tries to explore. That’s why in my current residency, I’m doing a lot of portraiture and thinking about the ideas of subjectivity in the portrait and identity.”

Shen will be artist-in-residence at the Prairie Ronde Artist Residency in Vicksburg, Michigan, during September 2023.

Listen to WMUK’s Art Beat every Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m.

By Submitted Story on September 7, 2023

“Late Afternoon at Nags Head Pier” By Ray Matthews

The Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series is honored to announce the Ray Matthews Photography Retrospective, a remarkable exhibition paying homage to the enduring legacy of one of the Outer Banks’ most celebrated photographers. Ray Matthews, who dedicated his life to capturing the coastal beauty of the Outer Banks, will be remembered through this captivating showcase of his work.

Event Details:

• Exhibition Dates: September 12 to October 7, 2023
• Opening Reception:September 12, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Gallery Hours:Tuesday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Friday 11: a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Location:Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery, 210 E Driftwood St, Nags Head, NC

Ray Matthews’ lens captured the heart and soul of the Outer Banks in a way that few could. His dedication to the craft of photography and his profound connection to the region resulted in breathtaking images that have left a lasting impression on all who have had the privilege of viewing his work.

The opening reception on September 12, 2023, promises to be a special evening filled with the opportunity to immerse yourself in Matthews’ masterpieces. Join us as we celebrate the life and artistry of Ray Matthews and explore the beauty of the Outer Banks through his lens.  The reception runs from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to all.

This retrospective is a free event, open to the public, and a unique chance to experience the coastal charm and natural splendor that Matthews so brilliantly captured. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this extraordinary tribute to an artist whose work continues to inspire and resonate.

Towne Bank of Currituck, OBX Chevrolet Buick, Ramada Plaza Hotel of Kill Devil Hills, and Hilton Garden Inn of Kitty Hawk provide substantial support for this cultural offering of events.

The Bryan Cultural Series is a non-profit organization formed in 2012.  The board of directors is composed of nine community leaders dedicated to offering a series of high-quality cultural events.  These events will include a variety of visual, literary, and performing arts.  The board strives to glean from the talent that has attained regional as well as national recognition to maintain a high standard.

Outdoor engagement photography is one of my favorite aspects of being a wedding photographer. I get to shoot environmental portraits in beautiful places without the constraints of a wedding day. Additionally, I get to spend time with my couple getting to know them and their interests in a low-pressure environment.

These tips for how to shoot outdoor engagement photography will help you make the most of this aspect of your job. In fact, it’s on these days that I hardly consider what I’m doing to be work. Let’s talk through ways to plan for and execute an awesome engagement shoot.

The main benefits that come from a great outdoor engagement shoot are building trust with your clients and providing them with some non-wedding pictures of themselves. Most couples don’t have great photos together beyond a selfie let alone any professional ones. But if you deliver photos they fall in love with then when you show up on their wedding day they’ll trust your expertise and directions.

Scout Before the Engagement Session

It’s rare that I feel the need to scout for an outdoor engagement shoot anymore after over a decade of shooting weddings. However, scouting has been both a fun and valuable aspect of planning for a shoot. The more inspired you are, the more creative you can be, so pushing yourself to find great locations for an engagement shoot can be the first step in making it great.

We always ask our couples if they have a vision for their session. Maybe it’s a season or particular backdrop, are they interested in wildflowers and mountain views or fall colors near a lake? Once you have some parameters you can guide them towards a selection that they’ll enjoy, and if your couples are having a great time that results in better photos too.

In order for this strategy to work, you have to have some location ideas to suggest. You might consider doing some online scouting first and then hitting the trails to explore locations that feel inspiring to you. Pay attention to how a location will look different at different times of the year and different times of the day.

Schedule It Right for Being Outdoors

Next, you’ll want to use the information you gathered to schedule your outdoor engagement photography at the optimal time of year and time of day. Sometimes we even plan two locations and move as the sun does so that we get great light with a variety of backdrops. Use apps like the photographer’s ephemeris to see what the sun will do on any given day.

We can plan or predict the weather or if we’ll get a great sunset but we can do our best to set up for success. Breathing room in your schedule is nice too, you don’t want to be rushing around racing the light. Be sure to account for any extra time needed for driving, hiking, or changing clothes.

If, like us, you love scheduling photography around sunset you might consider telling your couples to bring a snack, water, and a jacket. Give them a little guidance. In fact, that’s what the whole next section is about.

Guide Your Couples Through Their Photography

First you’ll want to give your couple some tips on what to wear, which will vary depending on your style as a photographer and your couple’s style. I usually tell my couples to dress a little nicer than they normally would, I want them to look nice but also to be comfortable. If they want to do outfit changes I suggest one more casual and one more dressy so that they have variety in their artwork and I particularly like vibrant solid colors that pop against the landscape.

I like my couples to feel like themselves, albeit a slightly nicer dressed version of themselves, regardless of who they are, therefore, simple directions work out perfectly for me. If this sounds like not enough direction to you, that’s great because you have your own style too. Guide your couples so that they’ll look great in your photos.

When thinking about guiding your couples you might need to give them more direction to help them be comfortable during the shoot. Are you going to be walking a lot? Then suggest comfortable footwear. If weather is a factor, communicate about that too.

Start the Engagement Shoot Strong

At the start of the shoot, you’ll want to set some expectations so that your couples know what to do with their hands! If you’re going to be posing them a lot, explain what to expect. If you want them to act natural, then tell them what that means exactly.

Your style will indicate what you say, but generally I tell people that I want them together and touching. Whether that’s holding hands or arms around each other, I want to see a physical connection between them and I tell them that even if they feel like they’re close they should get closer because that will look great in the pictures. I also tell them that they’re free to look at each other and enjoy the view, if I need them to do anything I will tell them but if I’m not speaking then they’re doing perfectly.

I tend to not overdirect so I want to make sure my couple isn’t worried. My goal is to get them to gradually feel more comfortable, so I tell them that too. It might feel awkward at first but we’re just getting warmed up so let’s have some fun.

Connecting With Your Couple

All that startup was about getting my couples to feel comfortable both with having their photos taken and with me as their photographer. I spend some time getting to know them and connecting. This is what’s great about an engagement shoot, there’s no wedding planner tapping their foot rushing you through the shots so take some time and connect with your subjects.

Real smiles are better than fake smiles any day. Therefore, not only do I want to connect with my couples but I want to lean on their connection to each other. Shooting couples is the best because you don’t have to force emotion; often these are two people giddy in love — use that.

An added bonus of forming a connection with your couple is that when you show up on the wedding day they trust you. Sometimes that means they trust you enough to give you a longer portrait session on the wedding day and at sunset. But sometimes it just means that you’re comfortable working together and are able to shoot portraits significantly more efficiently on the wedding day when they have more demands on their time.

Use the Landscape in Your Photography

Even though I feel like most engagement sessions are outside, it still bears mentioning that you can use the landscape in your composition. I love combining landscape photography skills with portraiture to tell a love story complete with a rad setting. Yes, you want to focus on the couple but you also want to use what you have available for foreground, background, texture, patterns, leading lines, or other composition techniques.

If you find yourself struggling to focus both on posing the couple and composing the overall shot, you can spend some time practicing your landscape photography and then thinking about where you can place your couple in the scene. At the minimum try to avoid trees coming out of awkward places.

You can utilize a variety of focal lengths to use the landscape in different ways and to get a variety of images. Shoot through the tree, use a trail to create movement, use compression on that mountain, or have your couple doing something that looks natural in the landscape. The more you think about the whole picture, the more you’re able to tell a story and create impact with your photograph.

Use the Light

Again, it seems obvious but it bears mentioning and repeating and reminding everyone that photography is all about light. For some this means only wanting to shoot golden hour, for others it means mastering off-camera flash. Or, even better, maybe it means both?

Maybe you love backlit photos with cool lens flare or maybe you love using the sun as a spotlight to create golden light on your couple’s skin. Or, even better, maybe you learn to do both? Understand light and how to see it, create it, and use it to make your photography more impactful.

Be able to answer the question of where to find soft light or how to use angles to make harsh light flattering. Natural light is powerful — if you plan and use it correctly you may never need flash. This doesn’t mean you won’t want to use it to add drama or create some cool effects, but I want you to use flash intentionally rather than out of desperation.

How to Shoot Outdoor Engagement Photography

Let’s summarize these steps for how to shoot outdoor engagement photography. I hope this process will give you the confidence to get out there and create! Maybe engagement photography will even become one of your favorite parts of being a wedding photographer.

1. Scout it out
2. Schedule it right
3. Guide your couples
4. Start strong
5. Connect
6. Use the landscape
7. Use the light

Engagement photography is one of the fun things that couples get to do as part of the wedding planning amidst a stressful to-do list. I like to make it fun, stress-free, and a memorable experience. I know I’ve done it right when even the people who say they’re not photogenic and don’t like having their photos taken end up having a blast and loving their photos!

About the author: Brenda Bergreen is a Colorado wedding photographer, videographer, yoga teacher, and writer who works alongside her husband at Bergreen Photography. With their mission and mantra “love. adventurously.” they are dedicated to telling adventurous stories in beautiful places.