We often hear about the negative impacts of using social media but, for photographers like Sam Hazell, platforms such as Instagram can foster a real sense of community. Sam has built a following of people who share his love of the natural world by exploring, shooting and sharing his images of the serene landscapes and wildlife in Devon, England.

He uses an EF-mount telephoto lens on his Canon EOS R6 to create artistic wildlife portraits, where the subjects are the center of attraction and partly obscured by their surroundings. Over the years, photography has become Sam’s sanctuary – and now he’s keen to use his platform to help others with anxiety to develop their skills. 

We caught up with him to talk about settings and subjects, and staying motivated during failure.

Sam Hazell

Sam Hazell is a qualified outdoor instructor and spent his early life teaching people in nature. Based in Devon, UK, he splits his time between wildlife photography and marketing for an outdoor equipment company. Sam is passionate about being in nature for his mental health and loves the sense of calm that photographing UK species can bring. He’s had work featured by BBC Springwatch, Sigma and Canon.

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A longer version of this interview originally appeared in Issue 212 of Photo Plus magazine. Click the link below to see our latest special subscription deal!

Take a look at the best cameras for wildlife photography, along with the best lenses for bird and wildlife photography.

Police in Franklin are searching for a man who allegedly used his phone to take an upskirt photo of a female shopper at Target. 

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, June 4, in the women’s section at the Galleria Boulevard store. A witness noticed the suspect hovering close to the victim and told police she saw him stoop down behind her with his phone and took a photo up her skirt. The witness immediately contacted store security and the suspect fled the store. 

Police have identified the suspect as a white man with brown hair and facial hair. While visiting the store, he was wearing a white T-shirt, khaki sweatpants and Crocs. The suspect was seen leaving in a silver Honda coupe.

Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to contact the Franklin Police Department at 615-794-2513. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Williamson County here, or by contacting the organization at 615-794-4000. If the information leads to an arrest, Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 in reward money.

The Canon EOS R100 takes the crown when it comes to the best cameras for beginners. This baby couldn’t be easier to use. Charge the battery, pop in a memory card, and start shooting. Its controls feel almost as intuitive as a point-and-shoot camera but with a lot more functionality.

We particularly love how the display gives an explanation for each shooting mode, complete with visual samples to get a better sense of what that mode does. For example, when you set the dial to TV (shutter priority mode), it explains that this allows you to set your preferred shutter speed, and shows images of waterfalls at different shutter speeds. Once you set your shooting mode, you can use the thumb wheel to adjust the aperture, shutter speed, or other settings as you shoot.

Shooting this camera gives a very pleasant “click” sound, which makes you feel more like a professional photographer. It might be a little noisy for a quiet environment (like taking photos of your child performing in their first play), but you can get rid of it entirely in silent mode — one of several “special scenes” settings you can choose from.

There are dedicated settings for culinary scenes, close-ups, landscapes, sports, portraits, and more, adding to its overall ease of use. Another advantage? It’s the only mirrorless camera we tested that has a built-in flash. There are some downsides, but they’re pretty minor. The display screen doesn’t pop out, so taking selfies won’t be easy. It’s not a touchscreen, either, which makes zooming into images in your library a little trickier.

If you’re looking for a camera that can give you pro-looking images even if you’re still figuring out which way to point the lens, you can’t go wrong with the Canon EOS R100. At under $500 with a kit lens, this camera would also make an excellent gift for a graduation, milestone birthday, or the holidays.

A photographer suing the Detroit Lions over using a copyrighted image of Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders as a reference for a statue dropped his claims against Getty Images, according to a court filing.

Allen Kee on Thursday dismissed, without prejudice, his claims against Getty. He’s accused the NFL’s Lions of “slavishly” copying his 1995 photograph.

In his initial complaint, filed in January in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Kee alleged Getty had licensed the photograph without permission.

Kee also dropped his claims against the NFL for sanctioning the use …

Plant-based medicine is often talked about, but when photographer Daniel Malikyar discovered the existence of the Weed Nuns—a group of self-declared nuns living on a farm in California’s Central Valley—he immediately set out to meet them. Over the course of two days spent with them, from dawn until dusk, Malikyar worked to learn as much as possible about this group of women who aim to «heal the world through plant-based medicine». He documented their lifestyle in a photographic series.

Two days with the Weed Nuns

The challenge for this group of women remains to legalize their activities, against the will of local legislators who, over the years, have made things very difficult for them. Every phase of the Weed Nuns’ production processes is scheduled according to the lunar cycles, and according to this principle, Daniel Malikyar’s visit was organized to allow him to photograph both the planting and the harvesting of Cannabis plants, with a ceremony included for the latter.

«As a photographer, I love connecting with people from all walks of life and capturing their spirit through photographs that tell a deeper story. This series features a candid mix of documentary-style scenes and impromptu portraits of moments that caught my eye» as Daniel Malikyar himself recounts about the project.

ph. courtesy Daniel Malikyar

Katia Herrera is a self-taught fiber artist who combines her love for photography with hand-embroidery. By adding delicate stitches to photographs, she transforms them into vibrant pieces of art. Whether it’s flowers on a bouquet or charming trees in the background, her work brings new life and joy to each image, making them stand out in a unique way.

Inspired by her Mexican heritage, Katia uses bright colors and intricate patterns in her embroidery. Each piece reflects her passion and creativity, turning simple photos into beautiful, textured memories. Scroll down to see her work yourself!

More info: Instagram | bordebykatia.com | tiktok.com | Etsy | youtube.com

Bored Panda reached out to the organizers, who kindly explained more about the judging process:

“This is something we use when we judge, a process that always fills us with excitement:

Gold: This is best reserved for images that leap from the page. ‘WOW’ should ideally fill your head when you see the picture. Typically, these are conceptually powerful, visually stunning, and immaculately finished pieces that give you goosebumps.

Silver: Near masterpieces that explore the subject with fresh eyes. Stirring imagery, captivating composition, and a lovely play of light are some traits worth considering.

Bronze: Images that pique your imagination and capture the moments beautifully with a level of finesse that’s hard to ignore.

Finalist: Technically, a great shot. Aesthetically, good. And emotionally satisfying.”

On Tuesday evening, the fashion world’s finest flocked to Park Avenue for Vivian Maier: Unseen Work, an exhibition held at Fotografiska New York dedicated to the late street photographer’s entire oeuvre of both still and moving images from the ’50s through the ’80s. Hosted by Kering Americas, the night commenced with a panel discussion between artists and designers Anne Morin and Anya Komar as well as photographer Lynn Saville, moderated by International Center for Photography’s Senior Curator Elisabeth Sherman. Inspired by Maier’s practice, they discussed themes including visibility, creativity, and equality. Guests were granted an exclusive viewing of Unseen Work, the first major retrospective of the Bronx-born artist’s work in the United States. The installation, organized by diChroma photography and Fotografiska New York in collaboration with the John Maloof Collection, is a holistic glimpse into Maier’s catalog, including documentaries captured on Super 8, soundtracks, and an array of both vintage and modern photo prints in color and black and white. After the opening, patrons were treated to dinner at Verōnika, Fotografiska’s upscale restaurant housed in the same building.

Yoram Roth, Anne Morin, Laurent Claquin.

The event was the latest from Kering’s Women In Motion initiative—the fashion group’s program to “raise awareness of the underrepresentation of women in cinema” and “highlight the inequalities in the field of culture and the arts to change limiting perceptions,” as stated in a press release. Among the throng of guests were Sarita Choudhury, Alek Wek, Mark Seliger, Sophie Elgort, Colby Mugrabi, Tina Leung, Vira Capeci, Hunter Abrams, Caryl Englander, Shaniqwa Jarvis, Vanina Sorrenti, Fulvia Farolfi, Danny Kasirye, Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Flo Ngala, Lisa Cortés, Kia LaBeija, Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, and Samina Virk.

With this event dedicated to Vivian Maier’s previously soft-spoken photographic legacy, Kering—whose renowned labels include Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen—mobilized the fashion community to acknowledge the many other women in the arts whose names so often go unsaid.

Vivian Maier: Unseen Work is the first major retrospective of the Bronx-born artist’s work in the United states, and is on view at Fotografiska New York until September 29.

Jamie Ferguson has photographed for many brands in the menswear space and the street style he posts on his Instagram is some of the best you’ll see anywhere. I’m a huge fan, both of his art and of him personally. Being that he has a background in menswear and he’s a constant student of some of the most prestigious in the industry, he’s got killer style himself.

Last month, Northern Ireland-based Ferguson and his long-time collaborator Simon Crompton were in New York City promoting the launch of their new book, The Casual Style Guide, which sold out quickly that night, and has since sold out online as well. This is actually his third book, the first being The Style Guide, in which he provided images to supplement Crompton’s text. His second is the renowned and seminal This Guy, where he travelled the world photographing and interviewing some of the most stylish men in the world. Before the launch event at The Armoury on the Upper East Side, I caught up with Jamie to discuss how he first became interested in photography, his new book, what he thinks of menswear content in the modern era, and plenty more.

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Open Gallery

Overcoat by Grenfell, suit by The Anthology, shirt by Permanent Style, scarf by Drake’s, belt by Berg & Berg, socks by TWC, and shoes by Alden.

What were you doing prior to photography and what prompted you to pursue the medium?

I was more involved behind the scenes for brands rather than out and doing the photography on its own. Prior to that, I was working as an actor. And prior to that, I was at university studying law. What brought me into photography was working in menswear; during that time, Tumblr streetstyle was becoming a much bigger thing. I was like, “Wow, this is amazing. I want to learn how to shoot like this.” And incredibly simple stupid stuff where it was like, “Why is the background blurry and the person’s in focus. What is that? What’s that called?” Then, picking up and buying an entry-level camera and trying to figure out how to do that.

Tell me about the new book.

It’s a sequel to a book that we did back in 2017 called The Style Guide. It was basically a coffee table book of my street style photography from the archives, which Simon had arranged into categories and commented on why he liked the outfits. The first one was a little more focused on tailoring, this one’s a little more focused on the casual—like workwear, military, and western garments. This time around, as well as providing the photography, I’m also writing the commentary alongside Simon. It’s nice because it’s become a bit more of a dialogue, rather than just one person. There’s more of a back and forth and I think I’m offering a different take on things than Simon would.

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Jacket by Drake’s, polo shirt by OAC, trousers by Carhartt, belt by Berg & Berg, bag by Ichizawa Hanpu, socks by TWC, and shoes by Alden.

Why did you guys choose to write about casual style this time? Is it that’s the way things are trending? Is it a post-pandemic thing?

I don’t necessarily think there was as much as extensive thought as that. We wanted to do a sequel to the first one and because we didn’t get the opportunity to cover much in the way of casual style and clothing; it seemed to be the natural, logical step for this one.

How did you hone your photography style? Any influences?

When I was coming up and when I was getting interested in menswear and photography, it was Scott Schumann’s The Sartorialist. I’m sure it’s true for a lot of other street style photographers who came up at the same time. Scott was a huge influence. Tommy Ton and the stuff he was shooting at Pitti. I always really looked forward to each Pitti … seeing what style he was picking out from the show.

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Jacket by TWC, shirt by Atempo Rubato, sweater by Jameson’s (from Beige Habilleur), trousers by Stan Ray, belt by Drake’s, hat by 18 East, and shoes by Moon Star x Buck Mason.

How about personal style? Any influences?

It’s peers and colleagues. I’m very lucky to have worked with a lot of inspiring brands and the individuals and personalities behind those brands. Before I went freelance, working for Drake’s and seeing Michael Hill’s style and the whole team that was coming up through there and who’d gone through those doors to other areas within the industry—all huge influences.

What are some of your current favorite brands?

I’m not going to have enough room to shout out all. So if I miss any, apologies to those guys. I love Atempo Rubato. Casatlantic. The Anthology for tailoring. J Mueser—I love the collaboration they just did with Buck Mason. Wythe. Morjas. Drake’s. Still hugely influenced by them.

Fit Four

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Jacket by Sassafras, shirt by Jake’s London with Thomas Mason cloth, jeans by Levi’s, belt by Drake’s, hat by Wythe, watch by Serica, socks by AWMS, and shoes by Morjas.

What do you think about the drought of published street style these days, especially versus how much amateur street style exists now through Instagram? When you and I were starting, it was everywhere. Now it seems like no one is paying for this sort of content anymore.

It’s a weird one. I lament the fact that there’s not the availability nowadays that I feel there used to be. A lot of people that I’ve spoken to, they’re feeling similarly—that they would like to see more of that. To a degree, street style is now being produced by brands on their own, which is obviously great, but at the same time there’s not necessarily this aggregator anymore. Seeing all those different styles and all those personalities in one location, on one format, and I’d love to see that again.

I feel like there is a huge part of the public out there that’s well-educated now, in terms of style and menswear, and I think because of that education they do want to see more of that stuff where you have to figure it out on your own. What I took from street style initially was seeing how somebody would wear a suit or break it up, or stylistic tweaks they’ve put into their outfit. I like that. I appreciate that kind of stuff more. Everything’s been dumbed down quite a bit and everything needs to be explained or spoon-fed, but I don’t think that’s necessarily helpful in terms of developing your own personal style.

A huge part of that is—not study, because that makes it sound incredibly dry—but it’s looking at those street style images and just fucking up, making mistakes. Trial and error. A lot of guys out there that are held up as these very stylish guys within the industry have been through that phase where they’re just trying something out, finding out what works for them. That’s very much how they end up getting to a place where they are held up in that regard. I’d love to see more of that. I’d love to see publications or outlets offer more of a platform for that.

Fit Five

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Jacket by The Anthology, shirt by Wythe, jeans by Levi’s, beret by AWMS, socks by TWC, and shoes by Alden.

If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it consist of?

The older I get, the more I find comfort becomes key. I like to try to balance that with feeling good in what you’re wearing as well. Obviously, you can wear sweats and feel good, but I’m like, “Am I going to feel stylish in that?” Not necessarily. So, I think it’s often some form of tailoring. It’s probably a jacket, jeans, loafers, and just a loose shirt.

The winners of the 2024 Environmental Photography Awards were announced during the official opening of the competition’s exhibition on the Larvotto Promenade, on 4 June. The photographs are on display for the public to view until 30 July 2024, after which they will travel internationally.

The official selection for the fourth edition of the Environmental Photography Awards includes 36 photographs, 7 of which won prizes. Winners were selected from over 11,000 images by 2,600 photographers from across the world, both professional and amateur, by a jury of renowned photographers and personalities committed to conservation.

“Photographers have a vital role to play in informing the public, providing new knowledge and sharing our emotions and unique experiences. A successful environmental photograph can be both a work of art and an activist slogan. In a single glance, the best images can touch the senses and the heart and make a significant difference to our planet,” said Chairman of the jury, Alex Mustard, an underwater photographer and marine biologist.

Aaron Gekoski’s ‘See No Evil’

The 2024 Environmental Photography Award was presented to photographer Aaron Gekoski for his image See No Evil, which also won the Humanity versus Nature category. An internationally-renowned photojournalist and filmmaker specialising in human-animal conflicts, Aaron Gekoski has been travelling the world for over fifteen years to report on the complex relationship between humans and wild animals, covering subjects such as illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, marine conservation and animal tourism.

“At Safari World in Bangkok, orangutans have been used in shows for decades. Every day, they are forced to perform in front of an audience that pays to see them. After the shows, they stoically wait for tourists to take photos with them. Beneath the glittering exterior lies a dark world of illegal activity and animal abuse. The orangutans used in the shows are often stolen from the wild, smuggled across borders and then trained using cruel methods. If humans were treated in this way, we would be talking about torture. For nearly five years, I have been working on a documentary called Eyes of the Orangutan, the first investigative film devoted to the world of wildlife tourism involving orangutans. The aim is to make people think twice before visiting places like Safari World. Because if we can treat one of our closest living relatives in this way, what hope is there for other species,” said Aaron Gekoski about his winning photograph See No Evil.

According to Aaron Gekoski, in 2004, more than 100 orangutans were confiscated from Safari World after DNA tests proved that they had been illegally imported from Indonesia. However, a few years later, the shows began again. The prize-winning photographer also stated that, to attract tourists, young orangutans are captured in the wild and their mothers are killed. See No Evil was taken as part of an assignment for the American NGO Lady FreeThinker.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation launched the photography competition in 2021. This year’s winner will receive a grant of €7,000 and a trip to Ecuador to visit the SEK International University’s research base in the Amazon rainforest.

According to Chairman of the jury, Alex Mustard, photography is both powerful and accessible. When it comes to the natural world, people are more inclined to protect what they know and love.

“(See no Evil) captures one of the world’s most intelligent animal species in a graphic composition that is emotionally charged to the point of obsession. This photograph will live long in the minds of all who see it,” said Alex Mustard.

The 2024 jury included: Javier Aznar (National Geographic photographer); Jasper Doest (photographer specialising in conservation issues and wildlife); Esther Horvath (National Geographic photographer, photographer for the Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, specialising in climate research in the polar regions); Britta Jaschinski (photojournalist specialising in crimes against nature); Alexa Keefe (deputy photo editor for National Geographic magazine); Steve Winter (photojournalist specialising in big cats and documentary film-maker).

This year’s president of the competition was Sergio Pitamitz, wildlife and conservation photographer and photographer for National Geographic Expeditions.