As in previous years, Transcontinenta UK Ltd. will be present, with a large stand (G500 Hall 2), at the Photography Show 2024 in Birmingham from 16-19 march.  This year we will be bringing our brands Tamron, Peak Design, Think Tank, Zhiyun-Tech, Leofoto, Lexar and broncolor. Visitors will be able to try out the latest equipment, get advice from our experts, and play an exciting high speed game of Batak in the Lexar area.

Lexar has been the world’s leading brand of storage solutions for more than 20 years. They understand how quickly data is changing our world. Their award-winning product line includes memory cards, USB flash drives, readers, and solid state drives. Whether you are shooting photos, recording video, or simply transferring and sharing files on the go, Lexar memory solutions deliver the performance and reliability you need to get the most out of your digital devices. We will be showcasing the latest blazing-fast SL500 portable SSD, high-end CFexpress cards, and matching card readers. Lexar is all about speed, so we are giving you the chance to test your own speed with our Batak game. The fastest make a change to win great Lexar prizes!

Peak Design is always an eye-catcher and attracts many fans, users and enthusiastic photographers. As well as the famous Straps, Clips, Everyday backpacks, and slings, we also showed the Duffel and Travel bags. The unique and ultra-compact Peak Design Travel Tripod continues to amaze people with its highly practical design. Visitors to our stand are able to see and test them all.

Tamron offers a wide range of lenses for Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm mirrorless cameras. These can be seen and tried out at the Transcontinenta stand. Among others, we will have the new Tamron 17-50mm F/4 for full-frame Sony E-mount, the new professional Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 G2, the Tamron 150-500mm for Nikon Z and the great travel all-in-one Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 zoom for full-frame Sony E-mount.

Leofoto tripods all have 10 layers of carbon and a 10-year warranty. They also offer excellent value for money. The wide range of tripods offers something for every photographer and every shooting situation. From table tripods, macro tripods to long telephoto tripods, stable and high tripods. Leofoto also offers very practical accessories such as a gimbal, macro focus rail and extra clamps to attach and use in combination with the tripods. Ask our experts for advice to find your perfect match.

broncolor has been a well-known global player in the international professional lighting market for over half a century. Designed and manufactured in Switzerland since 1958. Swiss quality and attention to detail are present in all products. broncolor lighting solutions offer consistency in your production setup, combined with accurate colours. You can control the light precisely with the wide range of light shapers and accessories. They are used worldwide, not only by renowned photographers, but also in many museums and institutions. Talk to our experts and see how broncolor can improve your lighting challenges.

The Zhiyun gimbals always attract the attention of our visitors. The range of high quality and very practical gimbals offer a better and more professional way of filming. They range from the Smooth, Weebill and Crane models, for mobile phones, compact, mirrorless and full DSLR cameras. Ease of use, unique features and great value for money make these gimbals a great choice. In recent years, Zhiyun has started to produce fantastic compact, and larger high quality LED lights. These can be used for everything from macro to studio, or on location model photography.

Think Tank designs camera bags, backpacks, trolleys, shoulder bags and carrying systems for photo and video professionals. Their products come from the minds of professional photographers and product designers. For example, their MindShift range is specifically designed for the outdoor photographer. Think Tank also has a new range of travel bags and wheels. At our booth, you can try out the new and unique Think Tank Press Pass bags, which can be carried in a variety of ways and offer great mobility.

Visit Transcontinenta at the Photography Show!

Transcontinenta is offering a 20% discount on the standard ticket price until 14 March. Please use the discount code: TRATPS24 when ordering tickets online.

We look forward to seeing you at our stand G500 Hall 2!

Children’s interaction with nature and physical exertion rejuvenates their minds and bodies. Despite so many benefits, in recent times, it has been noted that children’s participation in outdoor play has been significantly reduced. The kids are getting pushed towards gadgets rather than engaging with nature. Former school psychologist Ernesto Rodriguez opposes these behavioral patterns and believes that for the good of children, it is vital that they develop a relationship with nature, per CBS News. Through his endeavors as a photographer, he is attempting to bring a change in these patterns and get children to enjoy the beauty of nature.

In his experience as a school psychologist, Rodriguez has seen many classrooms with no windows. These kinds of setups harm children as nature acts as a great agent to remove anxiety. This assertion has been comprehensively proven by research conducted by MaryCarol R. Hunter, per Frontiers. The former school psychologist dismisses the arrangement after experiencing the power of nature in his present job as a park ranger on Southern California’s Catalina Island. On the job, he has also taken up landscape photography, where he attempts to capture nature’s appeal and spread it to others.

Being within nature, he slowly began to study it more and found out that the age-old contempt against students losing their focus and looking outside the window was unfounded. It had major benefits. “Kids who have views out windows to trees do better academically, emotionally, and creatively. And more graduate and go to college,” he said. “I thought, why isn’t this being used?” It was then he decided to take up the pursuit of bringing nature to the classroom. He took hospital curtains and printed the landscapes he had captured on them. The photographer zeroed in on ceilings to fix those curtains. “Having been a school psychologist, you don’t touch teacher’s walls. You do that and they cut your hand off–both of them,” Rodriguez quipped. “So I thought, well, let’s use the ceiling because they don’t typically use the ceiling.”

Rodriguez’s landscapes mostly feature tree canopies and when children look up at the ceiling, they quite literally feel that they are sitting under a tree. Moreover, he ensures that he incorporates all the elements science has proven to reduce anxiety, from warm tones to soothing colors. The photographer does his work through “Nature in the Classroom,” a non-profit he established. Till now, he has installed canopies in 10 school districts. The latest one is Taft Elementary in Santa Clara, California. After he showed his installation to the fifth-grade classroom, they were elated. A student, Octavio, appreciated the change. “It is surprising to see because any time you’re inside of a school, you mostly don’t see plants. Or trees. But now it’s surprising to see that there are trees here,” he said. “I would say that it’s pretty great and beautiful.”

The instructor, Logan Earnest, believes the installation will increase children’s interest in the classroom. “I think my attendance is going to go up. I think kids are going to want to come in here more frequently. Overall, I think the kids are going to be happier,” he said. Rodriguez loves that he can bring both of his professions together in some way and encourages others to test the power of nature by stepping outside.

Introducing Odorrana leishanensis, a new species of odorous frog that has just been discovered in south-west China. As the name suggests, these amphibians have a characteristic smell which has been likened to rotten fish. But herpetologists are finding it’s worth holding their noses to study these frogs: their skin is unusually rich in antibacterial substances, with potential implications for medical science

Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

Choosing the right wedding photographer to capture one of the most special moments of your life is an important decision. The couple wants someone who understands their vision and can do it in a style they prefer. They should also trust them and feel comfortable with them, as they’ll be by their side for the entire day.

Something else the soon-to-be newlyweds may consider while selecting the perfect person is their pricing. Recently, Tripp Photo revealed hers on TikTok, and people were appalled, to say the least.

A TikToker nicknamed Haussdrama investigated this further and found out that she was asking $8.5k for some blurry photos that people in the comments called the “Willy Wonka Experience.”

Scroll down to find more opinions on the matter and a conversation with wedding photographers from the UK, Magda Kuczmik and Laura Shaw, who kindly agreed to provide their take on wedding photography pricing.

Something that soon-to-be newlyweds might consider before hiring a photographer is the cost

Share icon

Image credits: @haussdrama

This wedding photographer shared her steep starting prices on TikTok, which received a lot of backlash

“You think I’m psycho don’t ya mama”

Share icon“Maybe, just a tiny little bit. This photographer is getting a lot of backlash for releasing her prices, which is $8,500 starting. Now, I took a look at her gallery, and let’s see if these pictures are worth $8,500.”

Image credits: @haussdrama

Share icon“Now with this picture, I can see the intent, right? Going for that old-timey, rustic. I dare say you did not capture what you thought you did. What I did see is she’s a very big fan of blurry photos.”

Image credits: @haussdrama

“I just feel like the jewelry placement- it’s just not working. It’s really not.”

Share icon

Image credits: @haussdrama

“Possibly one of the most unflattering photos that you could take of a wedding dress is just on a blank wall. On a wooden hanger. It’s giving nothing.”

Share icon

Image credits: @haussdrama

“Now, this woman is stunning, but this picture looks like it was taken in somebody’s backyard.”

Share icon

Image credits: @haussdrama

“Again, she’s stunning. She’s beautiful. She is giving. But the photographer… it just looks like this is in somebody’s bathroom. There’s nothing special to the photo that’s like, that wow factor.”

Share icon

Image credits: @haussdrama

“I would say posing wedding dresses for a photo is not her strong suit. Obviously everybody should charge what they think they’re worth.

If you think you’re worth $8,500, go ahead and charge for the $8,500. But if I got my wedding photos back and they looked anything like those, I would request a refund. Actually, I would dispute it with my card company.”

@haussdrama 8.5k 😮‍💨 #photographytips #photographersoftiktok #trippphoto #weddingphotographer #weddingphotography #photographypricing #dramatok #haussdrama #trendingnow #viralvidoes #unpopularopinion ♬ original sound – 🍉Haussdrama🍉

The average price of a wedding photoshoot in 2023 was $2,900

Based on The Knot Real Weddings Study, about 90% of couples hired a photographer, making them the third most popular service used. Their average price in 2023 was $2,900, a $300 increase from the year before.

Bored Panda reached out to wedding photographers from the UK, Magda Kuczmik and Laura Shaw, who kindly agreed to share their take on pricing, having more than 12 years of experience in the industry.

When asked if the starting cost of $8,500 is reasonable, Kuczmik told us that it depends on a lot of factors. “Like with any art – it’s not about the price, it’s about what the client likes and values. Photography is something that lasts many generations, and investing in good quality photography, in my opinion (but I might be biased!) is worth it. I think it’s up to the individual client to see value in somebody’s work.”

Indeed, for some, such an investment is worth it, as they’ll get to keep these memories for a lifetime. Most likely, they’ll also be displayed somewhere in the house or shared with others, so they need to be beautiful, like a piece of art. Not only do these captured moments remind the couple about their special day, but they also keep family history alive for children, grandchildren, and the following generations.

The level of expertise and location you choose may rack up the costs of a wedding photoshoot

There may be several reasons for the extra cost that photographers present to the couple. Kuczmik mentions the high pressure they experience having to get a shot in one take, and this calls for quite a bit of expertise.

“It requires photography training – because wedding photographers work in all sorts of lighting conditions, weather, and people – we need to have all the skills – be a product photographer, an event photographer, a fashion photographer, and be social and chatty with the vendors and the guests. All those skills take time to polish to perfection.”

Shaw adds that a good photographer will be constantly making decisions throughout the day. “Where is the good light? Are we on schedule? What does my couple need right now? Have I got all the group shots? Checking the weather and sunset location. Anticipating the final gallery in your mind, ensuring you’ve captured everything you know the Bride and Groom will want to see because you’ve got to know them and found out what is important to them.”

Another factor that might rack up the price of such keepsakes is the location. Naturally, vendors in big cities like New York or San Francisco will cost more than those in smaller towns. If you’re planning a destination celebration, something like traveling costs can increase the costs as well.

Usually, photographers offer a range of packages, from going all out with a full day of several shooters and videographers to limiting hours to save money. For instance, Kuczmik offers 6 packages, and the one with the most features starts at £1,950 (about 2486 USD).

Is more expensive always better in the wedding photography industry?

Further inquiring if more expensive services are always better, Kuczmik told Bored Panda, “We’re talking about art, so it’s very individual. But generally, I’d say if someone has been gaining all the experience and knows how much effort and work goes into a wedding – then there is no way to undercharge.

Quality isn’t cheap – and it goes like this with anything in life. I think you will always see a difference between a photographer who’s been working for 10+ years in the industry and someone who’s been doing it for a year. Experience is key in this job, and more experience costs more, right?”

Shaw believes that expensive wedding photography services might not be for everyone. “In the wedding photography industry, the correlation between cost and quality is not always straightforward. While a higher price tag may be associated with certain benefits, it doesn’t guarantee that a more expensive photographer is the best fit for every couple or that the quality of the final product will meet everyone’s expectations.

She concluded, “Ultimately, the best wedding photographer for you is one whose style aligns with your vision, who makes you feel comfortable, and who offers a package that fits your budget.”

Some commenters agree that $8,500 is too much

ADVERTISEMENT

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Meanwhile, a lot of them justified the price

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

Share icon

@reyahthelastdragon #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen #trippphoto #photography #weddingphoto #weddingphotography #weddingtok ♬ Brunch (Lofi) – Muspace Lofi

@chainsawreacts Thoughts on this? #weddingphotographer #trippphoto #discussion #blurry #photos #price #high #opinion #wedding ♬ original sound – Chainsaw Reacts

A professional photographer is devastated and a newlywed couple are distraught after a camera containing the couple’s wedding photos was stolen.

Click here to watch News 9 live.

Wedding photographer Robert Jacobs says his camera and all of his gear was taken from the backseat of his car at his Edmond apartment, including an SD card that captured Jeffery and Cheyenne Henderson’s wedding day.

“It was just a hard thing to break, ” Jacobs said. “I’ve never had to break anything like that to a couple before.”

The Hendersons got married at the end of February, and said they returned from their honeymoon on Tuesday when they received a phone call from Jacobs.

“We lost a lot of memories in those photos and would just love to get that back,” Jeffery Henderson said.

A newlywed couple is heartbroken — all their wedding photos are gone — because of a thief the photographers camers

The Hendersons got married at the end of February and say they returned from their honeymoon on Tuesday and got the phone call from Jacobs.

Jacobs’ cameras, drones and other expensive items cost a total of $9,000, but Jacobs says he just wants to get ahold of those SD cards containing the photos.

Jacobs said he filed a police report and reached out to local pawn shops to see if they had received any of the missing items.

The Edmond Police Department said if you have any information, contact the department as soon as possible.

Mar 08, 2024 08:34 AM IST

Share Via

Copy Link

Xiaomi 14 is simply some of the best camera hardware you’ll find on an Android flagship phone, for now. Excellent results are delivered with old-school optimisations, and little AI. Xiaomi may have given Samsung and Google some sleepless nights, with pricing too

There is a certain charm in the journey of persistence. The variables. The uncertainty. Often, one would prefer to do without any of it. For various factors (product, pricing, and consumer confidence) over the years, persistence has underlined Xiaomi’s attempts to gain a foothold among Android flagship phones. For a brand that’s been tremendously dominant in affordable and mid-range segments, this proved to be a bridge too far. Folks on the shop floor didn’t seem too willing to shell out the big bucks for an expensive Xiaomi phone, as perhaps they would for a Samsung or OnePlus phone.

It may well be the end of that trend – Xiaomi 14 puts forward a more than compelling proposition. In due course of time, as would the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Particularly with the Leica co-engineered camera, and the new HyperOS software. Pricing was always going to be key for the Xiaomi 14’s success (or not). There is a simplicity to the approach with a single spec (that is, 12GB RAM and 512GB storage) sporting a sticker price of ₹69,999 (alongside a bunch of bundled credit card offers). Enough pricing and proposition gap to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra too, which is priced at ₹99,999 and also gets a bunch of credit card discounts. It is immediately clear, the Xiaomi 14 has an upper hand over its closest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S24 (around ₹79,999 onwards) whilst also being significantly less expensive than the Google Pixel 8 (around ₹75,999 onwards), something I illustrate in this piece.

Hindustan Times – your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Good things, small packages, and all that

There is a uniqueness to approach as they re-enter the flagship phone battle ring in India, with the sort of screen size that could be calling out to an audience that hides in plain sight. The ones who prefer more compact phones than the 6.7-inch or thereabouts which is common nowadays. The 6.36-inch Xiaomi 14 is a convincingly comfortable phone to hold and use, something I can attest to, having successfully switched from a 6.7-inch phone (typing wasn’t a painful experience too).

There can be a convincing argument that not enough enthusiasm has been shown towards the design. It isn’t the same as any other phone, but does not stand out either. For a flagship effort, a little more in terms of visual differentiation, would have worked wonders. At least there are two colours to choose from – black and green, in slightly different finish options too. The Xiaomi 14’s design simply works, and while there is nothing to criticize about it, is simply ticking the checklist good enough?

Even then, a smaller screen real estate (despite the ease of getting accustomed to) may not work as well for everyone. And that’s something Xiaomi will have to address sooner rather than later, with another flagship with a larger screen. In case you are wondering about the ease of getting used to a more compact display size, HyperOS and its redone interface plays its part in opening up a lot of display space (above the keyboard, for instance) to see quite a bit on. It helps.

HyperOS software will play a pivotal role in making Xiaomi’s premium phones more addressable to a discerning audience ready to pay top money. Unlike MIUI that it replaces (that was cluttered, and was getting long in the tooth), HyperOS has earned the right to be talked about in the same conversation as Samsung’s One UI and OnePlus’ OxygenOS. A completely new architecture gives it a smaller footprint not just terms of size, but also resource usage (that means more storage space, RAM and processor grunt is available for your apps).

Whether Xiaomi has missed a trick with a more compact than usual screen size, or this is a subtle (and soon to be proved successful) manoeuvre in appealing to those who’d prefer an ergonomically happier phone to carry around, father time will offer a chance to tally the answers. To be able to do what Xiaomi has, without having to compromise on specs, performance or crucially, battery stamina, is rare. Take the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 (6.2-inch screen) for example – a much smaller 4,000mAh battery, a chip that isn’t as powerful, and cameras that don’t match the 50-megapixel troika.

Before that, the Google Pixel 8 didn’t exactly put forward a no-compromise proposition – its entry storage spec is 128GB, a far cry from Xiaomi’s 512GB proposition. Samsung Galaxy S24 offers 256GB storage, before you must reach for the clouds. In the past, the Nothing Phone (1) wasn’t leading the specs charge either, in a broad look. And neither have any compact Apple iPhones. There’s always been something missing, something to ponder about. In that spirit, think of the Xiaomi 14 as a ‘Pro’ phone in terms of what it can offer, without the bulk (or the naming scheme).

Illustrating why I am saying what I am saying, is the fact that the Xiaomi 14 runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile platform (Leica’s photography magic is built on this), three 50-megapixel cameras to work with for photography and a 4,610mAh battery despite its rather compact dimensions. Beyond the specs, it is also ushering in the era of Xiaomi’s new software that’ll define the experience, HyperOS. Built from the ground up, it is an OS on a diet compared with the MIUI it replaces, has a smaller footprint, and brings significant visual improvements.

The big battery in a compact phone, seems to be another achievement that should hold the Xiaomi 14 in good stead. A fully charged phone at 8am, shooting over 200 photos in a day and syncing emails, social media as well as messaging, returns with around 56% battery at 9pm. That is, so to say, the end of battery anxiety.

There isn’t enough praise for Leica and Xiaomi

This really is the reason why you’d pick the Xiaomi 14 over other Android flagships, screen size aside. The competition can make do with quite a few sleepless nights. A 50-megapixel wide, a 50-megapixel 75mm telephoto and a 50-megapixel ultrawide. Xiaomi has worked with German photography giants Leica. Unlike most other phone maker and camera brand partnerships, this is restricted to the gloss of branding on the back of the phone (notice how possessive Leica is about their red logo?) and some colour modes or filters in the camera app. Leica’s inputs cover optical hardware too.

The key to delivering what must safely be categorised as benchmark setting photography results, is a multi-pronged approach to the basics. Leica’s Summilux lenses, the Light Fusion 900 image sensor, a 75mm optical floating telephoto lens and Leica’s tuned Authentic and Vibrant photo modes that you’d usually associate with Leica’s cameras, make for a set of ingredients that will be difficult to match. Whether in sunlight or an overcast outdoors with dark cloud, the dynamic range that returns in photos is worth appreciating. If I may say so, Xiaomi 14’s cameras return photos exactly as your eyes see the details, and then some. Without the zoom, of course.

And when you do decide to zoom in, the Xiaomi 14’s sensor pulling in the data is then combined with what can only be called top-notch image processing. At 5x, you really can capture so many different perspectives with detailing the eyes (and most phone cameras) would have otherwise missed. The 10x zoom photos are extremely usable for sharing too. Even 20x is quite usable, if you have a steady hand and the lighting is just right. It isn’t just the zoom. There is a distinct neutrality to how the Xiaomi 14 processes colours – there is negligible, if at all, colour boosting in the Leica Authentic mode, whereas even the Leica Vibrant doesn’t go overboard with any particular shades. Yet, if the scene is right (landscapes for example), try shooting the same subject in both modes. The results will make you believe this is two cameras in one.

Low light, where many a phone camera has struggled in the past, returns another strong showing for the Xiaomi 14. Unlike some of the, including Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 series, there is very little reliance on artificial intelligence (AI). If you prefer a level of realism to reflect in the photos you click, this is a more reliable camera to have, where there is no ambiguity about processing that AI may introduce.

Does this flagship give Xiaomi hope?

Two schools of thought will dictate how the Xiaomi 14 is approached. One, which Xiaomi hopes will be the case more often than not, where the specs are enough to get potential buyers interested. Second, and this cannot be denied, would be the audience who will remain unconvinced about the screen size. Irrespective of preferences, consistent across arguments is a Leica camera that pretty much sets the benchmark for flagships (none of the current Android flagship crop comes even close). The new HyperOS software still has some quirks but signifies a step forward for refinement.

Xiaomi may have done its bit to test waters and how Indian consumers approach this flagship phone, and there is enough weight to the argument they must continue to do more. Perhaps the Xiaomi 14 Ultra too, since they’re not leaving anything to chance. Gaining consumer confidence, the ones who are spending top money on an Android phone, would like to see a legacy, an effort for a few years. Xiaomi needs to get that under their belt, in India. Remember, OnePlus persisted. Samsung persisted. Success followed. Xiaomi must have a readiness to walk the distance. Nothing tells me that’s lacking. Anymore.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it’s all here, just a click away!- Login Now!
Stay informed on Business News along with Gold Rates Today, India News and other related updates on Hindustan Times Website and APPs

Share this article

Share Via

Copy Link

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  

  Vishal Mathur

  Vishal Mathur is Technology Editor for Hindustan Times. When not making sense of technology, he often searches for an elusive analog space in a digital world.

• Xiaomi

Leica Camera AG has introduced its latest offering in photography: the Leica SL3. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the SL-System, which was introduced in 2015, the SL3 offers significant advancements in both photography and videography.

Leica states that the development of the Leica SL3 has been heavily influenced by feedback from professional photographers, ensuring that it meets the industry’s rigorous demands. The result, they state, is a versatile camera that delivers exceptional image quality in various shooting conditions.

• 60MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor
• Maestro IV Image Processor, 8GB Buffer
• Hybrid AF System with PDAF & Contrast AF
• 5.76m-Dot 0.78x-Mag. EyeRes OLED EVF
• 3.2″ 2.3m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
• 8K, C8K, 4K, C4K & FHD 10-Bit Recording
• ProRes 1080p & Apple MFi Support
• ISO 50-100000, Up to 15 fps Shooting
• 5-Axis Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization
• CFexpress Type B & SD UHS-II Card Slots

Key features of the Leica SL3 include its BSI CMOS full-frame sensor with Triple Resolution Technology, capable of recording raw files in DNG or JPEG format at resolutions of 60, 36, or 18 megapixels. The camera boasts an expanded dynamic range of 15 f-stops and an ISO range from 50 to 100,000, allowing for detailed images in all lighting situations.

The SL3’s autofocus system utilizes phase detection, depth mapping, and contrast recognition technologies to ensure sharp images, even in low light. Additionally, based on the L-Mount standard developed by Leica, the camera’s lens bayonet offers compatibility with a wide range of lenses, including those from other Leica camera systems.

The Leica SL3 features an EyeRes® viewfinder with a resolution of 5.76 million pixels, providing a crystal-clear view of the subject. A tiltable 3-inch touchscreen offers additional creative possibilities, while videos can be recorded in resolutions up to 8K, supported by efficient codecs such as H.265 and ProRes by Apple.

The camera’s user interface has been redesigned for enhanced comfort and ease of use, with a clear separation of photo and video modes. Customizable function keys and optimized touch interaction further contribute to easier operation.

Connectivity options include slots for CFexpress type B and UHS-II-SD memory cards, a USB-C port for high-speed data transmission, tethering, and power supply, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The Leica SL3 is also certified as a “Made for iPhone® and iPad®” accessory, allowing for direct connection to Apple products.

Click here to see more details and pricing information.

Jack Latham was on a mission to photograph farms in Vietnam — not the country’s sprawling plantations or rice terraces but its “click farms.”

Last year, the British photographer spent a month in the capital Hanoi documenting some of the shadowy enterprises that help clients artificially boost online traffic and social media engagement in the hope of manipulating algorithms and user perceptions. The resulting images, which feature in his new book “Beggar’s Honey,” provide rare insight into the workshops that hire low-paid workers to cultivate likes, comments and shares for businesses and individuals globally.

“When most people are on social media, they want nothing but attention — they’re begging for it,” Latham said in a phone interview, explaining his book’s title. “With social media, our attention is a product for advertisers and marketers.”

In the 2000s, the growing popularity of social media sites — including Facebook and Twitter, now called X — created a new market for well-curated digital profiles, with companies and brands vying to maximize visibility and influence. Though it is unclear when click farms began proliferating, tech experts warned about “virtual gang masters” operating them from low-income countries as early as 2007.

In the following decades, click farms exploded in number — particularly in Asia, where they can be found across India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines and beyond. Regulations have often failed to keep pace: While some countries, like China, have attempted to crack down on operations (the China Advertising Association banned the use of click farms for commercial gain in 2020), they continue to flourish around the continent, especially in places where low labor and electricity costs make it affordable to power hundreds of devices simultaneously.

‘Like Silicon Valley startups’

Latham’s project took him to five click farms in Vietnam. (The click farmers he hoped to photograph in Hong Kong “got cold feet,” he said, and pandemic-related travel restrictions dashed his plans to document the practice in mainland China). On the outskirts of Hanoi, Latham visited workshops operating from residential properties and hotels.

Some had a traditional setup with hundreds of manually operated phones, while others used a newer, compact method called “box farming” — a phrase used by the click farmers Latham visited — where several phones, without screens and batteries, are wired together and linked to a computer interface.

Latham said one of the click farms he visited was a family-run business, though the others appeared more like a tech companies. Most workers were in their 20s and 30s, he added.

“They all looked like Silicon Valley startups,” he said. “There was a tremendous amount of hardware … whole walls of phones.”

Some of Latham’s photos depict — albeit anonymously — workers tasked with harvesting clicks. In one image, a man is seen stationed amid a sea of gadgets in what appears to be a lonely and monotonous task.

“It only takes one person to control large amounts of phones,” Latham said. “One person can very quickly (do the work of) 10,000. It’s both solitary and crowded.”

At the farms Lathan visited, individuals were usually in charge of a particular social media platforms. For instance, one “farmer” would be responsible for mass posting and commenting on Facebook accounts, or setting up YouTube platforms where they post and watch videos on loop. The photographer added that TikTok is now the most popular platform at the click farms he visited.

The click farmers Latham spoke to mostly advertised their services online for less than one cent per click, view or interaction. And despite the fraudulent nature of their tasks, they seemed to treat it like just another job, the photographer said.

‘There was an understanding they were just providing a service,” he added. “There wasn’t a shadiness. What they’re offering is shortcuts.”

Deceptive perception

Across its 134 pages, “Beggar’s Honey” includes a collection of abstract photographs — some seductive, others contemplative — depicting videos that appeared on Latham’s TikTok feed. He included them in the book to represent the kind of content he saw being boosted by click farms.

But many of his photos focus on the hardware used to manipulate social media —webs of wires, phones and computers.

“A lot of my work is about conspiracies,” Latham said. ” Trying to ‘document the machines used to spread disinformation’ is the tagline of the project. The bigger picture is often the thing we don’t see.”

Click farms around the world are also used to amplify political messages and spread disinformation during elections. In 2016, Cambodia’s then-prime minister Hun Sen was accused of buying Facebook friends and likes, which according to the BBC he denied, while shadowy operations in North Macedonia were found to have spread pro-Donald Trump posts and articles during that year’s US presidential election.

While researching, Latham said he found that algorithms — a topic of his previous book, “Latent Bloom” — often recommended videos that he said got increasingly “extreme” with each click.

“If you only digest a diet of that, it’s a matter of time you become diabetically conspiratorial,” he said. “The spreading of disinformation is the worst thing. It happens in your pocket, not newspapers, and it’s terrifying that it’s tailored to your kind of neurosis.”

Hoping to raise awareness of the phenomenon and its dangers, Latham is planning to exhibit his own home version of a click farm — a small box with several phones attached to a computer interface — at the 2024 Images Vevey Festival in Switzerland. He bought the gadget in Vietnam for the equivalent of about $1,000 and has occasionally experimented with it on his social media accounts.

On Instagram, Latham’s photos usually attract anywhere from a few dozen to couple hundred likes. But when he deployed his personal click farm to announce his latest book, the post generated more than 6,600 likes. The photographer wants people to realize that there’s more to what they see on social media — and that metrics aren’t a measurement of authenticity.

“When people are better equipped with knowledge of how things work, they can make more informed decisions,” he said.

“Beggar’s Honey,” co-published by Here Press and Images Vevey, is available now.

Local photographers showcase their skills during the annual ImageFest 2024, hosted by the Comox Valley Photographic Society (CVPS).

On March 30 at 7 p.m, the 12th annual festival will take place at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay.

ImageFest is a celebration of photographic arts comprised of slideshows set to music by the multi-talented members of the CVPS. Themes include portraiture, time-lapse photography, nature and wildlife, macro and still-life photography, as well as photography of local and exotic destinations.

There will be a print display of photographs by CVPS members in the lower foyer of the theatre, beginning one hour before the ImageFest show and during the intermission. The photographers will be on hand to chat about their work.

CVPS members began crafting their slide shows in October 2023, some editing them two or three times before making the final cut. The show is different each year and offers an opportunity for the community to experience the image-making skills of CVPS members.

CVPS is an active photo group of 100 members of all abilities sharing a passion for the art and technology of photography, photo editing and education.

The club meets twice monthly at the Presbyterian Church in Comox and regularly has field trips and outings. For more information about the Comox Valley Photographic Society visit www.cvps.ca.

For tickets to ImageFest 2024, visit the Sid Williams theatre website at sidwilliamstheatre.com.