Christopher Frost is one of the most prolific, thorough, and consistent lens reviewers on the internet, and so, when he offers his opinion, it is well worth taking the time to listen. In this great video, he discusses three of his favorite landscape photography lenses and why they are so well suited to the job. 

Coming to you from Christopher Frost, this excellent video discusses three of his favorite lenses for landscape photography. In addition to Frost’s choices, I would also add the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM (or equivalent superzoom for your mount of choice). Years ago, I would staunchly rail against using a superzoom for anything, as I did not believe in compromising image quality for convenience. However, a combination of major improvements in modern lens design and a change of heart have made it one of my favorite lenses. Being able to walk with just a single camera and lens as opposed to a heavy backpack makes for a wildly different landscape photography experience, and it notably changes how many images you can get. If you haven’t tried this approach yet, it’s worth a shot. Check out the video above for Frost’s full thoughts. 

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!” 

Canon hosted a workshop with the Ronald McDonald Camp to teach children battling cancer about photography.

The Ronald McDonald Camp is an in-person event for children battling cancer hosted as part of the Ronald McDonald House charities. For the camp, Canon staff lent Canon EOS Rebel DSLR kits to the children, who were taught photography basics like composition, angle of view, lighting, and how to use techniques like shutter speed, movement, aperture, and bokeh to bring their creative visions to life.

There were also two filmmaking workshops led by Columbia University Film School staff, which included a presentation on the history and concepts of filmmaking, storytelling, and production. The children also got to make and share short films.

“I’ve always wanted to learn how to use a camera and was thinking of taking a class in school. When I had the option to learn how to use one at camp, I was so excited. I had so much fun taking pictures and am happy I had the opportunity to learn!” says Mikayla, one of the campers.

On the final night, participants showed off their work in a talent show where the short film were screen and photos were displayed in a slideshow accompanied by music. Alece Oxendine of Columbia University Film School says the highlight of the experience was “seeing their awe-stricken faces while watching their idea come to life on the big screen.”

“I really loved how the filmmaking activity brought the whole cabin together and how it involved everyone, whether it be with filming, acting, directing, or producing,” another camper named James explains. “On top of that, the volunteers also added a ton to the experience, actually helping us produce our finished product, which just added so much to the experience.”

Canon printed each of the children’s best photo on a professional printer, displaying the images in the cafeteria for everyone to see.

“I liked using the cameras and having the freedom to take pictures. I liked the creativity involved in it, and I loved the results! Also, another friend of mine in the program gave me a great picture he took of me, and it’s one of my favorite souvenirs from RMC!” says one of the children, Torben.

This is the sixth year in a row Canon participated in the Ronald McDonald House Camp (during the pandemic, Canon hosted the camp virtually) and the first year that included filmmaking workshops. And the addition seems to have been a hit.

“I loved acting and being silly in our cabin video. Seeing the finished product and showing it off (to my friends and family) was really cool,” says camper Justin.

Another child, Ryan, agrees, “I liked being able to work with my friends on a film that was really fun to work on and was funny to watch.”

Canon staff are already thinking about next year’s camp.

“Working with the campers and seeing them grow and learn as photographers right in front of our eyes with such joy on their faces are memories I will always cherish,” says Lisa Gualtieri Alford, who is part of Canon’s staff. “I’m already thinking about what next summer’s workshops will be like.”

Image credits: Photos provided courtesy of Canon USA.

Landscape photography is a challenging genre that requires a lot of strong technique, understanding of environmental conditions, good post-processing skills, and often, just a bit of luck. And as if the photographic aspects are not tricky enough, landscape photography also comes with some serious mental and physical demands. This great video talks about some of those lesser-discussed issues and persevering through them. 

Coming to you from Jason Friend Photography, this fantastic video essay discusses some of the challenges of landscape photography beyond the image-making process itself. Landscape work often requires tremendous time investment and physical effort simply to get the opportunity to make images, and as such, it can be tremendously frustrating and disheartening when something derails those plans, whether it is unexpected conditions, bad timing, or something as simple as a cold. The important thing is to persevere through these misfortunes. Even the best landscape photographers in the world do not have a 100% success rate, but the reason they are successful overall is because they don’t let a bad day stop them from trying again the next day. So, the next time things don’t go as you had hoped, commit to trying again as soon as you can. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

As a photographer, you are probably a participant in a number of online groups or forums that discuss photography. But have you considered joining your local photography club? Let’s look at the value of joining one!

Online communities are a great way to talk about photography on your schedule. Communities like Fstoppers bring current news, events, and photography-related releases with the speed we are used to with the internet while providing a place to share images and engage in discussion within article comments. However, local photography clubs also bring tremendous value to photographers of all types and skill levels. 

This article is in the context of my local photography club, but my local group does several things very well and are things you can look for in your own local club. Or, even use the ideas here to start your own local photography club in your area!

Local Opportunities

While it is fun to share our images online, there is something even better about sharing your work in print for display in public. Photography clubs can be an excellent way to learn about local opportunities to display your work. Sometimes, it is an open call for a juried show in a local gallery, and other times, the club will put together a proposal to share the club’s work at a community gallery.

Being a photography club member has helped me be more aware of local galleries, open calls, and participating in group showings than I would have otherwise. In addition, this has helped me learn more about what work people select for open calls to help me tailor what I present for consideration, even for opportunities outside the group.

Image Critique

My local photography club has an image critique section of the meeting. Members of the club are invited to share up to three images that are presented and open to critique from the other members. Often, there is a monthly theme – for example, dappled light, reflections, or some different theme – a challenge of sorts.

The level of critique varies depending on the person presenting their work, as a wide range of skill levels are at the meeting. Some simply want to share images, some want a softer critique, and others request critical analyses – all reviews are welcome.

Beyond having my own images critiqued, I also appreciate the moment to view other photos and think about what works in the image or doesn’t work and then immediately hear other people’s thoughts on images in real-time during the meeting. 

Looking at other photographic works and participating in the critique helps strengthen my images over time.

Share Your Knowledge

The skill levels vary at my local photography club, from beginner to advanced. But small sections of each meeting are dedicated to “Through the Lens” talks, short 15-minute introductions to various topics from other members in the club. This could be lighting, tripod selection, basic editing processes, and more. 

This often shows a different way to do things or think about things that a photographer might not have considered. Even though I consider myself well-versed in editing in Lightroom and Photoshop, seeing how someone else does it sometimes reveals a new technique I can adopt in my own work. 

These “Through the Lens” talks also offer the opportunity for members of the club to practice their speaking and instruction skills. Preparing to talk about a topic often helps you learn even more about the subject to present it well. 

I have presented several topics to the club over the years and have appreciated the experience it has given me.

Join Your Local Photography Club

These are just a few of the things my local photography club offers that I find valuable. Online communities are great, but meeting local people who participate in the same hobby and activity you do helps make even stronger connections in your community.

Are you a member of a local photography club? How has your experience been?

Canon went all-in when it launched the first macro lens for its RF-mount mirrorless cameras; the Canon RF 100mm F2.8 Macro L IS USM. 

This was no mere update of the Canon EF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM lens for Canon’s DSLR cameras. Instead, it realized the true potential of Canon’s mirrorless mount for macro photography, with holistic improvements and a headline feature – it was the world’s first autofocus lens with 1.4x magnification.

Most true macro lenses offer a 1x magnification (or 1:1), which means subjects appear life-size on the camera’s image sensor. The increased magnification in the RF 100mm macro lens can record tiny subjects another 40% larger. 

That headline feature is backed up by a radical improvement that Canon’s mirrorless RF system brings to macro photography over its DSLR equivalent; in-body image stabilization, which works with lens stabilization to offer significantly better results. 

In-body image stabilization is the difference between being able to ditch the tripod and shoot handheld more freely with moving macro subjects and still get sharp shots, especially when working at such high magnifications. Put simply, a DSLR camera couldn’t easily handle a 1.4x magnification.

Paired with a high-resolution mirrorless camera such as the Canon EOS R5 – which is also at discounted prices in the build up to the Prime Day deals landing next week (see Amazon deal above) – and macro photographers have a winning combination; more detail, sharp detail and closer detail.

The RF 100mm F2.8 Macro is pricier than the old EF-mount equivalent, but it will level-up your macro photography and is now at its lowest-ever price, under $1,000 for the first time in the US, and currently at £1,149 for shoppers in the UK.

Prime Day early deal (US)

Prime Day early deal (UK)

The 100mm focal length is favored by macro photographers because it provides a reasonable working distance from your subjects – important for skittish subjects like insects and butterflies – and gives you a nicely compressed perspective and background, as opposed to a ballooning effect that you get with a wide-angle lens.

This is also a lens that can double up wonderfully for portrait photography, especially given it has another first for Canon; spherical aberration control. This new features allows photographers to further throw the focus and softness of the background or foreground to make subjects stand out even further.

There’s no doubt that the Canon RF 100mm F2.8 Macro IS USM is one of the best Canon RF lenses around and the Canon choice for macro. It’s a dream combination with one of Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras that offers fast and near silent autofocus, and is now at its most tempting price ever. 

The name Atlanta Celebrates Photography is dead. Long live the Atlanta Center for Photography.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the photography and lens-based media festival is re-inventing itself again.

The nonprofit is smartly rebranding itself as Atlanta Center for Photography without losing any letters of its acronym ACP, becoming officially a “center” for photography. For the first time in its history, the organization will host exhibitions and live events in its own space, a 500 square-foot, street-level “jewel box space,” as its new director, Lindsey O’Connor, describes it. In the past, the nonprofit has ingeniously partnered with art galleries and venues to host its events. 

The new space, named the Atlanta Center for Photography Project Lab, will open October 26 with a solo installation by photography-based artist Kalee Appleton. The Fort Worth, Texas-based artist uses photography, sculpture and drawing to create immersive, digitally manipulated landscapes. The work, according to O’Connor, is representative of the new direction the center wants to embrace — giving lens-based artists a space where they can “take risks, experiment with creative approaches and push the boundaries of the medium’s impact.”

Instead of the organization’s familiar month-long, citywide festival, this year’s programming will be minimal, in part to give time for the new staff to consolidate its new direction. The Atlanta Center for Photography will continue to grow its core programs, including the emerging artist fellowship. Chelsea Mukenya is the 2023 recipient, and her exhibition is on view through October 29 at the Mint gallery.

Fans  of the annual festival, portfolio reviews and public art installations will have to wait until next spring. Worth noting is the upcoming exhibition Ghosts of Segregation: Photographs of Rich Frishman, in collaboration with the David J. Sencer CDC Museum. The show opens on October 16 and will feature an artist talk on October 19.

ArtsATL talked recently with O’Connor to learn more about this new chapter and the work in progress.

ArtsATL: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you envision your new position as executive director?

Lindsey O’ Connor: I was previously at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York for six years, working as the biennial coordinator. My role was to coordinate the artists, curators and the museum staff to realize projects. I coordinated the exhibitions and film programs of three biennials in 2017, 2019 and 2022. In that time, the total number of artists from the American South that I worked with was three, maybe five. There were a lot of artists from Puerto Rico, but, from the mainland, the global South, there were very few.

In New York, there’s so much white noise, so much happening in the art world all the time. I felt [coming to Atlanta] was an interesting opportunity to have an impact somewhere else. Here there are a lot of incredible working artists, and interest in and potentially money for the arts; I think we can provide a platform and open up paths of exchange that ultimately will get more artists on a larger platform than just our region. 

ArtsATL: This year marks a huge transition for the organization with the opening of a brick-and-mortar space on Edgewood Avenue. What motivated this transformation? 

O’Connor: The transition to having a physical space had been discussed with the board and many community members before I was hired as executive director. A lot of interviews were done to take the temperature of different key stakeholders throughout the Atlanta arts community. Everybody agreed that this was the right next step. I think the community felt it was time for the organization to make a shift, make a bigger splash and have a more year-round presence. 

ArtsATL: What are the benefits of having your own space?

O’Connor: Many people think of us as just an October festival. This new space will give us the flexibility to not only commission new works from artists living in the South, which is the thrust of our curatorial program, but also to curate public programs and to host lectures and screenings. This will give us a lot more flexibility to create programming on a year-round basis. Our inaugural exhibit is a good example of what we’re trying to do, which is to push the boundaries of the medium and consider the preconceived notions of what the limitations of photography might be. As people who love photography and lens-based media, we don’t want people to feel pigeonholed. So we’re working with artists who are interested in filling a space in a fresh way. 

ArtsATL: Atlanta Center for Photography has this unique DNA in the photo festival world, inviting everybody — artists but also non-professionals and amateurs — to find a venue and to exhibit work. Are we going to lose this democratic aspect of the festival? 

O’Connor: We definitely want to keep the community-driven aspect. We plan to condense it into a tighter, more focused, multiday festival in 2024 with keynote speakers, workshops and artist presentations. There will definitely be community programming at organizations all over the city. We still want to do an open call for everybody to get their exhibition, their screening, their talk on a shared calendar. We will still have a rich feeling of collective work and a shared goal. 

ArtsATL: Public art was a center point in the years past with “The FENCE,” the Phoenix installation and, last year, Jess T. Duncan’s large-scale photographs exhibited during the Atlanta Pride parade on the windows of the Hyatt Centric in Midtown. Do you have plans for public art this year or next? 

O’Connor: We are definitely still interested in our public art activation. Photography lends itself well to public installation, We don’t have any activation planned immediately. I have some ideas, but we need to get the exhibition program up and running and make sure that our core programs are well-considered. Then we will start to fold in more public art activations.

 ::

Virginie Kippelen is a photographer, multimedia producer and writer specializing in editorial and documentary projects. She has contributed to ArtsATL’s Art+Design section since 2014, writing mostly about photography. And after living 25 years in the United States, she still has a French accent.

Rough seas are no place for the uninitiated, and it couldn’t get more uninitiated than a pair of hooves.

From New Jersey comes the story of a Good Samaritan rescuing a deer that had somehow found itself battling the surf off the coast of Belmar.

Adrienne Tully was on the scene taking pictures with a nice camera which she had just picked up again. An amateur photographer, Tully had gone there to snap some shots of the sunset, but spotted the deer attempting to make its way onto a jetty.

At first, she told News 12, she thought it was a bird—and left it at that, but later she spotted a crowd of onlookers coalescing around the sea at 15th Avenue, pointing at the same jetty she had seen the bird on.

That’s when she realized it was a buck, not a bird.

“He was swimming through the ocean and then he decided a couple of times to climb on the jetty and then he went back in the water, and we were a little worried,” said Tully.

After taking a few pictures, the crowd cheered when it saw a friendly surfer pass by and coax the animal out of the confusing, eddying water and toward the shore.

JUST LIKE THIS BUT AUSTRALIA: Rookie Lifeguard Faced With Saving a Kangaroo From Rough Surf in Her First Ever Rescue

“There was a nice surfer, I don’t know his name, but he eventually tried to guide the deer out. The deer came out and then just ran north on the beach, you know, far away from any people and I’m sure he’s fine,” said Tully.

Other surfers said the water was pretty turbulent, and they doubted whether the buck could have made it alone, but unanimously admitted they didn’t know the surfer that rescued it.

News 12 New Jersey is still seeking the identity of the Good Samaritan.

WATCH the story below from News 12… 

BUCK UP Your Down Friends With A Nice Story Of Kindness To Animals…

By Laura Sharman

Published: 11:24 EDT, 6 October 2023 | Updated: 12:28 EDT, 6 October 2023

They’re selfies, but not as you know them. 

Zuzu Galova and Peter Sedlacik have a unique portfolio of photographs taken in stunning locations around the world from New York to Australia via London and Paris, with each shot featuring one half of the couple snapping the other half.

The pair have collated the mesmerising images into a series they call Lens Between Us, explaining: ‘Wherever we are, we face each other, frame up a great composition, and take a picture of each other. The resulting diptychs are creative, well-composed, and whimsical in the best way. The images are part travel photography, part portraiture, and challenging to boot since each shot requires that we figure out not one, but two compositions.’

Rather than posing for the perfect shot, the Slovakian couple, who live in Sydney, said they snap one another in the moment as ‘a tribute to how our focus is always on each other’. But the main benefit is they get to look back at two sides of each destination they visit.

Zuzu tells MailOnline Travel: ‘The idea came when we went on our first holiday together as a couple to Portugal. We were both passionate photographers, always taking pictures and somehow we ended up taking photos of each other at the same time.’

Since then, the couple has amassed dozens of photographs including Zuzu’s favourite in Ningaloo Reef, and Peter’s favourite in Lancelin Dune Sands, both taken during a campervan trip through Western Australia. We discovered the pair’s amazing work in 2017 – scroll down to see the latest spellbinding images in their collection…

For more visit the Lens Between Us Instagram page – www.instagram.com/lensbetweenus. 

Thousands of keen creatives submitted their professional and amateur captures before 24 finalists were hand-picked. The overall winner will be revealed on November 23.

The finalists’ work showcases the eclectic and wonderful wildlife our planet is home to.

From air-guitar-playing kangaroos and dancing horses, to a mischevious monkey and an upset-looking owl, here is a look at the photos that made the final round alongside the photographers’ descriptions.

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Finalists

Jason Moore, taken in Perth, Australia

“I was driving past a mob of western grey kangaroos feeding in an open field that was filled with attractive yellow flowers.

“I had my camera with me, so I stopped to grab a few photos. I suddenly noticed this individual adopt a humorous pose — to me, it looks like he’s practising strumming on his air guitar.”

Tzahi Finkelstein, taken in Jezreel Valley, Israel

“The swamp turtle is surprised, and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose.”

Allen Holmes, taken at RSPB Minsmere, UK

“I had visited Suffolk for a few days to try and track down a few target species, but decided on a detour to the RSPB’s Minsmere reserve.

“It was a hot day, and I was cooling off in one of the bird hides, when I noticed this Egyptian goose flying to this small island.

“I immediately focused on the avocet, knowing that it was going to charge in and see off the goose.”

Paul Goldstein, taken in Masai Mara, Kenya

“I know it isn’t a bird, and technically it does not have the faculty of flight, but you cannot fault this leopard’s effort to get airborne.

“Actually, she was being bothered by three young cheetahs and in a particularly poor temper, as the pose indicates.”

Brigitte Alcalay Marcon, taken at the Kruger National Park, South Africa

“This young chacma baboon is sitting on its mother’s back playing the fool.”

Adrian Slazok, taken on the east coast of England

“In late autumn, seals leave the North Sea to give birth to their young.”

Christian Hargasser, taken in Masai Mara, Kenya

“This photo was taken in the evening in low light in the Masai Mara.”

Thomas Vijayan, taken at the Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA

“At Katmai National Park, grizzly bears are in abundance and hence it is a photographer’s paradise. However, the challenge here is clicking a unique frame.”

Delphine Casimir, taken in Bali

“This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali. This is a crazy place where monkeys are king.”

Jacek Stankiewicz, taken in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland

“I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. A young greenfinch was still fed by parents, however, from time to time, the birds looked like they were having an argument.”

Lara Mathews, taken in Melbourne, Australia

“Taken at Westerfolds Park, a beautiful and surprisingly wild pocket of land in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, famous for its kangaroo population.

“The mob was enjoying some morning sunshine when this joey decided to get silly and try his hand at boxing.”

Jacques Poulard, taken in Spitsbergen, Norway

“This picture was taken in Spitsbergen during a very cold winter. The white grouse is coming towards me and looks like a snowball with eyes.”

John Blumenkamp, taken in Grand Teton National Park, USA

“This great grey owl spent most of the afternoon posing majestically and looking, well, wise. But, for a moment or two after doing some elegant stretching, he/she would slump and give a look of, ‘Is Monday over yet?’.”

Khurram Khan, taken on Barter Island, Alaska, USA

“This polar bear cub found this wood pretty amusing and was playing with it when it suddenly stopped and stood up, using it almost like a performer does at times.”

Zoe Ashdown, taken in Yorkshire, UK

“At RSPB Bempton Cliffs, each year between March and October, about half-a-million seabirds use the chalk cliffs towering above the North Sea to nest and raise a family.

“Gannets mate for life and they return to the same nest year after year to raise their young.

“Lying safely at the top of the cliff face, I was able to observe the affection shown between the gannets each time one returned to the nest. They have a greeting ritual, they rub beaks and entwine their necks; it’s how they strengthen their bond. But it’s also a brilliant opportunity to catch them in various poses.

“I didn’t realise I’d taken this image until I got home but, as soon as I saw it, I laughed out loud. They look like proud parents, posing with their baby — definitely one for the family album.”