Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/14/24 i Amateur Photographer

In this ‘post-truth’ world of social media, fake news and AI images, it’s reassuring to know that there are people out there still willing to go to extraordinary lengths and put themselves in harm’s way to get to the truth and tell the stories that otherwise wouldn’t see the light of day. This week we share a selection of winning images from World Press Photo 2024, with details on how you can join us at an exclusive AP readers’ evening in London, where you can enjoy a glass of wine with the AP team and see the prints on display. See page 18 for details. Also this week we present a selection of great images from Elton John’s extensive collection, while John Wade presents a guide to classic cameras of…

7 daysA week in photography HASSELBLAD has announced the new XCD 25mm F2.5 V lens, designed to deliver the resolution needed for 100MP cameras such as the company’s CFV 100C (described by our reviewer as ‘the world’s most beautiful camera.’) Equivalent to a full-frame 20mm focal length, the new lens has a relatively fast f/2.5 aperture, as well as a push/pull AF/MF focusing ring and a customisable control ring. Hasselblad claims the lens gives sharp results from the centre to the edge of the frame, and the company says it is ideal ‘for urban nightscape photography, night street photography, natural landscapes, astrophotography, and low-light indoor portraits’. Like other recent Hasselblad lenses, it features an upgraded 10-blade leaf shutter unit, which is also found in the XCD28P, XCD38V, XCD55V, and XCD90V…

7 daysA week in photography WESTERN Digital has released the 8TB SanDisk Desk Drive, its highest capacity yet on an external desktop solid state drive (SSD). There’s faster data access too, claims the company, with read speeds up to 1,000 MB/s. And it looks nice. ‘The compact, modern style, recognised as a 2024 Red Dot Design Award recipient, maximises desk space and feels natural in any professional or home setting,’ Western Digital added. It is available now for £663.99, with the 4TB version costing £359.99.…

LAUNCHED 1892 PRICE AT LAUNCH $3 (about 50-75p at that time) GUIDE PRICE NOW £220-275 Advertising for the Kombi in 1892 claimed it to be ‘five times smaller than any camera made’ and capable of producing ‘pictures three times larger in proportion to its size’. In reality, the Kombi, which is made of brass and was manufactured by Alfred C Kemper in America, measures 5x4x4cm and takes 25 circular pictures 1.5in (3.8cm) in diameter. The film was the first to be made by Kodak for a non-Kodak camera. Focus and aperture are fixed. The shutter is released by first turning a tiny lever to tension a spring. Pressing another minute bar allows the lever to fly back, firing the shutter on the way. The Kombi takes its name from the…

AP picture of the week Hornøya by Malini Chandrasekar Nikon Z 8, Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5, 1/2000sec at f/5.6, 0.67EV ‘My first encounter with European shags certainly didn’t disappoint. Captivating and mesmerising, their dragon-like appearance, emerald eyes, iridescent plumage and quirky personalities allow for endless possibilities of creativity. I was privileged enough to get close to them in Hornøya, allowing me to capture intimate moments like this one.’ Instagram: @_thunderboltphotography_ #appicoftheweek Win! The AP Pic of the Week winner will receive a beautifully framed print of their winning image worth up to £100. If you Love it, Frame it! ThisPicture.com is an experienced, high-quality framing company with a unique, easy-to-use website. Build single or multi-image frames with a few clicks of your mouse and select from a wide range of…

Cameras Cameras come in three types: DSLRs with optical viewfinders, mirrorless models with electronic viewing, and compact cameras with non-interchangeable lenses ALMOST all serious photographers prefer to use cameras with interchangeable lenses, as this gives the greatest degree of creative flexibility. At one time, this meant digital single-lens-reflex (DSLR) cameras, but these have now been joined by mirrorless cameras that use electronic viewfinders. The latest models are true alternatives to DSLRs, offering the same image quality and creative options. Camera manufacturers offer a range of options, from simple, relatively inexpensive beginner-friendly designs, to sophisticated professional models. In the middle of the range you’ll find enthusiast cameras with more-advanced control layouts. Meanwhile the term ‘compact’ refers to cameras with built-in lenses, regardless of their size. Many offer excellent image quality and…

CATHERINE NORTH Catherine is one of three artists who talk to Tracy Calder about the merits of a mindful approach to photography TRACY CALDER AP regular Tracy Calder talks to the V&A about a new exhibition of work from Elton John’s private collection JOHN WADE Our expert on vintage cameras guides you on collectable and usable cameras of the 1970s GEOFF HARRIS Deputy Editor Geoff presents a celebration of the worthy winners of World Press Photo Awards 2024 ANDY WESTLAKE Technical Editor Our reviews maestro tests the compact and lightweight Sony FE 16-25mm F2.8 G JOSHUA WALLER Online Editor Joshua tests Joby’s RangePod Smart, an aluminium tripod for cameras and phones…

When Reginald Dwight and Bernie Taupin shared bunkbeds at Dwight’s family home in the 1960s they decorated their room with cheap posters bought from the former high street retailer Athena. According to an interview with The Guardian in 2016, one such poster was a reprint of Man Ray’s 1932 image ‘Glass Tears’. Fast forward 30 years and Dwight (now known as Elton John) acquired a vintage print of Ray’s image for a staggering $193,895 – a record-breaking price at the time. ‘I thought I had gone stark raving mad but I had to have it,’ he recalled in a catalogue accompanying the 2016 show Radical Eye at Tate Modern. John has been collecting photographs since 1991, a date that’s firmly imprinted in his mind because it followed a stint in…

Lee Aspland Lee Aspland is a photographer, author and mindful practitioner. A health crisis in midlife led him to explore who he was before and who he is now. He uses the knowledge he has gained to help others understand their journey via mindful photography. Lee’s latest book Mindful Photography Saved My Life (And It Can Save Yours) is part manifesto, part memoir and all Mindful Photography. Find out more at www.leeaspland.com Don’t look for a photo Wait for a photo opportunity to find you. Walk at a gentle pace observing, without looking, for an opportunity. Wait for something to catch your eye. Now stop – you have become attuned to your visual experience. Really look at what stopped you. Stay with the visual experience and breathe. Notice any thoughts,…

Photo Critique I’d wager a tenner that when you first looked at this image it took a moment for the penny to drop. We’ve all seen a scrubbing brush before and are no strangers to loo roll, but the specific combination of objects and text organised within this frame presents us with an unexpected and unfamiliar scenario. To make sense of it and grasp the meaning, a cognitive adjustment is necessary, followed by a kind of mental shapeshifting, and then suddenly, we get it. It may come as a surprise to you to discover that this image was made in E Wing, HMP Kingston in Portsmouth. Home to 25 elderly male lifers, the wing was adapted by prison officers who recognised the vulnerability of long-term older inmates. For most of…

7 daysA week in photography THERE’S been more happening in the hyperactive smartphone market this week, with one of the biggest players, Google, announcing the mid-range Google Pixel 8a model. Key features include a 64MP, f/1.9 wideangle camera with optical image stabilisation, a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide and a 13MP f/2.2 selfie camera. The AI features now include Best Take, which helps you get more consistent group shots; Magic Editor, which includes Magic Eraser functions; and Circle to Search, which lets you find information about items of interest in a shot that you’ve taken. These were first seen on the full-fat Google Pixel 8. Computational photography and AI goodies aside, however, the camera hardware remains largely unchanged from the 7a. This could be a marketing issue for Google as the new…

7 daysA week in photography PARK Cameras has sold a rare Hasselblad 503CX ‘Golden Blue’ 50th Anniversary Limited Edition medium format film camera to a customer who flew over from the US just to obtain the mint used model. The customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, snapped up the Hasselblad within 24 hours of it being advertised, paying £5,999. Park Cameras compiled a list of its ‘hottest’ used camera gear at www.parkcameras.com/used/parks-picks…

It is hard to think of a tougher time to be a photojournalist, especially when working in a dangerous part of the world. In the past, there was a certain respect for the working press photographer, with media credentials recognised and working journalists allowed safe passage. Indeed, during the Vietnam War, the US military quite happily (some would say naively) flew photographers around from one hot spot to the next, and it was widely recognised they had an important job to do. Those days are long gone. Armies and governments are now only too aware of the negative publicity that hard-hitting images can generate, especially in our social media age. Access has got a lot harder, even for photographers from prestigious news organisations. Some particularly nasty regimes also go out…

● £132 ● joby.com The Joby RangePod Smart tripod is an affordable entry-level model, with a range of features that let you use it with either a smartphone or a camera. There’s a modern Arca-Swiss compatible ball head with spirit level bubbles for both vertical and horizontal shooting. A phone adapter is included that can be adjusted for different-sized devices. It has a locking mechanism, as well as a second tripod socket for additional attachments or for mounting it vertically (if you don’t want to use the tripod head vertically). It’s even got a cold shoe for accessories like a microphone or small LED light. There are adjustable leg positions controlled with angle selectors at the top of the legs. The first lets you reverse the legs to keep the…

LETTER OF THE WEEK Remembering two heroes The Argus C3, as featured in April 16’s Blast from the Past, was the camera of choice for my friend, Tony Vaccaro, who carried the ‘brick’ from the Normandy Beaches to Berlin in WWII. Tony was featured in HBO’s Under Fire: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro (2016). Tony made over 10,000 photographs, first as an infantryman, then as a correspondent for Stars and Stripes [the US military’s in-house publication – Ed]. The Argus was tough enough to withstand diving into foxholes, whereas another camera may not have survived. Tony died aged 100, and his working Argus C3 is still in his collection. Steve Swede Schedin Tony sounds a legend, and it’s great that his valour is remembered. It’s hard to think…