Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/22/25 i Amateur Photographer

So many cameras are just a minor update from the previous model – an extra button here, a new AF mode there. So it’s refreshing to get a completely new camera, with some outside-the-box thinking. Turning a one-inch sensor on its side and offering a mode where you can’t see what you have shot till you have taken 36 pictures and then downloaded them may be a gimmick, but so what? The market at whom Fujifilm’s X half is aimed (which probably isn’t you) will love it, and anything that generates a bit of buzz and encourages phone users to buy a camera has to be a good thing, right? Read all about it on page 24. Also this week, don’t miss our flash sale on tickets to our documentary…

SMALLER accessory makers are facing challenging times, but here’s a success story: tripod maker 3 Legged Thing is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The company was founded in 2010 by photographer, designer and skateboarder Danny Lenihan, who was also a stand-up comedian (probably a first for the UK camera industry). Since then, 3 Legged Thing tripods have established a firm market foothold, featuring eye-catching designs and oddball names that pay homage to Brian May, Patti Smith and Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor, amongst other celebrities. ‘With stockists in over 40 countries, multiple international design awards, and a loyal fanbase, 3 Legged Thing’s impact stretches far beyond its small village headquarters in Bedfordshire,’ said the firm. To celebrate its 15th birthday, 3 Legged Thing is launching a campaign called ‘15 Days. 15% Off.…

PENG Fei Chou’s stunning image of a massive solar outburst is amongst the shortlist for this year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, organised by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. This year’s competition received 5,500 entries from amateur and professional photographers from 69 countries. The winners of the nine categories, two special prizes and the overall victor will be announced on 11 September before going on display at the National Maritime Museum from 12 September, alongside a selection of exceptional shortlisted images. An official book is also being published by Collins. Full details at bit.ly/astropoty…

LETTER OF THE WEEK Spilt tea Memo to self, if you have just made a mug of tea to settle down with the latest AP, don’t drop it directly onto the magazine and adjacent carpet. After much wailing and mopping I decided to leave the sticky mess of paper to dry in sunshine, on the basis that there is always something worth reading in AP every week. I was pleased I took the trouble to prise apart those sorry pages because they were packed with good things, the highlight for me being Don, Dench and the French. In addition to the great mix of images, I thought it was beautifully written. Full of humour, interesting information, and insights into the mind of Don McCullin. The fact that the great man…

I was entertained the other day by a comment on a post I saw somewhere on one of the barrage of social media platforms I seem to have signed up to. An aggrieved poster had written a lengthy piece describing some ill that had befallen him that wasn’t his fault and for which justice clearly needed to be done. The level of detail he felt compelled to deliver regarding his situation clearly reflected the depth of the hurt he felt, and probably writing it all down acted as a form of therapy for him – and possibly the only relief he was going to get. LOL On clicking ‘Read More’ at the bottom of the post preview I was slightly dismayed at how much the poster expected me to invest…

ANDY WESTLAKE Technical Editor Andy tests Fujifilm’s X half ‘digital half-frame’ compact, and the Lumix S 24-60mm JADE BURRELL Jade talks to Liz Seabrook about her new book that reveals how you can harness Wes Anderson’s style PETER DENCH Acting Features Ed Peter brings you an article by Claire Macdonald, who shares her healing journey on page 20 AILSA MCWHINNIE Our APOY project manager has tips on entering APOY Round four, Landscapes ANGELA NICHOLSON In Accessories, expert tester Angela reviews Peak Design’s new Pro Tripod JESSICA MILLER Dep Online Editor Jessica selects more great reader shots on page 42 and curates This Week We Asked…

LEADING photographic film maker Harman Technology has announced the launch of Phoenix II, an ISO 200, C-41 colour film in both 35mm and 120 formats. The original Phoenix film, the first-ever colour film made by the company, was launched in December 2023. ‘This second-generation film is very different from the original,’ noted managing director Greg Summers. ‘Each layer and component has been redesigned and reengineered into a completely new formulation. New dyes, couplers, and even an experimental layer construct.’ It’s available for around £12.99 for 35mm (36 exposures) and £10.99 for 120 format. See harmanphoto.co.uk…

Authenticity is key when pushing a product. Does the raft of camera companies now selling devices directly reimagining or inspired by the days of shooting film – think Fujifilm X half or Pentax 17 – really feel authentic? Some 25 years after they strongly encouraged us to believe ‘film is dead’ so we’d buy digital cameras which, at that stage, offered an image quality nowhere near as good as existing silver halide, it feels somewhat ironic. Don’cha think? Back then Fujifilm and Kodak, who’d the most to lose from digital becoming mass market due to a massive reliance on film, made some of the best reviewed early digital cameras. But getting our pictures off them and onto our computers was a faff. There were differing card formats – SmartMedia or…

£35 / €44, VOID, hardcover, 112 pages: ISBN 9786185479404 Raymond Thompson Jr’s It’s hard to stop rebels that time travel is a compelling exploration of history, memory, and identity through the lens of speculative documentary photography. Thompson, an interdisciplinary artist and visual journalist, delves into the narratives of Black communities, reimagining their pasts and futures with a blend of archival materials and contemporary imagery. The book’s title evokes a sense of resistance and temporal fluidity, setting the stage for a series of photographs that challenge linear historical narratives. Thompson employs a variety of techniques, including lumen printing and the use of archival documents, to create images that are both evocative and enigmatic. His work invites viewers to consider the ways in which history is constructed and whose stories are told.…

There’s a silence at altitude that humbles you – the kind of silence where snow crunches like paper and even your breath feels audible. That’s where I found myself, standing at 5,364m at Everest Base Camp, with frozen fingers curled around my film camera. Not a digital screen in sight. Just a roll of 35mm, a mountain of emotion, and a heart that had just made it through cancer. This wasn’t just a trek. It was a return to being me. Six months prior, I was finishing treatment for breast cancer – surgeries, chemotherapy, the works. I had lost my hair, my identity, and I was exhausted. But in May my luck changed when I got an email saying ‘Congratulations you’ve just won a trek for two to Everest Base…

● £799.99 ● peakdesign.com Peak Design’s Travel Tripod is a great low-weight compact tripod, but the company’s new Pro Tripod brings improvements in strength, height and usability without overly sacrificing the compact form or weight. It features thicker 4-section carbon fibre legs with CNC-machined fixings and a much stiffer centre column – all of which contribute to its improved stability and weight-bearing capacity. While the overall design of the tripod is familiar, almost every aspect has been reworked and the ball head is considerably improved. Notably, it has a fluid panning mechanism above the ball joint, which means you can level your camera and then pan without altering the horizon. The ball movement itself is smooth and secure, with a portrait slot and enough resistance for confident positioning. The new…

Bramble and Beach Photography Boxing hares! Mei-An Raicer Doggie Doc@D0ggieD0c I was just in Patagonia and this was the first puma I got to photograph… Andy Wain Flying antelope as the sun was setting in Naboisho Conservancy, Massai Mara! Jay Hounsell Came face to face with this stag as it emerged from the shadowy tree line into the evening sun. Magical moment! I’m looking to start up some local analogue photo walks in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas, check out @analogue_film on Instagram. Mhairi Chambers On a visit to Trawsfynydd Lake in Wales, my hubby and I had only walked about 50 yards from the car park when a polecat kit ran out of the verge at the side of the path. We managed to quietly get cameras out and take…

THE LEICA Oskar Barnack Awards shortlist has been announced, with the winners set to be revealed at the Leica headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany, on 9 October. Shortlisted photographers include Gideon Mendel, who also won our Power of Photography Award last year for his powerful projects on the effects of global warming. Photojournalism fans won’t want to miss our Festival of Photography: Documentary, which takes place at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 9 August – a flash sale is now on for a limited time, so don’t miss out. See amateurphotographer.com/events/…

Round four Landscapes There are few greater pleasures than being out in the landscape with a camera. Setting up a composition and waiting – hoping – for the light to come good can be an almost meditative experience. More than almost any other category, landscape is about light. Good light – whether it’s the sun bursting through a dramatic cloud formation, or the soft illumination that comes just before dawn – can lift an ordinary scene to something spectacular. It’s crucial to plan ahead – study apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris to find out the most favourable time to photograph a scene, and be prepared to return to a location several times in order to capture it at its best. But above all, simply enjoy being there. Your guest…

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 frames, window mounts and glazing options. Each frame comes with a three-year guarantee and FREE P&P within the UK.Visit thispicture.co.uk Saefern #2 by James Kelly-Smith DJI Mini 4 Pro 4, 1/320sec at f/1.7, 100 ISO ‘This is an aerial shot of the River Severn’s riverbed at low tide. Having the second biggest tidal range in the world, the currents are pretty strong, forming these incredible textures in its mudflats. I wanted…