Innholdsfortegnelse for 9/30/25 i Amateur Photographer

The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, named after the winner of our Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, is highly prestigious, so don’t miss our profile of this year’s winner, Jodi Windvogel, on page 12. Other highlights of this packed and diverse issue include the winners of Young Railway Photographer of the Year (they are definitely on the right track!), plus Andy Westlake’s in-depth review of an exciting new 50-200mm lens from OM System. Meanwhile, analogue fans will want to know our verdict on the intriguing/experimental Harman Phoenix II colour film, while for street photography aficionados, we reveal the overall winners of this year’s EISA Maestro photo contest, on the theme of ‘Street Life.’ Fill your boots! Connect with us @EMAIL US at ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk with your letters, send us a link to…

IN MORE lens news, Viltrox has released two new ultra-wide lenses: the AF 9mm F2.8 Air for APS-C and the AF 14mm F4.0 Air for full frame. The 9mm is available for Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm XF mounts, and includes 13 lens elements in 11 groups. Other features include Viltrox’s STM autofocus motor for quiet and accurate focusing, a 113.8° field of view (equivalent to 13.5mm), a minimum focus distance of 13cm and 0.15x magnification. The lens is light too, weighing just 175g in E and XF mounts. It is available now for £190. The AF 14mm F4.0 Air, meanwhile, is available for full-frame Sony FE and Nikon Z mounts, and features a 12-element, 9-group design, a minimum focusing distance of 13cm with 0.23x maximum magnification, and a…

I recently got to watch a film about Henri Cartier-Bresson while scripting links for a Sky Arts photography documentary series. I was fascinated to see the veteran street photography maestro in action, rising on tiptoes or making himself smaller and less visible when weaving between bodies and traffic. He appeared less like a photographer seeking the perfect angle and more like a heron stalking its prey. Cartier-Bresson’s day has long gone, however, and today our lives are heavily under surveillance, thanks to CCTV and smartphones. But while cameras watch and record us from all angles, I believe social media, and the public awareness of its omnipresence, is threatening the very art of street photography. A recent interview with street photographer Joel Meyerowitz on Harry Borden’s excellent YouTube channel confirms my…

£25, Fistful of Books, hardcover, 152 pages, ISBN: 9781838186043 David Collyer’s 50 Plus is a witty, stylish, and fiercely human portrait of a generation that simply refused to fade away. With his lens trained on men over 50 who remain steadfastly committed to the subcultural identities of their youth, Collyer builds a visual and narrative tribute to ageing with attitude and without apology. The book is a love letter to those who never traded rebellion for beige conformity. Whether former Mods, Punks, Bikers, or New Romantics, Collyer’s subjects still wear their youth on their sleeves, sometimes literally. From bespoke suits and military tailoring to BMX gear and full-on goth regalia, each man becomes a walking archive of personal history and style defiance. The photographs, mostly street portraits, are sharp and…

The Yashica Electro 35 GSN is one of several rangefinder cameras that have had the epithet ‘The Poor Man’s Leica’ bestowed upon them. As with various other cameras, they have been through a bit of a cult phase, with prices peaking and then receding. At their height, in the early 2010s, they would command upwards of £200, but now you can easily find one for around £60 on eBay. I bought mine second-hand from a camera shop in the early 1990s, well before my quest to use as many cameras as possible started, and simply because I liked the look of it and planned to use it. Of course the Leica comparison is grossly overblown hype, and aside from a superficial visual similarity to the M series Leicas, there is…

Andy Panton Video, never use it, much rather have better specifications for still photos on camera. Andrew John Video – it’s a source of annoyance that Fuji changed their meter modes switch to a still video switch on the X-T5. James Spina I wish camera companies would take a look at this post. Still kills the video star. Imagery by Charly @ImagerybyCharly Stabilization and rear display. Daniel Bell Auto-bracketing. The habit is built in from 40 years of shooting. It doesn’t even occur to me to use the automatic function. Bill Parker A lot of people have suggested the video option. I’ve never used it either. However I doubt very much if this facility adds much to the price anyway,. You never know when it might be handy. Tim Willcocks…

PETER DENCH Acting Features Ed Peter talks to the winner of the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award on page 12 ANDY WESTLAKE Technical Editor Our chief reviewer tests the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro, a high-end telezoom DAMIEN DEMOLDER AP’s former editor tests the DJI Mic 3, a 32-bit float wireless microphone kit JOHN GILBEY Harman Phoenix II is the firm’s brand new colour negative film – AP regular John Gilbey reviews it AILSA MCWHINNIE Our APOY project manager presents Best of the Rest, from APOY Round 4: Landscapes JESSICA MILLER Dep Online Editor Jessica selects more of your stunning reader pictures in It’s Good to Share…

£45, hardcover, 128 pages, ISBN: 9781836883272 If ever there were a book to prove that cricket is more than just a game, it’s a culture, a community, a way of life, then A Portrait of Cricket by Tom Shaw is it. This lovingly observed photobook is no glossy celebration of elite sport, but a rich and textured tribute to the everyday cricketers of England: the tea-makers, the scorers, the groundskeepers, the lads in luminous whites and muddied spikes who gather in the long grass for a long day’s play. Having spent 25 years photographing the game at its highest level, Shaw turned his lens down the leagues after rediscovering cricket at grassroots level through playing with his kids. What he captures is the soul of the sport: its rhythms, rituals,…

€65, VOID, hardcover, 160 Pages, ISBN: 9786185479435 In Sistermoon, Siri Kaur offers a personal and emotionally rich exploration of family, identity, and transformation. Shot over more than three decades, this poetic photo book centres on her youngest sister, Simran, as both muse and collaborator. Blending Kaur’s images with archival family photos, some taken by her grandfather in the 1950s, it unfolds as an unconventional visual memoir, capturing the cyclical nature of life, the fluidity of identity, and the passage of time. The book opens with Kaur’s early family history, including images from her parents’ 1976 wedding within the 3HO cult (Happy Healthy Holy Organization), a past the artist neither denies nor sensationalises. She weaves it into a broader narrative of belonging, alienation, and the redemptive power of art. After leaving…

As well as its awards for best photographic kit of the year (AP 9 September), the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) runs EISA Maestro – its annual photo contest. Open to amateur and semi-professional photographers, this year’s theme was Street Life. Entrants could submit a Single picture or a Series of 5-8 pictures. The winning images from the 15 EISA countries were judged together and the winners of the International contest are as follows. The Series winner was Otto Louter from the Netherlands, who wins €2,000 and the EISA Maestro 2025 Trophy. Guru Raju from India was second, while third-place went to Adam Ramjean from the UK. The Single winner was Marcin Zajda from Poland, who receives €1,000 and the EISA Maestro 2025 Trophy. The UK’s Rebecca Elliott was…

Peter Dench, acting features editor, chooses Loneliness in God’s hands by John Mihopulos Sony A7R Mark II, 100-400mm at 189mm, 1/200sec at f/11, ISO 100 Pete says: ‘This photograph by John Mihopulos captures a Bavarian chapel in winter with striking restraint. The composition hinges on its simplicity: a solitary building, flanked by bare trees, rises against a pale, near-blank sky. The long lens compresses the landscape, flattening the snow-dusted fields into graphic layers of grey and white that echo the stillness of the season. The chapel itself, with its onion-domed tower, stands in quiet authority – an anchor of permanence amid the emptiness. ‘The image succeeds in its atmosphere: sparse, contemplative, and quietly melancholic. It invites the viewer to consider the role of solitude in faith, as well as the…

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 Lightning Strikes Haulbowline by Ann Bruen Canon EOS R6, Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary, video mode, 4K, 50fps (exported frames) ‘I planned to photograph the moon, but storm drama changed my focus. Lightning appeared, so I switched my Canon EOS R6 with Sigma 150-600mm lens to 4K video…

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…

Six power station cooling towers were dramatically demolished in our region the other day. The local TV station interviewed people who live in the area. Some said they were sad as they had become familiar iconic structures whilst others were delighted the ‘blots on the landscape’ had gone. The British seem to have a paradoxical relationship with the aesthetics of the countryside. Constable’s painting The Hay Wain was ignored in England during his lifetime whilst being lauded abroad. Nowadays it is the most popular postcard in The National Gallery shop in London. In 1821 art critics at the Royal Academy thought The Hay Wain was crude and tawdry. In the 21st century many will look at the photographs of rural detritus, farm machinery and electricity pylons made by Terry Hulf…

DJI has unveiled the Mini 5 Pro, featuring the world’s first 1-inch sensor in a mini camera drone and an upgraded battery that provides up to 36 minutes of flight time. Other features include a new 48mm Med-Tele mode with higher digital zoom resolution than previous models, and the ability to record 4K/60fps HDR video with up to 14 stops of dynamic range. The DJI Mini 5 Pro is available now, with the base model starting at £689. See store.dji.com…

● £129.99 ● 3leggedthing.com The 3 Legged Thing Luna is a carbon-fibre stand that can lift a photographic light up to 2m above the ground. Thanks to a reverse-folding design, it achieves this within a relatively portable 56cm folded length. It weighs less than a kilogram, too, which means it’s easy to carry around. So far, there’s nothing particularly special about that. But Luna packs an additional trick. Unscrew the centre column, and you get a lightweight boom arm that’s extendable from 56cm to 165cm. You could use this for holding a microphone, a light, or even a small camera in a position that would be difficult to reach in any other way. The arm has a 3/8in thread at the other end which you could use to fix it…