Innholdsfortegnelse for April-May 2023 i Australian Photography

A couple of months ago, French photo magazine Reponses Photo published a portrait on its front cover – no big deal you might be thinking. The image, which the mag described as a “photo of an old sailor at night in front of his boat taken on an analog medium format camera,” seemed a captivating portrait, but little else – the kind of thing we’ve all seen on magazine covers for decades. However this was no ordinary portrait of a fisherman on a wharf. Its title was actually the text prompt that was used to create it in image synthesiser Midjourney. Reponses Photo published the shot, an artificial creation, as an experiment of sorts – would people even notice that the image was not a photo at all, and perhaps…

AI GENERATED IMAGE WINS AUSTRALIAN PHOTO COMP AN AI generated image has won a photography competition in Australia, successfully fooling judges and other entrants into believing the drone image was a ‘real’ capture, in a move described as the ‘ultimate test’ of the rapidly evolving technology. The experiment, which involved entering an AI-created drone ‘photo’ of a beach at sunset into DigiDirect’s free monthly photo competition, was a stunt by Sydney-based company Absolutely Ai. The art and design studio entered the image under the nom de plume Jan Van Eyck – a tongue-in-cheek reference to the 15th century artist and creator of an image thought to be the most stolen artwork in history. Following the win, which came with a $100 cash prize, Absolutely AI came clean, returning the prize…

UPCOMING COMPETITION THEMES YOUR ENTRY 1. Email your entry to yourbestshot@australianphotography.com with the name of the competition theme in the email subject line, for example: Weather, Abstract, Landscape, etc.2. The image file must be the same as your name, for example Jane Smith.jpg. If you enter multiple images, each new image file name should be appended with a unique number, eg Jane Smith2.jpg3. A maximum of three images can be entered per person.4. Images must be in JPEG format.5. Email file size must not exceed 7MB.6. Please include the following information about your entry in the body of your email: Name, image title and up to 200 words explaining how you created your image. Please also include technical details including camera, lens, focal length, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, tripod (if…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED • Mirrorless or DSLR camera• General purpose lens (24-70mm or so)• Tripod• Shutter release• ND filter (optional) 1 CHOOSE YOUR LOCATION First, you’ll need a beach with nothing in either the foreground or distant horizon for best results. Avoid locations with distractions in the water like moored boats or surfers as these will distract from the minimalist effect this style of photography is known for. Compositionally, try to have the sea occupy about 2/3rds of your frame as this is where all the action is. A longer lens will allow you to isolate the water from any distractions in the foreground – I’ve used my 85mm lens here. As with all seascape photography, you’ll find you get the best colours at either just before sunrise or just past…

From completely AI created artworks to intelligent noise reduction, Artificial intelligence is shifting our ideas of what creativity is at a whirlwind pace. And although it’s easy to be dismissive of the enhancements now at our fingertips, many photographers will see real benefit from incorporating AI-enhanced tech into their workflows, especially in imageediting. Adobe Lightroom, probably the most popular image editing software on the market, has been receiving AI-enhanced software updates for the last few years. However, it’s not until the latest updates where these tools have become truly mature and a genuine solution to problems that could previously take considerable time and energy to tackle. So in this guide, we’ll take a quick look at how three of the updates work and how to use them with your own…

With a reputation for producing some of the most popular camera accessories on the market, US company Peak Design has launched its mobile ecosystem of mounts, cases, accessories and chargers for mobile phones, with the goal of changing how we use our mobile devices. What the items in the eco-system have in common is that they work together - clip one of PD’s cases onto your smartphone, and you'll be able to easily attach a variety of different accessories. It got me thinking that with more people than ever utilising their smartphones over traditional cameras, should we be looking at our phone’s case as more than just a protective measure, but as a key to accessing an ecosystem that can stream-line our workflow? Equipped with the Everyday Loop Case for…

This year as I start to consider, reflect and re-access images to include as part of my CAPA Gold submission, I am realising the importance of taking not just a single image but a series of images of a location, item, activity, or angle, and at different times of the day, month, or year as well. Why? Well, shooting a series gives you many more options than if you were to just shoot one image and stop there. A series is often be bound together by a concept, theme, location, style, colour and composition, or how the images are edited. But what makes them so powerful is they capture the story in so much more detail than a single image can. I strongly believe shooting a series can help you…

SERENA DZENIS Serena Dzenis is a lens-based artist from Australia who resides in Iceland. She uses her imagery to tell stories about science, conservation, environmental issues and the future of mankind. See more at serenavsworld.com BETH BAKER WA photographer Beth Baker loves to share and connect others to our urban bushland areas' beauty, serenity and fragility. See more at offpen.com.au TIM ROBINSON Tim Robinson is the creator of TV program 'Snap Happy, the photography show’, and has been shooting professional video for over two decades. He is also a keen wildlife and nature photographer. See more at worldviewproductions.com.au ANTHONY MCKEE A regular contributor to AP for more than a decade, Melbourne’s Anthony McKee was named AIPP documentary photographer of the year in 2014. See more at anthonymckee.com.au…

I have always been fascinated by birds. Perhaps it’s because they can fly, and as a child I would dream of soaring with the eagles. It may be that they are like a window into the distant past, with birds often described as living dinosaurs. Or it could just be that they often have quirky personalities and come in so many fascinating forms. Whatever the reasons, I have always been drawn to birds and when I took up photography more seriously, they quickly became my favourite subjects to capture. In Australia, we are truly spoilt for birdlife and now that I find myself living at the foot of Sydney’s Blue Mountains, birdlife is in abundance all around. It means I don’t have to go far to see birds of all…

Love or hate it, the false colour infrared look holds a particular allure. However, if you want to take that bold and colourful leap into capturing light at the extremes of the spectrum then it has traditionally come with a high cost of entry. In the past, to access the false colour side of IR digital photography (and video) you’d need a dedicated camera conversion, and if you decided to go with a full spectrum conversion, which is recommended over a standard IR conversion, then you would also need to invest in quality filters at various IR ranges to achieve different looks. However, now there is another way. THE TECH USA based Kolari Vision are amongst the global leaders for IR camera conversions, and they also produce what are arguably…

There is something strangely captivating about landscape photography; the open horizons, soaring alps, thundering rivers, and lush valleys seep into you with each encounter. Curiosity sucks at your consciousness until you become restless, longing for the rhythms and dangers associated with the living presence of this world. The land makes us who we are; we are part of the land, as it is part of us. Despite having spent 38 years hurtling around the sun on this rocky blue planet that we call home, I often feel as though my journey into this existence is only just beginning. My world is a giant jigsaw puzzle, and I am slowly working out how to arrange the pieces in such a way that they will all fall into place. Several years ago,…

KATINA HOWARD 'Tiny Kitchen’ EDITOR’S COMMENT Katina Howard’s winning shot this month was captured in her kitchen. She says she prepped the scene by doing the dishes and mopping the floor, before removing all brand named items. “This quaint small kitchen is just the space one person needs to prepare a meal,” she says. If anyone is familiar with the new topographic art movement, they will probably recognise the influences behind this image. Loosely speaking, the movement celebrates straight, factual imagery of urban environments, and is characterised by images of otherwise mundane subjects. There’s a stark, matter-of-factness to this type of photography, and you’ve captured this feel beautifully here, with a quaint timelessness to your image. Probably a bit like a green kitchen, some people won’t ever get this kind…

Nature photography allows us to enjoy the beauty and serenity of our bushland areas, and it gives us a greater appreciation of the biodiversity and fragility of the natural environment. Many of us already regularly explore bushland on our feet, but with a camera in hand, the experience is so much different. It allows you to slow down and discover the intricacies, patterns, shapes, colours, and fragrances that nature provides, and all while recording it to enjoy later. ENCOUNTERING CHAOTIC VARIABLES As photographers, we often face what I like to think of as ‘chaotic variables’ when exploring National Parks and other bushland areas. You may find yourself shooting low to the ground on a windy day, or the sun might be casting bright highlights and strong shadows across your subject.…

For many of us, there’s few things that evoke emotions quite like architecture. A beautifully captured interior can make you wish you lived in a space, inspire you to renovate your own home, redecorate, or even buy another. Today, Shannon McGrath’s work is a staple in some of our most prestigious home interior design and architectural magazines; with Belle, Vogue, and House and Garden all carrying her imagery of some of the world’s most beautiful interiors. THE FOUNDATIONS Shannon says she discovered her interest in photography when Earl Carter, the renowned architecture photographer from Melbourne, was photographing her mother’s home. At the time, she was studying Fine Arts, majoring in ceramics with a focus on architectural subjects. Intrigued that it was possible to have a career in photographing beautiful…

Shutter, ISO and aperture dials might seem retro to most of us, but for many photographers they are still exceptionally useful tools. At a glance you can quickly check and adjust your exposure settings and be ready for your next shot - even when the camera is turned off! One company with a strong commitment to dials is Fujifilm; their X100 and X Pro cameras are exceptionally popular with street and doco photographers and their latest offering, the X-T5 (RRP $3,099), should prove just as appealing. THE BUILD As with previous X-T models, the X-T5 has an ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation dial across its top deck but now the X-T5 also shares the same 40-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor as Fujifilm’s flagship APS-C camera, the X-H2. When comparing specs,…

The Shrine of Remembrance is Victoria’s monument honouring the sacrifice of Australians in war. A key feature in Anzac Day ceremonies and parades, I was in my mid-20s before I actually went inside and experienced ‘the ray of light’ - at 11am each day, when sunlight enters the Sanctuary to shine on The Stone of Remembrance illuminating the word, ‘Love’. A few years later, I attended a dawn service for the first time. Seeing children dressed in their parents or grandparents service uniforms, and an elderly gentleman wearing a slouch hat and handknit cable jumper adorning his father’s medals, deep in thought watching the flicker of the eternal flame - I began to appreciate the profound effect of war and loss on society, the sacrifice of all who defended Australia,…

A GREAT EXAMPLE OF COMPROMISE “I had seen the dying branch some days earlier and marked it as a possible photo subject, but the weather was bright and sunny, not what I wanted at the time. The subject, which was a couple of yards from my front door, was still in place a day later when a powerful storm dropped in on our house. Camera in hand I fired off a few frames from the dry comfort of my front door. Some of my settings were not as perfect as I would have liked but luck was with me, and the X-T3 gave me what I was looking for. Not much post work need.” Hey Michael, there is not a lot I would change with this image - it is…