Amateur Photographer

7 days

There’s an urban flavour to this week’s issue and we’re honoured to have one of the world’s most famous street photographers sharing the secrets of his success. Not that some of you need much guidance on getting great shots in the city, judging by the results of the City Life round of our Amateur Photographer of the Year contest, which you can see this week. If the trees and pastures of the British countryside are more your cup of tea, why not consider getting a camera converted for infrared photography? You may already have a spare body somewhere and in the right light the results can be amazing. Geoff Harris explains all you need to know. Also this week, Andy Westlake falls for the petite charms of the latest Olympus…

this week in 1950

Festival Dome Construction by William Vanderson Workers laying sheets of aluminium on the roof of the Dome of Discovery in preparation for the Festival of Britain on the South Bank, London, 29 September 1950. The Houses of Parliament are in the background. The Festival of Britain took place in summer 1951, 100 years after the Great Exhibition of 1851. The South Bank held the Festival’s centrepiece and events were held elsewhere in London and in Glasgow, while festival celebrations were held across the UK. After the Festival closed, the Dome was demolished with its materials sold as scrap – a controversial decision at the time. The Getty Images Hulton Archive is one of the world’s great cultural resources. Tracing its origins to the founding of the London Stereoscopic Company in 1854, today…

ap picture of the week

Eye by Robbie Jones Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 24mm, 1/80sec at f/5.6, ISO 100 Robbie Jones is a cinematographer and photographer based in Glasgow. He shoots commercial videos, short films and has just released his debut feature film Riptide by Scottish production company Lyre Films (www.instagram.com/lyrefilms). He tells us, ‘This is a large vintage lamp surrounded by a glass-tiled pattern on the ceiling. I took it in an old town hall in one of my favourite cities in the world, Chicago. I was struck by the craftsmanship of the light, there was something beautiful yet hypnotic about it. I noticed a couple of people taking pictures of it, I didn’t want to get the same image so I lay on the floor directly underneath to get a different perspective!’ Robbie is on…

mpb ranks high in sunday times tech list

Used camera and lens specialist MPB has been recognised in The Sunday Times Sage Tech Track 100 for the third time. The league table, which ranks Britain’s private technology, media and telecoms companies by sales growth, put MPB as the highest-placed company in the photography industry and 95th on the list overall. Over the past three years MPB has achieved annual sales growth of 50%, bringing its sales to £44.2million – and making it one of the most profitable companies featured in the Sunday Times list. ‘The photography industry offers one of the greatest opportunities for a sustainable circular economy,’ said founder and CEO Matt Barker (above).…

astronomy poty winners revealed

FRENCH photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux has been named the Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020, winning £10,000 alongside the prestigious title. His winning image (below) was taken in France and shows a version of the Andromeda Galaxy. ‘To most of us, our closest neighbouring galaxy Andromeda can also feel so distanced and out of reach,’ said competition judge Ed Robinson. ‘Yet to create a photograph that gives us the impression that it is just within our physical reach is truly magical, and somewhat appropriate as we adjust after such socially distanced times.’ ‘The global situation made judging and shortlisting extremely challenging this year, particularly with judges spread across different countries,’ said another judge Dr Emily Drabek-Maunder, Astronomer at Royal Museums Greenwich. ‘However, the photographs have exceeded our expectations and the…

updates to eos r5 and r6 firmware

Canon has tweaked its EOS R5 and R6 firmware. Both cameras gain improved image stabilisation when using the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens, with up to six stops benefit from the in-lens and in-body systems working together better. Further updates for the R6 relate to movie shooting, including enhanced stabilisation when using certain RF lenses, along with improved temperature detection and shooting time control. In addition, the total shooting time is increased when short recordings and power-on/off cycles are performed repeatedly. The Slow Synchro setting screen is also more accurately displayed. Full details at bit.ly/eosupdates.…