Amateur Photographer 18/12/2021

Welcome to our Christmas Special, and our look back at the past 12 months in photography. The pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our lives and the global economy but we can at least be thankful for the joy that photography gives us, whether from the creativity that we unleash within ourselves when we pick up a camera, or in the inspirational work of others. During the past year we have brought you some fabulous photos and stories and revealed some amazing new kit. Every year cameras just get better and more sophisticated and this year is no exception. In this issue we’ll be picking out a few of our favourite things. We also reveal the winners of Amateur Photographer of the Year 2021, and present interviews with three very…

Cranberry Christmas Tree by Julia Briggs Nikon D5500, 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, 1/100sec, f/6.3, ISO 2500 ‘I used to shoot mostly travel and landscapes but during the first lockdown I discovered that I loved shooting still life and macro at home,’ says Julia, who lives in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. ‘I wanted a Christmas tree theme and was thinking about what I could use, then had the idea of the frozen cranberries. They’re red, and the ice on them looked a bit like snow. I added cinnamon sticks for the base and some star anise for tree decorations.’ This was an inspired idea, beautifully executed, and most importantly it ‘worked’ as a cover. Star Lantern by Lorraine Mansfield Sony RX10 IV at 85mm (equiv), 1/1000sec, f/3.5, ISO 6400 Lorraine’s entry came within a gnat’s whisker of being chosen. In the end…

January ● Olympus officially stopped making cameras on the 1st, with a new company, OM Digital Solutions Corporation, taking over the imaging business. ● Leica announced the SL2-S, a 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera with an emphasis on pro-level video features, such as 10-bit 4K recording with no time limit. February ● Fujifilm released its fourth medium-format mirrorless model, the GFX100S, putting the best features of the GFX100 (102MP sensor) into a smaller and more affordable body. ● Sony announced the Alpha 1, a full-frame mirrorless powerhouse capable of shooting at 30 frames per second at 50.1MP resolution. March ● Canon introduced the EOS M50 Mark II, featuring a 24MP APS-C sensor, 10 frames per second shooting and a beginner-friendly design. ● Nikon announced development of the Z 9, a new mirrorless flagship, which we now know features a…

WE SIGNED off last year’s news review by referring to Covid as a ‘still-unfolding saga’ and sadly, it still is. Thankfully, there seem to have been more highs than lows for many retailers, and most are facing 2022 with confidence. Some great gear came out this year, which has revitalised the market (see page 71). There have been several big challenges for the trade, however, namely the continued uncertainty around Covid, supply chain pain and post-Brexit red tape. ‘Without a doubt the biggest headache has been the uncertainty for our physical shops as we dipped in and out of restrictions,’ said CameraWorld’s Dave Stone. ‘Spring was a turning point, with the easing of lockdown providing much-needed certainty, and also coincided with a noticeable upturn in consumer confidence.’ Louis Wahl, CEO of Wex…

ONE OF the strongest signs of the photo industry returning to relative normality this year was the re-emergence of The Photography Show, which took place at the Birmingham NEC from 18 to 21 September. The event featured 150 exhibitors, 450 talks from 250 speakers, 13 stages and theatres and six photo galleries. AP also hosted a busy stand and launched our collaboration with Zoom Tours. ‘[The show] going ahead, and its subsequent success, was the biggest turning point for the photo industry in the later stages of the year,’ said Dave Stone from CameraWorld. ‘We’re in the early stages of processing some big ideas for next year,’ said event director, Ruth Folkard. ‘We’re looking forward to seeing the imaging community together in full once again.’…

THE FILM photography revival gathered momentum in 2021, proving to be more than a hipster fad. Although some films were discontinued, such as the Fujicolor Pro Line and Velvia 50 Sheet Film, the Analogue Spotlight section at The Photography Show was consistently busy. ‘Global demand for film is still extremely high and continues to grow which means people have been finding ways to get out and shoot despite the pandemic,’ said Ilford marketing manager Matt Parry. ‘Over the last 18 months we have also seen a big increase in chemicals as photographers are taking up home developing, while darkroom printing has increased in the past year as schools and colleges return and darkrooms reopen.’ As with digital cameras, however, there were supply chain headaches. ‘There are escalating costs and longer lead…