Table of contents for Summer 2026 in Capture

As we wind up another year around the sun (you know – that thing that makes life and light for our photos possible), it feels like our photographic culture is at a bit of a juncture. On one hand, new AI tools for ‘photographic perfectionism’ will be going super-mainstream within the upcoming year. This will be great for commercial photography but the bane of personal and art photography. After witnessing the software being worked on behind the scenes at Adobe MAX, it’s slightly disturbing to see how AI can enable a lower level of photographic skill to create ‘beautiful’ and almost ‘perfect’ images. Can’t get a portrait sitter to smile? Just add it in post. Sitter not facing the correct way? Just rotate their head in post. Sun facing the…

Since its founding in 1976, Pelican cases have set the industry standard for photographers, cinematographers, audio engineers, and anyone else who needs to transport valuable, fragile equipment through unforgiving environments. Traditionally, buying a Pelican case meant choosing a size and then deciding on an interior. The options were typically the classic ‘Pick N Pluck’ foam, which allows you to create a custom-shaped cradle for your gear, or the more rigid, pin-based TrekPak system. Personally, I’ve always preferred the third option: the movable Padded Dividers. This Velcro-based system allows me to re-customise the case for a specific job – whether it’s packing LED lights, camera bodies, studio flash heads, or audio equipment. The Standard-Bearer: The Pelican AIR While the classic ‘Protector’ line is famously tough, it’s also famously heavy. The Pelican…

If you are already skilled in photography, the jump to cinematography is not as large as it seems. The core principles of framing, lighting, perspective and lens choice are fundamentally the same. After all, a film is just a series of photos in motion. Then add some story-boarding, directing skills, swap strobes for constant light, acquire some audio tech skills, and understand basic camera movements, and you’re 80% of the way there. Add video editing to your toolkit, and you’re ready to compete. Consider Stanley Kubrick: he was a genius director who first developed his formidable eye as a stills photographer. He became renowned for crafting iconic scenes precisely because he understood the aesthetic and emotive power of the image, whether it was still or moving. You can be that…

In a world where we consume most of our visual media on tiny, glossy, 4-inch phone screens, the ASUS ProArt Display PA32KCX is the glorious antithesis. This 32-inch, 8K Mini LED monitor is not just a display – it’s a professional magnifying glass that forces a new level of appreciation for your favourite hi-res photographs. The sheer, unadulterated detail you can see at a native 7680 x 4320 resolution at a mind blowing 275 ppi is simply astounding. The moment of truth for any photographer will come in Lightroom. I opened a recent portfolio image saved at 1920px and pressed 'F' for fullscreen, and a wave of disappointment washed over me. "If only I had saved all my images in 8K," I muttered to myself. My file, saved at a…

WINNER Jasmine Skye Smith Reach Jasmine Skye Smith started her photography business in 2012 while on maternity leave from paediatric nursing. She says she didn’t know much about photography or business at the time – but thankfully didn’t let that stop her. In ‘Reach,’ Skye Smith has captured the Australian Olympic Artistic Swimming Team in the waters of Rottnest Island. "Inspired by the beauty and balance of Renaissance Art, I wanted to capture a sense of unity underwater – a collective reach toward the light. We descended into the water together, holding still until everything aligned – movement, light, and emotion suspended in water. The open ocean brought its challenges – shifting currents, seaweed, and filtered sunlight – but that unpredictability gave the image its magic.” Skye Smith says that…

The Capture Awards aim to showcase inspiring work by photographers from Australia and New Zealand. Now in its third year, the competition attracted more than 1,400 entries over the six categories. How the competition works There were six categories this year: Advertising & Fashion, Documentary & Street, Landscape & Environment, Portrait & People, Wedding & Event, Art & Conceptual. All elements must have been captured by the entrant and must be 100% photographic in origin. Once entries closed, images were de-identified and data stripped and given a file number which could later be matched with photographers’ details after judging. The staff of Capture spent the following weeks sorting through entries to create a first shortlist and then a second shortlist. A final shortlist, comprising finalists in each category, were sent to…

WINNER Matty Smith The Whale’s Welcome Matty Smith is a UK-born underwater photographer based in Newcastle, Australia. Since emigrating in 2007 to pursue his photography career, he has developed a deep connection with the Pacific Ocean, which has become both his muse and playground. “Through underwater photography, I aim to share the awe of being beneath the waves and inspire compassion for the ocean and its inhabitants.” Matty’s work has been featured by BBC’s Blue Planet II, National Geographic, Ocean Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine, GEO, The Washington Post, The Australian, and The Guardian, among others. His images have also appeared on The Discovery Channel, Channel 9, and Channel 7. He has earned over 30 international photography awards, including the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year (Underwater) from London’s Natural History…

WINNER Ben Connolly Jason & Trent Queensland-based wedding photographer Ben Connolly is a has photographed more than a thousand weddings over his 22-year career. “The image ‘Jason & Trent’ was created in a hotel room on the Gold Coast while the boys were getting ready,” says Connolly. "I’m not a fan of tradition, and neither are they, so in the lead up to the wedding I discussed with them the advantages of them getting ready together and they loved the idea. "We created this photo in front of a half-open sliding door and curtain. They both had similar coloured suits but Trent’s was slightly darker so I placed them on either side of the curtain with Trent’s darker suit on the high-key side. "The idea behind the image was contrast,…