DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

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Clever Cleaner’s recent updates have expanded its photo and video cleanup tools, giving iPhone users more ways to reclaim storage before installing iOS 27.

Apple released iOS 27 in September, just a few weeks after Clever Cleaner received its biggest update to date. The major Clever Cleaner 3.0 release arrived on 17 August, bringing a refreshed interface, expanded Smart Cleanup, new compression options and broader Swipe controls. Smaller updates since then have largely focused on performance, stability and other refinements.

The timing is useful for anyone whose photo library dominates iPhone Storage: a major iOS update needs free local space, while some of the features enabled afterwards can continue using several gigabytes of local storage.

 

Why iOS 27 Makes Free Storage Worth Checking First

 

Before deleting anything, it is worth checking both the update itself and the amount of space currently available on the iPhone.

Open Settings, General, then to Software Update to see the iOS 27 update available for your device. The download size shown there is not necessarily all the free space the installation process will need. A major operating-system upgrade has to download, prepare and install a new system build, which requires additional temporary working room. The exact requirement varies between devices and existing iOS versions, but keeping roughly 15-20GB free is a sensible target for a major upgrade such as iOS 27.

Next, open Settings, go to General, then iPhone Storage. This view shows what is using local space and can surface recommendations such as offloading unused apps. iOS can also remove some re-downloadable app data and temporary files when space runs low without deleting personal information.

For photographers, finding that 15–20GB buffer can be harder than it sounds. Apple estimates a 12MP ProRAW file at around 25MB and a 48MP file at around 75MB. For ProRes, Apple says files can be up to 30 times larger than HEVC and requires at least 10% of the device’s storage to be free before ProRes recording can begin. A nearly full iPhone can therefore affect shooting before it affects anything else.

There is also a second consideration after the upgrade. Apple says the next generation of Apple Intelligence can require up to 14GB of on-device storage on certain supported devices, with up to 8GB required on other Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones. Clearing only the bare minimum needed to complete the upgrade could therefore leave the phone short of space again soon afterwards.

For that reason, the better goal is not simply to make iOS 27 install. It is to leave enough headroom for the new system, its features and the next photo or video shoot.

 

What’s New in Clever Cleaner

 

Clever Cleaner is an iPhone cleaning app that focuses on the Photos library rather than trying to act as a general-purpose system cleaner. 

Its biggest recent update arrived in August. The redesigned app expanded Smart Cleanup so that it can work across similar photos, screenshots and Live Photos, added more compression options, improved the selection of similar images and widened the ways users can browse and sort their library in Swipe mode.

 

 

CleverFiles positions it as a freemium iPhone cleaner with no adverts or mandatory subscription. Swipe mode remains unlimited, while the other cleanup tools have a free daily allowance that refreshes each day. Premium is optional for unrestricted use.

 

 

The app is organised into modules. Similars groups duplicate and visually similar photos. Videos lists clips from largest to smallest. Compress reduces the size of photos, videos, screenshots and Live Photos. Screenshots and Live Photos gather those two categories on their own. Swipe steps through items one at a time, left to delete and right to keep. Smart Cleanup runs several of these jobs in one tap, with each option switchable.

Processing happens locally on the device rather than by uploading the library to a cloud service. That is relevant to photographers who may have client work, embargoed images or other material they would prefer not to send to an external server.

As an iPhone cleaning app, Clever Cleaner works inside Apple’s permissions. It can organise and reduce media in Photos, but it cannot reach into every part of iOS.

 

How to Clean Up iPhone Storage Before Installing iOS 27

 

If there is not enough storage to update your iPhone, start with the largest, safest wins rather than deleting files at random. 

 

Start With iPhone Storage and Apple’s Recommendations

 

Open Settings, go to General, then iPhone Storage and wait for iOS to calculate usage. The category bar shows where the space has gone, while the list below identifies apps holding the most data. Work out which category is actually the problem before deleting anything. On most photographers' phones it will be Photos, but not always.

 

 

This screen is also where you should look for an existing iOS update file if storage is still blocking the installation. A failed download can remain on the device until you remove it.

 

Remove Duplicate and Similar Photos From iPhone

 

The Photos app has its own Duplicates utility, which is useful for obvious copies. It is not, however, very effective for near-identical shots: several pictures of the same subject or multiple attempts at the same composition.

Clever Cleaner groups similar-looking images as well as duplicates, making it easier to remove duplicate photos from iPhone without manually scanning thousands of thumbnails.

Similar does not mean interchangeable. Two frames may differ in focus, expression or motion, so photographers should review each group before removing it.

 

 

Target Large Videos and Compress Media You Want to Keep

 

Video can produce a faster storage gain than deleting hundreds of ordinary photos. Clever Cleaner lists videos by size, helping identify the clips responsible for the biggest jumps in storage use.

Compression is another option when deletion is not appropriate. Photos, videos and screenshots can be reduced in size, but important originals should be archived elsewhere first.

Live Photos are also worth looking at. Clever Cleaner can compress one by removing its motion component and retaining the still image. This keeps the shot in the library while reducing the space used by data the photographer may never need.

 

 

Empty Recently Deleted, but Check iCloud First

 

Deleting media does not always produce the storage change you expect immediately. Apple keeps deleted photos and videos in Recently Deleted for 30 days unless you permanently remove them sooner.

Open Photos, go to Collections, find Recently Deleted under Utilities, unlock the album and remove the items you no longer need. This is a step an iPhone storage cleaner cannot complete on your behalf.

Check iCloud Photos first. When it is enabled, deleting an image on one device also deletes it from the other devices using the same synced library. Apple recommends keeping separate backup copies because iCloud Photos keeps devices in sync rather than acting as an independent archive.

 

Offload Unused Apps and Review Large Attachments

 

If the photo library is already tidy, return to iPhone Storage and look at large apps, downloaded films, podcasts and message attachments.

Offload apps you rarely use if you want to keep their documents and settings. For apps with large local downloads, remove those downloads first where possible. 

 

 

This can free enough space for iOS 27 without touching finished photographs or current projects.

 

Delete a Stuck Update and Try Again

 

If you can’t update your iPhone because of storage even after clearing space, check whether a previous iOS download is still present. Go to iPhone Storage, find the update, tap it and choose Delete Update. Then return to Software Update and download iOS 27 again. Apple recommends this process when an update repeatedly fails.

If the issue continues, Apple supports updating from a trusted Mac through Finder, or from a Windows PC using Apple Devices or iTunes. This can help when an over-the-air update fails, but it does not remove local storage requirements completely. Apple still advises freeing content manually if the device does not have enough space.

 

What an iPhone Cleaner Can and Can’t Clear

 

An iPhone cleaner is most useful when it works on content Apple allows third-party apps to access. In Clever Cleaner’s case, that means the Photos library.

It cannot simply erase System Data, clear every other app’s cache or uninstall apps on your behalf. Those areas remain controlled by iOS or by the apps that created the data.

For System Data and app caches, use iPhone Storage to identify the source and the app’s own controls where available. For unused apps, use Apple’s Offload or Delete App options. The cleaner’s role is narrower, but on a photo-heavy phone it may still cover the largest part of the problem.

 

Keep Enough Room for the Next Shoot — and the Next Update

 

Once iOS 27 is installed, the easiest way to avoid another emergency cleanup is to keep some headroom. If you use iCloud Photos, Apple’s Optimise Storage can keep smaller device versions while full-resolution originals remain in iCloud. Important work should still have a separate backup.

It is also worth offloading rarely used apps and moving completed shoots off the phone. On supported Pro iPhones, Apple allows ProRes recording directly to compatible external USB-C storage, keeping very large clips away from the internal drive.

A little free space is useful for more than updates: it gives the camera room to record and leaves capacity for the next shoot.

 

Availability

 

Clever Cleaner is available now on the App Store for iPhone, and runs on iPad in compatibility mode. The app is free to download and use daily, with an optional Premium upgrade for unlimited cleanup.

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This article is Bob’s fault.

Bob posts Film Friday pictures, which makes him a good bloke in my book. But he’s bought a camera to do it with – an Olympus 35RC. (Actually, Bob’s bought a couple of cameras, but only one of them overlaps my own experience). Anyway, I have a 35RC, and I also owned one in the distant past. It was one of several stumbling attempts on my part to own a rangefinder camera. I didn’t really feel I was successful until I acquired a Leica M6 around 20 years ago. That definitely cured my desire for a rangefinder camera that did exactly what it said on the box.

But please don’t try this at home, because it could be costly: if you don’t already own a Leica and you are not thoroughly devoted to the cult of Leitz film cameras, it’s really not worth it. If you own an M6, you know all about it, and you can stop reading now. If you own an M4 or M5, it’s cool. And if you own an M3 or M2, you will possibly have an indefinable sense of superiority as you read.

But let’s go back to the Olympus, and why this might be a camera that you want to consider picking up on eBay, or extracting from an elderly relative’s chest of drawers. Because it’s not a bad little device, at all. If you are going to buy a camera from the Golden Age, when engineering plastics were a lot less popular (and good) than they are now, and before autofocus had become the one and only way to get pictures sharp, this could be a good ‘un. Why? Read on…

First, it’s really small: if you remember cigarettes, a 35RC takes up as much space as a pack of king size, with a lighter stuffed down in front of it. That’s really not very big. It’s all metal and glass, though, with only a few bits of plastic trim, so it’s got a bit of heft. Sadly, though, it’s not a wonderfully balanced camera – dangle it on a neckstrap, and it doesn’t sit at all straight and level, so it may annoy you by digging the top edge into your ribs. The strap lugs are at the front of the body, and most of the weight is behind them.

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Second, although the specification looks quite modest with a fixed 42mm f/2.8 lens and shutter speeds from 1/15 to 1/500 second, that will cope with a lot. It’s much more elaborate than the fabled Olympus Trip – not only because it has a far wider range of shutter speeds and a rangefinder built in, but because it offers full manual control as well as automatic operation with Shutter priority. That means, incidentally, that it will continue to function if the battery is dead (as the battery in mine was when I got it out for this article. Just follow the ‘Sunny f/16 Rule’ – which used to be printed on the inside of every film box, or on the instruction leaflet that came inside them before manufacturers realised that the reverse of the card box could be printed with instructions. These days, the inside of film boxes contains data about processing times in the recommended developers, but the Rule still works, and it’s easily found on the internet. But since you’re here, if you use a shutter speed of 1/ISO, then you’ll need f/16 in bright sun, f/11 if there are only faint shadows, and f/8 if it’s ‘cloudy bright’. Use f/5.6 in open shade, or on duller days, and let the film’s latitude soak up minor errors.

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And the results are really rather good. If you want to read a hymn of praise, have a look at Ken Rockwell’s writer-up on his website: he goes into detail about the excellent quality of the lens, and raises the concept that it’s actually the ideal focal length for 35mm, because the focal length is close to the diagonal of the frame. There’s a rule of thumb that says that a lens that gives a ‘natural’ human-eye view of a scene meets this: doing the maths, this works out at fractionally over 43mm for a frame of 24mm x 36mm.

And it’s a good general-purpose focal length, working decently for portraits and landscapes without going to extremes, so that for one way of thinking it’s a comfortable and straightforward way of working that doesn’t give the distortion that’s typical of mobile phone portraits, and avoids the ‘can’t get it in’ feeling that many people suffer if they use my favoured short telephoto walkabout lens. In other words, it offers many people a good compromise in a world of extremes. 

And my own results bore this out: the pictures I took with my 35RC while I was writing this article scanned right at the top end of my experience for sharpness and pleasant tonality – although the tactile experience of shooting with it falls short of making it a favourite (see further down), the results run way ahead of expectations for such a simple and basic camera. Many modern kit zooms fall significantly behind it.

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This article has taught me a couple of things – OK, I already knew that it’s a good idea to take the batteries out of cameras and flashguns when you’re not using them for a while (they discharge, and start corroding – and then even good brands leak unpleasant, corrosive chemicals into the battery compartment. At best, a little cleaning is required: at worst, you fight to remove the battery and find that the corrosion has spread, and has damaged contacts or even circuits inside the camera). On loading a film to take some shots for this article, I discovered that the meter didn’t work – dead battery. A spare from my battery box, dated 2020, didn’t do the job: a new battery restored normal service.

And there was more. I have never used front lens caps very much. I tend to lose them and forget about them. Mostly, this doesn’t matter, because I always use the lens hood, and this protects the lens just about as well as a cap, or a filter.

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But the 35RC didn’t have a hood. Carrying it around, I have, I discovered, managed to scratch the front element: the scratches are small, but right in the middle, so stopping down won’t reduce any effect they have. I deliberately took some shots with the sun falling on the lens to see how bad the problem is… And the results really surprised me: even the very visible scratches you can see here don’t lead to flare above the levels you might reasonably expect from the most modern and multicoated of lenses.

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The upshot is that a bout of insomnia saw me going onto eBay and buying a hood for my 35RC: and also getting hoods for two other lenses I’ve recently acquired without hoods – a 55mm f/1.7 Rokkor, and a 50 mm Nikkor f/1.4. I don’t plan to repeat my errors. With these optics, it won’t matter that the lens size goes up quite a bit, and as the Olympus is so small, and I mostly carry it on a shoulder strap these days (rather than in the pocket of a leather jacket), it’ll be fine, too.

You might reasonably ask what’s wrong with using the lens cap: lots, I’d say! The big issue is the missed pictures. There’s nothing that reminds you to take the cap off when you shoot in manual mode, and in Auto mode, you find out because you can’t take a picture (the meter window is next to the lens, and the lens cap covers it: if the lens can’t open up far enough to give correct exposure, the shutter release won’t work). The first wastes a frame (maybe several), and the latter allows the world to move on, taking your decisive moment with it.

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And the 35RC is excellent for street work, as this casual shot shows: with zone focus and such an underwhelming shutter sound, it won’t matter if you put it to your eye. I find that there’s a comfortable sort of ‘undergrip’ that gives me good results, paired with the gently wide angle of view and fast film (my standard has been Ilford HP5+ for many years: it’s reliable, utterly consistent, and gives nice, straightforward negatives).

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Going back to the man who inspired this article, I asked Bob if he was happy to be mentioned in this article: he responded very positively, and wrote about his experience of the camera. His words are in italics, and the images in this section are all his.

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I bought my Olympus 35RC as I wanted a compact film camera to take on my urban wanderings and I often go out with this and my digital E-M10 Mk. IV for a day out in London for some urban photography. I have a lovely Olympus OM-2n, but it is a tad on the heavy side when carried with the E-M10 all day.

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I love the 35RC - it is very compact (It really does fit in my coat pocket), lightweight, and very quiet and discreet. The shutter is essentially silent against the background of the city and security guards don’t give it a second glance! The 42mm f2.8 lens is plenty sharp enough and fast enough for my needs and the camera has full manual control in addition to a shutter priority auto exposure mode. The viewfinder has scales showing you the shutter speed and aperture. The maximum shutter speed is 1/500th of a second - this is common for cameras of the era (1970) and might be limiting for some applications but for capturing life in the city, it is fine. You are not going to be covering the Olympics with a camera like this, after all.

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Rangefinder focussing takes a little adjusting to if you are used to an SLR but once you are there it is very fast in the field. The focus throw is short and it is easy to get to where you need to be. Zone focussing seems to work OK with the 42mm lens. I very rarely miss focus with this camera.

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One thing to note is that it required the now rightly banned mercury batteries. There are several workarounds that you will find online but I went for a voltage reducing MR-9 adaptor from The Small Battery Company, so I can use the very long lasting SR43 batteries. As far as I am aware, they are the only place that sells these in the UK - note that Amazon/eBay are awash with cheap MR-9 adapters that don’t reduce the voltage, only adapting the battery to fit in the battery bay.

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These cameras are readily available on eBay at reasonable prices but many are sold with the light meter not working. Mine was one of these but the fix is often fairly easy - 10 mins with YouTube and a soldering iron brought my meter back to life. The meter does not give you a reading, it just drives the auto mode - full manual needs no battery, but you will need an external light meter (I have a collection of apps on my phone). Or you can trust your instincts and the exposure latitude of the film…

The other thing to check if purchasing is the rangefinder patch - these can get very dim over the years. they can be cleaned professionally but this is not something that I would feel confident in doing - having taken the bottom off to fix the battery issue I am in awe of how well engineered these cameras are - the innards are very tightly packed! Again, there are a couple of workarounds online.

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I would always want a 35RC in my camera collection - I keep checking eBay as I am thinking of getting a second one against the day that mine eventually packs up.

Bob is clearly in love with his 35RC. But do I love my little Olympus? A hard question: I certainly respect it, and its ability to do the job competently. Winding on always sounds as if the sprockets are about to slip (they never have), and the shutter release has a long and rather unsatisfactory feel to it, leading to an underwhelming click. These aren’t things that matter to the picture, but they are aesthetically less pleasing than the sensations that a Leica gives. Are they worth the difference in price between the two cameras? As I suggested in the second paragraph, probably not, for the vast majority of users.

But I’m not planning on parting with mine just yet!

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John continues to keep hold of his old cameras, including the Contax RTS that he bought in 1976, selling two Pentax bodies and taking a year's HP agreement out to do it. These days, it’s usually loaded with very fast film to give strong grain.

Occasional lighting workshops divert him, and with a bit of luck interest other photographers enough for them to go along and pay. He particularly likes spectacular, angular low key setups, with deep shadows retaining a few secrets.

As well as still shooting a bit of film, John particularly loves using some of the more characterful film-era lenses on his digital cameras. Almost without exception, they are lenses that their manufacturers are probably rather ashamed of.

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Here are 7 things you can still photograph when you're stuck at home sheltering from the bad weather.
 

1. Photograph Cutlery

The kitchen holds a world of photo opportunities and all you need is some imagination to exploit it. Forks, colanders, wooden spoons etc. can make interesting photographs when shot right. For more tips, have a look at these articles:

• Tips On Shooting Cutlery
• How To Photograph Kitchen Utensils And Cutlery

 

2. Explore The House With A Macro Lens

Take a different look at your home through a macro lens. You'll find patterns, textures and shapes you didn't know existed until you looked down a macro lens. Cushions, glasses and salt & pepper pots can all make interesting subjects. 

If you do not own a macro lens, just try using the lens's minimum focusing distance. Or consider investing in a close-up lens.

It's important when shooting close-up and macro photographs to use a tripod and a remote release - so as to maximise depth-of-field, avoid camera-shake, and ensure accurate focusing. Anchor your camera firmly, though, and your shutter speeds can be as long as you like.

Maximising depth-of-field, by setting an aperture of f/16 or smaller, is important because the closer you get to your subject the more limited depth-of-field becomes. At a larger aperture, such as f/5.6, parts of the subject will almost certainly be out-of-focus.

Using a tripod also makes it easier to ensure accurate focusing. Even at a small aperture you may only have a few millimetres of depth-of-field in front of and behind the point on which you focus - and the natural sway of the body when hand-holding can easily take you outside that, and leave you with an unsharp image. You'll also find it easier, if you have an autofocus camera, to switch to manual focusing.

 

 

3. Coloured Liquid In Glasses

Get a selection of glasses, add water and your choice of food colouring to them. Place them on a clear, reflective surface (glass on white paper works well) and place a large piece of white card behind them. If you want to light the background use your flash off-camera to do this. You want an even light that will bounce off the background back onto the scene you're photographing without causing flare. 

 

4. Water Droplets On A Window

There are plenty of opportunities to get great pictures of rain on patio doors or windows and you don't even have to get wet! When rain hits the pane it leaves tiny water droplets and when these droplets are combined they create fascinating patterns. With a close-up lens you can fill the frame with interesting shapes or use a macro lens to give your piece even more impact. 

If a white sky is behind the droplets they will all appear white with just a thin black outline. If you move around so a wall or greenery is in the background instead, the droplets will take on those colours and patterns making more interesting shapes.

 

5. Frozen Items

This technique is brilliant with a macro lens but will work with the lens at minimum focus. 

Freeze water in a suitable clear container. Once frozen place the container or either a white or even coloured surface so it shows through the container. If you have a lightbox, place the container onto it so light shines through from the bottom. If you don't have a lightbox, just be creative your whatever furniture you have. Ideally, being able to get a lamp or flash under the ice container is what you want.

A 50mm macro lens with the camera on the tripod will let you get closer to capture the patterns that form in the water and cracking ice as it melts. Use a kettle of hot water and gently pour it onto the ice to cause cracks and to start the melting process. Look through the viewfinder for interesting patterns and snap away. 

A twist on this is freezing objects - leaves, flowerheads, shells, pebbles - in the container and then shooting them.

Obviously, this idea needs a little bit of planning, so get the container in the freezer early on and try shooting some of our other ideas while you wait for the thing to freeze. 

 

 

6. Cross Polarisation

Cross polarising effect is where you use a pair of polarising filters - one on the camera and one on the light source (behind the subject) to show stress in plastic which appears as wonderful multicoloured pattern. 

You can use an LCD computer monitor as a light source, plus they have a polariser built-in. You'll need to use a camera with a polarising filter either attached or positioned in front of the lens. Of course, you'll need a monitor and a steady support will also be useful.

Some clear hard plastic items will also be needed as well as something to hold the plastic item steady in front of the computer monitor.

For step-by-step tips on how this technique works, have a read of this: Easy Cross Polarisation

 

7. Capturing Oil On Water

With a few items you'll find around your house you can create interesting abstract shots of oil on water. You'll need a camera with a close focus facility, tripod, a light source, a clear dish, water, oil and something to add colour to your shot (card, paper, t-shirt....etc.). You'll find a guide on what to do next in our article full of tips on how to photograph oil on water with just a basic set up.

 

Following on from the recently reviewed Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 lens, which gained the accolade of Highly Recommended, we have a virtually identical looking 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 zoom. These virtually identical siblings, both intended for full frame L mount cameras, offer a choice between prime and zoom: fast aperture with fixed focal length or restricted apertures with the added versatility of the zoom. Size, weight and cost are all very similar, so the choice is without penalty in that respect. This leaves us with choices that depend very much on the sort of photography/videography to be undertaken, the photographer's style of shooting and how the quality of results does or does not become an issue. Let's take up the 24MP Panasonic Lumix S9 once more and see how it all works out, both in the field and in the studio for the technical tests.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Handling and Features

A quick glance at the previous review will show that the 18-40mm measures up almost exactly the same as the 20mm f/2.5 did. The zoom lens weighs in at just 154g (measured) and 67.9mm x 40.9mm with lens retracted. However, once rotated past the click stop that marks the point the lens retracts, it is extended for use. There is virtually no change in the balance of the lens when extended. There is no lens hood provided, but to be fair, the lens is very resistant to flare anyway.

 

 

There is no lens hood provided, a shame especially with a wide angle lens. One can be purchased and will need to use the 62mm standard filter thread. The front element is quite small, but not particularly vulnerable. It has a Fluorine coating to repel dust, moisture and grease and this makes it easier to keep clean. The lens is also dust, splash and freeze resistant. The operational range is from -10C to +40C. 

Moving backwards along the lens barrel, our tour of the lens arrives first at the slim but well knurled focusing/control ring. The feel of this is quite firm, but not excessively so. Behind this is the zoom ring. This does extend the lens barrel, the most compact position being marked by a white dot and representing the retracted position. If we switch the camera on whilst set to the dot, we are reminded to extend the lens for use. The zoom ring physically extends the lens and has clear and accurate settings marked at 18mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm and 40mm. This focal lens range is considered to be from ultra-wide to wide standard, offering a very versatile span of focal lengths. This is ideal for travel.

 

 

Closest focus is 0.15m (0.49') and enables some powerful close range image making. The aperture range alters with focal length in the usual way, from f/4.5 at 18mm to f/6.3 at 40mm. This is perfectly usable in a world where high ISO values can yield consistently excellent results, plus of course the huge benefit of image stabilisation. There is no stabilisation in the lens itself, so we rely upon the camera IBIS where available. 

Optical construction is 8 elements in 7 groups, including 3 aspheric, 2 ED (Extra Low Dispersion) and 1 UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index). The lens is also designed to reduce focus breathing, a feature that will be appreciated by videographers. A fairly modest number of elements does help to ensure reduced flare and increased contrast, so this bodes well for performance. The diaphragm comprises 7 rounded blades, helping to ensure smooth bokeh, although with limited maximum apertures there may well be limits on what we can expect.

The well finished L mount is firm but does enable the lens to be locked positively into place. Handling is fine, perhaps a tad less smooth than the 20mm lens, but certainly still a great optic to use. Much of the joy in use comes with viewing the results on a computer monitor, so let's get straight down to seeing exactly how that performance works out.

 

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Performance

At 18mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/4.5 to f/16 and very good at f/22. The edges are very good from f/4.5 to f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22.

At 24mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/5 to f/16 and very good at f/22 and f/25. The edges are very good from f/5 to f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22 and f/25.

At 40mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/6.3 to f/16, very good at f/22 and good at f/32. The edges are excellent from f/6.3 to f/11, very good at f/16, good at f/22 and fair at f/32.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Panasonic Lumix S9 camera body using Imatest software (www.imatest.com). Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is highly unlikely to be a problem. There is virtually no sign of colour fringing in most image making, even in the most challenging circumstances.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence, they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Panasonic Lumix S9 camera body using Imatest software (www.imatest.com).

 

Some barrel distortion can be measured, giving values of -1.0% at 18mm, -0.20% at 24mm and -0.47% at 40mm. 

With the maximum apertures available being quite restricted, the potential for super-smooth bokeh is reduced. Even so, results are very respectable and do not descend into becoming ragged.

Flare is not a problem in normal use. Artefacts can be generated under extreme lighting conditions, but the intrusion into the image is minimal.

Vignetting is extremely low and is very impressive for any zoom lens, especially one that extends into ultra-wide territory.

 

Aperture 18mm 24mm 40mm f/4.5 -1     f/5   -0.4   f/5.6 -1 -0.4   f/6.3     -0.6 f/8 -0.6 -0.3 -0.6 f/11 -0.5 -0.3 -0.7 f/16 -0.5 -0.3 -0.7 f/22   -0.3 -0.7 f/25   -0.3   f/32     -0.7

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

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Value For Money

The [AMUK]Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3|Panasonic+Lumix+S+18-40mm+f/4.5-6.3[/AMUK] is priced at £499.00

Perhaps the following could be considered alternatives:

• [AMUK]Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6|Lumix+S+20-60mm+f/3.5-5.6[/AMUK], £469
• [AMUK]Lumix S 14-28mm f/4-5.6|Lumix+S+14-28mm+f/4-5.6[/AMUK], £668
• [AMUK]Sigma 20-60mm f/2.8-4|Sigma+20-60mm+f/2.8-4[/AMUK], £749
• [AMUK]Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8|Sigma+24-60mm+f/2.8[/AMUK], £869

The review lens looks perfectly good value and certainly is punching above its weight regarding quality of results.

 

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Verdict

The Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 lens offers the usual zoom advantages, but without some of the usual disadvantages that go with that. The zoom is, of course, always ready for a number of shooting scenarios. A prime lens can be equally useful up to a point, but has the main advantages of speed and size. With ultra high ISO values being available, do we need that fast maximum aperture? Maybe, but perhaps for reasons of bokeh for portraiture as much as anything else. It's a matter of the individual's requirements and their shooting style.

In any event, what is absolutely clear is that to call this lens a kit lens would be to do it a great disservice, as it is punching far above that level. A satisfactory price level, superior image quality and great handling all combine to delivery a Highly Recommended lens.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Pros

• Excellent sharpness, especially centrally
• Very low distortion
• Smooth bokeh
• Low CA
• Low flare
• Fast, accurate and virtually silent AF
• Dust, splash and freeze resistant
• Quality maintained throughout zoom range
• Fair price

 

Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 Cons

• No built-in IS
• No hood provided
• Modest maximum aperture

 

 

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Reflections are something you can shoot all year round but as bright colours and bold shapes make the most interesting reflections, autumn's the perfect season to try this technique.

 

1. Where should I go?

You can head to a picturesque area of landscape where you have reservoirs and lakes by the dozen to pick from. You can also stay a little closer to home and take a walk through your local park after it's rained and use the puddles that have formed as your reflective surface. If you have a pond in your garden and a tree or two that's decorated with autumn colours, you don't even have to walk to the park as you can set your gear up in your own back garden to shoot these abstract style shots.

 

2. Photograph The Wide Landscape

If you head to a national park area you can capture a few wide shots where you include the body of water in the photo with the tree line and rolling hills sitting alongside it. For this, you want an almost mirror-like reflection and this means shooting on a very still day. Better still, do your research and find a lake or reservoir that's sheltered by hills or find one where at least part of it's out of the way of the wind. It helps if you're an early riser too as the air tends to be stiller first thing in the morning than later on in the day. Ripples still a problem? Try using a slightly slower shutter speed to blur them.

You'll need a tripod to stop shake creeping in and a remote / cable release can be handy but it's not essential. You could even start your exposures via a Smart Phone if the camera you're using has wireless capabilities. 

When working with slower shutter speeds by lakes, have a look at the distant trees and other objects that can move in the breeze to see if they've blurred slightly. If you do have a problem with blurry trees, try taking two exposures then combined them when you're back in front of your computer. The first exposure needs to be shot with a slower shutter speed and the second with a quicker shutter speed that won't allow movement to be introduced into your background. 

It's also a good idea to pack an ND Grad Filter as you'll find that the reflection will look darker than the 'real' scene that's creating it. If you line up the darker part of the filter so it sits over the sky and finishes at the shoreline, you'll produce a shot that balances the exposure of the bright sky/surroundings with the reflection.

  3. More Abstract?

Shooting reflections on their own, particularly if the water's slightly choppy, will result in interesting abstract images. You just need strong colours and / or shapes to create shots with real impact and Autumn's oranges and reds are just the shades you need to produce abstract shots that really pack some punch. You can shoot a wider shot of the landscape, as above, then crop in when you're back in front of your computer but it's much easier to just frame up so the water's surface is your main point of focus. Some lenses struggle to focus on moving water so you may need to switch to manual focus so you get a sharp shot.

Just remember to shoot plenty of photos at quite quick intervals as the patterns created by the moving ripples will change quickly.

If you prefer to shoot water flowing and falling over rocks, use a slower shutter speed to blur its motion. As a result, you'll have smooth waves of water that have the autumn shades/colours of the trees dotted along the banking flowing through it.

Thanks to its warm, golden colours and varying weather, Autumn is a very photogenic season. However, the different locations you can shoot in coupled with weather and light changes can occasionally make setting the correct exposure tricky. With this in mind, here's a quick check list of ways you can ensure your exposure's correct every time. 

Photo by David Clapp

 

1. Use An ND Filter

Placing an ND Filter over your lens will balance the brightness levels of the ground and sky so that sky detail can still be seen without the ground appearing underexposed.

 

2. Check Your Histogram

Even though digital cameras do have good built-in meters you still need to keep an eye out for burnt-out highlights as you'll lose detail in these areas. A good way to check if your image is correctly exposed is with the histogram.

A 'good' histogram that shows an even exposure will peak more towards the middle and get lower to either end. If the graph is occupying mostly the left-hand side it means your image has more dark tones than light (underexposed) and if it’s shifted to the right, there are more lighter tones (overexposed) which means you could have really bright areas that look blown out.

Also, as a side note, when you playback your images there’s an option you can set that makes the highlighted areas 'blink' so you can pinpoint their exact location. Check your camera's manual for the instructions on how to do this. 

 

Photo by David Pritchard. 

 

3. Work On Overcast Days

Overcast days give you the perfect conditions for capturing autumn shots in woods and forests. Why? Well, on sunny days it can be hard to keep contrast to a minimum and you can end up with large areas of dark shadow and patches of bright, dappled sunlight that's broken through the forest's canopy.

 

4. Meter From The Right Spot

Positioning yourself so the yellow and orange coloured leaves can be backlit will add extra punch to your shots, but again, your camera can get confused by the variety of light sources around. As a starting point, you can meter for the mid-tones but it's best to take a meter reading from the leaves to ensure they are correctly exposed. Also, by doing so the background, which you'll want to be thrown nicely out of focus, should appear darker, allowing your subject to 'pop' from the frame.

 

5. Use Exposure Compensation

Mist and fog are common conditions to be shooting in at this time of year but you may find you have exposure problems once out in the field. This is because camera meters are often fooled into underexposing misty scenes so they come out looking very grey, rather than light and airy. You can fix this by using the + compensation option. How many stops you need to move up by will depend on the scene and how many EV steps you can go up by will depend on the camera you are using. 
 

   

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Photo Month Forum Competition  

 

A brilliant mono shot captured by Jasper87 and titled 'A1026: Lower Lea Crossing' has won our 'Photo of the Week' prize on ePHOTOzine.

We love the strong lines in this image, with the underside of the road bridge sweeping across the top of the frame and curving down towards the right. The black and white treatment keeps the focus on tone and texture, from the concrete beams and supports to the bright, leafy bank set against the deep, dark sky. The tower blocks in the distance and their rippled reflections in the river help place the bridge within the surrounding urban landscape, while the wide panoramic crop suits the scene well. A very well handled architectural photograph.

Every Photo of the Week (POTW) winner will be rewarded with a Samsung 128GB PRO Plus microSDXC memory card with SD adapter, providing top-tier storage for all your creative needs across multiple devices. But that's not all! In January 2027, we'll crown our 2026 Photo of the Year winner, who will take home the ultimate prize of a Samsung Portable 1TB SSD T7 Shield, courtesy of Samsung. See the terms & conditions and prize procedure for more information.

It’s time to shoot, submit, and showcase your best work for a chance to win these incredible rewards! Want to be our next POTW winner? Just upload an image to our gallery where you'll also find all of our past POTW winners.

 

Have you ever taken a photo that looked great in person but somehow did not capture the same feeling when you looked at it later?

Photography is more than simply pointing a camera at a subject and pressing the shutter. It is about understanding light, composition, timing, and perspective, then using those elements to create an image that communicates something. The good news is that you do not need years of experience or an expensive camera to start learning.

For anyone who wants to develop their skills from the ground up, a photography course for beginners can provide a structured way to understand the fundamentals, practise with purpose and become more confident behind the camera.

Photography is also a creative activity that many Australians already enjoy. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 11.3% of Australians participated in photography during the 12 months covered by the 2025 General Social Survey.

Whether you are interested in photographing family moments, travelling, landscapes, people, products or simply improving the photos you take every day, learning the basics can make a noticeable difference.

 

1. Start by Understanding Your Camera

The first step in learning photography is becoming comfortable with your camera.

If you have recently purchased a DSLR or mirrorless camera, the number of buttons, menus and settings can initially seem overwhelming. Even a relatively simple camera can offer far more control than you may expect.

Rather than trying to memorise every feature, start with the controls you are most likely to use.

Learn what your shutter button does, how to change the shooting mode, how to adjust focus and how to review your photographs. From there, gradually introduce manual controls.

Your camera is simply a tool. The goal is not to know every menu setting. The goal is to understand how the settings you use affect the final photograph.

A structured photography course for beginners can help make this process easier by introducing camera functions in a logical order rather than asking you to learn everything at once.

 

2. Learn the Exposure Triangle

 

One of the most important concepts in photography is the exposure triangle.

It consists of:

• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• ISO

These three settings work together to control exposure and influence the appearance of your image.

Aperture controls the opening in the lens. A wider aperture can allow more light into the camera and create a shallower depth of field, which can help separate a subject from its background.

Shutter speed controls how long the camera's sensor is exposed to light. A fast shutter speed can help freeze movement, while a slower shutter speed can introduce motion blur.

ISO affects the camera sensor's sensitivity to light. Increasing ISO can help when shooting in darker conditions, although higher settings can also introduce more visible noise.

Understanding how these settings interact gives you significantly more control over your photographs.

If you are completely new to the concept, this beginner-friendly YouTube tutorial provides an introduction to aperture, shutter speed and ISO:

The important thing is not to memorise definitions. Take your camera outside and experiment. Change one setting at a time and observe what happens.

That hands-on approach is where the concepts start to become easier to understand.

 

3. Learn to See Light

Photography literally means creating images with light, so learning to recognise light is an essential skill.

You do not always need professional lighting equipment. Natural light can be incredibly effective when you understand how to use it.

Pay attention to the direction of the light.

When light comes from behind your subject, you may create a silhouette or a bright, atmospheric image. Side lighting can emphasise texture and shape, while light coming directly towards the subject can produce a flatter appearance.

The quality of the light also matters.

Soft light can produce gentle shadows and flattering portraits. Hard sunlight can create stronger shadows and more dramatic contrast.

Try photographing the same subject at different times of the day. You may notice that the scene looks completely different in the morning compared with the middle of the afternoon or around sunset.

This is one reason practical exercises are valuable when completing a photography course for beginners. Learning the theory is useful, but seeing how light behaves in real situations is where your understanding develops.

 

 

4. Improve Your Composition

 

A technically correct photograph can still feel uninteresting if the composition does not guide the viewer's attention.

Composition refers to how elements are arranged within the frame.

One of the first techniques beginners can explore is the rule of thirds. Imagine your frame divided into nine equal sections using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing your main subject near the intersections can create a balanced composition.

But do not treat the rule of thirds as an absolute rule.

Photography is creative, and sometimes placing your subject directly in the centre produces the strongest result.

You can also experiment with:

• Leading lines
• Symmetry
• Negative space
• Framing
• Patterns
• Repetition
• Depth
• Foreground and background elements

Before taking a photograph, pause for a moment and look around the frame.

Ask yourself what you want the viewer to notice first.

Then consider whether anything in the background is distracting from that subject.

Simply becoming more deliberate about what you include in the frame can significantly improve your photography.

 

5. Practise Focusing Correctly

Focus is another fundamental skill.

If your subject is not sharp where you intended it to be, even a beautifully composed photograph may not work as expected.

Modern cameras provide different autofocus modes designed for different situations.

A stationary subject may require a different approach from a person walking towards you or a fast-moving animal.

Portrait photography also introduces another consideration: where the focus should fall on the subject. In many situations, the eyes are particularly important because they help establish a connection between the subject and viewer.

Do not rely entirely on automatic settings without understanding what your camera is doing.

Spend time experimenting with autofocus modes and focus points. Take several photographs of the same subject and review them afterwards.

This type of repetition helps you recognise which settings work best in different situations.

 

 

6. Understand Different Types of Photography

Once you have learned the fundamentals, start exploring different genres.

You may discover that you enjoy one particular type of photography more than another.

Landscape photography focuses on environments, scenery and natural surroundings.

Portrait photography focuses on people and can involve careful consideration of lighting, posing, expression and background.

Street photography captures everyday moments, people and environments in public spaces.

Food photography focuses on presentation, texture, colour and lighting.

Product photography requires attention to detail, consistency and controlled lighting.

Sports photography introduces movement, timing and fast shutter speeds.

Travel photography combines landscapes, architecture, people, food and cultural experiences.

Trying different genres is a great way to discover your personal interests.

You do not need to decide immediately what type of photographer you want to become. Allow yourself time to experiment.

 

7. Learn to Work With Your Lens

 

Your camera body is only part of the equation.

The lens you use can dramatically affect the appearance of your photographs.

Wide-angle lenses can capture more of a scene, making them useful for landscapes, architecture and some environmental portraits.

Standard lenses can provide a natural perspective and are useful for a broad range of subjects.

Telephoto lenses allow you to photograph subjects from farther away and can be particularly useful for wildlife, sports and certain types of portrait photography.

You do not need a large collection of lenses to become a good photographer.

In fact, working with one lens for an extended period can help you become more creative. Instead of immediately changing lenses, you may start moving yourself, changing your position or reconsidering your composition.

Understanding the equipment you already own is often more useful than constantly buying new gear.

 

8. Make Photography Part of Your Routine

 

One of the easiest ways to improve is to photograph regularly.

You do not need to spend several hours every day practising.

Even a short photography exercise can help.

For example, choose one subject and photograph it from five different angles. The following day, photograph something using only natural light. Another day, practise photographing moving subjects.

You could also set yourself a weekly challenge.

Try photographing:

1. A person.
2. A landscape.
3. A close-up detail.
4. Something using symmetry.
5. A subject with strong shadows.
6. A subject using negative space.
7. A moving subject.

The objective is not to create seven perfect photographs.

The objective is to develop your ability to observe.

Photography becomes much easier when you start noticing opportunities before you even raise your camera.

 

9. Learn the Basics of Photo Editing

 

Photography does not necessarily end when you press the shutter.

Digital editing can help you refine an image and bring out details that were already captured by the camera.

Beginners can start with relatively simple adjustments, including:

• Exposure
• Contrast
• Highlights
• Shadows
• White balance
• Saturation
• Cropping
• Sharpness

The key is moderation.

Editing should support the photograph rather than distract from it.

It is easy to increase saturation, contrast or clarity too far, particularly when you are first learning.

A useful exercise is to edit the same photograph twice. First, make the adjustments you naturally prefer. Then return to the original and create a second version using more subtle changes.

Comparing the two can help you develop an understanding of how much editing is appropriate for the image.

Learning editing alongside camera skills can make your overall photography workflow much more efficient.

 

 

10. Learn From Your Own Photographs

 

One of the most valuable learning resources is your own photography.

After a photo session, do not simply keep your favourite images.

Review the photographs that did not work as well.

Ask yourself:

• Was the photograph too bright or too dark?
• Was the subject properly focused?
• Was the composition distracting?
• Was the background too busy?
• Was the shutter speed appropriate?
• Could I have changed my position?
• Was the light working for or against the subject?

This process turns mistakes into practical lessons.

You will also begin to recognise patterns.

Perhaps many of your photographs are slightly underexposed. Perhaps you often place your subjects too close to the edge of the frame. Perhaps your portraits look better when you photograph them in softer light.

Once you identify these patterns, you can deliberately work on them.

That is one of the benefits of taking a structured photography course for beginners rather than simply watching random tutorials online. A structured learning process can help connect individual techniques into a broader understanding of photography.

 

11. Build Confidence Before Buying More Gear

 

It is tempting to believe that better equipment automatically produces better photographs.

While equipment certainly has an impact, learning how to use your existing camera effectively should come first.

A beginner can take a strong photograph with relatively basic equipment if they understand light, composition, exposure and timing.

Before purchasing another lens, camera body or accessory, ask yourself what problem you are trying to solve.

Do you need a longer focal length?

Are you struggling to photograph in low light?

Do you need faster autofocus?

Would a tripod improve the type of photography you are doing?

Being able to answer these questions makes equipment decisions much easier.

A good photographer learns to work with limitations rather than constantly trying to eliminate them through new purchases.

 

12. Consider Learning Through a Structured Course

 

There are countless free photography tutorials available online, which makes it easier than ever to start learning.

However, having access to information is not always the same as having a learning pathway.

A structured photography course for beginners can bring fundamental concepts together in a more organised way.

Instead of jumping from one unrelated tutorial to another, you can build your knowledge progressively.

This can be particularly useful if you prefer having a clear starting point and want to understand not only what a camera setting does, but also when and why you would use it.

A course can also help turn photography from something you occasionally experiment with into a skill you deliberately practise.

 

13. Develop Your Own Photographic Style

 

As you gain experience, you may start developing preferences.

Perhaps you prefer warm, natural colours.

Maybe you enjoy dramatic black-and-white photographs.

You might prefer minimalist compositions or busy street scenes.

Your style will not appear overnight.

It develops through repeated practice, experimentation and observation.

Look at the photographs you naturally gravitate towards and consider what attracts you to them.

Is it the lighting?

The composition?

The colours?

The emotion?

The subject?

Understanding your own preferences can help you make more intentional creative decisions.

At the same time, avoid worrying too much about developing a unique style when you are still learning the fundamentals.

Your priority should be building strong photographic skills. Your personal style can develop naturally as you gain experience.

 

 

14. Turn Knowledge Into Practical Skills

 

The biggest difference between knowing about photography and being able to photograph confidently is practice.

You can read about aperture for hours, but changing the aperture on your own camera and observing the resulting depth of field creates a different level of understanding.

You can read about shutter speed, but photographing a moving cyclist at several different shutter speeds teaches you how motion is actually captured.

You can read about composition, but physically moving around your subject teaches you how perspective changes the image.

This is why practical exercises are so valuable.

Give yourself small challenges and review the results.

The more frequently you practise, the more natural your camera settings and creative decisions will become.

 

15. Give Yourself Time to Improve

Photography is a skill, and skills take time to develop.

Your first photographs may not look the way you imagined.

That is completely normal.

Instead of comparing your early work with experienced photographers, compare your current work with your own photographs from several months ago.

Look for progress.

Are your images better exposed?

Is your composition more intentional?

Are your subjects sharper?

Do you understand your camera settings more confidently?

Can you recognise good light?

These are meaningful signs of improvement.

The goal of learning photography is not to become perfect immediately. It is to become more observant, more deliberate and more confident with every photograph you take.

 

Start Your Photography Journey

 

Learning photography can open up a creative way to document people, places, experiences and everyday moments.

You do not need to begin with the most expensive camera or a complete collection of professional equipment. Start with the camera you have, learn the fundamentals and give yourself plenty of opportunities to practise.

From understanding exposure and composition to working with light, focusing accurately and developing your own creative style, each new skill gives you more control over the photographs you create.

For those who want a structured starting point, a photography course for beginners can help bring these fundamentals together and provide a clearer pathway for developing practical skills.

Most importantly, keep taking photographs.

The camera becomes easier to use when you stop thinking only about its buttons and start thinking about what you want your image to say.

So, what will you photograph first?

 

As winter approaches we're going to see many more days of rain but this shouldn't stop you taking photographs. Instead, use the weather to your advantage to capture great raindrop patterns on windows from the comfort of your home.

 

1. The Beauty Of Variety

You may not have noticed, but raindrops are not always the same on windows. If it's heavy rain the drops tend to be large and blobby after a short shower the droplets are much neater and the best sort to photograph. They look the type you'd see on a spiders web, all almost perfectly round. Droplets can also act like miniature lenses and present an upside-down image of the background in each concave shape. If you adjust focus you can make these images appear sharper to become part of the creative picture.  But that's another technique!

 

2. Gear Choices

All you need for this technique is a camera with close focus capabilities which covers most types of cameras including compacts. Ideally, the camera should have some form of creative exposure mode that will allow you to shoot at different apertures. It would also help if you had a tripod to steady the camera but this isn't a must as if you find your shutter speed is creeping towards the slow side, just use a slightly higher ISO.

 

3. The Set-Up

1. Choose a window that has interesting raindrop patterns and that is facing a plain background. The background should be a long way off so a window into a garden with trees, grass or a fence at a good distance is ideal. The choice of background can really make a difference; a light background such as a sky will often result in the droplets having a darker more defined outline while a dark background will make the centres of the droplets more prominent.

2. Make sure the window is clean! Any fingerprints or smears will show up. Double glazed windows should be in good condition free of condensation.

3. Set your camera up on a tripod and point it at the window. Make sure the camera back is parallel to the window for the best results.

4. Focus on the drops. You may have to use manual mode if your camera has it because the drops can sometimes confuse the focusing sensor so it misses them. On double glazing, some cameras may be fooled by the closer inner layer so manual focus is a really useful option.

5. Move the camera position to get the best range of drops in the frame and watch the background for change in tone. If there's an area where the tips of shrubs meet the lighter sky and that's in the photo it will spoil the result. Move either up so you just have sky or down so you just have shrubs as a backdrop.

6. Set an aperture to its widest setting so the background is thrown totally out of focus.  If you have a compact with no manual control but with scene modes, try taking pictures at different scene modes and compare the results to see if one throws the background out of focus. This will usually be something like portrait, food or close up mode, not landscape or infinity modes.

 

Check out more Close-up photography tutorials.

You don't have to head to a place that's bursting with beautiful landscapes to shoot some autumn-inspired shots as your own garden can give you just as many interesting autumn subjects to photograph. An even better reason to stay close to home is if the weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse you only have to take a few steps to be back in the warmth, you have your kettle close to hand and you can even continue shooting some subjects from inside your house.

  1. Leaves / Trees

 

You can't talk about photography in autumn without mentioning trees and leaves and it's a subject we'll be looking at a lot over the coming month so keep an eye out for tips on shooting macros, using backlight and much more with Autumn leaves. 
  2. Berries

 

If you have a few plants that give berries at this time of year, they should be ripe by now and ready to photograph. If they're a dark colour, try underexposing your shot slightly to deepen their shade and use a polarising filter to cut down on shine/reflections.
  3. Portraits

 

Kids wrapped up in hats and coats, particularly when they're throwing leaves around, scream autumn. Keep your shoot informal and try not to shoot too many posed shots. In fact, if you're photographing your own children playing around in your garden just leave them to it and shoot candids as they play.

If you don't want the colours of the foliage to take over the shot, longer focal lengths, particularly with a wide to moderate aperture, can help, blurring and giving your background a nice bokeh effect as well as flattering the features of who you're photographing. You can use out of focus foliage as a frame too, adding a spot of colour to the foreground of your autumn portrait shot.

Even though early morning and the later afternoon is a good time to shoot, autumn light tends to be lower all day so you can get away with shooting during the day if you need to.

 

4. Birds

 

Some birds begin to migrate at this time of year which means you may have new species of birds visiting your garden.

Birds are easily spooked so you need to keep still and if you can, be hidden. Try shooting from an open window from your house, set up in your shed or if you have one, use a hide. If you work from inside and are shooting through the glass rather than an open window, make sure your lens is as close to the glass as possible and turn your room lights off to minimise reflections. You also need to be in a position that's quite close to where the birds will land as even though you're using longer lenses, they are really tiny and can look lost among your background if you don't get close enough.

Some cameras can be controlled via a Smart Phone which means you can set the camera up in your garden and head back in to the warmth of the house where you can release the shutter remotely from. 

Make sure you pay particular attention to the tips of feathers, particularly on the tails, as these can easily become out of focus when trying to get the right balance between a blurred background and sharp subject. You may need to switch to manual focus, so you can set the focus point more precisely. Light at this time of year can be low so be prepared to switch your ISO up and remember to use a high enough shutter speed to keep your subject sharp. Most small garden birds move quickly and tend to twitch and turn their heads frequently so you need a quick enough shutter speed to stop the movement becoming blurred.

We have more tips on photographing birds in our technique section. 

 

5. Mushrooms

 

If you have any damp, dark areas in your garden or have a compost bin, you'll find fungi specimens are now springing up. You'll find more whole specimens in the morning but as you're in your garden it's quite easy for you to pop out at any time in search of photography-worthy mushrooms.

 

Quick tips for mushroom photos:

• As well as single specimens, capture mushrooms in an odd group which is more pleasing to the eye and adds interest to your shot
• Contrast white mushrooms with backgrounds of moss and leaves
• Blur backgrounds out of focus
• Look under the mushroom for interesting textures
• Light the underbelly by directing light into the scene with a reflector
• If using wider apertures, check your shot as your subject can end up with parts that are out of focus 

For more, have a look at this tutorial: Fungi Photography Tips.   

 

Here are 16 photography projects for you to tick off your photo list this Autumn. Think we've missed one? Add your suggestions in the comments. You can also find tips related to each subject by clicking on the headings. 

 

1. Autumn Wide-Angle Landscapes 

When the landscape is full of burnt oranges, warms yellows and other Autumnal shades, take advantage of this warm colour palette and capture some autumn-themed vistas with your wide-angle lens.

  2. Focus On A Single Tree This Autumn

When you've captured your shots of forests and national parks, focus your attention on one tree, shooting under the canopy or try using a lonely tree in a wide, sweeping landscape shot of a crop field. 

 

3. How To Photograph Abstracts

Instead of focusing on scenes as a whole, look for areas where you can strip your image back to shape, patterns and form which will give you an image that's still very much Autumn themed but it's different from the norm. Why not go against the rule that everything has to be sharp and create an Autumnal drag landscape? The warm shades of leaves which turn into long lines of colour help create striking pieces that are perfect for wall art. 

 

4. Top Tips On Photographing Reflections

Reflections are something you can shoot all year round but as bright colours and bold shapes make the most interesting reflections, autumn's the perfect season to try this technique.

 

  5. 10 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos Of Trees

When in the woods with your camera kit look upwards and capture a shot of the trees with a wide-angle lens. When you do, you'll produce a shot that looks as if the trunks of the trees are almost falling out of the image due to the effect wide-angle lens have on verticals and the trees will seem a lot taller, too. This technique can produce great results at all times of the year but when you have the orange tones set against a blue sky it's particularly eye-catching. 

You could also apply this technique in towns and cities where parks can be surrounded by tall modern structures that contrast well against the trees. 

 

6. Add An Interesting Sky

Use slower shutter speeds to turn the movement of the clouds to create leading lines to guide the eye through the photograph or how about waiting for a colourful sunset to compose your Autumn scene against? 

7. Play With Back Light

One way to exaggerate the colours of Autumn is with backlit leaves. Plus, it'll really make the intricate pattern of veins stand out and focus the viewer's attention. You can also shoot some Autumn themed outdoor portraits with backlight to make your subject 'pop' from the frame. 

  8. How To Photograph Fallen Leaves

Make the most of the fallen leaves starting to decorate the land and use them in your landscape shots. If you're working by water where leaves are decorating the land surrounding it or are floating along the surface of the water as it flows downstream, experiment with longer exposure times to blur the water's movement.

 

  9. Top Tips On Photographing Birds

Some birds begin to migrate at this time of year which means you may have new species visiting your garden.

 

10. Capture Photos of Dew Drops

As evening temperatures begin to fall the sight of morning dew decorating grass and other plants is something that will become a regular occurrence. As dew can add extra interest to your macro garden shots, it's well worth getting up early and taking some shots of morning dew. 

 

11. Shoot Sunbeams On Autumn Days

When you mix early morning fog with the rising sun you get a recipe for strong beams of sunlight appearing in woodland areas. These beams of light bursting through trees make an early morning rise from your bed covers well worth it.

 

12. Still Life Photography Can Be Autumn-Themed

Pumpkins, leaves, conkers and berries can all be used in still life set-ups when you're looking for something to keep you occupied on a rainy day. Play around with compositions, props and backgrounds to see what interesting still life creations you can create. 

 

 

13. Top Tips On Using Lens Flare Creatively 

 You can use flare in your shots to add a little romanticism, mystery and warmth to your autumn shots.

  14. Top Frost Photography Tips

The cooler evening temperatures and clear nights mean frost will soon be making an appearance once again and it's a great photographic subject for both landscape and macro photography fans. 

 

15. How To Use Paths And Roads In Your Photos

Paths, lines and long roads will always be excellent composition tools but when combined with lines of Autumnal trees your landscapes suddenly become even better. 

  16. Top Halloween Photography Tips 

As well as landscapes and close-up shots of leaves Autumn brings Halloween.  It's a perfect time to shoot some portraits and capture the other fun details of this event. 

   

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition  

‘Sexy Mantis’

© Diego Perez/Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

 

The 2026 finalists for the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have been announced, chosen from more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries. The finalist images include a caiman wearing a wig, a handstanding leopard, a strutting white-tailed eagle and a polar bear appearing to chat with a seagull. The awards work with the Born Free Foundation to support wildlife conservation, and all entries must capture genuine moments, with no AI or digital manipulation permitted.

 

From Nikon:

 

Nikon is delighted to announce the highly anticipated finalists for the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. This year’s shortlist features 40 Individual Finalists, 3 U16 Category Finalists, 4 Portfolio Category Finalists and 9 Video Category Finalists – a spectacular collection of mesmerising, feel-good and laugh-out-loud moments that celebrate the wonder of wildlife in all its glory.

Among the hilarious hopefuls vying for this year’s top prizes are a caiman wearing a wig, a handstanding leopard, a strutting white-tailed eagle, and a polar bear appearing to chat to a seagull. The 2026 competition has attracted more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries, the highest number in the Awards’ history.

Entrants are competing for an incredible line-up of prizes, including Nikon’s Z6III full-frame mirrorless camera, Z50II mirrorless camera and the Nikon ZR compact cinema camera. The overall winner will also embark on a once-in-a-lifetime safari with Alex Walker's Serian in the Masai Mara, while other prizes up for grabs include some of the best-selling photography rucksacks from ThinkTANK.

Founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, the Awards celebrate outstanding wildlife photography through the universal power of humour, while shining a light on the importance of protecting the wildlife and habitats our planet depends on. Authenticity remains at the heart of the competition, with all images capturing genuine moments in the wild and no AI or digital manipulation permitted.

Comedy Wildlife is once again delighted to be working with the Born Free Foundation, an international charity dedicated to rescuing and protecting wild animals from exploitation, while conserving threatened species and their natural habitats for generations to come. An inspiring mission which the Awards are proud to support.

Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe Senior General Manager Marketing says: “Nikon is proud to see the Comedy Wildlife Awards continue to grow in impact, with this year’s competition attracting more entries than ever before. With more than 10,000 hilarious and heartfelt images capturing the character and vibrancy of our natural world, the competition also pulls into focus the vital importance of conservation. Congratulations to all the finalists."

Tom Sullam, Comedy Wildlife Competition Co-founder says: “The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards started very gently, somewhere out on the vast plains of the Serengeti. What began as a small effort to raise awareness of wildlife conservation has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined. The competition is now truly global, and a decade or so on, we want to make it even bigger, funnier, and more far-reaching than ever.  We use humour to get people to feel empathy towards wildlife, and it's that empathy that creates behavioural change for the better.”

The Overall Winner, Category and Highly Commended Winners will be announced on Tuesday 8th December at a dedicated awards evening in London. This will be followed by a one-week, free exhibition from 19th-13th December, where Nikon will showcase the 2026 Award Finalists at the Gallery@Oxo.

 

'The Secret Kiss'

© Jeetendra Chaware/Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

 

Competition categories include: 

• Alex Walker’s Serian Mammals Category 
• Spectrum Photo Birds Category 
• ThinkTANK Reptiles and Amphibians Category 
• Fish and Other Aquatic Species 
• Insects Category 
• Nikon Young Photographer (up to 25yrs.) 
• Nikon Junior Category (up to 16 yrs.) 
• Amazing Internet Portfolio Category 
• Nikon Video Category 

 

The Sterna’s People’s Choice Award will be open from 10th December until March 1st 2027 for the public to vote on their favourite.

This year’s shortlist will be reviewed by Nikon Creators Cameron Whitnall, Hannah Stitfall and Roxy Hemadani, alongside Nikon Ambassador Daisy Gilardini. New to the judging panel for 2026 are author and presenter Roma Wells, wildlife photographers Will Fortescue and Jamie Smart, and climate comedian Stuart Goldsmith. Completing this year’s expert line-up are TV presenter Kate Humble, actor and comedian Hugh Dennis, renowned wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas, and co-founder of the Born Free Foundation, Will Travers OBE.

For more information, please visit the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards website.

 

There is no doubt that the general perception of focal lengths has led us to wider and wider lenses being considered mainstream. Much of this shift also has its origins in significant leaps in manufacturing ability and, of course, increased sophistication in lens design. Alongside this, the price also falls and eventually brings things to within a more accessible reach. And here we are with a full frame 20mm f/2.5 L-mount lens, plus the 24MP Panasonic Lumix S9 camera body to try it out on. It makes a stylish looking package, the spec is interesting and the price is within range, so let's see if the images it produces live up to the same standards and our expectations.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Handling and Features

We have probably long put aside any idea that mirrorless cameras are expected to be significantly smaller than the DSLRs they have been steadily replacing. In general, the lenses are the same size and weight they have always been and the bulk is such that a camera bag is still needed to carry even the basic kit. However, Panasonic is certainly doing their bit here as the new lens is weighing in at a very modest 142g. The 40.9mm x 69.4mm dimensions are chunky, but the use of plastics has kept that weight down. Construction quality is of a high order and the one focusing/control ring is smooth in operation.

 

 

There is no lens hood provided, a shame especially with a wide angle lens. One can be purchased and will need to use the 62mm standard filter thread. The front element is quite small, but not particularly vulnerable. It has a Fluorine coating to repel dust, moisture and grease, and this makes it easier to keep clean. The lens is also dust, splash and freeze resistant. The operational range is from -10C to +40C.

There are a couple of switches around the lens barrel. The first is the usual AF/MF switch and the second is the AF focus lock. This latter button can also be programmed from the choices in the camera menu.

 

 

Closest focus is 0.18m (0.59') for a maximum magnification of 0.15x. This is usefully close, helping to make compositions with dramatic foregrounds so much easier to produce.

Optical construction is 11 elements in 9 groups, including 3 aspheric and 3 ED (Extra Low Dispersion). The lens is also designed to reduce focus breathing, a feature that will be appreciated by videographers. There is no built-in IS, so shake reduction is deferred to whatever camera body is being used.

Thus finally we arrive at the beautifully polished metal lens mount. Reassuringly held in place by 5 screws (where some lenses only have 3), this is all solidly made and looks as if it will offer long service. It is a firm action that will hopefully ease up a little with use. Overall, the lens has little in the way of controls and also little in the way of vices. The lens is a pleasure to use, so now let's look at the technical performance to see if that matches up with the splendid handling.

 

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Performance

Central sharpness is outstanding from f/2.5 through to f/5.6, excellent from f/8 to f/16 and still very good at f/22. The edges are fair at f/2.5 and f/2.8, very good at f/4, excellent at f/5.6, very good at f/8 and f/11, good at f/16 and fair at f/22. Apart from the slight softness at the edges wide open, this is a very crisp and satisfying lens. There is a weakness at wider apertures and close distances, shown in the text images provided, but otherwise a superb result.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 MTF Charts Previous Next

How to read our MTF charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Panasonic Lumix S9 camera body using Imatest software (www.imatest.com). Want to know more about how we review lenses?

 

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is well under control. There is virtually no CA at the centre of the image, and even the edges show little sign of colour fringing.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Chromatic Aberration Charts Previous Next

How to read our CA charts

Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence, they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Panasonic Lumix S9 camera body using Imatest software (www.imatest.com).

 

Some barrel distortion is evident, measuring just -0.74%, another excellent result.

Bokeh is a more aesthetic response and cannot be directly measured, but we know the best results when we see them. Despite the lens being ultra-wide and also extremely sharp, the bokeh remains soft and natural. It is much better in this respect than was anticipated.

Flare is not a problem in normal use. Artefacts can be generated under extreme lighting conditions, but the intrusion into the image is minimal.

Vignetting is minimal, the actual figures are very impressive, especially for such a wide lens.

 

Aperture   f/2.5 -1.1 f/2.8 -0.9 f/4 -0.7 f/5.6 -0.5 f/8 -0.5 f/11 -0.5 f/16 -0.5 f/22 -0.5

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Aperture range Previous Next

You can view additional images in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own reviews, photos and product ratings.

 

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Value For Money

The Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 is priced at £429.00

Looking at currently available L-mount lenses of around 20mm, the following are possible alternatives:

• [AMUK]Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Art|Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Art[/AMUK], £899
• [AMUK]Sigma 20mm f/2 DG C|Sigma 20mm f/2 DG C[/AMUK], £659
• [AMUK]Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN C|Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN C[/AMUK], £509
• [AMUK]Lumix S 18mm f/1.8|Lumix S 18mm f/1.8[/AMUK], £699

There are even more choices if we also include zoom lenses, but at somewhat higher prices. The new lens is well priced and excellent, so definitely worth serious consideration.

 

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Verdict

In terms of dramatic, sweeping foregrounds and deeply immersive positioning, the ultra-wide lenses are powerful tools that make the photographer seem very much a part of the scene we are observing. This does not just apply to landscapes, but to architecture, street, fashion, even portraiture. It is of course essential that the camera is taken in close, otherwise we end up with just empty foreground and a background reduced in size and stature. As a generality, we need to move in close, then closer...although there are plenty of fine images that break all the rules. A fine example of this is the use of ultra-wide lenses in the trendy Carnaby Street fashion of the “Swinging Sixties” onwards.

The potential is huge, and all delivered in a compact, light and absolutely excellent lens. Without doubt, Highly Recommended.

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Pros

• Outstanding sharpness, especially centrally
• Very low distortion
• Smooth bokeh
• Low CA
• Low flare
• Fast, accurate and virtually silent AF
• Dust, splash and freeze resistant

 

Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Cons

• No Vibration Reduction
• No hood provided

 

 

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Retouch4me, a developer of AI-powered photo and video editing software, has released Retouch4me Lab, a color correction and visual effects application for the stage between RAW conversion and retouching. Retouch4me Lab brings every frame in a shoot to one consistent color baseline, then gives the photographer the tools to add their own style.

Color in post-production divides into two jobs: repairing the source and applying a style. Presets and LUTs deal with the style. The repair is the manual part, and it grows with the size of the shoot. The most frequent scenario is where lighting changes from frame to frame. Lab automates that stage across a full set of images.

Lab is built to produce color that looks finished. Under-saturated color is one of the signals that an image was left half-done, so the correction stays inside the range a professional would choose manually. Lab's neural networks learned from the work of professional photographers and retouchers, which holds the result to that standard on unfamiliar materials and across different camera systems.

An even baseline is also what makes a personal style transfer. A preset lands the same way across a shoot when the frames beneath it start from a similar place. Lab brings them there, so a photographer's own presets and LUTs behave consistently on every image.

 

Retouch4me Lab includes:

• AI color correction that evens out a full set of images automatically
• Basic correction: exposure, white balance and tone
• Color tools: HSL, curves and a color matrix
• Support for LUTs and saved styles
• Local masks for selective adjustments
• Three optical effects: halation, bloom and chromatic aberration
• An intensity control on every adjustment, with settings that carry from frame to frame

 

 

How Retouch4me Lab works:

• Control. Applying the automatic correction is optional, the automation offers a starting direction, and every adjustment has an intensity control.
• Processing. Retouch4me Lab runs locally on the photographer's computer, so image files stay on the machine.
• Workflow. Retouch4me Lab covers the color stage and works alongside RAW converters such as Adobe Lightroom and Capture One.
   

“In 2013 I built a color grid to simplify color correction for photographers, because every program I opened treated hue, saturation and luminosity as three separate sliders, when in a photograph they move together,” said Oleg Sharonov, co-founder of Retouch4me and creator of 3D LUT Creator. “Lab does that job with AI now, automating the base layer of color correction. It takes a raw shoot and brings every frame to a good starting point. I am looking forward to seeing it make color work simpler for photographers.”

Retouch4me Lab is available now at USD 145. A free demo is at https://retouch4.me/lab

 

About Retouch4me

Retouch4me is a software company that provides innovative solutions for photo and video editing. With neural networks, its software automates manual tasks and delivers natural results, allowing creatives to focus on their artistry. Retouch4me improves the workflows of creatives around the world. Discover how to elevate yours at https://retouch4.me/

 

 

The punchy shades of autumn give a photographer the perfect opportunity to capture images with a much more arty feel. For those who enjoy playing around with Photoshop there's a way to turn your autumn forest shots into streaks of bold colour in a few easy steps, or you can create a similar look in-camera if you prefer. If you're out on a breezy day there's a third way you can create autumn abstracts by capturing the movement of leaves. 

 

1. Move Your Camera And Lens

This technique is better known as a drag landscape and we have tips on how to do this in a previous article we published back in the spring. To summarise, you set the exposure going then drag/pan the camera in a particular direction. By doing so the trees will be turned into strong lines of colour that give a twist to the normal autumn shot.

You can also focus in on the leaves and play around with your panning directions to create movement in the image. Moving in a circular motion can work particularly well when you're working with the canopy which tends to have less prominent lines and hard edges. Experiment with the size of the circle you 'draw' as again, this will alter the shapes in the image. 

  2. Create The Look In Photoshop

If you've got a few autumn shots hiding away in your computer's folders you can recreate the look the above technique creates in Photoshop. For step-by-step tips on how to do this, take a look at this tutorial: Abstract Autumn Shots In Photoshop

While you have Photoshop open, why not turn your Autumn drag landscapes into a Triptych too? 

  3. Take Your Images On A Windy Day 

Instead of worrying about wind movement of trees spoiling your shot, take advantage of the weather and emphasise the movement. A long exposure will render the autumn leaves into a creative blur. If you're going for a landscape shot where trees are featured but you do have other parts of the scene you don't want to be so blurred, do make sure you take plenty of images as you don't want to head home and find out nothing was actually sharp in frame. You can then just delete the ones you don't want to keep. You will also have to experiment with shutter speeds to ensure you get movement in the leaves but not in other parts of the image. You could achieve the desired result with multiple exposures, too.    

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to pamelajean (Day 27 - Mountain Landscape).

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 24

Market Stalls

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Day 25

Motion

[COMMENT_IMG]portfolio|349646|3961316[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 26

Good Weather

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|54721|54721_1790419452.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 28

Forests

[COMMENT_IMG]portfolio|11912|3715732[/COMMENT_IMG]

  Day 29

Arboretum

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|349707|349707_1790664959.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

Day 30

Autumn Close-Ups

[COMMENT_IMG]direct|320788|320788_1790759616.jpg[/COMMENT_IMG]

 

You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

1. Gear Suggestions

• Wide-angle lens
• Polarising filter – Helps boost colour
• ND Grad filter – Balances the exposure of the sky and foreground
• Waterproofs – It rains a lot in the UK!

  2. When To Take Your Shots

Early morning or the end of the day is perfect for autumnal photography as the warm colour temperatures of the setting or rising sun boost the autumnal shades. The end of the day tends to be warmer than early morning too which is good news for those stuck in offices all day. Keep an eye on the weather forecast for the evening before you plan on heading out as a cool night helps the autumn shades develop.

Another advantage of heading out of the door early in the morning or later in the evening is the light is more diffused which means the difference between light and shadow areas isn't as extreme. It's still worth keeping an eye on your histogram, something which can be done in Live View on many cameras which means you can see the histogram display change as the scene in front of you alters or as you make tweaks to the exposure. This not only saves times but is a lot easier than making changes, taking a shot then checking the histogram. 

If the sky's proving to be a problem as it's too light, fit an ND filter to your lens to balance the exposure. Of course, if you're not an early riser and don't fancy heading out after your tea you can use editing software to boost the autumn colours in your shots too.
 

3. Where To Go

The Lakes, Peak District and the Brecon Beacons look particularly impressive during autumn but really you just need to go somewhere that gives you a little bit of height and a few breath-taking views.

 

 

4. White Balance

Switch from auto to cloudy or shade to add an extra level of warmth to your shots that really boosts the autumn shades.

5. Look For Contrast

If you're shooting sweeping shots of a forest canopy from a hillside have a look for spots where the oranges and yellows are broken up with greens. Lower down, shoot at the forest's edge, using the shades of a field to contrast with the orange tones of the forest.

Golden coloured leaves pack some punch when framed against a blue sky but don't dismiss dark skies either as overcast days can give you moody, richer looking images. Rain clouds look great on the horizon and once the rain has passed, colours naturally become more saturated. If there's a breeze blowing have a go at using slower shutter speeds to capture the movement of leaves and branches as they blow in the wind to give your images a more abstract feel.

 

6. Foreground Interest

For sweeping scenic shots, it's important to have foreground detail to add depth and to fill what can be a big empty space in front of the lens. It can also add a sense of scale to a shot but don't fill it too much as your shot will end up looking too busy and it'll be hard for the viewer of your shot to find a single point of focus on.

Large rocks and tree stumps work well as foreground interest or you could try setting up your composition with an object that can lead the eye from the front to the back of the shot. Paths created by walkers, streams, walls, fences and bridges all work well. Just remember to use a small aperture (bigger f-number) such as f/11 to keep front to back sharpness.

If you don't want to shoot wide pick up the telephoto lens and use it to focus on a particular point of interest, using its pulling power to isolate your subject.

Remember: Get out of bed early or be prepared to stay out later if mornings aren't your thing, use foreground interest, keep it simple and think about composition before hitting the shutter button.
 

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Patron of HIPA, honours American photographer Scott Kelby, recipient of the Photographic Research/Report Award in HIPA’s 4th Season, Life in Colour.

 

The Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) has finished judging its 15th season, with 'Family' as its theme. The award has now received more than one million photographs from over 500,000 photographers from 209 countries. Winners will be honored on 10 November 2026 at Dubai's Museum of the Future.

 

From HIPA:

 

The Board of Trustees of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) has announced the completion of the judging process for the award’s 15th season, themed ‘Family’.

The announcement was made during a Board of Trustees meeting at HIPA’s headquarters in Dubai, where members reviewed annual performance reports, strategic initiatives, development plans and preparations for the season’s awards ceremony which will take place on 10 November 2026 at the Museum of the Future.

This season featured five categories: Family, Portfolio (Story-Telling), Sports Photography, General and Dreams Through AI.

The Board also revealed that HIPA has now received more than one million photographs submitted by over 500,000 established and aspiring photographers from 209 countries, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most influential photography platforms and the largest active international photography community.

 

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee with the winners of HIPA’s 14th Season, Power.

 

A Global Platform Born in Dubai

 

H.E Abdulrahman Bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs and Chairman of HIPA’s Board of Trustees, highlighted the transformative vision of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Patron of HIPA.

He said, “The award has redefined the global photography landscape by establishing Dubai as an international centre for visual culture and creativity. Through its sustained investments in photographers and creative talent, HIPA has created life-changing opportunities for visual storytellers around the world, empowering them to document humanitarian, environmental and social issues while pursuing sustainable careers.”

He added that the award has played a significant role in supporting creative industries, strengthening visual culture and advancing sustainable development through the power of photography.

 

A Living Global Visual Archive

 

Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Vice Chairperson of HIPA’s Board of Trustee, described the award’s collection as a unique cultural and documentary resource.

“With more than one million photographs from 209 countries, HIPA has evolved into a remarkable visual archive that documents human, environmental and social transformations across the globe,” she said.

“This collection represents an invaluable artistic and anthropological record of the 21st century, and Dubai is proud to be its home.”

 

Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Vice Chairperson of HIPA’s Board of Trustees, honours American photographer Karim Iliya.

 

The World’s Largest Photography Community

 

Ali Bin Thalith, Secretary General of HIPA, said the organisation’s achievements extend far beyond the competition itself.

“Reaching half a million photographers and receiving more than one million images are milestones that place HIPA along the world’s most influential photography initiatives,” he said. “Our community spans 209 countries, creating an unparallel platform for visual dialogue, cultural exchange ad artistic excellence."

Bin Thalith added, “HIPA has delivered more than 230 specialised training programmes, benefitting over 10,000 photographers, while also providing dedicated initiatives for government employees, People of Determination and inmates in correctional institutions.

He noted that the award’s educational efforts include hundreds of published articles and visual programmes designed to promote photography culture and professional development throughout the UAE and the wider Arab world.

“The rising international visibility of photographers from the UAE and the Gulf region reflects the lasting impact of HIPA’s workshops, mentorship opportunities and engagement with world-class judging panels,” he said.

 

Photography as a Universal Language

 

Board of Trustees member Majid Al Bastaki said “HIPA has achieved a remarkable level of cultural globalisation by proving that photography is one of humanity’s most powerful common languages,” he said. It transcends borders cultures and languages while fostering understanding and connection among people.”

He added, “The international media and photography communities continue to recognise HIPA’s transparent judging process, robust intellectual property protections and blind evaluation system.”

 

Building Creative Human Capital

 

Board of Trustee member and renowned artist Matar Bin Lahej said, “HIPA’s impact extends well beyond recognising winners. Many awards end when the prizes are presented. HIPA continues creating value through education and capacity building. By investing in photographers and developing their skills, the award contributes to the long-term sustainability of the photography sector and strengthens Dubai’s position as a regional centre for photography education.”

 

Renowned sports photographer and HIPA judge Laci Perényi (GER)

 

International Recognition

 

Members of this season’s judging panel also praised HIPA’s global influence.

Award-winning American photo editor Kurt Mutchler noted that US media reports directly compare HIPA to leading American photojournalism and documentary photography awards, such as the Pulitzer and POYi. HIPA is recognised for its ability to attract entries from over 200 countries, owing to its inclusive nature and lack of restrictive entry barriers. He also highlighted the American media's praise for the humanitarian dimensions of the award’s annual themes—such as ‘Family’, ‘Diversity’ and ‘Hope’—and how they align with global cultural trends focused on human connections, social justice, and environmental protection.

Renowned German sports photographer, Laci Perényi, stated that European photographers view HIPA as a launchpad for international stardom; the visual impact of the winning images propels photographers into the ranks of stars with both power and confidence. He also noted that the European photography community regards HIPA as successful in sparking human engagement and fostering international interest in major global issues.

Polish documentary photographer Tomasz Tomaszewski remarked that HIPA has successfully utilised photography as a universal language to unite peoples and bridge cultures. He highlighted how the European arts press refers to HIPA as the "Oscars of Photography," citing its significant role in enabling winning creatives to achieve professional independence and dedicate themselves to environmental and humanitarian projects, in addition to the prestigious media exposure gained through their association with the award.

 

About the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA):

 

The Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) is an internationally renowned photography competition. It was launched in 2011 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. The award enjoys a social and legal stature as a tool for promoting Dubai’s vision of artistic and cultural excellence. On a local level, the award hopes to develop and increase awareness of the art of photography amongst the local Emirati population. For more information visit www.hipa.ae

 

As the weather's getting cooler and trees are losing their green tint to shades which are much warmer we thought it would be a good idea to bring ten of our popular autumn photography tutorials together in one place. That way when you're planning a day of autumn photography you don't have to go all over the web searching for ideas and suggestions.
 

1. Autumn Macro Tips With A Compact Camera

Just because you're using a compact camera doesn't mean you can't shoot some interesting, autumn-themed macro shots. Here are some tips and hints to help compact users perfect their technique.

 

2. Photographing Reflections During Autumn

With such bold colours on offer, autumn's the perfect season for capturing reflections. We have tips on capturing a mirror-like reflection as well as advice on shooting more abstract style shots.

  3. Autumn Garden Photography Tips

Your garden is full of autumn photography subjects which means you can stay close to home and still capture the season with your camera and lens.

 

4. Tips On Shooting Autumn Landscapes

Capture the autumn season with your wide-angle lens and you'll soon have a collection of autumn landscapes that really pack some punch.

 

5. Autumn Shooting at Arboretums

Here are a few tips on photography in an Arboretum. With trees all around and wildlife and flowers abundant, there's no excuse not to break the camera out!   

 

Imagen's newest experience adds a built-in editor, introduces a faster way to get from idea to edit, and reshapes the workflow around how photographers actually work.

 

September 29, 2026 – Imagen today launched its newest update, challenging an assumption the photo editing industry has built around for years: that culling, editing, and delivery have to happen in a fixed order. Imagen’s Intelligent Studio, an adaptive post-production workspace, removes that order entirely. Photographers can cull first, start editing before making final selections, pull together a client preview from a handful of key moments, or move between all three as a project develops.

 

A full editor, built in At the core of the new experience is a new editor that brings full manual editing directly into Imagen for the first time. Photographers can work with RAW and JPEG files, with the same range of manual control they'd expect from a dedicated editing program: tone and color, detail and clarity, lens and perspective corrections, and creative finishing touches. Every adjustment happens in the same workspace as the rest of the shoot, no exporting to a separate program to make a change or see the result. For photographers who want Adobe Lightroom in their process, that workflow remains supported. Imagen gives them another option: they can now complete more of the project inside Imagen, from the original files through final export. Photographers can also apply an additional AI Profile to selected images directly within the edit, giving them more control over how Imagen's learned editing style is used across a gallery.

 

Intelligence that works alongside the photographer

Imagen also introduces new ways to find and work with images across a shoot. Imagen's new Assistant lets photographers complete multiple steps from a single instruction. Instead of finding a set of images, selecting them, making an adjustment, and preparing them for review one step at a time, a photographer can describe what they want in plain language. For example: “find the bride in the ceremony photos and increase highlights” or “create duplicate versions of these photos with a black and white base I can work from”. Imagen can handle those steps together, shortening the path from editing to delivery. 

AI filters run on that same underlying intelligence, surfacing photos by people, scenes, or moments without manual tagging. A gallery that used to take an hour to sort through by eye can be narrowed to the handful of shots that matter in seconds. Photographers still decide how far to take it: lean on Imagen for the first pass, or keep every selection by hand, and switch between the two from one project to the next.

 

 

Personalization that evolves with you

Imagen has consistently centered its AI development on the idea that a photographer's style, judgment, and eye are valuable assets to safeguard, not replace. While many in the industry aim to make AI handle more tasks independently, Imagen chose a different approach: building AI that adapts to how each photographer already works. The new version continues that philosophy, with a proprietary Editor model that learns how a photographer edits inside Imagen itself. 

This shifts the AI's role from merely a tool to an adaptive assistant that evolves alongside the photographer, one that's beginning to recognize patterns like a recurring sneak peek style, remember fixes made before rather than flagging the same thing generically, and tell the difference between a photographer's general style and the specific choices made for one shoot.

Imagen is positioning itself as a builder shaping the next stage of post-production. This is the foundation for that future, and the beginning of where the workflow goes next.

“Photographers don't all work the same way, and we don't think their software should expect them to,” said Yotam Gil, co-founder and CEO of Imagen. “Imagen gives photographers the tools to build the process that works for them. They decide what they want to do themselves, where AI can help, and how the final work should look. Our job is to give them more control over that process, not define it for them.”

 

Availability and Pricing

Imagen offers two plans: pay-as-you-go, with a $7 monthly minimum plus usage-based charges, and Limitless, a flat monthly rate for photographers who'd rather not track individual charges.

Pricing changes with Imagen’s Intelligent Studio for pay-as-you-go customers: instead of paying for each AI action, photographers can explore and continue editing freely, then pay for the images they ultimately export.

The update begins rolling out to customers in stages starting September 29. To learn more, please visit imagen-ai.com

 

About Imagen

Imagen is an AI-powered post-production platform for professional photographers and videographers. The company builds AI that learns each photographer's individual editing style and applies it consistently across their work, rather than treating every photo the same way. Imagen supports the full post-production process, from culling and editing to retouching and delivery, and is used by photographers and videographers worldwide across wedding, portrait, real estate, and commercial work. imagen-ai.com