Technology Explained, Practice
Daniela Bowker
Resolution and pixels and image quality! Oh my! ...

When you hear the term 'high-res' thrown about with such abandon when it comes to images for web use, have you ever stopped to think just how big or how high quality and image meant for the web needs to be?

Resolution and pixels and image quality! Oh my! Saving images for the web
Feature Articles, Photography Theory
Haje Jan Kamps
Low-contrast photographs don't have to be boring

There's an assumption that high-contrast images are more dynamic, more compelling, more inviting. Have a go at some low-contrast photography. You might surprise yourself with the results.

Low-contrast photographs don't have to be boring
Feature Articles, Theory
Daniela Bowker
Seeking balance in your photos

Balance doesn't mean symmetry; it means an internal consistency and tension within your photos. And it's a vital element of composition. 

Seeking balance in your photos
Feature Articles, Photography Theory
Haje Jan Kamps
Training your photographic luck

Great photos might be down to a little bit of luck, but most of that 'luck' you make yourself. Don't believe us? Read on...

Training your photographic luck
Feature Articles, Practice
Daniela Bowker
The ups and downs and ins and outs of ...

Photographing buildings doesn't have to mean wide-angle lenses and fretting about correcting for the keystone effect. Any lens, and angle. Don't believe us? Let us show you!

The ups and downs and ins and outs of photographing buildings

buffalo

Sony World Photography Awards open for 2012

The Hunter 1, part of L'Iris d'Or-winning series, © Alejandro Chaskielberg - courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011

The World Photography Organisation has just opened the Sony World Photography Awards 2012 for entries. There are some exciting new categories this time around, making for an even bigger and hopefully better competition, which reflect the changes that’re happening in the photographic world right now. As ever, it’s divided into two sections: professional and open (you have to choose between one or the other) and it’s free to make submissions. Whatever you submit, though, it needs to have been shot in 2011.

Building on the success of the inaugural Moving Image award in 2011, which was won by Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas’ Migration (and giving opportunities to everyone who loves using their dSLRs to make films), this category has been expanded and divided into six categories: nature and wildlife, people, extraordinary, commerical, fine art, and documentary. There’s also the brand new Youth competition, with its environment, portrait, and culture categories, which is for photographers under 20 years old. Good to see some encouragement happening there. Don’t worry: the Student Focus competition, for photography students, is still running.

Migration from Will & Matt Burrard-Lucas on Vimeo.

A nature and wildlife category has been added to the professional section. I can’t think why there hasn’t been one before now. In the open section, there are three new categories: low-light, split-second, and enhanced. Again, these seem to be taking into consideration developments in photography and how people are taking their pictures now.

Winner of the Open Award 2011: Buffalo Race, © Chan Kwok Hung courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011

If you don’t think that you’ve shot anything yet this year that’s suitable for submission, don’t worry. You’ve until 23:59 (GMT) on Wednesday 4 January 2012 to get it in. You can do that over at www.worldphoto.org.

The winner of L’Iris d’Or – the over all winner of the professional competition – will walk away with US$25,000 and some Sony photography equipment. The winner of the open competition gets US$5,000 as well as some Sony photography goodies. Those prizes will be presented at a swanky awards ceremony in London in April next year, which is part of the World Photography Festival.

Time to get cracking, then. Everything you need to know to enter is on the World Photography Organisation website.

(Featured image: The Hunter 1, part of L’Iris d’Or-winning series, © Alejandro Chaskielberg – courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011)

Trading Tottenham for Tanzania - photographic safaris for families

FAM_THEME_SAFARI_PARA1-Chobe cruise (cropped)

A photographic safari for kids. That’s a real safari – you know, with elephants and buffalo and antelope – in Tanzania, designed for families, that comes with a photography tutor. I’m sold. (We’ll ignore the minor point that I don’t have any children and haven’t been on anything that resembles an organised holiday since my Art and Visual Culture lecturer took me and 21 other classicists to Pompeii in 2002.)

The trips, organised by The Adventure Company, last 11 days, have maximum numbers of 16, and take in the Mikumi and Saadani National Parks as well as a bit of Zanzibar. They reckon that they’re suitable for children six and upwards, but the photography tuition follows the GCSE curriculum. I’m sure that it’ll be a lot more exciting than anything taught in a classroom, though. Tanzania definitely beats Tottenham.

I asked Small Aperture’s resident travel advisor (that being Mummy Bowker) if she thought that at £2,649 for an adult and £2,489 for a child was good value. Her opinion: ‘It’s never going to be a cheap trip, but I don’t think that it’s terrible either. It covers all your travel and accommodation and most of your meals.’ And taking kids on safari? ‘Well, I would’ve happily taken you from the age of six, but it depends on the child.’

Of course it isn’t going to be for everyone, but travel and getting kids involved in photography? I think it’s a great idea.

Lots more information on Safari and Spice trips are available on The Adventure Company’s website.