“Legacy of War” Photo Project Conclusion Being Funded on Kickstarter

If you’ve been curious about the Legacy of War project of documentary photographer Giles Duley following his exhibit, you might also be interested in showing your support for the final leg of his work.

We’ve first heard about Giles Duley from an Ilford Inspires episode, which featured a selection of photos from his long-term photography project, Legacy of War. Now, the documentary photographer and writer has decided finally cap the project in the next twelve months. To do this, he’ll need our support on Kickstarter to fund the rest of the activities, collaborations, and stories that he has planned for the last leg of the project.

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Fascinating Portrait Project Explores Our Shared Genetic Past

“The Sum of the Some of Us” is a fascinating portrait photography project that seeks to change the way we look at cultural identity and genetic lineage.

If you’re 100% sure of your heritage, ethnicity, race, nationality, or whatever else you think makes you distinctly you, taking a DNA journey might surprise you. Who could forget that eye-opening short commercial film celebrating the (often surprising) ancestry of 67 people randomly chosen from all over the world? Well, this portrait project beautifully called The Sum of the Some of Us that is currently being funded on Kickstarter is another one like it, with the same goal of exploring, revealing, and celebrating the bits of our ancestry that we probably aren’t aware of.

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Every Photographer Should Learn How Photograph Darker Skin Tones

Darker skin tones can still use some extra attention from photographers and even industry professionals like make-up artists and stylists.

Portrait and fashion photography should be an all-encompassing craft, especially at this time and age when we’re supposedly more open-minded and accepting of other cultures and perspectives. This means that photographers today should be able to use their expertise to create photos of darker skinned models and individuals in a way that highlights their natural beauty. A video by Buzzfeed reinforces this idea with a photoshoot done with dark-skinned models, encouraging photographers and even industry professionals like make-up artists and stylists to do the same.

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Useful Photography Tip #194: You Need This if You’re Manually Focusing a Telephoto Lens

Want more Useful Photography Tips? Click Here.

One would easily think that focusing with a telephoto lens manually would be a peace of cake; but the reality is that there a ton of complicated physics happening. In fact, it’s both exhausting and requires the photographer to be incredibly deliberate. Perplexed at how this is so difficult? Well let’s break it down for you.

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The Olympus TG-6 is the World’s Most Modular Point and Shoot

Capable of working down to 50 feet of water, the Olympus TG-6 is an incredible modular point and shoot camera.

The Olympus tough camera lineup has always been pretty darned good for what they are, and the new Olympus TG-6 is promising to be even better–if not take it over the top. The company’s latest offering is pretty much as modular as a DSLR or Mirrorless camera without being a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Instead, Olympus allows photographers to have all the accessories they could possibly want. This camera is designed for the enthusiast that is afraid to bring their phone back from a swim and also always to be able to shoot great images underwater. However, it’s also a great, pocketable option for the photographer going on an excursion of some sort into more remote regions. Unfortunately, Olympus hasn’t given the camera a Four Thirds sized sensor; which is what I really wanted personally. However, it looks like it’s very capable of taking stunning photos. There are lots of other great things going on here.

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New Photographers: Please Stop Supporting Unsplash, Support Behance

You don’t need to keep giving your rights up photographers; you can still have self-respect.

The motivation for this piece comes not only from the message that I’ve been actively preaching about Unsplash and the companies supporting them, but also because I’ve noticed that a ton of new photographers who enjoy showcasing their work on Reddit just don’t know any better. And so it is my genuine hope that everyone shares this message with every other photographer that they know. This isn’t at all a sponsored post for Behance–we’re pretty strict about our editorial policies and transparency in a journalism world where so many aren’t. I don’t want to call this a public service announcement, but instead I want to call this my beckoning to photographers to stop giving up their work and their creativity for free.

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Cheap Photo: The Sony a7 II Costs Just $898 Right Now

These amazing camera deals come to an end real soon, so if you want to score a bargain act fast!

These camera deals from Canon, Nikon, and Sony all expire on June 1st, so if you have been thinking about picking up a new camera with a huge discount, you need to hurry. Act now, and you’ll be able to save $300 on the Mirrorless Canon M50 with the lens. It’s just $599. You can grab a Nikon D7500 with two lenses for only $996.95, and the incredible Nikon D500 can be snapped up for the crazy low price of $1,496.95! There are great Sony camera deals too like the A6000, which is a bargain at $398. The Sony A7 II Full Frame camera with the 28-70mm lens is only $998, $898 for just the body, and you can save $1,000 on the Sony a9! Come and check out all of the incredible camera deals we’ve found.

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Benji Messmer’s Leica M9 Snaps Feature a Scenic Weekend Roadtrip in the Dolomites

Itching to take your Leica M9 on a road trip? These beautiful travel photos shot by Benji Messmer during a weekend in the Dolomites will make you get even more excited.

Last time we featured Benji Messmer and his Leica M9 snaps from around the world, we had a look at how they remind us of chrome film’s classic look. This time, we place the spotlight on his wanderlust-inducing road trip photos shot in the picturesque Dolomites. If you’ve been thinking of bringing your own Leica M9 on an upcoming trip, prepare to get inspired with this beautiful travel diary.

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This Wooden DIY 35mm Panoramic Camera Yields Great Results So Far

Photographers like Galen Weld show us how determination and getting crafty can get us our dream cameras — like a DIY 35mm panoramic camera!

Move over, Hasselblad XPan. You’ve got some cool competitors out there now, courtesy of the highly resourceful and creative film photographer. They show us that if we can’t get our hands on a coveted camera like the Xpan, there’s nothing stopping us from making our own instead. That is if we can get even half as crafty and clever as Seattle-based Galen Weld, who has recently shared his progress on building his own DIY  35mm panoramic camera. If you’re interested in making your own assembly he’s even got the stuff to get you started!

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Tia Lloyd Documents Skinheads with a Powerful Portrait Project

Photos from “Skinheads, We Never Left” by Tia Lloyd. Used with Creative Commons permission.

If the United States has the Greaser subculture, the United Kingdom has the Skinhead movement. Both are predominantly youth subcultures that emerged from the working class, each with their own style elements. It’s always interesting to see how these groups have endured to this day, and even evolved in some ways. UK-based Tia Lloyd, a Staffordshire University BA Hons photography graduate, has been documenting skinhead groups that still remain across the country, satisfying her curiosity and introducing us to the faces of the British subculture in the process.

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Camera Review: Fujifilm X-T30 (Honey, Fuji Shrunk the X-T3!)

The Fujifilm X-T30 is a more affordable and shrunken down version of the highly regarded X-T3, albeit with a few caveats

While most of the digital imaging industry has been concentrating their efforts on introducing Full Frame Mirrorless cameras for the better part of the past year, photographers that prefer lighter and more compact Crop Sensor bodies got some new hotness of their very own to lust after in the form of the Fujifilm X-T3 and the Sony A6400. Both flagship APS-C cameras have proven to be massively popular for consumers to professionals alike, but what if you wanted the same level of performance but in an even svelter and more condensed package? As luck would have it, the engineers over at Fujifilm managed to answer that question with the X-T30, the company’s latest compact Crop Sensor Mirrorless camera. Fujifilm managed to incorporate almost all of the best of breed innovations found within the X-T3 into the XT30 while bringing both the size and the cost down. After spending a few short hours with the pre-production sample during the top-secret press briefing when the X-T30 first launched, Fujifilm was kind enough to provide a final production model of the camera to us so that we can evaluate in comprehensively in typical Phoblographer fashion.

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Benji Messmer’s Leica M9 Travel Snaps Remind Us of Chrome Film

All Leica M9 photos by Benji Messmer. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Leica cameras have been popular compact companions not only of street photographers, but also of on-the-go photographers. The Leica M9 in particular, despite turning 10 years old this year, remains a favorite travel camera of many today. We think we know exactly why: it gives a timeless chrome film look to those travel snaps. Just take a look at the work of Germany-based art director Benji Messmer and you’ll see what we mean!

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How to Balance Your Day Job, Family and Your Photography Hobby

Finding balance is generally one of the most difficult things for most amateur and enthusiast photographers to do. 

Life demands so much of you: and the most exhausting thing at times is finding balance between it all. My grandfather used to say to me “You go to school, and you come home, you sleep, then go to work, come home and sleep. And life is very repetitive.” He was right to a point, but I think that one of the best things that folks should do is find a way to keep a balance. It’s good for mental health, but it also means that you’re giving priority to the things that are very important to you.

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These 35mm Primes are Great For Almost Every Genre of Photography

Put one of these 35mm primes on your camera and you might not ever take it off.

There are lots of prime lenses out there that are great for specific types of photography. 14mm primes are great for landscapes, 40mm primes are great for street photography, and 85mm primes are great for portraits, but what if we told you that there is a sweet spot in the prime lens world? 35mm primes are like a multi-tool. They’re great for weddings, environmental portraits, street photography, product photography, architectural work, and they’re still wide enough to capture landscapes, cityscapes, and even out of this world astrophotography. Join us after the break to take a look at six 35mm primes that will rock your world. All of the 35mm primes we have listed here are incredibly impressive. Along with having one of the most versatile prime focal lengths, they’re well built, offer wide apertures for low light shooting, they produce ridiculously sharp images, they’re fast to focus, produce great colors, and they’ll even make you breakfast (okay, they won’t make you breakfast, but you get the point.) Slap one of these 35mm primes on your camera and you will be ready to shoot to matter what situation you find yourself in.

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Oleksandr Malyy Channels Solid Steampunk Vibes in Wet Plate Project

All photos by Oleksandr Malyy. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Wet plate photography, also known as wet collodion process, is among the topics we like to keep tabs on. It’s amazing how this centuries-old photographic process is kept alive in the digital age. The projects made with this process today never fail to show just how timeless the craft can be. Case in point is the wet plate photos of Kiev-based Oleksandr Malyy, which is a testament to how perfect it is for photographing steampunk-themed projects!

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Dean Bradshaw Unveils “Real Life Superheroes” in Creative Portraits

All photos by Dean Bradshaw. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Superheroes always make fun subjects for creative projects, so it’s not surprising to find a lot of noteworthy photography projects out there. It’s especially the case for cosplay photography, as superheroes are among the favorites of the subculture. However, did you also know that there’s actually a subculture dedicated to real life superheroes? Don’t take our word for it — just take a look at this beautiful portrait project of Los Angeles-based photographer and director Dean Bradshaw!

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Francesco Gregori Gives Us a Peek at Beijing’s Underground Scene

“Beijing Underground” photos by Francesco Gregori. Used with Creative Commons permission.

So much is out there about Beijing as an important global capital, historical center, and financial district. But as with any city, it’s also home to some vibrant subcultures. All you need to know where and what to look for. In his 2012 documentary project, Italian photographer Francesco Gregori takes us to some gigs, parties, and hangouts to introduce us to some of the colorful faces of the city’s energetic underground scene.

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Three Tips for Beginners on Using a Softbox for Photography

Using a softbox for photography really isn’t difficult. Here’s how a total noob can do it.

When photographers first start using lighting, they often work with softboxes. I’m not exactly sure why; umbrellas and octabanks are superior in every way. But softboxes are still the light modifiers that everyone just knows and starts with. They’re the old reliable. But when photographers start out with lighting, they often don’t know the first thing about how to shape it. So here’s what you need to keep in mind with a softbox (in a bite sized package.)

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Mortal Kombat Cosplay Photos Show Creative Process from Photography to Digital Art

This Mortal Kombat cosplay project gives us a peek into the process involved in transforming photography into digital art specific to the subculture.

Cosplay photography remains one of the most popular and vibrant photography sub-genres, and cosplay is a visual art in its own right. Most of the impressive cosplay imagery we see begins with costumes and props made as detailed and accurate as possible, and is then followed up with great portrait photography. But when you really need to push the art further and make it more striking, you can draw inspiration from the retouching process of Chilean art director Marce Moya Ochoa and this Mortal Kombat project.

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How to Make the Most of a 50mm Lens for Portrait Photography

If you’re the type to often shoot at 35mm or wider, then a 50mm lens could be ideal for portraiture.

Photographers who often reach for 35mm or 28mm lenses can make a great case for using the 50mm lens for portrait photography. At times, an 85mm lens can feel too long, but modern 50mm lenses like a Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM can render a look like much of what’s on the market today. As one of its biggest advantages, it lets you frame your scene in tighter locations and also keeps you within a closer physical working distance to the subject. Best of all, due to the f1.2 aperture, the lens lets you seriously isolate your portrait subject in a way that only most 85mm lenses can.

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Andy Lee Used Infrared Photography for this Surreal Landscape Series

All photos by Andy Lee. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Infrared photography has always been a powerful tool for surreal and breathtaking landscape snaps, as we’ve seen some of our previously featured photographers do. So, we’re thrilled to add one more impressive project to the pile with yet another feature on Pembroke-based Andy Lee. Landscape photographers looking into experimenting with infrared imagery will surely find it nothing short of fascinating!

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