The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year competition has announced its 2025 winners. Hosted by travel photography blog Capture the Atlas, this marks the 8th year of the contest and highlights 25 of the most outstanding Aurora images captured over the past year.
The selected images from this year's contest showcase stunning scenes from across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The top 25 photographers represent 15 nationalities, with image locations ranging from Iceland and Norway to Australia and New Zealand and more. Geomagnetic activity was exceptionally high throughout the year, allowing photographers opportunities to capture Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis in unusual locations.
The winning images are curated by Dan Zafra, editor of Capture the Atlas, with the selection based on image quality, the story behind the shot and the inspiration the photo conveys. You can see all 25 of the winning images and find tips on photographing the Northern Lights at Capture the Atlas.
Lights & Ice
Photographer: Tori Harp
Location: Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, New Zealand
Camera gear: Sony a7R IV, Sony 20mm F1.8 G
Technical details: Sky and ice cave: F1.8, ISO 2000, 20 sec; Abseiler shot: F2.8, ISO 1250, 1/50 sec
Caption: I originally found this ice cave, called a moulin, 8 months prior to setting up this shot in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Glaciers are a very dynamic environment, so I kept going back to monitor the changes of this moulin over the 8-month period. As the opening of the cave formed, I envisioned setting up a night shot with my friend abseiling down the mouth of the cave with New Zealand’s amazing starry sky in the background.
One magical night, everything finally came together! To my surprise, the Aurora Australis also lit up the sky. I managed to capture my friend’s silhouette perfectly placed in the center of the cave’s opening, and I love how the pinky tones of the aurora contrast with the icy colors of the cave. This dream shot ended up coming out better than I had originally envisioned, and I had a great night with my friends exploring the glacier!
Essence of the Arctic Night
Photographer: Giulio Cobianchi
Location: Haukland Beach, Lofoten islands
Camera gear: Nikon Z6II (astro-modified), Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S
Technical details: Panoramic of 21 shots in 2 rows:
Sky: 10 shots, 14mm, F2.8, ISO 5000, 10 sec
Landscape: 10 shots, 14mm, F3.5, ISO 5000, f3.5, 13 sec
Myself: 1 shot, 14mm, F3,2, ISO 6400, 8 sec
Caption: Autumn in the Arctic is the best time to capture the “double arc” of the Milky Way and the Aurora Borealis. The nights have finally turned dark again after the endless summer days when the sun never sets. The summer Milky Way is already high in the sky shortly after sunset, and the Northern Lights return to dance across the sky in bands of pink, red, violet, and green.
During my last tour in September, I captured this 360° panoramic image at the border between Haukland and Vik Beach, where rugged mountains meet the wild Norwegian Sea. The intense Northern Lights and the bright moonlight softened the Milky Way, but the combination of all these elements in the Arctic sky felt absolutely magical — just as the Lofoten Islands always do.
Frozen Silence Beneath the Lights
Photographer: Nikki Born
Location: Riisitunturi National Park, Finland
Camera gear: Canon EOS R6, Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art
Technical details: 14mm, F2.8, 10 sec
Caption: This night was truly unforgettable. Capturing the famous frozen trees of Riisitunturi beneath the Northern Lights had been a dream for years.
In March 2025, we set out to make it happen, but the weather challenged us with thick clouds all week. On our final night, we hiked into the park, hoping for a glimpse of the sky. The wind was biting, and we took shelter among the frozen trees, waiting in silence. After hours of nothing, we finally gave up and began the hike back to our cabin.
Then, just as we were about to call it a night, a break appeared in the clouds. We grabbed our gear and hurried back up the Riisitunturi Hill. The moment we reached the top, the sky burst into vivid shades of green. It was an explosion of light and wonder.
This night was the experience of a lifetime: the dream shot I had longed for and a moment that words can hardly describe. Photographing the Northern Lights demands patience and persistence, but when they finally appear, time stands still, and nature reminds you just how amazing our world can be.
Sueños en Eystrahorn
Photographer: Pablo Ruiz
Location: Eystrahorn, Iceland
Camera gear: Nikon D810, Nikon AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm F2.8G ED
Technical details: Panorama 2 rows of 8 photos:
Sky: F2.8, ISO 6400, 6 sec
Ground: F2.8, ISO 6400, 15 sec
Caption: Without a doubt, one of the most challenging aurora panoramas I’ve ever taken was this one at one of Iceland’s most spectacular locations.
Capturing a panorama with reflections and auroras that move so quickly is quite difficult. It was the photograph of my dreams, so I arrived in the afternoon to prepare the angles and options for the night. Clear skies and very little wind looked perfect for capturing reflections in the different pools.
Auroras were already visible in the sky during the blue hour, so I quickly headed to the spot where I had planned the composition. The wind shifted, making it difficult to capture the reflections, but the moment the sky exploded, the wind stopped, and for a few brief moments, I achieved my dream photograph. It was a great joy to witness and capture such a moment.
Twisting Turn
Photographer: Virgil Reglioni
Location: Scoresbysund, Greenland
Camera gear: Sony a7C II, Laowa 15mm F2 Zero-D
Technical details: 15mm, F2.0, ISO 2500, 1.3 sec
Caption: Behind every image lies a deliberate process — a fusion of coordination, timing, and technical precision carried out from a ship navigating some of the harshest conditions on Earth. Photographing the aurora over the ice is never about luck; it’s the result of preparation, teamwork, and experience. From the ship’s bridge to the camera deck, every movement is carefully planned to give the lights their best possible stage.
During the day, we navigated through fields of icebergs, scouting for the perfect one — a curve, a ridge, or a translucent arch to anchor the composition. Guided by how the aurora moves across the Greenlandic sky, we aligned our chosen iceberg and ship precisely, uniting earth, ice, and sky in one luminous image.
Working closely with the bridge crew, we searched for newly formed ice strong enough to hold the vessel steady. A stable platform was vital — it allowed us to capture long exposures between half a second and two seconds, every moment of stillness essential as the aurora began to dance above.
When the Northern Lights intensified, our focus shifted. We exposed for the highlights, preserving the delicate shapes of light without losing their definition. Each frame became a balance between nature’s raw power and the patience of observation.
Aurora Comet Lemmon
Photographer: Petr Horálek
Location: Skaulo, Sweden
Camera gear: Canon EOS Ra, Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Technical details: F1.4, ISO 2500, 3.2 sec
Caption: The night of 24 October, 2025, was incredible. I had just moved to Sweden, where I organized an astrophotography workshop. We headed to Skaulo, where we found an incredible viewpoint over Suotojärvi Lake.
This night coincided with the C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) Comet, which was only discovered back in January 2025. The comet was so bright that we could see it with our naked eyes, even when it was very low on the horizon.
Fortunately, I had my camera with me! I photographed the comet darting through the sky beside the bright Aurora Borealis. Capturing two stunning natural phenomena in one shot was an exhilarating experience. The comet and the aurora appeared to be in a sort of dance, giving us an amazing show that I’ll remember forever.
Corona Blast Aurora Geomagnetic Storm
Photographer: Roi Levi
Location: Kirkjufell, Iceland
Camera gear: Sony a7S III (astro-modified), Sigma 14mm F1.4 DG Art
Technical details:
Caption: This image was captured during the March Equinox, as a geomagnetic storm structure brought a mesmerizing light show. A full-zenith Auroral Corona erupted overhead – powerful, bright pillars of light radiated across the sky, creating a stunning crown-light blast shape.
This rare phenomenon occurred on March 21, 2025, when a CME struck Earth, triggering a G2 geomagnetic storm. The shot is a 360° panoramic stitch of 21 frames, capturing the entire Aurora shape and a complete sky view. I used a Sigma Art fast F1.4 lens to get a fast exposure and capture the pillar structure.
Kirkjufell is one of Iceland’s most iconic mountains, and witnessing the aurora here was a one-of-a-kind experience. With the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfalls in the foreground, this image is a dynamic representation of the sweeping auroral corona.
Speechless
Photographer: Ralf Rohner
Location: Hudson Bay, Canada
Camera gear: Canon EOS R (astro-modified), Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Technical details: F2, ISO 6400, 5 sec
Caption: I was flying at 35,000 feet over Hudson Bay, Canada. As a commercial pilot, night flights often test one’s patience and endurance. Confined to a narrow seat, surrounded by seemingly never-changing instruments, the pilot stares into a boundless darkness and wonders what drives him to endure such long, lonely hours. The monotony can seem endless – until suddenly, everything changes. There are rare nights when the sky rewards you for all that fatigue and isolation.
Above a silent sea of clouds, cocooned within a fragile shell of metal, the pilot witnesses something extraordinary. Curtains of light dance across the heavens, painting the darkness with vivid greens and purples. In that breathtaking moment, every struggle feels justified, and words simply fail. What I couldn’t express with words, I captured in this photograph.
The Northern Crown
Photographer: Mari Jääskeläinen
Location: Pyhäjärvi, Finland
Camera gear: Sony a7 III, Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art DG HSM
Technical details: F2, ISO 2500, 1.6 sec
Caption: I step outside and take a look at the sky above my house. It’s time. I feel the adrenaline rush in as I gather my gear and put on more warm clothes.
Just a quick drive to the lake nearby and I’m all set up for the night! During active nights, I always follow the real-time solar wind data to predict what’s yet to come. On this night, there were no significant CMEs as far as I remember. And I was perfectly fine with that, as this could be the night when I finally get the shot I’ve dreamed about for a long time.
In my mind, I imagine the Northern Lights creating a clear, bright green spiral to the northern sky, just above the trees, so the foreground would fit perfectly into the frame. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the auroral arc started taking the exact shape I had only dreamed about for so long! Perfect reminder of how beautiful these subtle auroras can be!
Neon Nightfall
Photographer: Andres Papp
Location: Türisalu, Estonia
Camera gear: Canon EOS 6D, Samyang 14mm F2.8
Technical details: F2.8, ISO 6400, 5 sec
Caption: I shot this image on a quiet, rocky beach as a strong aurora storm rolled in from the north. At first, it was just a low green arc, but it quickly erupted into vertical curtains of lime and rare magenta. To connect the sky with the foreground, I illuminated the shoreline rocks with a strong 365 nm UV light torch, which made the minerals pop and added the surreal glow you see in the image.
The challenge was balancing everything—an exposure of about 5 seconds to keep the aurora structure sharp and managing the UV spill so it didn’t look artificial. What keeps me coming back to Northern Lights photography is this mix of science and magic: you study forecasts and KP indices, but the real reward is when the sky does something unexpected, and you’re prepared to capture it in a single, colorful frame.
Gibson Steps Aurora
Photographer: Jeff Cullen
Location: Great Ocean Rd, Victoria, Australia
Camera gear: Canon EOS 5DS, Samyang 14mm F2.8
Technical details: F2.8, ISO 1000, 30 sec
Caption: I had been struggling to find the motivation to get out and shoot. The aurora was predicted, as were the clouds, but I decided to take the chance and drive the hour to this iconic destination. The cloud prediction was correct, but I still went down the 86 steps to the beach and crossed the sand to the Gog and Magog sea stacks. The clouds started to clear, and I was able to shoot some great images before the aurora died down. I packed up and had another nearby destination in mind.
Climbing back up the stairs, the beams were so big and bright in the corner of my eye! I ran back down to the beach and quickly set up my camera again. This image shows the magic that happened that night; I was absolutely amazed and astounded that such a weak aurora forecast brought me such a brilliant show.
Moral of the story: Go and shoot! There is nothing to lose, but the finest nature photos to gain.
Guardians of the Aurora
Photographer: Daniel Mickleson
Location: Taranaki, New Zealand
Camera gear: Canon EOS R5, Canon 16-35mm F2.8L II USM
Technical details: F2.8, ISO 1250, 13 sec
Caption: A rare aurora event lit the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island in vivid curtains of pink and green. In the foreground, the rock formations known as the Three Sisters stand as guardians of the shoreline, while the sacred Taranaki Maunga rises in the distance. Within Te ao Māori (the Māori worldview), such natural features are not just landscapes but ancestral presences, carrying the role of guardianship. Beneath the aurora, earth, sky, and ancestry converge in a moment both fleeting and timeless.
After capturing my first aurora during the May 2024 storm, I was hooked. Travelling several hours from my home to this special location, I hoped the forecasts would be correct. Even with a near–full moon, the powerful display shone across the sky. I could see the beams dancing overhead — a truly spectacular sight.
One Autumn Night
Photographer: Jesús Garrido
Location: Abisko, Sweden
Camera gear: Sony a1, Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM
Technical details: F1,8, ISO 4000, 3.2 sec
Caption: The 1st of October 2025. That night, at the very moment I stepped outside my home, I somehow knew it was going to be a great one. The solar activity was looking really good, and I kept thinking that I had to find some open water to catch those reflections. Soon, the lakes would be completely frozen and covered in snow, so this felt like the right time to look for reflections before winter settled in.
I drove to a little bay of Lake Torneträsk in Abisko, a place I like because it’s usually quiet and protected from the wind. A few moments after arriving, the Northern Lights started to move slowly across the sky, and then suddenly they began to dance. Red tones rose on the southern horizon while the lake remained perfectly still, reflecting every single thing that was happening above me.
Celestial Fireworks on New Years
Photographer: Sara Aurorae
Location: The Otways, Victoria, Australia
Camera gear: Nikon Z7II, Nikon Nikkor Z 20mm F1.8 S
Technical details: Panorama: 6 Frames, F2.5, ISO 1250, 13 sec
Caption: On New Year’s Day, beneath the dark Australian sky, my friends and I were met by celestial fireworks with the Aurora Australis unfurling in a sudden, breathtaking bloom above our quiet campsite in the Otways of Victoria. Ribbons of rose, violet, and green shimmered, visible even to the naked eye, as if the universe itself had heard our resolutions for 2025 and joined in our celebration.
The spectacle arrived without warning, giving me only moments to reach for my camera. Though the foreground may be plain, I don’t mind it, as the lines of trees on the right lead your eye to the stunning light show in the sky. This photograph holds something far greater — a reminder that even in life’s simplest scenes, magic can find us when we least expect it.
Auroral Reflections
Photographer: Travis D. Amick
Location: Ketchum, Idaho, USA
Camera gear: Sony a7R IV, Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM
Technical details: Single shot, 14mm, F1.8, ISO 2000, 8 sec
Caption: The night commenced with the eagerly anticipated arrival of a large coronal mass ejection (CME) destined to impact Earth. CMEs, a primary cause of significant aurora displays, serve as an excellent catalyst for the aurora to be observed in lower latitudes, particularly during substorms, which are brief “bursts” of heightened auroral activity.
The notification of a CME impact came ringing in much earlier than expected from SpaceWeatherLive. I was well prepared and quickly headed out to a secluded pond just north of Ketchum, Idaho. After the initial impact, time seemed to slow down, and only a faint auroral glow was present on the horizon. I was ready to throw in the towel when suddenly, there was an explosion of color and the brightest naked-eye red flares I’ve ever seen.
I ran down to the pond to get this particular shot of the vibrant red flares intertwined with the colors of the aurora reflecting off the tranquil pond. Within minutes, the substorm subsided, and the aurora once again receded to just a glow on the horizon. The aurora demands patience and meticulous planning, but it’s worth it for those fleeting moments of awe.
Hasselblad X2D II 100C | XCD 35-100mm F2.8-4 E @ 100mm | F4.0 | 1/180 sec | ISO 3200
Please download the original and view on an HDR display, where the light on the right of the subject's face is rendered more realistically. Photo: Richard Butler
Sometimes you just know. Sometimes it's in the moment you hit the shutter, but more often I find, it's the moment the review image pops up on your screen or viewfinder: you've caught exactly the moment you wanted to. Or, perhaps something even better than you anticipated.
I always struggle with choosing my photo of the year, because I think of myself primarily as a writer who's a keen photographer, rather than as a photographer (still less, a YouTuber). Like the majority of DPReview's readers, I'm a keen amateur always pushing myself to get better. And one of the core photography skills I'm still working on is the ability to select and assess my own images. But I knew, in the moment I'd taken this one, that it was the best thing I'd shoot this year.
And I'm going to fight my inner Britishness and try not to be bashful or stumble about between self-deprecation and false modesty. I got this photo because I put in the work. There was definitely an element of good fortune and serendipity to it, but I got this photo because I made it happen.
There was definitely an element of good fortune and serendipity to it, but I got this photo because I made it happen.
I say this because I took this photo in the midst of a conversation on precisely that topic. I'd flown into London earlier that afternoon and was enjoying a pint outside my favourite pub with two of my closest friends. One of them, a former DPReview colleague, was saying how impressed he'd been with some of my recent portrait photos, the other was teasing (/haranguing) me for not being able to accept the compliment.
As we chatted, another group of people arrived and stood next to us, among them a young woman in a pink top with pink and orange hair and quite striking checkerboard trousers. It was a pretty loud outfit, so quite hard to ignore but it was also, by some strange coincidence, the same shade of pink as the wall of the intentionally Instagram-friendly cake shop opposite us.
I'd say "picture the scene" but you don't have to, as I apparently included a photo of it in another article, four years ago. This story takes place where the people are standing: the pink wall is parallel with the right-hand edge of this photo. It were a copy shop/reprographics house, back in my day.
Photo: Richard Butler
Emboldened by Andy's kind words (and with no contribution from the beers I'd drunk or the fact I was nearly hallucinating with tiredness/jet-lag), I decided to ask if she'd pose for a photo. The moment I opened my mouth I remembered that, back in the UK, I don't have an accent working in my favor, but the strength of my "your outfit matches that wall" argument and the promise that it'd only take a moment, was sufficient, regardless.
Unfortunately, and for this I am blaming the timezone change, I'd not noticed how dark it had got. My subject was very game in trying to pull exaggerated poses in front of the matching wall for me, but the light was much flatter and greyer than it'd been a few moments (hours?) ago.
I was just about to give up, when I noticed that the previous shot I'd taken had a distinct orange tinge catching my subject's outline. The interior lights of the Instagramable bakery were beginning to overwhelm the fading grey light of dusk, and even in my slow-witted state, I knew what to do next.
"Could I ask you to take a step to your right, so you're more in front of this window?" I asked, repositioning myself so that I'd be shooting from the direction of the glow. Suddenly, there was something: my subject's face bathed in orange light, with the pink wall still visible behind her, each element working with her intensely dyed hair.
Once you've found some nice light, it's so hard to resist making more use of it.
Photo: Richard Butler
Still not great, but at least one of the shots, good enough. I showed them to my subject and she smiled in response. But, more importantly, she relaxed a little. I knew I was onto something, but the familiar urge to keep shooting was being tempered by my promise that it wouldn't take long, and that I'd let her get back to her friends.
"Can I do one more? More of a head-and-shoulders?" I asked. I don't know whether the response was an attempt to engage more with the camera or to try to hear what I was saying, but my subject leaned a little further toward me. Further out into the light spilling from the window, suddenly lighting up her eyes. I hit the shutter before anything could change and hoped like hell that eye detection would do its thing.
"Omg, that looks so cool"
The image appeared on the back of the camera, given stunning vibrancy by its HDR rear panel. Pinks and oranges leaping off the screen and eyes directly connecting with the viewer. "I'm not going to get a better one than that," I concluded, immediately, and thanked my subject for her time, promising a copy of the shot as soon as I could. "Omg, that looks so cool," came back the response, when I did.
I took another couple of portraits in the cake shop's high-beam glimmer that evening, including one that my friend likes of himself (which he never does), until I felt that I'd been taking the risk of waving thousands of dollars of borrowed camera around in central London long enough.
There's a bit of a story behind all the other images I considered for this piece: stories of nice light, photos their subjects have really liked, moments of serendipity. But, particularly if you download the original and view it in HDR, this one feels like it stands out. Sometimes you just know.
Richard's favorite photos of 2025
It's partly a reflection of the cameras I've reviewed this year, but I find it interesting that three of my potential shots of the year were shot in black and white, and three are HDR photos, either out-of-camera or as after-the-fact conversion.
Sample gallery
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Our favorite pictures from this year's Editors' photo challenges
One of the secret pleasures of being Managing Editor of DPReview is that I get to run our monthly Editor's photo challenges. Each month, we challenge readers to show us their best photos that illustrate a new theme.
Don't tell the staff, but this is basically the best part of my job. We frequently share winning images from international photo competitions here on DPReview, but I'll put the photos submitted by members of our community up against any of them. DPReview readers may have a reputation for being pixel-peeping nerds, but behind that facade are some incredibly dedicated, master photographers.
On the pages that follow, you'll see two of the staff's favorite photos from each Editors' challenge over the past 12 months. To ensure a full year of fantastic photos, we're going all the way back to the winners of our December 2024 challenge (since the winners of our December 2025 challenge won't be announced until the very end of the year).
With that, we present our favorite Editors' challenge photos from 2025, presented in random order.
Photographer's description: Spectacular view of the midnight sun in Senja, Northern Norway. This region, with its mountains rising straight from the sea and the stunning midnight sun, is among my favourites for landscape photography. It took me two attempts to capture this photograph as I had imagined it, as I was caught in a thunderstorm on the first attempt.
Equipment: Nikon Z7 + Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S
Photographer's description: The genre of Adventure Photography can be quite challenging. One has to have the stamina to manage the trip while expending extra energy to carry camera gear and capture photographs. This often requires anticipating shots, running ahead and photographing as your partners move through your frame. In this photo, safety was a primary concern as we skied along a crevassed glacier with seracs hanging above us. I was in the back, waiting for my friends to create a leading line to the peak framed in the picture. Moving quickly through this section of the glacier was important, so I only had a moment to capture the frame.
Equipment: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro
Photographer's description: Mum spoke enthusiastically about the vivid colors of the tulip fields in Holland. I started to wonder what they might look like from above, from a drone. This was in 2015, and drone tech was still very new and far from something everyone had. So, my tulip-loving friend Ulf and I drove the 1,000 km down to Holland on a chilly day in April 2015 and started criss-crossing the landscape. And my god, it looked fantastic! This is probably the best shot from the trip, from outside Sassenheim. The canals are used to flood the fields after harvest, to kill off germs and parasites.
Equipment: Sony a7 + Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* + HAB Paparazzo heavy lift drone
Photographer's description: This photograph was taken around 1:00 AM during an all-night road trip through the Highlands of Iceland. Experiencing and photographing such a remote place with no one else around was truly unforgettable.
This photo was taken from a drone, with the main challenge being to find the right composition to capture this epic location, while at the same time including my car for scale and perspective. The blue light worked beautifully with my exposure settings, allowing me to convey the mood of the moment, from the dark volcanoes to the distant blue sky.
Photographer's description: Every year, the San Francisco Low Rider Council holds the "King of the Streets" event, where lowriders cruise along Mission Street. This year I caught a skateboarder come riding by one of the entrants, between 17th and 18th Streets. We all survived the encounter.
Photographer's description: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind:" two bikers in their "spacy" vehicles meet in the middle of nowhere, and I found that the scene has something of the famous film directed by Steven Spielberg.
Equipment: Sony SLT-A55 + Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
Photographer's description: Taken whilst on an exploratory caving expedition in Borneo in 2013 (to find, explore and survey new cave passages). The mist and formations were a good opportunity to try out a lightweight photography setup.
Photographer's description: Often during winter, Lake Thingvallarvatn freezes. The view of the ice from below can be spectacular, especially during the thaw period; the ice has broken into flakes and then froze again. This was the case when this picture was taken. I started taking pictures without the diver but felt the scale was missing. So I got my buddy to pose for me.
Photographer's description: The boy was watching children lining up to take pictures with Santa Claus. Santa noticed the boy was watching him for quite a while. He was alone with his mom. Santa came over, peeked around the fence, and told them he would take a picture with the boy... free of charge and ahead of the queue. Happy holiday.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II + Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 S
Moonlight star trail over a wild tulip field, Blufi, Sicily
Photographer's description: What is happening in Holland on this “day?" Nothing except that... we are not in the daytime, and we are not in Holland!!! Strange? Absolutely yes. We are in Sicily, of course, and what you see is a real field of wild tulips growing near the village of Blufi.
Equipment: Canon EOS 6D + Canon EF 8-15mm F4L Fisheye USM
Photographer's description: A great afternoon with the kids, family and some wonderful beach fun. I was just lying around in the shallow waters and snapping away at my kids fooling around with their games. It's always more fun when the camera is waterproof.
Photographer's description: I built this jump with my friend over a week, and it turned out a little larger than we had imagined. The day we tried hitting it was a little muddy, so getting up to speed was a challenge. After a few run-ups, he pulled the trigger. Neither of us was expecting to get that much height off the lip!
Photographer's description: Taken during the alpine mountain summer at a swimming lake with views over the distant glaciers. A typical scene of young people flirting and maybe falling in love. Savoie, France.
Equipment: OM System OM-1 + Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro
Photographer's description: In Mexico, this time of year means preparations for Day of the Dead, or Día de Los Muertos: the time when departed souls can return to visit loved ones left behind. Marigolds feature prominently, their color and scent helping to guide them.
Photographer's description: On one of the last hot days in autumn 2011, just before our southern Australian Easter swell kicked in, I had just finished a long session of surfing some pretty big, clean waves when I decided to get back in to capture some in-water shots of the rest of the crew. Most of the shots I got that morning were pretty average, except for this one of a young guy duck diving under the closed-out section of a 5-6 foot wave. It made my day!
Equipment: Canon EOS 20D + Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD
Photographer's description: I spent a summer with family in Europe. At the time, I only brought a prime for my camera, so I ended up using my Samsung for all other focal lengths. My camera ended up becoming my B cam, as I enjoyed smartphone photography quite a bit that vacation.
Photographer's description: Taken late in the day on our way out of White Sands National Monument. I actually stopped to take a different photo. Then saw this lone Soaptree Yucca on top of a large dune. The grain of the "sand" and ripples on top are classic White Sands.
Photographer's description: New Year's Eve at Mt Hood, Oregon, each year, if weather permits, we snow camp on New Year's Eve and watch the fireworks show at Timberline Lodge.
Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Photographer's description: I would never grab a photo during a performance, but when the curtain call took place, I grabbed my camera and made this quick frame at the Paris Opera House.
Photographer's description: In spring this year, I was chasing the northern lights in Iceland. When the weather was not promising, I was hitting the road for a better location. However, bad weather often gives the nicest shots. This picture was made close to Djupivogur, a small town in the east fjords, with blistering winds and between rainstorms.
Equipment: Sony a7 III + Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
Photographer's description: This photo was taken while soaring above Bagan, Myanmar. This moment was guided by a UK army veteran piloting our balloon – a tradition in Bagan where British and international pilots work alongside local crews. Ballooning here is more than a visitor’s thrill: it’s a source of pride and support for the local community, with companies employing hundreds of locals and funding projects in education, health, and heritage conservation, ensuring that the ancient temples continue to inspire and sustain those who call Bagan home.
Photographer's description: Professional snowboarder Ryland Bell on location with Warren Miller Entertainment. This was shot in the Chugach Mountains with Points North Heli-Adventures, a heli-ski operation based out of Cordova, AK. This is a seldom-ridden line as conditions have to line up just perfectly.
Photographer's description: This photo was taken from the roadside overlooking a small farm. Underneath is the Tyrifjorden lake, covered by fog. The location is at Sollihøgda (Sunny heights), just north of Oslo.
Equipment: OM System OM-1 + OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
Photographer's description: While I was visiting a beautiful town in Italy, the Puglia region, I saw these works drawn on the wall. I waited for the right moment to immortalize the beauty of youth, the desire to live.
I captured this night photo of the Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver, Washington, during the annual DB Cooper conference. Adobe's Project Indigo app did a great job of rendering the photo in a way I would have expected from a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
Photo: Dale Baskin
Most years, my Gear of the Year shortlist writes itself. There are usually two or three products that clearly stand out, and the hardest part is simply narrowing it down to one.
2025 was different. We've seen some great products come through the DPReview office, and I've enjoyed using many of them, but none really inspired me in the way I expect to make the cut. In fact, I reached a point last month where I considered not even writing a Gear of the Year column this time around.
And then one day, it hit me. I picked up my iPhone to take a photo, opened Adobe's Project Indigo app, and… Shazam! I'd been racking my brain trying to think of what hardware I had enjoyed using most this year, and in a moment of mental clarity I wish I could achieve more often, the answer was staring me in the face. Literally, it was in my face as I held the phone up in front of me: the gear I enjoyed using most this year wasn't a piece of hardware, but an app.
Project Indigo is available for free (at least for now) on the iOS App Store. Adobe says it is considering an Android version as well.
We all know that smartphones can't compete with large sensor cameras when it comes to ultimate image quality or tactile experience. But they do have this sneaky ability to tag along with us wherever we go, always at the ready.
Autumn leaves cover the forest floor. Captured with Adobe's Project Indigo app.
Photo: Dale Baskin
The thing that always frustrates me about smartphone cameras isn't that they can't compete with large sensor cameras in terms of image quality – I mean, who would ever expect that they could? – but "the look." You know exactly what look I'm talking about: that over-processed, over-sharpened look with shadows pushed to within an inch of their life. It's a signature that screams "smartphone photo."
This is where Adobe's Project Indigo comes into the picture. It's a free product from Adobe Labs that promises "SLR-like" quality from your iPhone. According to Adobe, it accomplishes this using a number of techniques, including underexposing highlights more aggressively and combining more frames (up to 32) than the iPhone's native camera app. In theory, this should result in fewer blown-out highlights and less noise.
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The above comparison shows the same scene captured with the Project Indigo app (left) and the iPhone's native camera app (right). The Project Indigo photo doesn't exhibit the extreme tone-mapping and pushed shadows present in the native app.
In practice, Project Indigo delivers. To my eye, photos taken with the app usually look more like a well-processed image from a mirrorless camera. The aggressive tone mapping is gone, replaced by images where highlights roll off naturally, and shadows actually look like shadows.
To achieve this, the app uses profiles specifically calibrated for each phone and camera module. That specificity is great, though it can also introduce friction; one of my few frustrations was waiting a few weeks for the Project Indigo team to release an update calibrated for the new iPhone 17 Pro Max I've been testing.
"To my eye, photos taken with the app usually look more like a well-processed image from a mirrorless camera."
The main downside to the Project Indigo app is that all this computational processing requires computational power. The app works on iPhone Pro models as far back as the 12 (and regular iPhones back to the 14 series), but it's not a tool for rapid-fire photography, typically taking 1 to 5 seconds to process a single image, depending on the model. It can also generate some serious heat; my older iPhone 14 Pro gets hot to the touch after just a few photos, and I can practically see the battery indicator get shorter as it works.
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In this set of photos, captured shortly after sunset at a lake in western Montana, the Project Indigo photo does a great job of representing the scene I saw in real life. In contrast, the iPhone's native camera app has pushed the shadows to the extreme, added blue to the sky that wasn't there, and has an over-sharpened, crunchy look.
The good news is that the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with its newer processor and better thermal management, barely seems to notice the load. It's frustrating that Project Indigo struggles on older hardware, but I appreciate that this is a proof-of-concept product; Adobe is engineering for the future, not the past.
There are also plenty of tools in the app that I haven't explored yet, including its own Night Mode, multi-frame super-resolution modes when using sensor-cropped "zoom" (such as the 2x and 8x modes on the iPhone 17 Pro), and AI noise reduction derived from Adobe Camera Raw.
This photo of a snowberry bush looks pretty close to what I would expect from a typical mirrorless camera.
Photo: Dale Baskin
If it sounds like I haven't thoroughly tested Project Indigo, it's because I haven't. I've been using it for several months, not because I planned to review it, but because I genuinely love the natural-looking photos it produces.
It made me enjoy taking photos with my phone again, and that alone is enough to earn it my Gear of the Year.
Adobe says it's exploring future directions for Project Indigo, including an Android version, a high-quality portrait mode with more control and higher quality than native apps, and even video recording with computational video features. I'm excited to see where Adobe goes with this, but even if it just stays as it is – a tool that lets me take nicer, more natural photos on the device I already have in my pocket – I'm a fan.
Photo: Tristan Fewings / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
Martin Parr, a highly acclaimed British documentary photographer, passed away at the age of 73 on December 6. Parr was best known for his images that captured British life over a career spanning more than 50 years.
The Martin Parr Foundation posted a statement on its website on Sunday that he died at his home in Bristol, England. "He is survived by his wife Susie, his daughter Ellen, his sister Vivien and his grandson George. The family asks for privacy at this time," the statement added.
"I make serious photographs disguised as entertainment"
Parr, born in 1952 in Epsom, Surrey, England, was a member of Magnum Photos, an international cooperative of photojournalists. While his work was often filled with playfulness and satire, it also carried an underlying critique of contemporary life. "I make serious photographs disguised as entertainment," Parr told Architectural Review in 2020. He was known for using strong, highly saturated color, often with direct flash to exaggerate everyday scenes. His work captured ordinary people and objects, including British seaside resorts, shopping, parties, fairs and family outings.
A prolific photographer, Parr published more than 100 photobooks during his lifetime. Parr also edited 30 photobooks, including The Photobook: A History (2004–2014), a three-volume series that offered an in-depth examination of the photobook itself. His work has been featured in countless exhibitions, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Sony World Photography Award for Outstanding Contribution to Photography in 2017. In 2024, he was recognized as an inductee of The International Photography Hall of Fame.
"His humour, his clarity, and his vision shaped many discussions across the agency and within the wider photographic world."
He was also an educator and mentor, serving as Professor of Photography at The University of Wales Newport campus from 2004 to 2012. In a statement to Magnum photographers, staff and estates on Sunday, Magnum co-president, Lorenzo Meloni, wrote, "Martin played a significant role within Magnum and in our wider community. He supported younger photographers, he pushed conversations forward, and he stepped up when leadership was needed. His humour, his clarity, and his vision shaped many discussions across the agency and within the wider photographic world."
Tributes to Parr have been pouring in, with photographers of all levels sharing stories about his impact on the photographic community. On Instagram, photographer Joel Meyerowitz described Parr, his friend of 50 years, as a "legend in the world of photography," adding that "his wisdom and visual humor will be greatly missed."
Mt. Jefferson, a volcano in the Cascade Mountains, is illuminated at sunset near Sisters, Oregon, on November 18, 2025. I had my Olympus OM-1 with me when the sunset suddenly became very intense, and I managed to snap this photo in the brief time before the light faded away.
What was your top shot this year? Share one image you captured in 2025 and tell us about it. Make sure to tell us the story behind the photo in the caption and why you chose it as your photo of the year. Pick carefully – you can only submit one photo!
Click here to read the full rules and submit your top photo from 2025.
Submissions will open on Monday, December 8th, and you have until Sunday, December 14 (GMT) to submit entries. You can read the full rules on the 'Your best photo of 2025' challenge page.
Essential details: All entries must include a title and a caption that tells us the story behind the picture and why you chose it (minimum of 25 words). Please read the full rules before submitting your photo.
DPReview editors will review every photo you submit, and we'll publish our favorites in a slideshow on the DPReview homepage.
Lens: 38–140mm f/4.8–12.5 power zoom (8 elements in 7 groups)
Zoom range: Roughly 4x optical zoom, one of the longest zooms on a compact at the time
Autofocus: Active infrared autofocus (works well even in low light)
Exposure: Fully automatic program AE, with slow-shutter warning
Flash: Built-in pop-up flash with modes (auto, on, off, red-eye reduction, night portrait/slow-sync)
Macro: Can focus down to 0.6 m (about 2 ft) at any focal length
Self-timer: Yes (10 sec)
DX coding: ISO 25–3200
Power: One CR123A battery
Other quirks: Panorama switch (crops top/bottom for wide prints), remote control compatible (with optional Pentax remote), date/time imprint option on some versions
Here are the latest Canon camera registrations that are not yet officially announced, courtesy of CanonAddict:
DS126936
Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + Bluetooth
What it might be:Canon EOS R7 Mark II.
Reasoning: Registered shortly after the R6 Mark III. The “DS” prefix denotes an interchangeable lens camera. Like the R6 III, it sticks to the robust but standard Wi-Fi 5 to differentiate it from the flagship R1/R5 series.
Best cameras
ID0179
Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
What it might be:Canon EOS C70 Mark II or XF605 Successor.
Reasoning: The “ID” prefix is historically used for Cinema EOS or professional camcorders. This registration has been active since early 2024, suggesting a long development cycle typical of pro video gear.
ID0174
Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
What it might be:PowerShot V10 Successor or VR Camera.
Reasoning: Another video-centric “ID” code. Canon is aggressively expanding the V-series for vloggers, which often use non-standard naming conventions internally.
New Wireless Patent Found US Patent 12,114,054: Communication Apparatus (Wi-Fi 6)
Description: A patent describing a camera capable of connecting to IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) networks. It details methods for managing power consumption while maintaining high-speed dual-band (2.4GHz/5GHz) connections.
What it might be:Canon EOS R5C Mark II or High-End Cinema EOS.
Reasoning: Since the R6 Mark III and R7 Mark II are limited to Wi-Fi 5, this patent points to a future high-bandwidth camera that requires Wi-Fi 6 for professional monitoring or massive video file transfers.
The Minolta MND35 promises 18x digital zoom and 64MP JPEGs. The manual says it has a 13MP sensor. There is no connection whatsoever between this camera and the original Minolta company.
Image: Minolta Digital
It'd been going on for months before I knew about it, but in the space of a couple of days, I received a text from my former colleague and saw a post on Reddit highlighting it. Minolta cameras had hit the shelves at Costco.
That's odd, I thought, surely Sony, which absorbed the Konica Minolta camera business, hadn't launched a budget line without telling us. And, by the same logic, presumably Konica Minolta wasn't allowed to use the Minolta name on cameras, as part of the deal with Sony. So what was going on?
The answer was stranger than I'd expected. There is, it seems, a US company that hunts around for well-known brand names that have fallen out of use. Trademark rules are designed to protect the names and brands under which products are sold, so that third-parties can't sneakily benefit from the reputation and goodwill the original seller has built up. But you can only maintain a trademark that you're using to trade. It turns out that neither Sony nor Konica Minolta had continued to use its trademark for anything camera-related, so a Californian company had stepped in and claimed it.
"You can only maintain a trademark that you're using to trade"
This company is in the business of claiming orphaned trademarks and licensing them on to other companies. The result is that New York company Elite Brands can now sell cameras in the US under the Minolta name. Elite Brands also licenses the names (former cinema camera and projector maker) Bell + Howell and owns the Rokinon brand under which it sells Samyang-made lenses.
This situation, where the name is now owned and used by companies with absolutely no connection back to the original manufacturer, is, perhaps, one of the more extreme examples of how legacy names stumble on as zombie brands. More common is that the original company collapses and the rights to its name get bought out of receivership by a company with no intention of trying to continue the original business. Other times the original brand merges with another that has a different focus, so its name gets licensed out to someone wanting to operate in the consumer industry.
But whatever the specifics of each story, the licensing process allows brand names to rise from the dead and shuffle their way onto shops' shelves and websites.
Rollei
The Rollei name is used on a wide range of products, including this recently announced 85mm F1.8 that appears to share its specs with the one made by 7Artisans.
Image: Rollei
Rollei appears to be an example of the former situation. The name was bought when the original company collapsed in 2004, and it sells a wide range of products under the name, though they are all photo related, at least. It also licenses the name to a German film marketing and distribution company that sells Rollei film. In addition to this, it's also licensed the name to Hong Kong's MiNT Camera, for use on its reproduction of the Rollei 35AF film compact.
Yashica
The FX-D cameras being sold via Kickstarter are only some of the products being sold under the Yashica name.
One of the most obvious instances is Yashica. Yashica was a pretty well-respected camera maker for much of the 20th century but was eventually bought by Kyocera, which ceased production of the last Yashica products in 2005. It subsequently sold the name to a company in Hong Kong, which is responsible for the recent products being sold under the name.
We're not sure whether the Yashica / I'm Back co-branded version of the digital module ever existed, beyond this composite image.
Image: I'm Back
New owner JNC Datum Tech appears to be responsible for the SLR-shaped, tiny-sensor cameras being sold on Kickstarter. Film cameras and basic compacts are also available with the name, and a tie-up was even announced to use Yashica branding on I'm Back's somewhat clunky digital film modules and a "micro mirrorless" camera called MiMi, though it's not entirely clear how much of that came to pass.
Vivitar
Vivitar branding appears on a lot of products, some of which still relate to photography.
Image: Vivitar
Vivitar is a slightly more interesting case, because the originator of the brand was never itself a manufacturer: even at its height, it was a brand name being used to market and sell contract-manufactured products. It eventually collapsed and, the name having passed through various hands has, since 2008, been owned by a company headquartered in New Jersey, called Sakar International, of whom we'll hear more, later. The Vivitar name is now used on everything from bathroom scales and Peppa Pig-branded scooters.
Who's making these cameras?
Look closely at the cameras sold under a lot of these brands and you'll recognize than some of them look very similar to one another. There are a number of OEM camera makers that will sell you their cameras with your branding on them. Two of the biggest are Asia Optical, a Taiwanese company, and Shenzhen Soda Digital Techonolgy, a Chinese company also known by the brand name Songdian.
Asia Optical is responsible for making the Kodak PixPro cameras (which has included a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless model), and some of the Minolta-branded cameras, while Shenzhen Soda makes other Minolta Digital models and a lot of the unbranded cameras sold on online markets such as AliBaba.
As well as looking at whether a brand name is being used on original or innovative products, or items with any real relationship to the types of product on which the brand's reputation was built, I find it interesting to look at the About Us page on these legacy brands' websites, to see how much of a connection to the originating company's actions they imply they have. Rollei licensee Hans O. Mahn has the honesty to point out that it licensed the name in 2004, giving at least a hint that there's no particular connection back to the earlier events on the timelines that so often make an appearance.
Kodak
Personally I find the case of Kodak particularly fascinating, in part because of how stong people's feelings towards the brand still appear to be, despite some of the things that have been done with its name.
Kodak entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2012, selling off many of its businesses, including its consumer film business, to settle its debts. The revived company was primarily focused on industrial print and packaging. However, recognizing how powerful a brand it had with consumers, it set out licensing its name for a wide variety of products.
The Kodak Charmera keyring camera, "inspired by the Kodak Fling" is available in seven styles, but you don't know which you'll get. It's been created by Reto Production, one of a range of licensees of the Kodak name.
Image: Reto Production
The most visible are the PixPro series of compact digital cameras, along with the multiple companies it's let use its name on clothing. Its name is also used by companies making half-frame film cameras and the Charmera keyring digital cameras with their gatchapon / lucky-dip styling that, if not quite viral, appeared moderately contagious earlier this year.
Kodak's licensing efforts appear a little more restrained than they did back in 2018, and it's worth noting that the company licenses its name to different companies in different regions. For instance, the Kodak name in Europe is licensed by GT Company, a French company that has also licensed the Agfa brand for digital cameras.
Polaroid
Sakar tried to launch a modular system, where the sensor is a lens/sensor module, under the Polaroid name in 2013.
Photo: Lars Rehm
Perhaps the most interesting example is Polaroid. As with Vivitar, the rights to its name changed hands several times following the collapse of the original company. Sakar International (which owns the Vivitar name) used the name for a while, using it to sell camera modules that connected to smartphones and attempted to launch a modular camera system (conceptually not unlike the Ricoh GXR system) where lens-like units with the sensor built into them could be attached to a camera unit. Unfortunately the styling of these was lawyer-excitingly similar to the design of Nikon's 1 system cameras and lenses, so were withdrawn.
In an unusual turn of events, a project to revive instant film manufacture, boldly called The Impossible Project, managed to take ownership of the Polaroid brand name, meaning that, just sometimes, zombie brands can be brought back to life.
The Polaroid name is back in the hands of an instant film maker based in one of the original company's last factories.
Image: Polaroid
There are the seeds of something similar at Kodak, too, which has recently regained the ability to sell its photo film to the public, after over a decade out of the consumer market. The licensing will still continue, but you can again buy products made by Eastman Kodak from the continuation of the original company.
What's the value of a brand name?
Ultimately, brand licensing is something of a high-wire act. Companies understandably want to maximize the amount of money they make by licensing the brand name they own, but if you're not selective about who and what that name is associated with, you can undermine the public perception of the brand and risk reducing its value to both yourself and your licensees.
Licensing isn't inherently a bad thing, but the quality of the products you allow to wear the name then reflects on all the others. Which becomes important if, like Kodak, you want to also sell your own products under that brand.
Image: Kodak
It's hard to imagine that many people buying a Vivitar-branded personal massager are making any connection back to the Series 1 lenses of the 1970s. Perhaps simply being a vaguely familiar name has some value in a time when dizzying number new brand names (both emerging and transient) are being plastered over the countless products being sold on sites like Amazon. But in the case of Kodak and Polaroid, there is some connection to the original products on which those names' reputations were built. Or, at least, there are for some of the products.
"It's hard to imagine people buying a Vivitar-branded personal massager are making a conscious connection back to Series 1 lenses"
The Minolta example, where there is no connection at all between the products being sold and the reputation that the name would seem to imply is an extreme case, but the closer you look at the world of brand licensing, the more it should make you question what, if anything, that brand name you have vague fond memories of, now represents.
Mt. Jefferson, a volcano in the Cascade Mountains, towers over the landscape of central Oregon. I captured this photo on an exceptionally clear day (through a spotless airplane window), and converted it to black and white using Exposure X6 software with the Ilford HP5 Plus film style.
This month, we're celebrating the art of black and white photography. Whether you're focused on the interplay between light and shadows, ethereal high-key images, or using darkness to create mood and mystery, we challenge you to show us the world in monochrome. Strip away the color and show us your best black and white images!
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, December 14, and Saturday, December 20 (GMT). The challenge is open to photos captured at any time.
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. We need to be able to share the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
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This week, Sony announced a new enthusiast mirrorless camera, the a7 V. As is becoming tradition, members of the DPReview editorial team gathered to discuss it, going over what's new, how the camera fits into the market, and touching on why this kind of camera has gotten so expensive lately.
If you want to see how the a7 V performs, check out our sample gallery and review. We'd also love to hear from you; what do you think of the a7 V? Let us know in the comments below and on our forums.
Canon 5D IV | Canon 70-300 F4-5.6 | 128mm | ISO 400 | 1/500 sec | F7.1 Sandwich Harbor, Namibia
Today, I'd like to dive into the use of shadows in landscape photography. Shadows are almost always part of nature: we often shoot using a (almost-)point light source (the sun or the moon), and even if the light is soft (like it is after sunset or during a cloudy day), the light is almost always directional, which means that some areas of the image are darker compared to others.
So, if shadow is an almost integral part of photography, we ought to at least give it some attention and understand how it works in comparison to other components of the image, and perhaps see how we can use its characteristics to enrich our photography, which is what I intend to do here.
I would say that the first function of shadows is to promote separation and thus depth. As I've mentioned in the past, separation of the different image layers is important to help viewers discern the actual distance between the subjects, thus helping them perceive the scene's depth, which is present in 3D reality but can be absent in the 2D image.
This image of dunes in Sandwich Harbor, Namibia, would be absolutely flat without the shadows. The dunes are the same exact color, and without the dark areas, it would be impossible to understand the shapes in the scene and its depth, rendering it flat and boring.
Canon 5D IV | Canon 70-300 F4-5.6 | 70mm | ISO 400 | 1/1250 sec | F8
Below are two aerial images of Cono Arita, Argentina. One was taken before sunrise, with flat light, and the other after sunrise. I'm not trying to claim that one is better than the other, but I'd like to urge you to see how different they are, and why. There is some difference in color, sure, but the main source of change is most definitely the cone's shadow. What role does the shadow serve here?
DJI Mavic II Pro | 1/15 sec | F3.2 | ISO 400
DJI Mavic II Pro | 1/60 sec | F8 | ISO 100
There is a similarity and a difference between the roles I mentioned above. The shadow creates depth. Clearly, it stretches from the cone to the very edge of the salt pan, thus making it easier to perceive the distance between them. But it isn't really the factor separating the different layers – it's the difference in color and texture which does that in this example. By the way, can you understand what problem I have with the composition in the second image?
The second image above leads us to a second use of shadows: extending the subject and changing its shape. If used correctly, the shadow of a subject can help the photographer manipulate the shapes in an image to better fit the composition and the photographer's vision. Take, for example, the following image, which I took a long, long time ago in Jerusalem.
Ultra-orthodox Jews walking back from the temple in the early morning. You could say that the shadow is the main part of the subject, being larger and more prominent (different from its surroundings). In any case, it helped me balance the compositional masses in the image. Without the shadow, there would be nothing to counterbalance the person's compositional weight, and the image would be right-heavy. (Jerusalem, Israel)
In this image from Deadvlei, Namibia, the shadow again extends the subject and allows me to have a good foreground element. It also parallels the tree itself (which is a bit obvious since their shapes are naturally similar), but moreover, it parallels the sunstar flare on the top part of the image. In addition, the dune's shadow on the horizon adds a layer and enhances depth. It also prevents the background trees from grabbing too much attention and overlapping the main tree.
Canon 5D IV | Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III | 31mm | ISO 100 | 1/80 sec | F16
I'd like to divert now and talk about the use of shadows to create and enhance the atmosphere in a landscape image. Shadows have a tendency to interfere and appear inside lit parts of an image, thus enhancing the texture and diversifying the light, which may appear minor but is, at least in my opinion, not so at all.
Trees' shadows enrich the lighting and add texture to this image, balancing the viewer's attention between the different compositional elements. (Jargant River, Mongolia)
DJI Mavic III Classic | 1/400 sec | F10
Again, the shadows add texture to the light, making the image more interesting. (Jargant River, Mongolia)
The gradient of light on the top right shows us that the total solar eclipse is, in fact, just a huge shadow cast on Earth by the moon. I claim that the image wouldn't be half as good without this gradient, since it's not only a compositional element but also an extension of the subject, drawing a link between the faraway eclipsed sun and the Earth's sky. As homework, take a good, long look at this image and try to understand the roles of the different subjects, how they counterbalance each other, and how they contribute to the overall composition. (Lake Cuesta Del Viento, Argentina)
DJI Mavic II Pro | 1/10 sec | F2.8 | ISO 100
Lastly, I'd like to present the rare case of the shadow being the actual subject. This is hardly common, but if you use it right, it could be very interesting and curious to the viewer. Take a look at the image below.
In order to take this shot without my shadow appearing in it, I had to hide in the shadow of the tree on the right.
Instead of including both the tree and its shadow in the image, I chose only to include the shadow. By doing this, I selected a totally different subject in terms of shape, compositional weight, color, and, most importantly, in essence. This subject could be viewed as a negative of the other trees in the frame.
Firstly, the shadow is almost perpendicular to the other trees. Moreover, it's dark on a light surface, whereas the background trees are light on a somewhat-darker surface. These harsh differences enhance the image and cause it to be much more interesting. The fact that you usually don't see a shadow as a subject draws the viewers' eyes and makes them try to understand what exactly it is they're seeing. All this can take a very simple composition and elevate it into something greater.
Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveller. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.
Erez has recently published his first e-book, "Solving the Puzzle," thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.
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Canon's recently announced EOS R6 III is aimed at hybrid shooters and has a strong suite of features for both stills and video shooting. We've already analyzed its still image quality, but now let's take a look at how its video modes perform in front of our studio test scene.
As a reminder, the EOS R6 III can do full-width DCI or UHD 4K* video up to 120p. At 60p and below, you have the option of using Canon's "Fine" mode, which delivers oversampled footage from 7K capture, though the company adds the intriguing caveat that the 60p fine mode won't be quite as detailed as the lower framerate ones. The R6 III can also shoot open-gate footage using the entire sensor, and supports internal Raw recording using Canon's C-Raw format.
* - The camera performs the same in its UHD and DCI modes, so whenever you read about the EOS R6 III's "4K" performance in this article, know it applies to both.
Image Comparison
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Starting with the open gate mode, the 6912 x 4608 image the EOS R6 III produces captures lots of detail, appreciably more than the 5952 x 3968 open gate image from the Panasonic S1II. The difference will almost certainly be less noticeable in motion, but the EOS R6 III's higher resolution allows for a bit more room to crop in if you're delivering a vertical or horizontal 4K video (or if you shot a bit too wide, and are trying to take a 9:16 vertical crop without using the full height).
The increased detail versus the S1II is still there, though slightly less obvious, when you're using the oversampled 4K mode. The Z6III offers similar levels of detail, though at default settings, it appears to apply more, or less subtle, sharpening than Canon does.
However, the EOS R6 III loses its edge in detail when you bump up to 4K/60. The oversampled fine setting is massively more detailed than the line-skipped standard mode, but, as Canon said, it's less detailed than the oversampled footage from 24p mode. Interestingly, the rolling shutter figure is the same, so its perhaps a processing difference, rather than a readout one, presumably for reasons of heat.
Rolling shutter
7K open gate
17.9ms
4K24/60/120 standard
7.2ms
4K24/60 "fine"
14.3ms
The Nikon Z6III's output is again sharper (and more sharpened), but it's not far off the output of the Panasonic S1II. This isn't because Nikon and Panasonic's 60p modes are more detailed than the 24p ones; it's because Canon's oversampled 60p mode isn't as detailed as its 24p one. Perhaps most painfully, though, is that even the EOS R6 II's 4K/60 footage has a slight edge in detail over its successor's.
The sensor isn't fast enough to offer an oversampled 4K/120 mode, but the EOS R6 III's is at least full-width, so switching to it won't change your field of view like it will with the S1II, which has a 1.24x crop for UHD, or the Z6III, which has a 1.5x crop. The 4K/120 capture is as detailed as the EOS R6 III's other line-skipped modes, but this leaves it a long way behind the S1II's 4K/120 footage, and even the Z6III's. Despite those being derived from a smaller area of the sensor, it's very likely they're derived from more pixels that aren't spread as far apart as they are on the EOS R6 III.
Raw Video
As always, when discussing Raw video options, it's worth keeping in mind that the difference between Raw video and Log video is nowhere near as stark as the difference between Raw and JPEG for stills when it comes to editing flexibility. While shooting in Raw for video gives you control over noise reduction, sharpening* and white balance, it doesn't offer substantially more latitude to adjust your footage's lightness than Log footage does.
With that in mind, the EOS R6 III's Raw footage looks good, capturing a lot of detail from either the entire sensor in open gate mode, or from a 7K 1.89:1 crop derived from that footage. The latter can be shot in up to 60p, though going above 30p will require switching to Canon's Raw Lite format, which compresses the footage more. If there are compromises to detail that come from that, they're not evident in our test scene.
It's also worth pointing out that, unlike with the S1II's Raw modes, Canon applies lens distortion corrections to its Raw footage. That arguably makes them a bit less Raw, but means you won't have to manually apply them after the fact, which is especially important for those RF-mount lenses that heavily rely on those corrections as part of their optical formulas.
* - Put another way, shooting in Raw puts the onus of noise reduction and sharpening on you.
Summary
The EOS R6 III's higher resolution sensor has its benefits, but its slower readout speeds hurt its full-width slow-motion performance.
The EOS R6 III's open gate mode provides exceptional amounts of detail for this class of camera, as does its oversampled 4K/24 mode. Its 4K/60 mode isn't quite as strong as those of its competitors with faster, lower resolution sensors, though, and you'll pay a significant detail cost to gain full-width 4K/120. The convenience of maintaining your field of view is definitely a benefit, but its partially stacked sensor rivals will maintain more consistent detail levels for your slow-mo shots.
Still, it's hard to complain about the quality of the video we've been able to capture with the EOS R6 III outside of the studio. Annecdotally, when I sent Mykim, our director of video and platforms, a cut of a video we'd shot using the EOS R6 III, she asked which camera we had used, saying the footage had a "really nice visual quality to it, distinct from other videos we have done." (It is worth noting that we shot it at golden hour on a beach, so it was quite literally being shown in its best light.)
We'll cover other aspects of the video shooting experience in our full review, but in terms of image quality, the EOS R6 III has a lot to offer.
Connexion
