Category Archives: Photography

The theme for the July 2023 round of the Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year (CJPOTY) competition was ‘Summer’. As usual, selecting the top ten images, and deciding the overall winner for the month was tough. After much debate, we are very happy to announce that the following images will be added to our shortlist to be judged by our illustrious panel of judges at the end of the year.

One of these ten shortlisted images has also been selected as the round winner, with the photographer being awarded a voucher from MPB worth £500 – scroll down to find out who.

CJPOTY July 2023 ‘Summer’ shortlisted images

Sara Jazbar

Sunflowers are Sara’s favourite summer flower, and this image is from the first time she was been able to shoot a field full of them. She got lucky as a storm was approaching, making the dramatic sky seen here, but she also managed to get undercover before the rain started pouring down. This shot was captured using a Nikon D500 and a Tokina 11-20mm lens.

Samantha Deakin

Samantha has two images shortlisted this month. She tells us, ‘Every season, we use this area with beautiful light to display our nature finds and learn about the changes in our amazing world. We then document this series using photos. It creates a fab talking point.’ Sarah captured the image using a Nikon D750 with a 28mm f/18 lens while standing on a stool to get the overhead view.

Samantha’s second shortlisted image was captured in a rustic location behind where she works. She tells us that she’d had her eye on it for months before she thought of a concept. She says, ‘To us, oranges are the ultimate summer fruit. The kids love them freshly squeezed, picked from the trees on our holidays, but particularly when they are allowed to eat them cut in half with the juice dripping down their chin – because it doesn’t matter since they are in their swimsuits!’ The location works brilliantly for a fun portrait shoot, and we love the vibrant oranges (and wellies) that contrast with the doors but tie in well with the walls.

Peter Murrell

While out with his Nikon D700 and 50mm f/1.8G lens, Peter spotted that a young woman had moved her desk towards the front room window so she could sit on it and give her feet some sun while she worked on her laptop. It’s a great example of our opportunistic attitude to sunbathing in the UK.

Linda Wride

We were drawn to this image by Linda’s striking angle of view, the bold stripes and the glow of the sunset beyond Hastings Pier. Linda captured this superb image using her Nikon D750 and Nikon 24-120mm f4 lens.

Helen Cherry

Helens tells us that this image always makes her want to sing ‘Summer Breeze’ by the Isley Brothers. She says, ‘It was taken on a balmy summer’s evening and I can smell the sea and hear the gentle movement of the water’, so can we, Helen. It looks like an idyllic spot.

Fo Bugler

Fo has two images shortlisted in this round. This first is a charming photograph of children playing with bubbles at sunset. Fo has selected the perfect angle so the children are close to being silhouettes against the warm sky while the setting sun and sky illuminate the bubbles.

We love this composite of two images of buttercups. It captures the essence of lying in a summer meadow. It makes you want to relax and catch a few rays.

Angi Wallace

Angi is the current holder of the Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year title, and she’s served up another delightful image. She focus-stacked these two Hellenium flowers to get the perfect depth of field from her Sony A7 III and Sigma 180mm macro lens. Those sunny colours scream summer.

Angela Harrod

Angela says ‘Every day, a couple sets up these chairs and a parasol on the beach. I waited for them to go for a swim and took the shot – it’s much better without people, I think!’ The colour of the sky, the calmness of the water and the bold red of the parasol attracted us to the image.

CJPOTY July 2023 winner: Fo Bugler

Congratulations, Fo, a voucher worth £500 from MPB is heading your way!

Fo’s image joins the other 9 images selected this month and goes onto our shortlist for our panel of VIP judges at the end of the year for the overall prize.

CJPOTY August: Light

Today is the last day to submit images to the August round of CJPOTY. The theme ‘for the seventh round of the 2023/24 Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year (CJPOTY) competition is ‘Light’.

Light is an essential part of photography, but the light’s direction, quality or colour is sometimes what makes a photograph. We want to see your images that the light makes a bit more special. The light can be natural or artificial, and the photographs can be taken anywhere at any time.

This round of our monthly competition is open for submissions until 23:59 BST (00:59 CET and 15:59 PST) on 31st August 2023.

To submit your entry, follow the link to cjpoty or click on the CJPOTY button at the top of any of our website pages. You can submit up to three entries for £2.00 plus payment processing costs (£0.26). Images should be Jpegs at least 1920 pixels along their longest side but no larger than 2MB.

Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year prizes

At the end of the month, the Camera Jabber team will pick one winning image and nine runners-up from the July entries. The photographer of the winning image will receive a voucher from MPB.com to the value of £500 which can be spent on anything from a huge range of kit from the World’s biggest platform for used photographic gear.

All 10 of the selected images will go into our shortlist for the year.

We’ll do this each month in 2023 so that by the end of the year, there will be 120 shortlisted images. These will then go before our fantastic panel of judges who will decide the 1st, 2nd and 3rd-placed images.

The photographer of the first-placed image overall, as decided by the panel of judges , will receive a voucher to the value of £1000 from MPB.com as well as a trophy and the title ‘Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year 2023‘. The photographers who come second and third will receive vouchers worth £500 and £250, respectively.

About MPB

Founded by Matt Barker in 2011, MPB is the world’s largest platform for used photography and videography kit. MPB has transformed the way people buy, sell and trade equipment, making photography more accessible, affordable and sustainable.

Headquartered in the creative communities of Brighton, Brooklyn and Berlin, the MPB team includes trained camera experts and seasoned photographers and videographers who bring their passion to work every day to deliver outstanding service. Every piece of kit is inspected carefully by product specialists and comes with a six-month warranty to give customers peace of mind that buying used doesn’t mean sacrificing reliability.

Genshin Impact 4.0 just added a map expansion that players are still exploring, and HoYoverse wants you to see all of the new changes and additions to the anime game. This ‘Fontography’ photo contest wants you to take pictures of Fontaine’s wildlife for a chance to win free Primogems, so you might as well snap a few photos if you’re still discovering all of the new locations in Genshin Impact 4.0.

The Fontogrpahy event began earlier this week and it’ll be live until Wednesday, September 6. Unlike most Genshin Impact events, this one has no Adventure Rank requirement, so even the newest newcomers can participate with a chance to win a few extra Primogems.

To participate, you’ll need to post your photos of creatures native to Fontaine – crabs, seals, jellyfish – to HoYoLAB on social media with the hashtags #CreaturesofFontaine and #GenshinImpactFontaine along with your UID so that you can receive the reward if your submission gets chosen. You’re allowed to make multiple submissions, so you can post all of your best snapshots if you’d like.

200 winners will be chosen to win 160 Primogems each, and the list of winners will be announced on Wednesday, September 13.

160 Primogems isn’t very much, I know, but it takes little effort to submit a photo while running around Fontaine. And every little bit matters if you’re still trying to pull for Lyney or Yelan in the first half of Genshin Impact version 4.0.

After the current Genshin Impact banners, Zhongli and Childe will arrive alongside the youngest Fontaine sibling, Freminet. There are plenty of solid characters to go for in version 4.0, but if you’re having trouble deciding, have a look at our Genshin Impact tier list for a bit of guidance.

And if you still don’t have enough Primogems for your pulls, don’t forget to redeem all available Genshin Impact codes to give yourself more chances on those wishes.

NANLITE, introduces the Nanlite PavoTube II XR Pixel Tubes with integrated CRMX. This revolutionary innovation enables photographers, filmmakers, and content creators to elevate their projects lighting to new levels of professionalism. These new lighting tubes feature animated pixel effects, versatile bi-color and RGB hues, and all the different lighting styles are fully controllable wirelessly, ensuring impeccable lighting control for a range of applications.

The XR series builds upon the well-established X-Series tubes, known for adaptability and sturdiness. The new XR lineup boasts enhanced durability through sturdy metal construction, making them ideal for both studio and on-location setups. With the addition of CRMX technology, these tubes provide exceptional reliability and seamless transmission, creating a resilient working environment.

Available in popular lengths – 2-foot 15XR, 4-foot 30XR, and 8-foot 60XR – the XR series offers a comprehensive range to suit various creative needs. All kits come complete with power supplies that charge internal batteries and ensure continuous power. The 15XR and 30XR kits are accompanied by rigging accessories, securely housed in padded carrying cases. The 60XR kit features a flight case with thoughtful design elements like foam cut-outs, swivel casters, recessed hand grips, and stackable wheel plates.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points

• Retains all X-Series features with CRMX wireless DMX LumenRadio integration.
• Impressive output and dynamic pixel effects for striking visuals.
• Advanced seamless diffusion for expansive illumination.
• Available in 2-foot (15X), 4-foot (30X), and 8-foot (60X) models.
• High color accuracy with 97 CRI and 98 TLCI.
• Intuitive onboard controls for easy adjustments.
• Equipped with CRMX wireless DMX LumenRadio, Bluetooth, and 2.4G for seamless wireless control.
• Ultrawide CCT range of 2700K-12000K, with precise green-to-magenta adjustment.
• Comprehensive range of features, including dimming, HSI mode, practical and pixel effects.
• Multiple mounting points and compatibility with an array of accessories.
• Operable on AC, internal battery, or external battery.
• Available waterproof housings for 15X, 30X, and 60X.
• Designed with standard T12 diameter for compatibility with various mounts.

The XR series enables you to push your lighting with wireless precision. These tubes are equally adept as key lights, practical in-frame lighting, or for generating captivating pixel effects and with the ability to control them remotely the whole process of getting the lighting right should be far easier. Each of the new lights features an enhanced Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) engine, the XR tubes offer unmatched durability and longevity through multiple write-and-erase cycles.

Maximize Power Efficiency with 28nm Controller

The XR tubes incorporate a 28-nanometer controller, ensuring 37% improved power efficiency compared to previous models. This ensures extended usage without frequent recharges, enhancing device battery life and usability.

The Nanlite PavoTube II XR Pixel Tubes are available individually or in kits of varying sizes, these tubes offer a dynamic spectrum of lighting possibilities. Prices start from £425 Inc VAT for the PavoTube II 15XR, £595 Inc VAT for the PavoTube II 30XR, and £2095 Inc VAT for the PavoTube II 60XR.

For more information check out nanlite.co.uk.

The City Government of Caloocan, through the Cultural Affairs and Tourism Office (CATO), held an Art Workshop for children ages seven to twelve years old which included basic training in dance and art photography.

A total of 54 participants attended the photography workshop on Tuesday, August 22 at the People’s Park, while the three-day dance workshop at the Bulwagang Katipunan had 64 attendees from August 23 to 25.

City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan thanked the CATO, the trainers, and the participants for a successful event. He likewise showed appreciation towards the goal of the workshop which is to create new skills for the participants to develop their creativity and confidence.

“Layon ng Art Workshop natin ngayong 2023 na linangin ang mga talento ng mga Batang Kankaloo, lalo na sa pagsasayaw at sa pagkuha ng mga larawan, upang mas palakasin kanilang pagiging malikhain at mapataas ang kumpiyansa sa kanilang sarili,” Mayor Along said.

“Maraming salamat CATO sa pag-oorganisa ng makabuluhan at masayang aktibidad na tulad nito, gayundin sa lahat ng mga dumalo at sa mga propesyunal na nagbahagi ng kanilang kaalaman at galing sa mga nasabing larangan,” he added.

The City Mayor affirmed the city government’s commitment to protect the interests of the youth which is focused on providing a holistic approach to programs that tackle their well-being.

“Ang mga ito ay isa sa ating paraan upang mas mahubog at mapaunlad pa ang mga talento at kakayahan ng kabataan dahil naniniwala po tayo na ito’y mahalaga at kapaki-pakinabang. Asahan niyo po na nakatutok ang aking administrasyon sa pangangalaga sa kapakanan ng mga kabataan sa lahat ng larangang maaaring makatulong sa kanila,” Mayor Along stated.

Sony has announced the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II lens, price tag $2,299.99 / £2,400 / €2,799, a new wide-angle zoom that rounds out the company’s F2.8 zoom trinity, complementing the existing 24-70mm and 70-200mm options.

The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II times to balance top-tier performance with user-friendly features and portability to satisfy the needs of both photographers and videographers. What’s more, its 16-35mm focal length is excellent for a variety of wide-angle applications like landscapes, architecture and group portraits. With an F2.8 maximum aperture across the range, it also allows for greater low-light capabilities and depth-of-field control.

The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II boasts XD linear motors that provide a big leap in AF speed and precision, which is critical for capturing fast-moving subjects and for video applications where focus pulls need to be very smooth.

The new Sony lens also comes with an anti-reflective coating for reducing lens flare and ghosting, which can be particularly problematic in wide-angle lenses.

Portability is becoming more desirable for both photographers and videographers, and the compact FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is the world’s smallest and lightesti wide-angle zoom lens with a total length of 111.5mm and a weight of approximately 547g, which is about 20% lighteriii than the first-generation model.

A minimum shooting distance of 0.22m and a maximum magnification of 0.32x offer very good close-up capabilities, expanding the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II’s versatility.

Other features include reduced focus breathing, an aperture ring that can be clicked on/off and dust and splash resistance.

Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Price

At a price tag of $2,299.99 / £2,400 / €2,799, the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II is clearly aimed at professionals or serious hobbyists who are willing to invest in high-quality glass. The new lens will be released in the autumn 2023.