Category Archives: Photography

Photographers, filmmakers and marine biologists, Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen founded SeaLegacy in 2014 with a mission to use visual storytelling to protect the ocean. Now they have created 100 For the Ocean, and gathered together 100 photographers across a range of genres who are donating an image to support this aim. 100% of the net proceeds of the print sales of these images will go towards ocean conservation.

This fundraiser runs from 1st to 31st May 2023 with images starting at $100/£82. Each image is available in two print sizes, 8.3×11.7 inches (A4) or 11.7×16.5 inches (A3). The prints can be bought by themselves or in white, black or oak frames with the price rising to £242 for an A3 print in an oak frame.

The prints are made to order on acid-free, Hahnemühle archival cotton Photo Rag Giclée paper with a chalky smooth finish. Matte paper has been selected because it minimises the impact of glare in a frame and delivers great colour saturation and detail.

Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen have both donated prints along with Jimmy Chim, Jodi Cobb, Steve McCurry, Brooke Shaden and Harry Skeggs – to name just a few from the illustrious group. The print collection page of the website makes fabulous viewing, but it’s going to be hard to select just one to hang at Jabber HQ.

Posting on Instagram, Cristina Mittermeier says of 100 For The Ocean, ‘I cannot believe after months of exhausting work we finally have lift-off! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this endeavor, dedicating your time, advice, and, of course, your beautiful works of art to the cause. I have never been more proud to be part of this community.’

Many of the images on the website have a personal note from the photographer that explains the story behind the image and makes interesting reading.

Shipping to USA, Canada, UK, EU or EEA costs $15 for either size unframed print and $30 for framed prints. The shipping rates for the rest of the world are $25 and $50.

There are people who spend years in school learning the art of working a camera, and then there’s Jordan Jimenez — completely self-taught off his mom’s old Nikon and one photography book for dummies.

Walking around his first gallery opening in January, you could spot 8-by-10 photos from the first time he picked up a camera in June 2015, a few years after he started struggling with depression. Captured on film are memories of him and his friends exploring the streets of San Francisco, where the freelance photographer was born.

“I had no idea what I was doing, how to use it,” he tells TODAY.com, reminiscing about his first camera. “I’d always had fun taking photos on my iPhone with the little fisheye attachment, but that day in 2015 changed everything.”

Before he found his passion for photography, Jimenez’s first love was basketball. He started playing in elementary school and became enamored after attending his first Golden State Warriors game.

“Just like every other kid, I just wanted to go to the NBA, which is, you know, such a silly, silly dream,” Jimenez, who goes by JSquared on social media, says.

Being a part of his local basketball community meant everything to the now 25-year-old. Through basketball, he met his best friends and found an outlet to cope with his depression. So, when Jimenez got injured playing sports in high school, his whole world came crashing down.

That’s when he picked up a camera, which didn’t just change his life — it saved it.

“Photography saved my life”

Jimenez likes to joke that his mental health struggles helped him find his way to photography. “As soon as I picked up the camera, I realized (photography) really does help you see life in such a different way,” he says.

The photographer started struggling with depression as a kid. Growing up in Daly City and San Bruno right outside of San Francisco, he says he felt pressure to be the best at everything, from school to sports.

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His teenage years only escalated his mental health struggles. His parents got divorced, his grandma died, and he dealt with a serious concussion that stopped him from playing basketball.

Then, during his senior year of high school, Jimenez started taking pictures. He’d venture to San Francisco, where he and his friends would climb on rooftops to capture different vantage points of the city.

His mom, Lisa Rome, recalls the first time her son asked to borrow her camera. “You can have it. Do whatever you want to do with it. I’m not using it,” she remembers telling him.

The next thing she knew, Jimenez was eagerly showing her the latest collection of photos he’d shot.

“I was trying to find the beauty in life and the beauty in the smallest things. Photography became my new outlet of seeing the world in a positive way,” Jimenez says.

“It was like, how can I show other people what’s beautiful in life? That was my vision with photography, and it’s also my way of giving back and showing people life’s OK, there’s so many beautiful things,” he adds.

Lauren Cook, a clinical psychologist, tells TODAY.com that when we’re passionate about how we spend our time, we experience an elevated level of enthusiasm in our lives that makes us feel excited to start and move thorough our day.

“Passion can be an antidote to so many things that can connect back to depression,” she says. “We can notice increased energy, less fatigue and more motivation — all things that help combat depressive symptoms. We can also see our self-esteem improve because we feel proud of ourselves for living in alignment with our values.”

From the court to the sideline

After graduating from high school, Jimenez attended the University of San Francisco. While in school, he continuously wondered how he could combine his loves of photography and basketball.

A year and a half later, in February 2018, he dropped out of school to pursue photography full time.

“I wanted to cry,” Rome says, remembering when he told her. “But also because of everything he went through, I just wanted him to be happy. He had to take that change. Life is too short.”

To get his foot in the door, Jimenez reached out to old coaches and trainers, asking to photograph practices and workout sessions for free. Every opportunity he could find, Jimenez took it and ran.

“It was all about being in the right place with the right people at the right time,” he says.

In March 2018, after leaving school, he photographed his first big event, McDonald’s All-American Game in Atlanta, an event for top high schools from around the country. There, he created connections with people that led him to photograph his first Euroleague game in Spain a week later, where the young Luka Doncic played for Real Madrid.

The following year, Jimenez met Stephen Curry for the first time while working as a production assistant for a Slam Magazine cover shoot. From there, the two kept building their relationship through run-ins at games photo shoots.

Then, by chance, while at the Unlimited Potential Basketball training facility in Burlingame, California, Jimenez met Jordan Poole, at the time a newly drafted Warriors guard.

The two clicked over their love of basketball and photography, sparking a true friendship that brought Jimenez to the Warrior’s court.

A few years later, in June 2022, Jimenez found himself in the Warriors’ locker room with Curry, Poole and the rest of the team after they’d won the NBA Championships. Thinking back to this moment, Jimenez couldn’t help but recall how surreal it felt.

“I had all of these dreams growing up of wanting to work for the Warriors, but I didn’t know how I would make that happen,” he says.

“To be able to be in a locker room and be able to photograph the championships, the biggest moment of these guys’ lives, it was such a surreal feeling. I play a little bit of a role in telling their story and documenting history,” he adds.

Jimenez recalls a photo he captured of Poole not long after his win. The two were on a boat together in Italy during the summer. While the photo is a simple shot of Poole looking into the camera, Jimenez sees more in the moment.

“For me, it’s such a beautiful moment because, four years ago, people were talking about (how) he wasn’t going to be in the league. Now here we were in Italy … after the championship,” he says.

“It’s all these little moments where nobody might not even understand the context behind it — what the emotions were when I took the photo — but for me, all of these photos are just timestamps of my life,” he adds.

“Capturing the beauty in life”

Jimenez’s perception of a good photo has nothing to do with rules. Instead, it’s all about how a picture makes him feel.

“If I look at it, and I’m like, ‘Damn, that’s a good photo,’ that’s kind of all it is,” he says. “It’s not ever too analytical in the sense of, ‘This is good or bad,’ but it’s like, how did the photo make you … look at the world?”

The photo he gets the most compliments on is a picture of Curry during a game turning around. But his favorite is a lesser-known photograph of a sunset in Maui. While in his eyes, it’s a terrible photo, it’s the memory behind it that holds meaning.

“The photo I have is not that good, but I remember how that moment made me feel, like you really feel like you’re on top of the world,” he says.

“As I get to document those people in places, I’m also documenting all the places and people that I’ve come across and I’ve been lucky enough to experience,” he says.

Photography, especially in the basketball, has also given Jimenez a platform to represent his Filipino culture in spaces where he says not many people look like him.

“It’s also about representation and showing (to) … Filipino people, Asian (people), if I can do it, so can everybody else,” he says.

“If this Filipino kid from the Bay Area … can go ahead and come in and dominate the space in a certain way, then anything’s possible,” he adds.

Looking back, Jimenez isn’t sure where he’d be if he hadn’t picked up a camera and starting shooting. As hard as his journey dealing with depression is, he’s thankful and eager to learn from everyone he encounters.

“Everybody has something to offer,” he says. “As a photographer, I’m always looking for a deeper meaning, observing people’s mannerisms or the way they dress to teach people out their role in the world.”

Of course, Jimenez still has moments where he struggles, but when that happens, he takes extra time practice gratitude and look at the life he’s captured through his lens.

“I don’t think depression really ever fully goes away. But being able to understand how to deal with it is such an important thing,” he says.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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Vivo X90 Pro review: A flagship phone with a focus on design and photography

In a sea of top-tier smartphones where all look and perform alike, the recently launched Vivo X90 Pro stands out. Vivo has not just built on its camera legacy but has come up with a remarkable design as well. But does the phone powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9200 stands a chance again the Snapdragon Gen 2-powered smartphones? Let’s find out.

Stunning beauty

The Vivo X90 Pro, with its sleek and curvaceous design, breaks free from the conventional big and boxy shapes of modern-day smartphones. It’s an embodiment of elegance and sophistication, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who sees it. The moment I held it in my hand, it evoked memories of the Samsung Galaxy 7 Edge and 9 Edge – a true testament to its ergonomic design.

Flip it over, and the rear is crafted with premium vegan leather, complete with a large circular raised camera module that houses all the necessary sensors. While this may not be the first attempt at such a design, as the Asus Zenfone 2 had a similar design back in 2015, it’s hard to deny that the result is nothing short of stunning. The Vivo X90 Pro’s innovative design language truly stands out from the crowd.

Despite its weight of 214.85 grams, the Vivo X90 Pro feels remarkably light to hold, and its comfortable grip ensures that you won’t feel any strain even after prolonged use. In conclusion, the Vivio X90 Pro is the epitome of design and functionality, with its luxurious aesthetics and unparalleled ergonomics. But not at the cost of durability. The IP68 rating keeps it safe from dust and water, with the screen protection from Schott Xensation α – Corning Gorilla Glass’ rival.

Display

With the Vivo X90 Pro, it’s clear that the focus is on style and functionality. But in terms of the display, Vivo has chosen to keep it simple yet effective. While it may not feature the QHD+ resolution found on many flagship devices, the large 6.78-inch AMOLED curved-edge panel still offers an impressive resolution of 2800×1260 pixels. The sunlight legibility at 1300 nits peak brightness is decent but falls short in front of the recently reviewed Samsung Galaxy S23+ with 1750 nits peak brightness. Overall, the screen is bright with punchy colours and also has HDR10+ support.

Photographer’s delight

Vivo phones are all about cameras and photography. And for the X90 Pro, Vivo has gone all in.  Or should I say Vivo has taken mobile photography a notch higher? The setup includes 50MP 1-inch-type IMX989 sensor aligned with 12MP ultrawide and a 50MP, 2x telephoto.

The 1-inch sensor size on a smartphone is not very common and is worthy of all praise. This big sensor captures more light for a deeper dynamic range and better lowlight photography, and is powered using Vivo’s in-house V2 image processing chip.

Most smartphones impress with daylight shots. So does Vivo X90 Pro, as the shots clicked during daylight capture fine details with great colour reproduction. But that’s nothing extraordinary, right? Where it outshines is low-light photography. The biggest challenge while shooting images at night or in low light is to stand still for anywhere between 3 to 7 seconds. But I could use this phone to capture low-light shots quickly. Moreover, the ergonomic design assists in staying still and doesn’t feel heaving on the hand. Unlike many flagships that artificially brighten the low-light or night image, this one doesn’t. During no noon, the night sky, for instance, looks dark. Focusing on subjects with a primary lens often resulted in bokeh life effects images, so I had to be a little careful while framing the shots.

Images captured by default tend to be slightly oversaturated, just like on the Samsung flagships. But if you wish the images looked more natural, the dedicated Zeiss setting within the main camera app captures natural-looking colour images, similar to the results captured for the latest iPhones.

And if you love getting close to the subjects to capture finer details, you will love macro mode. While it gets in action by default, the results were erratic. I preferred turning in on with one tap, and the details it captured, like the dust particles and threads from plants, were mind-blowing. There are also ‘Astro’ and ‘Supermoon’ photography mode, for night sky photography.

I am not a selfie person, but the 32MP sensor is impressive as it captures great images during daylight, but I will recommend asking someone to capture your shorts using the rear camera at night.

Last but not least, the rear camera has Zeiss T* coating on the lens, which actively reduces glare from harsh light sources.

Performance

This is Vivo’s flagship offering, and unlike most top-end ones powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 2, this one has MediaTek Dimensity 9200. This is MediaTek’s flagship chip resulting in fast and fluid performance. Everything ran smoothly, including video editing and even games like Asphalt 9 but with some heavy graphic games, it stated to stutter. While in real life, the performance of MediaTek’s flagship is nothing to complain about, it falls short of Qualcomm’s flagship chipset on performance benchmarks.

With the app tray housing all the apps, the user interface on the FunTouch OS 13 feels (based on Android 13) intuitive. However, other than the essential Google Services and apps, it has much bloatware such as Snapchat, PhonePe, Uber Eats, Spotify and others. Thankfully most of them can be uninstalled barring a few like Vivo Cloud, V-AppStore, etc.

The X90 Pro, which is accompanied by a proprietary 120W fast wired charger, juices this 4870 mAh battery in just under 30 minutes, which easily lasts a day with extensive camera usage. It also supports 50W wireless charging speeds with a Vivo wireless charger.

Verdict

One of the best camera smartphones, the Vivo falls short in terms of performance compared to Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Rs 1,24,999). But that said, the price difference between the two is huge. Our review unit was the one 12GB RAM and 256GB storage and will retail for Rs 84,999. If you don’t intend to spend Rs 30,000 extra, the Vivo X90 Pro is worth considering.

Price: Rs 84,999

Specs: 6.78-inch AMOLED display, 2800×1260p resolution, 120Hz refersh rate, 50MP + 50MP + 12MP rear camera, 32MP front camera, MediaTek Dimensity 9200 processor, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, Funtouch OS 13 (Based on Android 13.0), 4870mAh battery

In the box: X90 Pro, USB Cable, Charger, phone case

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The theme for the fifth round of the 2023/24 Camera Jabber Photographer of the Year (CJPOTY) competition is ‘Water’. Water is essential to life and we are naturally drawn to it, building towns and cities along rivers and lakes, and flocking to water bodies for walks and recreation. It’s also fascinating for photographers who have the choice of whether to freeze or blur its movement through their shutter speed selection.

For this round of CJPOTY, we want to see your best images of water whether it’s in the natural or urban environment; an ebbing tide, a mirror-smooth lake, a meandering river, flowing from a tap, spraying from a hose or trickling down an ornamental fountain.

This round of our monthly competition is open for submissions until 23:59 BST (00:59 CET and 15:59 PST) on 31st May 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 May 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 2024‘. The photographers who come second and third will receive vouchers worth £500 and £250 respectively.

You don’t have to enter the competition every month, but you are welcome to do so and the more shortlisted images you have at the end of the year, the greater the chance of winning the top prize.

CJPOTY VIP Judges

At the end of the year, our illustrious panel of judges has the onerous task of selecting the first, second and third-placed images overall from the shortlist of 120. Our judges are:

Benedict Brain – Photographer, journalist & Sigma ambassador
Sophie Collins – Chief Marketing Office at MPB, Trustee of Royal Photographic Society
Donna Crous – Food photographer, author, Nikon Europe ambassador and Rotolight Master of Light
Ross Hoddinott – Landscape photographer, wildlife photographer, author, tutor, conservationist
Tracy Marshall-Grant – Arts Director, curator and producer
Denise Maxwell – Multi-genre photographer and lecturer
Carolyn Mendelsohn – Artist and portrait photographer
Paul Sanders – fine art photographer
Jemella Ukaegbu – Photographer & founder of UK Black Female Photographers (UKBFTOG)
Christina Vaughan – Founder of Cultura Creative, the home of inclusive stock photography

Follow the link to find out more about the CJPOTY judges.

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.