by Welcome again to HDR News. It’s year’s end and time for photo publications to deliver their best of the year articles. There are two important reads for photographers. They are Time’s Top 100 Photos Of The Year and dpReview’s 2020 Awards. One will display thought provoking photos and the other will suggest the equipment to make those photos happen. In the area of photo technique, think back to that great photo trip you took and you just knew you came back with killer images only to find some were just not sharp. We show you why. We also point you to an article that explains what few photographers know about; focus breathing. In addition there is an astonishing encounter between photographer and bird of prey that will make you smile. Let’s get going!
Time’s Top 100 Photos Of The Year
In our lifetimes we won’t often hear folks welcome the end of a year. This year is way different. The constant barrage of discord and strife across the globe has determined the direction photojournalism has taken in 2020 and that direction is on full display in Time’s 100 photos of the year. The collection is a conflict between composition and subject. Great photographers skillfully filled their frames with the chaos in front of them, forcing us to feel events that just could not be ignored. Art and news came together this year to inform us in a way that went straight to the heart.
See the top 100 photos HERE.
dpReview Awards 2020
Many issues of HDR News will feature a product analysis by dpReview. We marvel at their expertise and the hard work they put into their equipment reviews. They put products through tough analyses and write reviews which carry the respect gained from having reviewed hundreds, if not thousands of products before. And, they appear to truly love what they do which is a bonus for us. So, when dpReview bestows its end-of-year awards in various photo product categories we should be paying attention if for no other reason than to make good buying decisions for ourselves.
Check out the top equipment of the year HERE.
Who Says You Can’t Make A Blurry Photo Sharp!
If you’ve been working with photo editing software for a while you probably know that applications sporting a “Sharpen” function don’t actually sharpen your image. When employed, the Sharpen function looks for edges in your photo and increases the contrast along those edges thus giving the illusion of a sharper image. Now AI appears to have changed the playing field in the area of sharpening. What if an application could actually sharpen your image. Watch this incredible video and decide for yourself.
See AI deliver the sharpness goods HERE.
The One Camera Setting You Need To Change For Perfectly Sharp Photos
Have you ever gone out and captured what you think are perfectly executed images only to find they are slightly out of focus when you blow them up large on your computer screen? We all have. There’s a reason it’s happening and there’s a fix for it with a simple adjustment to your DSLR camera’s settings. We’ve been using this fix for years now and the technique is a game changer. Pro photographer Mark Denney takes you through the setting in this video. Be patient because the details start around six minutes into the video.
Discover the setting HERE.
What Is Focus Breathing?
If you’re into the technical aspects of photography you’ve probably heard the term “focus breathing”. But, what the heck is it and why should you care? This video discusses exactly what focus breathing is and who needs to worry about it. It is, in fact, more of an issue for videographers and it’s likely more important for videographers who use DSLRs for their video work.
Learn about focus breathing HERE.
Owl Lands On Photographer’s Lens
This is really cool. Check out this article and watch an adolescent owl land on a nature photographer’s head and then perch on his camouflaged 600mm f4 lens. You’ll be amazed at two things in particular: how perfectly the owl blends in with the camouflaged lens and how huge the bird is in relation to the humans. We expect great environmental landscape blending in dominant bird and animal species but sometimes the sheer size of a wild being can throw our senses off kilter.
See the bold bird make a photographer visit HERE.
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