by Welcome back to HDR News! It was a great year in photography. We’ve seen mirrorless cameras take off, new lenses impress us, big ticket items amaze us and more. But, it’s the images that you and your bretheren have made that make the year stand out. From news, to sports to portraiture to fine art, the great images just kept coming. That’s why this issue of HDR News is dedicated to the many competitions that attempt to celebrate best images of the year. We look at a single, serendipitous image, major news images, sports images and, of course, travel images. We hope this issue kicks off your 2020 shooting with inspiration. Let’s get started.
One In A Million Photo
We’ve covered a starling murmuration in HDR News in the past. For those who don’t know what a murmuration is (we didn’t know either) its the,”phenomenon where hundreds, sometimes thousands or more birds moving and twisting in what appears to be a coordinated, single organism that can quickly morph into some startling shapes”. So, something really cool must have happened for us to revisit this subject again.
Check out the photo and the story behind it HERE.
The Complete Guide To Travel Photography
To see and photograph the world is the great aspiration of photographers. But in the age of phone cameras making images on our trip almost seems trivial if we get into the mental state of “if I don’t take a photo, I wasn’t there”. And, let’s not mention immediately putting that photo on Instagram. This article is found in Conde Nast’s Traveller and is not a technical guide to travel photos themselves. Rather, it covers areas of consideration void from most travel photo articles by presenting “Dispatches From Around The World”, “Beauty Around The World”, behind the scenes of specific images and way more. It’s a fresh look at what you aspire to do.
Dive into the guide HERE.
The Year In Pictures – Beyond The Landscape
The greatest service news photographs can give us is making events visceral. We can read the report of a family crossing the Rio Grande to America for the opportunity they could never find at home but seeing the image of a father with his arms around his young child lying face down, dead in the water, is another experience all together. That is what great news photographs do. They shake you, wake you and make you deal with the events at hand. The New York Times’ photographers are tireless and fearless. They go where we would not. This is an image collection that will bring perspective into your New Year and ensure you give thanks for all you have.
Get into the best photojournalism around HERE.
Best Action Photos Of The Year
Red Bull’s annual sports photo competition winners were announced this month. When we think of epic sports photos we may be conjuring mental images of pro football wide receivers stretching for a catch or a shortstop suspended over second base while throwing to first. This set of images doesn’t go there. Instead you’ll see athletes suspended in air on bikes and rock climbers taking a break on a tiny platform of rock on the side of a treacherous cliff. It’s good stuff!
See the great action images HERE.
Photographing Tuscany – Val d’Orcia
Tuscany calls to photographers with its serene landscape. Think of the movie Gladiator and the lush scene when Maximus returns to his Tuscan home in his dream. There you see classic farms, lines of cypress trees and country roads winding through a gently hilly countryside. Everything is draped in an indescribable golden light. But, just traveling to Tuscany won’t get you those images because these scenes are located in a region of Tuscany which you can easily miss. On a normal trip to Tuscany tourists visit the famous cities of Florence and Siena and the land in between. The famous landscapes you’re looking to photograph are found south of Siena in the area called Val d’Orcia. Check out this bit of info in Visual Wilderness by a local pro.
Discover the most photogenic part of Tuscany HERE.
PDN Photo Annual
PDN – Photo District News has been one of the leading magazines for professional and aspiring professional photographers for decades. Gaining an image in the their Photo Annual each year is one of the most positive things you can do to advance your career. Why? Because it’s judges are the most knowledgeable in the business and for the respect held for the publications where they work. Spending some time analyzing the winning images in this year’s contest can only move you forward in the right direction.
See the great images HERE.
The Equipment Your Colleagues And Competitors Are Renting
Sony is taking over the camera market. No, Canon sells more cameras than Sony. Nikon still makes the most formidable lenses. Fujifilm is coming on like gangbusters and, on and on and on and on. Would you like some real data to support whichever claim you want to make in your next gear discussion? Then take a look at this article and see what photographers are actually renting. Its great info because if you’re going to supplement your kit for an important shoot you’ll most likely rent the brand you already use. Check it out.
Learn what your colleagues are renting HERE.