It’s one of landscape photography’s “big ticks” – that shot of the fishermans cottages in the shadow of Lofoten’s mountain range in Hamnøy; one of the archipelago’s tiny islands connected by bridges that span for miles across the region. I have to admit, it’s been a place I’d been wanting to shoot for a while, so when the opportunity arose to test some new equipment in low temperatures, it was pretty high up there on […]
Industry
Rollei Lion Rock 30 Mk II Review – Could this be the most stable tripod, ever?
There’s a new kid on the block – well, triplets, actually : The Rollei Lion Rock Mark II series of tripods, made by FotoPro, with three different heights and capacities of up to 20kg, 25kg and 30kg. So, having used tripods from Manfrotto, Really Right Stuff, Gitzo and many others – after years of them trying to convince me to switch from my existing “old favourites”, could this finally be “the one”? Last year, I […]
Capture One – Advanced Masks & Adjustments, Bridging the Filter Gap
Glass filters are an essential part of many landscape photograpers’ kit bags, but what happens when there simply isn’t the perfect filter for the scene before your eyes?
Paul guides you through how Capure One’s advanced masks and dynamic range recovery tools can help bring that image back to exactly what you saw.
Capture One 11 by Phase One – it’s arrived, and it’s simply great
Surrounded in prior secrecy, today marks the launch of Phase One’s latest version of (in my opinion) the best raw image processor available today – Capture One 11. But beyond the fantastic new features, this launch is a little more special from my perspective – as my Dubai photographs are being used as one of the Press Pack’s “hero series” of images. So what do we get in the new version of this phenomenal image […]
Say Hello to the New Phase One & Capture One Brand Ambassadors
Well, the news is now official – the brand new lineup of Phase One & Capture One Brand Ambassadors has landed, and I’m very pleased to be counted among this amazing group of 13 photographers from around the world. With the website launched this month, we’re bringing an entirely new presence to the post-production software space with a mix of photographers who use Phase One hardware as well as those who utilise cameras from other […]
Review : Shooting Icebergs with the Phase One iQ3 Achromatic 100MP Digital Back
Over $50,000 for a camera system that only shoots Black and White images? Yes, say Phase One, and that’s exactly why the iQ3 100-Megapixel Achromatic Medium Format Digital Back is that price – because it does purely that, exceptionally well. While my original intention was to capture sunsets, sunrises, and everything in between on my trip to Ilulissat, in Greenland – the opportunity to collect a demo unit from them in Copenhagen on the way to […]
Win a brand new Rollei Mark II 100mm filter system
The brand new ultra-light Mark II version of Rollei’s fantastic 100mm filter system holder is about to land, and to celebrate its launch, they’ve given me a complete setup to give away to one lucky reader at the bottom of this page. But hurry – entries close at 23:59 GMT on the 10th October 2017! Having tested the new system recently, it’s a major leap forward in terms of functionality and styling, from their already […]
Rollei Pro Square Filter Mark II Review & Comparison
When you’ve been testing a new series of filters for a while, it’s easy to forget that one day they’ll actually become real-life products – that is, until the final versions arrive in their shiny new packaging at your door. Say hello to the brand new “Mark II” Rollei square photographic filters, and finally I can talk about some of the amazing features on these German-engineered sheets of glass. And they’re not just any glass, they’re now […]
First Light : Sunrise at Zion National Park
Zion – a National Park that I’ve passed many times, yet strangely never visited. Heading in for just one night as we travelled the long trek from Jackson to Las Vegas, I was reliably informed that there was one key “sunset shot” that was worth heading in to at least try and capture. The signs of an unlikely shot were there – the weather was closing in, loads of people around in the late season, and […]
National Geographic : Greatest Landscapes – Featuring “Still”
Travelling around the US, it was great being able to pick up an early copy of National Geographic’s “Greatest Landscapes” book – published this month, featuring my shot of the stunning lone willow tree that sits in Lake Wanaka, New Zealand – before I head back to London. Released in the UK on 17th November, this 400 page book features some of the most dramatic and iconic photography from all around the world, and it’s a […]
Roy’s Peak – Another of New Zealand’s (now) cliché locations
Over-used by cliché wedding photographers, over-“influenced” by millions of instagrammers and over-sold around the world by tourism boards, this once peaceful hiking trail and overlook across Lake Wanaka has sadly now become a magnet for “look at me” shots worldwide. Beautiful though it is, Roy’s Peak has fallen victim to the same challenges faced by “that Wanaka tree” and many other tourist traps nearby – the result of huge popularity following the publishing of (what were […]
Photokina Roundup & Rollei Filters 15% off Discount Code
The doors are closed, the lights are off, last night saw the end to another fantastic Photokina show for another year. And what a fantastic show it was – surrounded by the latest innovations, technology and knowledge from some of the industry’s leading brands and experts – it’s easy to see why Cologne consistently retains the title as hosting the largest photographic show in the world. This year, I had the absolute pleasure of supporting Rollei […]
Paul’s Tripod Buying Guide
I need a tripod – but which one? In a market which is saturated with manufacturers and all their unique solutions, choosing the right tripod can be almost as tricky as the decision making process that went in to buying your camera. There are so many confusing options out there and I’m often asked “which is the best tripod?”, but the answer is never a simple one. The tripod that is best for me is […]
Inside Antelope Canyon – Paul’s Complete Photography Guide
It’s a location that features on the bucket list of many photographers, and it’s a magnetic one at that. Having already visited both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon 6 or 7 times since my first visit in 2011, I still have the urge to return every now and then to capture the other-worldly scenes of light-trails, stunning rock formations and shadows throughout these two natural wonders just outside of Page, Arizona. Sadly, there is a lot […]
Opening The World’s Most Exclusive Gallery – In 30 days flat!
We did it! Opening the world’s most exclusive gallery – pr@hf – on the luxury island resort of PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi is something we’re really proud of, and it’s now all set to grow in its brand new home. As the first ever photographic gallery that must be accessed by seaplane or speedboat, there’s something really cool about the new space, and guests are loving what we’ve managed to deliver. But I thought I’d take […]
Take it, Don’t Fake it. The Disturbing Rise of Photoshop-ography
As part of my post last year, I briefly touched on the growing number of “photoshop-ographers” in the industry – a worrying trend which is creating a void of necessary in-camera capture skills and knowledge. This is where people are instead opting to “fix things later” (often fabricating reality), publishing fake scenes while claiming them to be photographs. In this article, I want to explore the challenges we face as a result of this apparent shift in what […]
Discover The Undiscovered – Sunset Tips with Land Rover
“Any tips for shooting sunset?” – was the start of the conversation with Time Inc’s reporter. As part of Jaguar Land Rover’s latest USA campaign, the guys were looking for tips and guides to help people get the best out of their travels to undiscovered places. “Sure”, I said, and rattled off a whole stream of quick concepts, easy to remember tips and tricks and a few “be careful when….” thoughts that would help the […]
Through the Keyhole: Durdle Door’s sunrise, revisited
Since my first attempt to capture sunrise “through the hole” a few year back, a couple of things have happened. Firstly, I’ve managed to get a lot more familiar with my gear – its quirks and challenges, as well as what to do to get it to really perform. Secondly, I’ve seen a mini-explosion of photographers shrouding their images in fake mystery regarding “the art of capturing sunrise through the hole” at Durdle Door. If you seriously listened […]
Phase One New Zealand PODAS Workshop Announced
With lots of exciting news coming up, I’m delighted to finally be able to announce a new (amazing!) option to my workshop line-up for next year. Working directly with the team at Phase One, not only will I be running a direct workshop on New Zealand’s south island, but in June 2016 we’ll also be offering a longer, enhanced, PODAS (“Phase One Digital Artist Series”) trip this winter! The PODAS workshops really are something else […]
Eye Wonder – Shooting Mesa Arch at Sunrise
Every photographer has “the list” – the list of locations they’ve always wanted to capture. It could be 1, 2, 10 or 100 places, but we all have one – and for me, a feature on my list since I can remember is Mesa Arch in Canyonlands, Utah – and I finally got to tick that box. Introducing: “Eye Wonder”, my latest limited edition print: “Eye Wonder” – Buy the limited edition print Having years to prepare […]
Curtain Call – Free download : Hollywood Sign Image
Some call it a “Black Friday Sale”; Others call it a moment of madness; I call it “giving something back” (as you’ll read more about below). However, regardless of the reason, you’re not reading the title wrong – You can download, for free, one of my latest digital images for personal use. 😉 Proudly presenting… “Curtain Call”: Clicking the image above, or clicking here, will download the lower-resolution version (suitable for desktop backgrounds, 3,000 x 2,000 px). Clicking on this […]
“Getting the shot” – how far is going too far?
I sit writing this with a smile on my face, as I’m about to link to the most unique headline I’ve ever read: “A Frog Riding a Beetle: Is This a Real Wildlife Photo or a Bunch of BS?” Reading that article, as well as looking at the claimed “perfectly timed” shot from last year’s Sony World Photography Awards, it brings back the memory of a story I read recently about the cormorant fishermen in […]
Steller App – Photographic social storytelling on your phone
A couple of weeks ago, after landing back to London Heathrow, my phone informed me that I’d been “mentioned” on an unknown app called “Steller“. As is normally the case with this kind of thing, I initially brushed it off as an invite to yet another useless social media/networking tool that will likely disappear after I’ve put effort into using it. However, something grabbed my attention with this one: It listed a company that I’d recently photographed for and […]
New awards and latest features – October 2015
Well, that wasn’t a bad little “haul” – 6 images credited in this year’s Epson Pano Awards 2015 🙂 On the list of award-winning images, some of my favourites: “Alone“, gaining a silver award, along with “Reveal” from New Zealand, “Bonsai” from California, “Settle” from New Zealand, “The Morning After” from Sydney and “Financial Freedom” from New York. I guess that makes it a truly International spread of awards, and adds to some of the fantastic […]