The middle of September has rolled around and its high time for the photograph of the month. This photograph from my Polar Bears of Svalbard expedition this July and August. What I really love about this photograph is the sense of environment and space in which the Polar Bear lives. If memory serves correctly I think it was close to midnight when I took this photograph. The light is soft and ethereal and there was a light fog that just softened everything beautifully. The Polar Bear was wandering up and down the ice flow and paused for just a moment in just the right place for this photograph. This was quite close to our expedition ship and I was able to make this image with just a 24-70mm F4L IS lens. 
If you want to photograph Polar Bears like this up in the pack ice in their natural environment then there are now only three places left on my Svalbard High Arctic expedition next July before it will be sold out. You can drop me an email for further details or download the full PDF itinerary from my website at www.jholko.com
Software that Totally Redefines the Need for Mega-Pixels
Over the course of the last week I have been testing a new piece of software that in brief my experience to date totally redefines the need for super high mega-pixel cameras. This new piece of software is such a game changer that I believe it may well revolutionise not only the workflow of a great many serious photographers (especially those like myself who print) but seriously challenges the validity of cameras with any more than about twenty mega pixels. On top of that, it raises serious concerns about what can be done with a image downloaded from the internet. The potential for this to be abused is a bit of a concern, but that is a topic for another day.
I ran across this new piece of software quite by accident. To be completely transparent I don’t even remember exactly where it was I first heard about it. I may have read about it on a forum or someone may have mentioned it in passing. In any case, I have been testing this new software from Topaz Labs called A.I Gigapixel™.
In short, A.I Gigapixel is a simple stand alone application for uprezzing images. That in and of itself is nothing unique, but what makes it so special is the incredible results you can achieve with this remarkable piece of automated software. According to Topaz Labs:
A.I Gigapixel™ is the first and only desktop application to use the power of artificial intelligence to enlarge your images while adding natural details for an amazing result. Using deep learning technology, A.I.Gigapixel can enlarge images and fill in details that other resizing products leave out.
I wont bother to repeat any more of their marketing copy here on my blog, suffice to say this software works as advertised; and it works in spades. In direct comparisons between uprezzing in photoshop and uprezzing in A.I.Gigapixel there is a clear and obvious advantage in the Topaz Labs software. The difference is so pronounced as to be truly extraordinary. I have long harboured the belief that all you really need is about fifteen mega pixels to make a really great print up to roughly 20 x 30 inches if your capture is sharp and well exposed. I have demonstrated this fact countless times in my print workshops. Of course, everything has to do with viewing distance, but in the real world we don’t view prints six inches from our noses or under the power of a loupe. Now, with this new software it is possible to make prints of simply superb quality much larger than previously possible. Don’t believe me?
Well, you can try it for yourself as Topaz Labs offer a 30-day money free Trial with no obligation to purchase at the end of the trial period. If you are interested in making prints and you need to get the best possible image quality I strongly recommend you give it a try.
To be absolutely clear I have absolutely no affiliation with Topaz Labs. I have never spoken with anyone from the company and nor have I ever received anything from them for free (I have never even tried any of their software before). I downloaded the trial of A.I Gigapixel, tested it and within fifteen minutes I was so blown away that I immediately purchased it. If you print, or if you need larger files I wholeheartedly recommend you check out A.I Gigapixel. It might be the most significant piece of software for the digital photographic industry since the release of Photoshop.
AIPP Luminous Project Print Auction 2018
Unless you are a member of the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) you probably haven’t heard of the AIPP’s Luminous Project. The Luminous Project was a concept created a few years ago, and has been designed to celebrate photographic excellence, community spirit and offering photographers a helping hand when needed.
One part of the Project is the Luminous Fund, which has been established to accept donations and bequests, and raise funds via the Luminous Auction. This is a silent auction run online, comprised of photographs from the year’s APPA submissions, with images selected before the judging to ensure the print’s score is not a consideration. Previous auctions have raised over $11,500 for the Luminous Fund, which is set aside in the accounts and only used for the purposes of the Luminous Project.
This year’s silent auction offers prints, chosen from this year’s 2018 APPA entries, with the objective of raising funds for The Luminous Grant for student education. This year I am pleased to announce that one of my photographs ‘Lone Gentoo’ from Antarctica has been selected (the print scored a Silver with Distinction at APPA), and a 13 x 19 inch print will be auctioned for the Luminous Fund. Only 15 images were selected in total this year, so its quite an honour to be chosen.
You can bid on the print of your choice HERE. Prints are available for bidding until 5pm AEST Monday 17th September 2018 on the AIPP Galabid site.
Wildlife Photographic Issue #33 September October 2018
The lastest issue No. #33 of Wildlife Photographic (my photograph on the cover of previous issue) has just been released and features a brief 10 Question Interview feature on my photography. The issue is now available for download in the Apple App Store http://bit.ly/1aKP3qR and in the Google Play Store at http://bit.ly/1JOhMcW. Download now for the full interview.
Canons New Mirrorless Camera Thoughts and Musings
Over the last couple of weeks I have fielded a few emails and phone calls asking me my thoughts on the new mirrorless camera coming from Canon (to be announced officially in the next few days – Nikon’s is now formally announced). Honestly, I have not been given any information on this camera from Canon. None of my Canon contacts have mentioned it even in passing or provided any detail about a mirrorless camera whatsoever (nor have I bothered to ask). Even if they had, I would no doubt be under an NDA (which I am not) and unable to talk about it. Regardless, the specifications for the new Canon mirrorless camera have leaked on-line over at Canon Rumours and I have now had a bit of chance to gather my thoughts on the published specifications and what it might mean for my own photography. In case you missed the published specifications they are included below: (keep in mind none of this has been confirmed by Canon).
Canon EOS R Specifications (still not confirmed by Cannon)
- 30.3mp Full Frame CMOS
- Dual pixel CMOS AF
- 100% vertical x 88% horizontal AF coverage (We think)
- EV -6 low brightness autofocus
- 4K video
- Touchscreen LCD
- Articulating screen
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- Microphone jack
- Headphone jack
- Dustproof
- Drip-proof
- Magnesium body
- Battery: LP-E6N
- Battery grip: BG-E22
- Size: Width of about 136 mm × height of about 98 mm
- Weight: Approximately 580 g
- Mount: inner diameter 54 mm, flange back 20 mm, 12 pin
- Mount adapter: “Mount adapter EF – EOS R” “Control ring mount adapter EF – EOS R” “Drop – in filter mount adapter EF – EOS R”
A new mount?
From what I can surmise from the information available online it does indeed appear that the new Canon RF mount on this new mirrorless camera is a shorter registration than the EF mount, and it therefore will require an adapter to use EF lenses. That is sure to please some that want to adapt lenses to the RF mount, and will disappoint others (myself included) that were hoping for native EF compatibility. As of today we have no idea what (if any) implications there are for requiring an adapter for EF lenses, but the bottom line is a native EF mount would have zero implications – and that would have been my preference.
Am I about sell my DSLR’s and jump to mirrorless?
Before I answer that question it is important to understand that mirrorless cameras fill a certain niche. If you are street photographer, wedding, or a general jack-of-all trades shooter then mirrorless may well be the answer to all your prayers. However, contrary to what you might have read from the many zealots and pundits online mirrorless is not the be all and end all of cameras and it certainly doesn’t spell the extinction of the mirror SLR camera. Mirrorless cameras suffer from a number of different problems not the least of which is predictable and consistent failure in cold climates (and questionable weather sealing). Over the last few years I have seen numerous mirrorless cameras fail (including latest models from Sony, Fuji and others) in extreme cold on workshops and expeditions and whilst they come back to life once warmed, the shot has been long missed (along with many others). Simply put, with current technology EVF’s (Electronic View Finders) cannot be relied on in temperatures below about -10º Celsius. In temperatures of -20º Celsius and below you can expect failure to occur in as little as just a few minutes. This makes mirrorless useless for a lot of the winter photography I do in extreme cold. Just as an aside, once temperatures reach -20º Celsius and below you can expect problems even with most DSLR’s. Focus points start to ‘ghost’, batteries drain super quickly and electronics freeze and fail. Only the toughest and most rugged cameras such as Canon’s 1DX MKII and Nikon’s D5 can be relied on these sort of conditions. To date, I have never had a 1DX or 1DX MKII fail in extreme cold and have used these cameras for many hours at a time in temperatures as low as -40º Celsius. Try that with mirrorless and see how you get on…
With the issue of cold temperatures aside, mirrorless offers many advantages (not the least of which is a smaller size and less weight) that are extremely appealing and put simply I am excited about Canon’s new mirrorless camera. And yes, I will almost certainly be purchasing one and adding it to my camera kit. However it is important to understand that it certainly wont be replacing my DSLR’s any time soon. The new mirrorless camera will serve me as a lightweight travel camera and landscape camera for all but sub zero conditions. Mirrorless will not replace my DSLR cameras for wildlife in the foreseeable future (irrespective of climate).
I am still formulating my thoughts on what a new RF mount means for me, but its unlikely I will purchase new RF lenses in the foreseeable future. I will instead adapt my current EF lenses to the mirrorless camera. Of most interest to me is the option to adapt my Tilt Shift lenses to the new camera for landscape work.
As yet I have no idea when Canon will actually be able to deliver this new mirrorless camera (keep in mind its not even officially announced yet). I hope (although I think its unlikely) it will be in my hands in time for my Namibia workshop early next month.
www.WILDNATUREPHOTOTRAVEL.com 