Most of us came to the iconic portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz's work through a magazine cover, a gallery wall, or a scroll through Instagram. Few of us came to it through a picture book aimed at four to seven year-olds. But that's exactly what's landing on shelves this August. 

Little People, BIG DREAMS: Annie Leibovitz, written by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Clare Owen, is the latest instalment in a series of books that's already sold over 15 million copies in more than 40 languages. 

The mission of the series is to distill the lives of notable inspirational figures, scientists, artists, activists, into a 32-page hardback that mixes simple biography with bold, stylized illustration. Past subjects have included the artist Frida Kahlo, the TV presenter David Attenborough, the singer David Bowie and the scientist Marie Curie. 

In this light, the inclusion of Annie Leibovitz says something about how thoroughly her work has crossed from photography's specialist world into mainstream cultural literacy. Nowadays she's no longer just held up as a benchmark within the profession, but spoken of by the wider public, in the same breath as painters and pop stars.

Leibovitz is also a great choice because, quite frankly, her career story is so interesting. And reducing it to its essentials for a young audience turns out to be a useful exercise for adults too.

The book strips the story back to its clearest through-line: an artist who started somewhere else entirely, and built a signature style through sheer persistence and curiosity.

Published by Quarto, the book opens with a detail that's easy to forget amid the decades of iconic covers: Leibovitz originally studied painting, not photography. It was only after that grounding in visual art that she found her way to a camera, and the switch shaped everything that followed. 

Her painter's eye for composition and colour is visible in even her most spontaneous-looking portraits, a reminder that technical mastery of a camera is only ever half the job. The other half is a formed visual sensibility, and that can come from anywhere.

By her twenties she was chief photographer at Rolling Stone, a role that put her at the centre of music and celebrity culture during one of its most image-hungry periods. It's the kind of early break that photographers still measure their own progress against; not because the opportunity is likely to repeat itself, but because of what she did with it: building a body of work bold enough to become inseparable from the culture it documented.

There's an obvious audience for this book: parents and grandparents who love photography and want to hand their kids something more substantial than a screen. But it's worth a look for the adults in the house too. 

Because while a children's picture book won't teach anyone how to light a portrait, it's still a neat, honest reminder of why so many of us picked up a camera in the first place.

Little People, BIG DREAMS: Annie Leibovitz is published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books on August 20, priced $15.99 / £10.99.

On May 05 (not quite Star Wars Day!) the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals overruled a district court order that previously dismissed a lawsuit over photographs of the production of various Star Wars movies that were captured by famed portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz.

The original lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Great Bowery Inc, the company behind licensing agency Trunk Archive, which was said to hold "exclusive worldwide representation to license her [Leibovitz] photographs."

The copyright infringement suit was filed against Consequence Sound LLC and later Consequence Media Group Inc, regarding the unauthorized usage of some of Leibovitz’s Star Wars photographs on Consequence.

The district court’s reasoning for dismissing Great Bowery’s suit appears to stem from the perceived exclusivity of its image rights.

The court documents reveal that Annie Leibovitz retained some rights over the imagery, which the district court identified as a point of conflict, ultimately ruling that Great Bowery didn’t have exclusive worldwide rights while Leibovitz retained her own rights.

But the court of appeals has concluded that “the district court’s understanding of copyright law was not quite right,” and has thus overturned the decision.

My main takeaway from the court documents is that while Great Bowery doesn’t possess all of the rights to the works in question, it does have exclusive worldwide access to the rights that it’s been given, as stated in the following passage:

"A plaintiff does not need to be the owner of all the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright; it only needs to be the owner of 'that particular right' which the defendant has allegedly infringed."

It’s important to note that the court of appeals has only reversed the district court’s decision and paved the way for a revival of the original dispute.

Time will tell whether this is case really does have any force or if it's just a phantom menace…

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If you haven't heard of the Saltzman-Leibovitz Photography Prize yet, now's the time to pay attention. Launched in 2025 by New York photographer and philanthropist Lisa Saltzman, through the Saltzman Family Foundation, and created in collaboration with Annie Leibovitz, it's explicitly designed to spotlight emerging female photographers at a pivotal point in their careers. It comes with real money ($15,000 for the winner, $5,000 for the runner-up), a serious jury and, crucially, an exhibition at Photo London. Only in its second year, it's already making a strong case for itself.

The 2026 edition takes Leibovitz's book Women as its inspiration, with five international nominators each putting forward a candidate, whose work is then judged by a panel of experts. This year's winner is Marisol Mendez, a photographer and researcher from Cochabamba, Bolivia, whose project MADRE takes the $15,000 top prize. And it's worth listening to how Mendez explains her own practice.

"It's usually easier to understand love or time through a poem or song than through a chemistry lesson or the manual of a clock," she said on receiving the nomination. That's a line worth pinning above your monitor: not because it's particularly original, but because it articulates something photographers often know instinctively, yet struggle to act on. Documentation is a floor, not a ceiling.

The winner and her work

MADRE weaves Andean folklore and Catholic iconography into an exploration of Bolivian identity and matriarchal lineage, drawing on archival family photographs alongside Mendez's own staged and naturalistic imagery. It's ambitious, layered and formally striking.

The connection to Leibovitz isn't merely institutional, either: Mendez cites being "enamoured" by Leibovitz's images as what first drew her toward fiction and storytelling, which gives the whole thing a pleasingly circular quality.

Diverse voices

The shortlist around Mendez makes for a compelling survey of where serious photography is happening right now. It includes Cole Ndelu, working at the intersection of fashion, spirituality and Zulu identity in Johannesburg; Lindeka Qampi, a self-taught South African photographer documenting township life with formal rigour; Bettina Pittaluga turning her lens on queer community life in Paris with an emphasis on the quiet and unguarded over the spectacular.

Then there's runner-up Miranda Barnes, whose project Social Season documents Black debutante balls in the United States.

A Brooklyn-born artist who studied humanities and justice before turning to photography, Barnes receives $5,000 for a project that uses colour photography to explore African American cotillion culture (a coming-of-age tradition where young women are introduced into society).

It's simultaneously glamorous and pointed, a reminder, as she frames it, that within living memory "being a well-dressed, articulate black person was deemed inappropriate, even a dangerous offense".

The images, shot with a warm and unhurried eye, treat their subjects with the seriousness the tradition deserves, and the tradition has rarely been photographed this carefully.

Why this matters

Awards like this one matter beyond the prize money, though $15,000 is genuinely useful at an early stage of a career. They matter because they set a standard and this prize is setting an interesting one.

The jury, the nominators and the winning work all seem to share a conviction that photography is most valuable when it's doing something that a phone camera and a caption can't do alone: building a world, interrogating a system of belief, finding the mythic inside the domestic.

A selection of works by all five nominees will be on show at Photo London, Olympia, from May 13-17 2026. If you're going, it's worth making time for: this is the kind of work that reminds you why you picked up a camera in the first place. For more information, visit saltzmanfamilyfoundation.org.

It's International Women's Day, so we're celebrating the incredible women who have shaped photography from day one.

From trailblazers like Anna Atkins, who helped create photography for scientific documentation, to today's bold visionaries like Petra Collins, these women have pushed boundaries, told new stories and changed the way we see the world.

They've inspired generations, broken down barriers and created images that stick with you. So take a moment to explore their work, get inspired and join us in celebrating the creativity and vision of female photographers – past, present and future.

The early innovators

Anna Atkins, 1799-1871
A friend of Henry Fox Talbot, Atkins was an English botanist and photographer. She published Photographs Of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, the first book with photographic illustrations, and some sources claim that she was the first woman to create a photograph.

Julia Margaret Cameron, 1815-1879
With a position in Victorian England’s high society, she captured many legendary figures in her short career – which started at the age of 48. She often posed her various sitters as characters from biblical or historical stories, copyrighting all her photos.

Bertha Beckmann, 1815–1901
Beckmann was possibly the first professional female photographer in the world, With her husband she opened a studio in Leipzig, Germany, in 1843 and ran the business herself after his death in 1847.

Mary Carnell, 1861-1925
The American photographer and clubwoman, based in Pennsylvania, was the founder and first president of the Women’s Federation of the Photographers’ Association of America.

Signe Brander, 1869-1942
Brander documented the city of Helsinki, Finland, and the everyday lives of its inhabitants in the early 20th century. She created 907 photos of the changing cityscape.

Modern pioneers

Dorothea Lange, 1895-1965
Co-founder of Aperture Magazine, Lange is responsible for one of the most famous images in photographic history – Migrant Mother Florence Owens Thompson during the Great Depression.

Tina Modotti, 1896-1942
Italian photographer Modotti was a revolutionary activist for the Communist Party, as well as a model and actress. Much of her work involved highlighting Mexican culture, which she began shooting in 1922.

Berenice Abbott, 1898-1991
Abbott started as a darkroom assistant for Man Ray in Paris, but quickly established herself as a visual artist in her own right. She is best known for portraits of between-the-wars cultural figures, urban design of the 1930s and scientific interpretation shots.

Margaret Bourke-White, 1904-1971
Remembered for iconic images of World War II and Gandhi at his spinning wheel. In 1941, she became the United States' first female war correspondent.

Dorothy Norman, 1905-1997
Norman was a writer, photographer and social activist who depicted the early 20th century through sensitive portraits. She donated many photos by herself and husband Alfred Stieglitz to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, establishing the Alfred Stieglitz Center.

Gerda Taro, 1910-1937
Regarded as the first female photojournalist to have died while covering the frontline of a conflict, during the Spanish Civil War. Taro was the companion and partner of Robert Capa, who was born Endre Friedmann. – "Robert Capa" was actually a pseudonym shared by the couple, and much of the Capa canon was shot by Taro.

Helen Levitt, 1913-2009
Levitt was a pioneer in street photography and captured subjects in New York City. She has been called “the most celebrated and least-known photographer of her time.”

Tsuneko Sasamoto, 1914-present
Sasamoto was Japan’s first female photojournalist, joining the Japanese Photographic Society in 1940. Margaret Bourke-White was a major influence on her decision to become a photographer.

Marion Carter, 1920-2002
Carpenter started working for the Washington Times-Herald at the age of 24. In 1945 she became the first woman national press photographer to cover Washington, DC, and the White House, and to travel with a US president.

Diane Arbus, 1923-1971
New York-based Arbus documented minority groups who were subject to prejudice. Her black-and-white portraits famously worked to normalize her marginalised subjects.

Vivian Maier, 1926-2009
Maier generated an astounding body of work but remained in obscurity until her images were distributed online after her death. Her photography encapsulated life in American cities, with a focus on the less fortunate members of society.

Present: Contemporary Icons

Sara Facio, 1932-present
Facio co-founded La Azotea, the first publishing house in Latin America dedicated to photography. She also established the Fotogalería of the Teatro Municipal General San Martín, one of the most prominent exhibition spaces in Argentina.

Annie Leibovitz, 1949-present
One of the most famous female photographers alive, Leibovitz is best known for her engaging and intimate portraits – particularly of celebrities. In 1991 she became the first woman to hold an exhibition at Washington’s National Portrait Gallery.

Nan Goldin, 1953-present
Goldin’s work features and explores LGBT bodies, moments of intimacy, the HIV crisis and the opioid epidemic. Her intimate images document her own life and those who are close to her.

Cindy Sherman, 1954-present
Sherman is one of the most influential people in contemporary art. She has worked as her own model for more than 30 years, capturing herself in a range of personas and assuming multiple roles: photographer, model, makeup artist, hairdresser and stylist.

Shirin Neshat, 1957-present
Iranian-born Neshat has a collection of images with a strong commentary on cultural and gender inequality in her native country. The challenges of being a Muslim woman is a great motivation behind her images.

Francesca Woodman, 1958-1981
Best known for her creative mono self-portraits, she also shot women who were blurred (due to movement and long exposures) and merged with their surroundings.

Deana Lawson, 1979-present
As an American artist, educator and photographer based in New York, Lawson’s work primarily focuses on issues of intimacy, family, spirituality, sexuality and Black aesthetics.

Petra Collins, 1992-present
Collins is an artist, model, photographer and one of the leading voices of the New-Wave Feminism movement. She has landed major campaigns at Adidas, Gucci and Nordstrom, and retains complete creative control over them.

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Annie Leibovitz has set the record straight about one of the most talked-about moments in her career; her 2007 photoshoot with Queen Elizabeth II that the BBC famously misrepresented, and later apologized for.

The controversy erupted when the BBC showed documentary footage in 2007 that appeared to show the Queen walking out of the shoot after the legendary America photographer asked her to remove her crown to look "less dressy". The clip showed Her Majesty responding sharply before apparently leaving in frustration, saying: "I'm not changing anything. I've done enough dressing like this, thank you very much." However, a subsequent BBC investigation revealed that the footage had been edited out of chronological order.

"She was storming into the shoot!" Leibovitz stressed in an interview broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on January 17. "She wasn't storming out; she never stormed out of the shoot. She came down the hallway saying, 'This is the last time I do this. These things weigh 75 pounds. I'm not doing this anymore.'"

Change of atmosphere

Apparently, the Queen's irritation stemmed from wearing heavy robes and the lengthy time it took to dress. But once she arrived at the shoot, the atmosphere changed completely. "She walked into the shoot, and I showed her some pictures of the park I shot in the back, and other things I had done, and what I'd like to do with her," Leibovitz said. "And she just sort of settled down. And then we had a regular [shoot], you know?"

The photographer went on to reveal her creative approach to the challenging half-hour session, during which she needed to capture four distinct portraits of the British monarch. Her strategy was to "peel off the cape and then shoot her in the dress", working efficiently within the tight timeframe.

When Leibovitz suggested removing the crown for some shots—explaining it would look better "less dressy"—she received a characteristically sharp response. But the photographer wasn't phased in the slightest. "I loved her," she said. "It was like she'd totally settled down. She took the crown off, put it back on, took it off, put it back on. And then she stayed the entire half hour, if not more. And she did not stop till I said, 'Thank you very much.'"

Use of natural light

The shoot, in the state rooms at Buckingham Palace, saw Leibovitz work with natural light through the palace's massive windows and doors. She described drawing inspiration from Cecil Beaton's palace photography; though the Queen herself advised her: "You must find your own way."

One of the resulting portraits shows a composition reminiscent of the 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velázquez, with the Queen positioned alongside a window with natural light streaming from the right, revealing the scale of the palace room and a huge door leading to another chamber. "I wanted to feel like the age of the palace," Leibovitz explained. "I wanted you to feel natural light; that those big, big windows and doors were there because they didn't have electricity to begin with, and light came in."

The way the commission came about is itself instructive. Leibovitz had initially requested to photograph the Queen in 1999 for a project on women, but received no response. Ten years later, Buckingham Palace contacted her. When she asked why they'd chosen her, a palace official replied simply: "Well, you asked."

Leibovitz laughed: "I like to tell this story to young photographers, because I don't want them ever to give up. You asked, and they kept it on file".

Leibovitz, now 76, told interviewer John Wilson on the episode of This Cultural Life that she still gets "a thrill" from taking photographs and remains committed to portrait photography. "I'm going to stay in this to the bitter, bitter end," she said. "It's not even bitter. I'm just so lucky. I love what I do."

Annie Leibovitz isn’t just a photographer; she’s one of the people who helps us see the world for what it is. For over 50 years, her portraits have shaped our collective imagination of fame, power and personality; from John and Yoko’s tender last embrace to Whoopi Goldberg submerged in a bath of milk.

But in 1999, Leibovitz turned her camera towards something bigger than celebrity: she asked, "What do women actually look like now?" The result was Women, a collaboration with her partner, the writer Susan Sontag; a sweeping portrait of a generation, seen through Leibovitz’s empathetic lens.

More than 25 years later, she’s asking the same question again. Annie Leibovitz: Women, 2025 Edition (Phaidon, $99.95/£79.95) brings together over 250 portraits spanning three decades, along with an entirely new volume of photographs that reflect how womanhood has evolved in the 21st century.

To mark the launch, Leibovitz will make a rare public appearance at London’s Barbican Hall on November 24. An Evening with Annie Leibovitz promises stories, reflections and behind-the-lens insights from one of photography’s most influential figures.

A visual manifesto

The original Women was born from a long-running conversation between Leibovitz and Sontag. Sontag wrote the accompanying text—part essay, part manifesto—declaring: “Each of these pictures must stand on its own, but the ensemble says: so this is what women are now.”

Leibovitz's subjects were all women who were redefining public life at the turn of the century; they included Hillary Clinton, the French-American artist Louise Bourgeois, and associate justice of the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor.

The new two-volume edition (one refreshed, one brand new) continues that dialogue, adding present-day icons such as Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Michelle Obama, and Serena and Venus Williams.

Essays by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Gloria Steinem accompany the portraits, joining Sontag in shaping the intellectual backbone of the project.

The result? A book that feels both like a retrospective and a reinvention; a continuation of the same question that began a quarter of a century ago.

The idea of “woman”

For all the celebrity portraits and magazine covers— from Rolling Stone to Vanity Fair to royal commissions—Leibovitz’s best work has always been about intimacy. She has a knack for capturing people as they are, not as they’re expected to be. And that’s the quiet magic of Women. These aren’t polished icons, but people caught somewhere between strength and vulnerability.

It’s a reminder, too, that portraiture isn’t just about light, lenses or composition; it’s about trust. Built on empathy, Leibovitz’s portraits feel both grand and unguarded. It's a masterclass in what happens when a subject feels seen, rather than 'on display'.

Because let’s face it; we're currently living in a world that's drowning in images. Everyone is their own portraitist now, curating their identity one Instagram selfie at a time. Leibovitz’s slower, more reflective approach stands in sharp contrast to all of that. Her work isn’t about freezing a moment so much as questioning how that moment is seen. The portraits in Women do exactly that. They capture power and poise, but also exhaustion, uncertainty, humour, and humanity. They look like real life.

And that’s, essentially, what makes this project so special for me. The Women, 2025 Edition isn’t about nostalgia. It’s simply a continuation of a lifelong conversation about visibility, equality, and the profound act of being seen on your own terms.

Annie Leibovitz: Women, 2025 Edition (Phaidon, $99.95/£79.95) is available from 4 November. An Evening with Annie Leibovitz takes place on 24 November at Barbican Hall, London. Tickets: cost from £133.95 (including a signed copy of the book) from fane.co.uk.

Back in 2019, I wrote a fun little list feature titled "20 Famous Photographers You Should Follow on Twitter." It was packed with genuine heavy-hitters. Rankin with his razor-sharp fashion commentary. Pete Souza dropping Presidential behind-the-scenes gold. Ami Vitale sharing her wildlife conservation adventures.

The piece practically wrote itself because these modern legends of photography were actually there, actively posting, engaging with fans, being gloriously, accessibly human.

Today, that article would be much tougher to write. Most of the famous faces have either not posted in months, or deleted their accounts altogether.

It's not just Twitter/X, either. Famous photographers are much less active on Instagram, and indeed social media in general. So what's going on?

Sucking at the corpse of creativity

From where I'm standing, it seems pretty simple: social media has become a creativity vampire. These platforms have evolved from tools for sharing work into full-time content mills that demand constant feeding.

The algorithm doesn't care if you spent three weeks perfecting a single image; it wants three posts a day. Preferably with trending audio and a hook that stops the scroll within 0.3 seconds.

This isn't sustainable for artists who became famous for their art. When someone like Annie Leibovitz spends months crafting a single portrait, the idea of chopping it up into Instagram Stories with animated text overlays must make her feel nauseous.

Landscape photographer Dave Morrow has been the canary in the coal mine here. Once commanding 1.5 million social media followers, he nuked his entire digital presence in 2018. At the time, it seemed like career suicide. Now? It looks like prophecy.

Dopamine addiction is real

After all, look what we've become. Social platforms have weaponised the biological reality of our brains, creating addiction patterns that rival actual cocaine. Every 'like' triggers a dopamine hit, training our brains to crave more, more, more. For photographers who've spent decades developing their aesthetic intuition, this is poison.

Morrow articulated this perfectly when he described the "background static" of constantly having social media conversations running in his head.

Imagine trying to capture a transcendent landscape moment while mentally composing the caption and wondering if the image will perform better as a carousel post. The moment that happens, your creativity has become contaminated by marketing.

No validation required

No photographer needs this cognitive burden, least of all famous ones. They've already proven their worth through gallery exhibitions, commercial clients, and peer recognition. Social media validation feels like asking Michelin-starred chefs to compete on Recipe TikTok.

Not to mention that social platforms have created the perfect ecosystem for image theft. Your photo gets reposted without credit, goes viral on someone else's account, and good luck proving ownership or getting compensation.

If you upload a photograph to Instagram, you've also given Meta permission to use it in advertising, AI training, or whatever future monetization scheme they dream up. Established photographers have too much to lose and too little to gain from this "bargain".

In short, famous photographers aren't backing off from social media because they can afford to. They're abandoning it because they can't afford not to. And maybe it's time the rest of us learned the same lesson.

Renowned portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz may have just captured her holiest subjects yet, lending her iconic visual storytelling to The Chosen: Last Supper, the fifth season of the popular historical drama The Chosen.

The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ, told through the eyes of his disciples and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of first-century Israel under Roman rule, the series aims to provide an intimate portrayal of the story of Jesus and his revolutionary teachings. Season 5 focuses on Holy Week, 'the most pivotal week in Christian history', and will premiere in theatres on March 28.

The series’ creator and executive producer, Dallas Jenkins, along with lead actor Jonathan Roumie, unveiled the remarkable key art in Times Square, showcasing Leibovitz’s signature cinematic style. Known for her ability to capture the spirit of cultural and historical figures through her images, Leibovitz brings her keen eye for emotion and depth to this highly anticipated season.

"I admire what Dallas Jenkins is doing so much... He is the artist of our time doing the Bible," said Leibovitz, highlighting her enthusiasm for the project.

Jenkins, in turn, expressed the significance of her involvement, stating, "What makes her work so extraordinary is she tells stories – in seconds – and then you look deeper and you find more. And we're trying to tell stories of some of the most iconic people who ever lived. They actually lived and breathed and had fear and doubt and felt things like joy and betrayal. So in a season like this, where you see all of those things, it felt like the season that was in need of someone most like her to communicate that photographically. When she agreed to do it, we knew that it was going to elevate the show and bring something to it with her portraits that we can't do."

Above: The trailer for The Chosen: Last Supper

The release strategy for The Chosen: Last Supper includes a four-week theatrical run across the U.S. and Canada, with episodes rolling out in three parts. Global audiences will also have the opportunity to experience the series on the big screen beginning April 10, with premieres scheduled in Brazil, Spain, and Mexico. Following its theatrical run, the season will be released on streaming platforms later in 2025.

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If you're seeking inspiration for your practice, you could do worse than to follow the photography world's most revered names. But there's a bit of a problem there. The social media landscape has become so fragmented of late, you probably don't know where to look.

Are they on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram? Or have they decamped to Threads, Bluesky or LinkedIn? Maybe they've kept their accounts going on some platforms, but they haven't posted in a while. Or maybe they've just given up on social media altogether. It's all so confusing… but don't worry, I've done the work for you.

In the list below, you'll find the 20 most famous photographers who are still active today on social media. And I've included links to where you can find them. Importantly, I've only featured the accounts they've posted on recently, not the ones they abandoned months ago. There's only one exception: where it's a new social platform like BlueSky which they've only just joined, I've kept the link in, even if they haven't posted yet… chances are they will soon enough.

1. Annie Leibovitz 

American photographer Annie Leibovitz has shaped the art of contemporary portraiture like no other, blending intimacy with grandeur and uncovering the essence of her subjects in ever-new and interesting ways. Known for her many iconic shots, including her portrait of John Lennon on the day he was murdered, and an image of a naked and pregnant Demi Moore, her work highlights how portraiture can transcend documentation to become high art.

• Follow Annie Leibovitz on Instagram | Facebook

2. Steve McCurry

A long-time member of Magnum and a National Geographic contributor, Steve McCurry's career has included war reporting, coverage of natural disasters, travel photography and portraiture. Known for his vivid, storytelling imagery, and in particular his iconic 'Afghan Girl' shot, his talent for creating emotional connections through imagery has inspired generations of practioners.

• Follow Steve McCurry on Threads | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

3. Alec Soth

A Magnum photographer whose poetic vision has redefined American documentary photography, Alec Soth masterfully captures the quiet complexity of Midwestern life. Through landmark projects like Sleeping by the Mississippi and Songbook, he reveals the profound in the ordinary, photographing dreamers and loners with remarkable empathy. His work, housed in major museums worldwide, continues the tradition of great American photographers while carving its own distinctive path.

• Follow Alec Soth on Threads | Instagram

4. Barbara Davidson

A photojournalist at the Los Angeles Times until 2017, Barbara Davidson has chronicled human struggle and resilience across 52 countries and is today a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and Guggenheim Fellow. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, her groundbreaking work documenting gang violence victims in Los Angeles earned her both a Pulitzer and an Emmy.

• Follow Barbara Davidson on Threads | X

5. Sebastian Salgado

Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado is a Brazilian documentary photographer and photojournalist who's travelled in over 120 countries for his work. Both beautiful and harrowing, his images blend artistic excellence with a profound sense of purpose. His socially conscious work brings attention to the marginalized and their struggles, and his epic projects such as Workers and Migrations have been celebrated for their striking compositions and deep empathy.

• Follow Sebastian Salgado on Threads | Instagram | Facebook

6. Andreas Gursky

German photographer Andreas Gursky’s large-scale, digitally manipulated images help us reframe how we perceive architecture, landscapes and contemporary society. Known for works like Rhine II, which sold for £2.7 million, his photographs blend abstraction and reality, creating compositions that are visually striking and thought-provoking. By addressing themes like consumerism and globalization, Gursky’s meticulous attention to detail and ability to find beauty in the mundane are a huge inspiration to modern photographers.

• Follow Andreas Gursky on Instagram

7. Art Wolfe 

Art Wolfe is an American nature and fine art photographer whose work is a testament to the beauty and fragility of the natural world. With a career spanning over four decades, his images of landscapes, wildlife and indigenous cultures are always enthralling while his books, such as The Living Wild, underscore the urgency of preserving biodiversity.

• Follow Art Wolfe on Instagram | BlueSky | X | Facebook

8. Bruce Davidson

American documentary photographer Bruce Davidson’s work is a masterclass in empathy and immersion. A member of the Magnum Photos agency since 1958, he's spent a career embedding himselves within marginalized communities, which are usually hostile to outsiders, and capturing raw, poignant moments that reveal humanity’s complexities. Projects like East 100th Street underlie his commitment to long-term storytelling and demonstrates the power of photography to foster understanding and social change.

• Follow Bruce Davidson on Instagram | Facebook

9. David Doubilet 

Born in New York City and working for National Geographic since 1971, David Doubilet is arguably the world's greatest underwater photographer. Over the course of his career, he's spent over 26,000 hours in the sea, creating a window into the hidden world beneath the surface. He also pioneered the technique of showing what’s above and below the water surface in the same image.

• Follow David Doubilet on Facebook

10. David LaChapelle 

From celebrity portraits to fine art exhibitions, American photographer David LaChapelle’s work merges pop culture with deeper social commentary. His bold, surreal imagery challenges traditional approaches with its vibrant colors, elaborate compositions and provocative narratives. And his ability to balance humor, beauty and critique makes him a standout figure, inspiring photographers everywhere to experiment and push boundaries.

• Follow David LaChapelle on Instagram | Facebook

11. Ellen von Unwerth 

Born in Germany, Ellen von Unwerth started out working as a fashion model before becoming a fashion, editorial and advertising photographer. She gained wide attention with her sensual Guess campaign in the 1990s, when her playful, sensual approach redefined fashion imagery with its sense of freedom and spontaneity, at the same time as celebrating femininity, confidence and individuality. She's currently working on her new book, to be released in 2025.

• Follow Ellen von Unwerth on Instagram | LinkedIn

12. Frans Lanting 

Dutch photographer Frans Lanting Lanting is one of the most celebrated nature photographers working today. For more than three decades, he's documented wildlife from the Amazon to Antarctica, to promote understanding about the Earth and its natural history. Long associated with National Geographic, Lanting has a laser-honed ability to capture intricate details and emotional moments in nature, with images that combine storytelling and advocacy.

• Follow Frans Lanting on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

13. Gregory Crewdson

American photographic artist Gregory Crewdson is known for his large-scale, cinematic, psychologically charged prints of staged scenes, set in suburban landscapes and interiors. These filmic images typically transform everyday settings into haunting, surreal narratives, inspiring a deeper consideration of how ordinary spaces can evoke extraordinary emotions. This focus on the tension between perfection and imperfection makes Crewdson's work a source of endless fascination and study.

• Follow Gregory Crewdson on Threads | Instagram | Facebook

14. Mario Testino

Peruvian photographer Mario Testino is one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers of our time. Over a 50-year career, his glamorous, vibrant images have helped shaped modern fashion, and his collaborations with luxury brands and magazines like Vogue have made him synonymous with sophistication and allure. Testino's ability to capture iconic moments and personalities continues to influence aspiring creatives worldwide today.

• Follow Mario Testino on Instagram

15. Martin Parr

British photographer Martin Parr is known for his satirical, colorful photography, which offers a candid look at contemporary life and explores themes such as consumerism and leisure. A member of Magnum Photos, his projects highlight the importance of perspective and individuality, making him a compelling figure to study and emulate. His distinctive use of saturated colors and fill flash creates images that are both humorous and thought-provoking, and work challenges us all to find beauty and critique in the everyday.

• Follow Martin Parr on Instagram | Facebook

16. Michael Kenna

Michael Kenna is an English photographer best known for his ethereal black and white landscapes, which are typically shot at dawn or night, with exposures of up to 10 hours. Shot on medium-format film, his work is a masterclass in minimalist beauty and timeless elegance, often capturing serene, Zen-like scenes in mist, rain or snow.

• Follow Michael Kenna on Instagram | Facebook

17. Nan Goldin

Nan Goldin is an American photographer and activist whose raw, intimate snapshots delve into the complexities of love, identity and subcultures. Her seminal work, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, combined personal vulnerability with cultural commentary, while her activism against the opioid epidemic underscores her passion for making her art's socially relevant.

• Follow Nan Goldin on Instagram

18. Joe McNally

An American photojournalist based in New York City, Joe McNally's lens has captured stories across 70 countries since 1987. His versatility shines through his many cover stories for National Geographic and LIFE magazine, among others. Known for his technical expertise and daring perspectives, McNally has scaled the world's tallest buildings and documented Olympics, all the while seamlessly bridging commercial and editorial photography.

• Follow Joe McNally on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

19. Pete Souza

As the chief official White House photographer for both Presidents Reagan and Obama, Pete Souza has captured intimate moments of American leadership that define eras. His unique access and keen eye for decisive moments have produced some of the most iconic images in presidential history. Beyond politics, Souza's range extends to landscape and portrait photography, while his books offer unprecedented glimpses into the Obama presidency's most memorable moments.

• Follow Pete Souza on BlueSky | Threads | Instagram

20. Ami Vitale

National Geographic photographer and Nikon Ambassador Ami Vitale combines conservation photography with compelling visual storytelling. From documenting the last northern white rhinos to capturing pandas being reintroduced to the wild, her five World Press Photo awards reflect her exceptional ability to bridge wildlife and human narratives. As a founding member of Ripple Effect Images, she champions environmental causes while mentoring the next generation of visual storytellers.

• Follow Ami Vitale on Instagram

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Private healthcare company Bupa and photographer Annie Leibovitz have unveiled a series of portraits showing what health means to six Paralympic and Para athletes in the countdown to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in August. 

Bupa is the Official Healthcare Partner to the National Paralympic Associations in the UK, Spain, Australia, Chile, Mexico and Poland. 

It has partnered with Leibovitz to launch the ‘Picture of Health’ campaign, to celebrate diverse health stories, launched 100 days ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. 

The campaign follows new research from Bupa that reveals that four out of five Brits feel that the portrayal of health, and what it means to be healthy, is often misrepresented in society and the media. Over a third of people believe that health is frequently presented as a one-size-fits-all approach. 

While just over half of people recognize that looking at “role models” can inspire us to make changes to improve our health and build self-belief, one in four wants to see more fitness abilities and body types portrayed positively in the media. 

Leibovitz is known for her raw and authentic portraits, and she has now turned her camera on captivating people that celebrate health in all forms. 

Meet the athletes…

Richard Whitehead, UK

Richard Whitehead MBE is a gold medallist, and the first double through-knee amputee to run the length of the UK.  Whitehead ran 40 marathons in 40 days for charity. Two Paralympic 200m gold medals later, he founded the Richard Whitehead Foundation, to create social change and use the power of sport for the benefit of disabled people.

In April 2024, he set a new world record in the London Marathon for athletes with bilateral knee replacements.

Whitehead said of the project:

“Health is determination. My greatest achievement was accepting my disability… not as a negative, as an opportunity to show people that anything is possible.”

The image subtlety references the famous 1953 image by Marc Riboud of a man painting the Eiffel Tower.

Róża Kozakowska, Poland

A shot put and club throw Paralympian, after a tick bite attacked her nervous system, Kozakowska developed articular and cerebral neuroborreliosis, impacting her coordination.

She won gold at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, setting a new world record, and was named 2021 Disabled Athlete of the Year.

She said, “Health is strength to overcome difficulties that seemed impossible at first. In my case, impossible doesn’t exist.”   

Curtis McGrath, Australia

A Para canoeist and former soldier, McGrath lost both his legs in a mine blast while serving in Afghanistan. Less than two years after the event that took his legs, he broke a world record time and won the 200m VL2 world title in Moscow, Russia. He has since won 10 gold medals, and one silver, including consecutive golds at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

He said:

“Health is independence. Being happy, fit and doing the things I want to do when I can. And that to me means a lot."

Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker, UK

Born with a rare condition called phocomelia, which means he is missing the forearm of his left arm, sprinter Oyinbo-Coker won gold at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai in 2022, aged 21. He went on to win the men’s 100m final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

He said: 

"Health is energy… both mentally and physically.” 

Sara Andrés Barrio, Spain

A double below-the-need amputee, Andrés won her first medal at the World Para Athletics Championships only six years after her car accident in 2011. She now competes in long jump. Relay, and sprint events, specializing in the 100m.

She said: 

"Health is fullness or tranquillity. Health makes me feel calm, happy and gives me desire to live more fully.”

The image again channels a famous image of Paris - this time Elliott Erwitt's 1989 black-and-white image of man leaping with an umbrella in the same location.

Mariana Zúñiga, Chile

Zúñiga is a Paralympic Archer who was born with Myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida. She was the first Chilean archer to participate in the Paralympic Games, an achievement celebrated by her country, and then the entire continent, when she brought home a silver medal and became the first archer from the Americas to win in the compound open women’s category.

"Health is self-belief. Being in a mental and physical state which allows me to develop and grow as a person. This means I can be at my best in both life and my sport and be confident”.

Check out our guide to the best cameras for sports photography, and the best lenses  for sport photography. 

Famous for shooting, well everyone, Annie Leibovitz is also famous for not favoring a specific camera or brand.

This is why whenever she is spotted using a camera, eagle-eyed viewers are quick to find out what it is.

While shooting a recent campaign for Louis Vuitton with tennis champions Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, she was seen using a Sony camera, however, the logo was covered by what appears to be a piece of tape.

Sony Alpha Rumors shared what appear to be two images from behind the scenes on their website, with the explanation:

“A reader sent me anonymously those two images of Annie Leibovitz['s] latest work.”

Leibovitz has been known to switch between various different brands of cameras previously including:

• Mamiya RZ67
• Hasselblad 500 C/M
• Hasselblad H5D
• Minolta SRT - 101
• Nikon D810
• Fuji 6×9 medium format camera
• Canon 5D Mark II

The campaign is the latest in the Louis Vuitton core values series, which was first landed 17 years ago by Antoine Arnault and Pietro Beccari to celebrate the “timeless principles” that define Louis Vuitton,” according to the fashion brand.

Leibovitz is one of the most sought-after and highly regarded portrait photographers alive today, and is responsible for some of the most iconic celebrity images including that of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Queen Elizabeth II, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

While working for Rolling Stone in the 1970s, Leibovitz defined their look with her intimate portraits of musicians such as Mick Jagger, Bob Marley, and Bob Dylan.

Known for her raw and authentic photographs, in March earlier this year Liebovitz was inducted into the L’Académie des Beaux-arts, where she took the opportunity to address the use of artificial intelligence in photography.

"That doesn't worry me at all", she said of AI in response to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), "With each technological progress, there are hesitations and concerns. You just have to take the plunge and learn how to use it."

When asked her thoughts on AI-altered images she said, “Photography itself is not really real… I like to use Photoshop. I use all the tools available. Even deciding how to frame a shot implies 'editing and control' on some level."

We've rounded up the best Sony cameras in 2024, as well as the best Sony lenses. 

We've also put together the best cameras for sports photography. 

Annie Leibovitz has just been inducted into the French Academy of Fine Arts, and during her landmark achievement shared her thoughts on the use of artificial intelligence in photography.

Annie Leibovitz was officially installed as a Foreign Associate Member of the French Academy of Fine Arts by fellow renowned photographer Sebastião Salgado. L’Académie des Beaux-arts is one of five academies making up the Institut de France, and encourages artistic creation in all its expressions and ensures the defence of French cultural heritage. 

Leibovitz is one of the most highly regarded portrait photographers alive today. She has captured the images of some of the most notable personalities of the last six decades. There are few celebrities in Western culture that Leibovitz has not photographed, with some of her most notable being John Lennon, Queen Elizabeth, and Barack Obama.

She described the induction to the prestigious art institution as "quite an honor… but it's a bigger honor for photography".

Salgado, Patti Smith and Anna Wintour were in attendance, and the latter presented Leibovitz with a ceremonial sword, created from copper guilded branches from her home in New York.

During her visit to Paris for the ceremony, Leibovitz was interviewed by AFP (Agence France-Presse) and was asked about the growing use of AI in photography. While some people consider AI features and generators as a threat, Leibovitz sees it as the beginning of new creative opportunities.

"That doesn't worry me at all", she said of AI. "With each technological progress, there are hesitations and concerns. You just have to take the plunge and learn how to use it."

On artificiality, she noted, "Photography itself is not really real… I like to use Photoshop. I use all the tools available. Even deciding how to frame a shot implies 'editing and control' on some level."

Although I agree with Leibovitz's view on AI as a creative tool, I also understand the concerns of lesser-known photographers, retouchers, illustrators, and editors who may lose work due to AI advancements, which may not have been considered by those with a household name. 

Whether you agree with her thoughts about AI or not, an induction to L’Académie des Beaux-arts is a huge achievement. Many congratulations to Annie Leibovitz!

Annie Leibovitz is one of the best photographers ever. For more information on the best equipment to capture portraits, see our guides to the best camera for portraits, the best lens for portraits, and the best studio lighting kits. 

CP+ is the biggest camera event in the world and CP+ 2024 kicks off tomorrow in Tokyo with many new camera and lens announcements expected. Ahead of the event, Cosina has given us a peek at several new Voigtlander lenses scheduled to be unveiled. 

The Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical is the first of the lenses with scheduled releases for Nikon Z, Canon RF, and Sony FE mount. Much like other Voightlander Nokton lenses, it will be entirely manual focus, but it does include electronic contacts enabling a discussion between camera and lens to aid with technical recordings such as EXIF data. Although compact and lightweight, the lens' large diameter covers the full-frame sensor and offers a wide f/1.5 aperture, which will certainly be appealing to portrait photographers.  

The 75mm focal length sits right in the zone of the best portrait lenses, and when coupled with the wide f/1.5 aperture at full-frame you can expect some seriously stunning images. We all know that a shallow depth of field and bokeh isn't a necessity for a great portrait but at f/1.5 the lens will enable great fall-off and subject separation, drawing attention to only the pin-sharp focused area.

The lens is configured with 7 elements in 6 groups and a 12-blade aperture which will make the bokeh deliciously spherical. Cosina states that this lens will be perfect for 'bokeh photography', and having read the specs I can see why, but I think that this lens may also be a valid option for videographers.

The other two lenses announced by Cosina are the Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM and the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.2 VM. Both of these lenses are for full-frame VM mount. Voigtlander VM mount is designed especially for Lecia M series cameras and often features among the best Leica M lenses due to its retro and manual focus nature and delivers great optical performance at a more affordable entry point for Leica M users.

The Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM 'adopts an apochromatic design that brings the axial chromatic aberration of RGB, which makes up the three primary colors of light, as close to zero as possible'.

4 types of this lens will be available, each with different focus extension structures, materials, and exterior colors. This is the first time I have seen a single lens with 4 different build options, so I will be interested to see the official reveal at CP+ and how they all differ.

The Voigtlander Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.2 VM is a lightweight and compact lens that offers excellent optical performance, and Cosina states that even at wide-open performance remains consistent.

50mm is a classic focal length and has been used on M-mount cameras by some of the greatest photographers of all time, most notably Henri Cartier-Breeson. Cosina has recently announced a super-fast 50mm f/1.0 for Sony mirrorless, which is also expected to be on display at this year's CP+.

Further information about the lenses, their release dates, and the prices will all be unveiled at CP+ 2024. We have yet to test these lenses so can only speculate after reviewing the specification sheets, but I imagine like with most Voigtlander lenses you can expect bang for your buck!

Voigtlander offers great affordable options for lenses, for more information on budget-friendly equipment see our guides to the best cheap lenses, the best budget telephoto lenses, and the best Leica alternatives. 

Annie Leibovitz and Paris Fashion Week are a natural match… but IKEA? Well, all three will collide in an exhibition taking place at the end of the month.

The exhibition will feature a series of portraits taken by Annie Leibovitz and be shown during a four-day festival called IKEA+ that will take place from February 29 - March 03 at 28 Rue de Lappe, in the French capital. 

The work was created in response to data collected in IKEA's Life at Home Report, which found that "48% of people globally do not feel that their life at home is represented in the media." In response, IKEA created its first artist-in-residence program, collaborating with Leibovitz to inspire change and showcase authenticity.

Over 37,000 people across 38 countries took part in the survey, providing insight into how people view their homes and what their definition of home means to them. People's relationships with their homes have changed dramatically over the past five years, due to everything from the pandemic to current economic climates. "The media often depicts homes that society deems 'ideal', but this doesn’t resonate with many of us," says the report. 

IKEA believes that "everyone deserves to be seen", which is why it enlisted Annie Leibovitz to create the This Life at Home series of portraits. The renowned photographer's journey through the project focused on representing authentic everyday life in various households, from different cultures and locations, capturing their stories and connection to home.

Far removed from Leibovitz's celebrity work, there were no sets or stylists – "just real people and real lives". The new portraits are more akin to her early work, in combination with her world-recognized and developed style. This is my favorite way to see people photographed, as authenticity has a way of connecting deeply with the viewer, enabling the message to be stronger.

Leibovitz photographed 25 homes across 7 countries to create 25 images that will go on display at IKEA+. One of the images was taken of Yusuke Onimaru, taken in his home studio in Japan. "The studio is not a comfortable space, but rather a place of tension," says Onimaru. "It is where I feel like I'm on a stage. When I enter, I must go deeper to bring out everything in me."

Another image was taken of Maria Arrechea, at her home in Germany, showcasing differences in what we universally call a home. "I don’t have a problem with somebody else living in my room," Arrechea says on the current cost of living crisis. "There are so many people in the world looking for a place to stay so it feels good to help. And I also know what it means to be looking for a home."

In addition to This Life at Home, the IKEA+ exhibition will showcase the work of six aspiring photographers who received mentorship under Leibovitz during her residency. The four-day IKEA+ festival will be a must-attend event with a celebration of world-known artists with local pioneers in music, art, and design. 

Annie Leibovitz is a master at her craft, and having such an important story told by a photographer that carries as much weight as she does will certainly bring eyes to the overall message of representation. You can find out more about IKEA+ at the brand's French website.

Find out where Annie Leibovitz ranks on our list of the 50 best photographers ever. You might also be interested in the best professional cameras to see the caliber of kit she works with.

Is it Christmas come early, or late? Either way, CP+ 2023 – the biggest camera and imaging event of the year – is taking place in Japan tomorrow from February 23-26. 

After three successive years of being a virtual-only event, following its 11th hour cancellation in 2020 as the COVID pandemic broke out, CP+ 2023 will finally return to its home at the Pacifico Yokohama convention center in Yokohama, Japan. 

All the major players including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, Sigma and many more will be in attendance to show off their latest products – as well as announce new ones. 

While traditionally the event was the platform for manufacturers to make their big announcements, a number of camera reveals from the likes of Canon and Panasonic have already taken place – but this is still set to be a significant event in terms for announcements and first looks. 

What is CP+ 2023?

Organized by CIPA, the Camera & Imaging Products Association – the body that certifies things like the number of shots you get from a single battery charge, or the number of stops of compensation on image stabilization – CP+ is the biggest camera and photo imaging show in the world. 

Historically it has been a launchpad for the major manufacturers to launch their big products for the year ahead. It is also an event where new technologies, innovative projects and concept cameras are showcased. 

According to the organizer, "the theme for this year's event is 'I found a new me.' By meeting new friends, having new experiences, and being exposed to cameras and photographs, you will begin to discover yourself and enjoy self-expression that you have not noticed before. We aim to create such opportunities."

What we expect at CP+ 2023

Sigma lenses

With the beans already having been spilled, it seems almost a certainty that Sigma will launch three well-leaked lenses in Yokohama (though there are rumblings they might be revealed in March).

First up we have a pair of prime lenses for full-frame cameras: the Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN Contemporary and Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary, both for Sony E and Leica L mounts. 

Not to be left out, APS-C shooters will be receiving a fast 35mm equivalent, in the form of the Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens for Leica L mount, Sony E mount and Fujifilm X mount.

• Report: Leaked specs for new Sigma lenses: 17mm, 23mm and 50mm

Voigtländer lenses – including Canon RF and DSLR!

Cosina confirmed that it will be unveiling four new lenses, including its first ever lens for the Canon EOS R system. It is likely that all four optics will come under the Voigtländer brand. 

First we have the Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for Canon RF mount, which is described as "with electrical contacts" – meaning it won't be a 'dumb' lens, and will be able to communicate aperture and EXIF information, but don't go expecting a third party RF autofocus lens. This is modeled after the existing Nikon Z and Leica M versions.

Then there will be two optics for Fujifilm's APS-C system X-mount system. We have the super-fast Nokton 35mm f/0.9 Aspherical and the compact Ultron 27mm f/2  pancake lens, both of which are brand-new designs.

Finally, DSLR shooters rejoice! Cosina will also debut the high-speed Nokton 55mm f/1.2 SLIIS for Nikon F mount, complete with electronic contacts and exposure meter interlocking claws (see full story).

Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 for Fujifilm X mount

Initially expected to be revealed at CP+ 2023, Tamron surprised us with a sneaky development announcement a couple of days early – but the full announcement could well take place in Japan.

Already available for Sony E, the Tamron 11-20mm F/2.8 Di III-A RXD is now coming to the X mount – where it will be Tamron's fourth lens for the Fujifilm APS-C mirrorless system.

• Full story: Tamron opens up 11-20mm f/2.8 wide zoom to Fujifilm X-photographers

Sigma Foveon sensor update

After promising its 60.9MP Foveon sensor camera for 2020, Sigma has faced nothing but roadblocks and obstacles – to the point that it scrapped the entire project, fired its sensor manufacturer, and started from scratch in 2021. 

Then, in 2022, Sigma promised that its new Foveon X3 sensor (if not a camera to go with it) would arrive "this year". Obviously, however, it did not.

Now 4 years after its announcement, could CP+ 2023 be the place we finally see the latest Foveon come to fruition? We expect an update on its progress (or lack thereof), if nothing else – though an X3-powered successor to the Sigma fp and Sigma fp L would be a nice surprise! 

Nikon Z8

This one is a bit of a long shot, as it is expected that the Nikon Z8 will be launched in March or April. But Nikon is known to drop development announcements ahead of full reveals of its new products – as was the case with the Nikon Z9, among other notables.

What do we expect of the Z9? Well, it's being pitched as a Sony A7R V-beater and is thought to be Nikon's long-gestating high-resolution model with a 61MP sensor. 

Full frame Sony ZV camera

This one is a bit of a long shot, as it's rumored that this camera won't be revealed until March… but it would make sense for Sony to make an announcement on the camera world's biggest stage. 

Sony is said to be prepping an announcement for a new member of its ZV line of vlogging-oriented cameras – but unlike previous models like the Sony ZV-E10, this one will possess a full frame sensor. How will it differ from the Sony A7C? Hopefully we won't have to wait long to find out!

• Report: Sony's next camera will be… not the one you expect

Read more: 

Best Sony cameras
Best Canon cameras
Best Pentax cameras
Best Olympus cameras

Two footballers with a long-standing professional rivalry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, have been photographed by the legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz in a campaign commissioned by Louis Vuitton, to mark the start of the FIFA World Cup   in Qatar.

In what will likely be their final world cup performance, the iconic duo has a mutual respect for one another, but this is the first time that they have been pictured together in this way, head-to-head in a fierce game of chess, held on top of a Louis Vuitton luxury briefcase, photographed in a dark setting. 

• These are the best cameras for sports photography

Two of the world's most famous and leading legends of soccer have had their images captured in a recent photo shoot that went viral over the weekend, captured by one of the world's most famous photographers, Annie Leibovitz. The notable image features Manchester United player, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Paris Saint-Germain player Lionel Messi in what appears to be an intense game of chess. 

Speculation among football fans has uncovered an amazing reference within the image, and through attention to detail of how the chess pieces are positioned between the players on the board, many are suggesting that it exactly repeats the famous chess match had between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura in 2017. 

This famous chess match resulted in an inevitable draw between two of the greatest players of the sport, fueling the fire that it reflects and parallels the equality between Ronaldo and Messi as two high-level phenomenal players, that have been pitted against one another for sixteen years in a never-ending debate within football to determine which player is considered to be the GOAT (greatest of all time). 

Leibovitz is said to have used the 100-Megapixel Fujifilm GFX 100S to capture this profound chess image, and while she's no stranger to this camera - having used it in another Vogue photoshoot where she captured a heavily pregnant Rhianna - this progression to a medium format mirrorless Fujifilm presumably as her new workhorse camera, is a great leap forward and certainly encouraging for those looking to embrace the new wave era of mirrorless cameras. 

What's most interesting about this image, however, is how Leibovitz actually created it. A behind-the-scenes video shared by Louis Vuitton on their social channels, but later deleted, shows that the image is in fact a composite, and the two players were never actually in the same room at all, as Leibovitz can be seen photographing both Messi and Ronaldo separately.

• How cameras are refereeing soccer - FIFA uses tech to call offside

The two footballers were supposedly asked to pose in their respective positions at different times and in different studios, before being composited together by Leibovitz during post-production. Messi is in the natural location that was selected for the final image, and Ronaldo was actually posing in front of a plain gray wall, to make it easier to fuse him into the original setting. 

Take a look at the deleted video that has been re-uploaded below:

As the world cup kicked off in Qatar this week, a few former players that include David Beckham have come under fire for supporting Qatar, in light of the country's policies and attitudes not only towards LGBTQ+ communities, but accusations of human trafficking, and poor wages for stadium workers.

Qatar has also made it clear that it does not welcome the media, as we recently reported that a Danish reporter was issued an apology after Qatari security officials threatened to smash and destroy the crew's camera if they did not stop recording, while broadcasting live to Denmark network channel, TV2.

• World Cup: Qatari officials threaten to destroy a reporter's camera

Both Ronaldo and Messi have played against one another countless times in the La Liga Spanish football league for many years, with Portuguese-born Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid, and Argentinian Messi representing Barcelona. Both players have also been record-breaking recipients of the French Balon d'Or award, with Messi having won seven times, and Ronaldo five. 

Ronaldo and Messi have shared the image to their own personal Instagram accounts, and Ronaldo also tweeted the image with the caption "Victory is a State of Mind. A long tradition of crafting trunks" with credit to Leibovitz as the photographer. 

• You may also be interested in learning the dangers of AF: camera mistakes ref's bald head for a soccer ball, as well as how pro sports photographers prepare for the world cup, and how Sports photographer Hamish Blair gets hands-on with the Canon EOS R3.

• Take a look at these rare archive images of World Cup and football legends, as well as these fun photos of English soccer celebrations, plus you may benefit from our guide to the best 150-600mm lenses.

It’s not every day you get to sit in on a series of talks with world-renowned photographer, Annie Leibovitz, but today was that day for me. I was in Norwich, in the UK, for three days visiting my partner's family. After waking up before everyone else on the final morning there, I ventured into the city center, found an open coffee shop, took a seat, and my session with Leibowitz began.

Of course, Annie Leibovitz didn't turn up in the Caffè Nero opposite Norwich Market specifically to share lessons learned in a career spanning roughly 50 years with me. And she didn't recount iconic moments in history through her very particular lens, specifically for the local coffee drinkers. No; she showed up on my phone, and, later, on my tablet for a private screening courtesy of MasterClass. 

The MasterClass app, which features over three hours of seminar-like videos from Leibovitz, as well as accompanying course materials, gave me a front-row seat to a series of lectures by the much-lauded photographer. And by the time the course was over (and the barista and I were on a first-name basis), I was challenged to reexamine my relationship with photography almost entirely.

MasterClass for photographers

The popular service, MasterClass, which can be accessed both online through a web browser and on the go through Android and iOS apps, doesn't just feature lectures by Leibovitz, or, indeed, photographers. It enjoys an incredibly comprehensive list of celebrity speakers, each sharing an instructional, structured recounting of their rise to prominence in lesson format.

From John Legend's insights into songwriting to Christina Aguilera's tips on singing, Samuel L. Jackson on acting to Melinda Gates on philanthropy – and plenty in-between, the service has clearly invested a huge amount in securing world-class talent.

As for photography, in addition to Leibovitz's course, photographer Tyler Mitchell teaches storytelling through portrait photography, fashion photographer Petra Collins talks about capturing your vision, and pro mountain athlete and photographer Jimmy Chin teaches adventure capture.

There are peripherally interesting courses – Ron Howard, for example, teaches filmmaking, but for stills purists, it's those four courses that will need to justify the service's annual fee of £168 / $180 (online only), or £228 / $240 (including offline downloads). And Leibovitz is quite clearly the headline act.

Back to Annie Leibovitz

There are three main aspects to Annie Leibovitz's masterclass that stood out for me:  oration, education, and assignments. Without a doubt, the oration side of things was the most accessible. 

Listening to Leibovitz place herself in the center of popular history with a focus on celebrity and conflict is truly fascinating. I doubt anyone would argue that her delivery is overtly charismatic, but that doesn't matter. The calm way she recounts participating in such iconic moments as photographing John Lennon and Yoko Ono shortly before Lennon's assassination, or Queen Elizabeth II ahead of her state visit to the US – Leibovitz's stories are undoubtedly captivating.

As enigmatic as Leibovitz is, her high-profile stories primarily drive an understanding of her legacy and authority on the subject of photography. They also remind anyone less familiar with her staying power just how enduring a force she is, but they didn't do much to teach me about photography per se. The same can't be said for her on-set sessions, though, or some lesser-known photoshoot stories.

Lessons in photography

As someone who takes photos almost exclusively for work, the idea of luxuriating over a shot or even a shoot feels relatively alien to me these days. So Leibovitz's agonizing over seemingly small aspects of her process is as inspiring as it is indulgent – almost student-like in its effort to improve and iterate.

Leibovitz isn't bashful about her characteristic obsession with detail and getting the right shot. This comes through when she recalls starting from scratch on a number of shoots when they were well underway or even complete. Or on the set of a complex shoot with Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane on a beach. And when in the editing booth, where Leibovitz directs an ever-patient photo editor to tune elements to look as close to natural light as possible.  

By the end of the MasterClass, in addition to being familiar with her body of work, you'll understand some characteristics that shape Leibovitz's stylistic fingerprint conceptually, going into a shoot and in the editing suite. 

Leibovitz's reverence for storytelling through photography, and natural, overcast lighting, for example, can't be overstated. She also refrains from getting bogged down by the technology of cameras today and isn't embarrassed by the fact she iterates ideas and doesn't always get things right the first time. The whole series really takes some patience, given its slow pace, but is nevertheless humbling, inspiring, and insightful.

It's difficult to see Leibovitz's MasterClass videos as a standalone robust course in photography. The lessons phase between being on-set, recounting experiences, and peppering everything with a fair bit of philosophical conjecture. This isn't the stuff of institutional learning. 

Married with the class workbook – a downloadable PDF with a more digestible, structured approach than the videos, everything comes together in a course format that feels easy to follow, though. Each section is rounded off with assignments, and despite not giving you a grade at the end of your time with lecturer Leibovitz, the MasterClass goes some way to lay down a foundation for critical thinking in photography.

Annie Leibovitz's MasterClass and me

Reflecting on my specific situation, the reason Leibovitz's course challenges me so much is that it reminds me of the ways I've fallen out of love with photography.

I've been lucky enough to work as a journalist for over a decade, but that has meant photographing consumable content for social media, capturing tens of thousands of photos for product reviews, focusing on tech specs above all else, and feeding the content machine that is the internet. There's clearly photography fatigue at play, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. 

After watching the MasterClass course, though, it's clear that I, and possibly many other photographers, could take a leaf out of Leibovitz's book – be a bit less cynical, a bit more indulgent, and not apologize for focusing on the details. 

More to the point, the course is a wonderful reminder to really enjoy photography and lose yourself in its process. After all, it's clear that even after 50 years in the game, Annie Leibovitz certainly appears to. 

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Annie Leibovitz has come under fire from the public and media alike for her recent photographs of United States Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, taken for Vogue.

Jackson, the first Black woman on the US Supreme Court, is depicted at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. However, Leibovitz's images shared on Twitter (below) are overly dark and underlit, leaving her subject underexposed and poorly represented – a criticism that has long been leveled at the photographer when photographing Black subjects.

"This is a longtime problem of Leibovitz's," wrote Tayo Bero in a scathing piece titled 'Annie Leibowitz proves yet again: she can't photograph Black women'. 

"The photographer has dropped the ball many times in her depictions of other powerful Black women, including Simone Biles, Viola Davis, Serena Williams and Rihanna. In all cases, she manages to make her subjects look dull, ashy, pained and sad, a far cry from the lively and graceful people that they usually are."

She also referenced the unfortunate, if unintended, subtext that many have picked up on. "Having Abraham Lincoln be the focal point of the first image came off to many critics as projecting a white savior narrative."

Twitter was, as you might expect, in uproar. "Annie Leibovitz is an incredibly accomplished photographer. And she's shown again and again she doesn't know how to light dark-skin models," one user tweeted. "A great example of sometimes you should pass an assignment on to someone else who has better skills than you in an area."

The sentiment that the legendary photographer could have passed this job on to another professional – particularly a Black one – was a common theme among responses.

"Annie, I know you're famous, but you've proven time and time and TIME again that you don't know and don't care to learn how to photograph Black people. How to appropriately use lighting." came another tweet. "You CAN say no. You CAN recommend talented Black photographers who will do better than you."

The biggest issue with the images is the remedial issue of exposure; it's a fairly rudimentary photographic fundamental that the eye is drawn to the point of the image with the highest contrast. Which, in this case, is the background – not the subject. Something that even non-photographers noticed.

"In both photos your focus goes to the background before it goes to the subject," came one criticism. "I don't think you really even need to have an art background like I do to be able to point this out."

Perhaps the most scathing remark came from a user who suggested that Leibowitz should start shooting on a Google Pixel 6, which features Real Tone inclusive camera technology.

"Full disclosure, I do NOT have a Pixel 6. BUT...there WAS an ad about this exact thing and I'm surprised someone like isn't able to do better for #KBJ." 

Great photographs, like all great art, should challenge us and start conversations. However, we can't help but feel that these aren't the kinds of debates that Leibovitz was hoping to provoke with these portraits.

We've previously shared advice from a professional on photographing dark skin tones, which can require a different approach to lighting. If you're interested in improving your portraits, refresh your overall know-how with our portrait photography tips, and discover the best cameras for portraits and the best lenses for portraits.

Every photographer understands the important influence of Annie Leibovitz and how she paved the way for a new generation of photographers, but for those unfamiliar with her era-defining work, fear not. A sumo-sized XXL format book of her best work spanning across 40 years is being released this summer by TASCHEN.

This unlimited edition of the coveted book, Annie Leibovitz, was originally published in the late noughties, and features Leibovitz's decade-defining portraits, showcasing her ability to merge commerce and art on the pages of Vanity Fair and Vogue.

• Looking to discover the best books on portrait photography?

Starting with the photojournalism she undertook working for Rolling Stone magazine during the 1970s, through to the conceptual portraits she made for the likes of Vanity Fair and Vogue, Annie selected her most iconic images - such as that of John Lennon and Yoko Ono entwined in what would be their final embrace – to compile into a 556 page self-titled photo book. 

Undoubtedly the most important portrait photographer still working in the industry today, Annie Leibovitz describes her latest portfolio book as a rollercoaster. "What I had thought of initially as a simple process of imagining what looked good big, what photographs would work in a large format, became something else." She shares.

"The book is very personal, but the narrative is told through popular culture. It’s not arranged chronologically and it’s not a retrospective. It’s more like a roller coaster.”

Annie's portraits that have rarely, if ever, been seen before situate within this latest book. Covering political and cultural history, from portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and Richard Nixon, to Laurie Anderson and Lady Gaga. 

Aside from her photographic talents, Leibovitz has published several books and exhibited all over the world. She is also a Commandeur in the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and has been designated as a 'Living Legend' by the US Library of Congress.

A photo album of American culture, Annie Leibovitz SUMO will be releasing September 1 2022, published by TASCHEN, in a hardback format with a slipcase. 

The book is now available for pre-order, priced at $150 /£100 / AU$193 approximately).

Annie Leibovitz has been spotted shooting with a Fujifilm GFX 100S in a latest behind the scenes video posted by Vogue, during her cover shoot with heavily pregnant music artist Rihanna.

Leibovitz is no stranger to the APS-C Fujifilm X system, having used the Fujifilm X-100 series in previous years, but for this shoot she's gone up to the company's medium format cameras with the 100MP Fujifilm GFX 100S. 

• Looking for the best camera for portraits?

if you aren't already familiar with Leibovitz's work, where have you been? Annie is one of the best photographers ever, and a true industry legend. Her years of knowledge and experience show in the below video from Vogue, where she can be seen in her element shooting the cover feature of Rihanna.

The iconic singer, actress, designer and businesswoman is known for being a very headstrong and authentic woman, a role model to girls everywhere. So it seems fitting that she's been photographed by another influential female in her own industry, during a personal and intense time of being pregnant with her first child in the third trimester.

Pregnancy photoshoots are gaining popularity in recent years, with many more women feeling confident enough to embrace the bump and the delicate side of being pregnant. Collaborating with a photographer as renowned as Leibovitz is sure to result in beautiful fine art portraiture, her specialty, having previously shot with a pregnant Demi Moore in 1991 for the cover of Vanity Fair.

“I’m hoping that we were able to redefine what’s considered ‘decent’ for pregnant women,” Rihanna tells Vogue. “My body is doing incredible things right now, and I’m not going to be ashamed of that. This time should feel celebratory. Because why should you be hiding your pregnancy?”

The larger sensor of the GFX systems allow for better control over depth of field, making them great for portraiture and subject separation to create creamy bokeh backgrounds. The ultra-high resolution of the GFX 100S sensor is designed for optimal light capture, for superb 102 million-pixel quality images, it's no wonder Leibovitz has opted for this model.

The shoot took place in a suite at The Ritz, with Rihanna leaning on a Paris balcony draped in a floor-length white coat, bump center stage, and several other elegant outfits and poses that delicately frame and flatter her pregnant figure.

During the video Rhianna speaks of her excitement to become both a teacher and a student, expressing that when born, her child will teach her more than she could ever teach them, and she's on board for the journey with excitement to see who they become. To see Leibovitz's final images, check out the Vogue cover and full interview with Rihanna on its website. 

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Luxury cruise company Celebrity Cruises, in collaboration with Annie Leibowitz and other photographers, is launching a new campaign to make the travel industry more inclusive. A free-to-use, open-source travel image library promises to represent a more diverse selection of people including those with disabilities, from ethnic minorities and from the LGBTQIA+ community. 

The All-Inclusive Photo Project (AIPP) is calling on travel companies to make marketing campaigns more inclusive. Currently there is not a fair representation of people who travel in marketing materials, and the luxury cruise company is on a mission to change that. Some of the biggest names in photography have joined forces to photograph models, musicians, athletes, artists, advocates, activists and refugees enjoying cruise ship life.

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"For far too long, ‘all-inclusive’ in the travel industry has meant everything on your vacation is included in one price," said Lisa Lutoff-Pelo, Celebrity Cruises CEO. "We set out to challenge this conventional thinking by imagining the phrase through the lens of others."

Joining Annie Leibovitz to create this unique image library is Giles Duley, an English documentary photographer and triple amputee; Naima Green, a black, queer New York-based photographer; and Jarrad Seng, a Malaysian-Chinese photographer, filmmaker, and creative director based in Australia.

Last year, Celebrity Cruises launched a global advertising campaign, Journey WonderFULL, that marked a distinct, bold new approach for the luxury travel brand. While this marked the first step to more inclusive marketing, Celebrity Cruises has always endeavored to be a catalyst for change in the industry, and in 2015 launched an initiative to attract more women to maritime careers.

Since then Kate McCue was appointed the first female American Captain, the first West African woman was appointed to work on the bridge of a ship, and in 2020 history was made when an all-female Bridge and leadership team worked on board. The company recently announced that 32% of the brand's bridge officers are women, same-sex marriages have happened out at sea and they put on the largest Pride Party out at sea. 

This new initiative shows a real dedication to making the travel industry a more inclusive place. As one of the leading names in cruise travel, Royal Caribbean Cruises (Celebrity Cruise's parent company) will hopefully also influence smaller brands to include a more diverse array of people in future marketing strategies.  

To see a selection of images from The All Inclusive Photo Project, scroll below.

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It's showtime! One of the biggest imaging events on the calendar, CP+ 2022, is taking place in Japan this week from 22-27 February. For the third year in a row, the exhibition be a virtual-only event, with the live show being cancelled with just two weeks to go due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Traditionally a live trade show attended by thousands of delegates at its home base in the port of Yokohama, Japan, CP+ 2022 may again be only online – but that hasn't stopped all the major players from taking part, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, and many more.

Thanks to Panasonic, Olympus and Sigma, the announcements from the show have being made ahead of the show opening its virtual doors. You can catch up with the online event at the CP+ English website.

Here are some of the highlights announced so far, and a few of the other things we are expecting…

Canon RF 800mm & 1200mm lenses

Canon has chosen CP+ as the place to give us full details on its monster mirrorless telephotos - the Canon RF 1200mm F8 L IS USM and the Canon RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM. Already promised on the Canon RF lens roadmap, both lenses are designed primarily for professional wildlife and sports photographers, and for surveillance. The image-stabilized long-tom supertelephoto primes can both be used with Canon's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters - offering users even more reach. The prices are as eye-watering as the focal lengths, with the recommended retail price set at $20k and $17k each!

• Read full story

Panasonic Lumix GH6

After missing its 2021 release, the Panasonic GH6 was finally announced at CP+ – and the manufacturer's new GH flagship packs a brand new 25.2MP sensor, 5.7K 30p internal video in ProRes 4:2:2 HQ, unlimited recording, V-Log / V-Gamut, Dynamic Range Boost, support for 4-channel 24-bit audio and more. You can check out our Panasonic GH6 live blog to relive the live announcement as it happened.

• See full story
• Hands on: Panasonic GH6 review

Sigma launches Fujifilm lenses

At last! Sigma has announced its first ever lenses to fit the Fujifilm X-mount mirrorless family of cameras. There will be three primes to begin with – Sigma 16mm f/1.4, 30mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.4. The trio of lenses have already been sold by Sigma in Sony E and Canon EF-M and L-mount versions – but are perfectly suited to the APS-C sensor of cameras such as the Fujifilm X-T30 II and the Fujifilm X-T4.

Sigma is also saying that it is working on a Fuji-X-mount version of its 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary zoom lens that it launched last year in Sony mount.

• See full story

Sigma sensor update

Sigma has also provided an update on its work developing a new version of its three-layer Foveon image sensor. In short, it tell us that its is still working on it:

"Based on the evaluation results of the prototype sensor, we will decide whether to proceed to Stage 3 [final prototype evaluation using a full-frame sensor] or to review the design data and re-prototype Stage 2 [using a smaller sensor]. When we proceed to Stage 3, we will verify the mass-producibility of the sensor with research institutes and manufacturing vendors based on the evaluation results, and then make a final decision on whether or not to mass-produce the image sensor."

Originally promised in 2020, Sigma had to announce it was going back to the drawing board at last year's CP+ show.

OM System Olympus OM-1

Olympus is no longer the Olympus of old - with the manufacturer selling off its imaging division. But last week, ahead of CP+, the new OM System company revealed its first major camera – that looked as much to the past, as the future, by being called the Olympus OM-1 (after one of Olympus's best-loved 35mm SLRs).

• Read the full story +
Read our Olympus OM-1 hands-on review

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The annual CP+ trade show has been cancelled as a live event once again. The annual photo exhibition where all the big Japanese camera and lens manufacturers reveal their latest kit will now, once again, be run as a virtual show. 

CP+ had been preparing to open its doors in Yokohama for the first time since 2019. However, the organizers have just announced that the physical event due to have run from 24-27 February will now be an online only affair due to the the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The press release cites the rise of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the Japan as the reason for the cancellation, as well as a shortage of antigen test kits

The full press release (auto translated from Japanese) reads:  

"CP + 2022 puts safety and security of visitors and exhibitors as the most important event as an event to be held in the corona disaster. We have been preparing for the Pacifico Yokohama venue and online hybrid holding on the premise of taking thorough safety measures. However, due to the violence of the Omicron strain, which has been expanding rapidly since the beginning of the year, the number of infected people and close contacts is increasing rapidly.

The supply of antigen test kits is tight, which is a hindrance to safe event management. Also, looking at the current infection situation, the number of infected people has decreased significantly by the end of February, and it is unlikely that the event will recover to a state where it can be held safely and securely. The psychological anxieties of visitors and exhibitors cannot be wiped out.

As the organizer, always watching the corona infection situation,
We have taken all possible measures, but the customers who come to the event,
As a result of giving top priority to the safety and security of exhibitor staff and all other event related parties, Judging that CP + 2022 should not be held in real time in this situation, we have decided to cancel the Pacifico Yokohama venue event and hold it online alone.

Customers who were looking forward to the event at Pacifico Yokohama for the first time in 3 years, we apologize for the inconvenience caused to all the exhibitors who have been preparing for the event and many other related parties.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but thank you for your understanding.
We also sincerely apologize for the announcement of the cancellation just before the event."

What is CP+ ?

In the history of photography, CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show is relatively new. It first took place in 2008, and last took place in 2019. The annual show takes place in Yokohama, the Japan's second largest city and a major international port. It takes place over four days and typically attracts some 70,000 visitors to the Pacifico Yokohama exhibition complex. 

The 2020 event was also cancelled at short notice, just as the Covid-19 pandemic was in its first wave - and in 2021 was held successfully as a virtual exhibition.

We will be bringing all the news from the CP+ 2022 online event as it happens.

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Camera rumors 2022: what new cameras are coming out this year?

It's showtime! One of the biggest imaging events on the calendar, CP+ 2021, is taking place in Japan this week from 25-28 February. 

Traditionally a live mega event attended by thousands of delegates at its home base of Yokohama, Japan, CP+ 2021 this year is an online-only virtual show – but that hasn't stopped all the major players from taking part, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, Laowa, Atomos and many more.

Thanks to Canon, Sony, Leica and Pentax we've already seen a bunch of new cameras – and Olympus announced some fascinating plans for the future, not least the fact that it wants to partner with other companies going forward. 

Here are some of the highlights announced during CP+ 2021 – along with a few products we've been keeping our fingers crossed for but have so far yet to see…

Canon Posture Fit

Canon's latest concept camera looks like a Pixar character straight out of WALL•E, and dances on your desk. But why, and what does it do?

The ultra-adorable Canon Posture Fit monitors your posture while sitting at your desk and will "communicate with cute movement" to alert you when you've been sitting for too long, or when your posture is poor. 

Conceived in response to a Canon designer seeing his wife suffer with shoulder pain, since working from her home desk during the pandemic, the camera doesn't capture your face or background but solely monitors your spinal position. And instead of alerting you with annoying pop-ups on your screen, it dances to get your attention – the logic being that computer alerts are easily ignored, but nobody ignores a cute pet when it wants attention!

• Canon's cute new camera looks like a Pixar character – and it dances on your desk!

Sony FX3

The Sony A7S III is so nice that Sony has released it three times, this time calling it the Sony FX3! That may seem like a terribly cynical perspective, but internally the FX3 has a lot in common with the A7S III and the Sony FX6. It has a full frame 10.2MP back-illuminated EXMOR R CMOS sensor paired with Sony’s high-speed Bionz XR processor.

The combination offers video shooting speeds up to 4K 120p and 240p for full HD video, but the key innovation in the FX3 is active cooling – it has an internal fan to allow unlimited 4K 60p recording, and also supports USB power delivery, so that the battery capacity needn’t be a limitation either.

• Sony FX3 expands Sony’s Cinema line with its smallest, cheapest model yet

Olympus will work with other companies, considering photo tours, confirms PEN and Tough will continue

While OM Digital Solutions, new owner of the Olympus brand, didn't have any new products to reveal, it gave us some incredibly revealing insights into the future direction of the company. 

Crucially, it confirmed that the PEN and Tough lines – represented recently by the  Olympus PEN E-PL10 and Olympus Tough TG-6 – will continue alongside the company's principal products, the OM line of cameras (like the flagship Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III). It also confirmed that the Olympus brand name would continue to be used "until Olympus fans are satisfied". 

Fascinatingly, OM Digital confirmed that "Instead of just doing things on our own, we will work with other partners when necessary", which will no doubt get tongues wagging over potential technology partnerships. The company also stated that it is looking to broaden its offering to cater to the wider culture of photography – citing photography tours as an area that it is considering! 

• Olympus will work with other companies; is considering photography tours
• Olympus: PEN and Tough will continue, Olympus name will be kept "until fans are satisfied"

Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams

While Leica's original James Bond camera, the Leica Q2 007, has been delayed almost as often as the beleaguered No Time To Die movie it's set to release with, the manufacturer officially announced its second Bond-tastic body.

The Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams ditches the signature Leica red dot in favor of a black dot with gold writing, which continues a theme of gold lettering and adornments across the camera – and it even comes in a lavish presentation box lined with black silk. It's limited to 750 units and yours for just $6,995 / £5,600 / AU$9,990!

• Leica's first James Bond camera of 2021 is officially here!

Canon EOS M50 Mark II

After a limited release in select territories in October, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II (aka the Canon EOS Kiss M2 in Japan) has finally been granted a release on the global market. 

Sadly it's a disappointingly light refresh of the original Canon EOS M50 (Kiss M), with the only upgrades being software related – which begs the question of why they weren't released as a firmware update, rather than charging consumers for a whole new camera.

Still, if you don't already own the original M50, here you'll find a compact and capable APS-C camera with a 24.1MP sensor, 1080p up to 60p with Dual Pixel AF, 4K 30p (albeit cropped and without Dual Pixel), 10fps shooting, and the new addition of vertical video for those TikToks and Instagram Stories.

• The disappointing Canon EOS M50 Mark II hits the global market at last

Canon PowerShot Pic

There's no shortage of new camera rumors when it comes to Canon, with rampant speculation over both a flagship Canon EOS R1 as well as a Canon EOS R7 featuring an APS-C sensor (the first RF-mount camera to do so). There's also Canon's riff on the DJI Pocket that keeps popping up (see below).

In addition, there are also plenty of new lenses rumored to be revealed – including APS-C superzoom lenses, a series of f/1.4 primes, a Canon RF 300mm f/2.8 and perhaps even shift lenses. However, there have been reports that Canon's plans to announce a camera and two lenses at CP+ have been delayed due to industry wide production issues. 

Still, we will have no doubt that the Canon PowerShot Pick – the AI-powered PTZ camera that acts like your own personal photographer, able to capture moments you would otherwise miss whether you leave it on the table during a birthday party or mount it to your hot shoe while photographing a wedding.

• The AI-powered Canon PowerShot Pick costs $391 and "picks your moments"

Pentax K-1 Mark II J Limited 01

While CP+ 2021 was supposed to see the launch of the APS-C flagship Pentax K-3 Mark III, the brand delayed the product earlier this month (due to supply and production issues). 

However, we instead saw the launch of the Pentax K-1 Mark II J Limited 01 – a special edition of the full-frame flagship Pentax K-1 Mark II that features a wooden grip and custom pentaprism cover… and comes in gaudy metallic red and blue options (on top of the slightly more tasteful black or silver).

It's a Japan-only product, so you'll have to hit up eBay or your favorite importer if you need a metallic monstrosity in your life!

• Pentax' latest camera is a metallic red monstrosity

Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary

While we waited with bated breath for the Sigma fp L, Sigma instead announced its latest lens: the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary.

Unlike current full-frame 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms, which are pretty big, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary strikes a balance between performance and portability, with an optical design based on the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art lens, but in a significantly smaller body – achieved with a slight reduction in zoom range at the ‘wide’ end, from 24mm to 28mm.

This new lens weights 470g, which is 40% lighter than the Sigma 24-70mm, and it's also 20% shorter and slimmer. Sigma points out that fitted to a Sigma fp the combined weight is just 892g, which is less than the Sony 24-70mm G Master lens on its own! Available from 12 March, it also comes with a light price tag of $899 / £759.

• Sigma launches a new compact 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN contemporary

Stuff we're still hoping to see…

Sigma fp L

This one now seems less likely, since it was completely absent from the Sigma product showcase at which it revealed the new 28-70mm f/2.8 (below).

However, we know that the manufacturer has registered the mysterious new Sigma fp L – a new member of the Sigma fp family. While we know that it won't feature the again-delayed 61MP full-frame Foveon sensor, we wonder what that "L" could stand for – though it's difficult to decode Sigma's nomenclature. 

The Sigma SD Quattro H, for example (incidentally the last camera to feature a Foveon sensor) didn't seem to have an obvious meaning behind the "H". It boasted an APS-H sensor, but so did the regular Sigma SD Quattro. Since the Quattro H had a higher resolution (a 25.5MP sensor, but a "51MP-equivalent" according to Sigma), it is tempting to infer that the H stands for "high resolution".

So what of the L here? Perhaps it stands for "Lite", maybe thanks to the use of an APS-C sized image sensor in lieu of the Sigma fp's full-frame one. Perhaps it means something else entirely… hopefully we'll find out very soon! 

• Sigma fp L camera reveal next week – but it WON'T have a Foveon sensor

Canon vlogging camera (a la DJI Pocket)

Every year, the naysayers proclaim that this will be the one that sees Canon kill off its EOS M series – despite the fact that cameras like the Canon EOS M50 are perennial bestsellers for the company. 

However, what may be true is that the future of Canon's APS-C mirrorless system lies in this – a vlogging camera that's essentially an interchangeable lens version of the DJI Pocket 2. 

Patents for the camera have popped up incessantly over the past year, so we think it's entirely possible that Canon might reveal the device in some for at CP+ – perhaps in the same way it did with its many concept cameras it has debuted at the show over the years, including the Canon Ivy Rec and Canon PowerShot Zoom.

Sharp 8K Video Camera

We first saw the Sharp 8K Video Camera over two years ago, back at CES 2019, but since then there has been a stop-start release of new information… but it all came to a screeching halt last year. 

Once upon a time Sharp's device was set to be the first consumer 8K camera on the market, but it has since been beaten by both the Canon EOS R5 and the Sony A1. However, after being a no-show at CES 2021, we wonder whether the 33MP Micro Four Thirds camera with the 5-inch screen will ever actually materialize.

We're still pulling for you, Sharp – it's just a whole lot easier if you prove to us that there's still something to pull for! 

• The Sharp 8K Video Camera is still alive – will it have 8K 60p in 2021?

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CP+ 2021, one of the biggest camera and imaging events on the global calendar, will be going online-only for its February supershow, its organizer has announced.

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) had previously pivoted its imaging extravaganza to a hybrid show, running part online and part physically at its traditional home of Yokohama, Japan. Following rising cases of COVID-19, however, CP+ 2021 will now take place entirely virtually from 25-28 February 2021.

"In view of the fact that the number of COVID-19 infection cases has recently been soaring once again, we have decided to cancel the on-site organization of the event at Pacifico Yokohama and hold only CP+2021 Online," stated CIPA.

This year's show, CP+ 2020, was cancelled outright (on Valentine's Day, no less) at the start of the pandemic, prompted in part by a cruise ship full of 2,500 passengers being quarantined in Yokohama harbor – exactly where the CP+ venue is situated. 

It is the latest in a string of adjustments that the imaging events industry has had to make in order to accommodate the 'new normal'. CES 2021, which is traditionally held in Las Vegas, will likewise be an exclusively online event when it takes place from 11-14 January. 

The UK's leading photography and video supershow, The Photography Show, will also be hosting a Virtual Festival on 6 and 7 March 2021, following a highly successful online debut this year. 

The full statement from CIPA follows:

"Announcement about the online-only organization of CP+2021 

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) (president: Masaya Maeda; address: MA Shibaura Bldg., 3-8-10 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan) had been preparing to host CP+2021 in a new form by holding it on-site at PACIFICO Yokohama and also online as an international world premiere show for camera & photo imaging to introduce the latest products and technologies as well as to communicate the future of the industry and the fun and growing popularity of photo imaging culture. 

However, in view of the fact that the number of COVID-19 infection cases has recently been soaring once again, we have decided to cancel the on-site organization of the event at PACIFICO Yokohama and hold only CP+2021 ONLINE. 

As you know, many events have recently been successfully held in an online format, and we will ensure that CP+2021 ONLINE can be participated in by the maximum number of exhibitors. We will thus hold the international camera & photo imaging show online to introduce the camera & photo imaging industries and photo imaging culture from Japan to the world. We hope for your continued support for the event."

Register for The Photography Show Virtual Festival

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History is littered with truly great photographers, from the old masters to modern wunderkinds. However, with so many greats to learn from, which are the essential photographers whose work you absolutely have to check out, if you want to expand your own creativity? 

According to one of the modern greats, Annie Leibowitz, there are nine photographers whose work will truly inspire and help you boost your own creative instincts, whether you're a photographer or any other kind of visual artist.

• Read more: Adobe Max roundup

Leibowitz shared her choices in a conversation at Adobe Max 2020 this week, where she was one of the headline speakers. During the same interview, she also shared how she has been taking landscapes and conducting virtual shoots during the challenging lockdown period. 

Her choices of inspirational photographers, though, were perhaps the most fascinating part of the conversation – and we guarantee that you'll never guess the photographer she chose at number nine…

1) Henri Cartier-Bresson
2) Robert Frank
3) Eugene Smith

"You know, having done this over such a long period of time, when I was a student and I was just beginning, Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank were of course very important," explained Leibowitz. 

"And also Eugene Smith when I started to work for Rolling Stone, and I started to look at very classic photo essays that Eugene Smith did."

4) Dorothea Lange
5) Richard Avedon
6) Irving Penn
7) Guy Bordin
8) Helmut Newton

"Dorothea Lange’s work, from the depression, and then as I started to do the covers for Rolling Stone, I became more interested in portraiture, and of course Richard Avedon and Irving Penn. 

"And Guy Bordin for color, because I started off just photographing in black and white, and I started to look at his brazen color coming out of France. Oh, and I should also mention Helmut Newton, of course."

9) Mary Beth Meehan

"I do want to bring up, there was someone recently, this woman Mary Beth Meehan. I don’t know if you saw her work – she did an art installation in a small town in Georgia. She photographed portraits of people in the small town and then she took these huge prints, mural-sized prints, and put them on the sides of buildings, and it was incredible."

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The coronavirus-induced lockdown has wreaked havoc on photographers' ability to take pictures, but Annie Leibowitz has turned her hand to landscape photography, and has even taken part in some remote shoots with subjects. 

In an interview that took place during the Adobe Max event, the legendary photographer revealed that the COVID-related challenges have made a lot of people stop taking pictures, though it hasn't stopped us seeing them. 

• Read more: Adobe Max roundup

"I think it’s been a very distracting time for all of us," said the icon in conversation with Adobe. "Being a photographer as long as I’ve been a photographer, you don’t stop seeing, but sometimes you just don’t feel like taking pictures. So it’s not like you don’t see pictures, but you may not take them." 

However, the current situation hasn't stopped Leibowitz taking photographs, even though they're outside the scope of what she's best known for shooting – namely landscape images. 

"I am still taking photographs. Having been upstate with my family watching light, and weather sort of go through, I’ve found myself very interested in landscape and work on the land that I have up there with my family."

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They may not have the glitz and glamor usually associated with her work, but it's fascinating to see a completely different side of such a well-known photographer, and to get a glimpse at what else she is capable of. 

While the past few months have certainly put a wet blanket a lot of people's creativity, but Leibowitz suggests that it's a great time to keep a visual diary, "photographing what you see through what you’re feeling". As with so many things, the constraints on our creativity can force us to look inward and realize the opportunities that we might otherwise overlook.

Despite the ongoing crisis, of course, Leibowitz is still a working professional – and as such, has still kept herself busy taking on assignments. And as a renowned portrait photographer, this has again seen her have to adjust how she shoots – though she is obviously eager for the 'old normal' to replace the 'new'. 

"I’ve been sort of dabbling in virtual shoots – I’ve tried to keep them extremely simple, but they really are difficult. As a photographer we’re so used to, when you walk into a room you don’t just see straight ahead, you’re seeing peripherally or you see the sides. And I like, I’m sure, most other photographers are waiting for this time to be over to hopefully to photograph the way we did before."

The whole interview is filled with fascinating insight from the icon, and can be viewed on-demand for a limited time at the Adobe Max website. 

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Registration is now officially open for Adobe Max 2020, taking place 20-22 October. And not only will this year's creativity conference will be completely free to attend – it will also be completely virtual. And who better to represent virtual worlds and the ability to hack reality than Keanu Reeves!

The Hollywood star, known for being a computer guru in films like Replicas and The Matrix, will be one of the headline speakers for Adobe's online extravaganza. However, if you're worried that the man best known for gravity defying fight scenes and going on a murderous rampage to avenge the death of his dog may not be the world's biggest Photoshop expert, fear not – there will be plenty of other, more conventional guest speakers. 

• Try it free for 7 days: Download Photoshop 

Among them are photographic icon Annie Leibovitz, and filmmaker and Sundance Film Festival award-winner Ava DuVernay. Other celebrity guests include musician, visual artist and problematic lyricist Tyler the Creator. 

There will, of course, be far more knowledgable Adobe specialist to school you on Adobe's best photo editing software like Photoshop and Lightroom, its best video editing software like Premiere and After Effects, and no doubt Photoshop Camera as well (perhaps Keanu will have his own lens pack). The full list of keynotes and speakers will be revealed next month.

Invariably, these keynotes offer the kinds of Photoshop tips and other editing hacks that we wished we knew all along. So it's a huge bonus that Adobe Max 2020 will be free to attend for all (rather than being a pricey ticket event that's a long plane ride away, as per previous years). 

Adobe is promising "56 hours of non-stop inspiration and learning" with over 350 sessions to choose from, "with live content demos, luminary speakers, Sneaks, celebrity appearances, and musical performances." 

Register for Adobe Max 2020 now to start building your schedule, access instructor files and presentation downloads, and be in with a chance of winning prizes – including a free Adobe Max t-shirt. 

As Keanu would say…

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If you want to improve your technique, you need to turn to the best. Throughout history, expert photographers have shared their wisdom, offering insights into their creative processes and philosophies. And in this collection, we present 100 thought-provoking quotes from renowned photographers across a range of eras and styles.

From pioneers such as Ansel Adams to contemporary icons such as Annie Leibovitz, their wisdom can shed a unique light on the power of the lens and the photographer's eye. The quotes we've chosen touch on a range of topics, from the photographer's role in society to advice on how to improve your technique.

So whether you're a seasoned professional or an aspiring enthusiast, these pearls of wisdom will inspire you to see the world differently and push the boundaries of your craft.

Best short quotes on photography

1. "Only photograph what you love."
Tim Walker

2. “I didn’t write the rules. Why should I follow them?”
W Eugene Smith

3. "If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera."
Lewis Hine

4. "The first 10,000 shots are the worst." `
Helmut Newton

5. "Photography: so many attempts - so few masterpieces."
James Elliott

6. "For every negative that is a disappointment, there is one that is a joy."
Edward S Curtis

7. “Photography’s 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent moving furniture.”
Gregory Heisler

8. “It’s more important to click with people than to click the shutter.”
Alfred Eisenstaedt

9. “Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.”
Peter Adams

10. “I think good dreaming is what leads to good photographs.”
Wayne Miller

11. “Photography helps people to see.”
Berenice Abbott

12. “The best camera is the one that’s with you.”
Chase Jarvis

13. “Wherever there is light, one can photograph.”
Alfred Stieglitz

14. “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.”
Dorothea Lange

Best photography quotes: What is photography?

15. “Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.”
Don McCullin

16. Making a photograph is rather like writing a paragraph or a short piece, and putting together a whole string of photographs is like producing a piece of writing in many ways. There is the possibility of making coherent statements in an interesting, subtle, complex way."
David Goldblatt

17. “Photography is a response that has to do with the momentary recognition of things. Suddenly you’re alive. A minute later there was nothing there. I just watched it evaporate. You look one moment and there’s everything, next moment it’s gone. Photography is very philosophical.”
Joel Meyerowitz

18. “To photograph truthfully and effectively is to see beneath the surfaces.”
Ansel Adams

19. “Photographing a cake can be art.”
Irving Penn

20. “You can’t teach people photography, they’ve got to learn how to do it the best way possible for them. They can learn from looking at pictures... but they don’t really get intimate with the medium until they’ve made a few bad shots.”
Cecil Beaton

21. “It isn’t the alphabet that’s important. The important thing is what you are writing, what you are expressing. The same thing goes for photography.”
Andre Kertesz

22. “A lot of people seem to think that art or photography is about the way things look, or the surface of things. [...] They don't understand that it's not about a style or a look or a setup. It's about emotional obsession and empathy.“
Nan Goldin

Best photography quotes: What makes a good picture?

23. “If it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry, if it rips out your heart, that’s a good picture.“
Eddie Adams

24. “Photography is truth. And cinema is truth twenty-four times a second.”
Jean-Luc Godard

25. “If you don’t have anything to say, your photographs are not going to say much.”
Gordon Parks

26. “The best pictures differentiate themselves by nuances…a tiny relationship – either a harmony or a disharmony – that creates a picture.”
Ernst Haas

27. “Just because people use Instagram and take cellphone pictures, it doesn’t mean the pictures are meaningful, any more than a text someone sends a friend is great literature. Is it something that’s going to remain? Is it going to inspire us?”
Steve McCurry

28. “To me a photograph is a page from life, and that being the case, it must be real.”
Weegee

29. "A good photograph is like a good hound dog, dumb, but eloquent."
Eugène Atget

30. "The best images are the ones that retain their strength and impact over the years, regardless of the number of times they are viewed."
Anne Geddes

31. "A photograph is a collision between a person with a camera and reality. The photograph is typically as interesting as the collision is."
Charles Harbutt

32. "A good picture is born from a state of grace. Grace becomes manifest when one is freed from conventions, free as a child in his first discovery of reality. The game is then to organize the triangle."
Sergio Larrain

Best quotes on the fundamental principles of photography

33. “Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed.”
Garry Winogrand

34. “I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.”
Diane Arbus

35. “The magic of photography is metaphysical. What you see in the photograph isn't what you saw at the time. The real skill of photography is organised visual lying." Terence Donovan

36. “Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” Dorothea Lange

37. “The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.”
Andy Warhol

38. “Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.”
Ambrose Bierce

39. “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.” Diane Arbus

40. “It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things, but in photography... it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.”
David Bailey

41. “Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask ‘how’, while others of a more curious nature will ask ‘why’. Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information.”
Man Ray

42. “Photography is a medium in which if you don’t do it then, very often you don’t do it at all, because it doesn’t happen twice. A rock will probably always be more or less there just the way you saw it yesterday. But other things change, they’re not always there the day after or the week after.”
Paul Strand

43. “Ultimately, simplicity is the goal in every art, and achieving simplicity is one of the hardest things to do, yet it’s easily the most essential.” Pete Turner

44. “You must let the person looking at the photograph go some of the way to finishing it. You should offer them a seed that will grow and open up their minds.” Robert Doisneau

45. “All the technique in the world doesn’t compensate for the inability to notice.” Elliott Erwitt

Best quotes on how to approach a shoot

46. “Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.”
David Alan Harvey

47. “There is no such thing as taking too much time, because your soul is in that picture.”
Ruth Bernhard

48. “The key is to photograph your obsessions; whether that’s old people’s hands or skyscrapers. Think of a blank canvas, because that’s what you’ve got, and then think about what you want to see – not anyone else.”
David Lachapelle

49. "The satisfaction comes from working next to 500 photographers and coming away with something different."
David Burnett

50. “I think a photograph, of whatever it might be – a landscape, a person – requires personal involvement. That means knowing your subject, not just snapping away at what’s in front of you.”
Frans Lanting

51. “I can’t tell you how many pictures I’ve missed, ignored, trampled or otherwise lost, just ’cause I’ve been so hell-bent on getting the shot I think I want.”
Joe McNally

52. "The pitfall of photography is that you can end up looking at everything through a camera, instead of seeing it for itself. The viewfinder isolates you. When you look through one, you're cutting everything else out of your vision. The camera can open many doors, but sometimes you need to put it down and live."
Maggie Steber

53. "If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough."
Robert Capa

54. “If I knew what the picture was going to be like, I wouldn’t make it. It was almost like it was made already... the challenge is more about trying to make what you can’t think of.”
Cindy Sherman

The importance of instinct

55. "If you want to make good photographs, a camera has to be second nature to you. Devoting too much attention to technical decisions can interfere with your creative processes."
Robert Farber

56. “It would be mistaken to suppose that any of the best photography is come at by intellection; it is like all art, essentially the result of an intuitive process, drawing on all that the artist is rather than on anything he thinks, far less theorizes about -
Helen Levitt

57. "It seems to me that women have a bigger chance at success in photography than men… Women are quicker and more adaptable than men. And I think they have an intuition that helps them understand personalities more quickly than men."
Lee Miller

58. “It is very hard to say where you’re going until you get there. That kind of thing is based very much on instinct. As a photographer, one of the most important lessons I have learnt is that you have to learn to listen to and trust your own instinct. It has helped to guide me – this far at least.”
James Nachtwey

59. "Technique undoubtedly helps make photography magical, but I prefer to work with atmosphere. I think that the obsession with technique is a male thing. Boy's toys. They love playing... but once you've perfected something you have to start searching for a new toy. I would rather search for a new model or location."
Ellen von Unwerth

60. “Photography concentrates one’s eye on the superficial. For that reason it obscures the hidden life which glimmers through the outlines of things like a play of light and shade. One can’t catch that even with the sharpest lens. One has to grope for it by feeling.”
Franz Kafka

61. “To consult the rules of composition before making a picture is a little like consulting the law of gravitation before going for a walk.”
Edward Weston

62. “The better images occur when you’re moving to the fringes of your own understanding. That's where self-doubt and risk taking are likely to occur. It’s when you trust what’s happening at a non-intellectual non-conscious level that you can produce work that later resonates, often in a way that you can’t articulate a response to."
Jerry Uelsmann

63. “The secret of photography is the camera takes on the character and personality of the handler.”
Walker Evans

64. “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart, and head.”
Cartier-Bresson

65. “The camera is a remarkable instrument. Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand.”
Margaret Bourke-White

66. "Witness is borne and puzzles come together at the photographic moment, which is very simple and complete. The mind-finger presses the release on the silly machine and it stops time and holds what its jaws can encompass and what the light will stain."
Lee Freidlander

Photography technique

67. “Self-conscious artiness is fatal, but it certainly would not hurt to study composition in general. Having a basic understanding of composition would help construct a better organized image.”
Berenice Abbott

68. “I go straight in very close to people, and I do that because it’s the only way you can get the picture. You go right up to them. Even now, I don’t find it easy. I don’t announce it. I pretend to be focusing elsewhere. If you take someone’s photo, it is very difficult not to look at them just after. But it’s the one thing that gives the game away. I don’t try and hide what I’m doing – that would be folly.”
Martin Parr

69. “Black and white are the colours of photography. To me they symbolise the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected.”
Robert Frank

70. “When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!”
Ted Grant

71. “In photography there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated.”
August Sander

72. “The painter constructs, the photographer discloses.”
Susan Sontag

73. "The more specific you are, the more general it’ll be.”
Diane Arbus

74. “If your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”
Robert Capa

75. “By making a frame you’re being selective, then you edit the pictures you want published and you’re being selective again. You develop a point of view that you want to express. You try to go into a situation with an open mind, but then you form an opinion and you express it in your photographs.”
Mary Ellen Mark

76. “Limit your tools, focus on one thing, and just make it work… you become very inventive with the restrictions you give yourself.”
Anton Corbijn

77. “A lot of photographers think that if they buy a better camera they’ll be able to take better photographs. A better camera won’t do a thing for you if you don’t have anything in your head or in your heart.”
Arnold Newman

78. “My favorite words are possibilities, opportunities, and curiosity. If you are curious, you create opportunities, and if you open the doors, you create possibilities.”
Mario Testino

79. “You are responsible for every part of your image, even the parts you’re not interested in.”
Jay Maisel

80. “The most important piece of equipment after the camera is a good pair of shoes. A writer can work from a hotel room but a photographer has to be there, so he/she is in for a hell of a lot of hiking.”
David Hurn

81. “During the work, you have to be sure that you haven’t left any holes, that you’ve captured everything, because afterwards it will be too late”
Henry Cartier-Bresson

82. “No amount of toying with shades of print or with printing papers will transform a commonplace photograph into anything other than a commonplace photograph.”
Bill Brandt

83. “I’m so worried that I’m going to perfect [my] technique someday. I have to say it’s unfortunate how many of my pictures do depend upon some technical error.”
Sally Mann

Best quotes on how to improve your photography

84. “Those who want to be serious photographers, you're really going to have to edit your work. You're going to have to understand what you're doing. You're going to have to not just shoot, shoot, shoot. To stop and look at your work is the most important thing you can do”
Annie Leibovitz

85. "If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff."
Jim Richardson

86. "Never stop looking, no matter where you are, everywhere there are good photographs."
Art Wolfe

87. “You become technically proficient whether you want to or not, the more you take pictures.”
William Eggleston

88. “Look at lots of exhibitions and books, and don't get hung up on cameras and technical things. Photography is about images."
Fay Godwin

89. “Don’t pack up your camera until you’ve left the location.”
Joe McNally

90. “The more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer.”
Robert Mapplethorpe

91. "One of the biggest mistakes photographers make is not having work that defines their interests and strengths. No one is going to hire you for what you say you like to do. You have to show them that you are capable of it first."
Ami Vitale

92. "Be yourself. I much prefer seeing something, even it is clumsy, that doesn't look like somebody else's work."
William Klein

93. “Chance is always there. We all use it. The difference is, a poor photographer meets chance one out of a hundred times and a good photographer meets chance all the time.”
Brassaï

94. "A photographer is an acrobat treading the high wire of chance, trying to capture shooting stars."
Guy Le Querrec

95. “There is a brief moment when all there is in a man’s mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eyes, his hands, his attitude. This is the moment to record.”
Yousuf Karsh

96. “You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn’t waste either.”
Galen Rowell

97. “Photography has no rules, it is not a sport. It is the result which counts, no matter how it is achieved.”
Bill Brandt

Best quotes on how to shoot people

Best quotes on how to shoot people

98. “A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”
Annie Leibovitz

99. “My job as a portrait photographer is to seduce, amuse and entertain.”
Helmut Newton

100. “It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like; it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”
Paul Caponigro

101. “A photographic close-up is perhaps the purest form of portraiture, creating a confrontation between the viewer and the subject that daily interaction makes impossible, or at least impolite.”
Martin Schoeller

102. “To me, the face – the eyes, the expression of the mouth – is the thing that reflects character. It is the only part of the body that permits us to see the inner person.”
Philippe Halsman

103. “We all have a sort of mask of expression. You say goodbye, you smile, you are scared. I try to take all these masks away and little by little subtract until you have something pure left. A kind of abandon, a kind of absence.”
Paolo Roversi

104. “I never think about a shoot before I do it. Because there's no formula for people. What I try to do is to strip everything away rather than go in with preconceived notions. If I do that, I might miss a gem or a jewel that the person is offering me."
Platon

105. “People are aware of the power of a camera, and this instinctively makes most subjects uncomfortable and stiff. But Bebeto taught me to linger in a place long enough, without photographing, so that people grew comfortable with me and the camera’s presence.”
Lynsey Addario

106. "A good portrait is the rapport that is established between two people, there has to be someone in front of the camera and someone behind it."
Jeanloup Sieff

107. "It doesn't matter if you're photographing a porter in a market in Marrakech or you're photographing the king of Morocco. You have the same sympathetic approach to everybody. You be nice to everybody, basically."
Albert Watson

108. "The majority of the people I've taken photographs of, I've had conversations with. 'What are your goals and aspirations?'. 'What are you about?' It's not just about me capturing the image; I want to know what you are about."
Jamel Shabazz

109. “A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.”
Edward Steichen

110. “The photographer, even in fashion and portraiture, has to have a standpoint. It's important to know what you stand for, no? Most people just take pictures but they stand for nothing. They follow trends and don't know why."
Peter Lindbergh

111. "I don’t need to know anything about the people I photograph, but it’s important that I recognise something about myself in them."
Rineke Dijkstra

Best quotes on finding your passion

112. “If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence.”
Richard Avedon

113. “The picture that you took with your camera is the imagination you want to create with reality.”
Scott Lorenzo

114. “Which of my photographs is my favourite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.”
Imogen Cunningham

114. "There's no dividing line between adventure and photography."
Chris Noble

115. “When I have a camera in my hand, I know no fear.”
Alfred Eisenstaedt

116. “There’s a time when people say your work is revolutionary, but you have to keep being revolutionary. I can’t keep shooting pop stars all my life. You have to keep changing, keep pushing yourself, looking for the new, the unusual.”
Rankin

117. “One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you’d be stricken blind.”
Dorothy Lange

118. "Photography is something you learn to love very quickly. I know that many, many things are going to ask me to have their pictures taken and I will take them all."
Jacques-Henri Lartigue

119. “I think if I ever get satisfied, I’ll have to stop. It’s the frustration that drives you.” Eve Arnold

120. “You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at the picture for a second and think of it all your life.”
Joan Miro

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Another major trade expo has been cancelled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. CP+ 2020 was set to take place from 27 February to 01 March in Yokohama, Japan, but has been officially cancelled by the show organizers.

The news comes 24 hours after the announcement that MWC 2020 – Mobile World Congress, a critical trade event for the mobile industry that welcomes some 100,000 guests each year – has also been cancelled.

Unlike MWC, however, whose cancellation was in large part due to the large contingent of Chinese exhibitors (given the dominant players in the smartphone sector), CP+ 2020 is dealing with a very unique problem. While Japan has relatively few instances of coronavirus, there is currently an infected cruise ship full of 2,500 passengers quarantined in Yokohama harbor – which is exactly where the CP+ venue is situated. 

"Given there is no effective treatment or containment measures of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we have chosen to cancel CP+ 2020 because we put top priority in the on the health and safety of visitors and exhibitors," said CIPA in an official statement.

"CP+ is a trade show for consumers. The main feature of this show is that visitors can actually handle the newest camera and related equipment and get a feel for how they operate. The event attracts around 70,000 unspecified visitors and therefore we cannot completely eliminate the risk of infection. The CIPA believes it is important to avoid such risk at all cost. While it is truly regrettable, we have decided to cancel this year’s show. We ask for your cooperation and understanding concerning this matter."

So where does this leave the industry's next major photographic trade show – The Photography Show 2020, taking place in Birmingham from 14-17 March? According to Jonny Sullens, Events Director for the UK event, the show is still on track to go full speed ahead – unlike MWC and CP+, which featured a significant base of exhibitors from the affected regions, The Photography Show is a local market show with limited direct attendance from Chinese manufacturers.

"Whilst the UK risk level of coronavirus has been increased from low to moderate, the risk to individuals has not changed at this stage and remains low. Events at the NEC are therefore going ahead as planned, and it is business as usual for The Photography Show & The Video Show. We continue to follow advice from the World Health Organization and Public Health England, as well as that of local government and if anything changes then we will respond accordingly."

Read more: 

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UPDATE: A potential announcement date for the Canon EOS Rs has been leaked, and it looks like we could be seeing this dazzling new camera by the end of next month. Rumors published by Canon Watch suggest that the Canon EOS Rs will be announced ahead of CP+, which starts at the end of February. 

Apparently, we might also see two new RF mount lenses as well, which could possibly be more budget-oriented. This would be a welcome addition from Canon, as the RF mount lenses are known for being quite pricey.

ORIGINAL STORY:

We might only be a hop, skip and a jump away from the end of 2019, but the camera rumor mill is already rumbling along happily for 2020 - and it looks like we're certainly not going to be disappointed by next year's camera offerings! One of the most exciting rumors we've heard is that Canon will reportedly be releasing a new EOS R-series camera, which has been dubbed the Canon EOS Rs by rumor sites. 

• Read more: Canon EOS RP review

With the Canon EOS R and Canon EOS RP having been released over a year ago - and Nikon having recently released its own new Z-mount camera, the Nikon Z50, it's not surprising that we're seeing a new R-mount camera from Canon. 

However, while the Nikon Z50 was positioned in the camera market as an enthusiast camera perfect for vloggers and influencers, the Canon EOS Rs definitely looks a little more professional.

According to rumor website Canon Rumors, the Canon EOS Rs is rumored to have a beefy 75MP full frame CMOS sensor, which is a huge step up from the 30.3MP sensor on the Canon EOS R. Plus, this sensor will also apparently "focus on the dynamic range". It's not clear what that specifically means, but we assume the Canon EOS Rs' sensor will have improved dynamic range.

However, the sensor isn't the only exciting aspect of the upcoming Canon EOS Rs. Professional Canon photographers everywhere may need to sit down for this announcement, as the Canon EOS Rs is rumored to have… dual card slots! Ever since the Canon EOS R was released, one of the main gripes about the camera has been its single card slot, which essentially made it useless as a professional camera. However, Canon has finally heard the frustrated cries of working pros and granted their wishes. Merry Christmas indeed.

Other interesting potential specs include a DIGIC 9 processor, the joystick from the EOS-1D X Mark III, a larger and higher resolution EVF than the EOS R and full weather sealing. The Canon EOS Rs will also have a fully articulating LCD screen and similar ergonomics as the EOS R. 

However, what we're most excited about is that the Canon EOS Rs will apparently be released in February 2020. This date makes perfect sense, as it gives pros enough time to buy the Canon EOS Rs and practice with it before the 2020 Olympics. It also means that we've got something new and shiny to look forward to as we're battling the January blues. 

We can't wait to see what the Canon EOS Rs will be like, but in the mean time, we'll be keeping you up to date on any new developments and rumors. 

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Being located on the home turf of Japanese camera manufacturing, CP+ is an ideal place for the big brands to show off their latest innovations and conceptual ideas. Such was the case at CP+ 2019, where five fascinating Canon concept cameras were revealed.

As reported by Digital Camera Watch (via Canon Watch), these new cameras were on display at the show in Yokohoma, Japan. 

Whether or not they were conceived as a response to the company's concerns over smartphones – which CEO Fujio Mitarai predicted could have the camera marker in two years – is unclear. However, its first two concept models are designed to complement smartphones in areas where they fall short. 

Canon Soto Asobi (outdoor camera)

Roughly translated as "playing outside", the Canon Soto Asobi camera is a sturdy device intended for outdoor use, being both waterproof and able to survive being dropped from up to two metres. 

With a unique design that foregoes a viewfinder, instead using the body of the camera to provide a rangefinder view (which also doubles as a carabiner), the price is kept down to an estimated $100. 

Aimed at younger consumers, the camera can be customised thanks to the replaceable exterior panels, which would no doubt be mana from heaven for eBay sellers and market stalls. 

Canon Multifunctional Camera

The concept of the Canon Multifunctional Camera is "to enjoy telephoto lens easily" – again fulfilling an area that smartphones, even with technology like Oppo's 10x optical zoom, are less able to compete.

The new camera has a telephoto range of 100-400mm, which is expandable with electronic zoom, making it appropriate for shooting things like sport much more easily. 

It has been designed for smartphone integration, as your phone can be used as a display – making this somewhat similar to the Olympus AIR A01 system that was released in the USA and Japan. It is also envisioned to use your phone to obtain information, such as identifying players while you shoot. 

Canon Intelligent Compact Camera

A device that seems reminiscent of the Microsoft Kinect sensor, the Canon Intelligent Compact Camera supports voice input, gesture recognition and tracking for automatic shooting. 

In addition to speech, it also recognizes smiles and peace signs. With a pan and tilt mechanism, the shooting range is 360° horizontally and 110° vertically. Canon is also looking at outdoor applications for the camera.

The device is in its third generation of development, which means that this may actually be released to market. 

Canon Kids Mission Camera

Aimed at children around 10 years old who take an interest in cameras (ie those who want to play with their parents' expensive cameras), the Kids Mission Camera is built around the idea of "game sensation".

This includes concepts such as a "Mission Mode", where children are given themes like Emoji, Color and Cat Feeling to encourage them to take photographs. If you ask us, every Canon camera should have Cat Feeling mode patched in with the next firmware update. 

The camera also features a degree of smartphone integration, and also pairs with the Canon iNSPiC mini photo printer.

Canon Free Viewpoint Video System

By far the most conceptual of the designs on show is the Canon Free Viewpoint Video System – a virtual camera that appears to be an extension of the multi-camera setups used in sports leagues like the NBA, built on the principles of the Bullet Time visual effect innovated by The Matrix. 

The working demonstration machine at CP+ used 30 cameras to film a game of soccer (or football, as it's called everywhere except the US); by combining and interpolating the images from each one, it is possible to produce an immersive three-dimensional space in which you can move the camera virtually.  

It is possible, therefore, to get impossible camera angles such as a player or goalkeeper's point of view. In addition to tracking specific players, the system also makes it possible to identify each athlete – opening the potential for intriguing analysis and sporting "analytics", which are becoming increasingly commonplace. 

Whether or not these devices ever make it past the conceptual stage and into full production remains to be seen. Like concept cars in the automotive industry, these designs are often technical exercises rather than statements of intent.

That said, the Canon Intelligent Compact Camera is in its third generation of design and would certainly seem a good fit for homes where the likes of Alexa and Echo are commonplace. And of course, Cat Feeling is a mode that is simply too good not to bring to market. 

Earlier versions of the Canon Intelligent Compact Camera and the Canon Multifunctional Camera were on display at The Photography Show last year. So if you'd like a closer look, you might want to come along to this year's show and see what's sitting on the Canon shelf…

Read more:

The best Canon camera in 2019

CP+ 2019: rumors and news of the new launches at this year's show

The annual CP+ trade show takes place at Yokohama in Japan from February 28 until 4 March – and we as usual we expect some big camera and lens announcements at the show. This is our round-up of all the gear we've seen at the exhibition, what is rumored, and what has already broken cover in the lead up to CP+ 2019.

What is CP+ ?

In the history of photography, CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show is relatively new. It first took place in 2008 and is celebrating is 10th anniversary this year. The annual show takes place in Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan and a major international port. It takes place over four days and typically attracts some 70,000 visitors. 

As the show takes place in the home of many of the world's top camera manufacturers the show has become a significant venue for camera and lens launches – and we expect this year to be no different. With Photokina 2019 having been cancelled, it is the prime manufacturer event this year... and takes place just a couple of weeks before The Photography Show in the UK. 

Camera and lens launches at CP+ 2019

This is our rundown of the companies that we expected to have new things to show us at this year's CP+. We will be updating this list throughout the show...

Ricoh Theta Z

With the Ricoh GR III already only just launched, we had expected Ricoh to wait until the opening of CP+ to announce the arrival of the latest generation of its 360 camera the Ricoh Theta Z1. But the Japanese company instead announced this on the Monday before the show.

The Theta is already one of the most successful 360 cameras ranges but the latest model pushes the 360° envelope further, by fitting in larger one-inch sensors – one on each side of the camera.

Read more about the Ricoh Theta Z1

Pentax

Ricoh has also announced some news for its Pentax range of cameras. It has shown the HD PENTAX-D FA* 85mm F1.4 full-frame lens, which is designed to work with its Pentax K-1 Mark II DSLR.

Read more

Samyang lenses

Samyang is promising no fewer than eight new lenses over the next few weeks, including launches at CP+ and The Photography Show. News of the first of the eight new optics arrived early - and it is something special - a full-frame 10mm prime that offers a wider view than any non-fisheye currently available. The Samyang XP 10mm f/3.5 will be available from March in Canon EF and Nikon F fits.

The second and third lenses in the Samyang 'spring collection' have now been announced as the first independent Canon RF fit lenses on the market and are designed to work with the Canon EOS R and the EOS RP. They are full-frame RF mount versions of Samyang's popular and successful manual focus 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4 primes, and should offer a welcome boost to Canon's full frame mirrorless format.

Sigma lenses

Sigma has a history of launching new lenses at CP+ and this year it didn't disappoint us. We knew that Sigma was planning to release 11 of its Art prime lenses in the new L-Mount used by the Panasonic S1R and Panasonic S1 , and now they're officially here!

This is the only news from Sigma so far, apart from the announcement of its new MC-21 Mount Converter (see below), but we also wait to see if Sigma expands the range of lenses that it makes for the full-frame Sony E-mount, and whether there are any other completely new optical designs in the Art, Contemporary or Sports line-ups waiting in the wings.

Sigma MC-21 Mount Converter

This was both unexpected and exciting. Normally, mount adaptors don't prompt a lot of interest, but the new MC-21 Mount Converter is different. First, it lets you use Sigma SA-mount lenses on new L-Mount cameras, and while this won't affect most of us it's important news for owners of Sigma's own cameras as it moves away from its Foveon sensor technology towards a new full-frame mirrorless model.

Second, the MC-21 enables the use of Canon EF-fit Sigma lenses on L-Mount cameras. At the moment, Sigma is not making any wider claims about EF DSLR lens compatibility and simply lists a selection of its own lenses as suitable for the Mount Converter, but it will be interesting to see if this opens up new opportunities for Canon owners to migrate to the new mirrorless L-Mount system.

Sigma full-frame mirrorless camera

UPDATE: This is a big one... Sigma had promised that it will be producing its own L-mount full-frame mirrorless camera. But now we have some details. The as-yet-unnamed camera will have a 60.9-megapixel Foveon sensor – a full-frame version of the unique sensor design that Sigma has made its own. The L-mount camera, however, will not go on sale this year as originally hoped, but will be released in 2020.

Full story on Sigma's 60.9 megapixel L-mount full-frame mirrorless camera

Sony A7S III

With the Sony A7 III and the Sony A7R III both having been launched ages ago, we have almost got tired of waiting for the third generation of the A7S series of cameras, which are designed specifically to meet the needs of movie makers. The full-frame A7S III will come soon, however – and CP+ is as likely a launch pad as any.

Sony A7S III: what we want to see and what we're likely to get

There are a number of E-mount Sony lenses rumored for announcement this year... the strongest possibility for CP+ seems to be the the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Gold Master prime.

Sony RX0 Mark II

We have already seen some rumors of an imminent update of Sony's RX0 mini action cam - and we expect this to be announced any time soon.

The best Sony RX0 deals

Sony A7000

We were hoping for a new APS-C sensored Sony flagship earlier in the year at CES - but instead we got the Sony A6400 instead some days after. But we would still love to see the Sony A7000 at CP+. There have been a slew of leaks about this camera, so we pretty much know what to expect when Sony do take the wrapper off of its new camera. We should see a camera that has a new 32MP Exmor RS APS CMOS, ISO 64-64000 and 4K shooting. But Sony may well disappoint us, and save this new camera for another day...

Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

While we're still waiting for any shock announcements about new cameras, Sony has released a new, fast telephoto prime lens for its grown G Master series. The FE 135mm F1.8 GM boasts a sophisticated optical construction, 11-bladed diaphragm mechanism and dual focus groups driven by no fewer than four linear motors. 

Sony's 1700MB/s CFexpress card

Sony makes memory cards too, not just cameras and lenses, and it has used CP+ to announce the next dramatic step forward in memory card performance. Sony pioneered the XQD memory card format now used by Nikon's top cameras, and this has evolved into the new ultra-fast CFexpress format, which is three times faster than the competing CFast card format in Sony's line-up and five times faster than current SD UHS-II cards. This could be the next big thing in 4K and 8K video capture.

Read more about the new Sony 128GB CFexpress card here

Sharp 8K camera

We saw a prototype of the Sharp 8K video camera at CES, and with its Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens mount and its 8K video resolution this could be something of a game changer. Sharp used to be big in the camcorder game, and this camera looks like it could put it back into filmmaking in a big way. We are now waiting for a name, a price and for full specifications. 

First Look: Sharp 8K Video Camera

Leica Q2

The Leica Q2 may be not one for launch at the show,  but could be announced to coincide with it. The specs of the replacement for the Leica Q have already been leaked. This luxury compact with its fixed 28mm lens is going to have a 47-megapixel full-frame sensor, which is a world-beating resolution for a pocket camera.

Read more: Leica Q2 is coming soon

Leica APO-Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH.

What Leica does have is a brand new lens for its full-frame mirrorless SL camera. The  APO-Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH. is predictably expensive (£3,900/$4,600!) and has a relatively modest f/2 maximum aperture compared to the f/1.4 of some rivals, but it packs in all of Leica's legendary optical and engineering skills to produce what the company describes as a new benchmark in performance. That's not all. Being an L-Mount lens, it will also fit Panasonic's Lumix S cameras and any new full-frame mirrorless Sigma model. Interesting times for the camera industry's newest format...

Pentax HD PENTAX-D FA* 85mm F1.4 portrait lens

It's not on sale yet, and Pentax won't even say when that might happen or what it will costs, but Pentax has used the CP+ exhibition to showcase this 'tentative' new lens. Pentax owners are long overdue a fast prime portrait lens – a lens type that's essential standard equipment for many pro photographers, but so far missing from the Pentax line-up.

Read more about the HD PENTAX-D FA* 85mm F1.4

Zeiss ZX1 concept camera

First shown as a non-working prototype at Photokina 2018, the Zeiss ZX1 is an Android-powered fixed lens prestige compact camera designed to be as simple to use as a smartphone – and it appears to have taken a step closer to being released in the wild, now that a working pre-production camera has been demonstrated at CP+. We still don't know how much it will cost or when it will appear, though.

Canon concept cameras

While some have accused Canon of playing it safe with its recent camera launches, the company revealed five concept cameras at CP+ that prove innovation is still at the heart of what it does. 

The Canon Soto Asobi is a customisable $100 outdoor camera, and the 100-400mm Canon Multifunctional Camera offers an easy way to enjoy telephoto shooting with smartphone integration. The Canon Intelligent Camera might be the device that sits next to the Echo in the corner of your room, with speech and gesture recognition for automated shooting. 

The Kids Mission Camera gives youngsters a camera that resembles their parents' DSLRs, but with modes like 'Cat Feeling' to encourage them to get shooting. And the Canon Free Viewpoint Video System is a fascinating virtual camera that enables you to move the camera anywhere around a sports field.  

Nikon Z5

With the launch of the Canon EOS RP, an aggressively priced full-frame mirrorless system aimed at advanced amateur users, Canon seemed to have the market cornered on the lower end of the market. Nikon had other plans, however, and the entry level Nikon Z5 – as it is expected to be called – could be on the way before the end of the year.

Igawa Yuxi from Nikon China confirmed that a new consumer-oriented Z camera will be coming soon – "a low-priced model similar to the Canon EOS RP". No other specs, information or details were revealed, but this rings true with what Nikon Europe's Jordi Brinkman told us last year: "Definitely we will widen our lineup… there will be models below the Z6. We will widen up the range to different users and different price brackets, definitely."

Read more:

Best camera rumors 2019: what new cameras are coming out this year?

The Photography Show 2019: What you need to know - tickets on sale now!

The appearance of the Zeiss ZX concept camera first announced at Photokina 2018 seems to have taken a step closer following hands-on demonstrations of a pre-production camera at CP+ 2019. The unit appeared to be a working prototype, but Zeiss has still not given any details about when it will be available and how much it will cost.

Zeiss will need to get a move on, or it risks being upstaged and outgunned by the rumored new Leica Q2.

The ZX1 does at least have its own website, where you can sign up to be notified as soon as this baffling but beautiful prestige compact camera becomes available.

Zeiss has used its optical expertise to make the Distagon 35mm f/2 lens for this new camera. It’s also developed the ZX1’s 37.4 megapixel sensor in house, which is is quite a departure for a company best know for its lenses.

Zeiss is calling the ZX1 a mirrorless camera, though its 35mm f/2 lens is non-removable, so you wouldn’t expect a mirror anyway.

Its themes are ‘Shoot’, ‘Edit’, ‘Share’. On the shooting side, Zeiss is aiming for the “familiar, intuitive image editing and connectivity of a smartphone” and “a seamless creative process”. 

The lens and sensor look interesting, but it’s the editing phase inside the ZX1 that’s really caught our attention – Zeiss says it has Lightroom CC “fully integrated”, which we take to mean the Lightroom CC Mobile version, which in turn suggests the ZX1 might be running some version of the Android operating system.

Touch control and connectivity

Camera (and Lightroom) control is carried out via a 4.3-inch multi-touch display considerably larger than those fitted to regular cameras and closer in size to a smartphone screen.

Zeiss says the ZX1 will be able to upload images directly to the Internet in the third ’sharing’ phase, without the need to use memory cards or external devices.

You’re probably not going to need any memory cards at any point, in fact, because the ZX1 has 512GB memory built in. That’s more than the average laptop’s SSD.

So far journalists have only been able to inspect a non-working mockup fixed to a table, but Zeiss is planning to introduce the ZX1 in early 2019 at a price yet to be disclosed.

Read more:

• Leica Q2 is coming soon: images and specs leak
• The 10 best digital compact cameras in 2019

We knew they were coming, but it’s still a big moment to see Sigma’s 11 new L-mount lenses finally revealed at the CP+ exhibition in Yokohama. They are all from Sigma’s existing series of Art prime lenses, and range in focal length from 14-135mm. 

This dramatically increases the number of lenses available for Panasonic’s new Lumix S1 and S1R full frame mirrorless camera, joining the three Panasonic lenses already available for this system and contributing to the list of 42 L-Mount lenses promised by Panasonic, Sigma and Leica by the end of 2020.

Here’s the full list:

• Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art ($1,599.00)
• Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($899.00)
• Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($849.00)
• Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($1,399.00)
• Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($899.00)
• Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($1,399.00)
• Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($949.00)
• Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art ($569.00)
• Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($1,199.00)
• Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($1,599.00)
• Sigma 135mm F1.5 DG HSM Art ($1,399.00)

L-Mount background

The L-Mount was first developed by Leica in 2014 for both full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras and has been refined end developed to offer a ‘future-proof, flexible, robust and precise’ alternative to rival full frame mirrorless systems from Sony, Canon and Nikon. It has a wide 51.6mm diameter and a short 20mm flange-sensor distance which Sigma says is key to the development of certain types of wide-angle lens in particular.

• Panasonic S1 and S1R: everything you need to know about the new Lumix range

Leica already makes L-Mount lenses for its SL mirrorless camera (the Panasonic S1 and S1R are not the first L-Mount cameras) and the interchangeability of L-Mount lenses means Panasonic Lumix S owners can take advantage of premium Leica lenses, and Leica SL owners now have access to many of Sigma’s more affordable Art prime lenses.

Read more:

• The best mirrorless cameras in 2019
• The 10 cheapest full-frame cameras in 2019
• Sigma full-frame mirrorless camera is coming

For nearly fifty years, Annie Leibovitz has been documenting the contemporary world. Able to personalise even the most widely known subjects, she is recognised as one of the most influential photographers of our time.

If you've ever fancied a peek behind the scenes of an Annie Leibovitz shoot, a new edition of the bestselling book Annie Leibovitz At Work allows you to do just that.

At Work addresses young photographers and readers interested in what photographers do to make an image. Subjects include photojournalism, studio work, working with writers, and making the transition from film to digital cameras.

Go behind the scenes of Annie Leibovitz's images

At Work (first released in 2008 and recently out of print) reveals the inner workings of Annie Leibovitz’s practice. Inside, she shares details of her creative process and legendary career, from her early years as a young photographer for Rolling Stone to her recent work at Vanity Fair and Vogue.

Leibovitz takes the reader on a journey – from analog to digital – through some of her most unforgettable photographs and how they came to be.

Memorable subjects include the Rolling Stones tour in 1975, the famous session with John Lennon and Yoko Ono just hours before he was assassinated, Whoopi Goldberg in a bathtub of milk, and portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, among many others.

What's new in the updated book?

This revised edition brings Leibovitz's bestselling book back into print.

There are three new chapters featuring photographs taken since the original publication.

The end of the book features a section dedicated to answering Annie's top ten most-asked questions, like ‘What advice do you have for a young photographer who is just starting out?’ and ‘How is photographing a celebrity different from photographing a regular person?’

Along with tips, technical preferences, and advice for photographers, Annie shares details on the camera equipment she uses, the effects of lighting, and even the importance of selecting the right music for a shoot.

Annie Leibovitz recently put her name behind the camera quality of the Google Pixel 3. 

Where can I get the book?

Annie Leibovitz At Work is out now at www.phaidon.com

It's not often a world-famous photographer will put down their DSLR to champion a camera phone but that's exactly what's happened with the Google Pixel 3 - a phone with a camera supposedly so good, Annie Leibovitz has been taking portrait shots with it up and down the country.

At a big Made With Google event in New York, it was revealed that Annie Leibowitz has partnered up with Google to use the Google Pixel 3 camera to take photos around the US. And just in case you are thinking this is the sort of product push she does on a regular basis - it's the first time Leibovitz has partnered with a phone company. 

At the event, it was revealed that Leibovitz “travels around the country, capturing portraits of inspiring people and places” with the new handset.

Leibovitz, who features in our 50 best photographers list, did prefer to shoot on an iPhone (according to The Verge) but the latest Google camera phone has made her switch and, we're presuming, there might be a bit of money in the sponsorship deal as well. 

Saying that, no photographer would put their name against something unless they believed in the quality of the kit.

Pro shots

The Google Pixel 3 is perhaps on the most surprising recent camera phone launches as it only has one rear lens. 

The recent trend to favour two or even three lenses, as seen on the iPhone XS and Huawei P20 Pro has meant that multiple lenses is now the norm. 

Google is relying on some pretty powerful software smarts - including improved bokeh, nighttime shooting without flash and super zoom functionality - and famous photographer endorsement to make sure that its phone is the best camera phone around.  

• Famous photographers: 25 celebrities who also take pictures