Hi {name},

Welcome to Lenscraft in Focus for March 2022.

The weather here, like life, has been unpredictable over the past month. It’s frequently flipped between high winds, storms and driving rain to blue sky and sun. It also feels like spring is in the air and as I write this, I can see the crocus flowering in my garden. I’ve also managed a couple of trips out with some good results like this misty morning shot on Higger Tor in the Peak District.

The last time I managed good morning shots on Higger Tor was 2 years ago, shortly before the UK entered COVID lockdown. Capturing a misty morning here feels like we’ve finally emerged from a dark period. I know that it’s all in my mind, but it feels like a breakthrough for me.

I hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter and find something of value.

Robin

Website & Newsletter Issues Update

Last month I mentioned problems with images not displaying in the newsletter and on the website. Part of the problem was caused by some email providers (like Gmail) blocking the images where my email isn’t in the recipients address book or safe sender list.

But it turned out this wasn’t the only problem. With the help of a couple of extremely observant readers, I found a new security feature had been added to protect my website. After switching to an alternate protection method, we found the images were visible again.

I’m sure there are still problems in the technical mess of the internet but hopefully you can see the images in this email and on my Lenscraft website. I would like to thank everyone who offered support and help, and to apologise to anyone affected by the issue.

New Lenscraft Content

Here’s a list of the new and updated articles published on Lenscraft over the past month.

From Around the Internet

A selection of interesting points and photography related resources I’ve found on the internet this past month.

Luminar Neo Release

I mentioned last month that I hoped Luminar Neo would be released soon, and it was. This was the first release with further features scheduled for the coming months. My initial reaction was positive, and the software seems to take a lot of effort out of achieving basic editing.

Since then, Russia has invaded Ukraine and with the Skylum core development team based in Kyiv, Skylum is expecting delays to the release of new features. I don’t publish political information in this newsletter, but my view is that war does no good for anyone. I hope that a solution to this terrible situation can be found quickly. You can learn more about what’s happening on a blog post on the Skylum Website.

Stunning Space Station Photo

When I first saw this image by Thierry Legault, I didn’t believe it was possible. What a brilliant and committed capture.

https://twitter.com/ThierryLegault/status/1495140290553856001/photo/1

Photography News 96

The 96^th edition of Photography News is now out and free to read.

https://online.bright-publishing.com/view/436348021/

It’s always dangerous for me to read this paper as I end up wanting more cameras. It is though extremely informative, especially if you like photographic equipment. This edition includes their annual awards, which leads nicely into the next news point.

Kase Awarded Best Filter/Filter System 2021

Here’s an excerpt I received from a Kase email.

“We are pleased to share the wonderful news with you all, that our Kase Wolverine Double Grad filters have been awarded: "Best Filter/Filter System 2021" by Photography News.

Now making our Double Grad filters multi-award-winning filters!”

I would like to say congratulations to the team at Kase. It also made me realise that I’ve been using the same Kase filters since 2017 and they are still like new. They have been an excellent investment, especially when compared with my old resin filters which would quickly scratch and need replacing.

Amateur Photographer

I was recently asked to provide my thoughts about owning a Panasonic G9 for Amateur Photographer magazine. I can’t publish the entire article which shared the thoughts of several photographers, but here’s my excerpt.

If you subscribe to the magazine, you’ll find the full article in the 15^th February 2022 issue.

Most Complained About Cameras

Ever wondered if your camera is one of the worst? Then have a read of this list of the most complained about cameras.

https://www.diyphotography.net/these-are-the-most-complained-about-cameras-in-the-world/

I was quite surprised to see the GoPro10 making it onto the list. I use one of these for filming my YouTube videos and so far, I think it’s done a great job, especially when I think about the conditions I’ve used it in.

Photographers You May Not Know – Nico Rinaldi

This month I would like to introduce Italian Landscape Photographer Nico Rinaldi.

His portfolio features many beautiful images, many of which I’ve seen outside of his website. I’m aware that his style won’t appeal to everyone, especially if you prefer a more “honest” photo capture. Despite this, it’s difficult not to appreciate the way he blends the beauty of nature with his artistic photo editing. Quality always shows in photography.

Here’s the link to his online portfolio. I hope you enjoy viewing it as much as I have.

https://en.nicorinaldi.net/gallery-photogallery-landscape-photography-galleria-fotografia-paesaggio

Books & Course News

Latest book and course news.

Latest Book

I want to say a big thank you for the support I’ve received for my latest book “Mastering Selections & Masking in Lightroom Classic CC”. I’m also extremely grateful to those people who enquired if the book could be used with Adobe Camera RAW. After some (extensive) checking I estimate around 90% of the book applies. I’ve therefore decided to create an Adobe Camera RAW version which will be available in the next couple of weeks. I’ll send out an email announcement when it’s released.

If you missed my original email and are interested in the Lightroom edition, you can find it priced at £4.99 (similarly priced in other currencies) on Lenscraft, Amazon, Apple, Google Play, Kobo and Smashwords. I’m still waiting for it to go live on Barnes & Nobel but that shouldn’t be long now.

Until next month, stay safe and enjoy your photography.

Robin Whalley

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