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Whether you’re looking for photography & equipment tips, event write-ups, inspirational articles featuring our Ambassadors & Visionaries, or just a good read, the Image Space blog is the place for you. Make sure to check back regularly!
CREATIVE LOW-LIGHT TECHNIQUES
With the long dark nights of winter setting in, there are still plenty of photo opportunities out there – it’s the perfect time to try one of these three creative low-light techniques.
THE GREAT OLYMPUS FESTIVE PHOTOWALK
On a crisp, November morning, we invited 9 lucky DSLR users to try their hand at street photography, using a compact mirrorless camera with a big reputation: the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II.
BEHIND THE FIFA WORLD CUP
Olympus Visionary, Peter Dench, talks to us about shooting and surviving the 5,772 miles of the Trans-Siberian Railway, in the thick of the 2018 FIFA World Cup action.
BEHIND THE SHOT
Olympus Mentor and fashion photographer Magic Owen shares the story behind this captivating fashion shot of Gemma Huh.
PORTRAIT SHOOT IDEAS WITH GAVIN HOEY
Give your next portrait shoot a fresh look with these three simple but creative ideas.
PHOTOGRAPHING THE FAMOUS
Debbi Clark has had work featured in Vogue, Homme and Tatler, photographed the likes of Kate Moss and Damian Lewis and set up her own charity. We speak to the woman who’s capable of it all…
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY WITH OLYMPUS PEN
Lifestyle bloggers Julia Rebaudo (@stylonylon) and Milly Kenny-Ryder (@millykr) teamed up with Soho House to host a Food Photography workshop of 15 attendees using the Olympus PEN cameras and 17mm & 12mm lenses.
SNAPSHOT: FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY WITH JAY MCLAUGHLIN
Milan plays host to some of the most fashionable people around. In the run-up to fashion week, we ventured to the uber-chic city with our guide, Jay McLaughlin, who shared his shoot secrets with us…
FOCUS ON: GABRIELLE MOTOLA
From shooting portraits of musicians, travelling across the world on her bike and even being snapped for a magazine cover herself, Olympus Mentor Gabrielle has been very busy…
GAVIN HOEY’S AVIATION APOCALYPSE
The Gatwick Aviation Museum in Charlwood, Surrey provided the perfect venue for Gavin Hoey’s Aviation Apocalypse workshop. With so much to see and shoot, the photographers were split into three groups giving everyone the chance to work with both models and get some top tips during an mini Olympus photo walk around the museum.
VINTAGE PORTRAITS AT SANDFORD LIDO
Built in 1935 Sandford Parks Lido is located near the centre of Cheltenham and retains many of it’s original 1930’s architectural features. It provided an ideal backdrop for our vintage portrait workshop hosted by the inimitable Gavin Hoey, ably supported by the Olympus team and our two models for the day Erin and Roger.
BEHIND THE SHOT – GREEN TURTLE
Feeling at home beneath the water, Lisa Michele Burns shares how she captured this magnificent creature…
DUST TO DAWN
We caught a rare moment between adventures with Olympus Visionary Philip Volkers, who’s been, quite literally, on fire for the sake of his art. Get the low-down on his new book, a compilation of images from the desert festival, Burning Man.
5 OF THE BEST APPROACHES FOR INSTA-WORTHY SHOTS
Olympus travel Ambassador and Instagram pro Martina Govindraj loves to travel, shooting unique frames from exciting perspectives wherever she goes, always with Olympus in hand. Read on to discover tips and techniques for capturing some of Martina’s favourite destinations, and the kit to shoot them with…
GIFFORDS CIRCUS – MY BEAUTIFUL OM-D E-M1 MARK II
On a fine summer’s afternoon, in the grounds of the majestic Blenheim Palace, with Giffords’ 2018 production ‘My Beautiful Circus’, 60 lucky photographers gathered for the circus themed photography workshop.
SNAPSHOT: SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Shooting a sport event and don’t know where to start? Photographer Adam Duckworth shares his top tips for shooting action with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II…
5 OF THE BEST SPORTS AND ACTION SUBJECTS TO SHOOT
Getting accredited for sports and action events is the dream for all sports photographers, but if you’re not quite at that stage yet there are still plenty of ways to get involved with the action. Grab your camera and get along to an event…
GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
Macro photography reveals the world’s hidden detail in all its glory, turning subjects once mundane, into the truly magnificent. Here are three projects for you to try…
BEHIND THE SHOT
How can you photograph a small subject and capture all the detail? Photographer and Chiswick Camera Centre owner Andy Sands talks through his focus stacking technique…
GLORIOUS COLOURS AT KEW GARDENS
GUEST POST BY NEILL TAYLOR
Last weekend I enjoyed a day shooting at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was an event organised by Olympus UK, and provided by them as a free benefit of having recently purchased an OM-D E-M1 Mark II (to replace my trusty Mark I).
5 OF THE BEST FEATURES AND KIT FOR WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
Wildlife photography helps you to connect with nature and is a genre that not only requires patience and planning, but also the right kit. Getting frame-filling images without spooking your subjects is key, so check out these top Olympus features and kit.
SEEING NEON AT GODS OWN JUNK YARD
Despite the weather taking an unexpected turn for the better, twenty intrepid photographers shunned the sunshine and gathered instead inside the neon ‘Mecca’ that is Gods Own Junk Yard for a different kind of lighting experience. Olympus Ambassador Gavin Hoey was the host for this portrait masterclass, with the Olympus team on hand to offer advice and loan out kit to experiment with.
SNAPSHOT: WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY WITH TESNI WARD
“Hi, my name’s Tesni and I’m a full-time wildlife photographer! Two years ago, I found myself in a difficult position without a job, so I decided to take a risk and try to become a full-time wildlife photographer; I can honestly say I’ve never looked back!” – Olympus Ambassador Tesni Ward shares her recommended kit and techniques for wildlife photography, and how she prepares.
BASKETBALL WITH THE LONDON LIONS
A basketball game featuring the London Lions and the Plymouth Raiders was always going to be an intense and exciting clash – so who would turn down an invitation for full press courtside access at one of London 2012’s iconic Olympic venues to capture the event? On the night we were joined by 9 keen photographers in the Copper Box Arena for what proved to be a truly fulfilling photographic experience.
5 GORGEOUS OLYMPUS CAMERAS AND LENSES FOR PRO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY – WITHOUT THE BULK
These are our favourite gear picks that’ll help keep you light, agile and able to capture every spontaneous shot on the big day…
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 4K
It’s time to sort your Ultra HD from your HD, your PAL from your NTSC and perfect your video workflow. Why? It’s film-making month! If you want to make your videos look their best and get the perfect accessories to help – you’ve come to the right place. Over the next four weeks, we’ll be looking at everything video-related, and that includes 4k. But, let’s start with the basics…
WHY OLYMPUS PRO CAPTURE MODE COULD SAVE THE DAY AT YOUR NEXT WEDDING
Wedding season is on its way, and one thing is clear: wedding photographers need all the help they can get. Fortunately, the Olympus tech could help save the day on your next big day. Ladies and gentlemen, we present Pro Capture Mode. Pick up the OM-D E-M1 Mark II and prepare to have your socks well and truly blown off.
BEHIND BARS WITH OLYMPUS AT GLOUCESTER PRISON
I have to say, going to prison wasn’t exactly number 1 on my bucket list – but who could possibly turn down an invite to a photography workshop in Gloucester’s very own recently decommissioned prison? So, on a crisp January afternoon I joined 30 other keen photographers in the prison’s Chapel for what promised to be a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
INSPIRATION FOR GETTING STARTED IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Street photography month has been a blast – in particular, the images flooding into our social streams are awesome. One thing’s clear – Olympus kit and street photography go together like, well, Olympus cameras and street photography. If you’re starting out, we’ve got loads of resources to help you. Not least our very own social media streams – hit up our Instagram or Facebook to see what we mean. Or go our back catalogue of blogs – we’ve already covered the four essential skills you need to tell a story, as well as the best lenses to use and how to get both candid and not-so-candid street shots. But if you’re still looking for inspiration, all you need is a decent project. Fresh out of ideas? Let us help…
THE BEST TIMES OF DAY TO CAPTURE GREAT LANDSCAPE SHOTS
Perhaps you’ve headed out to an incredible location, only to be disappointed by pictures that don’t do your scenery full justice. There are lots of things you can do to improve your photography, from investing in better lenses to improving your post-production chops. But when it comes to landscape photography, perhaps the best move you can make is paying more attention to the times of day you’re actually shooting.
FOUR ESSENTIAL SKILLS PHOTOJOURNALISTS NEED TO TELL A GREAT STORY
This week we’re delving into the research and prep that’s vital for every brilliant photo story. With photojournalism month in full swing, allow us to assume for a second that you’re reasonably on top of how your camera works. Getting a well composed, sharp frame is no problem for you, and you’ve made good progress when it comes to processing and exporting your finished images. Problem is, that’s not all photojournalism is about.
PERFECT VIEWS: OUR FAVOURITE PHOTOS FROM LANDSCAPE MONTH
We’ve had a blast during Landscape Month. As the days get shorter and sunsets get more accessible, this has been an amazing time to get inspired, get outside and make the most of the world around us. But by far our favourite aspect of Landscape Month has been watching your images flood into our social media streams. From urban to rural landscapes, and from sunrise to sunset – and even a few in between – it’s been you, our photographers, who’ve been setting the standard.
‘SPEED DATING’ WITH THE OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Love was most certainly in the air for the latest Olympus event at Soho’s vibrant Graphic Bar, with a group of lucky photographers assembling for a ‘Speed Dating’ workshop like no other! The group was split into smaller groups, each starting off by taking part in one of three sessions hosted by the Olympus Ambassadors and experts.
SHOOTING WINTER STAR TRAILS
It’s landscape photography month here at Olympus towers – and no, that doesn’t just mean holding your camera the right way round. This week: the most challenging landscapes of all – the night sky. If there’s one thing photographers love to obsess over, it’s light. What kind of light you get at different times of the day, where it’s coming from, what colour it is, and what it does to that neat arrangement of rocks you’ve found to act as the focal point of your image.
GOING UNDERGROUND IN ALDWYCH STATION
40 intrepid photographers spent the afternoon exploring the booking hall, tunnels and disused platforms of the decommissioned Aldwych Tube Station. The location provided the backdrop for two differing photo shoots directed by Olympus Ambassadors Gavin Hoey and Marcus Clackson. Splitting into two groups, half the party travelled back in time to photograph a vintage set up with model Beth and a 50’s themed set-up led by Marcus in the station booking hall.
WHICH ARE THE BEST LENSES FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY?
Portrait month is coming to a close at OLYMPUS – we’ve loved seeing your pictures on our various social networks. They confirm one thing, OLYMPUS shooters love a bit of street and people photography. We still just have time to focus on the technical side of people snapping.
BEST KIT FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
As the seasons change, so do the themes for the photo-mad folk at OLYMPUS Towers. With fashion month nearly at an end, the team begins to transition, smoothly and beautifully, to portrait photography.
HOW TO SHOOT STREET FASHION
It’s fashion month at OLYMPUS towers, which is great news for our resident fashionistas and terrible news for office manager Kev – his jeans-and-t-shirt ensemble has never looked more tired. For photographers, though, it’s an amazing time. Style afiçionados go all out and let their flagship garments fly, creating the perfect opportunity to get some ad-hoc high-fashion photos. So roll up that plain white background, put away your light stands and take a brave step outside of the studio – it’s the streets that provide the perfect backdrop this season. As sartorial people from all corners of the world descend on your city, use our top guide on how to make your street photography pop with haute-couture highlights.