Ivor Rackham
fstoppers.com
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Ivor:
When Do Your Photographic Edits Become a Lie?
Huge advancements in technology have changed the way we approach editing. But maybe before adjusting our photos, we should consider what harm it is doing. Boldly Go Where No Photographers Have Gone Before The world we live in today is not the same as the one I grew up in. We walk around with devices in our pockets that are far more advanced and a fraction of the size of the → Read More
Why Using the Golden Ratio in Your Photos Might Not Be a Good Idea After All
A while ago, someone commented on an article that composition is meaningless and people drawing wiggly lines on a photo were pulling the wool over people’s eyes. Initially, I dismissed that as being a naïve comment. Then, I did a little research and found something surprising. What is composition? For me it is the careful placement of shape, form, tone, and color within a → Read More
OM System Announce the New TOUGH TG-7 Adventure Camera
Historically, the Olympus TOUGH cameras were well respected by outdoor adventurers, divers, and those who work in extreme environments. The New OM System TOUGH TG-7 has taken a huge step forward with a host of exciting new features. There is a big call for small but strong cameras for those who venture into the wilds, underwater, or work in challenging environments such as → Read More
ACDSee Announces Exciting New Version of Photo Studio Ultimate Software
ACD Systems marks 30 Years of Innovation with the latest edition of their flagship software, ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2024. It’s available for preorder and has some exciting-looking new features. ACD Systems International has launched the 2024 edition of its flagship software, ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2024. New in the latest version are three new AI-driven features: AI → Read More
Maximalism Made Easy: Elevate Your Visual Content with Filmora's User-Friendly Effect Pack
Minimalism is out and maximalism is in. Discover the six striking new Wondershare Filmora Effects Packs for adding spice to your reels and videos. Maximalism is the opposite of minimalism. It’s taking self-expression to extremes without shame. It’s the artistic equivalent of singing out loud while waving your Hawaiian shirt in the air and diving into a pool of candy. It’s → Read More
Make Your Video Amazing: We Review the Hohem iSteady MT2
Ever thought about shooting video? If so, you should consider a gimbal stabilizer. You won't go wrong with a Hohem iSteady MT2, with its outstanding AI tracking feature. When we writers were offered the chance to review the Hohem iSteady MT2 gimbal camera stabilizer, I was quick to raise my hand. I’ve been wanting to diversify into shooting video and wanted to try a gimbal. → Read More
Why Embracing Abstract Photography Will Improve All Your Images and How to Do It
Abstract photography, do you hate it or love it? Either way, there’s a lot we can learn from the techniques and utilize them in our other photographic work. Abstract is central to modern art. Therefore, abstract photography fits very well into that bracket, because it is one of the most modern of all arts. Digital photography, especially so. There is much we can discover from → Read More
13 Unlucky Reasons Why You Get Blurry Photos
Here are 13 essential things to know about why your photos are not sharp and what you can do about it. Included are some that are often overlooked. 1. Standing Incorrectly When Taking Photos Causes Camera Shake Although I have never been interested in boxing, I used to tell clients to stand like Mohammed Ali when taking photos. Even I knew how he stood in the ring. But then a → Read More
When the Going Gets Tough. We Review the Exascend Explorer Portable Solid State Drive
The brand name Exascend is synonymous with high-quality products. So, will their award-winning Explorer SSD, designed for challenging environments, live up to its name? When the going gets tough, will the tough get going? There’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way over my many years in the photography world, and that is quality products are worth the investment. A short while → Read More
A Versatile Camera Strap for Mirrorless Cameras: We Review the Peak Design Leash
Camera straps are an often-overlooked accessory for photographers. If it’s something you’ve not considered before, then it’s worth looking at the adaptable Peak Design Leash. There's a Problem With the Straps the Majority of Photographers Use Most photographers I see are still using the OEM neck straps supplied with the cameras. For many, these are adequate. However, they do → Read More
Can You Get Good Photos With a Budget Vintage Lens? We Review the Soligor 300mm 1:5.5
Recently, I bought a Soligor 300mm 1:5.5. It’s over half a century old, built in 1971 by Tokina. I picked it up for a song and decided to put it through its paces. Across the UK there are Car Boot Sales. (Here, we call the trunk of the car the "boot.") Traditionally, people would turn up with their cars and sell the stuff they no longer needed. Increasingly, they are dominated → Read More
Is Your Camera Strap Tied Incorrectly? Here's How It Should Be Done so Your Camera Doesn't Break
There’s a good chance that your camera neck strap is connected to your camera incorrectly. If so, your camera is in danger. Here’s how you should be doing it to stop your camera from falling to its doom. Can you see the tail of your camera strap sticking out of the buckle and flapping loose? If so, it is at risk of coming undone and your camera falling. It’s the way most → Read More
We Review a Computer Built for Photography and Videography
I finally upgraded my compute,r and what a difference it has made to my photography workflow. Here’s how I worked out what to buy. For the last year or so, I have been struggling along with my now nine-year-old computer. It’s been great, but it’s starting to get slower and slower. It started having a negative impact on my business, especially when I was culling and editing big → Read More
Excellent and Affordable Video Editing Software: We Review ACDSee’s LUXEA Pro Video Editor 7
Does this affordable video editing software live up to expectations? Definitely. If you want a powerful but easy-to-use app, then look no further. ACDSee is probably best known for its Photo Studio, the popular and affordable but well-featured raw development and photo editing tool that features respected digital asset management functionality. However, it also has other → Read More
Surprising Ways That Bad Images Improve Your Photography
We all want to take better photos. There are countless ways of learning how to do that. Attending courses and workshops, watching YouTube videos, and reading books and articles such as this are traditional approaches. But there is one unexpected way too: embracing bad photography. I love bad photography. It’s not because it gives me any sense of satisfaction or feeling of → Read More
The Fastest-Growing Culling Tool: Narrative Select Software Arrives for Windows
“It's not AI that will take your job; it’s someone who’s using AI who will.” Narrative Select is the fastest-growing photo-culling software. Until now, it’s only been available to Mac users. That is about to change, as it becomes available to even more photographers. Already claiming a hefty user database with a culling rate of over a billion photos a year, ever more → Read More
How Einstein, the Dalai Lama, and Abraham Lincoln Quotes Make us Better Photographers
Certain people from history are inherently quotable. Although their quotes were not necessarily aimed at photographers, they apply to us too and can help us improve our photography. Applying Albert Einstein's Wisdom to Photography We all want to get better at what we do. One of the cleverest and wisest people of the last century gave us some great clues about how we can do → Read More
The Four Outstanding OM System f/4 PRO Zoom Lenses: We Review the Range
In photography, faster lenses are better, aren’t they? Many struggle to see the benefits of having a range of f/4 lenses. But, if you start using them, you’ll realize there are good reasons for challenging that assumption. I recently wrote about why so many photographers are jumping to Micro Four Thirds and, specifically, the OM-System. So, why are the OM System f/4 PRO range → Read More
It's Worth Upgrading! We Review the Exascend Catalyst 128 GB UHS-II SDXC Card
Never having used the Exascend brand before, when given the opportunity to review them, I leaped at the chance. Would they match the high standards I hoped for? Historically, I always waited for the special deals that come around once or twice a year to buy memory cards. Then, I chose another well-known brand because I considered them a safe option. Even so, I have had a few → Read More
Reasons to Jump to Micro Four Thirds: We Review the System and the OM-1
The tired arguments against the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) standard are obsolete and rarely voiced now. Furthermore, the release of the OM-1 a year ago has seen a massive migration to the system, and for good reason. Many consider giving their creativity a boost by swapping to an MFT camera. To begin, a disclaimer. As I mentioned in a previous article, I was recently appointed an → Read More