Tom England 2023-10-23 Tom England 2023-10-23

The 3 Most Important Things to Know About Travel Photography

Let’s start by saying that I enjoy travel immensely and that I regard travel as one of life’s greatest privileges. I love to travel, and obviously, I also love photography. Does that make me a travel photographer? Based on the standard definition of one, probably not. I don’t get paid directly to take photos of the places I visit, and I’m not associated with any publications. But if I travel and take photos when I do, what does that make me?

Tom England 2023-10-16 Tom England 2023-10-16

South Africa: The Gear I Used Most

It was weeks before I had to depart for Madikwe in South Africa. I had Evernote open, and I was reviewing my packing list. I had a “Camera Stuff to Bring” portion on that list that appeared rather lengthy. Is this too much for one backpack? There is no way this is all going to fit. I also had another physical list beside my packing. I thought this was the best way to remember everything, and with two weeks to go, I had plenty of time to revise as needed.

Tom England 2023-10-10 Tom England 2023-10-10

How I Secure and Backup My Images

As a photographer, I would put myself at the low end in terms of the number of photos I take even when travelling, but recently, the volume has increased due to my continued use of the X-E4 and choosing to shoot both RAW + JPEG sometimes, which doubles the number of photos that reach my hard drive. I don’t shoot 10,000 photos during a trip, and I rarely get over 1,000.

Tom England 2023-10-02 Tom England 2023-10-02

Classic Monochrome: An Excellent High Contrast Film Recipe

Last month, I completed a personal project focusing on the uptown area of my hometown, Saint John, New Brunswick, in Canada’s oldest incorporated city. For that project, I focused on the uptown revitalization and what I remember growing up in the city. I wanted to use black and white as the absence of colour can convey a nostalgic throwback to the past and direct the viewer’s attention solely to the composition, shapes, lines, light and shadow.

Tom England 2023-09-25 Tom England 2023-09-25

Fujifilm Simulations and Recipes: 3 Reasons Why They Make Sense

Film photography has experienced a remarkable resurgence in popularity. What used to be reserved for the nostalgic few gained interest, with many looking to return to a tangible process and achieve a unique look for their images. Digital photography was introduced long ago and since then has improved immensely and offered convenience and technical quality that made film mostly forgotten by many.

Tom England 2023-09-19 Tom England 2023-09-19

Photographs from Rhulani

I arrived without delay in Johannesburg after a full day of travel. I had enough time to check in to the airport hotel, have a quick meal and adjust as much as possible to the five-hour time difference. The following morning, I grabbed breakfast at the hotel, took the shuttle back to the airport, and met everyone at arrivals from Cape Town. We boarded our van and began our four-hour drive to the Rhulani Safari Lodge, where I would experience one of the best times of my life.

Tom England 2023-09-11 Tom England 2023-09-11

Warming Up and Why It Matters

In Lightroom, my currently imported library contains over 14,000 photos, and my complete archive is many times that. I look through this library, often looking for those hidden gems in the ones I’ve overlooked; sometimes, I find them; sometimes, they continue to elude me, and sometimes, they were never there to discover. When I dig through my archive, I notice something evident in many of my photo sets - the first 10-25 captures are usually terrible.

Tom England 2023-09-01 Tom England 2023-09-01

Packing for South Africa

It’s an early morning here at Halifax International, and a long day of travel awaits me. In a short time, I will board the first of three flights - Halifax to Toronto, Toronto to Newark, and Newark to Johannesburg. The last of the three flights is about 15 hours. This will be my longest continuous flight to date. I have headphones, podcasts, updated Spotify playlists, a remarkably comfortable neck pillow, and an aisle seat! Let’s do this.

Tom England 2023-08-23 Tom England 2023-08-23

Car Interior Photography: How to Get the Studio Look

In car photography, light painting is a technique that involves using a light source to create illuminated images of your vehicle. Light painting can be utilized both outside and inside the vehicle’s cabin and offers a unique and creative approach to capturing the essence of the car’s design.

Tom England 2023-08-15 Tom England 2023-08-15

Efficient Travel: Making the Most of Your Time

When it comes to travelling, time is of the essence. Having the flexibility to explore at leisure is great, but what happens when you are limited, when there is so much you want to do but only a few days to do it all? Having more time will always be positive while travelling, but you can still enjoy a short trip and capture great photographs in only a few days. There are several key strategies to remember to make the most of it.

Tom England 2023-08-08 Tom England 2023-08-08

Monochromatic: A Saint John Project

Located in the province of New Brunswick, Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada. That age is evident, especially in the historic architecture, most prominently in the uptown area. Nestled along the Bay of Fundy in Canada’s eastern province of New Brunswick, Saint John has a storied history that stretches back centuries.

Tom England 2023-07-31 Tom England 2023-07-31

Fujifilm X-E4: 18-Month Review

It may seem a little late for a review on a discontinued camera, but there is always the used market if someone is looking for an example. As I anticipate my eventual replacement for this camera, it’s time to reflect on what I consider great about the Fujifilm X-E4, what I find lacking, and where it could improve. Will the next camera in the X-E series be what I need, or will I look for something else in Fujifilm’s offering?