Photography Luethi - Blog

Getting started in any demanding activity requires an investment. In photography, this means buying a camera and lenses. This is an area that has seen enormous developments over the last 10 years. After the most innovative companies of the 1970s disappeared from the market, development stagnated. The SLR camera was the tool of the ambitious photographer. But for several years now, all the major manufacturers have been focusing on mirrorless systems. That's why it's important to do your research before buying a camera, otherwise you'll regret many bad investments later on.

Nikon Z8 mirrorless Camera — The Nikon Z8 does without a mechanical shutter.

Good exposure is the foundation of every successful photograph. It determines whether your image appears vivid and rich in detail or flat and difficult to recognise. But what does ‘correct exposure’ actually mean?
The human eye has a fairly high dynamic range, which is related to our complex nervous system. This influences our viewing habits in such a way that we are often disappointed when we see the results of a photograph. With film, the dynamic range was quite small because it was based on the subtractive colour model, whereas digital photography now uses the additive colour model. The difference between these two colour models is quite significant: the subtractive colour model uses colour pigments, while the additive colour model uses light. When colour is added in the subtractive colour model, the colour becomes darker, while in the additive colour model, the colour becomes lighter.

Read more: The right exposure

I have been working with the Novoflex TrioPod tripod system for over ten years now, and in that time, hardly any other piece of equipment has served me so reliably. What began as an ‘interesting modular concept’ has become a true companion for me – whether travelling, in the studio, during macro shoots or outdoors in rough terrain. With over 40 years of experience in photography, I have gone through quite a few tripods. Usually, you notice that one leg is defective and have to buy a new tripod.

Novoflex TrioPod travel tripod

Normal screw-in filters have the disadvantage that they only fit a specific filter thread. Although this problem can be solved with adapter rings, screw-in filters have clear weaknesses compared to plug-in systems, especially when it comes to graduated grey filters: the fixed transition boundary limits creative image composition.

Therefore, I would like to introduce two filter systems that are particularly well suited for this purpose. Many manufacturers now rely on magnetic filter holders, eliminating the need for additional adapter rings. For me personally, however, magnetic solutions are out of the question – I don't want magnets in my camera bag. That's why I'm presenting two filter holders that do not use magnets at all, but each offer different advantages.

The subject is the visual and content-related focus of a photograph. But a subject alone is not enough – how it is presented in the image is crucial. Good photography means consciously directing the viewer's gaze. Photographers have numerous creative tools at their disposal to achieve this. When taking photos, people often forget about the subject, because only a well-staged subject stands out from the mass of images.