[Photography] Is it still photography if you’re only using your phone?

The post Is it still photography if you’re only using your phone? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

Yes.

That’s as simple as the answer need be, but that’s not the point of this article.

Another Godox press release (Those guys are busy!) and again, we’ve not had a chance to play with one of these so you’ll need to do your own research, but Godox have just announced the Smartphone Xenon Flash A2, and their tagline is “Your phone, now a pro camera” which isn’t exactly factual, but also, the definition of “pro camera” is very loose.

The thing to keep in mind with ANY small light source is that its going to be harsh – there’s stuff you can do about it, though. You can diffuse it, bounce it (though a small light like the A2 might not give quite enough output to do much there) but even things like bouncing it off a close wall or even a sheet of paper in a pinch – use what you have, experiment.

I love the idea of small portable lights, this one is certainly an interesting addition to your phone photography – maybe worth giving a try, it’s certainly a good starter to your photography lighting journey.

Here’s the Godox Press Release (With a little bit of my own ramble)

Smartphone Photography, Now With More Zap

Phone cameras keep getting better, but low light, backlighting and mixed lighting can still make them sweat. Enter the Godox A2: proper pro-style lighting for your phone, with more control over your light and a lot more room to play.

Its short, punchy burst of xenon light freezes motion in its tracks, which is great for action shots and stylized looks.

Xenon Flash: Bring Your Subject to Life

Go bold with direct flash, or add a subtle lift to a backlit portrait. With a guide number of roughly 15 (ISO 100, metres), the A2 has plenty of oomph for close-range shots. When flash is your main light, that quick burst also helps freeze movement. *For best results, keep the A2 within 2 m of your subject. Want more power or wider coverage? Pair Godox’s upcoming smartphone wireless flash trigger (sold separately) with Godox speedlights or outdoor flashes.

TTL and Manual Modes: Stay Spontaneous, Get Precise

Fast and flawless when the moment’s fleeting, or hands-on when you want to flex your creative muscles. TTL and Manual modes have you covered both ways.

High-Speed Sync: Find Your Balance

Why banish that bright background when it can star in the story? With high-speed sync up to 1/8000s, the A2 lets you control ambient exposure while lighting your subject. Balance a face against a sunlit scene, or go for a faster shutter speed to keep the action crisp.

Bi-Color LED: True Color for Everyday Stories

Truer colors and flattering skin tones make portrait videos look natural and beautifully textured. Low light or indoors, the results feel authentic and ready to share. Your content doesn’t just look good, it feels right, and it’s always social-media ready.

Godox Camera App: Your Look, at Your Fingertips

Find your look right on your screen. Built on Godox’s TTL know-how, the Godox Camera app keeps exposure simple in Auto (A) mode, with Natural, Even and Contrast flash effects to try out. Feeling fussy? Switch to Manual (M) mode and tweak shutter speed and flash output yourself. Bluetooth with NFC-assisted setup lets you adjust flash and LED settings wirelessly, on or off camera.

Dual-Side Magnetic Mounting: Snap On, Explore New Angles

The A2’s dual magnetic design isn’t just for the back of your phone. Snap it to any metal surface or pop it on a stand and you’re ready to roll. On the front, the magnetic ring lets you attach accessories to shape the light exactly how you like. Simple, flexible and always creative.

Magnetic Accessories: Change the Light, Set the Mood

Go moodier and more dramatic with optional extras like a honeycomb grid, barndoors or a snoot to aim your light and tame the spill. Add a touch of warmth with a full CTO magnetic filter. *For best results, use the A2 off-camera with light-shaping accessories.

Compact. Magnetic. More Ways to Light.

Pro flash power in a palm-sized body. Pocketable, portable and happy to go anywhere you do.

Four Colors, A Style of Your Own

The A2 brings pro lighting to your phone in four distinctive colors. Pick a finish that suits your everyday style, and make your kit as personal as the photos you take.

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[Photography] Do people still print their photographs?

The post Do people still print their photographs? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

The guys at Godox sent across a press release (A few weeks back now I’m sorry as I’ve been a little ‘offline’) for their then new Godox Portable Colour Photo Printer, the P100. And it got me thinking, even at a simple, easy to use level of printing like this little guy, who is still printing out their photographs?

We celebrated my dad’s life recently, and at the wake my brother had printed out a couple hundred photographs that showed the life and times of dad and those he cared about. There’s something very real about having a print you can hold in your hand, nothing to log in to, no computers to boot up, just a square of paper and your memories.

Before we share this press release, here’s a challenge: In the next couple of months, aim to have one of your photographs printed, and to take that one step further, I was just listening to a clip from a podcast (You can see it here) Print Swap, what a great idea, print one of your images and send it to someone – to have and to hold.

Right, the Godox P100, it’s not an A3 Epson printing onto some beautiful Canson Rag, but it’s WITH YOU, you can print images and have them. (I’ve been grabbing frames with the beautiful FujiFilm Instax Mini 99 which prints a little 45x62mm photo)

On with our press release, please keep in mind we have not tested the P100 ourselves.

Godox Introduces P100 Portable Color Photo Printer

Godox has announced the P100 Portable Color Photo Printer, a compact dye-sublimation printer designed to turn digital images into physical prints wherever you are.

The P100 uses 300 dpi high-precision dye-sublimation printing, with 1,256 printhead heating elements and support for 16.7 million colours. According to Godox, the combination is designed to produce smooth colour gradations, fine detail and vivid colour reproduction.

Each print also receives an automatic protective overcoat, helping protect the finished photo from dust, water, fingerprints, fading and everyday abrasion.

Print and personalise from your phone

The P100 connects to the Godox Cam APP via Bluetooth, while NFC tap-to-connect provides another quick way to pair the printer.

From within the app, users can capture and print photos directly, or work with images already on their device. Creative options include filters, frames, stickers and templates, along with tools for creating ID photos and collages.

The app also allows users to check remaining paper and battery levels, making it easier to keep track of the printer’s status.

Designed to travel

With its compact design and lightweight construction, the P100 is intended to be easy to take along to parties, family gatherings, housewarmings and other everyday occasions.

Rather than leaving photos sitting on a phone or buried in a cloud library, the P100 gives users a simple way to turn them into physical prints that can be displayed, collected, added to a scrapbook or shared with friends and family.

Automatic protection

The P100’s automatic lamination process adds a protective overcoat to every finished print. Godox says this helps protect prints against dust, water, fingerprints, fading and everyday abrasion, as well as humid conditions.

The process happens automatically after printing, so there is no additional lamination step for the user.

All-in-one cartridge

The P100 uses an all-in-one photo paper cartridge, designed to make replacing the printing supplies quick and straightforward.

Combined with wireless connectivity and the Godox Cam APP, the system is designed to keep the process from capturing a photo to holding the finished print as simple as possible.

A physical home for digital memories

The P100 is ultimately aimed at something increasingly familiar in photography: we take plenty of photos, but relatively few ever make it off our phones.

By combining portable dye-sublimation printing with a range of simple editing and personalisation tools, Godox says the P100 is designed to make printing those images easier, whether you’re sharing them with friends at a gathering or simply putting a favourite photograph somewhere you’ll actually see it.

The Godox P100 Portable Color Photo Printer is now part of Godox’s expanding range of photography accessories.

You can get them online for around $200 Aussie, do a Google and see what you can find!

Don’t forget, PRINT YOUR WORK.

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[Photography] TAMRON announces the launch of the 16-50mm F2.8 A

The post TAMRON announces the launch of the 16-50mm F2.8 A appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

New lens alert from the team at Tamron.

TAMRON announces the launch of the 16-50mm F2.8 A¹ (Model B091), a fast-aperture standard zoom lens, compatible with four APS-C mirrorless camera mounts. The lens will be available for Sony E-mount ($529 USD / $729 CAD) and Canon RF mount ($549 USD / $749 CAD) beginning October 29, 2026, followed by Nikon Z mount ($549 USD/ $749 CAD ) on November 19, 2026, and FUJIFILM X-mount ($529 USD/ $729 CAD) on December 17, 2026.

The 16-50mm F2.8 A covers a highly practical focal range2 from a wide-angle to mid-telephoto. Starting at 16mm, it captures everything from expansive landscapes, architecture, and group shots like family photos in confined spaces to casual snapshots. While maintaining a constant fast F2.8 aperture, the lens remains remarkably lightweight and compact at just 3.2” (79.6mm) long, a mere 10.8oz (305g),3 and a Ø55mm filter size. Combined with high structural rigidity, it is the essential “Go-To Zoom” for everyday carry.

The fast F2.8 aperture delivers a beautiful combination of soft bokeh and high rendering capability, while enabling faster shutter speeds in low-light settings — perfect even as a first interchangeable lens. The VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism delivers high-speed, high-precision tracking, effortlessly keeping pace with the erratic and spontaneous movements of children and pets. Furthermore, an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 6” (0.15m) at the wide end expands your creative options. Packed with advanced features in a highly mobile body, this 16-50mm F2.8 A fulfills your daily passion for both still and video shooting.

Product Features

1.Standard Zoom from a Wide 16mm — Landscapes, Group Shots, and Beyond All with One Lens 2. Lightweight and Compact Design — Your Essential “Go-To Zoom” 3. Fast F2.8 Aperture Produces Expressive Bokeh and Rendering 4. High-Speed, High-Precision AF Captures Every Scene Quietly 5. Perfect for Travel and Everyday Video Shooting 6. Close-Up Discovery – Adding Joy to Your Day-to-Day 7. Refined Lens Design – “Toned Profile Next” 8. Strap-Hole Front Cap for Enhanced Security and Workflow 9. Protective Features (Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating) *A: For APS-C format mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras *A full-frame equivalent of 24-75mm for Sony E-mount, Nikon Z mount and FUJIFILM X-mount, and 25.6-80mm for CANON RF mount. *Length and weight are for Sony E-mount lens.

You can find the full lens details over on the Tamron Australia website.

16-50mm F/2.8 A

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[Photography] News: National Indigenous art prize puts Lismore on Australia’s cultural map

The post News: National Indigenous art prize puts Lismore on Australia’s cultural map appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

National Indigenous art prize puts Lismore on Australia’s cultural map

Some of Australia’s most exciting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists will compete for $23,000 in prize money in Lismore this year, as finalists are announced for the 2026 Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award.

Run nationally from Lismore Regional Gallery in partnership with the Koori Mail Newspaper, the biennial award has grown into a significant platform for contemporary Indigenous art, attracting artists from across Australia and spanning painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, moving image and fibre art.

This year’s prize pool has expanded to $23,000, with the Major Award doubling from $10,000 in 2024 to $20,000 and a new $3,000 Youth Award for artists aged 18 to 25.

Lismore Regional Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM welcomed the announcement of this year’s finalists.

“This award demonstrates that nationally significant contemporary art does not have to be centred in a capital city. From Lismore, we are providing a national platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and bringing extraordinary work from across Australia to audiences in regional NSW,” Ms Muddiman said.

“Combined with the Youth Award this year, the shortlist highlights incredible fresh talent alongside established artists whose work commands attention on the national stage. It promises to be an inspiring and powerful exhibition that we are honoured to present.”

The 2026 finalists are:

Major Award Finalists

Michelle Anderson, Kieron Anderson, Sonya Breckenridge, Luke Close, Ralph Close, Chris Curtis, Louise Daniels, Joe Dhamanydji, Jodie Dowd, Troy Firebrace, Margaret Rarru Garrawurra, Donna Gayford McLaren, Maddison Gibbs, Jodie Harris, Melinda Ingram, Clare Jaque Vasquez, Kieren Karritpul, Virginia Keft, Jaymi Lawrence, Tara Lloyd, Zali Morgan, Amber Morris, Kent Morris, Jodie Munday, Gail Naden, Ian Nicholas, Tracey Piccoli, Ross Potter, Brandi Salmon, Damien Shen, Kyle Slabb, Valerie Smith, Jasmin Stanford, Douglas Tamwoy, Anthony Walker and Jeremy Worrall.

Youth Award Finalists

Cameron Cooper, Keesia Close, Levi Roberts, Monique Vuong and Mayarr Yanner.
This year’s entries are being judged by Yorta Yorta curator, writer and academic Dr Kimberley Moulton, Senior Curator Exhibitions at Melbourne’s RISING festival and former Adjunct Curator of Indigenous Art at London’s Tate Modern.

Reflecting on the shortlisted works, Dr Moulton praised the remarkable breadth and strength of the entries.

“It’s an honour to judge this year’s Koori Mail Art Award. With a diverse combination of local and national works, city based and regional, it’s an incredibly strong year with artists sharing their stories, connections to country and culture,” Dr Moulton said.

Koori Mail Cultural Lead Trevor Kapeen said the award created opportunities for First Nations artists to share their work with a national audience.

“Every year this award brings a magnificent gathering of First Nations artistic talent into focus,” Mr Kapeen said.

“For the Koori Mail, supporting these artists is about creating tangible opportunities for national visibility and cultural exchange. We congratulate all the 2026 finalists and look forward to celebrating their achievements when the exhibition opens.”

Finalists will come together at Lismore Regional Gallery for a major exhibition opening on 7 November, putting regional NSW at the centre of a national showcase of established and emerging Indigenous artistic talent.

Council and the Lismore Regional Gallery are incredibly thankful to the generosity of the major sponsors, the Koori Mail Newspaper and Hurford Hardwood, and to the Friends of the Gallery for their contributions to the prize pool.

EVENT DETAILS

2026 Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award Exhibition

* Exhibition Dates: 7 November 2026 to 14 February 2027
* Official Opening and Winner Announcement: Saturday, 7 November 2026
* Location: Lismore Regional Gallery, 11 Rural Street, Lismore
* Entry: Free
* Full Finalist List & Exhibition Info: https://lismoregallery.org/exhibitions/koori-mail-indigenous-art-award-2026-0

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