Hi everyone,
With events finally starting up again here in the UK we are planning to visit the Photography Show this weekend to find the latest gadgets, lenses, and tips and advice from the export for pet photography.
Those that have been following us for a while will know that we LOVE to take our own photos not just of our cats but also of our travels so we are very excited to see what new things are out there. For example, the feature image of Mactavish for this post was taken with our Sony A9 camera with the Sony FE 24-105mm lens. 🙂
Please find below information from the organiser for full details of the event and confirmed speaker line-up:
The Photography Show and The Video Show’s return to the NEC
As the biggest and best photography and moving image event in Europe, each year The Photography Show and The Video Show is a must-visit in the calendar for everyone from budding snap-happy beginners to seasoned pros. Returning to its home at Birmingham’s NEC for the first time since March 2019, this year the co-located shows will open their doors from 18 to 21 September 2021 with heavyweight brands including Canon, Olympus, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm already confirmed to exhibit.
As restrictions start to lift and momentum builds for the return of large-scale events, there’s a real appetite from fans to return to the live show, with feedback overwhelmingly showing how much visitors have particularly missed the atmosphere and kit browsing opportunities of the in-person event. Visitors will be able to check out the very latest photography gear and cutting-edge video production equipment, as well as taking in talks from a line-up of high-profile speakers, educators and experts.
There will be a full roster of exciting guest speakers including Dazed co-founder and inimitable British photographer and director Rankin, fine art photographer Brooke Shaden, award-winning blogger and food photographer Donna Crous, smartphone photography guru Mike Kus, and celebrity photographer Rory Lewis – all alongside a stellar line-up of stages, theatres and masterclass sessions soon to be revealed.
Big brands and the latest gear
Popularity of photography and videography has boomed in the last 18 months with many using lockdown to turn their hand to a new hobby or upskilling themselves. This year’s event is the first time that newbies and old timers will be able to see the industry’s biggest brands all under one roof, showcasing the latest launches and giving enthusiasts an up-close look at cutting-edge kit. The show’s organisers are pleased to be hosting over 150 brands on the show floor including major camera manufacturers Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Olympus, alongside big names such as Epson, Tamron, PiXAPRO, Hahnemühle, Sigma, Vanguard, Fotopro and CEWE. Each is set to reveal their latest products, giving visitors an opportunity to get hands-on before they make a purchase at one of the show’s on-site retail outlets.
Another great shot of Renegade with our Sony FE 24-105mm lens.
The home of video
The video industry is booming. Today, there are almost a million minutes of video-per-second crossing the internet, 82% of all consumer web traffic is via video and as many as 85 percent of businesses have used video marketing. With more people than ever before working in video, whether capturing weddings, sporting events or commercial content, there’s a need to keep up with the best recording devices, audio equipment, gimbals, drones, editing software, headphones and lighting.
This year’s The Video Show aims to provide videographers with a space to see their favourite brands first-hand, source the best kit, hone their skills and hear from inspirational speakers at the top of their game. Exhibitors will include Affinity Photo, RØDE Microphones, Acebil, Deity Microphones and Global Distribution.
Hearing from industry experts
The Photography Show and The Video Show’s highly anticipated stages and educational programme will return once again, headlined by the Super Stage and playing host to a series of talks from some of the world’s best best-known photographers and filmmakers. Popular stages Behind the Lens, Photo Live and Video Live will make a return with an exciting programme of talks and demos, and brand new features include The Studio, offering insight into producing engaging video content, Shutter Street with sessions on street photography and all things urban, and Analogue Spotlight with talks from film photographers, tips, tricks and expert insights.
Meanwhile, helping visitors to upskill and network with peers, there will be a range of expert-led sessions to take advantage of in tailored Masterclasses, with sessions helping beginners to take those first steps right through to advising pros on tricky aspects of business and marketing. Visitors can also up their editing game in the Photo and Video Editing Suite.
Speaker and educational session will cover everything from capturing great headshots and getting lighting right to street photography on an iPhone, the art of composition, top tips on night photography, how to create a compelling Instagram channel, essentials for your video kit bag and more.
Super Stage Line Up:
Ruth Folkard, Event Director, said: “We know that the quality of speakers is one of the top reasons our visitors come back year after year, and we’ve put together a diverse and exciting Super Stage speaker line-up that really does offer something for everyone. The Photography Show & The Video Show has always been an inspirational event that no amateur or professional photographer would want to miss, and we know that this year will be no different.”
British documentary photographer and Magnum Photos member, Olivia Arthur, is known for her in-depth photography examining people and their personal and cultural identities. In her Super Stage session on Sunday 19 September, she will share the different photographic approaches she has taken and how she varies them each time, referencing specific projects such as Jeddah Diary, Stranger, the portraits from Mumbai. In addition, she will discuss the work she has done for Boston Consulting Group exploring a new frontier: the evolution of the blurring line between humanity and technology. She will show her work documenting the remarkable ways humans have merged with machines – from bionics and motorized limbs to synthetic muscles and strikingly realistic robots – and offer wisdom on the complexity, adaptability and resilience of the human body.
Jamaican-born photographer and documenter of black London, Charlie aka ‘Smokey’ Phillips, will take to the Super Stage to share his story. Best known for his photographs of Notting Hill during the period of West Indian migration to England’s Capital, his work was largely forgotten for decades, but has been recently exhibited at galleries including Tate Britain, Museum of London, Nottingham’s New Art Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and Museum of the City of New York. His session will explore his journey in photography – from success on the continent in the 60s and 70s, to obscurity and back again.
Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to hear from Magnum photographer Mark Power, who is renowned for his long-term projects and complex, meticulously-crafted images shot mainly with a large-format camera. He will present two projects separated by 16 years, both of which take as their starting point a landscape of the imagination – his landmark project ‘The Shipping Forecast’ (1992-1996), and the ongoing ‘Good Morning, America’ (2021-present). The session will be a fascinating insight into these long-term projects, the approaches and inspirations.
American-born Brooke Shaden is a conceptual fine art photographer specialising in self-portraiture. Her award-winning images are rich in storytelling and often simultaneously dark, whimsical and beautiful. Brooke will share the story of how she led the charge into inclusive and dark art, as well as offering a glimpse into how she began creating ground-breaking work that positively influences others.
Ruth Folkard, Event Director, said: “There’s a huge amount of anticipation from the photography and video community to get back to the live show at the NEC and we’re delighted to see the industry’s biggest brands and key players already confirmed to attend, from leading manufacturers to a really exciting speaker line-up. Having hosted our first ever virtual version of the show last year, we can’t wait to host new fans and visitors in Birmingham for the first time in two-and-a-half years. The Photography Show and The Video Show has always been an inspirational event, bringing together people with a shared passion, and we’re working hard to deliver a top-notch programme of speakers and activities for 2021. We can’t wait to once again welcome budding and experienced photographers and video-makers back to the show, for what should be a fantastic event.”
The Photography Show & The Video Show will be following all government and industry safety advice to the letter, with the goal of ensuring its visitors’ and exhibitors’ peace of mind while running the live show in a format as close to normal as possible. As such, this year doors will be open from 9am until 5pm, to aid a relaxed flow of visitor arrivals and entry.
To buy a ticket to this year’s show or for more information visit www.photographyshow.com.
