In today's episode, photographing bull elephants in Africa, a Dealy Train crash in Spain, Sally Mann goes digital and more.
Show Notes
Welcome back to the show, Liam here and this is Episode 490 of the Liam Photography Podcast for the week of January 22nd, 2026. In today’s episode Bull Elephants, a Deadly Train Crash and Sally Mann goes digital.
Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Bob Poole loves elephants. He not only loves elephants but is also a world-leading expert in filming them. Filming elephants is surprisingly challenging, and Poole uses every tool in his arsenal to capture their magic in a safe, respectful way.
Fujifilm lenses are a big part of Poole’s kit, including the flexible Fujinon Duvo HK 25-1000mm f/2.8-5, a highly specialized 40x zoom lens for Arri PL mount. Using this lens, alongside other Fujinon zooms, on an Arri Alexa 35, Poole captures stunning images of elephants in a wide array of situations.
“I have this huge passion for elephants, and it started young,” Poole explains. “It’s never gone away.”
Poole’s latest documentary, “Tusker: Brotherhood of Elephants,” premiered last week on PBS and focuses on the oft-misunderstood bull elephants roaming Africa.
“It’s really about the lives of bull elephants. I don’t feel like their story is really ever told,” Poole says. “All across Africa there are elephants, but there are very few places with 50-year-old bulls. That’s because bulls are the first to get hunted, they’re the first to get poached. They’re so important because the big bulls are the ones that do all the breeding.”
Poole has spent the past decade trying to get people interested in this story that he has long wanted to tell. And now, finally, he gets to tell it.
Poole notes that it took a while for the elephants to get comfortable around him and his camera setup, which includes the aforementioned Arri Alexa 55 mounted on a truck. But over time, the elephants felt safer and even came up closer and closer, which meant Poole switched to a more mobile camera kit.
Poole also uses a Fujifilm GFX100 II camera to get much more intimate shots of elephants and put the camera in locations that would otherwise be impossible for a full-size cinema rig. One such example is putting the GFX100 II and a GF 23mm f/4 R LM WR wide-angle prime lens inside a custom-built “elephant-proof” camera cage, essentially a welded-steel enclosure surrounding the camera.
“Fujfilm’s GFX100 II has been instrumental in this film project, getting angles that we would have never been able to achieve using these larger cameras,” Poole says.
As for the elephant-proof cage, it enables incredible shots.
“We drop it down on a path that the elephants use and get amazing footage and you think, ‘Wow,’ when the elephant’s foot steps right in front of the camera and it pops into focus, all the detail is there, and your larger sensor, all that information, I think it’s going to blow people away,” the award-winning cinematographer says.
Poole used the GFX100 II for far more than just shots from the ground; it was a massive part of the overall filmmaking process. Poole says that from the get-go, he knew he wanted to have a lot of wide-angle, immersive shots, which meant being adaptable and fluid in the field. Poole used the GFX100 II alongside a series of Fujinon GF lenses, like the GF 32-64mm f/4 R LM WR and the GF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR.
The GFX100 II was also very valuable for timelapse footage in the documentary. Thanks to the camera’s 100-megapixel files, post-production had the flexibility to move throughout the frame of a timelapse video at any point, easily grabbing 4K resolution crops from the original files.
“I think that’s going to be very powerful,” Poole remarks.
“I love it all,” Poole says of wildlife filmmaking and being in the field with elephants. “But the real pleasure is the moment when you’re actually filming, and everything’s working. And it happens that time literally just stands still, and it’s like everything has come together in one moment, and it’s working, and you’re like, ‘Hallelujah.’”
Attending the scene of a fatal accident is one of the more harrowing aspects of a press photographer’s job, as they don’t know what they will find upon arrival.
But for one news photographer who arrived at the scene of the high-speed train crash in southern Spain on Sunday, that has claimed the lives of at least 42 people, their probing has led to the unearthing of a potentially vital piece of evidence.
Finbarr O’Reilly, who was on assignment for The New York Times, discovered what looks to be the underside of a train carriage half-submerged in the stream of a gully some 900 feet away from the scene of the accident and outside of the cordon zone set up by Spanish authorities.
According to The Times, O’Reilly showed his images to police officers who said they had been looking for it. The photographer then pinpointed the massive piece of metal on a map.
Other images from the scene show a derailed carriage lying on its side with the wheels missing; perhaps this is what the photographer has discovered.
“This is going to be real important if this turns out to be the root cause of the accident,” David B. Clarke, an associate professor and railroad expert at the Center for Transportation Research in Knoxville, Tennessee, tells The Times.
A New York attorney specializing in transportation accidents says, “the location of where parts are found can be critically important in reconstructing the accident sequence.” Andrew Maloney suggests that since the piece is so far from the scene of the accident, “it could mean that it was the cause of the derailment.”
If the piece of locomotive does turn out to be relevant to the investigation, then it wouldn’t be the first time a press photographer played a vital role in piecing together an accident.
Photographers are thought to have played a crucial role when two commercial airliners collided into one another mid-air while flying above the Grand Canyon in 1956. News gatherers working for LIFE Magazine took photos of the hard-to-get-to wreckage, which were later used by investigators searching for answers.
Sunday’s high-speed train crash near the city of Córdoba is the country’s worst rail disaster in over a decade. Spain’s rail network is envied by many countries, and authorities are desperately searching for answers to what caused the devastating crash.
While film has experienced a renaissance in recent years — largely driven by younger photographers who appreciate its retro charm — it is an expensive endeavor.
So expensive in fact that famed large format photographer Sally Mann, who shot to fame for her film photographs of her children, says she has started shooting on digital cameras — and in color.
“I’m just loving it,” Mann tells the BBC’s Desert Island Discs radio program. “It’s so easy. Color is so easy, and so much fun.”
“It makes such a difference. It’s so time-consuming and laborious to work with an 8×10 view, and the film is now so expensive,” Mann continues.
“I hate spending that much money on each shot; you’re always second-guessing yourself, you’re saying, ‘Is that good enough? Is that really worth $12?'”
Mann contrasts film with digital, where “you just shoot and if you don’t like it, boom, gone, off your computer.”
Of course Mann hasn’t just gone for a standard digital camera. While she didn’t reveal which body she is using, the glass is a “1940s old Leica lens.”
“I’m shooting down in the Mississippi Delta where you can’t take a bad picture because of the gorgeous lyricism and dream-like quality of the light down there,” Mann tells Desert Island Discs. “I have this funky old lens and it doesn’t handle light very well, so there’s this glow to everything.”
As Digital Camera World notes, Mann still carries around her 8×10 Deardorff sheet-film view camera in the car. But the enthusiasm for her new digital setup shines through in Desert Island Discs, a program where guests pick the music they would like to bring with them if they were stranded on an imaginary desert island.
Last year, Mann hit the headlines when police seized her work from an exhibition at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, after a complaint was made about her photos.
“It was shocking,” Mann says of the seizure. “It was really like déjà vu. How can this be happening now? No art has ever been seized like that; this is a first. And that alone is shocking. I haven’t spoken very much about it, but if not now, when? We really need to stand up as artists.”
Mann says she dislikes the “controversial” tag that is often attached to her name and doesn’t want to just be known for the photos of her family.
Building upon the 105-megapixel Sony IMX927 square global shutter image sensor unveiled in September, Sony Semiconductor Solutions has announced two sibling sensors, the IMX928 and IMX929, offering fewer megapixels across smaller sensors. However, the promises of exceptional speed remain the same across the entire series.
As spotted by Sony Alpha Rumors, the IMX928 is a 68.16-megapixel global shutter image sensor. The square sensor is 22.5 by 22.5 millimeters. A full-frame image sensor is 24 by 36 millimeters, so the Sony IMX928 is nearly as tall as a full-frame imager, but much narrower.
The Sony IMX929 has also joined the family, and it is an even smaller 50.79-megapixel square image sensor. It is approximately 19.9 by 19.9 millimeters, which is taller than an APS-C image sensor but narrower. An APS-C sensor is typically nearly 16 by 24 millimeters, although often a bit smaller.
When PetaPixel reported on the Sony IMX927 square sensor in September, we noted the sensor’s speed. The IMX927 can capture 12-bit photos at 73 frames per second, which is cutting-edge speed given its 105-megapixel resolution and nearly full-frame sensor size. The new, smaller IMX928 and IMX929 sensors are even swifter. The sensors can capture 12-bit images at 90 and 136 frames per second, respectively.
“By optimizing the sensor drive in pixel reading and A/D converter, it supports high-speed image data output. Introducing this high-resolution and high-frame-rate model into the product lineup will help improving productivity in industrial equipment domain, where recognition targets and inspection methods continue to diversify,” Sony explained in September when unveiling the IMX927. Sony also said that the A/D converter improvements enable significantly better efficiency and, therefore, faster processing.
While this trio of square global shutter sensors is designed for industrial applications, including factory automation imaging, 3D inspection, flaw inspection, and more, all related to electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, Sony’s industrial sensors often include impressive technology that can eventually make its way to consumer-oriented products, like the image sensors inside Sony Alpha cameras.
For example, the IMX927 series, which also includes the newer IMX928 and IMX929 square sensors, features a newly developed ceramics package that enables more camera design flexibility.
A complete breakdown of all Sony IMX927 series image sensors, including specifications for all the numerous variants, is available on Sony Semiconductor’s website.
It’s one of the most eye-catching objects in the Universe, but now astronomers have identified an unexpected structure inside the Ring Nebula.
A new imaging instrument mounted in Spain’s Canary Islands called WEAVE (the WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer) has found a bar-shaped cloud of iron atoms stretching across the nebula’s interior.
The Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57, lies in the constellation Lyra roughly 2,600 light-years from Earth. Discovered by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1779, it is one of the best-known planetary nebulae and has been spectacularly imaged by Hubble and James Webb space telescopes.
The nebula formed when a star about twice the Sun’s mass exhausted the nuclear fuel in its core, expanded into a red giant, and expelled its outer layers. What remains is a compact white dwarf roughly the size of Earth, surrounded by a glowing shell of gas composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. The nebula is estimated to be about 4,000 years old, which is recent by cosmic standards.
The newly detected iron structure is unusual. The bar of iron atoms extends about 3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion kilometers) across the face of the nebula and contains a quantity of iron comparable to the mass of Earth’s molten iron core. Observations show that no other detected chemical element appears concentrated in the same bar-like feature.
“It is exciting to see that even a very familiar object — much studied over many decades — can throw up a new surprise when observed in a new way,” astronomer Roger Wesson of Cardiff University and University College London, lead author of the research published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, tells Reuters.
“It’s a classic object for professional and amateur astronomers alike to observe. Although it’s too faint to see with the naked eye, it’s quite easy to spot with binoculars. In a small telescope, you can see the ring-like appearance.”
When processing the WEAVE data, researchers were able to examine the nebula’s spectrum across its entire structure, allowing them to map chemical composition in detail. That process revealed the iron feature.
“By obtaining a spectrum continuously across the whole nebula, we can create images of the nebula at any wavelength and determine its chemical composition at any position,” Wesson tells the BBC.
“When we processed the data and scrolled through the images, one thing popped out as clear as anything — this previously unknown ‘bar’ of ionized iron atoms, in the middle of the familiar and iconic ring.”
The origin of the iron bar remains uncertain. One hypothesis is that the iron may have come from a rocky planet that was destroyed when the parent star expanded and expelled its outer layers. If correct, this could offer a distant preview of what might happen to the inner planets of our solar system, including Earth, when the Sun reaches a similar stage billions of years from now. Another possibility is that the bar formed through processes connected to the nebula’s creation rather than from a planet.
“No other chemical element that we have detected seems to sit in this same bar. This is weird, frankly. Its importance lies in the simple fact that we have no ready explanation for it, yet,” adds study co-author Janet Drew of University College London.
“The origin of the iron might trace back to the vaporization of a planet. But there could be another way to make the feature that doesn’t involve a planet.”
Wesson notes that while a planet like Earth contains enough iron to account for the observed mass, the bar’s shape is difficult to explain.
“A planet like the Earth would contain enough iron to form the bar, but how it would end up in a bar shape has no good explanation,” he says.
Researchers plan further observations to determine whether other elements are present in the structure and to establish how common such features might be in other nebulae.
Lexar has announced the launch of its new TouchLock Portable SSD, introducing advanced NFC-based security and hardware encryption in an ultra-slim, MagSafe-ready design built for modern mobile workflows.
Alongside the new drive, Lexar is also spotlighting its Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub, reinforcing the company’s growing focus on secure, high-performance storage for creators, professionals, and enterprise users. The announcements mark Lexar’s first major product communications of its 30th anniversary year, underscoring the brand’s continued investment in innovation, data protection, and mobile-first design.
The Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD introduces a dual-layer security approach that combines 128-bit AES hardware encryption with one-touch near-field communication authentication. Rather than relying on traditional passwords, the drive requires successful NFC verification to unlock, ensuring that data remains inaccessible to unauthorized users. Once disconnected, the drive automatically locks, adding another layer of protection for mobile and on-the-go use.
Authentication can be handled directly on a smartphone, enabling fast, contact-free access without repeated password entry. The drive is recognized by a host device only after authentication, making it well-suited for professionals, enterprises, and users who regularly work with sensitive data in shared or public environments.
Designed with mobility in mind, the TouchLock Portable SSD features a compact, ultra-slim form factor with magnetic MagSafe compatibility, allowing it to attach securely to an iPhone during use. The drive weighs just 1.4 ounces (40 grams) and is built to withstand drops from up to 6.6 feet (two meters), balancing portability with durability.
Internally, Lexar employs a custom-developed controller designed to improve reliability while reducing power consumption and heat generation. This allows for stable, drop-free data transfers during extended use, particularly when working with large photo and video files in mobile workflows.
Performance reaches up to 450MB/s read and 420MB/s write via a USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface. The TouchLock Portable SSD is available in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities, and supports broad compatibility across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices.
The TouchLock Portable SSD integrates with the Lexar App, enabling automatic photo and video backups from both iOS and Android devices. The app supports iPhone Live Photos, operates offline, and does not collect user data, positioning the drive as a private, local alternative to cloud-based backup services.
This combination of secure hardware encryption and app-driven automation allows users to protect personal memories, work files, and sensitive data without relying on third-party servers or ongoing subscription fees.
Alongside the TouchLock launch, Lexar is also highlighting the Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub as a key product within its mobile-creation ecosystem. While not a new release, the Go Portable SSD remains a central solution for iPhone-based cinematography and video workflows and is being made available for media review.
Roughly the size of a thumb and matching the thickness of recent iPhone Pro models, the Go Portable SSD offers 1TB or 2TB of storage in an ultra-compact design. It supports direct external recording of Apple ProRes video when connected to iPhone 15 Pro and newer smartphones.
The drive delivers up to 1,050MB/s read and up to 1,000MB/s write via a USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, supporting smooth 4K at 60 frames per second recording and fast file transfers. A reinforced USB Type-C connector with increased plugging force ensures a stable, wobble-free connection during handheld shooting.
What differentiates the Professional Go solution is its integrated hub design. While recording ProRes video typically occupies the iPhone’s USB-C port, the included hub expands connectivity with multiple USB Type-C ports, allowing creators to connect microphones, lighting, power sources, gimbals, and cages simultaneously. This approach enables flexible, cable-free setups that adapt quickly to changing production needs.
Built for demanding environments, the Go Portable SSD features IP65-rated dust- and water-resistance and operates across a wide temperature range. The full kit includes adapters, cables, protective accessories, and storage solutions, making it a ready-to-use package for mobile professionals and creators.
The Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD is available now, priced at $85 for the 512GB version and $140 for the 1TB model via Amazon. The Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub is also available, priced at $200 for the 1TB version and $299 for the 2TB model.
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