Our Supporters
We are proud to have a brilliant band of companies supporting Close-up Photographer of the Year and the close-up, macro and micro community in general.
Lead Partner
Category Partners
Affinity Photo 2
Lead Partner
Affinity Photo 2 is the multi-award-winning photo editing program that’s taken the industry by storm with its speed, power and precision, as well as its low one-off purchase price. There are no ongoing subscription payments and all updates are free.
Born to work hand-in-hand with the latest computer technology, it’s the only photo editor fully integrated across macOS, Windows and iPadOS. It remains the only photo-editing app that offers the complete desktop experience on iPad, ensuring you won’t be disappointed by the absence of key tools you use every day.
Whether you want to make quick corrections, or spend time on a detailed retouch, Affinity Photo 2 (across all operating systems) has a complete set of tools and dedicated features to help.
Cygnustech Diffuser
Category Partner – Insects
Reveal hidden worlds beyond human vision by adding a Cygnustech diffuser to your macro lens.
Founded by professional Australian based macro photographer Brendan James, Cygnustech makes deceptively simple, lightweight flash diffusers that are custom built for almost every model of flash and lens.
Each diffuser is handcrafted with meticulous attention to detail and designed for photographers who demand soft, even lighting when capturing small animals, plants and objects.
Seven years of research and development have gone into creating the simplest, most durable and waterproof diffuser on the market that will fit your camera and flash set-up perfectly, leading to a transformation of your macro photography with portable studio-like quality.
Zerene Stacker
Category Partner – Invertebrate Portrait
From landscapes to microscopy, focus stacking software Zerene Stacker enables unlimited depth of field in post-production. It automatically stacks multiple frames to create astounding images that would be impossible with a single shutter click.
High-quality results are produced automatically, or you can adjust the stacking parameters and make use of the powerful retouching tools. Images made with Zerene Stacker have won countless international awards and featured heavily in the first year of Close-up Photographer of the Year.
A 30-day free trial is available on the Zerene Stacker website.
SIGMA
Category Partner – Young
SIGMA is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of cameras, lenses and photographic accessories. Their goal is to produce ultra-high-performance, beautifully-crafted Japanese-built products that help you achieve more expressive and technically outstanding imagery.
Every part of every Sigma camera and lens is conceived and constructed with the user in mind. SIGMA believes that carefully designed equipment really does impact on the creative thought-process and on the final result. From detachable EVFs to magnetic lens caps, they’re always thinking of new ways to make taking pictures a more intuitive experience, helping photographers and film-makers achieve their creative potential.