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CREATIVE SHOOTING PROJECT Discover how to take frozen frozen shots with a difference
ISSUE 154
THE ART OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Damien Demolder’s tricks for capturing candid moments
645ZRA 645Z RATE TED D A landscape professional’s verdict on the 51.4MP camera
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WELCOME
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“Sometimes all it takes to turn a standard portrait into a stunning one is a subtle change in the eyes” What’s the secret to a striking portrait shot? It’s something all aspiring shooters are striving for, and there are many aspects that make up that question’s answer. However, sometimes all it takes to turn a standard portrait into a stunning one is a subtle change in the eyes, transforming transforming a forced expression into a much more appealing, natural one. On p24 we teach you tricks to help you get more out of models, from achieving natural, relaxed expressions, to posing advice, styling tips, and even how to select the model in the first place. Use our advice to put your model at ease and you’ll see that subtle change in their eyes that can make a portrait come to life. This issue we challenged our lens expert Kevin Carter to put four budget portrait lenses through their paces. Find out which came out on top over on p96. If candid
portraits are more your thing, we also have an in-depth guide to street photography from expert Damien Demolder on p44. He’s He’s taken time out from his regular workshops workshops to tell us his top techniques, recommended recommended cameras and much more. For landscape aficionados we also have a comprehensive comprehensive guide to perfecting any scene, from seascapes to woodland, and deserts to low-light low-light landscapes on p34. There’s also a creative still life project on p54 involving frozen flowers, a tutorial on capturing striking striking fireworks on p60 and the Pentax 645Z gets rated by a landscape pro on p104. On top of this, we take a look at how to publish your photographs photographs in a book over on p74. I hope you enjoy this packed issue, and don’t forget to share your shots and images with us online at the www.dphotographer.co.uk gallery. Amy Amy Squibb Squibb,, Edito Editorr
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MATT BENNETT
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14,511 Jan-Dec2013
Our Senior Staff Writer Matt previously worked as a professional photographer in Australia. This issue he tells us how to get the best from your models on p24, including top posing advice, styling tips and more. He also has a fun frozen still-life shooting project for usoveron p52.
LAUREN SCOTT
MARK BAUER
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Staff Writer Lauren is an underwater photography and landscape expert with a degree in Marine and Natural History Photography. This issue she talks about how to get stunning results when shooting seascapes, woodland, low-light landscapes and more on p34, helping youto perfectanyscene.
Website:
Pro photographer Mark is the co-author of The Landscape Photography Workshop and runs regular one-on-one courses for aspiring landscape photographers. He has taken the Pentax 645Z into the field to see how the medium-format modelfares. Read hisverdict onp104.
DAMIEN DEMOLDER
KEVIN CARTER
ROCCO ANCORA
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An expert in kit and techniques, Damien Demolder also runs regular workshops on street photography. On p44 he shares with us his top techniques for great candid street images, including focal lengths, composition and lighting tips, his recommended cameras, tools and equipment, and more.
Kevinis anexpert inall thing lensrelated, knowing the insand outsof thetopglasson themarket.Thisissue heputs fourbudgetportraitlenses through theirpacesto seewhich comesout on top, andwhichis worth your cash.Turnto p96to checkout his reviewsand testshots.
Australian wedding photographer Rocco Ancora has won multiple awards, including Victorian Professional Photographer of the Year among others. This issue he talks about his techniques, including lighting advice, and also gives his top five tips to help you take better wedding shots today.
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Contents Issue 154
Your Images
Digital Photographer Of The Year entries so far
08
In Focus 08 Digital Photographer Of The Year Awards Take a look at the latest entries – find out the winner next issue!
12 Story Behind The Still: A wildlife interaction Uncover the tale behind a fantastic animal image
14 News Announcements from Photokina, including the Nikon D750
Shooting Skills 54 Creative project: Frozen flowers A stunning shooting project for macro aficionados
60 How to capture striking firework images Get blur-free shots full of vibrant colours in just six steps
Image Editing 62 Enhance your images with DxO Optics Pro 8 How to use this great software, free to our readers this issue
66 Easily add light rays to your landscapes Use Photoshop to create a great light effect for stunning vistas
Helpdesk 70 Top lens advice Lens tips and recommendations from a photography-kit expert
u d j a H a l i t t A ©
74 How to get your photos published in a book
Techniques y h p a r g o t o h P e r o o M n o s a J ©
Reviews 96 Portrait lenses rated Which lens is best for you?
6
The pros talk you through creating a collection of your own
Improve your shooting and editing skills
24 Perfect your model shots Discover how to get more from your portrait shoots, including posing and styling advice
34 Vistas with impact Discover top tricks on how to perfect any scene, from woodland to seascapes, to low-light landscapes and more
46 Capture life on the streets Damien Demolder talks us through his techniques for better street photography
Discover the latest cameras, lenses and much more 104 108 Pentax 645Z Nikon 1 V3
110 Software
The 51.4MP kit examined by a landscape pro
Expert views on the latest editing tools
Is third time a charm for this series?
78 Essential tips for studying photography The key facts you need to know when thinking of taking a course
80 Low Light in London with the Nikon School Tricks for shooting after the Sun goes down, from Nikon’s experts
Portfolio 16 Rocco Ancora on wedding essentials One of Australia’s top wedding specialists on perfecting shots
84 Dr Alex Mustard takes us below the ocean Delve into these inspiring shots from an underwater master
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46
Vistas with impact
The art of street photography
r e d l o m e D n e i m a D ©
g n a h Z a u h s o J ©
Perfect model shots
Creative macro project
24
Discover a hidden world
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84
104
Pentax 645Z put on test
Subscribe and save
o l o p o u P o l o a P ©
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Turn topage68,orgoonline and buydirectfrom 7
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2014 of the year
Your entries so far… The Digital Photographer of the Year Awards are now officially closed and judging is underway! Here we show some of the fantastic shots submitted
Head back next issue, where we reveal the winners!
Top
Above
Opposite top
Paul Spear
Craig Richards
Pawel Prus
Image title: Sandwich Tern DP Gallery address: paulspear Category: Wildlife Paul Spear: I spend a lot of my spare time photographing seabirds in North Wales and my favourites are the terns. This shot was taken at the breeding colony in Cemlyn Bay, Anglesey. I prefer to use manual focus for capturing birds in flight as I find the autofocus struggles to keep up. Digital Photographer: This image is a lovely wildlife shot, freezing the flight of the bird. Well done to Paul for capturing the tern carrying its dinner. Shot details: Nikon D7000 with Sigma 150-500mm at 290mm and f13, 1/800sec at ISO 400
Image title: Holy Island Milky Way DP Gallery address: untiedshoes Category: Night shots and light painting Craig Richards: I used The Photographer’s Ephemeris app to find out when the Moon would rise and fall, and I took numerous images for the foreground until the Moon dipped below the horizon behind me. The images were stitched together in post-production. Digital Photographer: This is a fantastic example of astrophotography. By exposing for the foreground and sky separately, Craig has captured an immersive shot. Shot details: Nikon D800E with 14-24mm at 14mm and f2.8, 30 seconds and ISO 1600
Image title: Run DP Gallery address: Pawel Prus Category: Portrait and self-portrait Pawel Prus: This photo was taken on a visit to Poland this summer, in a beautiful palace in Wasowo. During the golden hour, we used part of the garden with the fountain in the background and asked the girl to run towards the camera in position to shoot against the Sun. Digital Photographer: In this charming portrait Pawel has made use of evening Sun to backlight the subject. The wide aperture creates lovely bokeh too. Shot details: Nikon D800 with 105mm at f2.2, 1/1250sec at ISO 500
8
Above middle
Above-left
Above
Glenn Driver
Damien Walmsley
Sebastian Wuttke
Image title: Edge DP Gallery address: GlennD Category: Landscape Glenn Driver: This image was taken at Cuckmere Haven in East Sussex. The chalk cliffs in the distance are the Seven Sisters. When I arrived, conditions were perfect for long-exposure photography with dark, brooding and fast-moving clouds overhead. Digital Photographer: Glenn used a monochrome effect to create atmosphere. By using a filter, this long exposure has rendered the water silky smooth. Shot details: Canon EOS 70D with 17-50mm at 25mm and f14, 248 seconds at ISO 100
Image title: I am going to need a shower DP Gallery address: Dammo Category: Macro Damien Walmsley: I was setting up for a detailed macro shot when this garden fly landed on a flower, so I quickly took a photograph. The picture was shot in RAW and then cropped to bring out the insect. All editing was done in RAW to bring out the clarity. Digital Photographer: Macro often suffers from a limited depth of field, but Damien has taken advantage of this and isolated the insect from a busy background. Shot details: Canon EOS 6D with 100mm macro and f5.6, 1/1600sec at ISO 400
Image title: Brenda Final DP Gallery address: sebastianwuttke Category: Portrait Sebastian Wuttke: This is a water-based white paint shoot of my model in a bathtub. I used a single flashlight positioned at the top and then used a white reflector positioned underneath the face to even out the shadows. I did some retouching in Photoshop Elements then converted the image to black and white. Digital Photographer: This is a great example of a creative portrait, and is striking in its deviation from a standard capture. The lighting and exposure is spot on. Shot details: Canon 6D with 24-105mm at 105mm and f7.1, 1/100sec at ISO 100
9
Top left
Top-right
Above
Marian Masar
Jason Ferdinando
Neil Jayaratne
Image title: Lunar Illumination DP Gallery address: marionsan Category: Travel Marian Masar: The lightning system of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi has been designed to reflect the phases of the Moon. Soft clouds are projected onto the white marble external surfaces of the mosque including the facade and domes. Each day is different as the cycle changes. Digital Photographer: This composition draws the eye midway into the shot, but it works well to give equal measure to the structure and the reflections. Shot details: Panasonic DMC-FT5 with 28-128mm at 28mm and f3.3, 1/8sec at ISO 100
Image title: Sunrise over High Farndale DP Gallery address: northernvoid Category: Landscape Jason Ferdinando: The Sun was rising, burning off the early-morning mist and seemingly setting the valley on fire – well worth the early start and cold extremities. I shot this bracketed then layered them in Photoshop to bring out the detail in the highlights and shadows. Digital Photographer: By shooting this landscape at an early hour, Jason has caught the attractive golden light filtering through the mist. Shot details: Canon 5D Mark II with 24-105mm at 24mm and f20, 0.6 seconds at ISO 100
Image title: London Blue Eye Hour DP Gallery address: midnightrunner Category: Travel Neil Jayaratne: This photo was taken on one of our many walkabouts we arrange in London for other photographers. This particular one was the Blue Hour walk, which is eight hours long, to experience this at 5am from Westminster Pier. Digital Photographer: Neil has captured a beautifully quiet atmosphere in this shot of London, and the slow shutter is just enough to make the Thames appear milky and calm. Shot details: Nikon D300 with 20mm at f8, 15 seconds at ISO 100
10
DPOTY AWARDS
Top
Above left
Above right
Attila Hajdu
Craig Jeavons
Kyle Moore
Image title: Summertime DP Gallery address: 1808 Photography Category: Fashion Attila Hajdu: When I saw this location, I instantly knew that I had to take photos here. I had a shoot organised with Bexie and managed to get hold of a Vespa too. We got lucky as the sky was dramatic and the wind was blowing her hair and dress. Digital Photographer: Attila has chosen to display the model in her surroundings, and the juxtaposition of dramatic clouds and sunlight works well. Shot details: Canon EOS 550D with 85mm at f2.5, 1/3200sec at ISO 100
Image title: Flying high DP Gallery address: craigjevs Category: Action and sport Craig Jeavons: The stunts these guys were pulling were amazing, so I started practising a technique of focusing on the biker during their run up to the ramp, then taking multiple shots in burst mode while in the air. It seemed to work and I got a couple of really cool shots, including this one. Digital Photographer: Craig has done well to focus on his subject at high speed, and the use of negative space in the composition suggests direction. Shot details: Canon EOS 500D with 75-300mm at 300mm and f5.6, 1/800sec at ISO 100
Image title: Puffin avoiding gulls DP Gallery address: kylemoore98 Category: Wildlife Kyle Moore: This puffin had just returned from the sea with food for its young. After a quick dash into its burrow to avoid gulls it returned to the surface. I decided to go for a low-angle approach, which resulted in blurring all the grass and a simple, pleasing image. Digital Photographer: By using a long telephoto lens and wide aperture, Kyle isolated this seabird from a busy background, resulting in a sharp wildlife portrait. Shot details: Canon EOS-1DX with 500mm at f4, 1/1000sec and ISO 500
11
IN FOCUS
Story behind
still
the
n o t l u o B s i r h C © s o t o h p l l A
Photographer: Chris Boulton Website: www.christopherboulton.com Location: Marwell Zoo, Winchester, UK Type of commission: Personal work Shot details: Sony A350 with a 170-500mm lens at 300mm, f6.3, 1/320sec, ISO 400
About the shot: Capturing a touching moment like this is something photographers strive for, and being able to record the natural behaviour of animals is a privilege. Here, Chris Boulton has documented a fantastic interaction between a mother and its cub at Marwell Zoo. “I really enjoy capturing that moment in time and raising awareness of the beauty that nature has to offer us,” Boulton says. “I visit Marwell probably once a month to update the portfolio and see what has changed, plus the presence of new cubs is always a draw.” This shot netted Boulton a runner-up accolade in Marwell Zoo’s Wildlife Photographer Of The Year competition. “I’ve been a long-time visitor to Marwell and felt that this year I was in with a chance, having had several comments on this particular shot… Anything that can be done to raise awareness for these beautiful, yet sadly endangered animals has to be a good thing.” So what does Boulton see as the key to capturing this kind of moment? “The most important [skill] is seeing the shot with the human eye. At the end of the day, it’s the photographer that sees and takes the shot, not the camera… With this sort of shot, it’s more about the timing and being in the right place at the right time with a camera at the ready, even if this means a long wait.” Right Mother’s Love
According to Boulton, this shot “illustrates the coming together and closeness of the pair”
12
13
IN FOCUS
Top news from
Photokina
Above
Users can adjust the 3.2-inch screen and angle it according to a horizontal axis Left
The screen can be tilted even when the camera is on the tripod
The optional kit lens is the 24-120mm
Nikon releases the full-frame D750 The compact and lightweight D750 is Nikon’s first FX-format camera with a tilting LCD screen The latest high-end DSLR from Nikon, the D750, has been released, which will sit between the D610 and D810 in the company’s range. Nikon says the new model is “streamlined for compactness,” and weighing 750g, the camera body is certainly lightweight. Inside, there is a 24.3-megapixel FX-format sensor, coupled with 51 AF points and a top burst rate of 6.5fps.
An impressive battery life should keep you shooting for longer, estimated to capture 4,420 still images without flash, and 55 minutes of video on one charge. Full HD movie recording appears to be a standout feature, with full manual control over footage and an included stereo microphone to record clear sound. The D750 is Nikon’s first FX-format camera to feature a tilting LCD, and the 3.2-inch
1229k-dot screen tilts upwards and downwards to aid framing from awkward angles. Once the shots have been captured, they can be transferred straight to a smartphone or tablet, thanks to the welcome addition of built-in Wi-Fi or Eyefi card support, a feature that can be overlooked in expensive models. The Nikon D750 is available now for an RRP of £1,800 / $2,300 (body only).
World’s first Bluetooth-equipped CSC Samsung’s NX1 has pro features and a variety of ways to keepyouconnected Samsung has announced the NX1, its new flagship CSC. At a first glance it resembles a traditional DSLR, with a dust and splashproof magnesium alloy body, and in a first for the NX range, there’s also an LCD panel on top of the camera. The body is lightweight at 550g, but features a chunky handgrip to give the user a firm hold when larger lenses are attached. The imaging specs seem impressive, and the new NX1 boasts a 28-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, supported by Back Side Illumination (BSI), which can produce 14-bit RAW files even in low light. It doesn’t disappoint as far as video is concerned either, capable of recording in a 4K format. The camera has plenty of connectivity features, with almost the same amount as a smartphone. According to the company at the time of writing, the camera is “the world’s first Bluetooth equipped CSC,” and comes with built-in Wi-Fi functionality and NFC. For more information and to pre-order, visit www.samsung.com/uk.
The new 50-150mm premium telephoto lens has been made with the NX1 in mind
The 3-inch Super AMOLED LCD is touchsensitive and can be tilted up and down
KEEP INFORMED: For more news, updates and inside information from the ever-changing world of digital photography, be sure to pay a visit to
14
NEWS
In other news… More snippets of photo news from around the world
Left
The only obvious physical change from the 7D is the repositioned DOF preview button
Small wide-angle Sony has released the new
Below
ZEISS 16-35mm f4 lens for
A small protrusion in front of the hotshoe includes a GPS module
its full-frame format cameras. The design is dust and moisture resistant, with built-in image stabilisation. Due for release in November 2014, pre-order now or find out more at www.sony.co.uk.
Canon EOS 7D Mark II is built for speed Is the new model worth the five-year wait?
New Panasonic kit Panasonic has announced the DMC-LX100, a 12.8MP compact with a Micro Four Thirds MOS sensor. Also announced was the DMCGM5, an ultra compact, 16MP CSC with a built-in 1,166k-dot electronic viewfinder.
100 years of Leica A host of new cameras have been announced by Leica AG, including the medium-format Leica S-E and more compact V-Lux. Some other commemorative models were announced, marking 100 years of Leica. See more at www.leica-camera.com .
Themuch-awaited new EOS 7D Mark II has been unveiled by Canon – an evolved version of the iconic 7D, which was released in 2009. The new model has been completely rebuilt and redesigned, delivering the performance of its predecessor and a whole lot more. The Mark II can capture 10fps in full resolution, thanks in part to a newly designed shutter and mirror drive mechanism. This quick responsiveness is matched by a fast 65-point AF system, which compared to the old model’s 19-point AF, should lock on to subjects rapidly. Speed is the name of the game with this new body, designed for “enthusiast photographers to shoot a world of ever-changing action,” according to the official release. Inside the camera, the new 20.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor has a native ISO range of 100-16,000, which expands to ISO 51,200, and in terms of connectivity, several features have been added. There are now dual card slots for CF and SD cards, as well as built-in GPS and a digital compass, although Wi-Fi still isn’t an option. For keen videographers, Full HD video recording is offered. On the outside, there are minimal changes to the button layout, though there’s a new AF mode selection lever that lets you change settings without taking your eye away from the viewfinder. On the back of the camera, the three-inch 1040k-dot screen is fixed, unlike some similarly priced models, but the viewfinder has 100% coverage, and like the 70D, is active so you can view setting changes through it.
Thebody certainly looks like the7D in design, but the newer version weighs in at 90g heavier than its predecessor, with improved weather resistance and a tough magnesium alloy chassis. Sealed against dust and moisture, it’s now the second best in the company’s line-up for weatherproofing, and could be a worthy investment for sports and action users. Canon claims that the 7D Mark II will have that the best performance of any APS-C camera on the market, and it’s due to become on sale at the end of November, priced at £1,600 / $1,799.
The Mark II is similar in size to its predecessor, but does see some changes to button layout. With 10fps, the new release is an appealing choice for sports and wildlife photographers
the website, www.dphotographer.co.uk, and if you’ve got a story, you can email the magazine team at
[email protected]
15
INTERVIEW
Wedding wonders
Rocco Ancora reveals the ingredients of his photographic successinthe competitive wedding photography market
a r o c n A o c c o R © s e g a m i l l A
Above
Cake cutting “A lot of people think this image is staged, but it’s not. I like to use off-camera flash, as I think it adds to the drama of the shot”
16
ROCCO ANCORA
17
INTERVIEW
T
he winner of multiple awards for his work as one of Australia’s most sought-after and respected wedding photographers, Rocco Ancora (www. roccoancora.com) is an expert in his field – a field he chose due to the variety it has to offer. “When I first began photography I had many ideas or aspirations to become a photojournalist or famous fashion photographer or a landscape photographer, but what I found was that with wedding photography, I could tie all those genres in together,” he explains. “I can be a photojournalist and photograph all the emotive moments throughout the day. I can be a fashion photographer, [shooting] beautiful gowns on brides. Then I can be a landscape photographer. When I’m presented with beautiful opportunities with an amazing landscape, it’s wonderful to put people in it and create something emotive with the landscape and a bride and groom.” Despite his success, Ancora is disarmingly humble and modest. “I don’t consider my work unique,” he says. “I believe my work is emotive… it captures emotion through different mediums, whether it’s through incredible light or being able to see a moment and capture it… but I don’t really think my work is that unique. There are lots of amazing photographers out there and I think that my work is good… but don’t think it’s unique.” A big believer in the importance of highquality printing, Ancora’s approach to wedding photography is driven primarily by the quality of the end product and what he describes as “being able to see the final print when I make a photo.” Pre-visualising the final image then informs the decisions that Ancora chooses to make in-camera. “I kind of work backwards,” he says. “I know what my abilities are in post-production and how far I can push an image – that gives me incredible confidence in knowing where to put highlights and shadows to create that ultimate print… and I guess in post-production there is a distinctive look that I have – these moody images that I create.” Ancora says that he strives to take as much control of the camera as possible during shooting. “Manual exposure frees you from camera meters that get fooled by black suits and white dresses,” he explains. “Once you remove that technical equation out of your head, you then have the freedom to just see and create – which is what I love about shooting in manual exposure.” This also extends to the white balance. “Most of the time I like to shoot by manually dialling in the colour temperature to suit what I’m shooting. So, for example, if I’m shooting daylight, I’ll set it to 5200K. If I am photographing under tungsten conditions, I’ll set the camera to 4800K. Even though I’m
18
Above-left
Little boy “This page boy was so bored with the preparations. I wanted to capture that emotion” Above-middle
City skyline “For personal projects, I shoot architecture, and this shows my work with couples” Above
Bride and groom Ancora never uses on-camera flash, instead placing it away to add depth to the image Far-left
Silhouette of bridal party “The subjects were behind a frosted window, so I placed the flash on the other side” Left
Bride coming downstairs “For this shot there was an amazing shaft of light that lit the parents perfectly”
19
INTERVIEW
“You need to spend some serious time with a professional that is willing to take you under their wing and work as an assistant on shoots” shooting RAW, I like to limit the amount of corrections that I have to do later. I want to be able to see as close as I can colour-wise, and emulate it in the capture there and then.” Another key element of Ancora’s approach to photographing weddings is to favour natural light as much as possible, only using artificial lighting with extreme care. “I never use flash on-camera,” he says. “I like to always shoot with the flash off-camera, as this creates depth with shadows and highlights in an image. That’s the same with other light sources, like tungsten or LED continuous light sources – it’s about positioning that light source to create beautiful shadows and depth.” Ancora believes that misjudging the way the bride and groom are posing is the biggest mistake. “It’s easy to be seduced by beautiful backgrounds,” he says. “As a print judge, judging competitions all over the world, I see beautiful locations with amazing composition, only then to be let down by a really silly pose that doesn’t really work in communicating a message. That is a real shame because you can see the amount of time and effort that has gone into bringing all the elements together, but then [the photo] fails at the most basic element, which is beautiful, elegant posing with the bride and groom.” In terms of posing, Ancora’s advises close attention to the subjects’ arms. “Try to avoid straight arms, especially with the bride,” he says. “The joints need to have nice bends to them; the wrists, the elbows should have a certain flow to them.” He recommends that aspiring wedding photographers spend some time working as an assistant before attempting weddings of their own. “First and foremost you need to spend some serious time with a professional that is willing to take you under their wing and work as an assistant on shoots,” he advises. “Understand that in weddings, while we need to be incredible in our technical abilities to create an image, the people skills Right
Couple at the bottom of the stairs “I photographed this with a wide-angle lens to enhance the lines of the balustrades, which lead nicely to the bride and groom”
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ROCCO ANCORA
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INTERVIEW
“A good wedding image, for me, has to be Shoot like Ancora full of emotion. It has to be full of emotive Rocco Ancora tells his approach to content; it has to have storytelling elements” a wedding shoot in five steps that are involved are a far greater part of the equation [than technical skill]. Understanding how to deal with people is very, very important and this is something that you can pick up by going out and assisting photographers.” This is something that Ancora actually did himself at the start of his career. “When I first began in the industry, I assisted a photographer for a good 12 – maybe 18 – months with no pay; my pay was in the form of experience. I learnt so much during this time, so when the time came to shoot my first wedding I knew most of the traps that you can fall into as a wedding photographer. It gave me experience in shooting in great light, bad light, winter, summer, bad locations, good locations – that experience is invaluable. There is nothing worse than going out on your first wedding and failing, only then to destroy your confidence and then never again wanting to shoot a wedding – which is really sad.” Emotion is the key ingredient of a great wedding image, says Ancora. “A good wedding image, for me, has to be full of emotion. It has to be full of emotive content; it has to have storytelling elements. As a viewer, I want to look at the image for a long period of time and I want to be kept there and that is to me what makes a good wedding image.”
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Ancora tries to avoid excessive skin retouching. “Ninety-five per cent of the work that I do to my wedding images is done in Lightroom,” he explains. “[Things like] colour, contrast and density. Images that make the album will get more attention in Photoshop, where I’ll retouch things like removing blemishes from skin and so on. I’m not a huge believer in making brides look unrealistic with bad retouching and making them look like porcelain dolls; I still want people to look like people and that’s what my clients love, the fact that they still look like themselves.” Today, Ancora is focusing increasingly on teaching, leading workshops both at his home in Australia and internationally, including a sold-out workshop in London in 2014. Despite this change in direction, Ancora still wants to carry on working behind the camera. “I still want to continue shooting weddings, I’m fortunate to have a wonderful client base and the advertising that I do is purely DP through my website.”
Above
Bride coming downstairs “Being prepared and observant is key to an image like this. This shot won the Grand at WPPI 2011 for Wedding Photojournalism”
Look at the light Once you’ve assessed where the good light is coming from,look at the relationship between the light andwhat the background is doing. Consider focal length Think about the background. ‘Am I going to shoot this wide at 35mm? Maybe I want to compress [it] and shoot at 200mm?’ Work out your manual exposure If I’m working with a beautiful shaft of light, say,hitting the bride, then I’ll meter forthat highlight, so that I can retain nice detail while darkening the background. Position the subject Once all of the previous steps are set, position the subject into the light that you want to photograph. Create the shot This is the most important part of the equation – the ability to communicate and to draw specific emotions out of your subjects.
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TECHNIQUES
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PERFECT MODEL SHOTS
PERFECT MODEL SHOTS Get the most from amateur and professional posers alike to capture your best portraits yet
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ather like a film director working with a cast, as a portrait photographer it’s vital that you’re able to get the best from the people who pose for you. No matter how stylish, attractive or experienced the model is, if you as a photographer aren’t confident, your shots could just fall flat. After all, amateur models will not have the experience to lead the shoot themselves with practical and creative suggestions, while professional models will have worked with other photographers who will have been very clear with them in terms of what they want. If you give your model the impression that you don’t seem to know what you’re really looking for, they will likely respond by becoming tense and uncomfortable, ruining your chances of capturing stunning portraits completely. While it can seem daunting at first, working with models is not really all that difficult to do, especially with a little practice. Throughout this feature, you’ll discover how to make sure that you are getting the best from your model, whether they’re a seasoned professional or a friend who’s posing for you in order to supplement your portfolio and boost their own profile.
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Model matters Working with models successfully is as much about your people skills as your prowess behind the camera © Paulo Puopolo
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TECHNIQUES
Shoot friends and family Use the people you know and everyday locations to hone your skills Working with models isn’t all about photographing professionals who pose for a living, by any means. Often when people realise that you are a photographer, you will find that you have access to friends and family who are keen to pose for you. If you’re interested in developing your portrait skills, then this is an avenue that’s worth exploring. Indeed, there are a number of skills that you need to develop – many of which do not exactly have much to do with photography. If you spend some time, at least at first, working with people you already know, you can skip one of the most challenging of these: breaking the ice. It can be surprisingly hard to do so successfully unless you’re relaxed, confident and feel in control of the shoot. Using someone already known to you as a model helps you to avoid this element of the process while you are perfecting your other skills. It can be tempting to favour people who you believe to be attractive as your volunteer models, but remember that, cliché though it might be, you can’t always judge a book by its cover. Some people will look much better in
photos than you’d expect, while others might not look as you’d predicted. Of course, part of the skill of portrait photography is to get everyone to look as good as possible, though it’s certainly the case that you can’t always pre-judge everyone’s photographic potential. If your model is a friend or a family member, there’s a good chance that they are inexperienced at posing, so you’ll need to keep the atmosphere positive, upbeat and as interesting as possible, ensuring that they feel comfortable and confident at all times. Remember that how laid-back your model is in their approach to the shoot and how naturally they are able to pose is unrelated to how they look superficially, so be prepared to adapt. You don’t necessarily need access to a studio to work with models, as there are plenty of locations that are freely available in which you can produce dramatic portraits. A local hotel or venue, for example, might be willing to let you take a few photos in their reception or lounge area. If you are polite and willing to explain what you have in mind, they may let you use their facilities free of charge.
“You don’t necessarily need access to a studio to work with models, as there are plenty of locations that are freely available” Styling the shot How yoursubject is dressed is animportant part ofboth the final look ofthe images and how your model feels during the shoot It’s best to havean ideaof the looks that you want to achieve during a shoot so that you can givethe model an ideaof what to bring with them on the day. This applies whether you’re photographing an amateur or a more experienced model. Irrespective of how much actual modelling work they’ve done, your subject will almost alwayshave a clear ideaof the clothes that suit them best and the other items that they work well with. Even if you are a professional fashion or editorial photographer working on a big shoot with a team of stylists,you’ll still be expected to engage in this dialogue. Making sure that your model is happy with the clothing chosen forthe shoot is an important part of forming a bond of trust, which will lead to a more successful result.
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Remember to respect any restrictions that are placed on you regarding the areas that you can and can’t use. It’s also worth keeping in mind that if you are working with an inexperienced friend or family member, they very possibly won’t appreciate posing in an environment where there are lots of people around. Making them feel uncomfortable will only make them more inhibited. Also, although many hotels are very tastefully decorated, it’s best to avoid cluttered backgrounds as much as possible. Fortunately, you’ll often find that you’ll have access to some quite appealing lighting options, with attractive lamps frequently to be found. These can be used as your sole lighting source in the right conditions or can be carefully complemented with a reflector.
Model assessment Change your approach to the shoot based on your model and how they react to you First contact How friendly does your model seem? Did they smile or avoid eye contact? You need to adapt your approach depending on this. Portrait pointers Do they have any features that you want to accentuate? Learn to formulate ideas on the fly based on the way your model looks. Best avoided Even attractive people have features that won’t look great. De-emphasise these with your choice of posing, rather than leaving it to editing. Height matters Start thinking about how you can make a shorter person appear taller or photograph a taller person without looking upwards at them in each shot.
Clothing selection Having an honest discussion with your models about the clothes that you think will work best for the shoot is the best approach, so ask them for their input
Body expression Look at how they move and their facial expressions. Do they seem relaxed? If not, look for ways to make them feel more at ease.
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Above
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Direct the shot
Keep positive
Perfect practice
Make sure that you give your amateur model plenty of direction and guidance with their poses, as they may not know what kind of looks work well
When working with an inexperienced model, ensure that you keep them feeling confident and comfortable at all times by remaining positive in the shoot
Spend time working with family members and friends who are happy to help you build your portfolio or are looking to develop a modelling career
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TECHNIQUES
Capture pro models When the time comes that you want to work with a pro model, consider these tips Although you will be able to get plenty of great photos using family and friends as models, you’ll want to expand your horizons eventually and work with models who have a little bit more experience and confidence in front of the camera. Remember that this is not guaranteed, though; when you go to book a model online, there’s no actual way of knowing how much – or how little – work they’ve done previously. With this in mind, it’s certainly possible to end up with a model who’s not that much more confident than some of the friends and family you’ve already photographed. Be cautious of making too many early judgements though, as some professional models may seem timid and demure when they arrive for the shoot but flick a switch and come to life as soon as the session actually begins. It’s that kind of professionalism that comes with hiring an experienced model through an agency. Unfortunately, this will sometimes just be the chance that you will have to take, but if this is important to you – as it may well be when you are starting out – it may be possible to make contact with the agency that represents them and ask them for some further information on the model’s level of experience. An even bigger factor to take into account is that models naturally present themselves in as flattering a light as possible on their model cards, choosing photos that make them look the very best that they can look. This means that their model portfolios will be formed of images in which they’ve had plenty of make-up applied (probably professionally) and their hair styled to perfection – again, by a professional stylist. Further to that, the images will have probably been retouched to a high level. All of these can conspire to mean that the model who arrives for your shoot doesn’t look much like the model you thought you were getting. Once again, a possible solution to this problem is to contact the representing agency and request that the model you are considering hiring sends an unretouched photo, taken on a smartphone, for example. An alternative approach is to become a member of an online community such as Model Mayhem (www.modelmayhem.com ). Here, photographers can find models who are looking to develop and grow their portfolios and are therefore willing to pose on a TFP (time for print) or TFCD (time for CD) basis.
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Studio subjects If you’re considering hiring a studio and/or paying for a model through an agency, ensure you’re prepared so as to make the most of the day
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Experience counts A paid professional model will usually be much more experienced at posing and will take to your suggestions more easily
Oppositemain
Get creative Professional models will often be able to build on an idea that you give them and suggest ways to improve the shot
Opposite-inset
Build a rapport Make a lot of effort in the first few moments of a shoot to develop a good working relationship with a model you’ve never met before
Break the ice
Laughter and compliments go a long way
The first few moments when you meet a model for a shoot are very important. If they don’t get a good impression of you straightaway then the shoot itself will go a lot less smoothly. Even if you are stressed or a piece of equipment is playing up, don’t let that show, as professional photographer Jason Moore (www. jasonmoorephotography.com) explains. “You cannot show if you are nervous or if you’re struggling with lighting or ideas. All subjects/sitters need to know that you are in control and know what you’re doing.”
“The most successful way of breaking the ice with a model… is to make them laugh,” says professional photographer Sammy Baxter (www.sammybaxter.com). “Compliment them on something they are wearing or how good they look.” Moore agrees that paying models a compliment is important, but not because they have big egos. “Never assume that your model knows they are beautiful,” he states. “I find a lot of insecurity among models because they are always being judged on how they look.”
PERFECT MODEL SHOTS
What’s a model release form? This is something that you should get any model you work with to sign. It’s a legal document and as such can be relatively to the point or quite verbose, but it basically states that the model gives you, the photographer, the rights to the photos you’ve taken of them
BRING THE SKILL With experienced models, they may have more of an idea about which poses are more flattering for the shot
Booking a model s b b i G e v a D ©
Dave Gibbs from Source Models (www. sourcemodels.co.uk) explains how to book a session with a model
What are the key things to look out for in a model if you are new to the process? Think about where the model is based in relation to the shoot. If using the model for advertising, think how the end user may relate to the model in the shot. Understand that what the model wears and how they make themselves up will have a huge impact on the finished image; consider if a professional make-up artist is needed. Are there any pitfalls or potential problems to be aware of? Consider how much direction the model will need during the shoot and ensure an experienced model is booked if required. Be upfront on budgets and the end use of the images with the agency. For advertising shoots, be sure of where the images will be used so the agency can quote accordingly. If models are supplying their own wardrobe then make sure they bring enough to choose from. Avoid stripes and large logos and ensure adequate public liability and professional insurance is in place. What are the main do’s and don’ts that photographers should keep in mind? Be friendly and allow time to chat with models prior to the shoot, while being clear on what you want to achieve. Provide ample refreshments and be clear in your directions. Make photographing kids fun and always have a few toys to hand. What tips do you have for seeing the more natural shots of the model? Most agency models will have a good selection of both natural and made-up or Photoshopped images on their cards. Ask to see a natural image taken on a smartphone if in doubt. If the shoot is paid well, consider arranging a casting.
SUIT UP If your model is bringing their own clothing, ensure that they bring enough for what you have planned
How does a casting work? Models through Source attend castings free of charge, but would assume the job value is over £300. If the casting is for a test or a lower-value job, then a potential casting fee of £25 would be charged. You can cast as many models as you want normally – but from a commercial agency point of view it’s very hard to get models to cast on anything under £300.
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TECHNIQUES
Take control l l e w d o R a s s i l e M ©
Fashion photographer MelissaRodwell (www. melissarodwell.com) offers heradvice for directing a model
What style of direction do you find works best with professional models? Showing professional models a mood board is helpful for them to understand the direction of the shoot. I might showthema few poses, too. What kind of directiondo you find works best with non-professional models? With non-professional models I have to showthemhow to pose. I’ll get on set with them andshow them.Just watching me pose usually makes them laugh,so I’ve killedtwo birds with one stone, so to speak. What are the most successful ways of breaking the ice with a model? The more confidently I hold myself, the more confident the model is going to feel. So as I mentioned earlier, I’lljoke around a little and get them to open up. Being cold and aloof isn’t going to get a model to warm up to you. If a model is not following direction successfully, how do you tackle this? I willgo onsetandshow themwhat I want them to do. I’ll movehands where I want, showwhere the legs should stand and so on.I might show pictures of similar poses. What instructions do you give to a model to get them to pull natural expressions? Getting a model to relax is key in order forthem to emote natural and appealing expressions. I’ll show them myself or show them pictures of models expressing the way I’d likemy model to emote. How do you ensure that arms, hands and fingers are posed effectively? A good fashion photographer watches the arms, hands and fingers likea hawk. I might ask them to stretch out their hands and shake them out to relax them. I’ll do that with facial tension too. How do you ensure that legs and feet are posed effectively? By keeping a very close watch on howthey’re standing.A good fashion photographer looks at everything: the facial expression,clothing,making sure that they look comfortable andsexy.
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y h p a r g o t o h P e r o o M n o s a J
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Top tricks for posing Understandinghow todirect your model isone of the mostvital elementsof any shoot In landscape or architectural photography, where the basic elements of building a positive the best compositions usually find a way to relationship with your model feed into the exploit shapes, patterns and lines within the quality of the end result. “All people respond scene to create an image that’s visually strong. well to clear direction, but don’t over-direct or Although it might not seem to be the case at the model will start to feel that what they’re first, portrait photography is little different. As doing is wrong,” says Moore. “To get the best a fashion, editorial or beauty photographer, out of models – and anyone for that matter you need to find ways to create strong – they need to feel like they are contributing. compositions in the portraits you capture, Sometimes it’s better to allow a particular look except you need to do this largely through the or pose that you dislike to happen and just way the model is posed. shoot through it until you can gently coerce in The first thing to remember is that there the direction you would like to go.” aren’t any clear-cut formulas involved in Part of the skill of posing is learning to posing; it’s a concept that will change, often recognise the signs that the model is giving significantly, between shoots and models. you and responding accordingly. If they are Though you may find there are certain things someone who likes to strut their stuff then that work well on a regular basis, everyone’s over-directing them may make them feel face and body is slightly different, so you’ll disengaged in the shoot, so you will need rarely be able to repeat precise poses. However, to find a way to accommodate their ideas. there are definitely certain things that tend to Similarly, not all models will necessarily be work and others that tend not to. expert posers and they may even be a little Of course, the other key thing to remember awkward. They’ll be looking to you to prompt is that posing isn’t purely down to you, even in them regularly and will get thrown if they sense situations where the model is inexperienced that you are not leading the shoot in the way and you are giving a large amount of direction. that they want you to. The way the model interprets your instructions Digital capture has enabled photographers and their engagement with the shoot will still to view images on the back of the camera or have an impact. The best portrait sessions even on a computer screen if they are shooting usually result from situations in which the using a tethered or wireless file-transfer photographer and the model have worked system. However, too much stopping and as a team to create the right look, as defined starting to look at shots can be detrimental DP by the intended purpose of the shoot. This is to a shoot, so don’t stop too often.
1 FOCUS ON THE HEAD AND NECK Although some high-fashion portraits flout this to a degree, often the best rule to work to when it comes to a model’s head and neck is that they should appear relatively relaxed. This is one reason why a tense model will be more challenging to work with, as any tension that they feel will show up first and foremost in their head and shoulders. A slight – but not too exaggerated – tilt of the head to one side gives an instantly more relaxed feel than a neck that’s held bolt upright. Conversely, you don’t want your model to relax so much that their chin drops into their neck, thus creating a double chin.
2 CONSIDER ARMS, HANDS AND FINGERS Once again, high-fashion portraits sometimes go against this, but it’s important to ensure that the arms – and in particular the model’s hands and fingers – appear relaxed and not too tense, rigid or over-posed. Many photographers talk of being very careful to avoid allowing the model’s hands and fingers take on a shape that resembles a claw. Women’s hands and fingers should look effortlessly elegant, while men’s should look masculine, but without appearing aggressive. Generally speaking, the arms and hands should be about the same distance from the lens as the model’s face.
TENSE
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3 POSE THE LEGS AND FEET How the model is standing will be the bedrock of the overall pose, as their stance will travel up through the rest of their body to inform the way that they hold themselves. The feet need to be positioned comfortably, but at the same time, your model cannot stand as though they are in a queue. Try asking the model to position their legs and feet slightly apart and have the foot furthest from the camera point off at a 90-degree angle. This applies both to male and female models.
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“Models will be looking to you to prompt them regularly” 31
TECHNIQUES
Four ideas to pose like the pros If you’re having trouble, here are some poses to get you started that you can develop with your models THROW SOME SHAPES Getting your model to use their body and their clothing to create striking shapes and patterns not only makes for shots that are more visually interesting, but also produces portraits that have a sense of energy, personality and movement to them. With male models, this can be a good way of conveying attitude, while with female models this approach can be used to make them appear sexy and vivacious. While you can give suggestions to your model, too much direction may stifle them and make them – and their poses – uncomfortable. This is perhaps something that’s best attempted with slightly more experienced models as amateurs may simply feel awkward.
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SHAPES
LEANING
GET NATURAL SMILES There are two different types of smile that you can try and create with your model. The first of these is a closed-mouth smile, which can work particularly well with male models if you get them to produce a subtle, smouldering smile for the camera or with female models if you ask them to do a cheeky smile, perhaps with their eyes looking away from the camera. The alternative is to get your model to laugh as naturally and honestly as possible, as a fake laugh just won’t work. Here, the roles are reversed: try getting a female model to look at the camera while laughing and a male model to look away as a starting point.
LEARN TO LEAN This is a great posing solution for models, particularly those who are slightly less confident, as it helps to build a pose a little easier. If your subject is leaning or perhaps even lying down, then they will have less of their body to focus on than when you are creating a full-length body shot with them standing upright. Male models aren’t quite so suited to lying-down poses, but leaning against a wall or railing with their upper back, shoulder or elbow will often be very successful.
SMILES
SIT ON DOWN Simply sitting your model down and having them stare into the lens can make for powerful portraits of male models and alluring portraits of female models (think Christine Keeler), often without the need for them to do very much else. This is particularly true when the situation and pose enables them to rest their elbows on something. One way of achieving this is to ask your subject to sit down on some steps or stairs and have them rest their elbows on their knees. Another option is to have the model sit on a reversed chair, so that they can place their arms and hands on its back.
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TECHNIQUES
Vistas with impact Follow this guide and discover how to capture beautiful landscapes in any location
W
hen it comes to shooting the perfect landscape, often it isn’t just a case of pointing your lens and capturing the scene before you, even when visiting the most beautiful places. No matter where, each location has its own set of challenges to overcome, whether that’s reflections on a lake, high-contrast forest scenes, or simply a vast, empty plain.
Incredible landscape images can be taken almost anywhere, but it’s all about understanding the tricks and techniques behind the shots. Over the next few pages you’ll discover tips for the perfect landscape shoot, including how to protect your kit, dealing with difficult shooting environments and how to make the most of the beautiful landscapes that the great outdoors has to offer.
Twelve Apostles, Australia Photographer Joshua Zhang (www.500px.com/shihuazhang ) took this stunning shot at sunset. There were a large number of tourists and the shot kept being interrupted, but Zhang’s patience finally paid off and he took this 112-second exposure © Joshua Zhang
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VISTAS WITH IMPACT
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TECHNIQUES
LOOK FOR INTEREST The wave movement over the rocks create an interestingforeground element to this image
CAPTURE MOOD Always be on the lookout for changes in weather, colour and mood for the best effect
g n a h Z a u h s o J ©
Shoot seascapes Prepare for your shoot beforehand by checking the tide tables and taking the right kit with you. It’s vital to use a tripod for coastal long exposures, and those with an in-built spirit level will help you to keep your horizons level. A wide-angle lens is ideal for the majority of seascapes, although a mid telephoto will make the most out of cliff top vantage points. Always protect your equipment from salt water and sand, which can be damaging to the lens. Use a UV filter, and shield the camera body from wave spray with a plastic bag or more specialised housing if you have it.
Emphasise wave movement
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Set up the shot Set your camera to the lowest ISO and desired f-stop, then attach it to a tripod. Use manual focus and zoom your lens to the required focal length.
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Trevose Head
In this shot Joshua Zhang Paul Newcombe used a ten(www.500px.com/ stop ND filter to achieve ShihuaZhang), has made a two-minute exposure, use of the stunning golden smoothing the sky and light of sunrise adding cloud movement
Use creative exposures when shooting the coastline and add mood to your images The coast is an alluring subject for the landscape photographer, and stunning results can be achieved in all weather conditions. When the light is dull and overcast, try long exposures to capture blurred wave motion. Conversely, provided there’s enough natural light, capture the drama of the sea at shutter speeds of 1/500sec or faster to freeze crashing wave movement. Simple, uncluttered images work well for expansive seascapes, but look for a main focal point in your images, framing shots with minimalist objects, such as isolated rocks, sea defences and cliffs.
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Morning glow
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Use a neutral density filter to record long exposures
Calculate exposure Take a test shot using a cable release without a filter, then calculate the exposure time. Double the shutter speed for every stop of filtration you’re adding.
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Attach filter Attach the ND filter to the front of the lens. Set the camera to Bulb mode, and fire the shutter, timing the exposure then closing it after the elapsed time.
VISTAS WITH IMPACT
Perfect rivers and lakes Capture the charm of both moving and still water If there’s a river or stream flowing through the landscape you’re shooting, think about how best to convey its character. A wide, slow river will look and feel different to a fast-moving mountain stream. Use smaller rivers as lead-in lines to draw the eye into the image, or wade into a large stream and crouch down to near water level for a more interesting perspective. Consider the effect of reflections when you’re photographing water, particularly when there’s a lake in the shot. Some reflections, such as the colours of autumn leaves or mountains, will enhance your image, but others may be distraction, and in these instances, use a polarising filter. As well as increasing the saturation of your scene, a polariser can cut through the reflections in water and enable you to see the riverbeds beneath the surface. As far as gear goes, a wide-angle lens will enable you to include the valley as a river twists through it, while a telephoto is useful for bringing the curves of the water closer to you. Dress appropriately for shooting in this location, wearing waders if you have them. This enables you to get in the water for interesting perspectives, while avoiding getting wet.
Shoot waterfalls Control exposure to enhance the look of moving water
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DID YOU KNOW? The best times to shoot are early morning or evening, to avoid bright reflections
© PaulNewcombe
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CapoPecora, Sardinia The photographer has takenthis shotat a low angle for a more interestingperspective, including rocks in theforegroundto draw the eye into theframe Left
Lumsdale Falls, Peak District Here seenin early autumn, Paul Newcombe(www. paulnewcombephotography. co.uk) used a circular polariser to minimise waterreflections and slow down theexposure time
When you arrive at a waterfall, don’t set up straight away. Walk around the feature and look through the viewfinder to explore different angles and camera positions, and include foreground elements, such as rocks, to frame the subject. Waterfalls are all about movement, so consider which exposure best captures its drama. When shooting big waterfalls, exposures between 1/4sec to a full second show the water’s motion, but still retain detail in the movement. More delicate waterfalls benefit from even longer exposures, made achievable by setting the lowest ISO possible and adding filters. Try to plan your shoots around the lighting; balanced light is ideal for waterfalls, bringing out shadow details and amplifying the contrast. When it’s overcast you will be able to shoot longer speeds for a smooth effect.
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TECHNIQUES
Simplify woodland Avoid clutter when photographing forest scenes Woodlands are a rewarding location to photograph, so don’t limit yourself to the colourful hues of the autumn season. By nature they’re generally quite chaotic, and one of the downfalls of forest photography is that it can look cluttered or lack focus. Use a telephoto lens such as a 70-200mm to avoid this problem, as it’ll compress the perspective and isolate small sections of trees. You’ll need to adapt to many different types of natural light when photographing woodland. Early-morning or late-afternoon is generally the best time to photograph, as the low-angled light will illuminate the trunks and produce dramatic shadows. Strong light is great for open areas, and makes for bold images. To avoid lens flare, frame the Sun behind a tree. Woodland scenes can be dense, and it’s important to include a point of interest to draw the viewer’s eye. Use woodland paths as lead-in lines and try different shooting angles to create interest. Include features, such as an angled trunk or bright foliage, to provide a focal point in your images.
s e n o J i r e C ©
Expose for woodland Bracket exposures to capture the full range of forests Exposing correctly for woodland can be a challenge, as dense tree canopies produce high-contrast scenes in strong sunlight. High dynamic range (HDR) photography can be used to overcome this problem, by taking multiple shots of the scene at different exposures and then combining the best parts from each into one image. Select the Auto Exposure Bracketing option from the camera’s menu and move the markers a few stops apart. Use Aperture Priority mode, choosing your desired aperture, then compose the shot as normal. The shots can then be combined into onefinal image using Photoshop or dedicated software such as Photomatix.
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Top
Woodland sunrise Taken on an early December morning, photographer Ceri Jones caught this light display
DID YOU KNOW? Backlighting can work well when shooting forests, particularly when conditions are slightly foggy
Middle
Position the Sun Early-morning rays break through the lingering mist, and the Sun has been placed behind a tree to avoid lens flare
Right
Control exposure This image was stopped down from the camera’s defined exposure to ensure minimal clipping of highlights
Left
Bracket exposures Exposure bracketing takes three shots several stops apart to capture the full range of highlight and shadow detail s e n o J i r e C ©
VISTAS WITH IMPACT
Protect your kit Follow these simple measures and continue to shoot when the weather gets dramatic
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d l a r r e D ©
©Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston
Top
Darkened dunes By photographing in the golden hours, you’ll record a very different tone to the sand dunes that is less commonly seen in this type of location
Photographing vistas leaves you open to the elements, and nothing is more damaging to your electronic kit than water and sand. Most camera rucksacks come with waterproof covers, so use these in moist, damp conditions when walking to a location. Always keep any spare kit zipped away when not in use, with lenses in pouches, and filters in their holders. Consider investing in a waterproof cover for your camera/ lens setup, which will keep out water, as well as dust and dirt. In an emergency or a tight budget, you can use a piece of plastic or a carrier bag as makeshift protection, but if you’re planning on heading out into particularly harsh conditions it’s best to invest in something more substantial. Attach UV filters as a cost-effective way to protect your lenses, and use microfibre cloths to wipe off excess moisture when you’re in the field. 1
3 2
Left
Camping on the dunes Photographer Derrald FarnsworthLivingston (www.journeyoflight. com) has included the tent as a secondary subject to give the landscape a sense of scale
Capture deserts Convey the beautyofthisharsh environment while keeping your kitprotected Deserts are prime locations to focus on shadow, texture and form in your images. The desert wind creates lines in the sand, and any shadow behind them leads to high-contrast results. Look down, instead of trying to capture the whole scene, by crouching and focusing on the detail in the sand. Start to see light before you look for anything else. Throughout the day in a desert, the colour of the sand will change in accordance with the angle of the Sun,so plan your shoot time depending on what end result you want. This location is no exception to the magic of the
golden hours, and the red late-afternoon light will accentuate the colour of the sand, creating much more depth to the landscape than would be present in overhead sunlight. Use a long lens if you do have to shoot in the middle of the day, as this will compress the appearance of heat waves, and convey the extreme temperatures of the environment. While it’s always important to have a UV filter on lenses to protect the glass, in the desert this is imperative. Avoid changing lenses outdoors if possible, as even gentle winds can blow up the sand into your equipment.
4
5
Escape the elements Take simple precautions when you’re shooting in the field, to protect your kit from damage
1 Rucksack cover When in a dusty place, use this to protect kit
2 Packaging Keep original packaging to keep your kit in
3 Microfibre cloth Use a soft cloth to wipe off sea spray and rain before it dries on lenses
4 Protective case Keep filters in cases when they’re not in use
5 Raincover Fasten this to your camera and lens to keep it dry when you shoot
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TECHNIQUES
Master mountains
SHOOT OVERCAST When shooting on cloudy days, don’t overexpose, and use the clouds to add drama
Reach the dizzying heights of incredible mountain images Mountains are the mightiest of vista locations, and where you stand to photograph them will greatly affect the outcome of your picture. From a valley viewpoint, include near objects, such as overhanging trees and branches, to frame the shot. Looking upwards from a low perspective can make a mountain seem much more impressive and awe-inspiring, whereas photographing the mountain from the peak or higher vantage point will play upon the idea of scale and dominance. The camera doesn’t record like the human eye; it can often be tricky to ensure a proper exposure for the sky and the mountains, and in these situations a graduated neutral density filter is handy to use. Place the transitional section of the filter between the foreground of the composition and the upper peaks, moving it up and down in the holder and using Live View to help you fine-tune the transition line in your composition. As with all landscapes, you should consider how to light for the subject. A mountain can have great texture, so avoid front lighting that will make it appear flat. Back lighting will emphasise shape and form, and side lighting creates dramatic shadows.
“Back lighting will emphasise shape and form, and side lighting creates dramatic shadows” Stay sharp Use hyperfocal focusing to maximise depth of field without using the narrowest aperture
1
Calculate distance Enter details for your camera, focal length and aperture on an app like HyperFocal Pro. Mount your camera on a tripod, set the zoom, and dial in your aperture.
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2
Move Measure the distance from the camera to a convenient object in the frame, using a rangefinder or tape. Move until your distance matches the hyperfocal distance.
3
Lock it off Switch the lens to manual focus, focusing on the object you previously measured from. Avoid moving the lens, taking the final shot with a cable release or self-timer.
VISTAS WITH IMPACT
USE FILTERS In this photograph both ND and ND grad filters were used to balance the exposure
MIRROR EFFECT
DID YOU KNOW?
Capturing sharp, stunning reflections is one way to bring your landscapes to life
For snowy landscapes, adjust the white balance to achieve much more realistic colours
Above
Bow lake, Canada A stunning shot by Andrea Auf dem Brinke (www.brinke.500px.com)
Right
Chrome Hill The time of year was important in enabling this shot to be taken
Far-right
Mam Tor, Peak District, UK Scenes can change quickly, and this mist lifted as the Sun rose
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e b m o c w e N l u a P ©
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e k n i r B m e d f u A a e r d n A ©
TECHNIQUES
SHADOW PLAY By shooting at dusk or dawn, it’s possible to capture long shadows that add depth
SHOW SCALE Include objects that will juxtapose with the sheer magnitude of the vista you’re shooting
a r e v e S k e d a R ©
Balance plains Add depth to scenesby picking outdetails Photographing plains is a great way to focus on the composition of your vista shots, with rolling hills and huge expanses of scenery impressing a grand sense of scale. Wide, open spaces can be hard to photograph because they often lack a point of interest, so choose objects that will act as a focal point, such as a group of trees or a lone dwelling, using a narrow aperture like f16 to achieve a sharp image from foreground to the horizon. Plains lack distracting elements, so they’re a location where traditional composition techniques work well. Use the rule of thirds, composing your image with the help of the grid function on the camera’s LCD screen. While you can place importance on either the sky or the land, for a more unusual image, leave the sky out of your image completely. By nature, plains are wide and open, so make sure you research the lighting, weather and conditions before your shoot. Use apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE), a map-centric Sun and Moon calculator that will enable you to see how the light will fall on the land, day or night, for any location.
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VISTAS WITH IMPACT
Rules of composition Create impact with these traditional techniques and keep the viewer’s interest in the frame Use diagonals Diagonal lines are a great way to draw the viewer’s eye. They could be made up of anything found in the landscape, like hedges, a fence, a river, or the edge of a rolling plain. Frame images This is an effective way to draw attention to the subject, and helps to give the view context.Look for overhanging branches and arches of rock that will help to giveyour shot a sense of depth.
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Sense of scale The best way to help a viewer appreciate the size of the scenery is by including a secondary subject
Lead-in lines Guide the eye through an image with lead-in lines. Obvious examples wouldbe a river or pathway that winds its way through the shot, but you can use more subtle things like rocks or waves.
Opposite-bottom
Stay simple It can be easy to overcomplicate landscapes. Don’t be afraid to focus on the shapes and textural elements
Top
Forget the sky
Rule of thirds It can feel likea cliché, but the rule of thirds is effective in creating a balanced composition. Compose images with the screen’s grid function, placing points of interest a third of the way into the frame.
Focus on the land for a more unusual shot, using a telephoto lens to compress the perspective
Right
Creative colour Shooting during the golden hours can create stunning colours to add an extra dimension to simple shots
Change your height Many images are taken at standing height, but compositions canbe dramatically improved be using a more unusual perspective.Rest the camera on something stable, or set the tripodlow to the ground.
Below
Point of interest Severa has used a line of trees as an effective focal point
DID YOU KNOW? For stronger shots, embrace geometry by emphasising lines, patterns and shapes in the scene
© Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston
a r e v e S k e d a R ©
Lead the eye Winding lead-in lines guide the eye naturally through the image, with the tractor acting as a focal point
a r e v e S k e d a R ©
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TECHNIQUES
Make the most of night-time shoots Photographer Alessio Putzu’s (500px.com/axle88) top tips
e k n i r B m e d f u A a e r d n A ©
Expose for night-time Wait for the Sun to set and capture thebeauty and magic of the world in darkness When shooting nightscapes, the obvious challenge is learning to work without the light of day to guide your shot. As you’ll be dealing with long exposures, using both a sturdy tripod and remote shutter release is absolutely essential to ensure that your shots are both sharp and full of detail. The immediate choice of subject to capture at night is a starry sky, particularly since ISO capabilities have improved so much in modern cameras. Cityscapes also have their own beauty and can be more accessible. By setting smaller apertures of around f16 or smaller you can create and exaggerate twinkling starburst effects from the urban lights. If you’re set on capturing the grandeur of the Milky Way, you’ll ideally need to shoot in a rural area away from light pollution. Use Bulb mode on a DSLR to record long exposures, using a timer and shutter release, and ideally a wide-angle lens with as wide an aperture as possible.
The key to astrophotography is capturing enough light in the shortest amount of time possible, as the Earth is constantly turning, and the longer the exposure, the more star blur you’ll have in your image. The shutter speed, focal ratio and ISO you select will ultimately depend on the outcome you want to achieve; there’s always a trade off between the three. Experiment with different combinations on location, tweaking each until you get the DP balance right and the desired results. Above
Beyond the sky Taken at the volcano of Tenerife, the photographer knew the clouds would make an interesting feature in the image
Plan the trip Check the weather conditions and the presence of the Moon before your shoot. Bring clothes appropriate to the weather and the season. Take water, food and LED flashlights to illuminate where you’ll be spending the night. Take the right kit Wide-angle lenses with a wide aperture are important for the success of a night-time shot. I usually use a Samyang 14mm f2.8 for its good quality and price. It’s also important to invest in a stable tripodthat will last over time. Remember composition A strong composition will add impact and give your image the wow effect. The rule of thirds is still my favourite technique, because it brings the right balance of objects in the shot along the lines that lead the eye to the sky.
Below
Capture the Aurora, Iceland Taken on one of Ao Thor’s Aurora Workshops in Iceland (www.photographyguide.is), he proves that patience really does pay off
Shoot the Northern Lights Make the most of this natural phenomenon for awe-inspiring images When photographing the Northern Lights, high ISO capability is critical. Attach the camera to a t ripod, and use a wide-angle lens set to a large aperture of f2.8 or wider. Switch the focus to manual and find a focal point. Freezing temperatures and long exposures drain battery life quickly, so keep spare batteries warm in a jacket pocket. For storing your images, look for memory cards that can withstand the extreme cold.
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Shoot in RAW and manual mode Shooting in manual gives you total control of your DSLR. Likewise, shooting in RAW enables you to execute important changes in postproduction, such as tweaking the white balance to make the sky look as natural as possible. Mirror up and remote control Over long exposures, camera movement can cause the shot to become blurred. Lock up the mirror to prevent vibrations, and use a remote control or cable release to avoid touching the camera. Look for those with built-in interval timer features for taking star trails.
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TECHNIQUES
Capture life on the streets Patience, practice and a creative eye are all you need to capture brilliant street pictures filled with life, light and drama, as Damien Demolder explains
S
treet photography is the most accessible form of photography simply because we all have access to interesting subjects within our daily life. Most of us live, work, shop and travel along streets – whether they’re in a country village or a bustling city. At all times there’s something going on that’s worth photographing. The real trick in street photography is to be there and to be observant. Be armed with an ability to make your camera reflect what you see so that others can see it too. Street photography is no harder or easier than any other form of our art, and with practice, effort and patience you will succeed – but don’t expect it happen overnight.
Over the course of the next few pages you’ll discover what you need to get started on the right foot. We’ll take a look at how to control composition to frame your shots and how to angle your camera for alternate perspectives. We’ll also consider the importance of being anonymous on the streets. As with landscapes, portraiture and wildlife photography, there are no hard and fast rules concerning street photography, but there are guidelines and principles that are useful to acknowledge. What you’ll read here is just one approach – appreciate what is said, try what is suggested, and then find the methods that suit you and which get you the results you like to look at.
Opposite
Life on the street You don’t have to go to exotic locations to make good street images, as they can happen anywhere All images © Damien Demolder
Learn the art of candid photography
When to go monochrome
46
How much editing should you do?
Recommended camera settings
Shoot from the hip vs the viewfinder
CAPTURE LIFE ON THE STREETS
47
TECHNIQUES
Cameras have been recording what our world looks like since the dawn of photography, and as soon as emulsion was sensitive enough, capturing human life in the street has been an important subject. As cameras became more portable, photographers took them to far-off lands to bring home images that described the people, cities, villages and events in exotic countries. Alongside documentary, landscape and architectural photographers, street photographers have helped to build an idea of what the world is really like. This is the principle of street photography: that we share what certain places are like, what it’s like to be there and what happens in those places. A good street photograph transports the viewer and makes them feel as if they are there. It is the photographer’s job to identify all the elements that create the sense of atmosphere for those who are there, so that those who aren’t there can feel it too. To do that well, the photographer has to feel it, and that can take time. Then they have to understand why they feel that way, and what is making them feel something at all.
Imagine being teleported to the centre of Birmingham and then to the centre of Barcelona. You would know which city was which immediately by the clues all around you. The buildings look different, the people dress differently, the light would be different and the colours would be too. There would be a barrage of differences that let you know where you were and it’s these things that we have to capture in our images so that the viewer also can feel the difference. It takes time and observation, a keen eye and a desire to immerse yourself – and an openness to feel the world around you. To make the viewer feel part of the scene you have to be a part of the scene yourself, as you can’t communicate what you can’t feel or what you’re not experiencing. Many street photographers try to work with a long lens, picking off distant people like a sniper, but perspective is recorded in every image and the viewer takes note of it when the picture is looked at. When perspective shows us that the event happened a long way away from the photographer, we fail to feel engaged.
“You have to be a part of the scene yourself, as you can’t communicate what you can’t feel or what you’re not experiencing”
Convert to black and white Create a classic look simply by removing the colour Some of the most classic street images were taken in black and white and these images have a lot of impact on today’s photographers. For this reason many shoot in black and white still, or convert their colour shots to monochrome in post-production. While black-and-white images can be stunning, it doesn’t suit all styles, and colour is a very important part of modern street photography. Consider the best option for your shot. For instance, a good reason for using black and white is to remove colour when it distracts us from the subject. Most modern cameras enable us to shoot in black and white, but it is just as convenient, and often better, to convert colour images using the channel mixer feature of some software applications.
Distracting colours Colours in a scene can draw attention away from our subject and prevent the image from being effective. Here the strong warm tones, and their relati onship with the blues, dominate the picture
Simplified monochrome When we switch the colour off, we simplify the scene and take away the distraction. Without the powerful colours, we can concentrate on the light and the facial profile of the subject.
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Capture moments Good street photography shows not just what humans look like, but how they behave in their environment Top-left
Kissing Pictures of people kissing can create quite a sensation and there is plenty of affection around to capture. Train stations and airports make for good hunting grounds
Top-right
Chatting People love to chat and they’ll stop just about anywhere to do it, sometimes getting quite animated. Their attention will be in each other, so you’ll go unnoticed
Right
Resting People fall asleep on the train, in parks, outside pubs and anywhere they can. With their eyes shut, they won’t spot you and they can make ideal subjects
Bottom-left
Rushing City folk rush around being busy and create a nice contrast to the stillness of the buildings around them. Freeze them in motion or capture the blur
Bottom-right
Shop activity Shops present us with all sorts of human activity that’s worth photographing, either through doorways or actually in the store
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Patterns and shapes You don’t need to travel across the world to shoot street pictures. All you need is the right environment with some good lighting, and then wait for the right person to walk into the scene
24MM
450MM
50MM
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CAPTURE LIFE ON THE STREETS
Know the law What you can and can’t do when taking street pictures While laws vary between countries, and are subject to change, there are no laws at the time of writing in the UK stating that you can’t take pictures in a public place. While you can take pictures on p rivate property, the owner is within their rights to expect you to stop if they ask. Always obey signs and exercise common sense. There aren’t currently laws against photographing children either, but you should again use common sense and avoid anything that might be indecent and ask parents before you shoot. Importantly, nobody can demand that you delete your images, or legally delete them themselves. If your pictures are ‘illegal’, they are also evidence and shouldn’t be destroyed.
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24mm Wide lenses are great in crowds or if you are close to the subject, but controlling composition can be made much harder
Opposite top-right
450mm When standing a long way from the subject, that distance is obvious in our pictures as perspective gives the game away
To ensure the viewer connects with your images, it’s best to use lenses that mimic human vision. A standard focal length for any camera sensor is a good place to begin, as these are designed to deliver a view that matches our eyesight. For a full-frame camera, a standard lens traditionally has a focal length of 50mm, but anything between 35mm and 75mm works well. If your camera has an APS-C sensor, look for a focal length between 20mm and 50mm, while Micro Four Thirds users should aim between 18mm and 40mm. The key thing about using these standard focal lengths is that to fill the frame, you need to get close. Some people like to shoot with much wider lenses, which are especially good when working in a confined space, but sometimes their wider-than-natural view can make it hard for the viewer to take in everything the scene offers in one go. Given the importance of focal length, street photographers should try not to stray too far from real-life perspectives for most work. A zoom is a convenient type of lens that encompasses a range of focal lengths, and models that cover 35-75mm are very common. Short-range zooms these days tend to be of good quality, but all zooms lack the fast maximum apertures that fixed focal length lenses can offer. Wide maximum apertures enable you to shoot in low light without increasing the ISO sensitivity, as well as offering you the creative opportunity to isolate your subject from its surroundings. Prime lenses help you to decide on an angle of view, forcing you to get close to the scene. The temptation to zoom instead of getting close can be too much for some – to the detriment of their images. Using a shallow depth of field can be an effective way of isolating a subject from a busy background, requiring a wide aperture and good focusing techniques. When working from a short distance, small movements in the subject require large shifts in focus, so be on your guard. Missed focus can easily wreck an otherwise brilliant image, and with moving subjects at wide apertures, you’ll need to work hard and think ahead to stay sharp.
Set up and shoot How you shoot is upto you but here are a few suggested starting points
1
ISO sensitivity Image noise is better than a blurred picture or subject, so be prepared to use the higher ISO settings that your camera offers if needs be.
2
Safe shutter speeds Unless you want to show subject movement, ensure that your shutter speeds are as short as possible so that you can freeze the action.
3
Depth of field Choose whether you want to use a wide aperture to lift out your subject, or a small one to get everything sharp. In low light, you may not have a choice.
4
Shoot in RAW As with all types of photography, shooting in RAW allows for more choices over colour and contrast for your final image in the editing stage.
5
Custom functions In-camera settings can be helpful for seeing how your final image will look, especially if you plan to convert to mono in post-production.
Oppositebottom
50mm Using a standard focal length and getting close is a great way of giving the illusion of actually being there in your images
Above
Stay safe The best approach is to use your common sense and avoid capturing images that could be deemed inappropriate in some way
Right
Looking natural Try to keep colours and contrast looking as natural as possible. It is fine to have high contrast, so long as it looks believable
Keep it real Should you edit your street photography captures? It’s important for news photographers to leave their images untouched, as it’s essential that t hey present any situation exactly as it happened, but for street photographers it’s fine to present an idea of what happened, an impression and a rendering down of an atmosphere. We shouldn’t lie, but we can emphasise the things we want people to see and tone down those that are a distraction – like colour, for example. It is best to get things right in-camera, but a little editing, including contrast tuning and a moderate crop, is fine.
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TECHNIQUES
Some cameras offer focus-tracking AF systems, which can work well if the subject is coming towards you, but when what you want to focus on is moving across the scene, you’ll have to rely on the reactions of the camera. You may want to pre-focus at the distance at which you expect the subject to pass by, then lock the AF. It may help to use a smaller aperture, especially if the subject will be close. Remember, when used at a focus distance of three or four feet, f4 will still offer a shallow enough depth of field to render backgrounds very soft, so you don’t need to go wider. A safer method of working is to close the aperture until the depth of field covers an extensive range of distances that the subject will fall within. Using an aperture of f11 with a 35mm lens, for example, can render both the foreground and background equally crisp and clear. Even a reasonably slow autofocusing systems can be rendered effective in this way, as there is a large of margin for error. Switching to manual focus with a small aperture is another option. You can then tweak the zone of focus to encompass the rough area in which we expect the subject to be. If we set the focus on a 35mm lens to six feet, for example, at f11 everything from four to eleven feet will look sharp – focus at twelve feet and everything from six feet to infinity will be sharp. This zone focusing is a method employed by rangefinder-camera users, as it frees them from worrying about focus, which allows them to concentrate on composition. Some photographers use zone focusing to enable them to shoot from the hip. To shoot from the hip means to hold the camera at waist height. By shooting from this angle, it is impossible to predict how your scene will be captured. Many opt to pre-focus their camera to ensure the clarity of shots rather than risking it with autofocus. You can improve your street photography skills by being taught by Damien first hand. For more information, visit his website at www.wordsonpictures.com/words/ DP category/events-and-courses.
Cameras that blend in
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Key considerations Think about the composition and lighting for striking shots GOOD
BAD
Successful street composition
Consider the position
Composition is key. Sometimes it’s vital to show the subject’s environment, so consider leaving space around them, and think about their positioning in the frame
In this version, shot in the same location, the subjects aren’t positioned as well. They are obscured by the shadows, so their outlines aren’t so clear
GOOD
BAD
Striking lighting
Dull lighting
Waitfor therightlightwhenchoosing when toshoot. It works well here,as itsstrength delivered thehard shadows andcreated a silhouette againstthe brightness of the wall
Shotin thesame place on a different day, theovercastand softlighting reallydoes nothing to enhancethe scene or createanything thatis interestingto lookat
Small, discreet systems are ideal to help blend in with the crowd
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 Price: £1,699 / $1,700
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Price: £650 / $1,000
Fuji X-T1 Price: £1,050 / $1,299
Leica M Price: £5,100 / $7,250
Headed up by the GH4, Panasonic’s range of Micro Four Thirds bodies feature good AF, excellent touchscreen focusing, silent shooting and a great collection of lenses. Also see the smaller GX7 and the tiny GM1.
Similar to the Lumix bodies, the OM-D and Pen cameras are small, portable and very capable machines. The Pen E-P5 and E-PL7 bodies are smaller than the OM-Ds and just as good, but the OM-D has made a good name for itself.
Fuji’s X-series is a range of mirrorless cameras with dimensions that make them more portable than most DSLR cameras. There is a collection of good lenses and Fuji unique sensor produces very good images.
Leica is often credited with being the ultimate street camera brand, with its small, quiet and discreet rangefinder cameras. The current M is an excellent and thoroughly moder camera and the accompanying lenses are extremely
HIP
Hip versus viewfinder We look closely at the pros and cons of each shooting method
Hip PROS
CONS
Shooting from the hip makes you less noticeable as a photographer than shooting with the camera to your face.
As you are not looking through the viewfinder, it is hard to compose your image so that it contains what you want in theshot.
The low-angled viewpoint can create some eye-catching images, as we are not used to seeing from that height.
Without seeing what the camera is seeing, it can be easy to miss the subject completely, or make a poor compositionof a situation.
There is an excitement in the random nature of what you get from this method of working.
This method can be used by those that don’t want to be seen, but it’s no substitute for control.
Viewfinder PROS
CONS
Holding the camera against your face adds stability and helps to preventcamera shake.
Everyone shoots at eye-height, and it can create a very ordinary viewpoint for yourpictures.
On bright days the rear LCD screen can sometimes be hard to see clearly, but the viewfinder always provides a glare-freeview.
Holding a camera to your face will mark you out as a photographer, probably making you much morenoticeable.
Looking through the camera allows us absolute control over composition, while when shooting from the hip we are guessing.
When shooting from a low angle, you have to ensure that your face is at the same level so that you can see through the finder. Above andinset
VIEWFINDER
Shoot from the hip Shooting blind from hip level can produce some good images, but there is rather too much luck involved for it to be a reliable method of working. It can waste good situations Left and below
Through the viewfinder This low-angled shot needed a crouching position while the viewfinder was being used. The bright conditions made the rear screen hard to use, and the focus was too important to guess
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SHOOTING SKILLS
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FROZEN FLOWERS
Frozen flowers
Encasepetalsinice tocreate anunusualartisticeffect
Photography is often about capturing beautiful, organic things in their natural environments, but it’s also about trying to present the everyday in a way that’s surprising, unusual or unique. Flowers are clearly a hugely popular subject matter for photographers, which is not surprising when you consider the abundant beauty, colour, texture and detail that they offer. However, it’s not always that easy to capture particularly original images of them. A fun, creative solution is to freeze a flower in ice before photographing it. This might sound like a bizarre concept at first, but it can result in some incredible images. The unpredictability of the freezing process and how different flowers respond to this is one of the most intriguing elements of this technique. The degree of transparency that’s present in the ice will vary enormously and different patterns will appear. Remember that this tutorial merely represents a suggested starting point and you’ll need to experiment in order to produce results that appeal to you. You can, of course, light your frozen flower in any way that you wish to – again, the lightbox and speedlight combination demonstrated here is simply one option that you could consider. A macro lens, however, is highly recommended. Left
Snap the ice This shooting project is relatively easy to do and you never know what kind of results you’ll get
What you’ll need DSLR Macro lens Tripod or flash stand Speedlight Light table A flower A freezer A baking tray
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SHOOTING SKILLS
Shooting steps
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2
1
Freeze a flower This is best done in stages, as you can’t simply soak a flower in a tray of water and expect it to sit there in the perfect position during the freezing process. Freeze your first layer of water, then wet the flower before placing it in the tray so that it sticks to this layer of ice.
2
Light the flower Remember to get your lighting fully set up and ready to go prior to removing the flower from the freezer, as the ice will not stay frozen long at all.You could try using a light table, which are designed for looking at slides with a loupe, but they are also ideal for photographing backlit macro.
3
4
3
Balance the light Backlighting is beautiful, but it can be a bit too extreme if used without any other form of lighting to balance it out. Position a speedlight flash unit off-camera and to one side in order fill shadows on the surface of the flower. Set this to its manual mode and use it at about 1/8 power.
4
Get in close A true macro lens enables you to focus at very close distances to take remarkably detailed shots of the texture of the ice and the flower encased within it. Remember that the depth of field is extremely limited when the focusing distance is so short. 5
5
Use manual Set your camera into manual exposure mode. The combination of backlighting and an off-camera flash is an unusual one that may be misinterpreted by your camera’s meter. Start with a shutter speed of 1/200sec and an aperture of f22 to combat the shallow depth of field at high magnifications.
6
Shoot for quality In order to produce the best-quality images with as little noise as possible, use the lowest ISO sensitivity setting that’s available on your camera. In addition to this, shoot in your camera’s RAW format so that you have the maximum amount of editing potential.
56
6
FROZEN FLOWERS
The setup
AVOID SHADOW Use a speedlight to provide a spot of fill-in flash to light the camera-side of the flower and decrease shadows
GO MACRO A macro lens enables you to capture close-up details of the flower frozen within the ice
BACKLIGHTING A ligh lightt tableis an idealtool for providing backlighting, illuminating textures within the ice and penetrating the flower’s petals
Trigger the flash When it comes to firing the speedlight, a wireless setup is best Though it’s perfectly possible to use a flashsync cord to trigger the speedlight, this will be potentially restrictive, limiting your movements as you attempt to photograph the flower from as many different angles as possible. It’s much better to work wirelessly, and there are different means of ditching the cords and freeing yourself yourself up to concentrate on the photography. Nikon’s Creative Creativ e Lighting System enables you to use the built-in pop-up flash on your camera to fire the flash and you can adjust all the settings for the speedlight from within the camera menus. Canon also offers a wireless flash system that works in a similar fashion. Alternatively, you could try using wireless radio triggers, of which the PocketWizard range is arguably the most popular.
57
SHOOTING SKILLS
Editing steps
1
2
1
Lighten up and add contrast Open the RAW file in Camera Raw or your preferred editing software. Increase the Exposure and Contrast sliders to improve the brightness and drama in the image. Keep an eye on the Histogram preview as you do this.
2
Add clarity The Clarity slider can be used to increase the local contrast, or midtone contrast, that’s present in the image. Try taking this all the way to its maximum setting and then gradually reducing it if the effect appears too much.
3
Control the colour Experiment with the White Balance settings, adjusting both Temperature and Tint in order to create different colour effects. You might also want to adjust the Vibrancy and Saturation sliders or the Split Toning options.
3
4
4
Make local adjustments Use the Adjustment brush to make localised edits to colour, contrast and saturation. Use the Healing Brush tool to remove any unwanted reflections. If necessary, make a crop to tighte tighten n the compos compositi ition. on. Below
Raw power You can greatly improve the impact of the results by using the options available to you in Adobe Camera Raw
BEFORE
58
AFTER
Learn in style
Th The TM
Series Discover more with the Book series’ expert, accessible tutorials for iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android, Photoshop, Windows and more
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SHOOTING SKILLS
Capture stunning fireworks Add explosive imagery to your portfolio with this tutorialonhow totake the perfect fireworks shot With so much visual impact, fireworks are undeniably one of the most popular events to photograph. Despite their breathtaking look, however, they are notoriously difficult to photograph well. In this tutorial we’ll consider the steps to take to ensure your firework images pack a punch. Once you’re near the display’s location, look for somewhere quiet to set up, as you don’t want people blocking your view.A viewpoint further away gives great perspective and the chance to include the location as well as the fireworks. Try to set up upwind of the fireworks, as there’ll be less smoke from the explosions.
Make sure that you arrive early so that you’re not rushing. It’s also important to pack a tripod and remote shutter release. While both of these will ensure that your images are sharp, you should also try to find a firm surface to set up on, as this will help to keep the tripod even more stable. You could also try hanging a bag from a centre column to add more weight to it. Take plenty of images during the display, as you’ll need both luck and good timing to capture the best explosions. Make sure that you have plenty of space on your memory card and shoot in RAW file format where possible to make the most of the image quality.
1
Prepare your camera Plug in your remote release and set your camera settings before you head out, starting at around ten seconds, f8 and ISO 400. Before the fireworks display begins, finetune your exposure.
2
Keep level Mount your camera on a tripod and make sure you are level – many cameras now have built-in levels or you could use a spirit level bubble. Keep it level across the horizon, but leave some room in the sky.
3
4
5
6
Select your image Import your images into editing software and select your best. In Lightoom you can add flags and filter by these to see only your best images. Check the sharpness before picking your final shot.
60
Crop your image To give the photo the best impact you will need to crop in – here we’ve cropped in to keep the reflection and some of the beach and pier. This also makes the fireworks larger in the frame.
Above
Uncropped and lacking contrast While not a terrible image, the distance means that the impact from this image is lost. Note how the wide view ensures you get the whole of the fireworks in
Focus manually Focus on a point in the distance and set your camera to manual focus, as you won’t be able to focus quickly enough during the display. When the fireworks start you should be all set up to start shooting.
Finishing touches Adjust the contrast to give more definition between the sky and the fireworks. Boost the Vibrance (Saturation adds too much colour) and reduce the blacks and whites to add punch to the image.
CAPTURE STUNNING FIREWORKS
Right
The finished firework photo As you can see, the cropping and adjustment of the contrast, vibrance and levels makes all the difference to the impact of the image
61
IMAGE EDITING
Enhance your images with DxO Optics Pro 8 Discoverhow thisincarnation ofthe popular software – freethisissue – can enhance images DxO Optics Pro from DxO Labs is one of the most popular imageenhancing softwares available, and it has plenty to offer all levels of photographer. DxO Optics Pro 8 features a user interface that will be familiar to users of Lightroom, but it offers specialist image-correction tools that go beyond what’s offered by most of the competitors. With its range of built-in camera and lens algorithms, DxO Optics Pro can automatically correct flaws with incredible speed and effectiveness, and in this tutorial, you’ll discover the basics of how the software works its magic. Head to www.dxo.com/dphotographer to download your free copy now, exclusive to Digital Photographer readers.
BEFORE
Above
Original capture The start image has some dark shadow areas and the overall dynamic range needs improving
1
Organise your images DxO Optics Pro 8 features an image-browser interface; you can use the panel on the left to navigate through folders.The software will automatically check for Optics Modules you may need.
2
3
4
Selective Tone Take the level of control you have over dynamic range a step further by using the Selective Tone controls introduced in this version. This enables fine adjustments of Highlights, Midtones, Shadows and Blacks.
62
Smart Lighting An attractive innovation in DxO Optics Pro 8, Smart Lighting in Customize mode enables you to easily recover shadow and highlight detail. Presets are available, but the Intensity slider is adjustable.
Auto adjustments Perhaps the greatest strength of DxO Optics Pro 8 is the way it automatically handles common image flaws, such as distortion and chromatic aberration. These can still be manually adjusted.
5
Advanced User Once you’ve taken your first steps and have grown familiar with the interface (it won’t take long), you can expand your options by selecting the Advanced User workspace at the top right of the main screen.
DXO OPTICS PRO 8
AFTER
After editing in Optics Pro After barely a few minutes in DxO Optics Pro 8, the shadow areas have been significantly enhanced and the overall appearance of the image is much stronger
6an easy way to see the changes made to
7 in familiar image-editing software, key
8an integrated Print Module to make it easy
your starting image – and what the software has automatically adjusted. Click and hold anywhere just outside of your image preview.
adjustments, such as a Tone Curve and Vibrancy and Saturation sliders, are available in order to boost the impact of the image.
to print JPEG and RAW files from the main interface, with contact sheet printing also available. Text and metadata can also be added.
Before and after
DxO Optics Pro 8 has
Familiar controls Just
as you’d find
Print Module DxO
Optics Pro 8 features
63
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editing experience, with the image browser being simplified. The overall speed of the software has been boosted too, with the software boot time up by 1.5 and the imageloading speed up by ten times over previous versions. There’s also new support for DNG files for a smoother workflow between DxO Optics Pro and Lightroom. Using the exclusive discount code DIGITALPHOTOGRAPHER1014 at the checkout at the DxO Labs website (www.dxo.com ), you can receive a 25% discount on the price of DxO Optics Pro Elite Edition. This will retail at £159/$199, but with our special offer, you can purchase it for just £119/$149. Don’t delay, though, as the offer is only valid until 31 January 2015.
IMAGE EDITING
Add light rays in Photoshop See how to use Photoshopto add dramaticlight rays to a cloudysky There are few things in photography that are as awe-inspiring as the moment when the clouds part, allowing defined rays of sunlight to reach down and touch the ground. Capturing these moments on camera can be tricky, however, and waiting hours on a seashore for them to appear can be a fruitless endeavour. Even if you are lucky enough to witness these beams, sometimes the drama can seem unimpressive and bland in an image. Luckily it is possible to re-create these rays of light in editing software. In this tutorial we will take a look at how to take portions of an already dramatic sky and transform them with piercing rays of light.
BEFORE
Above
Moody skies Imageslike thisare already strongin compositionand exposure. Thesky hascharacter to it,but lacks real drama
Select the sky Begin with an image that contains a dramatic sky, like this image of a lighthouse. Use the Quick Selection tool to select the sky,and deselect any of the building or ground area the tool inadvertently grabbed.
1
2
3
4
Add blur Create the light rays by going to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur. Set the Blur Method to Zoom and the Amount to 100. Move the blur centre to the top, slightly in from the right. Run this filter twice.
66
Create contrast Press Ctrl/Cmd+J to copy the sky to a new layer. Go to Image> Adjustments>Levels and pull the outer handles of the Input Levels inwards, but skewed towards the right to add contrast in the clouds.
Increase contrast Set the layer’s blending mode to Screen, then run the Levels adjustment again. Increase the contrast, but try to retain the soft look of the light rays. If needed, transform the layer to extend the light.
AFTER
Light the sky With the use of Photoshop, it’s possible to fake those magical moments in which beams of light pierce through the clouds
5
Mask the effect Add a layer mask and use a soft brush with black paint to remove the effect from in front of the lighthouse. Set the brush Opacity to 50% and build up the paint strokes, gently avoiding hard edges.
ADD LIGHT RAYS
6
Repeat the effect Select a smaller portion of the sky near the horizon and repeat the effect on a smaller scale. When using the Radial Blur filter, move the blur centre to make the rays parallel with the larger set.
7
Reverse the mask Add a layer mask to the new layer, but this time fill the mask with black and use a white brush to reveal the rays in specific areas. The light should only be coming from clouds that are already bright.
8
Enhance contrast Enhance the effect by adding a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer over the background. In our image, we set the Brightness to -17 and the Contrast to 20 to accentuate the light effect.
67
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The photo helpdesk Looking for a new lens? Camera kit expert Amy Davies answers your questions on top picks for different shooting scenarios
s e i v a D y m A © s e g a m i l l A
Left
Fit in the scene Using a wide-angle lens means you can get more of the subject in Above
Place yourself Your shooting position also influences the effect of converging verticals
Wide-angle for architecture I’m beginning to get into architectural photography and am tempted by a wide-angle lens, but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any advice? Sarah Williams For interesting architectural images, you’ll want to go as wide as you can. A standard lens generally only goes as wide as around 24mm (35mm equivalent), but you’ll be looking at something beginning around 14-16mm (equivalent). For APS-C format cameras, a 10mm starting point is good, while Micro Four Thirds should look at 7mm lenses. The issue with wide-angle lenses is that they can create distortion, so your images look unrealistic due to converging verticals. Most architectural photographers get around this problem by using a
70
tilt-shift lens. When using one of these, the camera back is parallel to the subject, while the lens is angled to fit the subject in. A tilt-shift lens will give you a more realistic shot, but their high price tag places them out of reach for many photographers. To avoid converging verticals when using an ordinary lens, there are a number of things you can do. Invest in a tripod that can be extended as tall as possible to enable you to get a better straight-on view of the building. You can also try photographing a building from a level vantage point, such as from another structure across the road. You can correct problems in post-production fairly easily, and while the effect won’t be as pristine as using a tilt-shift lens, you’ll get a pretty close approximation at a fraction of the price.
Lenses to work wide with Panasonic 7-14mm f/4.0 Micro Four Thirds lens Price: £899 / $1,080
Great for both landscape and architectural shots, this lens fits both Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras. Sigma 10-20mm f4/5-6 Price: £369 / $479
Available in a range of mounts, this lens will help you capture fantastically wide shots with lots of detail and visual interest.
Macro lenses for detail shots I love taking close-up shots, but my current lenses lack detail. What should I be looking for in a macro lens? Robert Andrews
Prime lenses for portraits I’m starting to take paid commissions for my portrait photography and I want to ensure I have the best equipment. What kind of lens do you recommend? Adrian Hillman The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to pick up a great lens for portraits. With portraits, you want to ensure that features look natural and that you don’t distort a person’s face, such as by making their nose look bigger than it is. While wide-angle lenses are good for environmental shots and showing a person in their surroundings, you should avoid them for close-up images as they may cause these unnatural distortions. Prime lenses with a focal length of around 80-85mm are ideal for portraiture work. If you’re using an APS-C camera, a 50mm lens is great and can usually be picked up relatively cheaply. For Micro Four Thirds lenses, look out for 45mm lenses. Full-frame photographers should look out for an 85mm lens. Prime lenses also have a wide aperture, such as f1.8 or f1.4, which is great for blurring the background and allowing features to pop – a crucial element for portraits. You can also shoot detail shots with these lenses, which is great for making up a portfolio or montage.
Ideal lenses for portraiture Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Price: £80 / $126
A fantastic lens for portrait photography. If you can afford the f1.4 version, even better. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G Price: £470 / $496
The classic focal length for portraiture, an 85mm lens enables you to take natural shots.
Above
Make your shots pop Shooting with a medium telephoto lens makes features appear more natural and allows you to blur the background Inset
Keep your distance Use something that gives you an equivalent of around 80-90mm to give you the ideal length for portraits
The great thing about macro photography is that you’ll often be able to find an abundance of subjects at home or in the garden. Investing in a dedicated macro lens is a great way to get some stunning close-up shots, full of intricate details. Using a macro lens with a relatively long focal length is a great idea for photographing wildlife, such as insects, as it enables you to take a step back and still fill the frame – look out for those offering an equivalent of 100mm or more. For APS-C cameras, a lens with a focal length of around 60mm is great, while for Micro Four Thirds, a 45mm or 60mm lens is ideal. Pay attention to whether or not you’re investing in a true macro lens. Make sure a lens can capture at 1:1, as this means it’ll be photographing the subject at true-to-life size on the camera’s sensor. Anything that is not marked 1:1 won’t be fine enough for very detailed subjects. Above
Work from home A huge range of subjects make for good macro subjects, both indoors and out
Kit to get you up close
Olympus M.ZUIKO 60mm f/2.8 Digital ED Price: £450 / $500
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Price: £650 / $969
A fantastic lens that offers 1:1 magnification for super-fine detail. This lens includes silent focusing, which makes it great for wildlife.
A perfect lens to be used with full-frame cameras, this 1:1 magnification macro comes in a range of mounts, including Canon and Nikon.
71
HELPDESK
All-round lenses for travelling I’m going travelling soon and I don’t want to take all of my prime lenses with me. Can you recommend a good all-round lens that will be useful in a variety of situations? Susan Johnson You have a couple of options for all-round lenses, depending on your budget. You can go for so-called travel zooms, known as superzoom lenses, which offer huge flexibility in terms of focal lengths, but aren’t optically as good as shorter zooms. Another problem with long superzoom lenses is that the maximum aperture is pretty narrow, which is not so useful for blurring backgrounds or when you’re shooting in low light, making them a big compromise when you’re travelling. For this reason, if you can stretch your budget, it’s worth investing in something that can offer you an f2.8 constant aperture throughout its zoom range. If you’re photographing with a full-frame camera, the
72
classic all-rounder lens is a 24-70mm f2.8, which should see you through from capturing fairly wide landscapes to portraits and still-life subjects without having to switch lenses. Look for focal lengths that offer roughly the 24-70mm equivalent focal length for your sensor size. For APS-C sensors, a 17-55mm lens is a reliable option, while for Micro Four Thirds, a 12-35mm lens is optimal for all-round shooting. For those on a slightly tighter budget, look for zoom lenses that have an f2.8-f4 or f4 constant aperture. You should still be able to restrict depth of field to isolate subjects, and they’ll cope reasonably well with some low-light situations. Above
Flexible shooting Using a lens with a range of focal lengths while travelling gives you maximum flexibility and saves you carrying extra optics
Lenses to pack for travel shots Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 Lumix G X Vario lens Price: £829 / $1,000
A fantastically versatile lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras that matches the classic 24-70mm full-frame focal length Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM Zoom Price: £1,700 /
$2,099 The second generation of this well-loved lens brings fantastic optical clarity and grea versatility for shooters.
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How to get published Whether you’re pursuing a publisher, or opting for the self-funded route, a book can be a great way for the world to see your work
D
Right
Of Beards And Men OLeary’s project, Of Beards And Men, is available in four different
editions, including hardback Opposite
Bring on the men The project features images of more than 150 bearded men over the course of two years
74
espite developments in digital technology, there’s no denying the appeal of good-quality paper and ink. For many, seeing your work in print would be like a dream come true, so just how do you go about it? First, it’s important to get your photography out there. Julia Ruxton, picture manager at book publisher Laurence King ( www. laurenceking.com ), explains, “If you don’t have images in an online picture library, it’s worth putting them onto photo-sharing websites, such as Flickr, in a low resolution or with download disabled, and either ‘all rights reserved’ or stating that commercial use requires permission. Flickr has a licensing arrangement that you can opt into.” Using these sites mean professionals will have instant access to parts of your portfolio – ideal if they want to feature one of your shots in a project they’re working on. Microstock websites, such as iStock, Shutterstock and Dreamstime, can offer benefits and immediate payment. “Microstock sites make commercial use of your photos really simple… and increasingly become a first port of call for publishers and institutions alike,” says Ruxton. “Rates… are generally not particularly high, but if a picture editor is faced with the choice between two images of equal quality – one cheap and one expensive – it’s not hard to guess which one will be published. The more often you’re published, the more your images will be seen and potentially published again.” This approach could prove more effective in the long run, since pitching your work to publishers when you’re unknown can have mixed results. “It is very rare that I even look at emails sent by individual photographers,” Ruxton admits. “I get dozens a day and usually they are not relevant, so if I looked at all of them, I’d never do my job. You’re more likely to get a photo used by having it somewhere online where it is easily identifiable as yours.” If you’re intent on pitching your work, however, she recommends, “Make sure you’re sending it to a publisher that uses that type of imagery. Second, don’t send huge attachments.” Meanwhile, Michelle Dunn Marsh, founder of publishing platform Minor Matters ( www.
minormattersbooks.com ) and executive
director of PCNW, prefers to meet artists face to face. “We don’t take submissions. I attend gallery openings, conduct studio visits, participate in portfolio reviews and take recommendations from colleagues. It’s an incredibly personal and time-consuming effort to craft a book in collaboration with the maker, and then promote it. It’s like building any relationship – it takes time.” Minor Matters started in 2013, blending traditional pre-selling practices with an active online audience. “We devised this model with a fixed price point of $50 and the goal of 500 people pre-purchasing each book within a fixed time frame to move it forward.” Marsh continues, “We know there are a lot of creative people who would like to see their work in book form, and we take that very seriously. We don’t put forth a ton of projects, but those we choose and champion, we are very committed to.” Each customer who pre-purchases is listed in the book. Once it’s printed, copies are sent to the customers first; the rest are sold on Minor Matters’ website and selected stores. “Making a book is slow, laborious and expensive,” Marsh says, “but the end result is precious and should outlast us to inspire future generations.”
y r a e L O R D h p e s o J © s e g a m i l l A
HOW TO GET PUBLISHED
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GO PRO
Keywords and credits Julia Ruxton, picture manager for Laurence King, explains how to increase your visibility online Good keywords are important if you’re planning on uploading your photographs to microstock sites. “In addition to subject matter, you should think about alternate words – including UK/USA equivalents, such as school/college – as well as mood, dominant colour and type of image,” says Ruxton. “The more precise your caption, the more likely it will be used – though general keywords should also be added. That way your photo of a bird in a flowering tree will reach someone who wants a pretty summer scene, any bird, or that specific bird or tree.” There are restrictions on the types of photographs you can upload, though. “If you have taken a photo of a person or on private property, you need to have the relevant signed permission or release forms. For example, the National Trust and English Heritage do not allow you to make commercial gain from images you take on their properties and that is a condition of allowing photography. The same applies in most museums. These institutions regularly go through the online outlets getting images that shouldn’t be on there removed.” Finally, don’t forget your copyright line. “Always insist on a proper credit, which includes the copyright symbol. If you use a moniker, you will just make yourself harder to find when someone wants to use your photo.”
Above Make your work easier to find online by including precise and more general keywords when uploading to stock photography sites
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s r e t t a M r o n i M ©
Choosing content OLeary’s project, Of Beards and Men (www. requires careful ofbeardsandmen.com ), first started out as a planning. Depending way of dealing with some unfortunate events, on the artist, the focus “After a difficult 2011 and 2012, with my brother could be on an individual project or a body dying in a car crash [and] my own debilitating of work. “The artist does an initial edit of the bout of Lyme disease that put me on crutches images, I look at it with them or shape it and for nearly five months, I decided I needed a send it back to them, and the book takes form,” way to focus on something other than the Marsh explains. “We discuss possible writers, darkness I was caught in. At that point I turned what text is the right addition to the work, the to my photography and went into the studio.” physical considerations of size, binding, paper – OLeary spent the next two years inviting knowing that we’re working with a fixed budget, over 150 bearded men to his studio for a so there are give-and-take elements.” series of portraits, resulting in a limited edition Before embarking on your own publishing coffee-table book. Four different editions were journey, it’s important to consider what your available during the campaign, including a soft aims are. Is it to showcase your body of cover, hardcover and a personalised slipcase work, or specific projects? Are you looking edition. “[They] all had the exact same paper to produce a coffee-table book or a practical and binding,” says OLeary. “The only difference guide to various techniques? Establishing was the covers and the production methods this at the start enables you to weigh up your that went into making each cover.” content, your options and your costs. Having 22 years of graphic design experience While opting for a publisher can hold many certainly helped too. “I was able to oversee benefits, self-publishing also offers some the entire process myself. I did all 26 hours of interesting opportunities. Websites such as press checks. I was able to talk the bindery Blurb, the Amazon-owned CreateSpace and into letting me help out on some of the binding Lulu, provide a variety of solutions to suit processes. I spent several days folding dust most budgets. You can choose from a range of jackets, shrink-wrapping, and boxing so that I sizes, paper stock and binding techniques. It’s could be present during the process.” easy to feel overwhelmed at first, but careful Meanwhile, managing the campaign required planning and an awareness of your target a lot of time, dedication and social media audience can keep you on track. Furthermore, Above-left digital options and distribution solutions are Sign off also offered, which can be a real help when Joe Park signs off on his final it comes to actually making money from the book layout. Also pictured is the project. Many of the services offer a print-oncover of his book, Prizmism demand service or an online storefront, which Above is ideal if you’re handling it all by yourself. Go to print Artist and photographer Joseph D R OLeary David Hilliard on press at Oddi (www.jdro.com) chose to self-publish his first back in the Summer. His book, book. Money for production costs was raised What Could Be , is available now through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter. Opposite “I was an unknown entity to many publishers, Look harder [so] I knew I would not be able to get a Photographer Lisa Leone publisher to take on my project, but I didn’t inspects a series of her want that to stop me.” photographic prints
s r e t t a M r o n i M ©
HOW TO GET PUBLISHED
Do it yourself With lots of online publishing options to choose from, we look at three of the most popular BLURB www.blurb.com Blurb describes itself as a ‘complete publishing platform’, and you can even edit your shots while you lay the book out. Choose from five soft or hardcover options and a further five paper types. You can sell through its site, Amazon, or make ebooks for Kindle or Apple iBooks.
CREATESPACE
s r e t t a M r o n i M ©
www.createspace.com/diy-gb While the interface looks a little less inviting, the Amazon-owned CreateSpace offers free advice on creating, promoting and distributing your book. It provides some tools for layout, but you can also upgrade parts of the service to help with things like design, marketing and editing.
“While opting for a publisher can hold many benefits, self-publishing also offers some interesting opportunities” updates, as OLeary explains, “One of the guys in the book helped me out with my Kickstarter video. I designed and printed several campaign materials that I mailed to about 500 people… and distributed these materials in coffee shops or places I felt had the right audience.” Of Beards and Men ’s campaign was very successful, generating more than $13,000 above its initial target of $27,000. “However, as I designed the book and increased the number of pages, portraits and production values, my final expenses for the project were just under $80,000,” OLeary shares. Switching to local printers rather than one based overseas played a part in the overspend. “My project cost me substantially more than I intended. I was interviewing reps in both Singapore and China, which could have saved nearly 45 per cent in production expenses, but ultimately sending
my project overseas was against my personal values… My goal was not to make money on this project, but simply to make a limited edition, beautiful work of art.” For those thinking of making their own book, OLeary advises, “Expect the unexpected. Really understand what is important to you. Be sure to hire a designer that fits the images, as it’s important the design doesn’t overshadow the images, but supports them.” Marsh adds, “The best end result for a book of your work will come from someone falling in love with [it]. You can’t make that happen with your art any more than you make it happen in life. It takes chemistry, timing, spontaneity, resources, and magic. The great photographer Elliott Erwitt says that if you talk too much about the magic you ruin it. There’s got to DP be magic in bringing a book to life.”
LULU www.lulu.com Lulu offers three ranges of books – value, standard and premium – in a range of sizes. Much like the other services, you can create ebooks for different devices and get additional assistance with paidfor upgrades. Sell your title through Lulu or Amazon and selected retailers.
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Career advice
Digital Photographer’s Lauren Scott takes a look at the options available for studying photography and how to decide what direction to take
Is experience necessary? I use photography a lot at work and I’ve been thinking about going back into education. As a mature student, a lot of my qualifications are outdated and I’m not sure they’ll help me to get in. Would I need to get some more basic qualifications before I apply to a full degree or are there entry-level options? Naomi Roe Many mature students without formal qualifications feel they don’t have the academic credentials universities ask for, but often you can use other experiences or your career history to support your application. If you’ve used photography a lot in your job, it’s possible that you’ve picked up the skills that admissions tutors are looking for. They want to ensure that you’re suitable for the course and will succeed. You’ll have to apply through UCAS (www.ucas.com), which gives the entry requirements and contact details of all courses. Discuss your experiences with the course providers and hopefully you can prove you’re suitable for studying a higher-education course. They may want you to do an entry-level foundation year first to build up your skills, but this then leads onto a full degree
Choose your course wisely I want to pursue a career in photography and think the best way to achieve this would be to study at university. After researching some of the options, I’m a bit overwhelmed. In such a competitive field, is it better to apply for specific photography courses like fashion, or will I learn more on a broader photography degree? Elena Richardson A degree programme is a big commitment both financially and mentally, so a lot of thought should go into selecting the right program. Decide where your photographic passion lies. What do you shoot the most? Do you want to study practical techniques and methods, or take a more concept-based fine art approach? Research courses through websites and a prospectus and if possible, attend open days. These will give you an opportunity to see the facilities, talk to current students and staff and ask any questions. Think about the kind of skills you want to gain and what career you want at the end. While studying a specific degree won’t guarantee you your dream job, it will influence your image-making into a final portfolio that’s geared towards success.
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CAREER ADVICE
Get noticed in interviews Admissions tutor Alice Maude-Roxby(www.falmouth.ac.uk) shares the secrets ofa successful photography portfolio
Learn from home After pursuing photography as a hobby, I want to study for a recognised qualification. I have family commitments, so I’m not looking to move. Are there any options available for distance learning and are these well regarded? Joshua Harding It’s great that you want to gain recognition for something that you already enjoy so much, but a degree isn’t the only option available. While most distance and online schools offer a certificate and not a degree, these still display your photography interest and valuable skills you’ve learnt. Many local colleges offer weekly evening classes during term-time that might work around existing commitments, and these usually result in a diploma or A Level. If you want to study at your own pace from home, institutions like the London Art College (www.londonartcollege.co.uk ) offer distanced learning courses supported by tutors. On the other hand, if you’re interested in gaining a degree, organisations like The Open College of the Arts (www.oca-uk.com) offer courses that are accredited by leading specialist universities, and can be studied individually for personal development or together towards a degree. When choosing the perfect option for you, consider the costs, how much time you want to put in, and what you’re going to learn.
Opposite-top Research the entry requirements for specific courses on www.ucas.com and contact the universities that you’re interested
We’re really excited by a portfolio that is rich in ideas, and [we] look y t i for work that reflects s r e v i the applicant’s genuine n U h interests, relevant to the t u o m course they’re applying to. l a F © BA Photography is broad and suits students who want to test out their ideas, working across many genres, so the photography in the portfolio should reflect an individualistic approach. For more specialist courses, it’s important to show an interest in the genre. I‘d advise applicants to submit short sequences of images that show how they have explored an idea or subject rather than including single images
of many different but unrelated subjects. It’s great to include contact prints or thumbnails that show the selection process and how the final edit was arrived at. Photographs should be printed to the best of the applicant’s ability, as viewing images on a laptop is not the best way to see the work. Printed work also enables a discussion of several images, where digital slideshows can be quite restrictive. We very much value that applicants have acquired technical skills, but we’re also looking for a level of resourcefulness. This can be reflected in a portfolio where an applicant has had little access to high-end photographic equipment, but has nonetheless produced highly engaging images.
“We’re really excited by a portfolio that is rich in ideas”
Opposite Brainstorm ideas to find out what your main photographic interests are and research what courses might suit you
Above Show your particular passion for photography through the images in your portfolio
Above Photography courses can take up a lot of time, but distance learning makes it easier to study
Left A strong portfolio can be the deciding factor for tutors when they offer students a place
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ON A SHOOT WITH
Low light in London The NikonSchoolshoweda group of aspiringphotographers how to capture stunninglow-light images London is a vibrant and metropolitan city that provides a wealth of opportunities for photographers of all skills and genres. It’s also the location of the Nikon School, the training centre that runs a great variety of comprehensive photography workshops throughout the year. The Low Light in London course is just one of many on offer, and with small groups of delegates, everyone benefits from the knowledge of the tutors. With a winning combination of easyto-understand theory and hands-on practical assignments, attendees left with a strong set of low-light images to add to their portfolio, with the confidence and creativity to build on what they’d learnt during the session. Capturing scenes in low light remains a challenging area of photography, yet when executed well, the results can be truly captivating. Many of the delegates understood the basic principles of the genre, but lacked the know-how to get the creative outcomes they were looking for. We spent an evening with expert Mark Higgins to learn how to get the best results when taking images in relatively low-light conditions, visiting iconic landmarks and streets of London. The training began with an introduction to low-light photography, and Higgins demonstrated what camera settings were best to choose. He explained the optimum aperture to use – in this case f11 – to achieve long exposures without losing sharpness. A valuable tip offered was how to take advantage of manual white balance control when capturing artificial lights, using Live View to see the
changes on the screen. Before heading outside for the practical side, a slideshow of images were shown to illustrate the creative potential offered by the genre, and key technical points were explained in each shot. There was plenty of opportunity for questions and group discussion to take place throughout the evening, and at each location Higgins made sure that every individual could achieve the shots that they were looking for. As the light continued to gradually fade, the fundamentals of low-light photography techniques were built upon, and it was clear that each attendee was growing in confidence and benefiting from a good balance of both theory and practical tips. Higgins explained how to get the best results from the Nikon system, as well as the usefulto-know legal implications of photographing in public and private areas. Darkness descended, and the bright lights of the city really came to life, with the course ending at London’s iconic Blackfriars Bridge. Looking towards an illuminated River Thames and St Paul’s Cathedral, this concluding view gave the attendees the perfect chance to put into practice all the skills that they’d been learning throughout the course, and to produce some stunning final images. For more information about Nikon’s range of courses please visit www.nikon.co.uk/training . Opposite
London lighting The NikonSchool’s training expert showed thedelegates howto capture imageslikethis using long exposures andtheirNikonkit
A view behind the scenes Take a look at the low-light photography courseat Nikon’straining school in central London
Useful theory Higgins began the course by sharing camera tricks and tips to produce creative low-light shots
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Photo opportunities With time spent at each landmark, everyone had the chance to capture their own images
Personal tuition At each location, Higgins made sure that everyone was given advice to take their best shots
Pupil progress r e g d i r b s i R e v e t S ©
Nikon shooter Steve Risbridger reveals what helearnt on the course at the Nikon School
For how long have you been interested in photography? I’ve been interested, on and off, for about 35 years. I learnt with a completely manual Praktica L2 and handheld light meter at school. I’ve been trying to get back to the simplicity of that, recently having got a bit lost in the technology, and now use a Nikon Df body. What prompted you to attend this training day at the Nikon School? I love low-light photographs, but have never really mastered the techniques. It’s good to set aside the time to meet with other keen photographers to discuss and experiment. What did you learn on the day? After covering the basics, Mark (the trainer) concentrated on a handful of simple but key points, such as experimenting with Picture Control and white balance. Being taught to use these in a counter-intuitive way produced some stunningly different images. Do you think you would you recommend the course to others? Absolutely. Mark had a great way of making you think more about what you were doing and was on hand to answer questions about the kit and technique.
r e g d i r b s i R e v e t S ©
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
© T he Nikon School
Top tips for low light photography
1
Choose the white balance creatively, using the Live View function on your camera to see the effect of changing the colour temperature. Always shoot in RAW so you have the option to edit white balance in post-production.
2
Select the lowest native ISO that your DSLR will allow, which is usually ISO 100. Turn off auto ISO and the longexposure noisereduction function in the menu, as this will increase the time taken for your shots to process.
3
Set the camera to an aperture of f11 or smaller, which will stop out just enough light for achieving long exposures. A narrow aperture will create an attractive starburst effect from the street lights and headlights.
4
Always mount your Nikon DSLR onto a sturdy tripod and use a cable release to take a shot. If your lens has a vibrationreduction setting, turn this off when the camera is securely mounted on a tripod.
5
The Nikon Picture Control system can be used when wanted for a specific look. With seven modes to choose from, experiment with each and choose the picture style that best suits the lighting at hand.
Upcoming courses • The Art of Documentary Film Making 28 October 2014 • Getting Creative with DSLR Photography 31 October 2014 • The Art of Urban Portraits 1 November 2014 • Red Kite Experience 4 November 2014 • Nikon Digital Darkroom – Lightroom 6 November 2014
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NEXT ISSUE The latest kit reviews, industry news and tutorials to improve your skills INCLUDES
• Practical tips for improving shots • Interviews with industry experts • Professional shooting advice
Issue 155
on sale 20 Nov
PAINT WITH LIGHT Discover top tips and techniques for using torch beams and other light sources to capture creative images in low light Digital editions available at
Please note topics are subject to change
INTERVIEW
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DR ALEXANDER MUSTARD
Discover a hidden world Award-winning underwater photographer andmarine scientist Dr Alexander Mustard reveals thesecrets of his success ina careerspent photographing theoceans Left
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland A diver explores the cathedral at Silfra canyon, a deep fault filled with fresh water in the rift valley between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates
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d r a t s u M r e d n a x e l A r D © s e g a m i l l A
INTERVIEW
U
nderwater photographer and marine biologist Dr Alex Mustard (www.amustard.com) has gained international recognition for his stunning images, receiving numerous awards in leading photo competitions such as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year on five occasions. Here, he discusses the transition between marine biology to photography and his innovations for stunning undersea shots. How did you begin your career as an underwater photographer? Growing up as the only person who went underwater in my family, I was motivated to take pictures to share my excitement at the amazing things I was seeing. My early pictures weren’t very good, but starting very young gave lots of time to improve. Learning the hard way and making every mistake in the book made progress slow, but also gave me a huge amount of direct experience of what works and what doesn’t. It also gave me time to develop my own visual style – a way of shooting underwater images that I like.
As an active and qualified marine scientist, how important do you think your knowledge underpins your work as a photographer? It is valuable at times, but since photography is primarily an art, it has to be kept in check. When photographing wildlife, field craft and the knowledge of animals… as a naturalist is far more valuable than academic education.
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Who do you tend to shoot for? I am self-employed and like to keep my portfolio varied. Choosing to become an underwater photographer was a vocational decision, not financial, so I try and only take on jobs I want, [but] of course, there is some compromise. I shoot primarily for the scuba diving/travel markets and I have monthly contracts with three magazines and contribute very regularly to many more. A diverse portfolio is not only good for the soul, but since all these clients tend to wax and wane in their activity, it’s important to have plenty of options. What do you consider to be the unique challenges of underwater photography? The main challenges are the physics of light in the water and the physiology of being a person underwater, as both put limitations on what you can do. Time in the water is always limited and access is not always straightforward. If you want to photograph on a remote coral reef, it involves flights and boats, and if you want to go somewhere unusual, hiring a diving boat for yourself is usually not affordable. Water is murky and absorbs colour, so most underwater photography is taken at close range with flash. What equipment do you take on trips? On a usual assignment I like to take two cameras. My main system is a Nikon D4, and then I usually take a second system, either a crop-sensor SLR or a Micro Four Thirds. Different image formats have quite discernible
Above
Semi-submerged A kayaker explores mangroves and coral reefs in Waigeo island, Raja Ampat, West Papua in Indonesia Right
Tropical waters A nassau grouper yawning, taken in San Salvador island, which is in the Bahamas Sea, Tropical West Atlantic Ocean
strengths and weaknesses underwater. I like to travel with a mixture. My crop-sensor SLR is a Nikon D7100 and at the moment I am using an Olympus PEN EPL-5 as a Micro Four Thirds camera. Lenses are a mixture of fish-eyes, wide-angles, and macro lenses, perhaps with a mid-range zoom. My underwater housings are from Subal and I use waterproof flashes from Inon and Seacam. After testing many underwater housings, what is your personal choice of kit? I use Subal housing and have done for many years. All underwater housings are designed for specific camera models. However, the Subals have excellent, delicate ergonomics, yet are built like tanks and just work without fuss and problems, despite being bounced around on boats and being soaked in salt water. What drives you to create new pieces of kit such as Magic Filters, for underwater use? Like many photographers I’ve always tried to push my work in new directions. As you push
DR ALEXANDER MUSTARD
87
INTERVIEW
Above
Digital composite A basking shark feeds on plankton near St Michael’s Mount. Both halves of this image were taken on the same day in the same area Right
Motorbike wreckage World War II British motorbikes stacked up on the back of a truck in the hold of the wreck of HMS Thistlegorm Opposite-top
Marine Park, Sinai A school of blackfin barracuda form an interesting shape as they circle in deep water adjacent to a coral reef in Yolanda Reef Opposite-middle
Republic of Bahamas A lone Caribbean reef shark cruises over sand ripples at Walker’s Cay in the Northern Bahama Islands Opposite-bottom
Bohol Sea, Philippines A long exposure of a juvenile harlequin sweetlips. These fish dance to defend themselves from predators. Taken in the tropical West Pacific Ocean
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DR ALEXANDER MUSTARD
beyond the limits of any genre of photography you find that the gear you need to produce the shots you are imagining doesn’t exist and you need to modify existing equipment or design new gear. Most innovations I’ve shared with the underwater photography community, either by giving the ideas to existing manufacturers or, in the case of Magic Filters, selling them myself. When underwater, what are the basic things a photographer needs to consider? Underwater, 95 per cent of the time, we use flash, usually two flashes on arms away from our underwater housing. The problem is not about exposure, but learning to produce a quality of light with these flashes that both complements the subject and is consistent with the ambient illumination. We also have to learn how to create different lighting effects by adjusting these flashes. Ambient light underwater is much more diffuse than light above the surface and becomes strongly monochromatic at any sort of depth. It varies through the day, with climatic conditions and with latitude as light does on land. It is also affected by changes in the sea surface state and by the clarity of the water. What tips do you have for someone who wants to try underwater photography? Give it a go! It is a great way to shoot, as you are able to approach a subject from any angle as you can move freely in three dimensions. Most importantly, be safe and competent in the water. You don’t need to scuba dive to take underwater photos, but if you do, make sure your diving skills are first class before complicating things with an underwater camera. The golden rule in photography under the sea is to get close, then get closer. You’ve released several photo books that have been incredibly well received. Do you shoot towards a book theme, or create the book with images that you’ve already got? A little bit of both. I think that the trick is to come up with a theme that you are passionate about, and then all your best images are likely to fit perfectly. I’ll always try to leave time in the process for some dedicated shoots to fill the gaps. It is great to go on dedicated trips to shoot images for books. As a part of the 2020VISION nature photography team, how important do you think photography’s role in conservation is? I think it plays a very important role. There has rarely been a conservation campaign that hasn’t been backed up with imagery. Images don’t need to be all doom and gloom though, as people very quickly stop looking at them. You need plenty of inspiring images, so that people understand how special the places are that could be lost.
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INTERVIEW
What advice do you have for somebody who is trying to build themselves a career in underwater photography? Think carefully [about] how to market yourself to try and be different from what others are doing. In many areas of photography the market is oversaturated with similar images, and that’s true underwater, where so many people are focused on getting their ‘me too’ shot of the current fashionable big animal. The best way to carve a niche is to be different. Also be aware that this is never going to make you super-wealthy, so you need to budget expenses carefully. Shoot where you can afford to shoot, not the places you’ve dreamed of. Most importantly, work hard. Keep you clients happy by being efficient and delivering them high-quality work, punctually. What do you see your plans for the future being and what are your biggest aspirations as a photographer? I love the day to day of my job and I find my photography is best when I am focused on the moment. I’m most excited about what I’m about to shoot today,tomorrow or on my next trip, rather than counting down to DP something a long way off. Left
Fury Shoal, Egypt Shafts of light shine down into the darkness of a cavern within a coral reef, lighting up a sohal surgeonfish
Dr Alexander Mustard at a glance A brief introduction to the underwater professional www.amustard.com Preferred genre: Underwater Career bio: He began his career as a marine biologist at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre. His photographs are celebrated around the world, and he’s pioneered many techniques within the field of underwater photography. Favourite kit: Nikon D4, Subal housing, Inon and Seacam flashes Clients worked for: Sport Diver, DIVER, Wild Planet Photo, NISSAN, Ocean Geographic magazine. Honours won: BBC Wildlife Photographer Of The Year, multiple categories in the British Wildlife Photography Awards. In 2013, Alex was named GDT European Wildlife Photographer Of The Year. Career highlight: Personally presenting his work to Queen Elizabeth II.
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REVIEWS
Portrait lenses on a budget We’ve rounded up four accessibly priced 85mm lenses to see how well they perform
96
GROUP TEST
The 85mm model is the classic focal length for portraits, but as a mid-telephoto it’s also one of the most versatile lenses in each manufacturer’s line-up. Like other moderate focal-length models, the 85mm is usually offered with a choice of maximum aperture. High-speed models from the camera manufacturers are usually in excess of £1,500, but substantial savings can be made by opting for third-party offerings, while the f1.8 models can be had for a fraction of the price of the f1.4 models. Besides the more accessible pricing, there
are other benefits from choosing the slower models. For a start, they’re both smaller and lighter, making them an easy choice to stow away in a camera bag, just in case – and they’re far more discreet in use. Not only does this help in this day and age of unending public scrutiny, but the smaller size may actually help put potential models at ease, particularly those that are less used to the process. There’s nothing quite so daunting for inexperienced subjects than to look straight at a lens with a huge front element; it’s as if everything suddenly is on show.
With regard to the results, it is, of course, no different with a lens with a smaller objective, but that’s not how it appears. On a practical level, the slower lenses are easier to correct for various aberrations so it’s also likely that these lenses perform better at wider apertures while performing equally as well as their faster siblings when stopped down. In this test, both f1.4 and f1.8 options have been included, but cost has been kept very much in mind, with the lenses being assessed for their optical sharpness, resolution, build quality, and handling.
97
REVIEWS
Film era Even though this is one of the oldest models in Canon’s line-up, it’s still competitive in every way
SRP: £400 / $420
Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM We see if Canon’s classic moderate f1.8 85mm lens can compete with pricier options Designed years ago for film, this is the oldest model here, but it’s one that’s endured. While there are faster models and there are better performers optically, few focus faster or quieter than this one and it has plenty enough sharpness for portraits, even wide open. Stopped down, both sharpness and resolution are excellent from f2.8 onwards. Optimum performance is achieved at f5.6-f8 where this lens is sharp from corner to corner, and if we’re being honest, few working professionals shoot wide open. There’s another attractive feature about the 85mm f1.8, and that’s its small size, which is less intimidating. It may not bear the L-series moniker, but that’s not to say this lens isn’t built well. Some outer components are made of plastic, but it’s metal just in front of the focus ring where it’s a bit vulnerable from knocks. Focus ring placement is ideal, just forward of the centre of gravity, not close to the front like some rivals. There’s also a reasonably long focus throw for an AF lens like this, meaning manual focus is easy on something like the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Skin tones appeared comparatively lighter when capturing portraits using this lens, certainly in contrast to the Sigma lens, which was also tested on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
98
Below
Rendering style Stopped down, the lens performs well into the corners and even wide open it’s an excellent performer centrally
GROUP TEST
Manual focus The lens looks good and is well very made but not everyone will like the fact that it’s manual focus only
SRP: £308 / $289
Samyang 85mm f1.4 AS IF UMC
Below
Image quality Sharpness is a bit low wide open but the performance improves dramatically from f2.0 onwards
Samyang’s accessibly priced ultra-fast model looks impressive but how well does it perform? There’s no denying how good Samyang’s lens performance is, and this model is good, but there are limitations. For example, they’re all manual focus, and the version tested here also lacks the contacts for autoexposure. That said, there is an AE version available for Nikon users. Metal is mostly used for the outer, though the front appears to be made of plastic, which seems to be the only concession, and both the focus and aperture rings are firm yet smooth in operation. For all that accurate focusing, using the optical finder of a Nikon D810 was tricky, perhaps in part because contrast is a little low at full aperture and modern focusing screens aren’t optimised for high-speed lenses. However, performance is impressive centrally at f2.0 onwards, though with some noticeable field curvature it lacks the uniformity of more expensive models. Performance improves noticeably from f2.8 across the field, with the lens performing at its best at f5.6. Out-of-focus areas are rendered smoothly, so it’s impressive for portraits but the longerthan-usual 1.0m minimum focus distance is somewhat restrictive for close-ups. In our portrait test shots, colours were a little muted and very slightly cool on the Nikon D750 in comparison with Nikon’s own AF-S Nikkor 85mm f1.8G lens.
99
REVIEWS
Quality design Externally the lens isn’t quite up to the faster f1.4 model in build, but it’s not bad and it is light in weight
SRP: £470 / $500
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f1.8G Nikon’s 85mm lenses have a great reputation; we put the latest f1.8 AF-S version to the test Unlike Canon’s model, which was very advanced in its day, Nikon really needed to update its film-era f1.8 AF-D version. Optically, it was okay, but the screw-driven AF made it a bit fragile for professional use. This relatively new model features a sonic-type SWM motor, like the much bigger and pricier f1.4 version. Indeed, with its matte finish, large objective and 67mm filter thread, it could easily be mistaken for that model (though it’s a good deal more compact than the £1,500 f1.4 model). It’s an excellent performer, coming close to its sibling in optical performance and at a fraction of the price. It’s still not cheap, and it doesn’t share the same build quality or excellent flare-resisting Nano Crystal coating, but this model is an attractive offering. AF is quick and reasonably quiet, but the focusing ring has a rather short throw. Thankfully, the image tends to snap into it, focus taking some of the usual guesswork out of the equation. Wide open, this lens is sharp across the frame and stopping down has barely any effect in resolution or sharpness, so you can more or less take your pick and choose the aperture based on depth of field alone. However, while it is a better performer optically than the Canon, it’s not so fast to focus, though its skin tones and colours are very impressive indeed, rivalling the Sigma.
100
Below
Depth of field Full aperture performance is excellent centrally and remains impressive in the outer field
GROUP TEST
High speed Given the size, this lens is quick to focus while being extremely quiet in operation
SRP: £830 / $969
Sigma 85mm f1.4 EX DG HSM
Below
Focus control Full-time manual override courtesy of the sonic type HSM AF motor and finely geared operation helps focus accuracy
We put Sigma’s ultra-fast f1.4 model to the test to see if it’s worth the higher price The Sigma is the largest and most expensive of the four here. It’s yet to receive the firm’s Art series upgrade and so it adopts the easily marked matt finish of older models, but overall the lens feels sturdy. Another plus is the wide focus ring and although it has a short focus throw, it’s not too highly geared, which enables fast yet precise adjustment from a manual focusing point of view. Auto-focus, meanwhile, is a real highlight; it is very close to that of the Canon 85mm f1.8, being both very fast and almost silent in operation. On the 22-megapixel Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the Sigma has good sharpness in the centre of the frame at the initial aperture, though like many high-speed models it’s not so impressive at the borders. Even when stopped down it’s still a little soft in the corners at f2-2.8, though by f4 the uniformity of sharpness is good. Although bundled with a large petal-shaped hood, the lens has good resistance to flare and relatively low vignetting. Some colour aberration is inevitable with lenses like this and it is there if you look closely but overall the Sigma has good control of lateral chromatic aberration. This lens produced noticeably deeper, more saturated skin tones on the Canon EOS 5D Mark III than Canon’s own EF 85mm f1.8 USM lens did. In this respect, its performance was the best.
101
REVIEWS
Canon EF f1.8 USM
Samyang f1.4 AS IF UMC
Technicalspecs Manufacturer Model Web
Nikon AF-S Nikkor f1.8G
Technicalspecs Canon
EF 85mm f1.8 USM www.canon.co.uk
Technicalspecs Samyang
Manufacturer
85mm f1.4 AS IF UMC
Model
www.samyang.co.uk
Web
Sigma f1.4 EX DG HSM
Manufacturer Model Web
Technicalspecs Nikon
AF-S Nikkor 85mm f1.8G www.nikon.co.uk
Sigma
Manufacturer
85mm f1.4 EX DG HSM
Model Web
www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
Elements/construction
9 /7
Elements/construction
9 /7
Elements/construction
9 /9
Elements/construction
11 / 8
Angle of view
23.9
Angle of view
28.3
Angle of view
28.3
Angle of view
28.6
Max aperture
f1.8
Max aperture
f1.4
Max aperture
f1.8
Max aperture
f1.4
Min aperture
f16
Min aperture
f22
Min aperture
f16
Min aperture
Min focus distance Mount Filter size Length Diameter
0.85m Canon EF 58mm 71.5mm 75mm
Weight
425g
Verdict Features It’sa fairlybasicmodelalthoughit hasa super-fast sonic-typemotor, making it a strongcontender
Build quality Thef1.8maynotbe aL-series
1.0m
Min focus distance Mount
Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony E/A, Pentax K
Filter size Length Diameter
72mm 72.2mm 78mm
Weight
539g
Verdict Features Anothermodelwith a basic specmechanicallybut opticallyit boastsan impressivespec
Min focus distance Mount
0.8m Nikon F (G)
Min focus distance Mount
f16 0.85m Canon EF, Nikon F
Filter size
67mm
Filter size
Length
73mm
Length
87.6mm
Diameter
80mm
Diameter
86.4mm
Weight
350g
Verdict Features Itlooksa littlebasic;nofancyNano Crystal coatingor thelike,butit doescomewith a softpouchandlenshood
77mm
Weight
725g
Verdict Features It features lots of technical and optical advances including a sonic-type AF motor and expensive glass types
Build quality It maybe accessiblypriced anditfeelsgoodinthehands,thoughthefront shellseemsto beplastic
Build quality Side-by-sidewith thepricier
lens,but it’sverynicely madeand feelsdurable, thoughit’srelatively lightweight
f1.4version, thisplasticmodellooks a little lowrentbutit’s reasonablydurable
Build quality Not quite up to the firm’s Art series, the lens still looks and feels good, though the finish is easily marked
Handling It’ssmall,well-balancedand hasa well-placed focusingring,plus it’sthe fastestto focusof thoseon test
Handling Thefocus ringis quiteheavily damped andfocusingaccuratelyproved difficulton theNikonD810
Handling Thefocus ringis toofarforward andithas ashortthrowbut itdoesn’tseemto impact focusaccuracy
Handling Unsurprisingly, this is the largest and heaviest of the group, but it balances well andis relatively easyto use
Quality of results Image quality isgreat evenwideopen, andboth colouranddrawing styleis attractive
Quality of results Full aperture
Qualityof results Wideopen, thislens
Quality of results It’s at least as good as
performanceis goodbut notgreat,thoughit’s excellentwhenstoppeddown
issharp righttothe corners. Eventhe drawing styleis closeto thef1.4 model
the Nikon, perhaps even slightly better in terms ofskin tones
Value for money Asan f1.8model,it’s
Value formoney Overall,the lensis good
Value formoney The listpricelooksa
Value for money Although the most
going tobe cheaper thanfasterrivals, buteven thenit’scompetitivelypriced
value, particularly inNikon fit,but that’s notthe casewithother mounts
littlehighbut thestreetpricenow ismuch lower thanwhenit wasnew
expensive, compared with high-speed options it’s still competitively priced
Overall With no real vices optically,great handing andvery fast AF, this lens is an easy choice for Canon users
102
Overall Focus accuracy was the biggest concern, but the lens is capable of great results when stopped down
Overall Nikon has done well to improve this model; in fact,it’s so good that sales must have affected its pricier sibling
Overall It’s not cheap, but with great all-round performance and a strong descriptive capability, the Sigma is our favourite
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The Societies’ Photographic Convention and Trade Show
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If you are an aspiring professional this Convention and Trade Show is a must! The Societies’ members and non-members are welcome.
FREE Photographic Trade Show
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Register for your free trade show tickets today!* www.swpp.co.uk/convention/
REVIEWS
Top
Weighty body The Pentax is bulky, but weighs little more than full-frame cameras
Far-left
SLR-like handling Surprisingly, the Pentax handles more like a large 35mm SLR
Left
In the hand The camera is large, but balances well and the handgrip is both deep and comfortable
104
PENTAX 645Z
SRP: £6,800 / $8,500
Pentax 645Z The Pentax 645Z is the upgrade to Pentax’s first medium format digital camera. How far has it come in four years? Every so often, a camera comes along that shakes up the market. In 2010, Pentax released the 645D, a 40-megapixel medium format camera that was not only about a third of the price of the competition, but offered SLR-like handling. It proved popular in this market, especially with landscape photographers, who appreciated its characteristics and weather sealing. Its replacement, the equally aggressively priced 645Z, takes things a step further, offering a number of improvements and new features. At its core is a 51.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, manufactured by Sony, replacing the Kodak CCD used previously. This enables higher ISO sensitivities – up to an impressive 204800, as well as Live View and video. Although the features and controls will be familiar to users of 35mm-style DSLRs, there’s no getting away from the fact that the 645Z is considerably bulkier than the average SLR, weighing in at 1,550 grams; however, this is little more than professional DSLRs, as the Canon-EOS 1DX weighs in at 1530 grams. It’s a very different shape, though, inheriting the boxy looks of the Pentax 645 film cameras. The bulk is balanced by a comfortable handgrip and the large body has advantages by providing plenty of space for controls. A lot of thought has been put into the placement of the buttons and dials, which are all easy to reach and sensibly placed. The 645Z is a complex camera, but it’s possible to find your way around quickly without having to refer to the manual. There are some thoughtful design touches: the angled top plate means it’s easy to read and change settings when on a tripod.
There are many ways of configuring the camera so that you can set it up to suit your way of shooting, and a lot of thought has gone into this. Bulb mode can be set so you either press and hold the shutter button for the duration of the exposure, or the first press opens the shutter and the second closes it. These all add up to make the 645Z one of the most photographer-friendly cameras out there. In use, it performs almost flawlessly. The viewfinder is large and bright – noticeably bigger than even full-frame DSLRs. The Live View screen has excellent clarity with no noticeable lag and works well for accurate manual focusing in conjunction with the focus-peaking option. Furthermore, the tilting screen makes shooting from awkward angles easier. Autofocus is accurate and responsive, with 27 AF points. On top of this, metering is consistent, if tending towards underexposure. The Live View screen also has a number of options, including live histogram and highlight warning. Oddly, the highlight warning in Live View doesn’t always seem to agree with the highlight warning in the review image, which suggested clipping when the Live View image didn’t. Highlight information was there in the RAW files when these images were processed, however, so perhaps the Live View highlight warning reflects RAW data rather than JPEG.
Handling is so good that the inevitable small niggles can seem more irritating than they otherwise might. One is the fact that changing information screens in review mode involves pressing three buttons; why not just repeated presses of the Info button? Long-exposure noise reduction is another irritation. There are two options – On and Auto, where the camera decides to apply dark frame subtraction or not, according to shooting conditions. Ideally, it would be possible to turn it off, allowing you to deal with noise in post-production. These are probably issues that could be corrected with firmware updates, and perhaps they will be. One that can’t, however, is the absence of an eyepiece blind, which would be useful for preventing light leakage and internal flare during long exposures. Of course, the main reason for investing in a medium format system is image quality, and the 645Z doesn’t disappoint. Resolution is astonishing – noticeably better than full-frame DSLRs. In landscapes shot using a tripod and good technique, the level of detail is breathtaking, as it’s possible to count blades of grass on hills and leaves on trees. Some have wondered if colour and tonality might suffer with the switch to a CMOS sensor, but there was little evidence of this in the test. The tonality of the Pentax’s images is lovely, and
“The thoughtful design touches add up to make the Pentax 645Z one of the most photographer-friendly cameras out there”
FEATURES WEATHER-SEALED
HIGH ISO
TILTING SCREEN
The 645Z features a
High ISO has previously
The Pentax 645Z is the
weather-sealed body that
proved difficult, but the
first medium format
can operate down to -10ºC,
new Sony sensor excels at
camera with a tilting LCD. In
which is great news for
it. Even at 6400, little noise
conjunction with Live View,
landscape photographers.
reduction is needed.
this makes it easier to shoot.
TRIPOD SOCKETS
NO VF BLIND
ANGLED TOP PLATE
One of the many excellent
Unlike professional full-
The 645Z is full of nice
design features is the
frame DSLRs, the Pentax
ergonomic touches, such as
second tripod socket on
645Z lacks a viewfinder
the angled top plate, which
the side of the body for
blind. On long exposures
makes it easy to change
shooting in portrait.
this can result in flare.
settings when on a tripod.
105
REVIEWS
CONTROL LAYOUT There are lots of buttons, but they are well-placed and easy to reach
REAR LCD The 3.2” tilting screen is bright and clear in both live view and review modes
“The Pentax 645Z is a compelling option for those looking to move into the world of medium format” colour is accurate and neutral. There is a slight tendency towards green and cyan, in common with other Sony sensors, but this is easily corrected in post-production. Dynamic range is also excellent, and noise performance is far ahead of any previous medium format offerings. Shadow detail is superb at low ISOs, enabling good recovery of underexposed images. High ISO, previously an Achilles’ heel of medium format, is a revelation. Only when you go beyond ISO 6400 does noise reduction become necessary. The Pentax 645Z is a compelling option for those looking to move into the world of medium format. Its image quality is easily a match for the competition and it offers superior handling. It’s a slightly different proposition, as it’s a sealed unit, rather than a camera with a separate back, but this has advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, it makes proper weather-sealing possible, but on the other hand, you need to upgrade the whole unit rather than just the back. If having interchangeable backs isn’t important to you and you’re choosing your first medium format camera, then there would seem to be no real reason to spend far more money on one of the other systems.
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FOUR-WAY CONTROLLER The four-way controller has shortcuts to commonly accessed settings, such as white balance
LIVE VIEW / RECORD BUTTON There is fully-functioning live view and video recording – a first for medium format
Below Medium format look Images from the 645Z have wonderfully smooth tonal transitions, which even the best full-frame cameras don’t achieve
Opposite Good resolution Resolution from the 51-megapixel sensor never fails to impress and huge prints can be made from the files
PENTAX 645Z
TEST SHOTS
DOWNLOAD THE TEST SHOTS www.filesilo.co.uk/digitalphotographer-154
LOW-LIGHT ABILITY
DETAIL AND CLARITY
SMOOTH TONES
The 51-megapixel sensor
The sensor resolves
The CCD sensors of
w!
inside the Pentax has
incredible detail and has
previous medium cameras
excellent light-gathering
excellent clarity at low ISO.
are known for their smooth
properties. Shadows are
The detail on the cliffs of this
tonal transitions. The new
very clean and detailed.
shot is outstanding.
CMOS sensor carries this on.
COLOUR AND WB
DYNAMIC RANGE
CROPPING OPTIONS
The Pentax has accurate
The Pentax 645Z has
The advantage of high
colour rendition. White
excellent dynamic range,
resolution is the cropping
balance is generally good,
capturing detail in a full
possibilities and a good-
but RAW files sometimes
range of tones from bright
sized print could be made
need a little extra magenta.
highlights to shadows.
from each crop.
Technical specs Megapixels (effective) Max resolution
51.4 8256 x 6192
Sensor information Shutter speed
44 x 33mm CMOS 30secs - 1/4000sec 100 - 204800
ISO sensitivity Exposure modes
Program, Sensitivity priority, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, Shutter & Aperture priority, Manual, Bulb MS, CW, S
Metering options Flash modes
FOn, FOn+RE, SS, SS+RE, P-TTL, CSS, HSS, Trailing
Connectivity
USB, 3.0, HDMI, microphone, headphone
curtain sync Weight Dimensions
1550g 117x 156 x 123mm (H x W x D)
Batteries Storage LCD
Li-ion SD, SDHC, SDXC, Eye-Fi 3.2”, 1037K dots
Viewfinder
Optical
Verdict Features Medium format cameras have never been noted for their cutting-edge features, but more for absolute image quality. The Pentax 645Z provides both Build quality It’s solid and feels rugged in the hand, is fully weather-sealed and can operate down to -10ºC. It’s a camera you’d trust in tough conditions Handling The Pentax has excellent ergonomics and many well-thought-through design touches. Only a few minor niggles prevent it from getting top marks Quality of results Resolution is incredible and images have typical medium format tonality. Shots have clean shadows and excellent dynamic range
Value for money If you’re used to the prices of APS-C and full-frame DSLRs it looks expensive, but compared to other medium format systems, it’s a bargain
Overall It’s almost impossible not to like the Pentax 645Z and very hard to find fault with it. Results are outstanding and its handling is superb. If you’ve been looking for a medium format system, there’s no need to keep looking any further
107
REVIEWS
SRP: £800 / £1,200
Nikon 1 V3 Is third time the charm for the Nikon 1 series? We put the V3 to the test The Nikon 1 series of CSCs has carved out a name as some of the fastest shooters around. Ideal for sports and wildlife fans, the V3 follows this tradition with 20fps at full resolution with autofocus. Fix the focus, however, and the speed soars to 60fps. Incidentally, Nikon’s hybrid autofocusing system has been given a performance boost. There are now 171 autofocusing points – as opposed to 135 on the V2 – and 105 of these are for phase-detection that lock onto the target, while the remainder are for contrast detection. This enables the V3 to perform
faster than other cameras in low light and when faced with fast-moving subjects. Image subjects are pin-sharp and free of noise until ISO 1600, but pictures are still usable at 3200. Daytime exposures are balanced – if a little desaturated – and exhibit a pleasing amount of detail, which is surprising, given its relatively small sensor. Despite the megapixel bump, the one-inch sensor still places the V3 below the Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensor cameras in terms of sensor size. Adjustments to shutter speed and aperture can be made quickly and easily thanks to the
thumb-operated control dial, which can be used alongside the new front control dial when shooting manually. There’s a mode dial on top of the camera with access to the usual P, A, S and M modes. You can also switch to Video to record at 120fps, 720p as well as Auto mode, Motion Snapshot and the Nikon 1-unique Best Moment Capture. The latter works by shooting continuously when you half-press the shutterrelease button, displaying the action in slow motion on the LCD screen. As soon as you see an image you like, fully depress the button and the picture will be saved.
FEATURES
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TILTING DISPLAY
OPTIONAL EVF
EASY ACCESS
The screen can be pulled
This latest model does
A top-mounted mode dial
out and tilted for capturing
not feature an electronic
and two control dials make
tricky angles. You can also
viewfinder.However,there
for easy adjustments to
take photos and set focus
is an accessory port if you
settings. Switch on by flicking
using the touchscreen.
wish to purchase one.
the power switch.
NIKON 1 V3
Left
Dynamic range Exposures are good, with a D-Lighting option to enhance dynamic range and a HDR function Below
Eye for detail A 10-30mm zoom lens that comes with the camera is good at capturing sharp, detailed images
Technicalspecs Megapixels (effective)
Max resolution
Sensorinformation
13.2x8.8mmCMOS
Lensdata
Bylens
Focus/macro
Bylens
Shutterspeed
1/16,000sec
ISOsensitivity
160-12800
Exposuremodes
Auto,P,A,S,M
Metering options Flashmodes
Viewing images is a joy thanks to the improved 1037k-dot display, which provides great definition. It can also be pulled out and tilted up or down for framing dramatic angles, waist-high candids or shooting over a crowd. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi and a touchscreen that’s ultra-responsive, making it much easier to view images in Playback. Just like a smartphone, you can pinch to zoom in and check focus. The only downside is that it’s tricky to compose in bright light and there is no electronic viewfinder to fall back on as with the previous model; it’s all part of the V3’s new svelte design that also does away with the substantial grip. This makes it look more like a CSC than a DSLR and will undoubtedly win over more admirers, but there’s still a pop-up flash and an accessory port for attaching an EVF or flashgun, for example. Along with Nikon’s vast array of accessories, there is a rapidly expanding collection of lenses to invest in, with 13 currently available; these lightweight optics range from the pancake 10mm f2.8 lens to the slightly more substantial 70-300mm f4.5-5.6. This model has been released with a 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 zoom lens that gives a focal length of around 27-81mm in 35mm terms. When not in use, it sits flush to keep the overall package neat and compact,
18.4 5232x3488
Connectivity
Weight
Dimensions Batteries Storage
CW,S,M
A,RE,REwithSS,Fon,Foff,FF,FFwithSS USB,HDMI 324g
110.9x65x33.2mm
Li-ion
microSD,microSDHC,microSDXC
LCD Viewfinder
3” TFT-LCD,1,037Kpixels
Verdict Features Speed certainlygivesthe V3an edgeover other interchangeableoptions, with impressive framerates and lightning-fastfocusing, even inlow light
Build quality Compactyetexceedinglydurable,the V3 lookseverybitas expensiveas itspricetag. Thelackof EVF andreduced gripgivesa slimmerchassis
but turn the camera on and it immediately springs into action. You can twist the lens barrel to zoom, but those wanting to focus manually will have to delve into the main menu. There you’ll find the Focus Mode option, where you can select Manual Focus and use the scroll wheel to adjust. It’s quite a lengthy process and one that all Nikon 1 lenses require. In all other areas, however, the V3 is efficient and highly practical. Image quality is impressive, especially since the removal of the anti-aliasing filter, but it remains to be seen how the omission of the EVF will affect its appeal for enthusiasts.
Handling Thetouchscreen LCDandmanualcontrols willpleasebothtraditionalistsandsmartphonelovers.It’s compactfor shootingon thego Quality of results Exposuresarebalancedwith a good amountof detail.The relativelysmallone-inchsensorfailsto match thequalityof competitors,however Value for money It’sprettyexpensive,but foryourmoney youdo geta quality-looking productthat producesimpressive resultsin a varietyof situations
Overall This latest camera holds up against the competition in looks and performance. What it lacks in sensor size, it makes up for in portability
COMPACT BODY
LENS CHOICE
The design has been
The V3 comes with the
CUSTOMISABLE On the rear of the camera,
tweaked since the V2 and
versatile 10-30mm zoom,
you’ll find two customisable
the grip is smaller. An
but there are many lenses
function buttons. This gives
additional grip with a second
in the Nikkor range for you
you plenty of scope to make
shutter release is available.
to expand your collection.
this camera your own.
109
REVIEWS
Left
Adjustment interface PhotoDirector 6 Ultra can be used to process RAW files and features an interface very similar to popular programs such as Lightroom Below
Radial Filter This can be used to produce a vignette or spotlight effect in order to draw the viewer’s attention to the most important areas of an image Bottom
History palette There may not be any Layers present, but you can easily step back through edits you’ve made using the History palette
SRP: £80/ $100 OS: Windows Vista+, Mac OS X v10.6.8+
PhotoDirector 6 Ultra Find out what makes CyberLink’s photo editorsuch a fighterin a toughmarket Competition is stiff for developers to come up with the most affordable and efficient photo-editing suite, with the likes of Phase One,Adobe and DxO Labs all looking to make the next best application and one that’ll ultimately speed up the editing process of creating that perfect shot. CyberLink has created a program that is both feature-packed and straightforward. There are three versions, with the most basic version confusingly named PhotoDirector 6 Deluxe, while the PhotoDirector 6 Suite also offers video-editing functionality. There are some appealing additions to the latest incarnation of the edition that’s most suited to photographers, PhotoDirector 6 Ultra. Perhaps the most attractive of these is the Face Swap feature, allowing an ideal family photo to be compiled from multiple frames. There’s also a Skin Tone adjustment tool for improving portraits, a Radial Filter for making specific aspects of your images stand out, a Photo Composer tool for producing imaginative composites, a Grain Effect filter
110
and the ability to stitch images together with the Panorama feature, which uses Content Aware to fill in areas. The software is divided up into discrete interfaces via a series of tabs, making it easy to go from, say, the Library view mode, where your images are, to the Print interface. The Edit and Adjustment interfaces provide a comprehensive list of adjustments, with Global and Regional masking options enabling more careful application of effects. You can also cycle through a reel of images to tweak, and maintain a level of consistency throughout an entire session. There are unfortunately no editing Layers present, as are found in Photoshop. As with Lightroom, however, there is a History panel available so you can go back if you decide that a change isn’t working. PhotoDirector Ultra 6 supplies all the important, fast and effective editing functionality that photographers will require on a day-to-day basis, as well as, crucially, being able to deal with RAW files, with the Face Swap feature being of particular appeal.
Summary Ease of use Value for money Features Quality of results
Overall A convenient photo editor that can take you from upload to printout in a matter of minutes, and comes at a respectable price too. Certainly a program that we would recommend
SOFTWARE
Apps Camera Noir Price: £1.49 / $1.99 OS: iOS 7+
A simple-touse app for capturing the world about you in beautiful monochrome shades. This app features three settings for tweaking the image, as well as Instagram crop marks and tap control for adjusting exposure and focus quickly. SRP: $50 (approx. £31) OS: Windows Vista+, Mac OS X 10.6+
Price: From £0.60/ $0.99 OS: iOS6+/Android2.1+
reFine Refiningdetail shouldn’t justbeabout sharpening,asthisplug-in aimstoprove Digital Film Tools’ reFine aims to improve image detail and apply a creative twist. Effects are grouped into sets, which are adaptable using reFine’s carefully thought-out adjustments. It’s possible to use reFine as a plug-in to a number of applications, including Lightroom, Aperture and Photoshop, but it soon became evident that the level of detail could be re-enacted just as well in the supporting applications, leaving reFine feeling a little washed out. It has the ability to mask out areas of your image to keep changes selective to specific parts. The layers function is a useful feature, giving you room to be more creative by mixing and matching effects. This also means you’re not reliant on just one filter to produce the results you are looking to end up with. The Detail sliders are the plug-in’s secret weapons, with Coarse, Medium and Fine controls splitting up an image into levels of texture and small detail. These effectively enable you to adapt the effect, with control over sharpness and the haloing of edges. If you’re after a tool purely for sharpening, much of what reFine offers won’t be helpful. In terms of creative options, while it produces a filtered coating, for low-resolution stills reFine can make them more acceptable.
PicFrame
Display and share up to nine of your favourite photos and videos into a multi-framed collage. There are 73 customisable frames in all, with options to include labels, effects, music and patterns. Once you’ve styled up your own collage, upload to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Path and Flickr.
Popkick
Price: £1.99/$2.99 OS: iOS6+
Above
A touch of drama
Give clouds thestormyHDR lookusinga combination of Sharpenfilters andDetailsliders
Summary Ease of use Valuefor money Features Quality of results
Overall Bespoke, natural media finishes make reFine good value for money. However, with creative and exaggerated filters forming much of its arsenal, not all the effects are practical for everyday use
This app’s welldesigned interface makes it easy to both capture and create funky, pop-art inspired images. The Color Wheel is especially handy, warping and mixing hues in your shots for bespoke looks.
Camera FV-5
Price: £2.49/$3.95 OS: Android2.2+
Designed to bring DSLR controls directly to your phone’s camera including ISO, exposure compensation and program mode. Exposure bracketing – and even the option to shoot in RAW (PNG) format – produces excellent results.
111
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