Di Git Al PH Oto Grapher Issue 185, 2017
Di Git Al PH Oto Grapher Issue 185, 2017
Di Git Al PH Oto Grapher Issue 185, 2017
CAPTURESTUNNING
LANDSCA
IN TOUGH
CONDITIO
Usethe weather to youradvantage
CANON
EOS M5
10 WILD
ENTIAL
DLIFE
SKILL
LS
Ourproguidetothemostvittaltechniques
ONE
LIGHT
PORTRAITS
Incredible images that you can shoot at home
WORK WITH
A LENSBABY
LEARN TO
PAINT WITH
LIGHT
ADD CUSTOM
METADATA IN
LIGHTROOM
ISSUE 185 PRINTED IN THE UK 5.00
Digital Edition
GreatDigitalMags.com
WELCOME
GET IN TOUCH Ask a question, share your thoughts or showcase your photos
3
Future Publishing Ltd
Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill
Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ
+44 (0) 1202 586200
Web: www.dphotographer.co.uk
www.greatdigitalmags.com
www.futureplc.com
Editorial
Deputy Editor Matt Bennett
matthew.bennett@futurenet.com
01202 586286
Designer Kym Winters
Operations Editor Richard Hill
Production Editor Rachel Terzian
Reviews Editor Rebecca Greig
Senior Art Editor Rebecca Shaw
Group Editor in Chief Chris George
Photographer James Sheppard
Contributors
James Abbott, Mark Bauer, Kevin Carter, Trevor Cole,
Amy Davies, David Gilliver, Tim Hunt, Tom Mason, April Milani,
Angela Nicholson, Richard Peters, Deborah Sandidge,
Kilian Schnberger, Simon Skellon, Mark White, David Yarrow
Advertising
Digital or printed media packs are available on request.
Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove
Senior Advertising Manager Amanda Burns
+44 (0) 1225 687286
amanda.burns@futurenet.com
Account Manager Matt Bailey
+44 (0) 1225 687511
matt.bailey@futurenet.com
Senior Sales Executive Claire Harris
+44 (0) 1225 687221
claire.harris@futurenet.com
International
Digital Photograher is available for licensing. Contact the
International department to discuss partnership opportunities.
Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman
+44 (0) 1202 586401
cathy.blackman@futurenet.com
Subscriptions
For all subscription enquiries:
digitalphotographer@servicehelpline.co.uk
0844 848 8407
Overseas +44 (0)1795 592 862
www.imaginesubs.co.uk
Kilian Schnberger
Head of subscriptions Sharon Todd
FileSilo.co.uk
$VVHWVDQGUHVRXUFHOHVIRUWKLVPDJD]LQHFDQEHIRXQGRQWKLV
ZHEVLWH5HJLVWHUQRZWRXQORFNWKRXVDQGVRIXVHIXOOHV
SupportOHVLORKHOS#LPDJLQHSXEOLVKLQJFRXN
Circulation
Circulation Director Darren Pearce
01202 586200
Production
Production Director Jane Hawkins
01202 586200
Management
Finance & Operations Director Marco Peroni
Our contributors
Creative Director Aaron Asadi
Editorial Director Ross Andrews
REBECCA KILIAN APRIL
GREIG SCHNBERGER MILANI
Printing & Distribution Website: Website: Website:
6RXWKHUQSULQW/WG)DFWRU\5RDG8SWRQ,QGXVWULDO(VWDWH
Poole, Dorset, BH16 5SN
dphotographer.co.uk kilianschoenberger.de milani.photography
Distributed in the UK, Eire & the Rest of the World by This issue, our Photographer April Milani shoots
0DUNHWIRUFH&KXUFKLOO3ODFH&DQDU\:KDUI/RQGRQ(+8
Reviews Editor and geographer conceptual images
0203 787 9060 www.marketforce.co.uk
Rebecca offers an Kilian Schnberger and evocative
Distributed in Australia by Gordon & Gotch Australia Pty Ltd,
26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales 2086 in-depth exploration specialises in portraits. Specialist
+ 61 2 9972 8800 www.gordongotch.com.au of shooting portraits with just a single bringing out the harsh beauty of lenses are among the gear she uses to
Disclaimer studio light. Discover her tips and tricks remote landscapes, especially those achieve her distinctive look; on p64, she
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or in our feature on p28. Rebeccas also at high altitude. On p38 this issue, he demonstrates how to use a Lensbaby
damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of Future Publishing Ltd.
1RWKLQJLQWKLVPDJD]LQHPD\EHUHSURGXFHGLQZKROHRUSDUWZLWKRXWWKHZULWWHQ lent her technical expertise on high- explains how you can make the most Composer and its custom optics, like the
SHUPLVVLRQRIWKHSXEOLVKHU$OOFRS\ULJKWVDUHUHFRJQLVHGDQGXVHGVSHFLFDOO\
IRUWKHSXUSRVHRIFULWLFLVPDQGUHYLHZ$OWKRXJKWKHPDJD]LQHKDVHQGHDYRXUHG speed photographic capture (p106) and of challenging weather conditions to Sweet 35, to create an artistic, painterly
to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may
FKDQJH7KLVPDJD]LQHLVIXOO\LQGHSHQGHQWDQGQRWDIOLDWHGLQDQ\ZD\ZLWKWKH
portable solid-state drives (p108). capture moody and dramatic scenes. effect in your own photographs.
companies mentioned herein.
If you submit material to Future Publishing via post, email, social network or any
other means, you automatically grant Future Publishing an irrevocable, perpetual, ANGELA DAVID RICHARD
UR\DOW\IUHHOLFHQFHWRXVHWKHPDWHULDODFURVVLWVHQWLUHSRUWIROLRLQSULQWRQOLQH
and digital, and to deliver the material to existing and future clients, including NICHOLSON GILLIVER PETERS
but not limited to international licensees for reproduction in international, Website: Website: Website:
licensed editions of Future Publishing products. Any material you submit is sent
at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future Publishing nor its
angelanicholson.com davidgilliver.com richardpeters.co.uk
employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage.
Freelance journalist David creates playful Richard aims to
2017 Future Publishing Ltd
and photographer ne-art images, with capture unusual and
,661
Angela has years a particular emphasis unexpected views of
of experience in on integrating art into wildlife in his photos,
testing cameras, from medium-format the landscape. He brings his knowledge giving you a different perspective on
to compacts. This issue she road-tests to bear in his creative project on p58, familiar animals. In his feature on p48,
Canons new mirrorless model the EOS as he shows how to paint with light. Richard suggests ten ways to deliver real
M5 (see p96), and tries out the Mark Discover the shooting techniques and impact in your own wildlife shots, from
V edition of Sonys enduring RX100 camera settings you need to bring light understanding the light conditions to
premium compact turn to p100. art into your own work. including the habitat.
5
YOUR FREE
Y
ASSETS
Turn over to get hold
of your bonus
10
Ivan Farca
content Reader
Gallery
38
Contents
Landscapes in
tough conditions
38 Landscapes in
In Focus tough conditions
Capture a stunning shot in rain or mist
18 Story Behind The Still
Lee Acaster reveals the secrets behind 48 Ten essential
his award-winning image wildlife skills
Our pro guide to the key elements
20 News
Kilian Schnberger
66 Nikon on location
Edit & Share Nikon ambassador David Yarrow
discusses his choice of kit
68 Apply lters
as Smart Objects
Unlock this Photoshop trick
Go Pro
70 Lightroom metadata 76 Become a
Learn how to create custom picture editor
presets for your images An alternative photo-based career option
48
Richard Peters
Trevor Cole
58
Light
painting
96
Canon EOS
M5 tested
One-light
28 portraits
Reviews
88 Group test
Which backpack offers the most
88
Group
test
for photographers?
96 Canon EOS M5
How does the latest model in
this series perform?
102 Lenses
A detailed look at two recent
arrivals on the market
25%
110 Software
Our views on the latest editing
tools available to photographers
Turn to page 82, or go online
112 Accessories and buy direct from
Some fun-yet-functional kitbag
extras for photography
Free with
your magazine
Photoshop and Exclusive Tutorial files All of this
Lightroom assets video tutorials and test shots is yours
Apply free actions and Improve your skills with Follow our tutorials and 2YHUPLQXWHVRILQGHSWKHGLWLQJ
presets to your imagery in-depth editing videos analyse review results video tutorials, including creative
Photoshop projects and helpful
Lightroom tips
/LJKWURRPSUHVHWV
0RUHWKDQ3KRWRVKRSDFWLRQVWR
automate essential editing tasks
2XUWHVWVKRWVIURPWKH
reviews section
,PDJH ILOHV VR \RX FDQ IROORZ
along with our tutorials
Log in to www.filesilo.co.uk/digitalphotographer
Register to get instant access Free
to this pack of must-have for digital
creative resources, how-to
readers too!
Read on your tablet,
videos and tutorial assets download on your
computer
The home of great
downloads exclusive to
your favourite magazines
from Future!
Secure and safe online
access, from anywhere
Free access for every
reader, print and digital
Download only the files
you want, when you want
All your gifts, from all
your issues, in one place
Get started
Everything you need to
know about accessing
your FileSilo account
Unlock
every
issue
Follow the instructions
01 on-screen to create an
account with our secure FileSilo
system. Log in and unlock the
issue by answering a simple
question about the magazine. gifts from more than 36 issues
Access our entire library of resources with a money-saving
VXEVFULSWLRQWRWKHPDJD]LQHWKDWVPRUHWKDQIUHHUHVRXUFHV
10
The Gallery
Some of the best images from our website
2x Ivan Farca
Ivan Farca
DP Gallery address: Can you explain a bit more about the
ifarca techniques you used to capture it?
Image title: First off I had my tripod open a bit more
Surfer than usual to get the camera lower. I
positioned myself on the water to get those
What camera, lens and settings did you reections that I wanted to capture and
use to capture this stunning shot? when the surfer came into the frame, I
My latest camera equipment is the Canon quickly had to change the settings to make
EOS 5DS with the 16-35mm f2.8 II on a 055 a faster shutter speed because I was doing
Manfrotto carbon bre tripod. some 30-second exposures.
This was the rst run on the 16-35mm and My focus point was on the surfer and
I have to say that I loved it. The settings on since I had to take the shot at f2.8, I needed
this shot had to be very fast because a long the surfer to be in focus.
exposure would blur out the surfer and it
was getting dark, so I went with 1/6sec f2.8 What do you like most about the image?
ISO 200 at 16mm. In December and January we get what we
call the king tides, where the water retreats
How did you decide on the composition? and rises more than usual. Im always
I knew that the tide would be low this day looking for nice reections but this one took
and reection would be very clear on the them all, with the surfer in a clear reection
Crystal Pier. I wanted the sunset right and an amazing sunset.
behind the pier and the camera at a low
angle to capture as much of the reections Did you do much post-processing?
as I could from nowhere this surfer came My post-process workow is very simple
out of the ocean and, being in Southern and natural looking. I rst start out with
California, I needed this sunset with a surfer. highlights, shadows, white and blacks and
I asked the guy if he could pose for me adjust contrast. I add a bit of vibrance and
and he gladly did. I snapped four shots straighten the horizon, and that is it. I tend
and that was it, after that I chatted with to keep my images as I saw it and get it in a
the surfer a bit and the sunset was gone. single exposure.
11
2x Chris Evans
Chris Evans
DP Gallery
address:
Chris_V_Evans
Image title:
Vladimir Pinta
Damien Walmsley
DP Gallery address:
Dammo
Image title:
Bridge walk
12
Basia Pawlik
DP Gallery address:
basiapawlik
Image title:
Joanna
13
YOUR IMAGES
2x Eithne Ni Anluain
Eithne Ni Anluain
DP Gallery
address:
nianluain
Image title:
Beo with Elle Beth
Richard Dawson
DP Gallery
2x Richard Dawson
address:
Richard_uk
Image title:
In The Air
14
2x Magdalena Szurek
Magdalena Szurek
DP Gallery address:
valori
Image title:
Sele
15
PHOTOCROWD COMPETITION
THE BEST OF
BLACK AND WHITE STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
The winners of our latest contest with Photocrowd and Think Tank Photo have been revealed
n our most recent contest in association with
1ST PLACE WINNER
I Photocrowd we challenged you to submit
your best black and white street photography,
and after sifting through over 2,300 impressive
The middle men
Photographer: Peter Murrell The station sign has been skilfully centred in
images a Photocrowd record the winners Our comments: The composition of this the shot and the image is very high contrast
have been selected. Our expert selection of stunning black and white shot is the reason and low key, which is ideal for monochrome
rst place and the crowd voted image will both that we have chosen it to be the winner. photography our eyes were drawn straight to
receive a Think Tank Photo Retrospective 30 The viewer is drawn into the image, straight the highlights in the middle. We feel it has truly
Leather bag worth 230. to the main subject on the opposite platform. captured a candid and very real moment.
16
THE BEST OF BLACK AND WHITE STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
1ST PLACE CROWD VOTED Around Yangon by train Photographer: Marco Tagliarino
17
IN FOCUS
STORY
BEHIND
THE STILL
Right
Snowdonia National Park, Wales, UK
A straightforward shot to capture, it just became a
All images Lee Acaster
18
19
IN FOCUS
Canon introduces
the EOS M6
A new mirrorless camera
promises DSLR quality
The EOS M6 mirrorless camera is intended
Right
For beginners
The EOS 800D is positioned as an entry-level
model in the Canon DSLR range
20
NEWS
In other
news
More snippets of
photo news from
around the world
NIKON CANCELS
DL COMPACT RANGE
The long-awaited release of the
Nikon DL range of premium
compact cameras has been
22
Landscape
variety
Professional photographer Trevor Cole discusses his
passion for stunning scenes and why no two are the same
Left
The Breeches,
Crohy Head
A golden long exposure taken in
County Donegal, Ireland
All images Trevor Cole
23
INTERVIEW
rish-born professional How did you get started? but it continually changes in response
MORAINE LAKE IN
MONOCHROME,
CANADA
I love monochrome
and this image
encapsulates a
calm winter scene
reected perfectly in
the lake. The clouds
create mood and the
scree slopes covered
in a light coating of
snow exacerbate
some of natures
symmetry. The range
of tones appeal to
my eye.
BEACHED, BROKEN
AND BOTTOMED
OUT THE WRECK
OF CARA NA MARA
A long exposure of
an old iconic wreck
on the west coast of
Donegal, Ireland on
an overcast day. I
love the mood and
presence created
by this old wreck. It
sits, slowly decaying
in the face of storms,
but always presents
the photographer
with a different vista.
25
INTERVIEW
Top
Uluwatu
The colours are stunning
in this calming shot taken
in Bali
Middle
Mount Agung
A beautifully framed shot
of Mount Agung in
Bali, Indonesia
Bottom
The Dark
Hedges, Armoy
Compressed perspective
makes the most of the trees
26
TECHNIQUES
28
ONE LIGHT PORTRAITS
Learn how to master a simple setup and shoot
professional portraits with minimal kit and space
erfecting a professional studio lighting to if you were using multiple lights. Youll be Rembrandt lighting, split lighting, as well as
29
CLOSE TO MODEL
When using a softbox to
diffuse the light, the light
will become even softer
the closer you position it
to the model
POSITION A
SINGLE LIGHT
Perfect the placement of your
ash for the best results
Learning how the positioning of your light
will affect the nal look of your portrait is
extremely important. As mentioned previously,
the distance between where the light is placed
in relation to the subject will affect the quality
of light as well as the size of the light source,
but the height and angle will also determine
how the shadows fall and shape the models
face. It is important that you pose your model
to match your chosen lighting setup, then
move the light around instead of getting the
model to move.
Having the light positioned directly in front
of the model can sometimes make your shot
a little at, as it will ll in all of the shadows
and the shadows are needed to add depth
and interest to the image. Simply moving the
light around to the side can help you create a
far more dramatic image. Ask your model to
stand still in just one position and move your
FURTHER light around them so that you can see how its
FROM MODEL position will affect the shadows on their face.
The Rembrandt style of lighting is a good
The further away the
softbox is to your subject example of the interplay between shadow
the harder the light and light, and is characterised by a distinctive
becomes, because the light upside-down triangle of light on the shadow
source becomes smaller in
side of the subjects face. The light is
relation to the model
positioned at around 45 degrees to the model.
Rembrandt lighting creates a low-key, high-
contrast and atmospheric look. The strong
use of shadows has a very attering, slimming
effect on the subjects face because the
shadows are so aggressive it doesnt always
suit female models, however, we found
that because our model had very dened
cheekbones it actually worked well in our case.
For an even more dramatic look, move the light
further around to 90 degrees for a split-lighting
effect where one side of the subjects face will
fall entirely in shadow.
Loop lighting is one of the most popular
styles as it atters most subjects. It is created
by positioning the light just above eye
level around 30 degrees from the camera
and is characterised by a small shadow of
the subjects nose on their face. If light is
positioned too high though youll lose the
catchlight in the subjects eyes, which can
be unattractive. A light positioned too high or
even too low will also create rather unattering
shadows, so it is important to always pay
attention to where they fall.
30
1. IN FRONT 2. REMBRANDT
The light has been The light has been moved
positioned in front of around by 45 degrees
the model and has to create a dramatic
illuminated and lifted a Rembrandt lighting
lot of the shadows on effect. This angle helps to
her face accentuate the models
cheekbones and has
a slimming effect on
the face, and creates
the Rembrandt-style
triangle on the shadow
side of the face
3. SPLIT
This is an even more
dramatic look where
the light has been
placed at 90 degrees
to the subject and only
illuminates one side of
the face
MODEL POSITION 3
CAMERA POSITION 2
POSITION 1
31
Right
Soft light
A popular
technique WORK WITH SOFT
AND HARD LIGHT
employed by
many pro portra
photographers
the shadows are
far softer than
those captured
Embrace the simplicity of
with a hard light
g using one light and learn to
make use of its qualities
Because it is a relatively simple setup, it is
particularly important that you perfect your
exposure and consider the power and quality
of the light you are using, as well as learning
how to control it for creating different effects.
The power and quality of your light will have
a huge impact on the portraits you produce.
It can be dened by two broad categories: hard
light and soft light. The quality of light depends
a large extent on the size of the light source in
relation to the subject. If a large light source
is close to the subject it will produce a softer
light than if it is pulled away. A good example
to help you understand this concept is the
Sun it is extremely large, but because it is so
far away it is seen as being a small light source
in relation to the subjects on Earth, and thus
creates a hard light.
Many portrait photographers favour a
softer light, as it is typically seen as being more
attering for your model and more forgiving
in terms of how its positioned and exposed.
Soft light is created by large light sources, such
as studio lights used with a softbox. Images
that have been shot with a soft light will have
more delicate shadows and are generally lower
in contrast. Sometimes in softer light you may
not even be able to identify where the shadows
fall and soft light is often used to reduce,
disguise and hide hard facial lines and wrinkles.
Light created by adding a softbox to your
studio light will create an image with a gradual
transition between the highlights and shadows.
Despite all of this, when working with just
one light, a hard light can be used to create
a far more dramatic look. Hard light portraits
are characterised by crisp, well-dened
shadows with a high level of contrast between
the highlights and the shadows. Sometimes,
the highlights and whites are purposely
slightly overexposed to create a very high-
contrast look. Although hard light can present
challenges in terms of perfecting the angle and
position of the ash and rening the models
pose, it is absolutely perfect for creating
dramatic portraits. When working with only
one ash a hard lighting approach can appear
much more purposeful and serve as a better
use of the resources that are available to you.
Just remember to check your images using
your cameras LCD review screen, to ensure
the shadows are not too harsh or misplaced.
32
ONE LIGHT PORTRAITS
CONVERT
TO MONO
Portraits taken with a hard
light are perfect for black and
white conversion because of
the high-contrast effect that it
will create. The well-dened
shadows, lines and textures
will look great in black
and white.
Inset
Hard light
The shadows in this
shot are far darker and
there is a more dramatic
transition between
the shadows
and highlights
TECHNIQUES
Create a dark
background
Use the inverse square law to
shoot a low-key portrait
REFINE WITH A
REFLECTOR
Discover how accessories
and editing software can
assist a single light setup
Adding a reector into your one light setup
will act like a ll light and will help you to lift
areas of your models face that are in shadow.
Once you understand the extent to which you
can manipulate the light you can add in more
reectors, and youll quickly discover that you
can create more complex looks by bouncing
the light at different angles. Experiment with
where you position your reector having
it positioned centrally above or below your
model, or at 45 degrees to the left or right, will
have completely different effects.
For a high-end fashion look, the classic
buttery lighting effect is ideal. It involves
positioning a large light source directly in front
and above the model with a reector or a
triector, if you have one positioned beneath
them so that their eyes are not too dark. This
is great for female subjects, as it creates soft,
delicate shadows and, as with Rembrandt
lighting, it will help to enhance the models
cheekbones, but in a far more subtle way. You
can use a studio light with a softbox for this
effect, or for an even more luminous glow use
a beauty dish.
Flags can be used to both reect and block
the spill of light. A white ag can be used to
bounce the key light back into the shadow side
of the subjects face to act as a ll light, or
you can use a black ag to block some
of the light and create a shadow. DP
Position the light and reector Pose and shoot Decide how you
1 Place your studio light with softbox
directly in front of the model and
2 would like to pose your model and
experiment with asking them to lean
angle it downwards. Place a reector into the camera. The camera here was
underneath facing up towards them. set to around f7 at 1/200sec.
36
ONE LIGHT PORTRAITS
Create a mask
1 Start by using the Elliptical
Marquee Tool to select the area where
you want the impression of light to
fall. This selection will then need to be
feathered for a subtle transition.
Add a vignette
2 Create a Curves adjustment layer
and pull the diagonal line upwards to
brighten this area. Use a soft Brush
(B) set to black to carefully dial back
the subjects face, hair and clothes.
37
TECHNIQUES
STUNNING LANDSCAPES IN
TOUGH
CONDITIONS
You dont always need perfect weather Kilian Schnberger says
rain, mist and fog can provide ne shooting opportunities too
38
T
he rain is pouring against the for atmospheric pictures. To master truly
windows the world is bathed in grey dramatic landscapes, you have to understand
and its drab. The weather forecast that the weather is an important part of visual
doesnt seem too promising either. storytelling. When you have to handle bad
Some kind of frustration is slowly growing, conditions on location, it makes no sense to
especially if an expensive photo trip has fallen complain and to wait for the next sunset with
through because this kind of bad weather. dancing colours. Instead, get yourself in touch
Many photographers think in this way. But with the secret beauty of dull, grey days.
here you will learn how to handle such bad
conditions perhaps even learn to love them.
In my opinion there is only one kind of Above
bad weather for landscape photography: an Time travel
Situated in a small side valley of river Moselle, Castle
all-blue sky with harsh sunlight at lunchtime. Eltz is one of Germanys most picturesque medieval
Luckily, lunch is around the corner then. fortresses... it looks like [its] from a different time.
But back to stormy and misty weather Fog emphasises the timeless mood.
your new favourite weather conditions Kilian Schnberger
39
TECHNIQUES
How to capture
the spectacular
WAIT FOR THE RIGHT LIGHT Understanding the weather
is key to getting great shots
Cloudy skies can yield dramatic shots but to be in the right
spot at the right time means going out when its still raining
Many of us know this situation: youre driving spontaneously to the weather. The transition
down the highway during late afternoon, and from the muted colours during rain to the
its pouring down. Suddenly the rain stops and golden light is intense. Since everything is
everything is bathed in golden light. But since wet, the light mirrors itself in every surface
its not a good idea to stop on the highway especially in forest environments, as the drops
and most of the time there are no promising on the leaves become a thousandfold light
locations nearby, you just think what you could reexes. Use a polariser to intensify the colours
have done with the same conditions at your and contrasts.
TIME IT RIGHT
favourite location. Its important to provide some protection for Wait around until the light
Is there a way to plan for such conditions? your equipment and yourself. Ive always got has faded, so that you
Yes, if only to a certain extent. To be ready to a simple plastic bag in my backpack and an can capture moments
like this, where the golden
capture these shots, you have to know from umbrella in the back of my car. hue of the lowering sun is
which direction the storm or rain is coming reflecting off every cloud
in, and how long it will last. The best way for
this is to check a high-denition weather radar Opposite-bottom-left
readout with a mobile app. There you can see Trees in mist
how the rain and the clouds are moving and if This image by Dorset-based landscape
photographer Mark Bauer demonstrates how
there is any chance for some golden strip-light
mist illuminated by warm light can look hugely
at the end of the day. atmospheric and evocative
This kind of light is more common at the
end of the day because wet air masses are Opposite-bottom-right
often moving in from the west then, so you Chase the rainbow
get this kind of light during sunset. In spring, When a rain shower has passed and sunlight bursts
with its localised showers of rain, the chance through the clouds its always worth keeping an eye
out for the possibility of a rainbow, which can be
to capture this phenomenon is especially high particularly striking above the right landscape
since there are many gaps between the clouds.
Its more likely youll witness the golden light Below
after rain shortly before sunset, because when Misty Orchard
the Sun is already near the horizon, the light At the end of a hot summer day a local storm
can shine through between the remains of the disappeared as fast as it appeared.
Just some fog in the valleys bears witness
cloud cover and the surface of the earth. to the conditions. The focus is on the apple
The best plan is to have several easy trees in the foreground, with fog shrouded
reachable locations nearby to react spruces and the Bavarian Alps as backdrop
Kilian Schnberger
Find the
best conditions
How to predict when a glowing
strip will appear on the horizon
Its important to spot the signs that there
could be golden light after rain. A good
omen is always when there is a at bright
strip or gap between the clouds and the
ground. Watch this gap closely; is the
light intensity or colour changing? Which
direction are the clouds moving? To
check if the Sun could shine below the
clouds, you can use satellite images from
websites and apps.
Kilian Schnberger
STUNNING LANDSCAPES IN TOUGH CONDITIONS
STORMY WEATHER
Get to know weather
patterns in your area so
that you can predict the
times when storm clouds
are most likely to build, and
from which direction BURNING FOG
The right conditions
outweigh a so-so location
like this post-thunderstorm
mood with glowing fog,
taken shortly before
sunset in rural Bavaria
FIX THE
UMBRELLA
An umbrella is handy when its
raining but its hard to work
when you need one hand to hold
the umbrella. Look for clamps for
the tripod, but be aware that under
windy conditions, an umbrella
on your tripod could lead to
the whole installation
tumbling over. 2x Mark Bauer
All images Kilian Schnberger
42
best friends for fog photography are trees and
forests, castles, old houses, lonely lanes, rivers,
creeks, gorges, waterfalls and ruins.
But where does fog appear? Thats a difcult
question. There are many different sorts of
fog, and most of the time its hard to forecast
where it will emerge. Most know the typical
November mood, with fog everywhere. Since
this fog is very dense, hardly any oriented
light reaches the ground. Sometimes during
bad weather periods, the top regions of
mountains are covered in clouds and allow fog
photography up there. During high pressure
phases in autumn, you can nd high-inversion
fog, where the peaks of higher mountains stick
out and allow perfect shots of islands in a sea
of fog. This kind of fog is more common in
continental Europe.
My personal favourite is low fog on the LEARN
meadows during spring, when the Sun sends FROM THE
some light through the fog early in the morning
especially when there was rain the day before
Above OLD MASTERS
Rain Forest
and its cleared up during the night. Even a commercial forest can look like out of a Photographers often use chest
fairytale with the right conditions. The puddle in the waders in rivers or creeks. But
For misty shots, where the white and
foreground mirrors the mist shrouded spruces and they are also recommended for wet
light grey areas dominate the scene, its opens a window into another world meadows with high grass or tree
recommended to slightly overexpose. Its the thickets during rainy days. Waders
best way to transfer the real mood to the nal Opposite dont offer good air and moisture
photo and to get some details in the darker Woodland in fog exchange, so they are not
A wood can be a visually confusing environment, but
areas, too. Shooting in your cameras RAW when fog descends it obscures some of the details
a good solution for
format is recommended for more control and helps to create a scene thats simpler but also longer hikes.
during post-processing. more atmospheric
43
TECHNIQUES
44
Five top tips
Mark Bauer offers his shooting
secrets for rain, mist and fog
Shoot in woodland
Overcast or drizzly days are perfect for
shooting in woods or forests. Not only will
you be under cover and able to stay dry, but
the soft, diffused light is very attering for
woodland locations. By contrast, on bright,
Kilian Schnberger
sunny days, although dappled light can look
very pleasing to the eye, the tonal range is
often too great for the camera to capture,
resulting in blocked-up shadows and burnt-
out highlights.
45
TECHNIQUES
Basic adjustments Increase the Contrast Apply a gradient A washed-out, pale Add a vignette This is an optional step.
1 and Clarity, and adjust the Highlights,
Shadows and Exposure sliders. To correct
2 cloudy sky will not have much impact, so
consider using a Gradient to darken it down.
3 If there is not much actual shadow within
the scene itself, adding a vignette could look
White Balance, choose the Auto setting then A separate Gradient has been applied for the heavy-handed. Slightly darken the edges by
adjust the Temperature slider. foreground too, to draw the eye in. taking the Amount slider down a little.
CHASING
WATERFALLS
Bad weather is good for photos of
waterfalls and creeks. You dont have
problems with excessive contrast due
to direct sunlight; the structures of
rocks emerge better; and the greens
look more saturated. For best
results, use a polariser to
minimise reections.
Left
Boost the drama
A few quick tweaks in your RAW
processing application can
BEFORE AFTER make a big difference to how
your nal image looks.
46
2x Kilian Schnberger
TECHNIQUES
ESSENTIAL
WILDLIFE TECHNIQUES
Expert photographer Richard Peters reveals how to make the
most of your wildlife images with these essential tips
48
etting your subject within range of the about to take the shot, the lighting suddenly it before even taking the camera out of the
youve travelled for 20 minutes or 20 hours to moves through the landscape? Of course it Below
see it, because there are a multitude of factors isnt always going to be quite as dramatic as Pelican line-up
With the right approach and
to consider before you take any photos. What that but when youre out with the camera, technique, even the dullest of days
are the lighting conditions like? How does the these factors should be running through your can be used to create images with
background look? What is the subject doing? head as second nature. Being able to read the mood, drama and atmosphere
Once youve gured these out and youre scene before you, and plan how to photograph All images Richard Peters
49
TECHNIQUES
UNDERSTAND
THELIGHT
Knowing how to read the
conditions is critical
A beautiful subject bathed in warm light might
be appealing on the face of it, but it wont get
the creative juices owing. By looking for ways
in which you can potentially use any light,
understanding the different ways that variation
will impact the image and, more importantly,
the way in which the sensor will expose for it,
you will be able to quickly determine how best
to use aperture, ISO and shutter speed for
more creative control. Shooting at sunrise and
sunset will often pay dividends, but make sure
you pay close attention to how the light falls on
the subject and act fast. At sunrise for example,
it wont take too long for the Sun to rise high
enough that a subjects deep-set eyes will
become shaded. And with that thought, keep
in mind that shade is as important as light, and
the way they complement each other as they
both emphasise contours, textures and shape. Left
Once youve got a picture or two in the bag, Intrigued little owl
Here the evening Sun has created warm
try moving around the direction of light light that highlights the owls prole,
relative to the subject will also provide very separating it from the background and
different effects. adding shape and depth to the bird
Below
Red deer silhouette
By placing the subject between the
MONOCHROMATICPHOTOS
For stylistic merit and high impact, aim for images with a single colour or muted shades
This style can produce very memorable images
and works well with strong, bold outlines and
silhouettes. Generally you will need a dark-
coloured background along with a strong back
or side light, or to be shooting towards the light
at sunrise or sunset to produce warm pastel
shades. The best effects tend to be when
the difference in dynamic range between the
light and shade is large; exposing for the very
brightest highlights as they fall on the subject
renders the shade completely black, allowing
for the subtle light to really pop. Because
ambient light can change quickly, its a good
idea to practise being able to quickly dial
in underexposure to override the metering
system, which will want to produce a balanced
and even exposure. If the camera were to
expose the scene evenly, the ISO would be
raised to allow the shaded areas to retain
detail, while blowing all the highlights.
50
SEETHE
BIGGER PICTURE
Its not all about frame llers including habitats can be as important as the subject
Tight crops with clean backgrounds are always frame look and compressing the surroundings, depth of eld. Most variable aperture lenses
appealing but thinking wider is a very good switching to a wide-angle lens offers a unique sharpen up considerably around f8 and having
way to add more depth to your photos. While and unrivalled perspective. Plus, this technique a wide-angle zoom can allow more exibility in
a habitat shot can be quite easy to achieve doesnt rely on fast, prime wide angles, as camera placement, as you may nd the need
with a telephoto by going for the small-in-the- youll often need to stop down to create more to trigger the camera remotely.
Right
The Wick
The temptation is to capture a tight crop with the
pufns, but shooting wide allowed this pair to be
immersed within the beautiful sunset above them
Right
Wise old man
Animals with contrasting colours and
strong facial detail especially
suit black and white,
providing particularly
engaging portraits
UNDERSTAND
YOUR KIT
Its crucial to understand how
your camera equipment works so
that, in the heat of the moment
when you only have a second
or two to react, you are able
to quickly change any
necessary settings.
51
TECHNIQUES
CLEANUPYOUR
BACKGROUNDS
Look beyond the subject and consider
whats behind the main point of focus
Anything that unwittingly draws attention
away from the subject is a compromise to
your photo. Even with a wide-open, shallow
aperture these distractions usually come in
the form of hard, man-made lines or stray
background elements. These can include areas
of contrasting colour that break up uniformity,
dont complement the colour of the subject
or objects that are too close and therefore not
in focus enough for attention-grabbing detail
to be recognised. If the distraction is moving,
such as another animal, wait until it has moved
from view before releasing the shutter. Even
moving the camera several centimetres can be
enough to remove background elements from
the composition, either pushing them out of
frame or behind the subject itself.
DRESS
APPROPRIATELY
Dont forget to put some
thought into the clothing you
wear when photographing
wildlife. Nothing will break
your concentration faster
than being too cold, wet,
hot or generally
uncomfortable.
Left Above
Red deer distraction Red deer dawn
Beautiful light and subjects can With a clean background free of
be easily ruined with conicting distractions, the viewer can fully
background elements such as appreciate the clean lines and
man-made objects beautiful colours of the image
CONSIDER
PERSPECTIVE
Change your position and get
down low for a compelling view
One of the best ways to obtain a clean and
aesthetically pleasing image is to get eye
level with the subject, especially with animals
that are low to the ground. If you can get your
camera roughly head height to the subject, the
background will be further away than if you
were looking down from up high. This gives a Make eye contact
cleaner look, allows the subject to really pop An important element for the
from the frame and the low-level perspective ultimate viewer engagement
offers a much more interesting view by
providing a glimpse at the animals perspective Ensuring eye contact with the subject
on the world. of your photo does something crucial:
it draws the viewer in by commanding
Top Right attention, making it one of the most
Water level pelican Morani
powerful tools in gaining a connection with
Laying the camera just millimetres from One of the most regal lions in
the waters surface, the lakes background the Maasai Mara is Morani, but the subject. Often it is the nal ingredient
is diffused and the viewers focus is drawn to capture that feeling of grace, needed to make a good image a great one.
straight to the dalmatian pelican eye contact was essential
CAPTURE
CHARACTER
A static subject can be visually
boring, even in good light, so look for
behaviour to add more impact
While extremely captivating behaviour
such as a ghting or hunting can really
elevate your image, dont forget to think
about the smaller, less-pronounced
behaviour, as it can often still have a
big impact. Even a photo of something
as grand as a lion can be dull if its just
sitting around sleeping, but waiting for
it to wake up and yawn can transform
the image. The same principle applies
to even the smallest of species, such
as birds capturing one singing with
its beak open results in a far more
appealing image than a straightforward
bird on a stick.
Left
Waking lioness
After watching this lioness
sleep for almost an hour, the
wait was rewarded with a brief
yawn before it walked away
53
TECHNIQUES
CAPTUREMOTION
ANDMOVEMENT
Be it fast and vigorous or There are three key ways to give a feeling of
movement. A slow shutter speed combined
consider the slower the shutter speed the
longer the blackout time in the viewnder,
slow and steady, use with panning creates blur and momentum, which makes the subject harder to track.
shutter speed to but although it is the most effective way to
emphasise motion, its also important to think
Smooth panning is the key to success with
this technique, so ensure you use a tripod and
emphasise animal activity about framing and subject posture by allowing gimbal when working with longer focal lengths
room to move into or across the frame. Also and slow shutter speeds.
Left
Use a tripod
For optimum results panning with a
telephoto lens and slow shutter speed, use
a tripod and gimbal for smooth motion
Above
Wings of gold
By combining backlight and a 1/60sec
shutter speed at 400mm, the rapid
motion of this pufn coming into land
was captured in a unique manner
54
10 ESSENTIAL WILDLIFE TECHNIQUES
55
TECHNIQUES
PERFECT
YOURFOCUS
Learning which focus modes
to use and when can be the
difference between successfully
capturing the shot and not
Use back-button focus to disengage the
autofocus from the shutter release in order LONG LENS
to have more control over how and when TECHNIQUE
focusing is engaged. Always select the active When shooting with a long lens,
AF point closest to the eyes for your desired always support it with a tripod to
composition, rather than using the centre point avoid camera shake. If handheld
and recomposing. Recomposing after focus shooting, keep your elbows
acquisition shifts the focus plane away from tucked in, use your left hand to
the intended area. For fast-moving subjects, support the lens and press
use smaller groups of AF points to help keep the camera up against
your face.
the focusing locked on when you have trouble
tracking the target through the viewnder. If
you nd the focus often snaps to a distraction
other then the intended target, switch on AF
tracking delay, if your DSLR has it. This will
delay how quickly the camera tries to lock on
to competing elements within the frame.
Above
Red kite ight
With a similar coloured background, setting focus delay and
nine group points kept the focus system locked and accurate
Inset
Set your autofocus
Knowing when to adjust your Autofocus reaction time to
changes in contrast can be vital in helping the system stay
locked onto subject with competition backgrounds
56
USE AUTO ISO
By using Auto ISO in
conjunction with manual
aperture and shutter speed, the
exposure will be balanced by
adjusting the ISO. This ensures
you always get the lowest ISO
value possible for your
chosen settings.
Above
Shafts of light
By incorporating off-camera ash and a garden
WITHSPEEDLIGHTS
Below & inset
Use a camera trap
This was photographed by attaching two
ashguns up off the ground and using a PIR
Dont just stick to conventional methods for capturing sensor. Using multiple wired ashes is very easy
with a hub, which allows quick connection and
great images add interest with articial light control of three ashguns at a time
Ribbon dance
This photograph was created using a 2.5 minute-
long exposure during which time the lightsaber was
used to create the patterns
58
What youll need
DSLR camera (with Bulb
mode) and a fully charged
camera battery
Wide-angle lens (a lens that
lends itself well to landscape
photography a 24mm
prime lens was used here)
Tripod and tripod head
Shutter remote to start and
stop the long exposure
A reasonably powerful torch
(an LED Lenser torch called
the X7R was used here)
A toy lightsaber that
changes colour
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
for any post-editing work that
is required
59
SHOOTING SKILLS
Shooting 1 2
steps
Use a tripod A tripod is going to
1 be essential on this shoot. You are
going to conduct your light painting
during a pretty long exposure,
so having the camera remain
completely motionless throughout
the exposure is going to be vital to
create a sharp nal image.
60
CREATE AND CAPTURE RIBBONS OF LIGHT
The setup
FIND A SUITABLE LOCATION
As interesting as light paintings look on their
own, its always a good idea to have a think
about shooting at a location that possesses
a feature (or features) that will really add to
the impact of your overall shot. Youll also be
setting the focus point on the main feature of
the composition (in this case, the tree)
LIGHTSABER /
CLOTHING
You will need to
USE A TRIPOD find a portable
Keeping the camera colour-changing
totally stable throughout lightsaber to create
the duration of the long your ribbons (there
exposure is critical are plenty on the
market ranging
from very cheap
to quite expensive).
Wear dark clothing
to minimise the
chances of being
made visible during
the exposure
61
SHOOTING SKILLS
Editing
steps
Crop your image if necessary
1 Once you have uploaded your
RAW les into Lightroom, start
off by performing any necessary
cropping that you feel improves
the photograph(s).
3 4
62
Discover another of our great bookazines
And save 20% on your rst order when you buy direct from us
BRAND
NEW!
otoshop
eative Annual
over the most creative projects
Photoshop CC, CS and Elements
s, as this collection of practical
es is bursting with essential
s and step-by-step tutorials.
you buy direct from us not available anywhere else super-safe ordering
www.imagineshop.co.uk
Magazines, back issues & bookazines.
Use the code WELCOME20 when you make your rst order to receive your discount
FINAL IMAGE
SHOOTING SKILLS Painting with light
The combination of the Lensbaby
Composer and the Sweet 35 optic
enabled April Milani to capture this
painterly portrait
Calibrate your diopter The diopters Choose your location Place your subject Choose your lens To create this photo,
1 adjustment knob enables it to work as
a lens switching from near to far, but it will
2 and match the light to set the mood of
your photo. Putting a good distance between
3 the Sweet 35 was used for its surround
blur with a razor-sharp sweet spot. This optic is
not focus properly unless you rst adjust it your subject and the background will create housed in your Composer; Lensbaby has many
for the correct focal point. depth to help your subject pop off the page. other optics, each with its own unique bokeh.
64
WORK WITH A LENSBABY
Before you shoot Do a light check. Aperture To achieve the greatest amount The Composer Tilting the Composer
4 Keep in mind that when the Composer is
tilted, the cameras light meter will be slightly
5 of blur for that painted look, the lens
was set to an aperture of f2.5 (wide-open),
6 moves the pixels by stretching them in
your picture, yielding many different looks
off. Use the histogram to verify all exposure providing a narrow area of sharp focus with the same lens. Here, the Composer
settings (ISO, shutter speed and aperture). your sweet spot. was centred, then tilted up slightly.
65
SHOOTING SKILLS
NIKON D810
David Yarrow reveals that he
considers this to be an ideal
camera body for shooting
ne art wildlife images
such as this.
Nikon on location
DavidYarrowdiscusseshowhecaptureshis
astonishingwildlifeimageswiththehelpofNikonkit
I guess I have built my career space, which is harder with a wide angle
around wide-angle lenses and when so much context comes into play.
Nikon makes some outstanding This was a time where distance compression
ones. I never travel without could work.
my 20mm, 24mm and 35mm primes the So I left for Japan without my 58mm, my
best that Nikon does. 85mm and my 105mm. They are all brilliant
In preparing for Japan in the winter, I knew and crisp lenses but I needed clarity and they
what I was going to photograph swans and were not right for either job. I think some
red-crested cranes. Swans are not scared of people take too much equipment on an
humans and in the Japanese winter, I really assignment. The best chefs keep it simple.
needed a sense of place. My instincts were to My camera body in Japan was always going
use a 24mm or indeed even the 20mm it to be the D810. It is almost a medium-format
was time to get cold, wet and creative. This camera, just tougher. I take three D810s simply
rules out anything above my 35mm. because I dont like changing lenses in the eld.
Red-crested cranes however are less tolerant It is a time to focus on what you can see, not
of humans; I also wanted to create negative on your oversized camera bag.
66
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
67
EDIT & SHARE
Apply filters
as Smart Objects
Improve your photos non-destructively in
Photoshop with the help of this trick
A Smart Object is a Photoshop term Gaussian Blur lter as an alternative method
that describes a method of non- just make sure that youre always working with
destructive editing with layers, or, Smart Object layers.
more accurately, within one layer. A Smart
Object is adaptable and extremely versatile; BEFORE
whether youre applying adjustments or lters,
text layers or masks, Smart Objects should
never be overlooked when it comes to the
editing process.
So how do you apply Smart Objects, and
how can they benet a photographers
workow? The next few pages will take you
through the process of converting RAW and
Pixabay.com (203460)
JPEG images to Smart Objects, and then
Above
applying adjustments and lters to create Captivating nature
depth of eld. If you dont have Photoshop Photographing animals in their natural environment
CC, or the Field Blur lter, then try out the can provide some interesting angles
Use Camera Raw If working with a RAW Load Field Blur If its a JPEG youre
1 image, open in Camera Raw and activate
Smart Objects by clicking the line of text just
2 working on, head to Layer>Smart
Object>Convert to Smart Object in Photoshop.
under the image. Inside the dialog box, tick the To start creating depth of eld, head to the
option Open in Photoshop as Smart Objects. Field Blur option under Filter>Blur Gallery.
Background blur Add three points into Subject in focus To retrieve focus Improve lighting When satised, hit OK.
3 the background of your image and set Blur
to 50 or higher for each. Place these around
4 back on the main subject, place a Field
Blur point over it and reduce Blur to 0. You
5 The Field Blur will be applied as a Smart
Filter onto the Smart Object. In Filter>Camera
the main subject. The whole image will appear may need to add multiple points set to 0, Raw, reduce Highlights and increase Shadows
blurry at this stage. depending on the size of your object. to improve the dynamic range of your image.
68
APPLY FILTERS AS SMART OBJECTS
AFTER
Smart Object editing
Weve utilised Smart Object
layers and Blur lters to recreate
depth of eld and enhance
sharpness and tone
Add effects Inside the Effects section in Apply sharpening Now head to Filter> Edit Layers Because all of our edits have
6 ACR, we can apply a vignette and dehaze.
This will help improve clarity and tone. There
7 Sharpen>Smart Sharpen and set Amount
to 200% and Radius to 1.2px or higher,
8 been applied as Smart Objects, we can
head back into their settings by double-clicking
is also an option to add grain. Hit OK to apply depending on the images resolution. This on their names in the Layers palette, or hide
Camera Raw settings onto your Smart Object. should enhance any ner details in your image. them by clicking the eye symbols.
69
EDIT & SHARE
Load Metadata menu To use metadata Check None This is where we can tag
1 presets, we have to rst create them. Head
to the Metadata menu at the top of Lightroom
2 additional information onto an image
during the import stage. Inside the dialog
in the Library module and then go to Edit box, click Check None to clear the board,
Metadata Presets. then select IPTC Copyright.
Enter info and copyright Input your Save your preset Save the metadata Import and apply Head to File>Import
3 copyright information into the elds, such
as Written Permission Required into Rights
4 preset by going to Save Current Settings
as New Preset and give the new preset a
5 Photos and Video. Locate the folder or
photo to import from the Source panel. Down
Usage Terms. Location data and captions can name, for example Copyright. Hit Done to the right-hand side, locate Metadata under
be added under Basic and Camera Info elds. store the preset for future use. Apply During Import and select your preset.
70
WORK WITH METADATA IN LIGHTROOM
AFTER
Custom metadata
Making your own metadata
presets is easy to do, and will
provide additional information
about one or more of your images
View metadata Press Import to load Adjust preset To edit an existing preset, Access from Library You can edit
6 your images into Lightrooms Catalog and
view the metadata from the right-hand panel.
7 go back into the Edit Metadata Presets
menu and add other details such as Rating
8 metadata presets within the Import section
by gong to Edit Presets from the Metadata
Copyright info can be adjusted and Title and and Label. Then under the Preset drop-down drop-down list. You can create multiple presets
Descriptions added to individual images. menu, select Update Preset Copyright. for different images using this menu.
71
EDIT & SHARE
Pixabay.com (1246838)
Capturing the same dynamic range BEFORE
we see with our eyes through a lens is
not always easy, and often impossible.
Take, for example, a sunset with heavy shadows
next to a bright, glowing sky. The pressure this
puts on a lens is often too much for it to handle.
Using Photoshop, we can call upon a powerful
adjustment to bring back detail in shadows and
control our highlights, as well as tweaking the Left
midtones and overall tonal variations. Using Difcult lighting
Dusk and dawn pose signicant
a number of Tone and Radius sliders, well exposure challenges in terms of
demonstrate how to transform the dynamic the dynamic range that these
range in minutes in post-production software. conditions typically present
Work with shadows Convert to a Smart Tackle highlights Increase the Highlights Noise reduction If noise has become a
1 Object, then head to Shadows/Highlights in
Image>Adjustments. Boost Shadows Amount
2 Amount slider to reduce overexposure.
Increase the Tone and Radius sliders to improve
3 problem, go to Filter>Noise>Reduce Noise
and increase Strength. Keep the Preserve
to reveal detail, then Tone and Radius to lighten. the blend between shadows and highlights. Detail and Sharpen Detail sliders to a minimum.
AFTER
A balanced exposure
Detail has been restored to the rocks
and balanced along with the sky,
which has revealed natural tones that
existed at the time of the shoot
72
All images Tom Mason
EDIT & SHARE
01
Gloss (high-contrast) or roughness can make images seem more
Gloss papers offer high micro- subtle and art-like in their reproduction. These
contrast in images, allowing them to papers are fantastic for subtle landscape prints,
render excellent detail. The high-shine nish is ne-art images and shots with pastel colours. LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
Thinkk about buying a test pack to get a feel
perfectly suited to fashion, portrait and punchy
04
for a range of paper types, before you make
images to add to their impact. The gloss Pearl or Semi-gloss a bigger investment. Fotospeed, for example,
covering makes them sometimes harder to These papers offer many of the offers a range of packs that showcase some
view in some lighting conditions, though. benets of gloss, such as contrast of its best signature ne-art papers, allowing
and detail rendition, while minimising the glare you to try multiple types on your images. Its
02
Fine-art matt for a more natural and softer-looking print. Signature Test Pack, for example, includes
Matt papers are the ne-art paper These types of paper are suited to a broad three sheets each of Smooth Cotton 300,
of choice for many photographers. variety of subjects, and are often a standard Natural Bright White 315, Platinum Baryta 300
Offering high ink loads, they reproduce highly photo paper for professionals. and Platinum Etching 285.
saturated images very well, providing excellent
05
contrast without the glare that is associated Platinum
with gloss prints. With a natural and subtle
look to them, theyre perfect for wildlife or
Platinum papers often offer high
D-Max values for deep blacks,
Go to a show
As with all things in photography, its often
landscape prints. and wide colour gamuts for a wide range of best to try before you buy. Head along to a
applications. Due to their excellent ability to printing open day or visit the various photo
03
Textured show smooth gradations between highlights paper manufacturers at events such as the
Textured papers offer an additional and shadows, they are often highly regarded Photography Show to get a few of your own
images printed on various paper types.
way to bring mood to your prints. for black-and-white printing, offering stunning
The feel of the paper and small indentations nal results.
74
CREATE THE IMPOSSIBLE
w w w. p h o t o s h o p c r e a t i v e . c o . u k
Available
from all good
newsagents and
supermarkets
ON SALE NOW
y Striking imagery y Step-by-step guides y Essential tutorials
PHOTO EDITING DIGITAL PAINTING PHOTO ART TOOL GUIDES BEGINNER TIPS
facebook.com/PhotoshopCreative twitter.com/PshopCreative
GO PRO
Become a
picture editor
If you love working with images, this
might well be the career for you
orking with images doesnt supplying the content. One of the challenges of
from. Books will have an image contributor and personal websites. Although having all
section at the back, and from this you can
gain a good idea of where particular content Right
comes from. From here you can look up Kiteboarder, Florida
While driving along a coastal road in Florida, this kite
the source on the internet, which will help boarder was spotted. An image like this could be of
broaden your knowledge about the various great use to a picture editor looking to illustrate a
image providers and photographers that are book or magazine.
72
76
BECOME A PICTURE EDITOR
77
GO PRO
78
BECOME A PICTURE EDITOR
With literally ten of thousands of images free images, you always have to be certain that
being uploaded every week its easy to assume what you see is true. Often images are stated
that every subject has been covered countless to be in the public domain, but have been From selling images
times, but you can still be amazed to nd that
there are relatively few images that cover what
sourced from an image library. Needless to say,
they are denitely not in the public domain.
to buying images
you are actually looking for. Sometimes, when images are of a certain A completely new perspective
You often have to track down images that age, the copyright has expired and they are on the supply and demand of
may not be available through stock sites, which now within the public domain. Despite this, photographic images
is why its important to have a good knowledge image libraries still continue to sell the images,
of professional photographers in the industry so you have to be vigilant in making sure that Pursuing an image-related career is
who could provide the ideal image. you only pay when you need to. Staying within the perfect way to enjoy photography
Copyright law is a challenging but interesting budget is paramount, so image use needs to without the pressure of surviving as
subject. Often there is no black and white be monitored in order to be working efciently a photographer in what is already a
answer as every case is different. The more within an assigned budget. As a picture editor saturated market. You can go from selling
you know about it the better, so it pays to you will be expected to look out for this and the odd image here and there to suddenly
take some time to familiarise yourself with advise other members of the team as you go. buying hundreds of images every month
it. The rule of thumb is that you never use an The beauty of any role that involves images for a whole host of publications. By
image without prior consent from the owner. is that its driven by passion. If you love looking becoming a picture editor it allows you
As a picture editor, you often source images at photography and believe you have a keen to transfer over all the skills learnt from
that are in the public domain and free to use. eye for detail, its a worthwhile career being a photographer and still remain
Despite Wikipedia being a great resource for opportunity for you. DP working with images. It requires a keen
eye for detail and a passion for nding the
Opposite Below-left Below-right Bottom-left Bottom-right
right image for the job.
Spoonbill Iguana, Florida The Shard Sea spurge Reddish egret
Just after sunrise Fort Zachary Taylor This was taken while At only four inches A reddish egret The picture editors role can vary on
on a misty morning, in Key West, Florida standing at the high this sea spurge comes into land in a daily basis. This can greatly help to
the soft light allowed is home to a large Thames water level. resembles a desert, a shallow pool. expand your knowledge and broaden
the capture of the collection of Iguanas, The bank of clouds as the Suns low angle Taken just after your skill set, allowing you to become a
subtle pinks of this who enjoy basking helped emphasise casts long shadows sunrise on Merritt
valuable asset within any organisation.
roseate spoonbill on the warm bricks the buildings below from its stems Island, Florida
79
GO PRO
Career advice
Working with other photographers can be a much more resourceful path
to take than going it alone,asJamesAbbott explains
Youre absolutely right: being a professional vice versa. You can refer one another when
photographer can be lonely, and over time someone needs a specic type of photography
Above
this can have a negative impact on you, both you dont shoot; and if you do shoot the same
Taking on work experience assistants doesnt professionally and personally. The easiest way subjects, such as weddings, you could even
have to be as much of a chore as you think of alleviating this is to have more contact with work as second photographers for one another
other professional photographers. Thats right: when needed.
80
CAREER ADVICE
The big
question
Eric Renno has built a great
community around sharing
image-editing techniques
TipSquirrel (tipsquirrel.com)
is a fantastic blog thats
based entirely around sharing
image-editing tutorials. It
Eric Renno
began almost accidently
when Eric Renno was ill and
housebound: to pass the
time, he and his neighbour began sharing
Photoshop tutorials theyd found online. Eric
kept forgetting the URLs, so he decided to
create a WordPress website where he could
collate the techniques he liked. The name
TipSquirrel came from the fact that Eric was
squirrelling tips away for later.
At rst TipSquirrel was a hub for Erics
found tutorials, but it wasnt long before
he and several contributors (known as
Photoshop Nuts) began making their own
tutorials. The Nuts have changed over the
years, and have included some big names
in Photoshop training.
Eric says he enjoys sharing techniques:
The advantage of sharing is that you build a
community, and youre able to broaden your
own skills. If I see a tip I like on TipSquirrel, I
can adapt it to my needs before sharing this.
Someone else may then develop it further its
all about growth and expanding knowledge.
TipSquirrel.com has opened a lot of doors for
many of the Nuts myself included. The saying
that the whole is greater than the sum of its
parts is very true here, I think.
81
Subscription offer
3.75
per issue
Never miss an issue Delivered to your home Get the biggest savings
LVVXHVD\HDUDQG\RXOOEH Free delivery of every issue, Get your favourite magazine for
sure to get every single one direct to your doorstep OHVVE\RUGHULQJGLUHFW
Instruction to your Bank 2ULJLQDWRUV UHIHUHQFH UK 52 (saving 20% on the retail price)
or Building Society to 5 0 1 8 8 4
SD\E\'LUHFW'HELW Europe 70 USA 80 Rest of the world 80
1DPHRIEDQN
3D\E\FDUGRUFKHTXH
$GGUHVVRIEDQN
3D\ E\ &UHGLW RU 'HELW FDUG
Visa Mastercard Amex
&DUG QXPEHU
Postcode
Account Name
Expiry date
Sort Code Account no
Your information
Name Address
Email address
Postcode
Please post this form to
Please tick if you do not wish to receive any Please tick if you do not wish to receive any promotional material
SURPRWLRQDOPDWHULDOIURP,PDJLQH3XEOLVKLQJ/WG from other companies QBy post QBy telephone
Digital Photographer Subscriptions, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science
QBy post QBy telephone QBy email Q3OHDVHWLFNLI\RX'2ZLVKWRUHFHLYHVXFKLQIRUPDWLRQE\HPDLO 3DUN6LWWLQJERXUQH.HQW0(*8
Spe
S eak to one of our friendly These offers will expire on
Wednesday 31 May 2017
ccustomer service team Please quote code PS17
Call 0844 848 8407 &DOOV FRVW S SHU PLQXWH SOXV \RXU WHOHSKRQH FRPSDQ\V DFFHVV FKDUJH
7KLVRIIHUHQWLWOHVQHZ8.'LUHFW'HELWVXEVFULEHUVWRSD\RQO\HYHU\LVVXHV2IIHUFRGH36PXVWEHTXRWHGWRUHFHLYHWKLVVSHFLDOVXEVFULSWLRQSULFH1HZVXEVFULSWLRQVZLOOVWDUW
IURPWKHQH[WDYDLODEOHLVVXH'HWDLOVRIWKH'LUHFW'HELWJXDUDQWHHDUHDYDLODEOHRQUHTXHVW6XEVFULEHUVFDQFDQFHOWKLVVXEVFULSWLRQDWDQ\WLPH7KLVRIIHUH[SLUHVVW0D\
REVIEWS
BACKPACKS FOR
88
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Carry all the gear you need for your next shoot in comfort and security with
one of these backpacks, especially designed for photographers
There are lots of photography bag will probably nd that a backpack doesnt suit many lenses you generally like to carry around
options to suit different needs, but them. On the other hand, wildlife, landscape with you, and how large they are. Some people
a backpack is a very popular choice. and perhaps even portrait photographers also like to carry a laptop or tablet with them,
If you have a lot of heavy kit, a backpack will where youre travelling to a specic location in which case a bag with a dedicated computer
generally be more comfortable and better and stopping may nd them to be a more compartment is essential.
for your back than using a shoulder bag. Of useful solution. For landscape photographers going on a
course, its not as easy to grab your camera Backpacks designed for photographers tend long hike to get to the best location, consider
for a quick shot, but that will matter less to have padded compartments that keep your a backpack with chest or waist straps for best
depending on the subjects you shoot. camera, lenses and other accessories secure balance and comfort, and also think about
For example, street photographers and and protected while on the move. When looking bags which enable you to attach a tripod or
those who like to capture shots off the cuff for the best backpack for you, consider how monopod to the outside of the bag.
89
REVIEWS
Left
Padded interior
The camera compartment is
completely customisable to suit
however many cameras and lenses
you need to take with you, keeping
them snug and secure
Manfrotto Pro
Light RedBee-210
A security-conscious bag constructed for all
your landscape photography needs
This Manfrotto backpack is exactly what you need if you plan to head
to a location with a full range of lenses. The dividers on the inside of the
bag are interchangeable, but come ready to accept one camera with
a long lens attached, and up to ve surrounding it. You can alter the
pockets to t your exact needs, or you could t a second camera at the
expense of additional lenses.
The camera and lens holder is protected by a mesh covering, while it
is accessed at the rear of the bag meaning you place the external part
on the oor. You can also access this compartment from the side via
two pockets for quickly grabbing what you need particularly handy if
you want to change lenses without having to take off the bag entirely.
These pockets are protected by a buckle to make it harder to open
secretly by thieves. A laptop can be slotted into the second section
of the bag, while theres also small pockets for accessories and extra
space for your personal items.
Lots of handles around the exterior of the bag mean you can pick it
up from almost any position, or use a second handle for extra leverage
if the bag is heavy. The padding on the back and on the straps make
it comfortable to wear, while there is a chest strap and a waist strap to
keep it secure while on a long hike. Tripods can be attached using the
external connections too.
90
GROUP TEST
Left
Small and compact
If youve got a CSC, or just
want to carry one camera
and lens, the small camera
compartment of this bag
wont bother you
SRP: 99 / $100
MindShift
SidePath
Including day trips and weekends away, the
SidePath is a bag designed for multiple uses
The MindShift is ideally suited for those looking for an affordable bag
for the odd day trip, especially those who dont need or want to carry
around a lot of equipment with them. Alternatively, those with smaller
CSCs might nd this the most appealing.
Designed not to look like a camera bag, the small and unassuming
SidePath could easily be mistaken for an ordinary bag. Indeed, the
camera section is removable so you could use it as everyday bag when
you dont need your camera.
The camera section is small, but it can be divided into a few padded
sections as necessary. Its likely youd only t one large DSLR and
standard lens, but smaller CSCs and accessories should t nicely.
Accessing this section via the rear of the bag also means youll keep
yourself clean and dry as it wont be touching the oor at any point.
There is a chest strap to help keep the bag secure, which is especially
useful when on a long hike, while the main straps are adjustable to t
your body shape.
You can t a tablet in the second compartment, and theres also a
decent amount of room for your personal items. A rain cover is included
for extra peace of mind too. Theres not a huge amount of pockets for
accessories, but theres a couple of pouches on the exterior of the bag,
which you could potentially use for a small tripod or monopod.
91
REVIEWS
Left
Serious storage
The largest and most capacious
of any of the bags here, the
compartments on the interior of
this bag give you room for many
different camera combinations
Tamrac Anvil 23
A bag thats ready for when you need all your
accessories with you on your next shoot
The largest bag in the group, the Tamrac is another great choice if you
have a lot of lenses to carry with you. The main compartment comes
with space for a DSLR and up to eight lenses, depending on size. You
can customise how the spaces are divided depending on what you
have or what you need to take with you for a particular shoot and
you could easily t two cameras in the bag if you were willing to
sacrice lens space.
Unfortunately, the compartment opens from the front of the
backpack, so you will need to lay the part that touches you on the oor
not ideal for very muddy or wet situations. Theres also no side access
to any pockets to allow for quick changes, so this bag is perhaps best
for photographers who are likely to be in one location for a given length
of time, but need a lot of equipment.
A number of smaller pockets can be found on the back of the bag,
including one which ts a laptop or a tablet very comfortably, while
other pockets can be used for accessories or small items.
This is probably the most comfortable bag of all those on test thanks
to thick padded chest and waist straps that help the bag to sit rmly,
making it great for landscape photographers attaching a tripod is also
easy thanks to the exterior buckles. A rain cover is included inside the
bag to give extra protection.
92
GROUP TEST
Left
Handy openings
A good mid-sized and mid-
priced bag for carrying just
enough gear for your day or
weekend shot as long as you
dont need your laptop
93
REVIEWS
94
Special offer for readers in North America
5issuesFREE
FREE
When you subscribe
resource
downloads
in every
issue bag essential
r n husiast and
otographers
Quote
O er ne
e
Online at www.imaginesubs.co.uk/dph USA
*Terms and conditions This is a US subscription offer. You will actually be charged 80 sterling for an annual subscription. This is equivalent to
for this
$105 at the time of writing, exchange rate may vary. 5 free issues refers to the USA newsstand price of $12.99 for 13 issues being $168.87, compared
with $105 for a subscription. Your subscription starts from the next available issue and will run for 13 issues. This offer expires 31st May 2017.
exclusive
offer!
REVIEWS
Above
PowerShot inspired
The M5s control layout is similar
to that of PowerShot cameras
like the G5 X
Opposite
Good grip
Though its small, theres a
decent grip on the M5, making it
comfortable to use
96
SRP: 1,000 / $980
Canon EOS M5
Canon nally seems to be taking compact system cameras seriously,
but is the new EOS M5 enough for experienced photographers?
Although they are capable of The screen is also touch-sensitive and Canon
delivering high-quality images, to has implemented touch control well, allowing
date Canons EOS M series of it to be used for menu navigation and setting FEATURES
compact system or mirrorless system selection as well as image browsing and POP-UP FLASH
cameras havent raised much interest among autofocus point selection (the latter is even In addition to the hot shoe for mounting an external
flashgun, theres a small flash built-in with a GN of
experienced photographers. On the basis of possible while looking in the viewnder). This 5m at ISO 100, useful for providing a fill-in light.
its specication, however, the EOS M5 could touch control doesnt come at the expense
change that. of direct controls as, in addition to a control EVF
A control under the viewfinder housing enables the
Lets start with the basics. Inside the EOS dial around the navigation pad (with shortcuts diopter to be adjusted. Its a little awkward to reach
M5 is the same APS-C format 24.2 million- to key features) on the back of the camera, while looking through the viewfinder.
pixel sensor as is in the Canon EOS 80D, but there are also four high-quality knurled
DUAL PIXEL AF
rather than the DIGIC 6 engine Canon has metal dials on the top plate. To the left is the There are phase detection focus points built into the
coupled it with the newer DIGIC 7 processor. mode dial with all the enthusiasts favourite sensor to speed up autofocusing, covering 80 per
This proves a capable combination as the EOS exposure modes represented (PASM) plus cent of the vertical and horizontal area of the sensor.
M5 is able to capture a high level of detail, and two Custom settings along with automatic WIRELESS CONNECTION
noise is controlled well through most of the and scene modes to keep less experienced Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity gives plenty
sensitivity range (ISO 100-25600). photographers happy. At the centre of the of scope for connecting to a smart device for image
The feature that has probably most attracted dial is a release button that must be pressed transfer and remote control using Canons free app.
the attention of experienced photographers, before the dial can be turned. Its a bit ddly in PICTURE STYLES
however, is the viewnder. This is an electronic cold weather, but not a major drama. The M5 has Canons recent Fine Detail picture style,
The remaining three dials are on the right of useful when shooting JPEGs with lots of little details,
OLED device and its the rst time that Canon
but bespoke processing of RAW files is still best.
has tted an EVF in an interchangeable lens the top plate, with the front one surrounding
camera. Its a little on the small side compared the shutter release and adjusting exposure. SET THE AF POINT
with the units in the likes of the Fuji X-T2, but The dial nearest the thumb rest is dedicated Its possible to specify the area of the touchscreen
with 2,360,000 dots its capable of revealing to adjusting exposure compensation in 1/3EV thats active while looking in the viewfinder to limit
the chance of setting the AF point with your nose.
plenty of detail. However, in very low light its steps across the range +/-3EV. The nal
prone to ickering, which may put off Canon
DSLR devotees. It also makes the scene look
much warmer and more saturated than both This is the first time
reality and the rear screen. The rear screen
generally gives a more faithful representation that Canon has
of the images as they are captured.
Canon has given the EOS M5 a tilting screen, fitted an EVF in an
which can be angled up for low-level shooting
and down for above-head shots. If you want to interchangeable POP-UP FLASH
take a sele, the screen can be ipped down
through 180 degrees. lens camera
97
REVIEWS
TALKINGPOINT
EF-M mount
Like Canons other EOS M cameras, the M5 has the Canon
EF-M mount. As the M5 has no mirror and has a smaller
ange depth than Canon DSLRs, this is different from the
EF mount used on Canons full-frame DSLRs and the EF-S
mount on APS-C format DSLRs.
Canon currently only has seven EF-M lenses, with focal
lengths ranging from 11mm to 150mm, which in full-frame
terms is equivalent to 17.6mm and 240mm respectively.
However, theres a Canon EF-EOS Mount Adapter (105/
$200), which enables EF and EF-S lenses to be used
on EOS M cameras. In the UK this adapter is currently
supplied free with the camera as a launch offer. While the
adapter makes it possible to mount a huge range of lenses
on the M5, its small size makes prime lenses and shorter
zooms a more comfortable t than long telephoto optics.
98
CANON EOS M5
Above-inset
No surprises
The Evaluative metering
system doesnt present any
unpleasant surprises and
responds predictably to
subject brightness
Right
Needs light
The AF system can generally
be relied upon to get
stationary subjects sharp,
but it becomes slow as light
levels drop
100%
2 4 Canon EOS M5
Megapixels Features
24.2 The M5 has a decent feature set
Max resolution with 4K video capability being
noticeable by its absence
6000 x 4000
Sensor information
APS-C (22.3 x
Build quality
14.9mm) CMOS Metal controls and solid build give
Shutter speed a good-quality feel, but theres no
30-1/4,000sec weather-sealing
ISO sensitivity
100-25600
Exposure modes Handling
Touch control is implemented very
P, A, S, M, Custom,
well and most of the controls are
Movie, Scene carefully considered
Intelligent Auto, Hybrid
Auto, Creative Assist,
1 3 SCN, Creative Filters Quality of results
Metering options Once focus is achieved, the M5s
E, P, CW, S results are very good at all but the
Connectivity highest ISO settings
99
REVIEWS
100
SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-RX100 V
Sony Cyber-shot
DSC-RX100 V
Sony has shoe-horned some impressive technology
into the body of this high-quality compact camera
Externally the Sony RX100 V is an viewnder works well, giving a nice, clear view
unassuming compact camera, but pick thats especially useful in very bright light or
it up and its solid metal-bodied build when panning with a moving subject.
becomes apparent. Its price tag hints that its a Like its doppelgnger the RX100 IV,
bit more than the average pocket-sized camera. the RX100 V is delightfully compact with
Inside the Mark V is a one-inch type Exmor understated charm, but its front is smooth
RS CMOS sensor with 20.1 million pixels. The and slippery making it a nervous hold and
sensors stacked construction means the a wrist strap or similar is recommended.
signal from the photosites (aka pixels) has less Thankfully, Sony offers an optional rubber grip
distance to travel, enabling a faster read-out (AG-R2 for 14/$15) that can be stuck on.
speed. A DRAM chip and newly developed One disappointment with the RX100 V is
front-end LSI that supports the BIONZ X that Sony continues to shun a touchscreen.
processing engine also enables 4K video, and This would make some setting selections
a phenomenal maximum stills shooting speed (including AF point) a little easier and more
of 24fps at full resolution with continuous intuitive. By default the AF point is set by
autofocusing and metering for up to 150 shots. pressing the button at the navigation pad and
This impressive shooting rate is backed up then using navigation controls. If you want to
by a top shutter speed of 1/32,000sec using use the navigation buttons to reach their other
the electronic shutter (the mechanical shutter designated functions, you need to press the
maxes out at 1/2,000sec), a hybrid autofocus centre button to deactivate AF point selection.
system with 315 phase-detection points and As the RX100 V has the same pixel count as
a claimed response time of 0.05sec. While we its predecessor, its images arent a revelation
cant verify that time, the RX100 V certainly in terms of detail resolution, but its still
gets subjects sharp quickly and does a great impressive for this type of camera. Noise is
job of tracking moving targets in reasonable also controlled well to around ISO 3200. Above
light. Its more hesitant in low light, but its still this value RAW les show their benet by
very good for a compact camera. producing slightly more natural-looking images Top
Versatility
In addition to the high-quality, three-inch and giving control over noise visibility. As a The lens focal length range of
1,228,800-dot tilting LCD screen on the back guide, try to stick to ISO 6400 or lower. 24-70mm (equivalent) and fast
of the camera, theres a built-in 0.39-inch In the default settings the RX100 V aperture are a great choice for
OLED electronic viewnder with 2,359,296 produces pleasant colours and it generally general photography
dots. This pops-up smartly with the ick of a handles exposure well, while dynamic range
Above
switch but its rear element needs to be pulled is good. Occasionally you may need to use AF points
out manually to give a focused view. That last the exposure compensation control to protect The AF system usually has a
stage seems a little unsophisticated, but the highlights, but thats to be expected. point just where you need
it and is fast and effective
in decent light
101
REVIEWS
Olympus
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED
12-40mm 1:2.8 PRO
A top-quality camera needs a top-quality zoom; how doestheOlympusperform?
This offering from Olympus is arguably Left
one of the most glamorous lenses in Barrel distortion
The barrel distortion in this landscape
the companys line-up and its the lens isnt obvious. However, its something
youll get if you opt for either the older E-M1 youll rarely have to x, as its typically
Mark I or the latest E-M1 Mark II cameras. As a applied automatically in software
micro four thirds lens, equivalent to 24-80mm,
Bottom-left
its quite a lot smaller than anything youd get
Chromatic aberration
for APS-C let alone full-frame. Its not a lot Barrel distortion isnt the only aberration
larger than an APS-C crop cameras budget thats removed in JPEGs so too is fringing
kit lens, and it handles well on the original on the more recent Olympus cameras
E-M1 model we had for testing. Although the
extending barrel is plastic, its also rather well
made with metal zoom and focus collars, and Technicalspecs
one of the best-tting hoods in the business. Manufacturer Olympus
Those metal zoom and focus collars are silky- Model M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-40mm 1:2.8 PRO
smooth and nicely weighted, and autofocus Web www.olympus.co.uk
is very fast and near silent. All what youd Elements/construction 14 / 9
expect from a maker as ne as Olympus. Angle of view 73.7 - 25.4 degrees (horizontal)
Theres no faulting the optical quality either. Max aperture f2.8
Few zooms can match the quality of xed Min aperture f22
focal-length models, as there are just too many Min focus distance 0.2m
compromises to be made. But this is one of Mount Micro Four Thirds
those occasions where a zoom comes pretty Filter size 62mm
close, if its to come close at all. Length 84mm
Its extremely sharp throughout the zoom Diameter 69.9mm
range, especially at the shorter focal lengths, Weight 382g
and has class-leading are resistance. It also
has very low levels of fringing. Like a lot of
wide zooms though, it has quite noticeable
Summary
barrel distortion that is removed on the y in The 12-40mm f2.8 might not be quite as versatile
the viewnder, in out-of-camera JPEGs and as the new 12-100mm f4 Pro model announced
tagged in RAW les. Still, few zooms excite by Olympus, but it is more affordable and
more than this one. performance is still rst-class
102
LENSES
103
REVIEWS
Nikon
Below
Shooting in good light
The KeyMission 360
performs best in good
light. When faced with
KeyMission 360
contrasting light, the
camera struggles to stitch
the images seamlessly
Go exploring with the most durable 360 action camera on the market
The Nikon KeyMission 360 boasts 4K instantly takes stills. This is a bonus when you
ultra-high-denition images and video want to capture something at a moments Summary
recording in a waterproof, shock- notice but a simple On button still would Ease of use
resistant and dustproof housing. The target not go amiss. Value for money
audience for this camera would be a lover of Despite the camera looking and feeling solid, Features
the great outdoors or an adventure sports the results it produces are disappointing. Often Quality of results
enthusiast who wants to record their journeys it looks like the camera has struggled to stitch
and experiences from every angle. the images together to create a seamless Overall
Compared with other 360-degree cameras 360-degree panorama. Results from other
on the market, the KeyMission is a lot heavier makes of 360-degree camera, such as the The KeyMission is a camera that often struggles
and considerably bulkier, so you might assume Ricoh Theta SC, instantly have that wow factor, to do what it was designed for. Its a lot more
youre getting more camera for your money. but the KeyMission 360 does not offer that expensive than other 360-degree cameras
The KeyMission doesnt come cheap at a little straight out of the box. and sadly does not do the job as well.
over 400: its slightly more expensive than
competing cameras.
The camera does not offer a display of any
sort: instead, Nikon offers a free app that links
the camera directly to your mobile device. The
app enables you to access a Live View display,
store and view images, and make changes to
the settings. If youre in range of your mobile
device, the KeyMission will auto-transfer
content, saving time downloading later
The cameras cube-like shape requires that
its placed or mounted on a bracket of sorts,
one of which is included in the box. Unless you
already own a sele stick, you will immediately
nd it awkward to hand-hold, and this leaves it
vulnerable to being dropped.
There are two On buttons: one immediately
activates video recording, while the other
104
WIN KIT FROM
Be in with the chance off winning
nd geared
a carbon fibre tripod an
three-way pan/tilt tripod head 500
This issue were giving you the chance to win
Manfrotto kit worth over 500! The set includes
a 055 carbon bre three-section photo tripod
of kit to
(394.95) and an XPRO geared three-way pan/tilt
tripod head (169.95).
The three-section carbon bre tripod is incredibly
be won!
lightweight and features a 90-degree column that
can be extended vertically or horizontally so that you
can shoot with greater versatility. The tripod absorrbs
vibrations and is also much lighter to carry around
than the aluminium version, making it perfect for
travel photographers.
The geared three-way pan/tilt head has the
lightest and most precise body in the Manfrotto
range. Youll be able to frame images with precisionn
thanks to the geared movement, which will enable
you to compose your images one micro-step at a
time on all three axes.
Head to manfrotto.co.uk for further product
information and take a look at the details directly
below for your chance to make these accessories a
part of your kitbag.
How to enter
Please email your best photo,
your name and contact details
to rebecca.greig@futurenet.
com with the subject
line Issue 185 Manfrotto
competition by 06/04/17.
Terms and conditions
This competition is open to residents of the
United Kingdom and Ireland. Future Plc has the
right to substitute the prize for a similar item of
equal or higher value. Employees of Future Plc
(including freelancers), Manfrotto, their relatives
or any agents are not eligible to enter. The editors
decision is nal and no correspondence will be
entered into. Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash.
Full terms and conditions are available on request.
From time to time, Future Plc or its agents may
send you related material or special offers. If you
do not wish to receive this, please state clearly on
your entry.
KIT FOCUS
Master high-speed
photography Capture a paint
Findoutmoreaboutthedevicesyou
needtocapturesplit-secondmoments explosion
Phil Durkin shares his tips for
High-speed photography can be a challenge that I could do indoors so the shooting a paint explosion
very tricky, but with automated weather and light would not be a problem.
camera triggering tools from the The really great thing about this sort of Be patient It usually takes a handful
likes of TriggerSmart, it becomes far easier. image is that each successful capture will of attempts, so have patience!
Some devices work with your smartphone always be different from the last nothing is
and camera to help you trigger the camera precisely repeatable from one shot to the next. Add water Consider watering the paint
in a whole host of creative ways, including The initial setup of high-speed shots like down: if its too thick, it may not move
sound, motion, vibration and facial detection. this can be challenging. Durkin says that one fast enough.
TriggerSmart, for example, is an advanced of the difculties of this setup is knowing
device that can be used to trigger a camera what power to set the Speedlights at, as well Attach a pin When you pop the
through sensors using sound, light or the as the camera settings and exposure. He balloon, try taping a sewing pin to the
interruption of an infrared beam. It has been recommends that you experiment without end you dont want the balloon moving
designed for to be used by both professional the paint on the balloon rst so that you can too much, as you have focused for the
and amateur photographers. adjust your camera. Other factors that affect centre of it.
To shoot these stunning paint explosion the outcome are the amount of delay from the
images, photographer Phil Durkin (www. bang produced by the popping balloon to the Get protected Put polythene sheeting
phildurkin.co.uk) used a similar device ash triggering, he explains. Too early and the over your lens and cut a hole for the lens
to capture a balloon popping, with the paint wont have moved enough, but too late to poke through. Use a UV lter, which
capture triggered by the sound. This sort and its all but gone! can be removed and rinsed afterwards.
of photography can be great fun to explore, On this type of image, post-processing is
as it enables you to capture rather incredible a must. Durkin says that you will have to Use manual focus Make sure you set
images with relatively inexpensive kit. clone out the coat hanger and possibly the camera to manual. If you leave it on
I wanted to capture something a bit the balloon if it is visible in the image plus autofocus, it will try and refocus before
different with my camera, including using my clean up any paint spots in the background releasing the shutter, so will re too late.
Speedlights, explains Durkin. And I wanted that distract from the nished picture.
TriggerSmart MCT-1
SENSORS
The kit includes two multi-
mode sensor modules with
mini-tripods. The sensors
can detect sound and light
intensity, which can be
used to trigger the camera
CONTROL UNIT
The TriggerSmart MCT-1
controller is the heart of the system
that allows you to have complete control
over the sensitivity of the sensors. The control
unit has an output that is connected to the camera trigger
and focus. It also has a second output channel to control multiple
pieces of equipment such as additional cameras and Speedlights
106
MASTER HIGH-SPEED PHOTOGRAPHY
Above
A perfect mess
This technique is great
because no two of
your images will ever
be the same
Shoot a paint explosion Follow Phil Durkins step-by-step for shooting at high speed
Set the scene Make an enclosure with Set up the kit Set the kit up with a ash Add the paint Pour the paint over the
1 polythene sheets from the ceiling to the
oor, in an area around 2.5 square metres.
2 adapter so that the adapter is connected
to one of the Speedlights. Make sure the other
3 balloon. If youre doing more than one,
try to keep the paint separate so that they
Hang the white background on the back wall, Speedlights are set up to trigger, either by dont mix too much. The paint will be dripping
and protect the oor well. Suspend a long RC or optical slave. In the app, select Sound off the balloon at this stage. What you need
piece of string attached to the ceiling in the Sensor, adjust the delay time to around 0.02 to do within the four seconds of the shutter
centre of the work area. Place two Speedlights seconds, and adjust the sensitivity to about releasing is to switch all the lights off, then get
on stands on the outside of each polythene halfway. Suspend an inated balloon on the an assistant to pop the balloon. The sound of
wall, around 1.5 metres high and 0.3 metres string hanging from the ceiling. Focus the the popping balloon will trigger the ash. As
forward of the string. Point them to the string camera on the balloon, then switch to manual the balloon deates rapidly the paint partially
so they are angled slightly, and cut a hole in focus. Set the camera to Manual mode at f13, contracts with the balloon, but the release of air
the plastic sheet so the head pokes through. ISO 100 and a four-second exposure. pressure also sends it outwards everywhere.
107
REVIEWS
Portable SSDs
Having a compact and reliable solution for
storing and backing up your images is essential
At more than half the size of the SanDisk This offering from SanDisk is the most The T3 is super lightweight at only 51g
this SSD is certainly portable and wont bulky SSD on test, however the device and is even smaller than the Transcend
add much weight to your kitbag. It is is durable and the rubber around the SSD at 74mm x 58mm x 10.5mm, which
made from plastic, so doesnt feel quite edges helps to prevent any hard knocks. means it is the smallest and most
as tough and slick as the other two on It is shock resistant and includes simple- portable on test. The build quality feels
test, and does seem to scratch and mark to-use encryption software to keep your a lot more slick and robust than the
easily. Transfer speeds were impressively les private. It claims to be nine times Transcend and its shock resistant up
fast, but not quite as efcient as the faster than the speed of an external hard to 1,500G. We found all three SSDs to
SanDisk SSD. It comes equipped with drive, which is more than twice as fast as be closely matched in regards to speed,
a one-touch backup button that allows the T3, and we were certainly impressed however, the T3s read/write speeds of
for instant data backup, which we found with the speed. It may be the most bulky up to 450MB/s are outperformed by the
to be really convenient. Although it is and lowest capacity of those on test, but SanDisk SSD. Not only is it the smallest
as impressively fast as the T3, the build if its sheer speed you are after, this is SSD on test, it is also the cheapest,
quality lets it down slightly. the ideal choice. making it our top choice for value.
108
Reveal t h e n e x t s tep i n your p hotogra p hy j o urn e y
B oo k
Ti ck et s
TO D A Y
Supported bY
Super Stage line-up now announced, check the website for full details and tickets
Discount applies to standard adult entry tickets only. Members of trade and pro
photographers may apply for free trade passes subject to validation criteria.
p h otogra p h ys h ow.c om
Top
our Picker
ose specic hues using the
our Picke and check he Glow
brighten up e shade
n you app the brushes
Above
Extra brrush packs
startup, ParticleShop will
w you more brush p cks you
can buy f the oftware
Corel ParticleShop
Apply brush effects with a difference using this expansive plug-in from Corel
SRP: 40 / $50 (approx) OS: Windows 7 or later, OS X 10.9 or later, Adobe CS5 +
Brushes are thought to be a weapon the brushes are really high quality, as well as ParticleShop is a plug-in that you can
primarily of digital artists. Theyre producing unique strokes and having a Glow explore for hours, trying all the brushes and
employed for creating painted effects, option, which also looks great. ParticleShop downloading new ones. It has almost limitless
ourishes and embellishments rather than allows you to get so much more detailed than possibilities for your pictures.
injecting reality into your work, and its rarely just varying whether you have a softer or
considered that they may actually be useful harder edge to your brush, as you can choose www.corel.com/en
tools for photographers as well as painters. blendy, billowing or even grungy effects for
Top-left
Corel ParticleShop promises though to your strokes.
Responsive action
be more versatile than your average painting Each of the brushes too has good pressure ParticleShops brushes are unique in the way that they
program. Including a core pack of brushes, sensitivity and can be rotated. While just spread; no two strokes are the same, making for a
its available as a plug-in for Photoshop about any photographer looking to add quirky novel and exciting digital art experience
and Lightroom, as well Corel programs or realistic effects to their photos can use
PaintShop Pro and AfterShot Pro, but delivers ParticleShop, it really thrives when you can Summary
photorealistic brushes rather than your apply the strokes via a graphics tablet. You can Ease of use
average paint splatter effects. Additional really get the best out of the brushes when Value for money
brush packs can be purchased too; though theyre applied with subtlety; ParticleShop Features
ParticleShop only revolves around one specic might only seem like a few added brush packs Quality of results
nuance of image-editing, its so in-depth that for you to use in Photoshop, but the plug-in
theres plenty to explore. itself is smoother and easier to use in places Overall
ParticleShop is really easy to use for the than Photoshops own Brush tool. Theres no
most part too. The brush previews are clear lag or latency at all with the brushes, and they A must-have for any Photoshop brush enthusiast,
enough for you to actually see the effect that produce perfectly clean strokes, no matter ParticleShop is a natural progression for the tool,
you would be applying to your photo, and which one youre using. great for improving your images with subtle effects
110
SOFTWARE
AfterShot Pro 3
Develop, organise and tweak your photos with Corels inexpensive software
SRP: 70 / $87 (approx) OS: Windows 7 or later, OS X 10.9 or later
App Focus
Dark Sky Finder
Price: 2.99 / $2.99
OS: iOS 5.1.1 or later
111
Accessories
A collection of the best fun-yet-functional
products out there for photographers
2
1 IGPOTY Ten Year Anniversary book
Website: www.igpoty.com
Price: 25 / $31 (approx)
The tenth anniversary edition of the International
Garden Photographer of the Year book is strikingly
beautiful. The design of the cover is simple, yet looks
and feels incredibly luxurious the copper writing is a
particularly nice touch. Lee Acasters stunning winning
image makes for a great opening to the book and the
foreword from Beth Chatto OBE adds to the sense of
occasion. The paper feels very high quality and the
colours and detail in the imagery look great in print. For
just 25 its well worth a look.
P
hotographing during the blue hour your composition. Reality isnt as extending your shutter speed
can transform an ordinary subject critical as how the colour affects for creative effects.
into something beautiful and magical! the mood, and depth of feeling in You can photograph twilight
During this time the sky takes on a rich an image. Be creative. with almost any lens. Try a wide-
colour, but only for minutes. The sky will soon You can also photograph the angle lens to capture the drama of
fade to black, so youll need to work quickly. blue hour at dawn, though most a cityscape or landscape. Zoom
You can use various tools to paint the scene often I tend to photograph at lenses work when you need to
if you need to extend exposure during twilight, sunset, the edge of night and bring the subject in close. Fisheye
PRO BIO
use a polariser or solid neutral-density lter. A beyond. It really depends on your Deborah Sandidge is a lenses can be a lot of fun, and
longer exposure will help create a mirror-like location and personal preference. professional photographer create an ultra-wide view of your
specialising in world travel
sheen to water, or capture streaks of light from In your travels you may nd and artistic imagery. As an
composition. If you want to get
passing cars. The light is well balanced for the that early morning works best author and instructor, she really wild and crazy, try a circular
short amount of time that twilight lasts. Most for certain locations, while after shares her perspective and sheye! A circular sheye on a full-
inspirational ideas through
often the light will be just perfect to create sunset works better for others. workshops and seminars, frame camera produces a perfect
dramatic imagery. When photographing encouraging others to circle image. Try pointing this
connect with the people
Twilight is often called the blue hour because cityscapes, use a narrow and places that surround us. lens toward the sky for a creative
the sky becomes an incredible, vivid colour. aperture to create wonderful debsandidge.com
composition of converging lines.
To accentuate the colour, try changing your little starbursts that sparkle Your photograph is your
white balance to between 4000K and 5000K. from various points of light. Stopping unique story, a visual narrative of what you
Experiment with different white balance down (narrowing the aperture) and using experience and your interpretation of the
settings to suit your image. Use Live View your lowest ISO creates longer exposures scene. So, be creative, have fun and be
to see the effect that white balance has on compared to using a wide aperture, therefore passionate: it will show in your photos!
114
9000
9001