digital slr photography 2013-01

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TESTED PENTAX K-5 II LATEST 16.3-MEGAPIXEL ENTHUSIAST DSLR TESTED & RATED PLUS! COMPARISON TEST OF NINE TRIPODS & SEVEN BALL HEADS Top techniques and expert advice for shooting night and painting with light Improveyour photoskillsto ... JANUARY2013 ISSUE 74 FESTIVE PHOTO FUN Threephotographersaimfor creativeshotsofXmasdecor COASTAL SUNSETS Howtocapturethemagicof twilighttomaximumeffect DIGITAL DARKROOM Improveyourskillsusing PhotoshopandLightroom CUTTING EDGE Stunningprojectsfrompros LaraJadeandTimTadder TAKE BETTER PICTURES AND BE INSPIRED BY THE PROS BE CREATIVE ON A BUDGET REVEALED! ADDATWISTTOIMAGESWITHALENSBABYSPARK 164 PAGES BIGGER & BETTER! £80 OVER80TOPPHOTO GIFTIDEASFROM STOCKINGFILLERS TOLUXURYITEMS XMAS GIFTGUIDE!

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Page 1: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

TESTED

PENTAX K-5 IILATEST 16.3-MEGAPIXEL

ENTHUSIAST DSLR

TESTED & RATED

PLUS!COMPARISON

TESTOF NINE TRIPODS

&SEVEN BALL HEADSTop techniques and expert advice forshooting night and painting with light

Improveyourphotoskillsto...

JANUARY 2013ISSUE 74

FESTIVE PHOTO FUN

Three photographers aim forcreative shots of Xmas decor

COASTAL SUNSETS

How to capture the magic oftwilight to maximum effect

DIGITAL DARKROOM

ImproveyourskillsusingPhotoshopandLightroom

CUTTING EDGE

Stunning projects from prosLara Jade and Tim Tadder

TAKEBETTERPICTURESANDBEINSPIREDBYTHEPROS

BECREATIVE ON A BUDGETREVEALED! ADD A TWIST TO IMAGES WITH A LENSBABY SPARK

164

PAG

ES

BIGGER&BETTER!

£80

OVER 80 TOP PHOTOGIFT IDEAS FROMSTOCKING FILLERSTO LUXURY ITEMS

XMASGIFTGUIDE!

Page 2: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

compact precision

Find out more at fujiðlm.co.uk/x-e1 /fujiðlm.uk @fujiðlm_uk#fujixe1

The FujiÄlm X-E1 is the perfect lightweight travel companion.

Combining retro design with best-in-class image quality and

interchangeable lenses, the X-E1 o�ers endless Åexibility.

Our best ever lensesCompact, high resolution, bright, fast…

the Fujinon XF range of lenses o�er a

dazzling array of shooting options. An all-

glass aspherical lens and Fujinon’s Super

EBC coating minimise surface reÅectivity,

delivering supreme images every time.

Our highest quality sensorThe X-E1 uses the same 16-megapixel

X-Trans CMOS sensor found in FujiÄlm’s

Åagship X-Pro1. The innovative pixel

array delivers incredible resolution and

low noise in high sensitivity photography.

Page 3: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

Editor’s wElcomE

let’s start the new year on a photo high!

Daniel Lezano,Editor,Digital SLRPhotography

Image: jessIca velarde

“Welcometothejanuary2013 IssueofDigital SLRPhotography. I thoughtaboutavoiding theusual ‘endofayeargivesus thechance toplan fora freshstart’ routine,but Idecided thatwhile it’snotparticularlyoriginal,it’s still a relevantandworthwhile topic todiscusswithyou. I’vecertainlyalways foundthis timeofyear tobeagreatperiod tore$ecton the last 12monthsandhowwellImanagedtomeetmypersonalgoals.

Invariably, theoneconstanteachyear is the realisation that I’vefailed to reachmyphotoexpectations, in termsof thenumber,varietyandstandardofmyphotography.likemanyofyou, thedemandsofhavinga full-time jobanda family limits the timethatcanbespentworkingontaking thebestpossible images. It’s afrustratingadmission,but I knowI’mnotalone inhaving it and I’vealreadysetaboutplans tomakesure2013 isayear that Imeetmyphotographicgoals.congratulations if2012provedasuccessfulyearofphotography foryou–wehopetheexpertadviceand

inspirational images inDigital SLRPhotographyhashadsomethingtodowith it. If, likeme,youwishyou’ddonemore, thendon’tworry, asyoucanuse thismonth’s issueasaspringboard toimprove thequalityandscopeofyourphotography.We’veplentyof techniques to tryandskills tomaster.With longernights thandays,we’vededicatedacoupleofarticles tohelpyoucapturegreatimagesasdarknessdescends.aswell as top techniques toshootingatnight,MasterYourSkillsconcentratesonpaintingwithlight, a funand inventiveactivity thatallowsyoutocaptureall sortsof interesting results.Wealsohaveexcellentadvice for shootingcoastal sunsets fromleadingphotographerrosshoddinott.

“InTestCentre, our reviewof thePentaxK-5 II is followedbyacomparison testofbudget tripodsandball&socketheads,whilethere isalsoaChristmasGift Ideasguidewithover80topphotoproducts tochoose from!Whether it’s foryourselforaphotographer inyour life,we’resureyou’ll "nd lots toasksanta for.

“onbehalfof theentireDigital SLRPhotography team, I’d like tothankyou foryoursupportandwewishyouall a safeandmerrychristmasandahappynewyear.all thebest!”

Page 4: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

Contents

107Dslr

test

RegulaRskeepingyou inthepictuRe!

03editor’spageLezanoonwhytheturnof theyear is thebest timetoplan foryourphoto-future

06exposureTheworldofphotographywrappedupin tenpages, fromHurricaneSandyandproductnewstoexhibitionsandbooks

20ReadershowcaseThemostbeautifulphotographssubmittedbyour readers thismonth

50expertcritiqueOurexperts reviewyour lateste�orts

55picturesubmissionsHowtosendusyourbest images!

103nextissueAsneakpreviewofwhatyoucan lookforwardto innextmonth’s issue

162gardner’sWorldThe lastwordfromproDrewGardner

techniqueimpRoveyouRphotoskills

28techniqueofthemonthHeadoutandembracethedarkness–our top-tentipsensureyoutakeyourbest-evernight-time images

57howtomasterpaintingwithlightLightupthenightwith these fantasticlight-paintingtechniques

69BudgetphotoWegetcreativewith the£80LensbabySpark–and�ndweactuallyquite like it

75creativeeyeThebattlecontinueswith thismonth’stheme: festivedecor

83DigitalDarkroomImprovecontrast inElements, retouchlikeapro inCS,brightenaportrait inLightroomandmastercalibration inACR

inspiRationtheWoRlDofpRophotogRaphy

92cuttingedgeThe lowdownonthe latestprojectsbyworkingprosTimTadderandLaraJade

testcentRelatestgeaRtesteDByexpeRts

107pentaxk-5iiHasthisupdateofPentax’spopularK-5gotwhat it takes toappeal toenthusiasts?

111DigitalslRandcsclistingsUp-to-date listingsandspeci�cations

114tried&tested:tripodsandheadsOur in-depthreviewdiscovers thebestbuysonthemarket for less than£150

123christmasgiftguidePresents toputasmileonanykeenphotographer’s facecomeChristmasDay

getthepictuResimplestepstoBetteRpictuRes

34shootcoastalsunsetsWedolike tobebeside theseaside,especiallyatdusk forstunningsunsets

39createsimpleabstractartUsecolouredpaper tocaptureawesomeabstract images.Agreat rainy-dayproject

42shootaday-to-nighttimelapseMakethemostof theshortdayswith thisunusual landscapetechnique

44howtotakelow-keyportraitsCapturemysteriousshadowyportraitsusingonlywindowlight

46five-minutephotoshopUseyour favourite images tocreateapersonalisedcalender for2013

suBscRiBetoDay!turntopage 100tofindout

aboutourlatest subsoffers

33getthe

piCture

4 /Digital slRphotogRaphy / january2013

28night

75Creative eye

69buDget

photo

92Cutting

eDge

57Digital

Darkroom

Page 5: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

January2013/Issue74

LEARNFROMthEUK’s LEADINGEXPERts

Ross Hoddinott is anaward-winning naturephotographer andauthor of numerousphoto books.www.rosshoddinott.co.uk

Rosshoddinott

Regular contributorPaul is a professionalportrait and fashionphotographer who’s anexpert in lighting andspecialises in locationand studio shoots.

PaulWard

Top fashion andportrait photographerClive Arrowsmith hasphotographedmany of theworld’s leading celebrities.www.clivearrowsmith.com

A leading portrait andfashion photographer,Bjorn runs a series ofportrait workshops inCornwall.www.bjornthomassen.co.uk

Bjornthomassen

He’s the king of rockphotography and spentmost of 2008 on tour, asthe o�cial photographerfor IronMaiden!www.picturedesk.co.uk

JohnMcMurtrie

A creative genius,Benedict is asuccessful professionalphotographerand digital artist.www.benedict1.com

BenedictCampbell

CliveArrowsmith

A highly successfullandscape photographer,regular contributorAdam is the author of thephotography bookTheDorset Coast.www.adam-burton.co.uk

AdamBurton

A pro for two decades,Lee’s one of the best-known names in thebusiness, with 20books to his name andworldwide image sales.www.leefrost.co.uk

LeeFrost

Martyn is an award-winning journalist andhas been involved inphotography for decades,includingworking as apro photographer andediting photomagazines.

MartynMoore

Helen is an immenselygifted landscapephotographer, who hasrecentlymade themoveto full-time professional!www.helendixonphotography.co.uk

helenDixon

TheChief SportsPhotographer for TheSun is one of theworld’sbest and he’s exclusive tous! Follow himon Twitterat: dickiepelham1

Wecatch upwith one ofour oldest but youngestDigital SLR Photographycontributors, Lara Jade,to �nd out about herjourney to the top of thefashion photo industry.

RichardPelhamJon’s spentmost of his

career as a successfultravel photographer,covering the globe toprovide top stock libraryCorbis with his uniquestyle of travel images.

Jonhicks

Brett has quicklyestablished himself asone of the UK’s leadingportrait and socialphotographers.www.brettharknessphotography.com

Brettharkness

One of the very bestcelebrity andmusicphotographers in thebusiness and agenuinely nice guy.Deserves a peerage!www.andyearl.com

AndyEarl

January 2013 /DIGItALsLRPhOtOGRAPhY / 5

LaraJade

6 Swan Court, Cygnet Park, Peterborough, Cambs PE7 8GX.Phone: 01733 567401. Fax 01733 352650Email: [email protected]

Visit us online at: www.digitalslrphoto.com

EditorialTo contact editorial phone: 01733 567401

EditorDaniel [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Editorial contributors this month: Drew Gardner,Lee Frost, Tim Gartside, Ross Hoddinott, RichardHopkins, Lara Jade, Tim Tadder, Paul Ward &Donna Willingham

Contact us

If you’re having trouble �nding us in your localarea, please let us know by phoning 01733 567401.

Advertising&ProductionTo contact advertising phone: 0207 907 6651

[email protected]

[email protected] & Classi�ed Sales: 0207 907 6651

SeniorProductionControllerAnishaMogra02079076067anisha_mogra@dennis.co.uk

Publishing&MarketingFelix Dennis ChairmanJames Tye CEOBrett Reynolds COOIan WestwoodMDTechnologyJohn Garewal Publishing DirectorDavid BarkerNewstrade DirectorClaire ScraseMarketing Manager

UK SUBSCRIPTIONS: 0844 249 0482The subscription service is open six days a week:Monday to Friday (8am-8pm); Saturday (9am-1pm)Order online at: http://subscribe.digitalslrphoto.com

Standard subscription rate: 12 issues for £38 (UK only)Overseas subscriptions: +44 (0)1795 414953Europe £45; Rest of World £60; USA $99.USA & Canada subscriptions: Phone: 1-888-428-6676;Fax: 1-757-428-6253; Email: [email protected];Web www.imsnews.com.

ONLINE SUBSCRIBER SERVICE: www.subsinfo.co.ukUse this to manage your existing subscription, includingchanging your address, renewing your subscription orreporting problems. This should be your &rst port of call ifyou have any queries about your subscription. If yourequire further help, email: [email protected]

LICeNSINg & SyNdICaTIONDigital SLR Photography is available for licensing overseas.Syndication Senior Manager Anj [email protected]; +44 (0) 20 7907 6132Licensing Manager Carlotta [email protected]; +44 (0) 20 7907 6550Licensing & Syndication Assistant Nicole [email protected]; +44 (0) 20 7907 6134

BaCK ISSUeSBack issues for UK cost £5 (includes p&p).To order by credit card, phone: 0844 249 0482 or send acheque, stating the back issue you’d like, and madepayable to Dennis Publishing Ltd, to:FREEPOST RLZS-ETGT-BCZR, Digital SLR PhotographyBack Issues, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent SciencePark,Sittingbourne ME9 8GU.

Digital SLR Photography is published on thesecond Tuesday of every month. Digital SLRPhotography is published under license fromHalo Publishing Ltd, a wholly ownedsubsidiary company of Dennis Publishing Ltd, UK. All rightsin the licensed material belong to Felix Dennis, Halo orDennis Publishing and may not be reproduced, whether inwhole or part, without their prior written consent.Digital SLR Photography is a registered trademark.Happy New Year! Lets hope ‘13 is a lucky one for us all!

ISSN number: 1751-8989

Digital SLR Photography is printed in the UK.

The publisher makes every effort to ensure the magazine’scontent is correct. All material published in Digital SLRPhotography is copyright and unauthorised reproductionis forbidden. The editors and publishers of this magazinegive no warranties, guarantees or assurances and make norepresentations regarding any goods or services advertisedin this edition. No responsibility can be accepted for imagesor correspondence lost or damaged in post or transit.

When you’ve finished enjoyingthis magazine please recycle

ABC Jan – Dec 2011Total Average Net Circulation 35,501

57PaINTINgwIThLIghT

Themagazinebyphotographers forphotographersWe take the greatest pride in the fact that our magazine is producedby leading photographers who are all passionate about takinggreat pictures. Many of our contributors are award winners andall are expert digital SLr photographers, so you can be sure thatthey’re giving you the very best advice. Whether you love to shootlandscapes, portraits or nature, you can be 100% certain that ourextensive team of experts is fully committed to giving you the besttechnique advice to help you create your best ever images.

Page 6: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

EXPOSURE/1.13

STUNNINGVISTAS,BEAUTIFULSCENERY,AMAZINGLIGHT

ANDAPINCHOFSCANDAL–THISYEAR’SLANDSCAPE

PHOTOGRAPHEROFTHEYEARAWARDSHADITALL…IMAGE: JAMIE RUSSELL

THEBEAUTYOFBRITAIN

Page 7: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01
Page 8: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

COMPETITIONNEWSEXPOSURE/1.13

8 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK at some of the entries for thisyear’s Take A View Landscape Photographer of the YearAwards to realise that no matter where you are, strikingviews and stunning scenics aren’t far from your door.

Now in its sixth year, the awards – sponsored byNetwork Rail – arguably attract some of the bestexamples of UK landscape photography. The diversebeauty of the UK’s landscape is clear to see as this year’sentrants showcase everything from city scenes and rurallandscapes to coastal views and mist-filled valleys, inmany di!erent guises.

This year’s competition wasn’t without its fair share ofcontroversy either. The panel of judges, includinglandscape icon and Take A View founder Charlie Waite,disqualified the £10,000 grand prize winner, David Byrne,for excessive image manipulation. His black & whitephotograph of two fishing boats set against thepicturesque Lindisfarne Castle, in Northumberland, wassubject to much scrutiny on internet forums, forcing thejudges to review his images and, ultimately, their decisionafter discovering the sky had been composited. In ano"cial statement, Charlie Waite commented: “This isextremely regrettable and it appears there was nodeliberate intention to deceive the judges, but the level ofmanipulationmeans that this photographgainedanunfairadvantage in this category and in winning the overallcompetition.” Byrne also had two further imagesdisqualified, and judges announced the revised winner asSimon Butterworth for his image of a row of tenementbuildings at Port Glasgow, Inverclyde.

In addition to the grand prize, each of the winners of thefour categories take home £1,000 each, with secondplace in each category netting £500 each respectively.

We’ve put together a selection of our favourite imagesfor your enjoyment. The winning and commendedimages have been compiled into a book, which is on salenow. They’ll also feature in an exhibition at the NationalTheatre in South Bank, London, until 12 January 2013.Head to the Take A View website for more info on thisyear’s winners as well as details of the 2013 awards assoon as it is announced.www.take-a-view.co.uk

TAKEAVIEW2012

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2

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7

Page 9: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

COMPETITIONNEWS EXPOSURE/1.13

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /9

(OPENINGIMAGE)JamieRussell’sstunningstorm-cloudimagewascommendedintheClassicViewcategory.

1)RussBarnescapturesapigeontakingflightinCoventrycitycentre.CommendedintheUrbanViewcategory.

2) IonPaciu’sstunningviewoftheLondonskylinewascommendedintheUrbanViewcategory.

3)ThisvibrantimageoftheSouthDownsNationalParkwastakenbyRogerVoller. ItwascommendedintheClassicViewcategory.

4)DavidRoevisitedthisspotseveraltimestogetthisshot–worthitforgettingcommendedintheClassicViewcategory.

5)PaulMorgancombinedthreeexposuresofthisdramatictidalsweepinCornwall.CommendedintheClassicViewcategory.

6) ‘Condemned’bySimonButterworthshowsarowoftraditionalScottishtenementbuildingsandscoopedthetop£10,000prize.

7)KayodeOkeyode’simageoftwoloverskissinginthesnowonWestminsterBridgewontheCalumetPhotographic‘ThisisBritain’Award.CommendedintheLivingtheViewcategory.

8)DigitalSLRPhotographycontributorAdamBurton’sDartmoorsunriseimagewascommendedintheClassicViewcategory.

9)ThewinneroftheClassicViewcategory,SimonPark’s ‘TheWave’capturestheferocityoftheseainDouglas,IsleofMan.

SIMONPARK

ADAMBURTON

8

9

Page 10: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01
Page 11: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

PRODUCTNEWS

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 11

EXPOSURE/1.13

News inbrief...

JobyStrapsBest known for its funkyportable tripods, the teamat Jobyhasnow launchedtwonewcamera strapsdesignedaroundmaximumcomfort andperformance. The Joby

UltraFit Sling Strap, costing£41, is availablein bothmale and female versions andhasbeendesigned to sit snugon thebody andtofit inwith thedi$erencesbetween themale and female form. The Joby3-WayCamera Strap costs £33 and is a versatilemethodof securing your camera toyourself using either a neck strap, ashoulder strapor awrist strap, thanks to abuilt-in retractable cord.www.daymen.co.uk

TranscendaddsWiFi SDcardsMemorymanufacturerTranscendhasannounced its first forayinto theWiFi SDcardmarket. Available in16GBand32GBvarieties for £50and£70respectively, the cards feature anSDHCClass 10 speed rating andare accompaniedby a freeWi-Fi SDApp for Android and iOSdevices, allowing you to instantly accessand share your images as they are shot.www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk

LeeSeven5MicroFilterSystemLarger digital SLRshavelongbeencatered forwhen it comes tofiltersystems, but upuntil now

compacts andmirrorless cameras haven’thadmuch in thewayof options. Lee Filtershas steppedup to theplate andcreated itsnewSeven5Micro Filter System.Working inmuch the sameway as the largerDSLRkits,the systemcomprises a filter holder, aselectionof filters andanadaptor ring sizedto suit your lens choice. Thecomponentsare available individually or as a starter kitfor £112.80.www.leefilters.com

Samsungo�erIn themarket for a newmirrorless camera?Samsunghas justannouncedano$erworth takingup. PurchaseanynewSMARTNXcamera fromparticipating retailers betweennowand9January 2013 andnotonly can youclaimup to£100cashback, but youwill alsoreceive a free 7inGalaxy Tab2worth£170!www.samsung.com

VanguardcashbackVanguard’s excellent selectionof tripods, heads andphotobags just got awhole lot betterwith the introductionofcashbacko$ers acrossvarious products. There’s up to£30cashback availableon theAlta Proseries of tripods, up to£15cashbackonBBHandGHseries tripodheads and£10and£15cashbackon theUPRise andHeralder series of bags. Theo$er is onlyrunninguntil 15 January, sobequick!www.vanguardworld.co.uk

IT SEEMSTHATbarely amonthgoesbywhenwedon’t receivenewsof anewdigital SLRo$eringmore features than its competitors andpredecessors–andNikon’s newD5200 is noexception. Theupper entry-levelmodel improves upon theD5100byboasting a24.1-megapixelDX-formatCMOSsensor, 1080pFull HDmovie recordingcapabilities andNikon’s powerful EXPEED3 imageprocessor. It also sharesmanyof itsfeatureswith theD7000, suchas an improved39-point andnine cross-type autofocussystem, 2,015-pixel RGBmetering sensor andexcellentNikonSceneRecognitionSystem. The impressive features list goeson to include a vari-angle 3in LCDmonitor,newbuilt-in processing e$ects andHDRmodes,whilst remainingcompact andlightweight for easy handling. TheD5200 is available in black, redor bronzebody-onlyfor £720, or packagedwith theNIKKORAF-S 18-55mmf/3.5-5.6GVRDXZoomfor£820.www.nikon.co.uk

NEW NIKON D5200ANNOUNCED

Key featuresDX-format

CMOSsensor24.1-megapixel

resolutionFocal length

increase:1.5xEXPEED3

processorISO100-6400

(expandableto25600)

NikonF-mountSD/SDHCcardslot39-pointAF (nine

cross-type)Five frames-per-

seconddriveFullHDvideo

(1920x1080p)Vari-angle3in

LCDmonitorDimensions:

129x98x78mmWeight:555g

NEWCANONOPTICSCanonhas added twonew lenses to its EF line-up: the£1,500EF24-70mmf/4L ISUSMand the£800EF35mmf/2 ISUSM.Although thenewmid-zoom lens losesoutona stopof light compared to thepopular EF24-70mmf/2.8LUSM II, it benefits from ImageStabilisation,whichCanonclaimso$ers afour-stop advantageover thenon-IS f/2.8 lens.ThenewEF35mmf/2primeo$ers a fast

maximumaperture and its lightweight designmakes it ideal for everything fromclose-upportraits to travel photography. It’s alsoCanon’sfirst ever prime lens to feature ImageStabilisation.www.canon.co.uk

SONY-FITSIGMASRELEASEDSonyownerscan rejoiceasSigmahasannouncedavailabilityof its 18-250mmf/3.5-5.6DCMacroHSMandAPOMacro180mmf/2.8EXDGOSHSMlenses intheSonyAlphafitting.The18-250mmlens is suitableasado-it-allmodeldue to itshuge focal range. Itsmacrocredentials arebackedupby its35cmminimumfocusingdistance through theentirezoomrangeandmagnification ratioof1:2.9.TheAPOMacro180mmisaworldfirst–o$eringa1:1magnificationratioand fast f/2.8maximumaperture. It also featuresOptical Stabilisationandaminimumfocusingdistanceof47cm.Both lensesarenowavailable,with the18-250mmweighing inat£500and the180mmMacrocosting£1,500.www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

Page 12: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

Terms and Conditions apply. Pick up a lea�et in-store or visit www.olympus.co.uk/promotions for further details.

FREE:PoRtRait LEnsWoRtH £279.99

As if you need an extra reason to own the stunning and multi-award

winning Olympus OM-D E-M5 – for a limited period you can claim

an M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8 Portrait lens worth £279.99!

Available from selected stockists including all

Olympus Elite Centres before 31st December 2012.

Page 13: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

PHOTONEWS

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 13

EXPOSURE/1.13

IT’SASMALLWORLDThere’s nodenying thebeautyofmacrophotography; capturing an imageofsubjects sominute that thedetails cannot berenderedby thehumaneye is awe-inspiring.Photomicrography, otherwise knownas theart of photography throughamicroscope,takesmacrophotography to another level,emphasisedby the recently announcedwinners of the2012NikonSmallWorldPhotomicrographyCompetitionshowcasing truly stunning results. First placewas awarded toDr Jennifer L Peters andDrMichael RTaylor of St. JudeChildren’sResearchHospital inMemphis for theirphotomicrographof theblood-brain barrierin a live zebrafishembryo. Thewinningentrywas captured at an astounding20xmagnification and is believed tobe thefirsttimean imagehasbeencapturedof theblood-brain barrier in a live creature. Secondplacewas awarded toWalter Piorkowski forhis focus-stacked imageof live newbornlynx spiderlings,whichwas captured at 6xmagnificationusing reflected light providedbyfibre-optic lights, and third placewent toDrDylanBurnetteof theNational InstitutesofHealth,Maryland,USA, for his 63x imageof cancer in ahumanbone. First, secondand third place all net themselvesNikongearwith $3,000, $2,000and$1,000respectively. To view thewinning andcommended images for yourself visit:www.nikonsmallworld.com

500PXADDSCREATIVECOMMONSLICENSINGPhoto-sharingwebsite 500pxhas joinedFlickr andYouTube ino#eringCreativeCommons licensing for its users.CreativeCommons allowsphotographers topre-authorisenon-commercial useof their imageswithout prior expressedpermission,providing that credit is given. For youraverageuser thismeans that, if enabled,their images canbeusedbyblogs andpublishers, gaining their images extraexposure andopeningup thepossibilityof futurework.www.500px.com/creativecommons

INDUSTRYRAISESFUNDS FORSANDYWHENHURRICANESandyhit theCaribbeanandeastcoastofAmericaback inOctober, itcausedwidespreaddamageanddestruction.It alsoputoneof themost iconiccities in theworldat themercyofnature.As theclean-upoperationbegan, storiesofNewYorkersshowingsolidarity in the faceofadversitywent viral–peoplehandingout foodandwater, residentsallowingstrangers tosharetheirhomes, thosewithelectricity runningpower socketsout into thesidewalk so thosewithoutpowercouldcharge theirphones.Thephotographic industryalso responded

andstoriesemergedofphotographersandcompaniesdoingwhat theycould tohelp therelief fund. IndustrygiantsNikonUSAandSamsungNorthAmericawerefirst too#ertheir support, pledging$50,000and$3,000,000respectively to theAmericanRedCross.CanonUSAalsopledged$100,000 totheAmeriCaresaidagency tohelpwith theclean-upand recovery. Sigmaevenwentasfar toextend theirwarrantycoveronallcameraequipment to repairor replaceallitemsdamagedby thestorm.Smaller-scalebusinessesand individuals

alsodid theirbit–NYC-basedphotographerLoganHicks’s (www.workhorsevisuals.com)

neighbourhoodwas left largelyunscathedbythestorm, soheheadedoutwithhiscamerato record thecity’s streetsdevoidof light andlife.Uponhearingabout thedamagecausedtootherpartsof thecity, hebegansellingprintsof theManhattanblackout, donatingallof theproceeds to theAmericanRedCross,raising inexcessof$6,000 in total. “It’s easy toforget thatbehind theglossy, slickphotosarestoriesofhardshipandstruggle.Mostofmyworkdealswith theurbanenvironment. It feltabit exploitive todocument thepainofotherswithoutgivingsomethingback.”Photography-inspiredclothingcompany

Dodge&Burnpledged$1 forevery shirt soldin themonthofNovemberando#eredcustomersa15%discount toget theballrolling.TedRybakowski, founderofDodge&Burn (www.dodgeandburn.com) explains:“WeareaNewYorkCity-basedbusinessandweproudlydrawonthatassociation inourbrand. Sowhensomething likeHurricaneSandycomesalong, there isnowaywearegoing toshirkourobligation to thecityandour responsibility to those less fortunatewhogothithardby thestorm.Givingmoney fromtheproceedsof shirt saleswas thequickestwaywecouldparticipate in the relief e#ort.”

DRJENNIFE

RLPETERS&DRMICHAELRTAYLO

R

LOGANHICKS

After JeannetteVanHoutenofUnionBeach,NewJersey, lost her home toHurricaneSandy, shedecided to survey thedamage inher community. Shediscoveredphotographs strewnalong the shorelineandbegancollecting themwith the aim toreunite themwith their owners. Jeannette

has since foundand scannedover 2,000photos and, thanks to thehelpof aFacebookgroup, has reunited around60families so farwith their images.Othergroupmembers have alsoo#ered todigitally repair damagedphotoswherepossible.http://on.fb.me/U9blsY

LOSTPHOTOGRAPHSFINDTHEIRWAYHOME

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EXHIBITIONS&COMPETITIONS

14 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

EXPOSURE/1.13

MarioTestino:BritishRoyalPortraits 3

Until 3 February 2013 / Free /National PortraitGallery, LondonBritishRoyal Portraits showsTestino’smoreformal side. Features commissionedportraits,includingKate andWills’ engagement.www.npg.org.uk

LucknowtoLahore 1

Until 7 April 2013 / Free / ScottishNationalPortraitGallery, EdinburghFredBremner’s travels into Imperial India areexplored in this exhibitionof hisworkspanning40years from1882 to 1922.O&ers aglimpse into thepeopleof the IndianEmpire.www.nationalgalleries.org

WilliamKlein&DaidoMoriyamaUntil 20 January 2013 / £12.70 /TateModern, LondonTwophotographers onopposite sidesof theplanet come together to showcase theirworks. The images, from the 1950s topresentday, cover real-life topics, fromurban life topolitical uprising as seen through their lenses.www.tate.org.uk

TaylorWessingPhotographicPortraitPrize 2

Until 17 February 2013 / £2 /National PortraitGallery, LondonThe60bestworks from thecontest havebeencarefully selected for this exhibition,showcasing fantastic portrait photographyfrom talented amateurs andprofessionals.www.npg.org.uk

PeterFraser26January to6May2013 / £6.50 / Tate St IvesSee Fraser’s journalistic style focusingon thematerial items inourworld. Features Fraser’smost recent series,ACity in theMind2012,alongsideworks fromas far back as 1988.www.tate.org.uk

Cartier-Bresson:AQuestionofColourUntil 27 January 2013 / Free /SomersetHouse, LondonTheworkof 14 internationally acclaimedphotographerswill goon showalongsidetenCartier-Bressonphotographs, previouslyunseen in theUK. Explores thephotographer’stransition fromblack&white to colour.www.somersethouse.org.uk

onemillionphotographers competitionhaveputa $150,000grandprize up for grabs, alongsideother cashprizes andmonthly awards.Closingdate:Ongoing. Entry cost: $8.www.onemillionphotographers.com

BestShotsPhotographicCompetitionAtotal cashprize fundof£10,000 isup forgrabs,alongsideaplace in theBestShotsTouringExhibition.Thereareninemaincategoriesandone for youngphotographers, so there shouldbesomething foreveryone.Closingdate:30April.Entrycost: £10per image.www.bestshots.co.uk

RedBull Illume ImageQuest2013 2

This contestwants great images that capture thethrill andexcitementof adrenaline junkies doingtheir thing. Thewinning imageswill bepart of aworldwide illuminatednight exhibition.Closingdate: 30April. Entry cost: Free.www.redbullillume.com

TheNikonPhotoContest2012-2013In its 34th year, theNikonPhotoContestInternational is open tophotographersworldwide. Enter tobe inwith a chanceofwinning abundleofNikongoodies!Closingdate: 28 February. Entry cost: Free.www.nikon-photocontest.com/en/

BlackandWhiteSpiderAwardsDoyouhave aneye for stunningblack&whitephotography?Open toboth amateurs andprofessionals, this competitionprovides highaccolades anda space in its prestigiousmonochromeshowcase.Closingdate: 15 February. Entry cost: $30amateur; $35professional.www.thespiderawards.com

onemillionphotographers 1

In an ambitious bid tobuild theworld’s largestonline imagegallery, organisers of the

Competitions

Exhibitions

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2

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BOOKS

JANUARY2013 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / 15

EXPOSURE/1.13

Rating:

Rating:

Rating: Rating:

Photographing Models: 1,000 Poses£20 / Eliot Siegel / BloomsburyPublishing / ISBN978-1-4081-7091-5

If you’ve ever tried your handat fashionphotography, or evenportraitsfor thatmatter, then you’ll realise that getting yourmodel to strike thatkiller pose isn’t as easy as it sounds. Through theexpert guidanceofprofessional photographers, this title provides almost endless inspiration forpositioning andposing your subjects. Coveringmost photoshoot locations,angles and scenarios, it really doesgoabove andbeyond in termsof thebest poses andangles toget themost fromyourmodel,with helpful advice,lightingdiagrams, inspirational images, sequence shots showing thedi�erencebetweenposes andprofile pieceson successful fashion andportrait photographers.

VERDICT:Full of adviceonhow to take andprocess goodHDR images. A few less-than-choice conversions, but good for themost part.

VERDICT:Packed toburstingpointwith fantastic images, inspiration,examples andbackedupwith expert opinions andadvice. Amust if youwant to improve your photographsof people.

VERDICT:Even if youhaveno interest in thefashionworld, this isworth a lookpurely onphotographicmerit.

VERDICT: If you read this title cover to cover, notonlywill yoube fully cluedupbut you’ll deserve amedal, too– it’s a hefty read!

BOOK OF THE MONTH

The Sartorialist: Closer£20.00 / Scott Schuman /PenguinISBN978-0-718-19439-0

American fashionblogger Scott Schuman left hisjob in 2005 to take careof his daughter. Itwas atthis time that hepickedupacamera andbeganphotographing the stylish inhabitants ofNewYork going about their daily lives.His blog,TheSartorialist, quickly becameapopular internethive for fashionistas todiscuss style. This bookcontains someof his street photographyworkfromaround theworld. There’s notmuch in thewayof narrative, save for a fewwordshere andthere, and someof the fashions goover ourheads, but there’s nodenying that Schumanhasa talent for capturing fantastic street portraits.

Complete DigitalPhotography:Seventh Edition

£26.99 /BenLong/DelmarCengageLearningISBN978-1-285-07726-0

Claiming tobe aone-stop resource for adviceandhow-to informationondigital photography,you’d expect this title tobemammoth, and you’dbe right. Covering everything fromhow tohold acamera through tocomposition andexposure,andhow toprocess your images, it leaves nostoneunturned. Information is presented in aclear, concise andeasy-to-follow format, albeita bit school textbook–but that’s down to thesheer amountof info crammed in.

Creating HDR Photos£19.99 /HaroldDavis / AmphotoBooksISBN978-0-8230-8586-6

ThementionofHDR, orHighDynamicRange,photography is enough to senda shiver downsomepeople’s spines. At first glance, you’llprobably expect toopen this book andbegreetedbypageuponpageof retina-burningover-processedHDR images–however,whatlieswithin is pleasantly surprising. Sure, there’stheodd image that looks like it’s been taken toofar, but for themost part the author guides youthrough the rightway to treatHDR images andevencovers how toavoidovercooking yourshots; in our eyes, themost important part ofcreating aHDR image.

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JANUARY2013 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / 17

PHOTODIARY EXPOSURE/1.13

Weekends throughto March 2013

Deer feeding atAttingham ParkSee the park wardensfeeding the fallow deer atthe beautiful AttinghamPark in Shrewsbury thiswinter. The deer are fed at2pm on weekends andevery day during schooland Christmas holidays(excluding ChristmasDay). Dress warm and takea telephoto lens and try tocapture some close-upwinter wildlife.www.nationaltrust.org.uk/attinghampark/

25 DecemberChristmas Day

For most families, havingeveryone in the sameplace at the same time is arare occurrence! Takeadvantage of the familydressed in their Christmasbest and capture someformal family portraits.Just remember to get itdone before lunch and

everyone falls asleep onthe sofa in the afternoon!

25 DecemberChristmas Day swims

A true display of Britisheccentricity, hundreds ofswimmers descend uponcoastlines around thecountry for a Christmasmorning swim in freezingconditions. Head to theSerpentine in London forthe Peter Pan CupSwimming Race orBrighton seafront. Takeyour telephoto lens and athermos of warm drinkand be glad that you’re ondry land!www.serpentineswimmingclub.com

27 December to1 January

Edinburgh’sHogmanayNo one celebrates thecoming of the new yearquite like the Scottish.Edinburgh’s Hogmanayfestival is the biggest of its

kind and festivities beginwith a carnival on 27December. The mainevent is, of course, theNew Year’s Evecelebrations on 31December, so take a fastprime and shoot at a wideaperture for celebratoryimages packed withatmosphere.www.edinburghshogmanay.com

29 DecemberThe Big Game:

Harlequins vsLondon IrishBring together two hugeteams in the impressiveTwickenham Stadium andyou’re guaranteed a goodshow. Last year 82,000fans raised the roof,creating a fantasticatmosphere. Take yourwide-angle lens andcapture the magnificenceof this legendary stadiumpacked to the hilt.www.thebiggame.co.uk

31 DecemberNew Year’s Eve

Capture the New Year’scelebrations! Whereveryou are, there will be aparty or event not faraway. Fireworks, singingand dancing are sure tofeature, so it’s a greatchance to grab someshots of people bringing inthe New Year with style.For some of the bestfireworks, head for theLondon Eye in the capital’scentre and enjoy the viewacross the Thames.

1 JanuaryLondon New Year’s

Day ParadeWhat better way to clearout those New Year’s Daycobwebs than a visit to thecapital towitness thehugeLondon New Year’s DayParade? With almost10,000 performersexpected, from marchingbands to dancers andmusicians, it’s a greatchance to take shots ofthe New Year festivities.www.londonparade.co.uk

12 and 13 JanuaryAutosport

InternationalStart your engines! The2013 motorsport calendarkicks o! with AutosportInternational at the NEC inBirmingham. Featuringevery level ofmotor racingfrom karting up to rallycars and Formula 1, take awide-angle zoom toshoot the cars up close oryour trusty 50mm f/1.8 topick out the details. Adefinite must-see for all

motorsport enthusiasts.www.autosportinternational.com

11-13 JanuaryThe Whittlesey Straw

Bear FestivalPossibly one of thestrangest British traditions,the Whittlesey Straw BearFestival sees a mandressed head to toe instraw and paradedthrough the streets of thissmall Cambridgeshiretown. The tradition datesback to the late 1800s.www.strawbear.org.uk

12 to 20 JanuaryLondon Boat Show

London’s Excel Centreplays host to one ofEurope’s largest boatshows. The exhibitionhalls and Excel Marina willbe packed with millions ofpounds worth of nauticalvessels, with exclusiveboat launches throughoutthe show. We can dream…www.londonboatshow.com

EVENTSDIARYWHERETOGO&WHATTOSHOOTTHISMONTH

Edinburgh’sHogmanay

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NYD

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NewYear’s EveinLondon

LondonNewYear’sDayParade

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Page 19: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

INBOX EXPOSURE /1.13

JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 19

Haveyousomethingtosayaboutthemagazineorphotographyingeneralthatyou’dliketosharewithotherreaders?We’dlovetohearfromyou,sopleasewritetousatourusualaddressorsendanemail to:[email protected]

READER FEEDBACK

DROPITLIKE IT’SHOTI’ve been reading yourDecember issue andnoticed your

waterdrop featurewas very similar tomye�orts. I used a verysimilar set-upbut found, through trial anderror, some tweaksthatmake thepictures slightly better. Firstly, I use a small blackcircular tubfilled to thebrimwithwater. As it’s circular, thewavebounces straight back to thecentrewhich stops yougettingmessy ripples between shots. I have thecamera almost levelwiththewater, then I position theflag in thebackground so that halfof theflag is above thewater and thebottomhalf of theflag is inthe reflection. I also freeze thewater togive a slower constantdrip, allowing thewater to settle betweendrops. I generally position theflasho� toone side asyoudid, but positioning it centrally pointingdownat thebackgroundgives amoreeven light.Paul BeverleyEditor’s reply:Thanks for the tips, Paul–your image showshowwell your systemworks!

@EDWARDFURYPHOTOPickup your copyof thismonth’s@DigitalSLRPhoto toseemywork in themag.www.edwardfury.co.uk

@GEIYLALOU@DigitalSLRPhoto this is themag thatwill changemyphotographyexperience,hoping to readmore issues!

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I really appreciate thismagazineand thedepthoftreatment that isgiven toreviewsandcritiques. Iwasglad tosee theSeptemberissue reviewedcamerabagsover£100and, inparticular,that theTamracEvolution9camerabag,whilstnot thebest ateverything,wasmorehighly fancied than theotherbagsyou tested.HavinghadminesinceAugust, I’dhave toagree that it has somegreatfeatures, but your reviewfailstomentioncomfort. At50-55mmwide, thestrapsdon’tprovidea lotofcomfortafter longperiodsofwear. Sowhat todo? Ipurchasedminefromanonlinecamerastorehere inAustralia, but theywouldn’t take it backas itwasn’t amanufacturing fault.So Iwent toa localhikingandtravelgoodsstoreandbychancediscovered theyhadastrapsystemthatcouldbepurchased independentlyoftheirbackpacks, so Iboughta

set, pickedapart thestitchingon theEvolution9, installedsome largeslideclips toholdthestraps, andnowIhaveacamerabagwithdetachablestrapsabout80mmwideacross theshoulder,whichslideseasily aroundmybodyasaone-strapslingbagaswell. I sentTamracavideooftheconversionand I receiveda freeT-shirt (!) and themessage that they likemyideaand they’ll suggest it totheirdesigners.Oneotherreviewomission–thebageasily takesa17in laptop,oneof the reasons Ibought it.GregMunyardEditor’s reply:Genius idea,Greg!We like your style…

AHEADOFTHEGAME

I havebeenpractising3Dphotography for twoyearsandwasveryencouraged toreadNickSaglimbeni’swords(November2012).Withoutdoubt, amajornegativearetheglassespeoplehave towear,which isa shameas theyaremissingout.AsNickcorrectly states, taking3Dpicturesalso requiresacertainlevelofphotographic skill,especiallywhenusingasinglecamera. 3Dcamerasareavailable, though, that simplifytheprocess–suchasmyFujiW3,whichhasanexcellent3Dviewingscreen thatworkswithoutglasses.Whentechnologysimilar to thisappears inamoreappreciablesize, suchasona tablet, then3Dwill indeedfinally arrive.Images fromtheFuji are

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Page 20: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

StuartLowAge:47 /Occupation:Company director

LonelyTree,Glenfarg: “Thiswas taken close towhere Ilive so I know this tree and locationwell. On this eveningit was overcast and showery, but the occasional patch oflightwas reaching the landscape below. I walked up thehill to this vantage point andwaited for over an hour forthe sun to break through the clouds.When it finally did,it produced a brilliant light lasting only a fewminutes.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithZeissDistagon21mmf/2.8.Exposure:1/15secat f/16 (ISO100).

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sponsoredby

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comment

Stuart is fortunate to livein suchabeautiful area, buthisstunning imagesarenotdue toluck.His technique, eye forcompositionandcameraskills arewhyhis imagesare sucha success.

Daniel Lezano

Page 23: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

StuartLow (continued)

GrouseHut,GlenQuaich: “This small hut was shrouded in mystery forme. It sits by the side of the road in Glen Quaich, Perthshire, and formany years my cycling friends and I stopped here for a spot of lunch. I’vetaken many photos of this hut over the years so I’m familiar with the bestcompositions. For this shot I used an ND soft grad for the foregroundand an ND6 hard grad for the sky, along with an 81A �lter to warm up thetones. It turns out the hut is in fact a lunch hut for grouse shooters.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithaCanonEF85mmf/1.8USMlens.Exposure:1/8secat f/16 (ISO100).

Elie Lighthouse: “This is my favourite little lighthouse on the East Neukof Fife, Scotland. I come here often and the mood varies from sereneand warm to dark and moody. On this evening the mood switched fromthe former to the latter very quickly! This image is a blend of twoexposures – one exposed for the foreground and one exposed for thedark sky. I overlaid the sky layer in Photoshop and used a Layer Mask andsoft brush to reveal the foreground.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithaZeissDistagon21mmf/2.8 lens.Exposure:1/15secat f/11 (ISO100).

BlackLoch: “I’d visited this spot every day for about three weeks in thehope of a decent sunset, but every night the sky would cloud over. Thisparticular evening, things weren’t looking promising, but as luck wouldhave it, the clouds broke and the sun �nally burst through. I used acombination of hard and soft grads to hold back the sky and then usedthe Dodge and Burn Tools in Photoshop to lift the foreground.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithaZeissDistagon21mmf/2.8 lens.Exposure:1/6secat f/11 (ISO50).

Boatland: “Sadly, this little ruin won’t be around for much longer as it’sbeen scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt. It’s a shame because it’s alandmark that has been extremely well known to �shermen, walkers andlocals for many years. This was taken on a hazy evening as the late lightwas illuminating the side of the building. I used a custom in-cameraPicture Style to set the mood of the image, along with an ND soft grad tobalance the exposure and an 81A �lter to warm up the scene.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithaCanonEF17-40mmf/4L lens.Exposure:Twosecondsat f/22 (ISO50).

SPONSOrED By

January2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /23

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PuttSakdhnagoolAge: 26 /Occupation:Ph.D. student

Mt.Assiniboine: “This imagewas takenon the shore of LakeMemphremagog,Quebec, just as �rst light hit the peak ofMountAssiniboine.My friends and I hiked for 30km to reach this location andcampedhere for three days.On the �rst twodays, the skieswere cloudyand the peak of themountainwasn’t visible. Fortunately, on the �nal dayof our tripwewere treated to a clear sky and a glorious sunrise. I used acircular polariser to control the re!ection in the lake and, duringpost-processing, I lifted the shadows to improve the dynamic range andalso applied some adjustments to contrast, clarity and saturation.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithaCanonEF17-40mmf/4LUSMlens.Exposure:1/8secat f/11 (ISO100).

LauraValerieAge: 25 /Occupation:Photographer

VintagePortrait: “I shot this natural-light portrait in a studiowith largewindows to themodel’s right. The harsh light coming in through thewindowwas softened by hangingwhite curtains and I used a ZebraSunbounce re!ector to lift the shadowson the left side of her face. I loveto shoot in natural light – it gives a certain softness to the shot. I used awide aperture to focus attention on themodel’s face and to soften theout-of-focus areas. In post-processing, I used a sepia �lter to achievethe vintage look and boosted the contrast.”

CanonEOS-1DMkIVwithaCanonEF50mmf/1.2LUSMlens.Exposure:1/125secat f/2.2 (ISO100).

FunnyFaces: “Shooting this set ofmymodel, Sandy,was somuch fun!The process remindedmeof howmuch I love to domy job. I chose touse theCanonEF 85mm f/1.2L as it’s oneofmy favourite portrait lenses.I shot using natural light against a plainwall, using a Zebra Sunbouncere!ector to control the shadows. I used awide aperture tominimise anydistractions on the background and, in post-processing,made basicadjustments to contrast before converting to black&white.”www.ls-photographie.com

CanonEOS-1DMkIVwithaCanonEF85mmf/1.2LUSMlens.Exposure:1/125secat f/2.5 (ISO125).

cOmment

Canadahas someof theworld’s best scenics andPutthasdoneanexceptional jobofcapturing the symmetricalbeautyof thisone.Greatuseof apolariser.

CarolineWilkinson

SPOnSOrEDby

24 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / January2013

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JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 27

SPONSORED BY

LénaïcSanzAge: 28 /Occupation:Photographer

Teatime: “I was commissioned for a fashion shoot and thought that thedress would suit a romantic, retro-style image. On the day of the shootwe were greeted with overcast skies – perfect for soft and even naturallight. I used a reflector to add some control to the lighting and I shotusing an aperture of f/2.8 to render the background soft. I preferlow-contrast images and so in post-processing I adjusted the exposureand brightness to suit. After tidying any imperfections, I moved on tosetting the colours and tones of the image to suit the retro style.”

CanonEOS5DMkIIwithaCanonEF85mmf/1.2L lens.Exposure:1/800secat f/2.8 (ISO640).

NunoMotaAge: 32 /Occupation:Ceramist

Pier: “This structural masterpiece was built by fishermen in Carrasqueira,Portugal. To achieve this composition, I lowered the legs of my tripodright down to gain a low vantage point. I used a Hitech ten-stop ND filterto blur all movement in the water and a 0.6ND hard grad on the sky tobalance the exposure. I then adjusted the White Balance in AdobeCamera Raw and cloned out a small boat on the left-hand side as Ifound it distracting.”

CanonEOS550DwithaSigma10-20mmf/4-5.6EXDCHSMlens.Exposure:89secondsat f/11 (ISO200).

Irritated: “I took this image in Seixal, Portugal, a few minutes aftersunset. I used a 0.9ND filter to lengthen the exposure and drag theclouds out and a 0.6ND soft grad to hold back the sky. Some monthslater, I revisited the image and decided to carry out some Photoshopwork on it. I converted the image to black & white and increased thecontrast to add drama to the scene. I then added some mist using theBrush Tool and pasted in the flock of birds from another image.”

CanonEOS550DwithaSigma10-20mmf/4-5.6EXDCHSMlens.Exposure:75secondsat f/11 (ISO100).

COMMENT

Nuno’s imagesareagreatexampleofhowyoucan

combine fantasticphotographyandcreativeprocessing inorder tocreateeye-catchinganddramatic images.

JordanButters

JANUARY 2013 / /

* Formore information, seewww.sandisk.com/preserve

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28 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / january2013

Thenightholdsmanymysteries andsurprises for allwhoventure into its hiddendepths. Footsteps echomenacingly through

deserted streets, grownmenquiver at the clatterof dustbin lids and kids hurry home fromschool,terri�edby tales of bogeymen. Butwhilemost ofthepopulation are rushingoutof thedarkness andinto thecomfort of their homes, photographerseverywhere areheading into itwith a tripodundertheir arm, a cameraover their shoulder andabigfat grinon their face.Why?Becausenight time isphotographic fun time. even themostmundanescenesbyday are transformedat night. Floodlitbuildings standout vividly against thedarkeningsky, neon signs icker outsidepubs, clubs andbars, and awarm,welcomingglow radiates fromevery shopwindow. Puddles andparkedcarsre ect colour fromall around, light pollution fromdistant cities adds a surreal glow to the sky longafter sunset is over, passing tra�ccreatescolourful trails that stretch into thedistance andmoonlight danceson the surfaceof the sea.Wherever youhappen to�nd yourself, therewillalways begreat night shots tobehad, and thanksto thewonders of digital technology, producingperfect results is easier now thanever before.

the key to success is all down to timing.the term ‘night photography’ canbe a littleconfusingbecause thebest period inwhich toshoot isn’t at night at all, but during the twilightperiod after sunsetwhenarti�cial illuminationsuchas oodlightingonbuildings is clearly visible,but there’s still a little daylight around to ‘�ll-in’the shadowsand somecolour in the sky toprovidean attractive backdrop.during this crossover periodbetweenday and

night, natural and arti�cial lighting is also inbalance, so contrast ismanageable and youcancapture scenes full of detail andcolour. if youshoot tooearly, the arti�cial lightingwon’t beobvious enoughandyour pictureswill look ratherwishy-washy. leave it too late andonly the areas litby the arti�cial lightingwill recordwhile theshadowsand the sky comeout black.tomake themost of this brief period,which

lasts anything from20minutes to anhour,dependingon the timeof year andweatherconditions, scout out your locationduring thedayso youcandecidewhat to shoot andwhere toshoot from. thenheadback around sunset so youcanwatch andwait until thedaylight begins tofade andman-made illumination takesover.

TechniqueofThemonTh...

AsnightFAlldesCends,AWeAlthoFColoURFUlPhotooPPoRtUnitiesliteRAllYgloWinthedARK,soWhYnotgRABYoURtRiPodAndgoinseARChoFinsPiRAtion–WithAlittlehelPFRoMthisMonth’stoPnightPhotogRAPhYtiPs?

nightpatrol

istoCKPhoto

2STARTRAILS

if you leave your camera’sshutter open for long enough, it’spossible to record starsmoving inthe night sky. to do this, you need aclear night so there are lots of starsvisible and youneed to be as faraway from towns and cities aspossible so light pollution doesn’tspoil the shots. Use a compass tolocate the Pole star (in the north)and include it in your shots so thatthe star trails record as concentricrings. set your camera to Bulb andamoderate iso such as 100or 200,thenmount it on a tripod. Use yourwidest lens to include lots of sky,wait until the stars are clearly visible,then lock the shutter open using aremote release for an hour or two.Alternatively, use an interval timerand a higher iso to take 200-30030-second exposures, then‘stack’ themusing Photoshoporsoftware such as image stacker(www.tawbaware.com). this lattermethoddrastically reduces theamount of noise in the �nal image.

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garymcparland

istockphoto

leefrost

istockphoto

4TrafficTrails

a classic night subject is tra�c trails – thetrails of light created bymoving tra�c. for thebest results, the roads need to be busy at twilightso there’s still colour in the sky–october tomarch is the best timeof the year for this. eithershoot fromabridge or building so you’re lookingdownon a busy roador roundabout, or set upyour camera by the side of a road, taking carenot to stray too close to the edge. includebuildings in the shot, too, to add interest and useexposures of 20 to 30 seconds to record lots oftrails and allowcars tomove through the frame.

5chrisTmasfesTiviTies

in the build-up tochristmas, towns andcities are adornedwith thewarmglowof festivedecorations and this creates evenmore nightphotography opportunities than normal.marketsquares and towncentres are the places to headfor as that’swhere the festive illuminations tendto be concentrated, althoughbusy shoppingstreets are often decorated, too. shoot on busyevenings, such as late-night shopping, so youcan record crowds of peoplemilling around as asea of blurred bodies and use exposures of oneto 20 seconds to vary the e�ect.

3ciTyscapes

find a high viewpoint over a busy townorcity and you can’t fail to take stunning nightshots – there’s just somuchdetail and colour.head to the roof of a tall building, shoot fromahotelwindowor drive to the topof amultistoreycar park. set your camera to autoWhite Balance(aWB) to capture a rangeof colours in the scene,from the coolness of areas lit by twilight to thewarmglowof street lights and the vivid greenof�uorescent lamps. include some sky, too, if youcan– light pollution can createwonderful tonesin the clouds.

1moonscapes

have you ever tried shooting landscapes bymoonlight? if not, give it a go– you’ll be amazedby the results. themoon acts like aweakerversion of the sun, bathing scenes in soft light andcasting cool shadows, and if you expose yourshots for long enough, they can look as if theywere taken in themiddle of the day, onlywith aslightly surreal and spooky atmosphere.on clearnights, capture light from themoon shimmeringonwater and remember that if you include themoon in exposures of a secondormore, not onlywill it overexpose, but it will also blur.

january2013 /DiGiTalslrphoToGraphy /29

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6AftersunsetlAndscApe

Most landscape photographers pack upandhead homeonce the sun has gone down,but it’s worth hanging back for a little longerbecause as the last traces of colour drain fromthe sky, you can shoot some amazing images.Because the atmosphere acts like a hugere�ector, the light is very soft and also takes onthe colour in the sky, so it can be anything fromsoft purple to deep blue. Ideally, head forwaterso you can capture the re�ected light – a calmlake or a coastal view is perfect. If there’s a townor city nearby, light pollutionwill add colour tothe sky, even if it looks dark to the naked eye.IMage: rosshoddInott

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NightpatrolTechniqueofThemonTh...

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8Lightingpainting painting with light is a great technique to tryat night and takes on many forms. An easy option is to use a powerful

torch or a �ashgun to illuminate a feature in the foreground of a scene,such as a jetty on a lake, or a statue or monument against the night sky. ona bigger scale you could use multiple �ash bursts to illuminate the exteriorof a building by walking around and �ring the �ash at di�erent areas. ifyou’re feeling ambitious, set up several �ashguns both inside and out of adeserted building and use gels to create coloured light. finally, why notlight-paint using sparklers to trace the outline of a person or object?

9Citystreets

towns and cities really come tolife at night, when di�erent types ofarti�cial lighting create akaleidoscope of colour. shopwindows glow, street lamps castpools of light on wet pavements,neon signs �icker against thedarkening sky. All you need to do ismount your camera on a tripod andshoot it! look for foregroundinterest, such as a parked car, anduse a wide-angle lens to capture abroad view. Alternatively, switch toa telezoom and compressperspective so the buildings, streetlamps and tra�c appear crowdedtogether. shoot while there’scolour in the sky and check yourhistograms – exposure bracketingmay be necessary.

7nightportraits

fancy taking some outdoor portraitsat night? You have two main options. the�rst is to shoot handheld at high iso,posing your subject in the glow of arti�cialillumination. the other is to combine aburst of �ash to light your subject with aslow shutter speed to record the ambientlight in the background – this ‘slow sync’technique is ideal when shooting portraitsagainst a background of beautiful bokeh.

10FairgroundFun

funfairs o�er lots ofdi�erent night and low-lightphoto opportunities. if you don’tfancy lugging a tripod around,how about shooting high-isocandids? if you set your Dslr toiso 3200 or higher, you’ll be ableto shoot after dark using the glowof the funfair. Alternatively, takeyour tripod and use exposures of�ve to 30 seconds to recordmovement in spinning rides suchas the big wheel or waltzer. Dothis before dark so there’s colourin the sky and use a wide-anglelens from a low viewpoint.combining a burst of �ash with aslow shutter speed is also a greatway to capture people having funas the �ash freezes their motion.

jaNuary2013 /digitaLsLrphotography /31

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PLUS!WINDOW-LITLOW-KEYPORTRAITS&CREATEAPERSONALISEDCALENDAR

Coastal sunsets Magic-hour time-lapseCapturecaptivatingcoloursbytheseawithoursimplestep-by-stepguide

Embracethistimeofyeartocreatestunningtime-lapsecityscapes

Abstract still-lifeOureasyhow-tohelpsyoucreategraphicimagesusingcolouredpaper

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /33

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Get thepicture

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Capturestunningseasideskies

ROSSHODDINOTT:Therearen’tmanywhocan resist agoodsunset– foraphotographer, the lureofabeautifulmulticolouredskycan’tbe ignored.At sunset fairlyordinaryscenescanbe transformedby thesky’sextraordinarycolourandglow,andoneof thebestplaces tobe in these

conditions isbeside thesea.Water reflects light and thesky’swarmth,while themovementof incomingwavesaddmotionand interest towide-angle shots. Living in theUK,mostofusarewithinanhourortwo’sdriveof theseaside–althoughobviously somepartsof theUKarebetter suited toshootingcoastal sunsets thanothers. ThenorthCornishcoast, close towhere I live, is aparticularlygoodspot tovisit.Coastal sunsets are popular to shoot, but far fromeasy. Firstly, in

reality,most sunsets are hugely disappointing, barelymaterialising atall. Perfect conditions are those that don’t have toomuchor too

little cloud in the sky– just enough to radiate the sunset’swarmth,but not somuch that it obscures the sun. Theproblem is, goodsunsets are almost impossible topredict.Great colour canbebriefandunexpected. In practice, theonlyway toguaranteegood sunsetimages is to simply keepheadingoutwith your camera at everyavailableopportunity– sooneror later, your persistencewill berewardedwith an amazing sky tophotograph.Planning is crucialwhen shooting sunsets. It is helpful to know

the sun’s position in relation to your viewpoint beforehandandthankfully it’s fairly easy to researchwith thehelpof the internet andphoneapps. ThePhotographer’s Ephemeris (photoephemeris.com)is oneof themost popular suncalculators, but there areothers.A useful app that I’ve used is SunScout–you simply hold yoursmartphoneup to the sky and it plots anddisplays the sun’s path.

Shootcoastal sunsetsForbeauty,nothingbeatsacolourful skyover theseaat sunsetandthis timeofyear isperfect for it

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3UseanNDgradfilter Evenwhen the sun islow and its intensity reduced, the skywill still

be considerably brighter than the foreground. Asa result, your camerawill either correctlymeterfor the sky, resulting in foreground that is toodark, or it willmeter for the foreground, resultingin anoverexposed sky. Unless you fancyPhotoshopwork afterwards, the only in-camerasolution is using graduatedNDfilters. Onewith atwo-or three-stop density ismost useful.

1Doyour research Before you visit, check tidetimes for the area (www.tidetimes.org.uk)

and also plot the sun’s position using a sun/moon calculator like The Photographer’sEphemeris. Check the timeof sunset and arriveat least an hour beforehand to locate the bestviewpoints. If you have a smartphone, Irecommend the Sun Scout app to plotwherethe sunwill set onceon location, enabling youto select your viewpoint accordingly.

5Adjust theWhiteBalanceWhen shootingsunsets, don’t overlook the usefulness of

White Balance. Although your camera’s AutoWhite Balance usually does a great job, it can beworth switching to theCloudy or Shade presetto give sunsets a boost – particularly if capturingJPEGs. Doing sowill warmup and enhance yoursunsets. If you are shooting in Raw, you canalways adjust colour temperature duringpost-processing.

2Scout thearea Look for a good viewpointwhere you can shoot towards the setting

sun. Rocks, sand patterns and pools are greatcompositional aids for coastal sunsets. Unlessdi�used by cloud, the sun’s intensity is normallytoo great to take photos long before the sundisappears below the horizon. Therefore, youneed to be patient. If you try to take picturestoo soon, your imageswill su�er fromflare andskieswill be blownout.

4Alignyourfilter In this instance, I used athree-stopNDhard grad filter, attaching it

via a Lee Filters filter holder. AnNDgradwith ahard transition is often best for coastal sunsets,as the horizon is usually fairly even.WhenusingNDgrad filters, carefully align the transitionalzonewith the horizon for seamless results. Theresult here ismuch improved, but the imagelooks on the cool side, rather than showingo�thewarmthof the sunset.

Get thepicture Capturestunningseasideskies

Winter is a great timeof year for tryingoutthis technique. Sunset is early,meaning youdon’t finish takingphotos too late– ideal ifyouhave a longdrive home–andbeachesarequieter, resulting in fewer footprints inthe sand to avoid. Ideally, scopeoutlocations beforehand so youhave an ideaofpotential viewpoints. If you are visiting alocation for the first time, arrive at least twohours before sunset to allow su�cient timetoexplore, grow familiarwith theplace andidentify suitable compositions. Look forviewpointswhere youwill not only be ableto shoot in the sunset’s direction, but alsoinclude interesting foreground– rockyoutcrops, sandpatterns, aweatheredgroyneor reflective pool, for example.Also check the tide time–notonly is thisimportant froma safety aspect, but thetide’s height greatly dictateswhere youcanshoot from.In termsof kit, a tripod is essential for

stability as youwill beworking in low light.The level of contrast between thebright skyanddarker foregroundnormally exceedsyour camera’s dynamic range, soNDgradsare required, too–unless youpreferexposureblending.When there is greatcolour, younormallywant togowide andinclude lots of sky, so a short focal length inthe regionof 17-35mm is agood lenschoice. In termsof set-up, aperture-prioritymode is best for scenics, giving you fullcontrol over depth-of-field, and selectingan apertureof f/11 to f/16provides goodfront-to-back sharpness. Presuming youareusing a tripod, keep the ISO rating set to thelowest setting for optimal imagequality andcolour reproduction.Warmclothes areessential, as it canbebitter by the coast thistimeof year. Althoughwellies aren’t themost glamorousor comfortable footwear,they are ideal forwhenyouwant togopaddlingon thebeach. A torch is alsouseful– if there is awonderful afterglow, it’ll bedark by the timeyouwalk back to thecar.With your camerabag all packedand

ready, it’s time tohead to thecoast,withfingers tightly crossed for a cracking sunset…

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Final imageDon’t packupandheadhometoosoon,thebest colour andconditionsoften

don’t appearuntil after sunset. Beautifulshadesof red,orangeandpinkcan form

in the skyandyoudon’twant tobewalkingback to thecar if thishappens.Exposure timesnaturallygrow longer inthe low light, soa tripod is essential.

Shutter speedsexceeding ten secondsarenotuncommon, renderingwater

movementas anethereal blur.

IMAGEDETAILS

Kit:NikonD800with24-70mmf/2.8

Mode:Aperture-priorityExposure:25 seconds at

f/16 (ISO100)

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Get thepicture Paperart

Create simpleabstract imagesDon’t let a rainy day stop play, create dynamic images inthe comfort of your own home using coloured paper…

NILESHBHANGE:An appealing aspect of photographyfor me is turning an often overlooked object into anattractive, abstract image. Paper is all around us, yet rarelydo we realise its potential as a photographic subject.Images with interesting shapes, curves and blending

vibrant colours can all be created at home using sheets of colouredpaper, a few clips, a bit of light and your camera gear.

You don’t need high-end kit for this technique to work; any cameraand macro lens will do, although if you don’t have a macro lens youcan also use extension tubes, ideally with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. A tripodis also helpful as it not only allows you to use a slow shutter speed tomake the most of any available light, but it also lets you maintainfocus and leaves your hands free to tweak the shape of the paper.

Any kind of paper is suitable, although the thinner the better;thin paper makes it easier to form smooth curves and shapeswithout creasing. As for size, A4 is ideal for forming the shapes,although a couple of sheets of A3 in a variety of shades will come inhandy as a backdrop. Try to choose a selection of colours that bothcomplement and contrast with one another for di�erent e�ects.

There’s a lot of experimentation involved in this technique, butonce you’ve mastered the basics, try introducing new elements,such as shooting against a mirror to include reflections, usingtextured paper or adding coloured gels to your lights.

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Exposure

Set your camera to aperture-prioritymodeand try to choose a low ISO tomaintainhigh image quality and good colourrepresentation. Select awide aperturebetween f/2.8 to f/8 to employ a shallowdepth-of-field and use selective focusingto achieve a quick fall-o�of focus and softbackground. If you’re using amacro lens,your depth-of-fieldwill already be quitelimited so youmay need to stop the lensdown to a narrower aperture if youwant togetmore than the edgeof the paper infocus. Use your camera’s depth-of-fieldpreviewbutton, if it has one, to help judgethis. Also remember that your camera’ssensor needs to beon the same focal planeand parallel to the subject to ensure thatyoumaximise the available depth-of-field.

Get thepicture

SET-UPYou’ll need two light sources–ideally twoflashguns, orwindow light andoneflashgun. Youcanget various e�ects dependingonwhere youposition theflashes (seepanel,opposite). Try keeping theflashoncamera andbouncing the light o�anearbywall orwhitesurface, placing it behind thepaper as abacklight, underneath thepaper (throughglass)or from the side soonly to illuminate theedges

GETTHESHAPESPlace anA3-sizedcoloured sheet of paper ona table to formaseamless backgroundand fold up to six layers ofpaper,with di�erent colour combinations, tocreate interestingpatterns. Secure thebentpaperswith abulldogclip or paper clip. Try using

of thepaper, just to see thee�ects youcanget.For this image, I’ve used twoflashguns: oneoncamera and theother behind and to the sideofthepaper, both inmanualmode. Theon-cameraflash is set to 1/16power to add somefill lightand theo�-camera flash set to 1/4power tocreate contrast. Trigger your flashes remotely,either using their infraredbeams (if supported),awireless trigger or synccable.

somewhite paper in betweencoloured sheets tocreate gradient reflectionsoneach side. Thecombinationof backgroundpaper colour andsubject is really important: contrasting colourscan addpunch,whereas similar colours canproducemore soothing, low-contrast images.

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Final imageStraightoutof camera, your imagemight lookabit dull. Adjust theHue/SaturationoruseSelective

Color adjustment layers inPhotoshop togive itmorepunch.

Di�erent lightinge�ects

BACKLIGHTTHEPAPERByplacing theflashbehind thepaper background, youcancreate some interestingshadowandgradient e�ects. The angle, position andpowerof theflashwill all alter the e�ect.

Paperart

IMAGEDETAILS

Kit:Canon EOS 5D Mk II& Canon EF 100mm

f/2.8 USM MacroMode:Aperture-priorityExposure: 1/125sec

at f/5.6 (ISO 100)

JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 41

USEWINDOWLIGHT If youwantto keep it simple, stick towindowlight. You’ll need a slower shutterspeed thanwith flash. Youcouldalso try to capturemotion, too,byusing a fan toblow thepaper.

PERFECTYOURSIDELIGHTINGShine adesk lamporposition yourflashgun so that it only illuminatesthe edgesof thepaper anduse awide aperture toblur thebackground for striking results.

GETCREATIVETry usingdi�erentcolouredpaperswith a sidelight toadddepth to your imageor evenilluminate your sculpture fromunderneath, througha sheet offrostedglass or Perspex.

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42 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

CHOOSEYOUREXPOSURE Set your camera to aperture-priority mode or manual, whicheveryou find easiest, and dial in f/8 to f/11 for su�cient depth-of-field. You’ll need to use manual focusingto ensure the focus doesn’t change between exposures. To give yourself more flexibility, shoot in Rawand bracket your daylight exposures by +1 and -1. As night gets darker, you may need to increase thebrackets up to five images to include a +2 or +3 to capture the shadow detail. You can always throwaway unwanted shots later but you cannot go back and reshoot as easily! Use a remote release or thecamera’s self-timer to ensure you avoid camera shake with long exposures.

SET-UPTake great care to compose your shotproperly: look out for items creeping into theedges of the image, like tree branches. Make surethe horizon is level using a spirit level and planahead to take into account any moving objects,like cars or people, to make sure they flow wellthroughout each frame.

Imageselection

When choosing the images for your final transition, try to pick a selection that illustrates the changing light levels in the scene. The more images youchoose, the smoother the transition of day to night but ultimately the more complicated the processing part of the technique becomes.

Day-to-nighttime-lapseIt’s easy to shoot an image of a time of day, like twilight or sunset,but this tutorial shows you to capture the transition of day to night

TIMGARTSIDE:Shooting aday-to-night landscape soundscomplicated and long-winded,but it’s actually a lot easier thanyou might think, particularly at

this time of year with short winter days.You need to capture two or more shots that show the gradual shift from day to night,which you then merge together inPhotoshop. Your first considerationshould be to find a good location: for me, aquiet spot on the River Thames yielded agreat view of Canary Wharf and as it’s apedestrian walkway, there were no carsbuzzing about! Make sure any spot is viablefor a few hours without having to move youor your tripod out of the way due to tra�c,people or security sta� ‘moving you on’.Walk about to find the best viewpoint –moving several metres to the side maymake all the di�erence. Keep an eye out for

Get thepicture

access to tall buildings like car parks, too,for a bird’s-eye view of the city.

The winter months are ideal for thistechnique as the transition from day to nightis only an hour or so and during much moresociable hours. You need to arrive about oneto 1 1/2 hours before sunset and keepshooting everything 15 minutes until the skyturns black. Remember warm clothes, atorch and a wide-angle lens to be able toshow enough sky and cityscape to make theday-to-night transition obvious. A tripodand remote release are essential, too. Makesure the tripod is set up securely and addsome tape marks to the ground if you thinkyou may have to move. You must keep allshots at the same focal length and in thesame position or the pictures won’t alignproperly in Photoshop, so make sure you getyour composition correct first time, as youcannot change your mind partway through.

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Final imageOnceyouhaveperfected this

technique, trydoingitwithevenmoreblended images fordierent results.

Cityscapetime-lapse

2Create a layereddocumentDrag eachpicture into a single document so eachone

shows as a new layer in the Layers palette. Putthe day shot as the top layer and position thelayers down to the final night shot. For eachone, click theAddnew layermask icon at thebottomof the Layers palette. Set ForegroundtoBackgroundwith theGradient Tool.

3Apply thegradientWith the LayerMaskselected, click and drag the gradient slider

left to right to reveal a section of the imagebeneath. You can redo this action asmanytime as youwant until you get thewidth of thegradient and feather youwant. Repeat for eachlayer, except the bottom layer. Take carewherethemask sits so each blend is of a similar size.

Finishing inPhotoshop

1Edit each imageCarefully select the imagesto blend together for the final e�ect. Each

image should be processed to a finishedstandard. You could use AdobeCamera Raw toquickly batch-process all the pictures toensureWhite Balance is correct and contrast,clarity, lens correction and sharpness are thesame for each frame.

IMAGEDETAILS

Kit:NikonD800&14-24mmf/2.8LMode:Manual

Exposure:Various atf/10 (ISO200)

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /43

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JORDANBUTTERS:Creating astriking imagecanbeas simpleoras complex as youmake it.But sometimes removing thecomplications is themost

e�ectiveway to create abeautifulphotograph. A low-keyportrait does justthat. By rendering themajority of the imagedark, you focus your viewer’s attentiononthemost important part of the shot: yoursubject. Low-keyportraiture canbeused toconveymystery, tension, dramaor evenprovocation, and tends to suit bothmaleand female subjects alike.Youcanuseflashgunsor studioflash, but

you’ll need touse lighting aids like a softboxor brolley todi�use the light. Vary thepoweroutput anddistance from the subject untilyou’re satisfiedwith the lighting. If you’reshootingonabright, clear day, try using anorth-facingwindow toavoid anydirectsunlight. You’ll need touse a room inwhichyouhavecontrol over the light level– a setof curtainswill helpwith this. Closeo�anyother doors andwindows in the roomtomake it as dark as possible, and, if shootingin a roomwith light-colouredwalls, use alargedark clothor pieceof black foamboard as abackdrop, as I havedonehere.Your subject’s attire alsoplays a part; darkclothingworkswell and, if shooting females,opt for a topwith anopenneck to showo�their contours and toenable you tomakethemost of the light fall-o�on their skin.Remember that your viewer’s eye isnaturally drawn to thebrightest areasof theframe, so anyhighlightswill instantly drawtheir attention. Therefore ensure tones areeven throughout the scene as thiswill leadto your viewer exploring the image.Finally,whenprocessing your images try a

monochromeconversion. Low-key imagessuit black&white– strippingback thecolour complements the transition fromlight todark in your image.

Get thepicture Low-keyportrait

4Takea test shot If the shutter speedcreates camera shake then either raise the

ISO rating or open up the apertureHowever, beaware that shooting at toowide an aperturewillmean that depth-of-fieldwill be limited.If the background isn’t dark enough then youcan either dial in negative exposurecompensation,move your subject furtheraway from the background and towards thelight, or block someof the light entering theroombydrawing the curtains.

2Set yourmeteringmode If you select thewrongmetering pattern, your camerawillincrease the exposure to compensate for thedark background. Select spotmetering andmeter fromyour subject’s skin to ensure that thevital part of the image is exposed correctly. Also,make sure that you are shooting in Raw– thiswill capturemore detail in the extremes of thedynamic range andwill allow you to rescuedetails in dark areas if required.

3Dial in your settings Select aperture-prioritymode and set your ISObetween400 and800, depending on light levels in the room;don’tworry toomuch about noise, a bit of graintends to suit this style of portraiture. Choose anaperture around f/5.6 and use single-pointautofocus to focus on your subject’s eye. Takea test shot, keeping an eye on the shutter speed;as a rule of thumb, it shouldn’t drop lower thanthe reciprocal of the focal length. For example,at 50mmuse a shutter speed above 1/50sec.

1Positionyour subject Your subject’s positionin relation to thewindowwill alter the e�ectthat the light has. Themore of their face youwant illuminated, themore you should anglethem towards thewindow.Moving your subjectcloser to thewindowwill also result in highercontrast between their face and thebackground. You can also use a black piece ofcard or a flag, like I have, to reduce the lightbounced back onto the dark side of their face.

5Post-processingOpen your image inPhotoshop and first correct any skin

blemishes (see page 86 formore details) andthen add aGradientMapAdjustment Layer(Layer>NewAdjustment Layer>GradientMap).In the adjustment palette, click on the arrow tothe right of the gradient thumbnail and ensurethat the Foreground toBackgroundgradient isselected. Finally, add a Levels adjustment layerand tweak thewhite, grey and black point slidersto adjust the contrast of your image.

Highsandlows

The di�erences betweenhigh- and low-keyphotography should be instantly identifiable.High-key photographs tend to be low incontrast and are balanced in favour of thebrighter endof the spectrum,whereaslow-key is usually high in contrast andbalanced towards the dark endof the tonalrange. Both styles should not be confused

Capturealow-keyportraitEmbrace thedark sideandcapture stunning low-keyportraitsusingnaturalwindow light

with over- or underexposure, as the keypoints in the image should retain a goodexposure nomatterwhich e�ect you strive toobtain. Themoodof the image is alsodictated by the style you choose: high-keyimages tend to transmit a happy, innocentand positive vibe; low-key communicatesdrama, emotion or tension.

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Final imageAsimple set-upusing

natural light canproduceabeautifulportrait inminutes.

IMAGEDETAILS

Kit:CanonEOS5DMk IIwithCanonEF24-70mm

f/2.8LUSMMode:Aperture-priorityExposure: 1/60secat f/3.2 (ISO800)

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46 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

Get thepicture

Oneof thefirstpurchasesof thenewyearhas tobeanewcalendar.Butdon’t rushoutandbuyone–makeyourown!

JORDANBUTTERS:Asone yearcomes to anendandanewyearrolls around,wecan start to planall of the exciting things that2013has in store for us.Of

course, to do thisweneedacalendar andthe shelves are packedwith choices to suiteverybody’s taste.Whatever your hobbyorinterest, youcanbe sure there’s a calendarout there for you– fromDalmatians toDavidBeckham, helicopters toHeidi Klum– there’s something for everyone. Butwhyshould you look at someoneelse’s imageseachmonthwhenyoucanmakeupacalendar using yourownphotographsandenjoy your favourite images throughoutthewhole year?

Createacalendar

3Insert thedatesTypeout the dates, leavingequal spaces between each date. Use the

Grid to line themall up, adding or omitting extraspaceswhere needed.Once complete, click ontheTick in the topmenubar to confirmandapply the text. Then go to Edit>Transform>Scaleand, holding down the Shift key, click and dragoneof the corner anchor points to scale yourcalendar diary to size.

2Display thegrid Enable theGrid, whichwill help you align the text, by going to

View>Show>Grid. Then ensure that theCharacter palette is visible by going toWindow>Character. Pick theHorizontalTypeTool and select your choice of font andcolour from theCharacter palette. Set the sizeto 14pt as a starting point –wewill adjust thesize in the next step if needed.

1CreateablankdocumentOpenPhotoshopand create a newdocument by going to

File>New. In the dialogue box that opens up,use thePresetmenu to select a paper size foryour calendar.Once youhave selected a preset,use the Sizemenubelow to set the size. Thiswilldependonhowyouwant to display yourcalendar, but I’ve chosen the Photo preset andset the size to Portrait, 4x6in.

4Create space for your imageClick on theRectangularMarqueeTool and click and

drag on your image to select a square orrectangular area inwhich your imagewill sit. Usethe grid as a reference and leave equal space oneach side between the image area and the edgeof the document.Openup your first image andgo to Select>All andEdit>Copy. You can nowclose this imagewithout saving.

5Paste in your imageBack on your calendardocument, go to Edit>Paste Special>Paste

Into. Use theMoveTool tomove your imageinto place and use the Edit>Transform>Scaletool to scale your image to size. If you need tochange the size or shapeof your image area,click on the right-hand thumbnail on the activelayer in the Layers palette and again useTransform to adjust the rectangle.

6Addabordere�ectDouble-click on the toplayer in the Layers palette to open the

BlendingOptionsmenu. Fromhere you can adda border e�ect to your image. I have opted for aDropShadow, but you can add a Strokeoutlineas an alternative. Click on theDropShadow taband use the sliders to adjust theOpacity,Distance, Spread and Sizeuntil you are happywith the e�ect.

Follow this guide to create a simplecalendar that looks great all year round.We’vegiven you thebasics here, but there’sno reasonwhyyoucan’t tweak thedesign tomake itwork for you.Whynot adda sectionfor notes at thebottomof each sheet?Orhighlight important dates suchasholidaysandbirthdays?Before youbegin, revisit your photo

library andchoose 12 images for yourcalendar. I’d suggestmatchingeach imageto the seasonsor timeof year for eachmonth, or an important event or date duringthatmonth. Renameeach imageusing themonth forwhich itwill beused andmovethe 12 images into anew folder so youcanfind themeasily.

Presentation

When you’re done, you can print eachpageonphoto paper to display in adesktop standor send the design to a localor online printer to have it printed big andring-bound. Alternatively, why not sizeyour document tomatch your computer’sdesktop resolution? Thatway you can usethe calendar as your home screen soyou’ve no excuses formissing dates again!

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JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /47

Final imageByprinting the imagesonto6x4inphotopaperyoucanuseanemptyCDcaseasadesktopholder.

Five-minutePhotoshop

Page 48: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

MASTERSOFPHOTOGRAPHY

48 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY 2013

JOHNWRIGHT: “I’mahugefootball fan. I love it – andanyonewho loves football inits own right knows thatmeeting Sir Alex Ferguson is areal, real, real honour. Even if,

likeme, you’re adie-hardArsenal fan. So lastFebruary, itwas a real privilegewhen Iwasasked to travel toManchester tophotographSir Alex Fergusonhimself andmembersof hisManchesterUnited team forGQmagazine andHublot–aSwiss luxurywatchcompany.“Unfortunately,whilewe shot theplayers,

Sir Alex’s schedule preventedhim fromseeingus, sowewent backupamonth latertophotographhim. Again, his schedulewasreally tight and Iwasgivenhalf anhour in the

reception at the club’sCarrington trainingcomplex, so I knew itwouldhave tobeextremely quick.Hehas an amazing facethat carries somuchof his character andScottish roots; I reallywanted tobringoutevery detail. He’s a very direct, straight-talking, bold ande�ectiveman fromGovan,Scotland,which I knowwell as a hard, hardplace, and I reallywanted tocapture that.“To startwith I did a series of softbox-lit

imageswithhimagainst a redbackground,whichGQused for their interview, but forme theydidn’twork aswell aswhen I lit himdirectlywith ano�-camera flashgun fromabout six inches away.“It’s themostminimalist picture I’ve ever

shot andwouldprobably onlyworkonaface like his. I alsomanaged tocapture a

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Page 49: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01
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50 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

PLUMINGBEAUTIFULByBarrieSaunders

Camera:NikonD80

Lens:NikkorAF-S50mmf/1.4G

Exposure:1/180secat f/5.6 (ISO100)

BARRIE SAYS: “The peacock'sbeauty seemed to come fromits symmetry and colouring,so I tried to centre the bird andfill the frame with its plumage."

LEE FROST: I’m not sure how this imagemanaged to find its way intoExpertCritique– I’d personally rather see it usedacross a double-page spread in themagazine. It’s stunning, one of the bestpeacock shots I’ve ever seen. Okay, maybethe old ‘male peacock with its trail feathersfanned out’ may be considered a bit of aphotographic cliché, the type of shot thatmakes competition judges break out into acold sweat, but credit where credit’s due –Barrie has done a fantastic job here.

The composition is perfectly central andsymmetrical, and I like the fact that thebird’s body is small in the frame and itsfeathers dominate. The lighting is alsoperfect – there are no hard shadows orbright highlights so the contrast andtonality is even, which it needed to be tomake the shot work. I love the rich, vibrantcolours and the fascinating pattern of spotson the peacock’s feathers. The symmetry isso striking that, initially, I suspected thatBarrie had merged two halves of the sameshot with one of them flipped to create amirror image, but upon closer inspectionthe shot isn’t perfectly symmetrical –though nature has done an amazing job oftrying to make it so. Peacocks have to beone of the most photogenic birds in theworld and Barrie’s version of an oldfavourite is fantastic – I don’t see how hecould have improved it.

Verdict:Aclichédsubjectmaybe,butabrilliantphotographnonetheless.

ROSS HODDINOTT: This is a classicpeacock pose and while the compositionmay not be the most original, Barrie hascaptured a simple yet striking portrait.The image is beautifully symmetrical, with

the peacock looking directly forward andBarrie having positioned himself carefullyparallel. Although you can see somebackground colour behind the feathers atthe top, it is not particularly distracting,although I might still consider cropping itslightly to exclude it. Barrie’s selection oflow ISO and mid-aperture has resulted in asharp image. However, I think the imagelooks slightly flat – nothing that couldn't befixed by adding a little extra contrast and atweak to the Vibrance slider in Photoshop'sAdobe Camera Raw. A couple of tricks toadd punch to any picture.

Verdict:Agoodshot.Admittedly, it'snotaveryoriginalpeacock image,but it'sbeencapturedwell.A fewminor tweaksinpost-processingwouldgive theshotmorevibrancy.

“PeacockshavetobeoneofthemostphotogenicbirdsintheworldandBarrie'sversionofanoldfavouriteisfantastic–Idon'tseehowhecouldhaveimprovedit”LEEFROST

Quick critique

1) CompositionWell done, Barrie, for capturing this shot atjust the moment when the peacock waslooking straight at you. Getting the birdperfectly central in the frame was yournext challenge, and you've done it well.A brilliantly balanced shot.

2) LightingFor this shot to work, it needed to have aneven tone, with no hard shadows orhighlights. Lee thinks Barrie's hit the spot,Ross thinks a little extra contrast inPhotoshop is needed.

3) BackgroundRoss thinks the background colours areslightly distracting. A tighter crop couldmake a di!erence.

1

2

3

ExpertCritiqueEXPERT OPINION TOHELP YOU TAKE BETTER PICTURES

If you want honest and constructive comments about your images, send in a selection toExpertCritique. You should supply up to 25 images on a CD/DVD along with an A4 contactsheet of thumbnail images. Enclose a stamped addressed envelope if you would like yoursubmission returned. Each reader whose image is published receives a fantastic LoweproFastpack 250, worth £60, which holds a DSLR with zoom attached, 2-3 additional lenses orflashguns, a 15.4in widescreen laptop and general accessories. Visit: www.lowepro.com

EDITORDANIELLEZANODaniel has judgednational photocompetitionsona regular basisfor several years

NATURE&SCENICSROSSHODDINOTTRoss is anexpertphotographer andwriter specialising inwildlife, close-upsand landscapes

PHOTOSHOPCAROLINEWILKINSONCaroline is anexperiencedphotographer andPhotoshopexpert

LANDSCAPESLEEFROSTLee’s beenaprofessionalphotographer&photowriter forseveral years

MEETOUREXPERTTEAM

Page 51: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

SPONSOREDBY

HOLLESLEYCOMMONByMarcBedingfield

Camera:Canon EOS 5D

Lens:Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Exposure:One second at f/22 (ISO 50)

MARCSAYS: “I took this atdawn when the heathlandwas covered in mist and thecobwebs were coated withdew. I chose a small aperture

for maximum depth-of-field."

LEEFROST:Oooh, you can't beat a bit ofearly morning mist to add atmosphere– the way it reduces distant features to softshapes and dilutes the light creates perfectconditions for photography. Marc had allthe ingredients to capture some crackingimages, but I can’t help thinking a greatopportunity slipped through his fingers.Don’t get me wrong, this shot isn’t bad –but it could have been much better. I’dhave made more of that big dew-coveredcobweb, moving in closer so it was muchmore dominant. It’s not that far away fromthe camera, but when using a wide-anglelens, it doesn’t take much before strongelements appear small and insignificant. Idon’t think Marc chose the best trees toinclude either. The specimen on the leftlooks great, but the one to its right looksugly in comparison. There’s also a big gapbetween them and that’s where the eyetends to go. A single tree would haveworked better, giving the eye something tolock on to. Finally, as we get a hint of warmsunlight on the trees, I increased thevibrance to boost the warmth, which issuch an attractive aspect of the image.

Verdict:Amoody image,but itdoesn’tmake themostof thesituation.

ROSSHODDINOTT:What great conditionsfor photography – mist adds atmosphereand mood to the image while simplifying it,too. It's just a shame the heather wasn’tmore in flower as it would have added asplash of colour, contrasting well with therest of the scene. Some magical goldenlight striking the webs and heather wouldhave also added some sparkle, but hadMarc waited for light, the mist may havedispersed before he got the shot. As it is, I'dbe tempted to just selectively brighten theforeground area to help the heather andcobwebs stand out. I might also crop a littleof the bottom of the shot, so the nearestweb was positioned more into the bottomright of the composition.

Verdict:Greatconditionsandgoodcomposition. It’s a shamethere isn’t alittlemore foregroundcolouror light.

“Whatgreatconditionsforphotography–mistaddsatmosphereandmoodtotheimagewhilesimplifyingit,too”ROSSHODDINOTT

Likes: Ideal conditions for capturingsome incredible images of the

landscape – getting up early clearly has itsrewards when you see that it producesatmosphere like this. Marc has done well tospot the opportunity and taken a shot thathas plenty of mood, thinking about hisforeground and distant subjects. All verywell, but there could be improvements…

Dislikes:Lee feels the trees aren't thebest choices for a strong composition

– the tree on the right being unsymmetricalthanks to its lost branches. The tree on the leftwould probably have worked better centrallyin the frame. Ross, however, likes thecomposition, but would have cropped thebottom of the shot a little more so that thecobweb was more prominent in the bottomright of the frame. All in all, not a bad e�ort,but there was a better shot in theresomewhere. Sorry, Marc.

Likes&dislikes...

Page 52: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

DANIEL LEZANO: I love it when a plancomes together and, in this case, it did –Shelley knew exactly what kind of imageshe wanted to create and she took all thenecessary steps to make it happen. Whatmakes this shot for me are the soft stars inthe background. Initially, I thought theywere the seeds from a dandelion, but now Irealise that Shelley created them using anaperture disc in her Lensbaby – a veryclever idea. I’m assuming, also, that themetal spiral she placed in the backgroundproduced the highlights from which thestars were made, in which case, ten out often for ingenuity. The Lensbaby isn’teveryone’s cup of tea, but I’m all forgadgets and gizmos that allow us to createunusual and interesting images. As always,it’s a case of using them on the rightsubject, so the e�ect adds something extrato it, and not using them too oftenotherwise the e�ects become tedious.Shelley picked a perfect subject here.

As well as the stars, the soft splotches ofcolour add interest, but not to the pointthat they become distracting, while thedark areas in the background enhance thecolours. Cropping to a square also adds amore tranquil feel to the composition. If Ihave one criticism it’s that I’d like to seemore of the ‘lead’ flower in focus, but I canlive with the fact that it isn’t because for methis image is all about the mood it exudes. Itactually reminds me of Christmas, becausethis is the kind of e�ect you get by shootingclose-ups of Christmas tree decorations!

Verdict:Awell thoughtout imagewithsomeclever touchesandgreatmood.

ROSS HODDINOTT: Originality is gettingincreasingly hard to achieve whenshooting popular subjects like flowers, so itis refreshing to see Shelley being soexperimental and artistic with her approachhere. However, for me, this shot doesn’tquite make the grade. I like the bokeh tothe left of the frame – it's attractive, curiousand almost appears like coral or from anunderwater world. As you’d expect at sucha large aperture, very little of the flower is infocus, which I can live with in this instance,as it adds to the artistic e�ect. However, forme, the flower just doesn’t stand out fromits background enough. Most of the flowerhead – particularly the stamens – mergewith the flowers behind. I would haveconsidered a change of angle to simplify

the backdrop and emphasise the mainflower’s shape and form. Alternatively, I’msure Shelley could have held them out ofthe way, or put more distance betweenthem and the main flower in order to throwthem further out of focus. Also, I don’t thinkthe square crop works – due to the flower’sshape and length, a vertical format wouldhave suited it better. Opting for a verticalcomposition would have allowed Shelleynot to crop the flower so aggressively atthe top of the frame. Finally, I think theflower needed a kiss of reflected light torelieve the shadow area slightly. That said, Iactually don’t think Shelley is far away fromfinding a winning formula. Try again usingthe same or a similar approach, but pay

52 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

“Shelleyknewexactlywhatkindofimageshewantedtocreateandtookallthenecessarystepstomakeithappen”DANIELLEZANO

more attention to the fine detail and itwon't be long before you are capturingtruly stunning results.

Verdict:Anoriginal approachandnearlyagreat result.However, theflowerdoesn’t standoutenoughagainst thebackdropandavertical formatmayhaveworkedbetter.

Quick critique

1) TechniqueFull marks to Shelley for having an idea for animage and creating her vision. She had thecreativity to use an aperture disc in herLensbaby and doing something unusual is themark of a good photographer.

2) CroppingA di�erence of opinion on the cropping –Daniel considers the square format to be agood thing, adding a tranquil feel, while Rossthinks the flower's length makes it more suitedto portrait format.

3) SubjectFor Daniel, the aperture was the only criticism,although both experts thought the slightsoftness was acceptable in this shot for themood and arty e�ect it achieves.

HelpingyoutakebetterpicturesExpertCritique

FUCHSIAByShelleyEveKettle

Camera:Nikon D3S

Lens:Lensbaby Composer

Exposure:1/640sec at f/2 (ISO 200)

SHELLEY SAYS: “I used myLensbaby with a creativesunburst aperture disc and a+10 macro filter. To enhancethe bokeh I sprayed the flowers

with water and used a small metal spiral inthe background to add extra interest.”

1

3

2

Page 53: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

SPONSOREDBY

MOODYSKYByJoshJones

Camera:CanonEOS7D

Lens:Sigma10-20mmf/4-5.6EXDCHSM

Exposure:1/400secat f/4 (ISO100)

JOSH SAYS: “I restedmycameraonabeanbagandchose a fast shutter speed toprevent overexposing the skyand reduced saturation in post."

LEE FROST:My initial reactionon seeingJosh’s imagewas, "Wheredo I start?",but themore I look at it, themore I like it– albeitwithoneor two tweaks inmind.Shooting fromsucha lowviewpointmeantthe foregroundwas always going tobeoutof focus. Thepebbles nearest the lensmusthavebeennomore than acoupleof inchesaway, but despite theunorthodoxapproach, I think itworkswell,mainlybecause it forces the eyeup into the sceneto the tiny figure in thedistance.Had theforegroundbeen sharp, that figurewouldpale into insignificance, and the shotwouldn't havenearly asmuch impact. Theskydoes a similar job. It’s dark anddramaticand forces theeyedown towhere the lonefigure stands. I also like theoverall feel ofthe image,whichhasbeenenhancedbyJosh, reducing saturation so it has the lookof a partially tonedblack&white print. Theone thing Iwoulddo is crop the image to asquare andget rid of thewashed-out sky atthe top. By losing it, thedrama is intensifiedand thecomposition improved.

Verdict:Anunusual imagebutonewithbagsofdramaand impact.

ROSS HODDINOTT: I really like this image.Theout-of-focus foreground shingle andultra-lowshooting angle really drawme in.I love the composition’s simplicity and alsothatwonderfulmoody, brooding sky, butI'd consider cropping the topof the imageto removea little of the lighter sky.Myonebigniggle is thedistant figure. Theinclusionof aperson in the shot really helpsto create a feelingof scale and isolationand, compositionally, Joshhasplaced thepersonwell. However, the figure isn’t in apositionwhere it iswell defined–had itbeenacouplewalking along thebeach,clearly recognisable in silhouette, I thinkthe shotwouldhaveworkedbetter. As it is,the figure ismoreof a distraction than abenefit.With the imageboasting somuchtexture, but so little colour, Iwonder if itwould also convertwell tomono?

Verdict:Aneye-catchinganddi�erentimage,but theoutlineof thedistantfigurejust isn’t recognisableenough inmyview.

“Ireallylikethis.Theout-of-focusforegroundshingleandultra-lowshootinganglereallydrawmein”ROSSHODDINOTT

SQUARE-FORMATCROP

Josh's image has a large area ofempty space at the topof the image.Negative space canoften be used toenhance an image, however in thiscase cropping it out intensifies thedramaof the looming rain clouds.In Photoshop, use theCropToolbyeither selecting it from the toolbaror pressing theC key. You can inputthewidth and height in the topmenubar to crop to a pre-determined size.Alternatively, if youwish to crop toa square format, aswehave donehere, simply leave theWidth andHeightboxes empty and hold downthe Shift keywhilst dragging acrossyour image.Once done, you canfine-tune your crop bymoving thecorner anchor points before clickingon theTick in the top toolbar toconfirm the newcrop.

Digital darkroom

Helpingyoutakebetterpictures ExpertCritique

Page 55: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

DigitalSLRPhotographywelcomes its readers tosubmit theirbest images forpublication in themagazine.Pleasenote thatwecanonlyaccept imagesbypost.Here iswhatyouneedtodo...

WERECEIVEHUNDREDSof reader submissionseachmonth, so it’s important that you followourguidelines so thatwecanassess your imagescorrectly. Theeditorwill assess all submissions and ifweareunable touse your images, yoursubmissionwill be returned toyou if youencloseanSAE. Ifwedecide to retain submissionsonfile for possibleuse,youwill benotifiedbypost/email. If at any stageyouwould like your images returnedpleasecontact JoLezanoat:[email protected]. This pageprovides a summaryofourpictureguidelinesbut for a full set of guidelines, pleaseemail: [email protected] sendingyour submissions tous, youcan stateon theenvelopewhicharticleyouare supplying the images for i.e.Reader Showcase,AdviceCentreetc and/oruse the formbelow. If youaresending them in for general consideration, please statePictureDesk, followedby themagazineaddress. If youhaveanyqueriespleasecontact JoLezanoon01733567401or email: [email protected]

WEWANTYOURPICTURES!

Pleaseconsidermyimagesforuse inthefollowingarticles (pleaseticktherelevantboxes)

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Phone: Email:

DigitalSLRPhotographypicturesubmissionform Checklist

SENDALLSUBMISSIONSTO:DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY,6SWANCOURT,HAMPTON,PETERBOROUGHPE78GX

PLEASEREMEMBERWEDON’TACCEPTANYSUBMISSIONSVIAEMAIL!

1TAKEYOURSHOTS!Gooutandtakeyourbestpictures.Useour techniqueguidestohelpyouusetherightgearandset thebestcamerasettingsonyourDSLR.

2SHORTLISTYOURSELECTIONAfterdownloadingyour images,youshouldedit themandburnyour favouritesontoaCD/DVDandproduceacontactsheet.

3SENDTHEMTOUS!Popyourdiscandthecontactsheet intoanenvelope(encloseanSAE ifyou’d like themreturning)andpoptheminthepost.

ALLPICTURESSUBMISSIONSSHOULDINCLUDE:

■ ACD/DVDcontaininghighresolutiondigital files as eitherhigh-quality JPEGsorTIFFs.Please also includea ‘mugshot’ ofyourself &contact details.

■Contact Sheetswithnomorethan 16 large thumbnails perA4 sheet.

■ Acovering letterwith yourcontact details (includingdaytimetelephonenumber).If possible, please supply locationand technical details for yourimages, suchascamera/lensused; exposuredetails etc.

■ Astampedaddressedenvelopeif youwould likeyoursubmissiontobereturned (encloseinternational replycoupons if youliveabroad).

READERSHOWCASE ADVICECENTRE GENERAL

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /55

Readersubmissions

Page 57: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

PAINTINGWITH LIGHT

THEWORD‘PHOTOGRAPHY’DERIVESFROMTHEGREEK ‘PHOTOS’AND‘GRAPHE’,WHICHLITERALLY

MEANS‘DRAWINGWITHLIGHT’.THAT’SWHATWEDOEVERYTIMEWETAKEAPICTURE,BYALLOWING

LIGHTTOFLOODINTHROUGHTHELENSANDFIXANIMAGEONOURCAMERA’SSENSOR.NORMALLY

THATOCCURSINSTANTANEOUSLY,BUTWHATIFTHEREISLITTLEORNOAMBIENTLIGHTAND

INSTEADYOULEAVETHECAMERA’SSHUTTEROPENANDADDYOUROWN?THAT’SWHATPAINTING

WITHLIGHTISALLABOUT–USINGARTIFICIALLIGHTSOURCESLIKETORCHESANDFLASHGUNSTO

SELECTIVELYILLUMINATEASUBJECTORSCENE.THENEXTTENPAGESAREDEDICATEDTOSOMEOF

THEMOSTAMAZINGANDEFFECTIVEPAINTING-WITH-LIGHTTECHNIQUESFORYOUTOTRY

HOWTOMASTER

IMAGE: LEE FROST

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58 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / january2013

kEVBELL

BUILDINGS&MONUMENTS

While still-lifes areagoodplace to startwhenpaintingwith light (seeover thepage), thetechnique is hugelypopularwith somethingbigger, like anunlit building,monument, pierorbridge, yielding very impressive results.You’ll need toequip yourselfwith abigoneto two-millioncandlepower light source(making sure it’s fully charged) that can lightlargeareas fromadistance,or employacoupleofpowerful electronic�ashgunsandusemultiple�ashburstsover a fewminutestogradually illuminate your subject.

Although it sounds complicated, paintingbuildings and structureswith light is actuallyreally easy. For thebest results, scout outand select your viewpointwhile there’s stillsomedaylight around so youcan seewhatyou’re doing, thenheadback toprepare forthe shoot just beforedusk. Set up yourtripod, compose the scene and focusmanually on yourmain subject. Stop theaperture down to f/11 or f/16, set the shuttertoBulb andattach a remote release.

Thebest time to shoot is as darkness fallsbutwhile there’s still somecolour in the sky,so about 20minutes after sunset during thewintermonths.Once you reach that point,trip the camera’s shutter, lock it openonBulb, turnon your torch and start paintingwith light. You’ll see exactlywhere thebeamof light is hitting. keep it aimed for a fewseconds, but alsomove the torch aroundbywiggling your hand so there arenohardedgesbetween lit andunlit areas in the �nalshot. After a few seconds,move into adi�erent area anddo the same. Repeat thisuntil you feel you’ve illuminated theentirestructure then turno� the torch, end theexposure andcheck the imageonyourcamera’s LCDmonitor. If the image is toodark, you’ll need todirect the torchbeam forlonger. If it’s too light–or certain areas aretoo light– you’ll knowyouoverdid it andcangive less light on thenext shot. There arenohard and fast rules here, sowhateverworks for youand looks good is �ne. Youmaywant togo for fairly even illumination,but then again youcancreate somespooky

images if you intentionally light someareasbut leaveothers dark– thisworkswell onchurches, towers, ruins,mineworkings andothermysteriousoldbuildings. If you shootat dusk/twilightwhile there’s still colour inthe sky you shouldbe able toget awaywithanexposureof one to twominutes.

The alternative to a torch is topaintwith�ash. Electronic �ashguns emit a powerfulburst of light and though itmaynot beenough to illuminate awholebuildingorstructure inonego, youcanusemultiplebursts tobuild up the light levels.Modernguns recharge in a fewseconds, though it’sworthusing twoguns simultaneously if youhave them, andcarrying sparebatteries. Usethegun/so�camera, set to full power and�re thembypressing the test button. Togetan ideaof howmanybursts of light youneed, �reoneas a test thencheck the shotto see if youneed to�asheachareamorethanonce. Aswith all painting-with-lighttechniques, it’s always a little hit andmisswhenyou�rst try it, but after a few shots youshouldbeproducingperfect results.

Page 59: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /59

ESSENTIALKIT

Camera:Any camerawill do thejob providing it has a Bulb (B)mode, you can use a remoterelease to lock the shutter open

and you can focusmanually.

Lens:A standard zoom(18-55mm) is suitable forportraits, still-life andmostclose-range/small-scale

subjects, while awider zoom (10-20mm)will be better for landscapes, star trails,architecture and urban scenes.

Tripod:All light-paintingtechniques involve longexposures, from seconds tohours, so a sturdy tripod is

essential. Check out page 114 if you’re inthemarket for a new tripod andball head–our test reveals the best.

Remote release:Allows you totrip the camera’s shutter andhold it open in Bulbmode for aslong as required. Interval timers

let you programa specific exposure timeand even delay the start of the exposureso that you can get into position beforethe camera’s shutter is open. Check outcheapChinesemodels on eBay andAmazon– you can get interval timers for£15 (genuineCanon andNikonones areover £100).

Torch:Painting-with-lightenthusiasts equip themselveswith awhole rangeof torchesfor di erent subjects/purposes.

Small pen/key ring torches and LEDs areideal for still-lifes, portraits,matchstickmen and light balls, aswell as checkingcamera controls in the dark. Visit £1shops, filling stations, cycling shops andDIY stores for small torches, too. If youwant to paint things like statues, trees,cars and small buildings that you can getrelatively close to, a standard-sized torch

will be fine. You can get some fantasticLED torches these days fromoutdoorshops–pocketable but powerful. Finally,for big stu , like buildings, bridges, rockarches, piers, jetties and landscapes, armyourself with a torch that o ers at leastone-million candlepower. Prices start atabout £7 for a rechargeable one-millioncandlemodel and goup to £30-£40 forten-million candles.With oneof thosebabies you could light up a town!

Flash:Electronic flash can alsobe used to paint large areaswith light, such as the façadeofa building. Any type of flashgun

will do, though themore powerful thebetter. Fast recycling and fresh batteriesalso help, and if you have twoor threeflashguns, use themall so you can fireonewhile the other/s are recharging.Flashguns can also be set up insidebuildings or around structures and firedremotely using slaves or infrared triggersto light di erent areas.

First-aidkit: If you can avoid it,don’t goout alone at night andif you do,make sure you take amobile phone in case of

emergencies. It’s also a good idea to takea basic first-aid kit alongwith you and, ifyou’re doing anyworkwith fire,wirewoolor sparklers, a fire blanket. Remember,safety first at all times.

Appropriate clothing: It goeswithout saying thatwhile thistimeof year is ideal forpainting-with-light techniques

as you don’t have towork at unholyhours, it’s a lot colder somake sure youwrap upwarm.Wear dark clothing toavoid you being illuminated in theexposures and remember your gloves–preferably fingerlessmittens so youdon’tneed to remove them towork camerasettings and to keep your hands safewhile handling hot light sources.

BRETTHARKNESS

HOWTOMASTER...PAINTINGWITHLIGHT

USINGFLASHGELS

If you’reworkingwith electronic flash,experiment byusinggels to add vividcolours to the light. If youonly haveoneflashgun, simply carry a selectionof gels inyour pocket and, as youwalk around,illuminate various parts of the scenebyholdingdi erent colouredgels over theflashhead. Sweetwrappers or translucentplasticworkwell, too.This techniqueworkswell in urban

locations suchasderelict buildings,subways and tunnels. Try also illuminatingthe insideof a subject–acar at a scrapyardwouldmake agood subject.Workingwithoneflashgun is limiting

because youhave towait for it to recharge,whichwastes time, plus youhave tobethinkingonyour feet, decidingwhat tolight upwhile the image is exposing. That’swhy somephotographerswork in teamstoopen their shutters at the same time,

eachusingdi erent gels. An alternative isto set up several flashguns andgels, thensynchronise themusing slaveunits orremote triggers to fire at the same time.Howyouensure correct exposurewill

dependonyour set-up. Somecamerasallow remotemultiple flashwithTTLflashmetering, so youcan leave everything toyour camera. If youuse a single gunandfire itwhilewandering arounda scene, setit to full power andmanualmode, thenworkout theflash-to-subject distancebydividing thegun’sGuideNumber (inmetres/ISO100) into the aperture you’reshooting at. For example, if thegunhas aGNof 36and you shoot at f/11, the flashneeds tobe around3.25maway from thearea youwant to illuminate to achievecorrect exposure. A colour gel cuts light alittle, so reduce thedistance to around2.5m, then try a test shot. If youneed touse theflash fromcloser or further away,youcanadapt your approachand reshoot.

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HOWTOMASTER...PAINTINGWITHLIGHTALICIAKENNISON

FINE-ARTPORTRAITS

For soft, atmospheric portrait lighting,paintingwith light is ideal– so longas youhave apatient subject. The amountof timeyour subject canhold aposewill oftendeterminehow long your exposurewillneed tobe. For a child, youmight be lookingat no longer than ten seconds, as childrentend tofidget unless they’re sleeping. If youcanplace your subject in a sturdy, supportedpose– for instance, against awall or lyingdown–youmight be able to stretch theexposure to30 seconds for better results.Your apertureneeds tobe small so youcancontrol the light asmuchaspossible, so aimfor f/11 to f/16, and set the ISOas lowas youcan. Before you turn the lights o�, pose your

subject and focuson themmanually–you’ll alsoneed to trigger the camerausinga remote releaseor using the self-timer.Turno� the lights, open the shutter andusea torch topaint like it’s a brushover the topof your subject. Paint the facefirst as theexpression is usually thehardest tohold fora longperiodof time, thenwork yourwaydown the left sideof thebody, fromhead totoe, beforemoving to theother sideof thecamera topaint the right sideof thebody.If youhave time, spread a little bit of light onthebackground to showsomedetail.Remember that if your torch is tooclose tothe subject youmayendupoverexposingareas, so keep your distance. Finding theright settings for this techniquecan taketimeandquite a few tries.

COLOURCASTS

All torchesproduce light thathasacolourcast– it’susually verywarmwithconventional torches,butplainLEDscanbecool/blue.Youcan trychanging theWhiteBalanceonyourcamera tocompensate forthis,butwerecommendyou just stick toAWB(AutoWhiteBalance)orDaylightas thecolourcasts fromthe torchcan lookgreat.In fact, you’remore likely towantmorecolourbyplacinggelsor sweetwrappersover thebulb/LED.Electronicflashhasnocolourcastas itscolour temperature is thesameasdaylight–5500K.

60 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

LIGHTGRAFFITI

One ideawehaven’t touchedonbut iswellworth trying is light gra�ti,whereyoucreate randomabstract patternsoflight trailswithin a scenebymovingaroundwith a light source in front ofthe camera. Buy amultiple LED torchandput di�erent colouredgels over theLEDs so youcancreate rainbowsoflight orworkwith a single bulb formoredelicate patterns.Google ‘light gra�ti’if youneed somemore ideas.

ISTOCKPHOTO

Page 61: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

leefrost

1Position your props– in thiscase, a pair ofwalking boots

– and set up your camera.Compose the shot, leaving a littlemore space around the propsthan youneed– you can alwayscrop it later.

2set the camera’s shutter toBulb (B), the Iso to 100or 200

and the lens aperture to f/11 orf/16. Attach a remote release tothe camera. Now focus the lensmanually on your props and turno� the room lights.

3In darkness, open thecamera’s shutter, turn on your

light source– in this case, a pair ofmicro leDbicycle lights (£2.99fromAldi!) – then start tracingaround the props and directinglight onto them.

4Youmay not get it right �rsttime, but you’ll get a good

idea ofwhat you need to do toimprove on your �rst attempt–in this case, there isn’t enoughlight on the props so the imageappears too dark.

january2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /61

INDOORSTILL-LIFE

the simplestway to try paintingwith lightis keeping it smallwith an indoor still-life:you’ll get an ideaofwhat’s involvedbeforeyou turn your attention tobigger things.In termsof subjectmatter, anythinggoes.flowers are goodbecause theygive youinteresting shapes toworkwith and thepetals are translucent so youcan lightthem frombehind aswell.Musicalinstrumentsmakegreat subjects too–a violin, guitar, saxophone; any instrumentwith an interesting shapewillwork. shoesandboots, bottles,wineglasses, cutlery,and toys…Whatever you shoot, you’ll needtowork in adark roomsoyoucancontrolthe lightwith a torch. small torcheswithconcentratedbeamsare thebest option asyou’ll need to light small areas selectively

to create interesting e�ects. Pen torchesand key-ring torches are ideal. Buy severalfrompound shops andusegels or sweetwrappers over thebulbs to colour the light.set up thepropswith the room lights on,

thenmount your cameraona tripod,compose the shot and focusmanually.set the aperture to f/8or f/11, the shuttertoBulb, the Iso to 100or 200, andattacha remote release to your camera. turno�the room lights, lock the shutter open, turnyour torchonand start to paintwith light,pointing the torch at key areasof thesubject. try to keep the torchmoving sothe light isn’t tooharshonanyonearea.Youwant the �nal image to look like it hasbeenpaintedwith light, so intentionallymake someareas lighter thanothers. takesome test shots todetermine the rightexposure, shining the light fromdi�erent

distancesor for di�erent lengthsof time.If an exposureof four seconds at f/11 isrequiredwhenyoukeep thenarrowbeamof your torch aimedat anobject onemetreaway, for example, youcanmake someareas darker thanothers by shining thetorch for just one, twoor three seconds.equally, if youwant an area to comeoutreally light, shine the torchon it for �veorsix seconds, ormove in closer. It’s all a littlehit andmiss, but youcancheckeachimageas yougoonyour camera’s lCDmonitor andwithin twoor three attemptsyou shouldget it right. Anotherway tousea small torch for still-life photography is bytracing around theprops,with thebeampointing towards the camera, to create�ne light trails. light spillage from thebeamalso casts a soft glowon the subject,thoughyoucanaddmoredirect light, too.

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HOWTOMASTER...PAINTINGWITHLIGHT

62 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

PAINTINGTHELANDSCAPE

Landscapes are ideal for paintingwith light.At its simplest, youcoulduse a torchor flashto illuminate a single feature in theforegroundof a scene, such aspartiallysubmerged rockon theedgeof a lochor aboat onanestuary. If youcompose a shot sothere’s a pathor track leadingo� into thedistance, youcouldwalk along that path andshine a torchon it as yougo, so it’swell litand acts as an illuminated lead-in line.Don’t just focuson the foreground,

though.Howabout lockingyourcamera’sshutteropen for aminuteor two thenwalking into the sceneandpainting featureswith light that are further away–youcould

pickout a single tree, or several trees anduseadi�erent colourgel over your torchorflashto light eachone, for example.Oldbarns andstonewallsworkwell, too.Bigger featureson thecoast are ideal for

paintingwith light.Natural rock arches,seastacks andheadlands look fantasticwhen illuminatedwith light fromapowerfultorch against the cool twilight sky, and theuseof a longexposure alsomeans that theseawill benice and smooth. Jetties andoldpiers areworth attention, too, or the skeletalremainsof sunken shipwrecks that oftenappear at low tide.Torchlight tends tobemoreatmospheric

thanflash for these subjects, and thewarmthof the light alsocontrastswellwith the

coolnessof the twilight sky and sea.For subjects that are relativelydistant and

inaccessible, you’ll needapowerful torchofat least two-millioncandles, otherwise thebeam justwon’t reach.Where youcangetcloser– toawreck, say–amoremodesttorchwill befineas youcanwander aroundandpaintwith light from just a few feet away.Youneed to takecarewhenshootingon

thecoast as the seacanbedangerous. Beawareof tide timesandmake sure youknowaquick routeback to safety. It’s going tobedarkby the timeyou’redone, and that’s theworst possible time todiscover that you’regettingcuto�by the incoming tide.Makesure youhavea sparepocketorhead torchsoyoucan seeyourway, too, just in case.

MICHAELBOSANKO

MATCHSTICKMEN

Lowrypainted them, twoblokes calledBrian andMichael sang a really annoying songabout them, andnowyoucancreate your veryownmatchstickmen.All youneed is a small LED torch, a dark night andsome imagination.With your camera set up and theshutter lockedopenonBulb via a remote release,walkinto the scene (wearingdark clothes so youdon’tappear in thepictures) anddrawa light-trailmatchstickman–sittingonabench, standingonawall, on a seesaw in thepark, balancingonone leg,doing ahandstand, holdinghandswith your kids,walking amatchstick dog… It only takes a fewsecondstodoaquick light sketch– thenuse the torch topaintlight onparts of the scene so yourmatchstickman isn’tlost in a seaof blackness. Remember todrawhimwiththe torch in clear viewof the camera, andwear darkclothes so youdon’t appear in the image yourself.

JANLEONARDOWOELLERT

WWW.LIGHTART-PHOTOGRAPHY.DE

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leefrost

january2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /63

CREATESPHERESOFLIGHT

Insteadof using a light source to illuminatesomething that exists, such as a statueorbuilding, this technique involves creatingspheresof light as an addedelement in alow-light scene. thinkof it as creating lightsculptures that only exist in photographicform–because theynever actually exist inreality.We’re not surewhere thistechniqueoriginated, but oneof thebest-knownexponents of it is Australia-basedphotographerDenis smith(www.denissmith.com.au). thebasic ideais that you set up your cameraoutdoors atnight or indoors in anunlit space, lock theshutter openonBulb, thenwalk into thescene to apredetermined spot and spin asmall leD torch tied to theendof a lengthof string so that circular light trails arerecorded in the image. Insteadof standingstill, however, you rotate gently roundonyour feetwhile continually spinning thelight so that by the timeyou’ve rotatedyour body through360°, dozensof lightcircles have recorded tocreate a sphere.the stringmust be kept at a constant

length and the torch rotated vertically sothat the light circles are the same size.You’ll need to rotate your body through360°on the smallest turningcircle youcan, by shu�ing roundon theballs of yourfeet.Wear dark clothing andahoodor hatto reduce the risk of a ghostly imageof youbeing recordedand ideally attach thestring to something like the clasponadoglead that rotatesononeend–notonlywillit give you something togriponto, but thetorchwill swingmore freely andevenly tocreate a smoother sphere. themore youpractise the spinning technique, thebetteryour resultswill be.outdoors, shoot as it’s starting toget

dark but there’s still colour in the sky.

Choose locations during theday anddecidewhere theball of lightwill appearin the scene–on theendof a pier or jetty,a rocky ledgeonahillside, a beachand soon. thepossibilities are endless– let yourimagination runwild.the time it takes tomake the imagewill

bedictatedby the location and light levels,but ideally youneed to spin the torch for at

least a coupleofminutes toget a goodsphere. After dark youcould leave yourshutter open for ten to 15minutes andcreate several light balls in the same scene,using adi�erent colouredgel over thetorch for eachone.onaclear night you’llget star trails recording, too, andpick updistant light pollution that can add surrealcolours to the sky.

1Choose your locationwhile there’s stillenoughdaylight to seewhat you’re doing

and get your camera set upon a tripod– setthe camera to Bulb, the aperture to f/8 and Isoto 200.Manually focus onwhere you’ll stand.

3the �rst shotmay not be perfect, but it willgive you an idea ofwhere you’re going

wrong. Here, the exposure isn’t long enoughbut the sphere is looking half decent. the keyto a good sphere is smooth and even spinning.

2trip the shutter and lock it openwith aremote release (or ask a friend to), walk into

position, turn on your torch and start spinningit in a circularmotionwhilemoving slowlythrough 360° to create the sphere of light.

4that’smore like it. still not a perfect spherebut not bad either, and the exposure is spot

on. light spillage from the torch has revealeddetail in the sea and rock,while the last tracesof colour in the sky are clearly visible.

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HOWTOMASTER...PAINTINGWITHLIGHT

TIME ITRIGHT

Youneed longexposures topaintwith lightbecause it’s a slowprocess–putting lightinto selectedplaces bit by bit insteadofopening the shutter and letting it all flood inat once. As you’re adding yourownillumination, ambient light needs tobelimited so that youdon’t record it. Twilight isabout as bright as youcanget awaywithwhen shootingoutdoors–anyearlier andtherewill be toomuchdaylight left for thelight painting to show,or for you to achieveexposures that are longenoughwithoutoverexposing the shot, sowait until youcanbarely see any colour in the skybefore youget towork. Techniques suchaspainting abuildingwith flashor apowerful torchusually take aminuteor two, and you’ll beable to achieve that at ISO100and f/11 orf/16 at twilight, if there’s no artificial lightaround.Creating ‘balls of light’ can requireexposuresof five to tenminutes, so it needstobepretty dark before you start, andstar-trail shots takehours.Once the skydarkens to thepoint that youcanno longersee colourwith thenakedeye, you’ll besurprised at howwell your camera’s sensorcan still record it –especially if there’s atownor city in thedistancecreating lightpollution. It soundshorrible, but it can lookamazing, so keep shooting!

FUNPORTRAITS

Youdon’t have to stickwith inanimateobjectswhenpaintingwith light– thetechniquecanalsobeusedonpeople.You literally have endless scopehere,so experiment andhave fun. Ahandytechnique touseoutdoors in low light is tocombine aburst of flashwith a slowshutterspeed, so theflash illuminates and freezesyour human subject,while the slowshutterspeed records the ambient light in thebackground–suchas the red sky at sunsetor a floodlitmonument.Manydigitalcameras, especially compacts, have a ‘nightportraitmode’ that shouldgive youperfectlybalanced results. If your subject ismoving,the slowshutter speedwill also recordblurbehind the frozenflash imageand this canlookgreat. In fact, youcanalways ask yoursubject to intentionallymove toget theslow-syncflashe�ect–ask them to jumpinto the air, for example. Alternatively, trysomethingwacky.Howabout awide-angleportraitwith your subject pulling a facewhile you trace around their headwith anLED tocreate light trails anduse a colouredLEDor gelled torch to light their face? Youcould alsowave a sparkler around in thebackground to add lots of light trails, orshine a torchon thebackof their head sothe light radiates out in thebackground.

WIREWOOLSPINNING

Feelingbrave?Thenhere’s a technique thatwill get youradrenalinpumping.Commonorgardenwirewoolcreateszillionsof sparksif youset it alight–and itburns reallyeasily,too.Tocreate imagesof this, takeametalkitchenwhisk, stu� itwithGrade0orfinersteelwoolandattach thewhisk toa lengthofcordor steel rope.Adog-leadclaspon theotherendwillmake it easier to spin.Outdoorsat twilight, underabridge, inatunneloranyother ‘safe’ location, light thesteelwool, thenwithyourcamera’s shutteropen, start spinning thewhiskarounduntilthewoolburnsout– this takes20-30secondsusually. The results lookamazing, farbetter thananythingyou’dgetwitha sparkler.Obviously there’s a fire risk here, sonever

try this techniquewhere sparks could setanythingonfire. Beaches are ideal as you’reclose towater and sand isn’t flammable.Neither is concreteor tarmac. But dry grassis, and so are trees. Youare, too, sowearprotective clothing–awaterproof jacketandovertrousers are fine–plus cover yourhairwith ahoodor hat andwear glasses toprotect your eye from the sparks. Ideally,take a friend alongwhendoingwirewoolshots andmaybeevencarry a small fireextinguisher, just in case. It’s a funtechnique, but youhavebeenwarned!

ISTOCKPHOTO

MICHAELBOSANKO

LEEFROST

64 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

ISTOCKPHOTO

STAR-TRAILSHOTS

If youpoint yourcamera to thenight skyand lock theshutteropenonBulb for twoorthreehours (atmaximumaperture), youcancapture fantastic star trails, createdby therotationof theearthon itspolar axis. It’s anatural formofpaintingwith light.Moreimportantly,whenyoudoshoot star-trailimages, it’s agood idea to include featuresin the foreground tomake thecompositionmore interesting.However, as you’reshooting inpitchdarkness, inorder toprevent those features recording insilhouette, you’ll need toaddsome light.Useeitherflashora torch–orboth–

topaint the foregroundwith light. Youcando thison the framethatwill also record thestar trails, but that’shit andmissbecauseyouwon’tget to seehowthepainting looksfor severalhours.Abetteroption is todoafewshotswhereyoupaint the foregroundwith light ina shorterexposure then,withoutmoving thecamera,open theshutter to record thestar trailsonanotherframe.Afterwardsyoucanmerge thestartrailswitha light-paintedshot inPhotoshop.

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PHYSIOGRAMS

The ideabehind thiswackybutsimple technique is that yoususpenda small pen torchontheendof a pieceof string in adarkened roomdirectly overyour camera, set the torchspinning anduse a longexposure to record thepatternsof light trails createdas the torch spins in ever-decreasing circles. The result isa pleasing kaleidoscopeofcolouredcircles.Here’s a quickstep-by-stepguide for you totry out the technique at home.

leefrosT

january2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /65

1Tie a small pen-light torch to alength of string, then attach

the other end to a light �tting onthe ceiling so you can suspendthe torch a few feet aboveground. The length of stringwilldependonhowhigh the ceilingis, but approx 1m is usually �ne.

5each swingof the torchwillrecord as a spherical light trail,

but because themotion of thetorch is gradually slowing down,each spherewill be a slightlydi�erent shape and size, gettingsmaller every time. This iswhatyou’ll get after 20 to 30 seconds.

4Turn the torch on, the roomlights o�, then set the torch

swinging in a circularmotion.Peer through the camera’sview�nder andwhen the swingofthe torch is small enough toappear in the view�nder, lock theshutter openonBulb.

2To ensure you get smoothspheres, the torch needs to be

suspendedon its central axis soit’s balanced. If the torch doesn’thave a central �tting point, createone by taping a loopof string tothe rear end, then attach thelength of string to the loop.

6After about 20 seconds, coverthe lenswith a piece of card,

grab the torch and turn it o�,place a coloured �lter on the lens,switch the torch back on, set itswinging in a di�erentmotion soa secondpattern recordswith adi�erent colour.

3Mount your camera on atripod approx 1mbeneath the

torch so it’s looking straight up.Use awide-angle lens around28mm, set focus tomanual andfocus on the torch. set the shutterto Bulb (B) and stop the lens downto f/16 or f/22.

7You can repeat step six asmany times as you like until

you’re happywith the image. Themore light trails you record, themore interesting the result. It’sactually quite addictive becauseno two shots are ever the same,and they look great every time.

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LIGHTSTENCILS

It takes practice to learnhow tocontrolyour freehand light painting–quiteoftenit can look amess until youget thehangofworkingblind.Oneway toget a neaterfinish is touse light stencils,which allowyou to ‘stamp’ rather than ‘paint’ yourimageswith light. Creating the stencils isfairly easy todoat home, though it doestake timeandpatience.

1Just about any image can be used tomake a light stencil. Draw your imageon

paper first so you can refine your designbefore transferring it on to cardboard usingtracing paper for cutting out. Using an artknife, carefully cut out the design,making theedges as clean as possible for a crisp outline,and leaving about 3cmaround the edge.Spray-paint the cardboard black aswell as ashoebox and its lid. This shoeboxwillbecome yourmakeshift lightbox.

2Next, add somecolour to your design byattaching coloured cellophaneor sweetie

wrappers to the back of the stencil. Themorelayers of cellophane you add to each stencil,the richer the colourwill be in your image.Cut awindow in your shoebox lid, leaving a2cmborder so you create somecrossoverwhen you insert the stencil to prevent lightbleeding out. Line the inside of the shoeboxwith aluminium foil and cut a hole in the backsmaller than the headof your flashgun.

3Set your camera to Bulbmode, ISO 100and an aperture of f/7 to f/18 depending

ondepth-of-field and how strong yourlight source is.Mount your camera on atripod and focus on an area of the scenemanually, thenopener the shutterwith aremote release. Place your flashgun to thehole in the back of the shoebox and duringthe exposure, constantlymove around thescene, firing the test buttonwith the stencilpointing towards the camera.

HOWTOMASTER...PAINTINGWITHLIGHT

66 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

PAINTINGACARWITHLIGHT

Finding a large enough light source toilluminate anentire car canbeaproblem,which iswhy light paintingworks sowell.Movingone light source around thecar alsomeans youcancreate long, thin catchlightsthat highlight the shapeof thebodywork.Try it: youcanuse any constant, bright lightsource suchas ahandheld LED lampor longfluorescent or neon tube light. Position yourcar in adimly lit area and select a low ISOandnarrowaperture to extend theexposuretime. You’ll need about 20 seconds to lightthewhole car: start at oneendand, in onesmoothmotion,walk slowly around thecar,positioning yourself between the light andthecamera so that the light sourcedoesn’tshow in the image.Give eachwheel a quickblip of light tobringout thedetails.

OTHERLIGHTSOURCES

Paintingwith light o#ers endless scope forcreative experimentation, sowhat youcanachieve is limitedonly by your imagination.Youcanuse anynumberof things to createthe light: torches, flashguns, LEDs, lightropes, ELwire,matches, car headlights,candles, firelight, sparklers– the list goeson.Youcan shoot in total darkness andaddallthe light to the image yourself, ormix lightpaintingwithman-made illumination inurban areas: it’s up to you. Youcanevenuseyourmobile phoneor tablet to light-paint.There arededicated light-painting appsavailable– tryHolographium, a text-basedpieceof software that projects 3D letters asyoumove your iPhone, iPodTouchor iPadacross the frame, creatingholograph-esquefloatingwords and images.

FREDERICSCHLO

SSER

MICHAELBOSANKO

JESSICAVELARDE

XXXX

ADDABITOFSPARKLE-R

Still have sparklers fromBonfireNight orNewYear’s Eve?They’re perfect forpaintingwith light. You’ve all seencheesyshots of someone twirling a sparkleraround, surrounding their facewithspitting, crackling light trails.Well, forgetthat– it’s tooobvious.Howabout tracingtheoutlineof a car or treewith a litsparkler, thenpopping itwith aweakburstof flash?Try photographing apersonoutdoors at nightwith aburst of flashbutthenfill thebackgroundwith firebywaving a sparkler all over theplacewhile

walking aroundbehind them. Youcoulduse a sparkler tomake it look like it’sraining sparks andcapture someonecoweringunder abrolly.Or create shapes,such as aChristmas treewith a star ontop. Surrounda kissing couplewith a loveheart, spin the sparklerwhilewalking infront of your camera to create a spiral,spin itwhile rotating to create a sparklyorb. In all cases you’ll need to set the shotupoutdoors at night so it’s dark, use atripod, lock the shutter openonBulb thendoyour sparkler thang. Keepgoinguntilthe sparkler runsout, thendashback tothecamera andclose the shutter. Simples.

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january2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /67

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Page 68: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

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Page 69: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 69

Timesaretoughforallofusatthemoment,sowhileourpassionforphotographymaynothavediminished,ourphoto-expensesbudgetissuretohavetakenahit.Therefore,spendingourhard-earnedcashon

expensivenewopticsorthelatestgazillion-pixelDSLRisunlikelyforallbutthemostfortunate.However,therearemanylow-costproductsthatclaimtoo�erusachancetoexpandourcreativeoptionsand

captureimagesthatbelietheirrelativelylowpricetag.InBudgetPhotowetestlow-pricedphotoproductstodiscoveriftheydeliverontheirpromiseofallowingfantasticphotographyonaverysmallbudget

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BUDGET

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Part7:Lensbaby Sp

ark

LEEFROST

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70 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

old large-format lens and vacuumcleanerhose, in an attempt togivehis early digitalimages abit of character. A year later theOriginal Lensbabywent intoproductionandwithin sixmonthsof its launchwasusedbyphotographers in 40countriesworldwide. It also spawnedawholenewcommunity of creative image-makers–onFlickr alone there areover 8,500membersof the LensbabyGroupandover

71,000Lensbaby images (www.flickr.com/groups/lensbaby).

Today there arehalf a dozendi erent Lensbabies available(seepanel, far right) for usewithDSLRs andmirrorlesscamera systems. Themostrecent is the LensbabySpark, and though it retailsat around£80, in Lensbaby

terms that’s cheap, hence itsqualification for coverage in this

month’sBudget Photo.Thebasic ideabehind the Lensbaby,

regardless ofmodel, is that it replaces anormal camera lens andallows you torecordonepart of the image in sharp focuswhile everythingelse blurs away. Inaddition, youcanchange thepositionofthe sharp ‘sweet spot’, so it doesn’t have tobe in the centreof the frame.TheLensbabySparkconsistsof abayonet

lensmount (only forCanonEFandNikonF),aplasticbellows ‘barrel’ roughly3cmlongintowhichaDoubleGlassOptic is installed

ITMAYCOMEas somethingof ashock to anyonewhoknowsme, but I’ve always had apenchant for dreamy images.Back inmy formative years as a

photographer youcouldoftenfindmeshooting awaywith a soft-focus filter stuckto the front ofmy lensor a clear bit ofplastic smearedwithVaseline. Bubblewrap, anti-newtonglass slidemounts,clingfilm– I tried allmannerof things inmyquest for blur. I evenexperimentedwithladies’ stockings at one stage, though Idon’t like to talk about that anymore!In thesedigital days, it’s no longer

necessary to create soft-focus e ects atthe taking stagebecause they canbeadded later, usingPhotoshopfilters orthird-party plug-ins.Despite theconvenienceof post-production,however, there’s somethingrather clinical aboutmakingcreative decisions after theevent. Forme, part of thefunof photography isseeing through theviewfinderwhat I’mgoing toget. I also likemy images tobefinished in-camerawhenever possible, not onlybecause itmeans less timeat thecomputer but, also, I find that theway Iapproacha shot in termsof composition,lighting, camera angle and soon is ofteninfluencedbyhow Iwant the final image tolook. If I can achieve that look there andthen, it helpsme tomakeother decisionsthat contribute to the successof the finalimage.When it comes to creative useofblur, thebest photogadget out therethesedays is the Lensbaby.PhotographerCraig Strongcreated the

very first Lensbabyback in 2003, using an

BUDGET

PHOTO

Challengee: Lee Frost

Budget: £80

Theme: Lensbaby Spark

anda largeplasticcirculardiscaround thelens,whichyouuse toadjust focusand thepositionof the ‘sweet spot’. Theoptic thattheSpark is soldwithhasafixedapertureoff/5.6, though thiscanbeswapped forarangeofotheropticsandasetofmagneticaperturediscs that allowyou tovary thee ectiveapertureand theextentofblur thatcanbeachieved.Obviously, that involvesspendingmoremoney, so for thepurposeof stickingwithinbudget for this featurewestuckwith just thebasicLensbabySparkkit.To achieve sharp focuswith the Spark, all

youdo is squeeze thebellows towards thecamera– the further away the subject is,themore youneed to squeeze toget itsharp. If you squeezeevenly so theplasticdisc surrounding the lens remains parallelto the camera, the sharp spotwill be in thecentreof the frame.However, if youpressthe edgeof thedisc so thebellows aresqueezedunevenly, the sharp spotmovesaway from thecentre–press the topof thedisc and the sharp spot is near the topofthe frame, press the left side and the sharpspotmoves to the left edge, and soon.This allows you to focusonano -centresubjectwhile everythingelse blurs away,and themore youdistort thebellows, themoreblurry theblurredbits go!

Above left: TheLensbabySparkcanbeusedonCanonEFandNikonF lensfittings tocreateunusual imagee�ects.

Inset: Theplasticbellows ‘barrel’ is used toadjust thepositionof focus.

LensbabySpark

Guideprice:£80Fittings:Canon EF andNikon FFocal length:50mmOperation:Manual – squeeze to focusConstruction:PlasticWeight:85gIn thebox: Lensbaby Sparkwith integralbodymount andDoubleGlassOptic

The Spark is the latestmodel in theLensbaby range (see panel, right) and alsothe least expensive/simplest, so it’s anideal introduction towhat you can dowitha Lensbaby. Unlikemany photographicaccessories, there’s no cheap/fakealternative, at least not yet, so if youwant aLensbaby youhave to buy a pukkaLensbaby! The Spark comeswith aDoubleGlassOpticwith fixed f/5.6 aperture andcan focus fromapprox 33cm to infinity.

LensbabySpark

£80£80

DIDYOUKNOW

Aclear Skylight orUVfilterwith someVaseline smearedaround theedgeswill give a

similar e�ect to the Lensbaby.Alternatively, youcanmimicthe e�ect in Photoshop–

there are loadsoftutorials online.

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LensbabySpark

Aboveand right:Bysqueezing theLensbabySpark’s plasticbellows, youcancontrolwhichpartof your scene is in focuswhile the restofthe imageblurs away.

Althoughwe’re concentratingon theSparkherebecause it’s newandkindofbudget-priced, there areother Lensbabymodels tochoose from:

Muse (£100)Like the Spark, you squeezeto focus and bend tomovethe ‘sweet spot’. It alsocomeswith aDoubleGlass

Optic fitted. Themain di�erence is that itcomeswith a set ofMagnetic Aperturediscs so you can vary the f/number fromf/2 to f/8, and it’s fully compatiblewith allLensbabyOptics and accessories,whereas some are too heavy for the Spark.

Composer (£160)Amore refined Lensbaby thatuses a ball-&-socket designrather than bellows tomovethe ‘sweet spot’ around and

has a separate focusing action,making iteasier to use. You can lock it in position formore controlled shooting, both indoorsandout. ComeswithDoubleGlassOptic.

Scout (£179)The Scout comeswith a12mmfisheye lens asstandard and an adjustableaperture plusminimum focus

of 13cm. The Scout doesn’t bend, so theimage is always perfectly centred. It’scompatiblewith all LensbabyOptics andaccessories, though, so you can stillachieve lots of creative e�ects.

Control Freak (£200)No longermanufactured, butstill available. Lets youcompress the bellows andlock them in position to

achieve the e�ect youwant. You can thenfocus using the barrel focusing ring andadjust the tilt anglewith threemetal posts.

ComposerPro (£230-£330)This is the top-of-the-rangeLensbaby. Build quality is highand the focus and tilt/swivelactions are smoother for

precise control. At the lower price itcomeswith aDoubleGlassOptic andMagnetic Aperture Set; at the higher priceit comeswith the Sweet 35Optic that hasa built-in 12-blade adjustable aperture.

WhichLensbaby?

Using the Spark is quick andeasy, thoughit does take a little gettingused to andinitially youmayfindyour bloodpressurerising as you try to achieve sharp focus in aspecificplace! The key is to squeeze/pressgently– if you’re heavy-handed you’llstruggle to find the ‘sweet spot’.

There are twomainways tooperate theSpark. Youcanhold the camera as normalwith your right hand thenuse your left handto support the Lensbaby and thefingers ofyour left hand to squeeze andbend. Thismethodworks finewhenyouwant the‘sweet spot’ to beo�-centre, but if youwant to keep it central,whichmeansapplying equal pressure and squeezing theSpark evenly, you’re better o�using two

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72 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

hands. Hold the camera with your righthand, firing the shutter as normal with yourright index finger and using the second andthird finger of your right hand, plus theindex and second finger of your left hand,to squeeze the Spark.

What subjects does it suit? Anything andeverything really. The Spark is perfect formoody portraits where your subject’s faceis sharp but the rest of the shot is blurred, oryou could move in close and maybe focuson one eye while letting the rest of the faceblur away. Try shooting in candlelight andinclude the candle flame as a flaredhotspot, or backlight your subject with thesun and experiment with degrees ofoverexposure to create a romantichigh-key e�ect. If you can talk someone

into getting their kit o�, the Lensbaby Sparkis ideal for atmospheric nude studies, andthe blurring is ideal for hiding skinblemishes – or your subject’s modesty!

Still-life shots can benefit fromthe Lensbaby treatment –especially colourful subjectssuch as flowers or fruit. Thesame applies with architecture– you can achieve weird ‘toytown’ e�ects by shootingbuildings with a Lensbaby,selecting one area to be sharplyfocused then leaving everythingelse to blur. Take it to the funfair, too, oron day trips to the seaside. Use it to shootwacky pet portraits or amusing shots ofyour kids. You can even take great

landscapes with a Lensbaby, too, if you’rewilling to throw caution to the wind andembrace the beauty of blur instead of

being obsessed with sharpness!The instructions recommendthat you set your camera to

manual exposure mode.Given that there is noelectronic contact betweenthe Lensbaby and camerabody, this makes sense. The

Spark has a fixed aperture off/5.6 so all you do is adjust the

shutter speed until correctexposure is achieved. Saying that, I’m

so used to shooting in aperture-prioritythat I did so without thinking, and otherthan having to dial in +2 to +3 stops of

BUDGET

PHOTO

1)Practise:You’ll get better control if yousqueeze and tilt using the index and middlefinger of your left hand and the middlefinger of your right hand while holding thecamera and tripping the shutter. It’s fiddly atfirst, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.

2)Exposure: It’s recommended that youset manual exposure mode. You can useaperture-priority, shutter-priority orprogram modes, but you may need to dialin a fair amount of exposure compensationto get the exposure right.

3)Begentle: It only takes a slight squeezeto completely change the focus point or aslight tilt to move that point, so if you’reheavy-handed you’ll struggle to get thee�ect you want.

4)Backlighting:The sharp/blurred e�ectof the Lensbaby works well on backlitsubjects so don’t be afraid to shoot into thelight, especially with portraits. Flare can addto the e�ect!

5)Keep it simple:Go for simple, boldsubjects rather than clutteredcompositions and choose a strong focalpoint that you can keep sharply focused.

6)O�-centre:Although the Lensbabylends itself to keeping your main subject inthe centre of the frame and surrounding itwith blur, you can also get some greate�ects by tilting so the ‘sweet spot’ ismoved towards the edge of the frame.

7)Colour:The Lensbaby e�ect is wellsuited to colourful subjects. In sunnyweather, shoot from a low viewpoint tocapture your subject against the sky –funfairs are great places to use a Lensbaby.

8)Expand: If you enjoy using the Lensbaby,consider adding a few extra accessories,like a di�erent lens or a macro converter.

9)Keepshooting:With moving subjects,shoot a series of images in quicksuccession while making small tweaks tothe ‘sweet spot’.

10)Experiment:There are no hard and fastrules when it comes to using a Lensbaby sotry it on all subjects, from landscape andportraits to architecture and still-life –once you start, you’ll be hooked!

Lensbabytoptips

GOTASUGGESTION?

Have aBudgetPhoto ideayou’d like us to try out?

Email your suggestions todslrfeedback@

dennis.co.uk, titled‘Budget Photo’, and we

may try it out!

Page 73: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

LensbabySpark

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 73

exposure compensation for every shot, thismodeworkedfineand I never botheredwithmanualmode.I had funplaying aroundwith the Spark

andproduced some interesting images, aswell as getting someconfused looks bypassers-by!Whether I’d invest £80 inoneremains tobe seen. Itsmain limitation is thefixed f/5.6 aperture,whichmeans that youcan’t vary the sharp/blurrede ect verymuch. Buyingoneof theother optics andaMagnetic Aperture Setwould solve thatproblemandmake the Sparkmuchmoreversatile, but then itwould also addanother£40+ to theprice.The focal lengthof the Spark is also

increased from50mmtoaround75mmwhenusedonDSLRswith anAPS-C sensor,

whichmeans youhave a relatively narrowfield-of-view–fine for portraits andstill-life but not sogood for scenic shots.Again, this problemcanbe remediedbybuying awide-angle adaptor, but itmeansspendingmoremoney.Finally, if youdecide to splash thecash

ona Lensbaby, use itwith care.Given theright subject and situation, the e ects itproduces can turn agoodphotograph intoamasterpiece, but toomuch toooften andyourworkwill becomepredictable andboring, sobear that inmind.

The Lensbaby Spark is also compatiblewith the following accessories:

OPTICS

Edge80* ...................................................£260Sweet 35* ...................................................£125Pinhole/Zone Plate....................................£25Plastic ........................................................... £30SingleGlass................................................. £30DoubleGlass ...............................................£59Soft Focus.....................................................£62Fisheye* ......................................................£105* Although these optics can be fitted tothe Spark, they’re quite heavy and canmake accurate focusing di!cult so arenot recommended.

APERTURES

Although theSparkcomeswith afixedapertureof f/5.6, if youbuyandattach theDoubleGlass, SingleGlass, Plastic, Soft Focus

or Fisheyeoptics, youcanalsochange thee ective apertureof thoseoptics using theMagneticAperture Set (£10),whichcomprises a seriesofmetal discs, eachwithadi erent-sizedhole that areheld inplacebyamagnetic field. There’s also aCreativeApertureKit (£13),whichcomeswith astar-shapedandheart-shapedapertureplus fiveblanks soyoucancut yourownapertures, a setof tenapertureblanks (£9)so youcancutmore funky shapes, andaCreativeApertureKit 2 (£13)whichhasninepre-cut aperture shapes. Thesecreative kitsare compatiblewith all LensbabyOpticsexcept theFisheyeandSweet 35.

LENSCONVERTERS

If the optics andapertures don’t satisfyyour creative curiosity,howabout adding a0.42x SuperWide AngleConversion lens (£54)

which reduces the e ective focal lengthof the Lensbaby from50mmto21mmandalso lets you focus down to just 7cm. Thisis a handy accessory if you’re using theLensbaby on a non full-frameDSLR as the50mm focal length is e ectively 75mm,but drops to approximately 30mmwiththe conversion lens added. An alternativeis the 0.6xwide-angle/1.6x telephoto kit(£60)which lets you reduce the e ective(full-frame) focal length to 30mmorincrease it to 80mm. There are evenmacro converters for the Lensbaby. TheMacro Kit (£25) consists of two+4 and+10dioptre close-up lenses that can beused individually or together and the 8mmand 16mmMacroConverters (£39) are liketwo extension tubes that can be usedindividually or together and focus fromless than an inch away! Use themwith theMacro Kit to get even closer. Thesemacroconverters can be usedwith all LensbabyOptics except the Fisheye and Sweet 35.

Addedextras

Above left: Shootingbuildingscangiveaminiature village ‘toy-town’ e�ect.

Above: TheLensbabySpark is a funpieceof kit,theonlydangerbeing that youuse it sooftenthat your imagesbecomepredictable.

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JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 75

EXTRAORDINARYIMAGESUSINGORDINARYITEMS

Ifyou’restuckforphotoinspiration,thenourmonthlychallengemaybejustwhatyou’relookingfor.WeselectthreephotographersfromtheDigitalSLRPhotography

teamandcontributorseachmonthandtaskthemwithcapturinganimagethatusesanordinaryhouseholdobject.ThelatestchallengeseesCarolineWilkinson,PaulWardand

JordanButtersaimtocaptureacreativeimagethatincludesfestivedecor...

#7FESTIVEDECOR

Creative Eye aims to prove that combining imaginationwith technique canmake for interesting and inspiringimages, even if your subject is as ordinary as cutlery! If you'relooking to addcreativity to your photography, then you'llfind it eveneasier to get the results youwant byusing thebest possible kit. For theultimate imagequality, consider theNikonD800,whichboasts an FX-formatCMOS sensor thathas a class-leading resolutionof 36.3-millionpixels,allowing it to capture anunprecedented level of detail.For further informationonNikon's rangeofproducts,visit:www.nikon.co.uk

Recommendedkit

Page 76: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

CREATIVEEYE

FESTIVEDECOR

LITUPLIKEA

CHRISTMASTREEByPaulWard

Camera:NikonD800

Lens:Nikkor24-70mmf/2.8

Software:AdobePhotoshopCS2

Left:Keeping somedistance fromthetree, I drewaround itwith theLED torch.

Below left:A largetorchdidn't createthe right e�ect.

Belowright:I spent timegettingthepowerof thebacklight right.

Bottom left:The treeneededsome light andawider aperture.

Bottomright:It's easy tomisjudgethe sketch.

Right:Aftermanytries, I'mhappywiththe result.

76 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

THISMONTH'STASKwas touse anything foundonadecoratedChristmas tree–abroadbrief that gaveme theimmediate idea touse the tree

itself. But rather thandress a tree in ahouse, I liked the ideaof taking theconiferback into thewoods to 'decorate' it there.It's a pleasant coincidence that this

month's issue is packedwith light-paintingtechniques, so you shouldn't be short ofinspiration andadvice for applying thisidea. Youcould add thee�ect inPhotoshop, but thatwouldbecheatingnow,wouldn't it? Sometimes it's good tobe abitmoreorganic and leavepost-productionoutof theprocess to try togetit right in-camera, and that's exactlywhatIwanted todo thismonth.I started at the local gardencentre

pickingout a tree that, for one, could fit inmycar, and two, is small enough todrawaroundbut not so tiny that it's insignificantnext to thewoodland. Iwent down to thenearestwoodwhile itwas still light to findaclearing, thenhid the tree in abush toavoid anyone taking itwhile Iwaited in thecar for it to godark. As Iwouldhave touseat least a 30-secondexposure tocomplete thedrawing, it needed tobepitchblack, otherwise the treewouldoverexpose and the scenewould lookmore like daytime thannight. Usingtorches, I found the tree andplaced it inthemiddleof the scene, positioning somebrackenaround thebase to camouflage it,thenwent about trying to the shot.It tooknearly 15 attempts anda lot of

trial anderror before I got the final image,but throughout theprocess I learnedmorewith each shot after analysing theimageon theNikonD800's LCDmonitor.I startedby just using a standardhousehold torch to seewhat the treelooked like illuminated. I used ahigh ISOand f/7.1 to get enoughdepth-of-field andshone torchlight frombeside theD800 for30 seconds. The spill of lightwas toowideforwhat Iwanted and the tree appearedtoobright, so I lowered the ISO rating andnarrowed the aperture evenmore. I alsoswappedmyhalogen torch for an LEDtorch to achieve a finer line andhavemorecontrol over thedrawing.My secondattemptwas awful: itwas

underexposedandbeingunsureof thetypeof design Iwasgoing formade it lookamessof squiggled lines. Iwasquicklylearninghownot todo it! Itwas clear frommy last fewattempts that I neededawideraperture, andwhile the tree shouldn't beilluminated asmuchasmyfirst try, it did

need some light. Experimentationwas thenameof thegame, so I placed a Speedlightset tomanual behind the tree andusedatrigger to fire thebacklight. After someplaying aboutwith power andexposure, Isettledon f/3.5 toget the silhouettes of thetrees, ISO200and 1/4power. I then stood

behind theconifer and attempted todrawa tree shape around it for the30-secondexposure. For the last few seconds, I putmyhandover the torch as Imoved itaround the tree to create thebauble-likespots. Theglowof the city lights behind,I think, helpsmake the shot.

Torchlight

Wrongaperture

Withoutlights

Practiseyourdrawing

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CREATIVEEYE

FESTIVEDECOR

HOMEISWHERE

THEHEARTISByJordanButters

Camera:NikonD800

Lens:NikkorAF-S50mmf/1.4G

Software:CaptureOnePro7

78 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

Whenhanded thismonth'sCreative Eyechallenge, I had afewdi�erent ideas that I triedwith varyingdegreesof success.Myfirstwas to shoot an

Escher-inspired self-portrait in thereflectionof a giantChristmasbauble.However, after searchinghigh and lowandtrying various things, I couldn't find abauble large enoughandcrisp enough toprovidemewith a sharp reflection, so thatideawentout thewindow (and thebaublealmost followed).Time for planB– fairy lights. Photograph

fairy lights in focus and they can look kindof gaudy; a tangleofwireswith tinycheap-looking LEDbulbs interspersedthroughout.However, place them in thebackground, out of focus, shotwith awideaperture, and they transform intomagicalandpicturesque soft balls of light, or bokehto youandme.Now try to findmeaphotographer that isn't a fanof bokeh–I bet you'll struggle!Personally, I lovewinter, andoneof the

best parts about it is the feelingof comfortandcontentment that youget fromreturning to awarmhomeafter a longwinterwalk. Iwanted to try to sumup thatfeeling in a single imageusing the fairylights and sohad the ideaof arranging thelights to look like heat rising fromahot cupof teaor drinking chocolate.I first fixedmyNikonD800 inplaceona

tripodpositioned roughlywhere Iwouldbeshooting from, selected aperture-prioritymodeand setmy lens to itsmaximumapertureof f/1.4. I then switched tomanualfocus and turned the focus ring to theminimumfocal distance. I then startedrunningmy fairy lights up theoppositewall,attaching the lights usinggoodold stickytape. Iwould take a test shot every sooftento assess the shape that the lightsweretaking tomake sure it looked like heat orsteam rising.Onceallmy lightswere inplace, I set about coercingmywife,Naomi,intobeingmymodel for the shoot.I set up aflashgun inside a small square

softbox andpositioned it aboveNaomi'shead and facingher. I switchedmycameratomanualmodeand transferred thesettingsover frommy test series taken inaperture-priority; thiswould ensure thatthe exposureof the fairy lights andbackground remained as in the test shots.I dialled in theminimumpowerof 1/128onmyflashgunand took another test shot–theflashwas toobright onNaomi's face soImoved the softboxback ametre and tookanother frame tofind thecorrect exposure.Although Iwashappywith the lighting

levels, the colour temperatureofmyflashwas a lot colder than that ofmy fairy lights,meaning thatwhenusingAutoWhiteBalance the fairy lightswere rendered awarm toneand theflashwas rendered acoldwhite. To remedy this, I fitted aCTOgel to theflashgunwhichbrought thedi�erent colour temperaturesof the lightsourcesmore in line.As a final touch, I spicedup thebokehby

creating aheart-shapeddisc to sit in frontof the lens. I traced around theendofmy50mmlens andcut out the circle beforedrawing aheart shapeonbyhandandcutting it out using a craft knife. I fixed thedisc in placeon theendof the lens usingsmall piecesof tape andaskedNaomi

Left:Usinga singleflashgunfittedwithaCTOgel in a smallsoftboxallowedmetomaintainareasonable shutterspeedandshootat alow ISO foroptimalimagequality.

Below left: I tracedtheendofmy lensandcutout abokehdiscandheart shapebyhand.

Bottom left:Aquicktest shotestablishedwhether I'dgot theright sizebokeh.

Belowright: Lights,camera, bokeh–all gearedup for thefinal shot!

Bottomright: Thistest shothighlightsthemajordi�erenceincolourtemperaturebetween the twolight sources.

Right: I askedNaomitowrapup inacoatandscarf as if shehadjust returnedhomefromthecold.Herexpressionandfondness for agoodcupof teahere is allgenuine!

towrapupwarm, as if she'd just come infrom thecold. A finalWhiteBalanceadjustment towhite fluorescent lightwarmedup the image for that homely,Christmas feel. Anyone for a cuppa?

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CREATIVEEYE

FESTIVEDECOR

HOMESWEETHOMEByCarolineWilkinson

Camera:NikonD800

Lens:NikkorAF-S12-24mmf/4GIF-ED

Software:AdobeCS5&PhotomatixPro

80 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

ITMAYBEabit clichébutwhenI thinkofChristmas, I thinkofstockings by a roaringopenfire,a twinkling treewithpresentsgalore and thechildhood

anticipationof SantaClaus visitingonChristmasEve.Capturing this atmosphereis relatively easy todoChristmasmorning,especially if you’re upwith the kids beforedawn to see if Santa’s been–but recreatingit in earlyDecember togive your customChristmas cards thatwarm, fuzzy feelingrequires a bitmore thought. As I don’t havechildren, getting them to sit unpackingpresentswith fake festive joy across their

faceswasn’t feasible, so Iwent aboutsettingupanight-before-Christmas sceneinstead. SaintNicholas taking some timeout by thefire, leavinghis boots andhat onthefireplace to enjoy aplateof cookies andaglass ofmilk, before filling the stocking.Or that’s howmychildmind imaginesChristmasEve tohavebeen.Most of the timecreating this shotwas

spent on setting it up, decorating thefireplace and, frankly, unravelling themassacreof fairy lights haphazardly putaway last year.Once thatwasdone, therestwas easy. I set upmyNikonD800afewmetres from thefireplacewith awideenough lens to include the scenebut notget distortion (20mmworkedwell), and setit to aperture-prioritymode. After a coupleof test shots, f/9 seemed tobe theoptimumaperture and I selected ISO200.The lengthof the exposurenaturallygenerates noise in the shadows, so there’snoneed tohelpwith ahigh ISO rating.

With thedeep shadowson the right sideof the roomcontrastingwith thebrightfairy lights and theglowof the fire andcandles, there's a lot of detail to captureandbalancing theexposurewouldbetricky.While theD800has superbdynamicrange anddid apretty good jobofcapturingmost of the ambience inoneexposure, even thiswasout of its remit.Having seen somany awfulHDR (HighDynamicRange) imagespass throughmyinbox, the ideaof creating anHDRpicturedidmakemegrimace a little but the scenewasperfectly suited to the technique andwasquite e�ective.Having foundmyoptimumexposure, I set the camera tobracket six stops around it. Youmayfindextending this tonine exposures producesabetter result, too, if your camera’sdynamic range is limited, so take a fewversions in case.Back at the computer, I didn’t need to

use theRawfiles as the JPEGs lookedfine

Page 81: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

Left:Addingawindowframeaddsmore intrigueandinterest to the image,andhaving it outoffocusdraws theattention to thescenebeyond it.All that'smissing issomesnowthathassettledon thewindows–so if youdo try this technique,grabapictureof yourwindow just after itsnows.Unfortunatelyforme, I couldn't getit to snowondemandin time for this shoot.

Right:Dependingonyourcamera'sdynamic range, youmightbeable togetanatmospheric shotwithoutburningouthighlightsor any lossofdetail in theshadows,butchancesare you'llstruggle. A seriesofexposures is a simpleande�ectivewayaround this andallowsyou to stillkeep thebestpartsofeachexposure.

Right (series):Taking sevenexposures allowedmetocapture thedetail in thefire,candles anddecorated treeaswell asopenup theshadows to revealdetail in thewoodworkandsofa.PhotomatixPro is abrilliantpieceofsoftware, but it's easytoget carriedawaywith it powerfulpresets andcontrols.For a scene like this,subtlety is importantfor it to look real.

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY /81

and I already had the massive amount ofexposure information I needed. I uploadedthe seven exposures into Photomatix Proand let the software do its business. Therewere some real retina-burning results, butpicking Tone Mapping, the Creative presetand using the controls to manually adjustthe impact paid dividends. I managed tocreate a hyper-real image, loaded withdetail and an expansive tonal range withouthaving to wear sunglasses. A little furtherwork was needed in Photoshop toselectively sharpen areas.

While I liked the final image, it wasn’t ascreative as I was originally aiming for, so Idecided to add a window frame to give thescene a bit more interest. Taking anout-of-focus picture of the window andoverlaying it in Photoshop, using a LayerMask to reveal the scene beneath workedwonders. And there you have it: a tradition-inspired HDR Christmas scene that willlook great on the front of a festive card.

Finishede�ect

Page 82: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

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Page 83: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

Photoshop CS Lightroom Camera RawPhotoshop Elements

Whateveryourability levelorchoiceofeditingsoftware,there’ssomethingforeveryoneinthismonthlyseries.

WeguideyouthrougheachofAdobe’seditingpackagestoshowyouhowtogetthebest fromyour images.

Thismonth,welookathowtoaddpunchtopictures inElements10,howtoretouchlikeaproinCS,emphasise

features inLightroom4andhowtouseCameraCalibration inAdobeCameraRaw.

JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 83

DARKROOMMASTER ADOBE’S IMAGE SOFTWARE & IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOS

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For more image manipulationand photomontagetechniques, take a look atFocal Press’s best-sellingHowtoCheat inPhotoshopCS5guide, packed with proven-to-be-successfultips and expert advice by Steve Caplin. Other booksin the series include 100%Photoshop andArt&Design inPhotoshop, both of which featurestep-by-step projects covering a variety oftechniques, such as working with shiny surfaces,the third dimension and hyper-realism. If you’re aPhotoshop user and struggling to get thebest out of the software, or finding it tricky to getto grips with some of the techniques, these bookscan help. For more information, visit:www.howtocheatinphotoshop.com

Further reading

PHOTOSHOPCS

RETOUCHLIKE A PROLearnhowtheprofessionalsachieveflawless,natural-lookingcomplexions

ELEMENTS

ADDPUNCHTOPICTURESUsingAdjustmentLayersandBlendModes

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Page 84: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

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PhotoshopElements AdjustmentLayers

1AddanAdjustmentLayer You’ll need theLayers and Adjustment palettes visible,

so first go to theWindowmenu and make surethat bothAdjustments and Layers are ticked.Then click on theCreate newfill or adjustmentlayerbutton at the bottom of the Layers paletteand, in the drop-down menu that appears,select Levels.

2Try theAuto feature In the Adjustmentpalette, first try using theAuto levelsbutton

to allow Elements to decide which adjustmentsare made to your image. This works better onsome images more than others. The Auto levelstool adjusts each of the Red, Green and Bluechannels independently so you may now noticea colour cast in your image.

3Correct thecolourTo correct the colourcast, make sure that the Levels layer in the

Layers palette is selected and, using theBlendModemenu at the top, change the Blend Modeof the layer to Luminosity. This will remove thecolour cast by ensuring that the AdjustmentLayer only a�ects the contrast in the imagebelow and not the colours.

IncreasecontrastwithanAdjustmentLayerAre your images in need of a contrast boost? Find out how to addextra punch using Adjustment Layers and Blend Modes

JORDANBUTTERS:Mist and fogadd a wonderful atmosphere toimages at this time of year.Nothing quite conveys the moodof a chilly autumn or winter

morning like the low early-morning sunpiercing through a heavy haze.

More often than not, though, mistylandscape shots are hindered by onecharacteristic – a lack of contrast. Such isthe way of nature that we can’t specify themist to only appear in the background, soquite often any foreground objects arediluted by the haze, too. Not to worrythough – with the addition of an AdjustmentLayer and some experimentation with BlendModes in Elements, you can bring back thepunch into your misty landscape images.

Workingnon-destructively

ADJUSTMENTLAYERSWe would usually advise duplicating youroriginal image layer before you start editingyour photograph, just in case you makeany mistakes. However, a major benefitof Adjustment Layers is that they are non-destructive, meaning that any changes youmake using them do not a�ect the originalimage data. What’s more, the parametersand values of an Adjustment Layer can betweaked in the Adjustment palette at anytime throughout the editing process, or ifyou’re not entirely happy with the e�ect,you can simply delete that AdjustmentLayer and start afresh.

Original

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5Manually set LevelsThis time, rather thanusing the Auto adjustment, click and drag on

theblack,grey andwhitepoint sliders in theAdjustment palette to tweak the contrast of yourimage. Be careful how far you push the blackand white points so you don’t clip the shadowsand highlights and lose detail. You can be moreliberal with the grey midpoint slider.

6ExperimentwithBlendModesBack in theLayers palette, experiment with the di�erent

BlendModes to alter the e�ect.Overlay, SoftLight andHard Lightwill all o�er slightly di�erente�ects. You can also use theOpacity slider at thetop of the Layers palette to weaken the e�ect oryou can revisit the Adjustment palette at anytime to tweak the parameters.

4Tryamanual adjustment If you aren’t happywith the e�ect from using Auto levels, delete

your adjustment layer by clicking on it in theLayers palette and dragging it to theDelete layericon at the bottom; this reverts the image backto its original state. Create another AdjustmentLayer by clicking on theCreate newfill oradjustment layerbutton and selecting Levels.

Final imageThecontrast increasehascut through thehazeand

boosted saturation.

DIGITALDARKROOM

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PhotoshopCS Retouchportraits likeanexpert

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2RemoveblemishesDuplicate your new layerby dragging it down to theAddnew layer

mask icon at the bottomof the Layers paletteand name it ‘Blemishes’. Select thePatchToolfrom the toolbar and select Source in the toptoolbar. Nowdrawaround a blemish and thenclick and drag that selection to an area of skinthat youwant to replace it with. As you releasethemouse/stylus, the selectionwill blendwiththe pixels, hiding the blemish. Repeat for allspots, scars andwrinkles.

3Smooth the skinDuplicate the ‘Blemishes’layer and name it ‘Skin Smoothing’. Use the

PatchTool again, but this time change SourcetoDestination in the top toolbar. Now select anarea of skin that’s of even tone and smoothtexture, then click and drag that selection on topof areas that showvisible pores and redness. Theresultmay look patchy at first – try reducing thelayer’sOpacity slider to around85% and use aLayerMaskwith a very lowopacity brush tosmooth the skin’s surface.

1CoverupdarkcirclesUnder-eye shadowscanmake a subject look unduly tired. The

easiestway to brighten a complexion is tominimise these shadows and evenout the skintone. Duplicate your image layer (Layer>Duplicate Layer) and select theCloneStampTool, set itsOpacity to around 20% and lightlyblend in the new skin. Be careful not to hide allthe shadowas you canmake the subject lookunnatural. If you go too far, use a LayerMask topull back the e�ect (see box out).

4Start being selectiveThis stage can takemanyAdjustment Layers, so try to keep

organised by naming the various layers ifnecessary.On your last image layer, select theLassoTool and set the Feather to 150px andloosely select an area of skin of similar tone. Goto Layer>NewAdjustment Layer>SelectiveColor to create an adjustment layer to target thatselection. Assess your image anddecidewhatcolours are a�ecting the skin– is it slightly toodark, light,magenta, red or yellow?

5Target specificareas In theAdjustmentspanel, select the appropriate colour to target

from theColormenu, using the sliders to adjustthat colour and evenout the skin tone. Repeatthe process for di�erent areas of the face, usingthe LassoTool to create new selections andadding new SelectiveColor adjustment layers.Asmymodel’s skin had a red tinge, Imainlyfocusedon theRed andWhite to reduce rednessusing the Black slider. Also tryCurves adjustmentlayers to adjust local contrast.

6Finishing touchDon’t rush steps four andfive: be prepared to take timeover perfecting

the colour to ensure all areasmatch. Somecolourswill suit di�erent areas better thanothers, so experiment– you can always returnthe sliders to 0 if needed.Once you’re done, usethe EllipticalMarqueeToolwith its Feather set to40px and select the inner eye. Next add aCurvesadjustment layer and create a soft ‘S’ shapewiththe line to pumpup the contrast. Repeat for theopposite eye.

Advancedretouchingskills

CAROLINEWILKINSON: It’s easyto cake a face in blur or paint overskin for a porcelain finish; thedi culty comeswhenyouwantto keep thenatural texture but

evenout and improve the tone. Portraitprofessionals do itwith ease and keep theirmethods close to their chest, butwehave afewsecret techniques thatwe’remore thanwilling to share. For someof you, lastmonth’s tutorials o�eringquick fixes to skinsmoothing and reducing imperfections

Wantprofessional retouchingresults?This tutorialmay take timeandaneye fordetail, butyourportraitswill becomenaturalbeauties

usingElements andAdobeCameraRawwillbe all youneed for awhile, but formoreseasonedPhotoshoppers, thismonth’stutorial is theone tomaster. Yes, dedicatedsoftwarehelps youget flawless results, butwhy spend themoneywhenyoualreadyhavePhotoshop? Layers, Adjustment LayersandLayerMasks are essential in this tutorialsomake sure youunderstandhow theywork aswe’re skipping thebasics here. Beprepared for lots of layers, lots of selectionsandemploy your eye for detail, as you’ll have

to target specific areas–noone-stop-shopglobal adjustments here! Sograb a cuppa,your latest portrait andget ready for acoupleof hours’work– the aim is amazingbut undetectable editing– soherewego…

Howtouse

LAYERMASKS

A LayerMask allows you to hide detail fromthe layer it’s applied to, revealing the imagebeneathwithout erasing it.When the LayerMask is selected, simply add the colourBlack to themask to hide image detailand change to the colourWhite to restorethe detail. Use theX key to quickly switchbetween the colours.

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Final imageAdegreeofpatience isrequired for subtle retouching,but your time is rewardedwithnatural-looking results.

Original Edited

DON’TFORGET...

It’s easy to focus on theface and forget about therest of the body, but make

sure you check theneck is of a similar

skin tone.

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Lightroom Enhancing features

1Makeglobal adjustmentsClick on theDevelopmodule and make any universal

adjustments that the image requires first.Once done, click on theAdjustmentBrush toopen theAdjustmentBrushpalette and clickon the E�ect: Customdrop-down menu, thenscroll down to select Iris Enhance.

2Choosebrush sizeZoom in on your imageto concentrate on the eyes. In the

AdjustmentBrushpalette, set the Featheramount to 50 and hover the cursor over one ofyour subject’s eyes. Use the [ and ] keys to makethe brush size smaller or larger to suit the size ofyour subject’s eyes.

3Apply adjustmentClick once on the centreof each eye to apply the adjustment to

the image. The default settings under IrisEnhancewill boost the Saturation,Clarity andExposure slightly – however, you can adjustany of the sliders at this point to apply theadjustments to the eyes.

4Adjustbotheyes If one eye requires adi�erent amount of adjustment to the other,

click onMask:New at the top and repeat theprevious steps. If you wish to switch betweeneyes, hover the mouse over the brush marker inthe centre of the eye until the red mask appearsand click once.

5Whiten teethClick onMask:New againand from the E�ectdrop-down menu,

chooseTeethWhitening. As before, zoom inand select your brush size before applying theadjustment. The preset parameters can beslightly overzealous. If this is the case, set theExposure slider to0.20 rather than0.40.

Giveyourportrait impactEye contact and a bright smile can transform a portrait, so learn afew simple adjustments to enhance your subject’s best features

JORDANBUTTERS:A person’seyes are said to be the windowsto the soul – they can be used toinstantly convey emotion, to tella story or set the mood of an

image. It’s also the first place that anyoneviewing the image will focus their attentionbefore exploring the rest of the photograph,therefore it makes sense to ensure that youpresent your subject’s eyes in the bestpossible light. Exposure, sharpness,contrast and even the colour of yoursubject’s eyes can all be adjusted easily.Paired with a gleaming smile, your portrait

Original

shot is sure to be a success. However, aswith any image adjustment, it’s crucial notto push things too far – you want yoursubject’s features to look appealing, but notappear over-edited or unnatural; demonicpossession is not a good look when itcomes to portrait photography.

Lightroom 4 o�ers a couple of toolsperfect for enhancing eyes and smiles, andbecause you are always working non-destructively in Lightroom, you can tweak,experiment and compare your adjustmentsto your heart’s content until you are happywith the final e�ect.

Toptip

RED-EYEREMOVALRed-eye is caused by an on-camera flashbouncing light o� the retina and back intothe lens. It’s not so much a problem withdigital SLRs as the pop-up flash is angledhigher than in compacts and mirrorlesscameras. Should you have red-eye inone of your images, the Red Eye Correctiontool will eliminate it. Select the tool andthen click and drag from the centre of theeye outwards before releasing to correctthe problem.

Original

Finalimage

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DIGITALDARKROOM

Final imageWitha fewsimple

tweaks youcaneasilyimproveyourportrait

photographs.

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AdobeCameraRaw Colour rendering

ManagecolourwithCameraCalibrationPerfect Photoshop’s colour rendering and take control of yourRaw editing process with a more e�cient workflow

CAROLINE WILKINSON: It’s one area of Adobe Camera Raw that often getsignored, but it holds a few tricks and treats you might be interested to know about– especially if you like your in-camera presets or your shadows often have acolour cast. The eighth tab along the editing suite in ACR, Camera Calibration,o�ers a few practical and creative profiles for adjusting and improving the colour

rendering of your pictures. Each profile is calibrated to get the best from your camera or tocorrect its unwanted colour behaviour, so it can be a really useful tool if you know how touse it. Your default profile is Adobe Camera Standard, which is excellent and very rarely –if ever – will you need to change from it. But if you want to experiment with your colourrendering, this article should show you how. Plus, if you routinely apply the same settingsand treatments to images in Adobe Camera Raw, you might be interested in the section oncreating and applying presets in order to save you valuable editing time.

Calibrationoptions

Other profiles These profiles attemptto match the camera manufacturer’sin-camera presets as closely as possible.

Applying profilesIf you previously shot in JPEG and liked thelook of some of your camera’s built-incolour profiles, you may be missing themnow you’ve converted to Raw processing.These profiles (otherwise known as PictureStyles or Picture Controls on your camera)can be accessed via the Camera Profilesection and a�ect your Raw file’s saturation,colour and contrast to varying degrees.Depending on your camera, there may bemany to choose from: some familiar, othersnot; some e�ective for making your imagesricher and colours punchier, while otherssimply ruin them. Just experiment with thedi�erent profiles – there’s no harm inclicking on them as any adjustments madein ACR are non-destructive – but you’llprobably find the best results come fromyour camera’s more familiar Picture Styles.For this example image, shot on a NikonD800, there are the following options:Landscape, Neutral, Portrait, Standard andVivid, plus an alternate version for each.You could apply these settings in-cameraif shooting in JPEG, but with Raw, all colour,contrast and sharpening adjustments arediscarded, requiring you to specify the lookusing the controls in ACR.

The beauty of being able to apply profilesafter capture, rather than in-camera, is that

you can use them as a base to be refined byother settings. It also means that you canprocess the same image multiple times todi�erent e�ect. If you create a style you like,you can always save it as a Preset, to beapplied to future images with a click of abutton (see below for details).

SavingaPreset

After tryingthe profileson di�erentimages, shot invarious lightingenvironmentsand ofdi�erentsubjects,you mightfind that youwant to useone of thesein-camera profiles as your new defaultto apply to all images imported into ACR.If that’s the case, select that profile fromtheCameraProfiledrop-down menu andthen click on the drop-down menu in thetop right of theCameraCalibrationpanel.Scroll down and click SaveNewCameraRawPreset.

Process These profiles are compatiblewith older versions of Camera Raw.Choose a di�erent ACR profile if you wantnew images to maintain a consistent lookto match with older photos.

Camera Profile: Sets the profile to wantto use for your image.

Adobe Standard This profile improvesthe colour rendering of your camera –especially warm tones such as reds, yellowsand oranges. There’s an Adobe Standardprofile available for every camera.

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DIGITALDARKROOM

Final imageCustompresets allow

you toquickly andeasilyapply your favourite

changes toyour imageswith theclickof abutton.

1Makeadjustments In your usual fashion,make all the adjustments that you want to

apply to your future Raw files. It could be as basicas correcting exposure by a couple of stops, acombination of sharpening and improved clarity,a complete colour overhaul or a black & whitestyle treatment – whatever you want.

2Create thepresetClick on the Preset panelin ACR – this will be a blank panel until you

add a preset. Down in the bottom right-handcorner of this panel is aNewPreset icon, click onit to open the control panel. You can now selectall the adjustments that you’d like to save withinthis preset. Give it a name and clickOK.

3Apply thepreset You should now see thatyour new preset is visible in the panel, ready

to use. To check it works, open a new Raw fileand then apply your preset by clicking on it in thePresetpanel. You can create as many presets asyou want and delete any preset by clicking ontheTrashCan icon in the bottom of the panel.

AddingandapplyingpresetsWhether you’re creating a new colour style, calibration profile or want to be more e�cient by saving your basic or creativeediting process to apply to future images, the Presets panel in ACR is just what you need. Here’s how to make the most of it…

Fine-tunecolour

You can adjust how Photoshop interprets thecolours captured by your camera by using thecontrols in the Camera Calibration panel and savingit as a Preset (see panel on opposite page). Someimages from certain models of camera have aslight magenta or green tint to the shadows, whichcan be corrected here using the Shadows sliderto adjust the colour. Keep theCameraProfile settoAdobeStandard for the best colour renderingfor your particular camera. If that doesn’t work,you’ll need to refer to theRed,Green andBluePrimary sliders to change the hue and saturation ofthat individual channel. If your picture has a greencast, pull theHue slider away fromGreenuntil theimage looks neutral. Adjust the Saturation sliderafterwards, if required. If the tint is consistent acrossyour images, you can save these settings as aPresetso you can apply to all subsequent Raw files.

DIDYOUKNOW?

Most of the information inthis feature canbe appliedin theCameraCalibrationpanel in Lightroom4, too– theprofiles are thesame for bothAdobe

softwares.

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MAKING A SPLASH“WHEN MY CAREER as a commercialphotographer took o�, I was characterisedby a certain style; an over-sharpened,high-contrast three-dimensional lookusing sculpted lighting. Now I look aroundand see that style everywhere. This is just

what happens in our industry; a trend breaks the norm,someone leads and others follow. That trend becomesmundane and someone else breaks out and the cyclestarts again. If you want to be noticed you have to be theone breaking out, rather than one of the followers.

“One of my goals for this year was to shoot a personalproject or two every month. I had fallen into a rhythmwith my commercial work and had to work so hard justto outdo myself. As an artist, I wanted to do somethingnew and something fresh.

“I’d just finished a personal project called Fish Headswhereby I photographed people using laser triggers atthe point that they were submerged in water. I put it outon the web and the response was positive. I felt excitedby that process; given my usual work, I’d done somethingthat was unexpected and it was really well received, soI started thinking about other things that I could do thathadn’t been done before.

“I saw a TV show where they threw water balloons atpeople’s faces and filmed the explosions using super-slow motion cameras. The water took on a contortedshape and it looked quite surreal. The problem for me wasthat not only had it been done before, but also I didn’twant to go for that novelty factor. If you hit somebody inthe face with a water balloon, they’re going to lookshocked and surprised – there’s nothing new there.I wanted to achieve a contrast between the stillness of aperson posing for a photograph in an almost mannequin-esque fashion and the volatile nature of what was goingon around them.

WHENCOMMERCIALPHOTOGRAPHERTIMTADDER’SLATESTPROJECT‘WATERWIGS’HITTHE

INTERNET,ITINSTANTLYEXPLODED.JORDANBUTTERSCATCHESUPWITHHIMTOCHATABOUT

DARINGTOBEDIFFERENTANDTHEIMPORTANCEOFKEEPINGTHECREATIVITYALIVE

Tim TadderCuttingEdge

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1)TheDonKing.“ThisisactuallyourregularUPSdriver,DerekEvans.Weseehimalmosteverydayandhehassuchagreatface,aswellasbeingareallygoodsport.Sohewasashoe-inforWaterWigs.“

2)TheConquistador.“ThismodelisanaspiringWWEwrestlerandshootinghimwasalotoffun.Hehassomeprettyinterestingfacialhairwhichreallyaddstotheimage.”

3)“WeshotKailynfromNo-TiesmodelagencyforourfemaleWaterWigsseries–theyuseditasatestshoot.Shewasatrooperconsideringthissessionwasverydi�erenttoanythingshe’dpreviouslydone.”

“I started out by throwing balloons at a mannequin thatI have in the studio and noticed that when dropped fromabove, the water formed a shape that looked like a wig,so I went on the hunt for bald models to use. In the firstincarnation of the project I used bald men, but I alsowanted to use a diverse selection of people with uniqueand di�erent looks. One of the models for the femaleWater Wigs even shaved her head for the project!

“I developed a lighting set-up that would make theimages bold and vibrant. I used five fast-duration Einsteinlights with coloured gels, all flagged to shape andconcentrate the light to prevent the colour from washingout. It seems that the colour palette used in portraitphotography at the moment is 80-90% the same; mutedpastel background tones and soft, creamy lighting usinglarge light sources. I don’t want to be the guy doing thesame thing as everyone else – I want you to love me orhate me, not be lukewarm to me, so the lighting had tobuck the trend. Maybe it’s even a little grotesque, but youknow what? At least it’s di�erent.

“The technique will be familiar to anybody who knowshigh-speed photography and very similar to capturing awater droplet. You shoot in the dark and use a sound orlaser trigger with a delay so that the lights capture theexposure in an instant; I used StopShot sound triggers tofire on the sound of the balloon popping. We threw a lotof balloons and soon had a consistent formula forachieving the shapes I wanted. Nonetheless, thetechnique was still very hit and miss; of a full day’sshooting I might end up with three or four usable shots.

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4)TheBeehive.“ThebeautifulmakeupwasdonebySpringSuperatEnnisIncagencyinNewYork.”

5)“ThismodelwasaHarley-ridinglily-farmer.Hecultivatesliliesandhasthemtattooedalloverhisbody.Averycoolguy.”

6)“Thismodel,Cindy,actuallyshavedherheadjustforthisshoot!”

7)TheWhitney.“Thisimagewasahappyaccident.Theshapeofthewaterandherexpressionmakesitafavourite.”

“For the photographs where the water appears to sit ina line or wrap around the model, I used long skinnyballoons like the type used to make balloon animals andthen popped them using a spike on a long stick. Bearing inmind that this was done in the pitch black, I think we werelucky not to have had any mishaps! By the time I came toshoot the female series I had ironed out most of the issuesand the process was streamlined. I’m always learning as Igo; the female series is a far better execution than themale series and I’ve just finished shooting a commercialapplication of Water Wigs for a huge global brand that’sanother level above the female series.

“Post-processing on the images di�ered slightlybetween the male and female series. The male modelsrequired only minor touching up, whereas when it cameto the female series, I knew I wanted a mannequin-esquefuturistic look. I’m not trying to be stylistically neutral, I’mtrying to be on the edge. I wanted the models to lookoverly Photoshopped and to have a fierce, polished look.The goal was to get people to look at the images two orthree times and think, ‘What’s going on here?’

“I had no idea that this project was going to reach so far.Water Wigs has got me more attention than any of myprevious work has and has lead to further excitingopportunities. Red Bull has just filmed the behind thescene footage of the female Water Wigs series for a TVshow that will air in Europe. The jobs that have come myway since doing this are on another level to what theywere before! If you think that Water Wigs is cool, wait untilyou see the commercial application of it – I think itworked out fantastic. It’s rare that I’m so stoked about anadvertising campaign!

“I’m hoping it continues to evolve. I’ve already got mynext project in mind; it isn’t going to be wigs, but it willinclude people, liquid and be explosive. I have an idea thatI’m still trying to formulate, but I haven’t figured out howit’s going to look yet.

“I’m excited and creatively charged to do more personalwork. It opens up possibilities and I feel like I can createanything. The ideas I have brewing are endless and I’m notsure why I haven’t done more of them.”ToviewmoreofTim’s images, visit:www.timtadder.com

IDON’TWANTTODOTHESAME

THINGASEVERYONEELSE–IWANT

YOUTOLOVEMEORHATEME

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TimTadderCuttingEdge

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SHE’S INFASHIONAMASSINGOVER126,000 socialmediafollowerswhilst forging a successful careeras an in-demand international fashionphotographer andplayinghost to sold-outphotographyworkshops is a repertoire thatanyonewouldbeproudof. Factor in

achieving all of this by the ageof 23 and you’ve arrived atthepoint that British-bornphotographer Lara Jadefindsherself in her short but very successful career.What’smore, she’s even found the time towrite her first book,FashionPhotography 101.In the competitiveworldof fashionphotography, you

oftenfindphotographers hold their cards close to theirchest, almost as if divulging industry secretswouldopenthefloodgates andfill themarketwith competition.FashionPhotography 101 is a culminationof Lara’sexperiences from forgingher ownpath into the industry.“I feelmyapproach tophotographywasunique in the

sense thatmycareer cameabout exclusively during thedigitalmedia age.When I studied formydiploma inphotography, I found that Iwas givenno information as tohow todirectly approach the industry andget noticed.Iwanted to sharemy story andexperience to show that acareer in fashionphotography is approachable. Throughmyworkshops and this book I share asmuchknowledgeas I can about how the industry operates, how toapproach it andhowwhat I knowhashelpedmestartclimbing the ladder.”What’smost refreshing about FashionPhotography 101

is that the adviceo�ered is current to the fashion industrytoday. Furthermore, Lara’s journey froma teenagerpickingupacamera for the first time towhere she is nowreinforces her credentials as the author. “I startedoutshooting self-portraits at the ageof 14 inorder tohone

ATTHETENDERAGEOFONLY23,PROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHERLARAJADEHASACHIEVED

LEVELSOFGREATNESSTHATSOMEPHOTOGRAPHERSCANONLYDREAMOF.HERESHESPEAKSTO

JORDANBUTTERSABOUTHERNEWBOOKANDMAKINGHERMARKONTHEFASHIONINDUSTRY…

Lara JadeCuttingEdge

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1)“I loveshootingusingnaturallight,althoughtheamountofcontrolyouhaveisgreatlyreduced,ithasasoftnessandqualitytoitthatsimplycan’tbereplicated.”

2)“ThiswastakenusingaLensbabyduringaneditorialtestshootwithmodelDanielleFoster.Testshootsareagreatopportunitytotryoutnewideas.”

3)“ThisimagewastakenaspartofaneditorialshootforapieceentitledTheLastRoseofSummerforPapercutmagazine.”

4)LaraonlocationduringafashionshootforSheerMagazine.

5)“ThiswastakenduringafashionshootforContentmodemagazine.Themodel,Te’sa,wasstyledasa‘50shousewife.”

myskills and improvemyconfidence, composition andstyle. A coupleof years later, I beganworkingwithconceptual stories–photographing friends andusingwillingmodelswhen I could. By the time Iwas 17, I startedreceivingbookings fromcreativeswhohad seenmyworkthrough socialmedia sites and foundmyself beinghiredto shoot dancers’ portfolios, bandphotography andcoverartwork for books. Itwasdi�cult at first becausephotography transitioned fromahobby to a job veryquickly, but I enjoyed thechallenge and it enabledme tolearnhow todealwith client demands fromanearly age.”Having foundher footing in theworldof fashion

photography, Lara’s client basequickly grew to includesuchhouseholdnames as Schwarzkopf,HarperCollins,Sony,Elle andTheObserver. Clients of thismagnitudearen’t a given, though, andhardwork andperseverance sitat theheart of her success. “Imade thedecision tomovetoNewYork at the ageof 21 as it’s oneof themostinfluential fashioncapitals of theworld. I think it’simportant as an artist to live somewhere that gives you

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constant inspiration and is closely related to the industryyouwork in. TheNYC lifestyle suitedmy ideal–busy,fast-pacedandaconstant challenge. Itwasn’t easy;there arebarriers to face as a youngphotographer in theindustry andbeing female in amale-orientatedbusinessis hard, but it’s not impossible toovercome. Aside fromtalent,working in fashion is about connections andnetworking, and it takes time toget noticed.Unfortunately, there’s noeasywayof gettingunder thespotlight– sometimespeople get noticedovernight andsometimes you just have to keeppushing forward andproving yourself.”

Aswell as covering theessentials for getting startedandbuildingupaportfolioof fashionphotographywork,FashionPhotography 101 alsoo�ers guidanceon the artof successfullymarketing yourself as a photographer.With thepopularity of photographyon the rise, standingout is only going tobecomeexponentiallymoredi�cult

CuttingEdge

6)“ThiswastakenonlocationusingaLensbaby,allowingmetousetheshallowdepth-of-fieldtofocusonthemodel’seyes.”

7)“Goodlocationsarekeytoasuccessfulshoot.WediscoveredthiscarouselinNewYork,anditmadefortheperfectbackdrop.”

8)Takenonthesetofthe‘VelveteenRabbit’editorialshootinBrooklyn,NewYork.

for future generationsof aspiringphotographers.Amateurs andprofessionals alike have tousewhatevertools are at their disposal to get noticed and securebookings. Although thedaysof photographers enjoyingcelebrity status are longgone, Lara has amassed animpressive followingonline. This shouldn’t comeas asurprisewhenyou take into consideration thatwhilemanyold-school photographers areonly just startingtoget their heads aroundusing socialmedia in thisway,Lara has beendoing it formore than six years. “In the earlydays, I used socialmediamainly because I hadnootherwayof gettingmyworkout into the industry andpartlybecause I enjoyedbeingpart of online communities.This helpedmeunderstandmy style very early on andmademe realisewhat itwas that Iwanted to achieve.

“Today, I still use socialmedia because I feel like it is partofmy journey; although I don’t rely on it solely to sharemyportfolioor to securebookings. A lot of people askme

WHILEIT’SGREATTOHAVE

COMMISSIONEDWORK,CLIENTS

RELATEMORETOPERSONALWORK,

ITSHOWSHOWINSPIREDYOUARE

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how Imanaged toget sucha strong followingonline andall I can say is that there is no secret formula, although Iwish therewas! I just try to keepall ofmyaccountsupdated asoften as I can to keep the story going.”

In thebook, Lara also explains the importanceofsetting yourself personal assignments andchallengesalongside commissionedwork, tohone your creativeand technical abilities. “When it comes to commissionedwork, the amountof creative input that I’mallowed reallycomesdown to theclient andatwhat point you’rebrought in. Someclients are easy toworkwith andwantyour input and style,whereas some justwant you toplaythe roleof photographer. Inmyeyes, personalassignments are probably oneof themost importantbodiesofwork in aphotographer’s career.While it’sgreat tohavecommissionedwork and tear sheets,clients relatemore topersonalworkbecause it showshow inspired youare andhowyou relate to yourwork.

I devote a lot ofmy spare time tomypersonalworknotonly for this reason, but because Iwant tobecontinuouslyinspiredbywhat I do.”

Despite achieving all that shehas in suchas short spaceof time, Lara’s advice to aspiring fashionphotographers isto take your time. “Thefirst fewyears of your career areincredibly important– focusonbuilding your portfolioandfinding your style.Once youhave aportfolio you’rehappywith and you’re confident in your technique, thenthiswill be the time to start approachingphotography as abusiness and reachingout to clients youwant towork for.Be confident in yourself and your abilities and thiswillcomeacross andhelp in the client decidingwhether youare right for the job!”LaraJade’sFashionPhotography101 is availablenow.Toseemoreofherwork, visit:www.larajade.co.uk,orbecomea fanonFacebookbygoing to:www.facebook.com/larajadephotography

LaraJade

9)GigiandIrenafromWilhelminaModels,shotforMaterialGirlmagazine.

10)FashionPhotography101byLaraJadecoversallyouneedtoknowabouttheworldoffashionphotography.

10

Page 103: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

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Page 105: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 105

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EXPERT

REVIEWS

PENTAXK5IIIS WEATHERPROOFING ENOUGH TO MAKE THIS 16.3-MEGAPIXEL DSLR A SUCCESS?

MAINTEST

Page 107: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

THE ORIGINAL PENTAX K-5 wasreleased in late 2010 and proved tobe an excellent camera, scoring avery respectable 90% in our test

(March 2011 issue) and proving a worthyalternative to the popular Canon, Nikon andSony models. This updated version, as wediscover, isn’t hugely di!erent to itspredecessor, o!eringa few tweaks here andthere as opposed to a full overhaul. Thebiggest di!erence, in fact, is its launch price.At £800 body only compared to the K-5’s£1,155, theMark II is releasedatasignificantlylower price, which is a bold move by Pentaxas it tries to boost its market share. With suchstrong competition, it’s also one that I feel isnecessary – regardless of how good thePentax is, it needs a strong price incentive todraw potential customers away from Canonand Nikon rivals, in particular. While theoriginal K-5 did well, there is no doubt that itshigher guide price on launch a!ectedsales– a factor Pentax hopes won’t a#ict thislatest model. The K-5 II certainly has much inits arsenal, but has it enough to give it theedge over the fierce competition in thishighly competitive sector?

Handling&easeofuse SCORE23/25

As with the entry-level K-30 reviewed in theNovember 2012 issue, the Pentax K-5 II isincredibly well made and clearly designed tohandle the rigours of the enthusiast. If you’reused to the light, plasticky feel of anentry-level model, you’ll no doubt besurprised by the solid feel and weight of theK-5 II. The shape of the handgrip is nicelycurved to provide a very comfortable andsecure platform for your fingers, while itsrubberised texture, also used on thethumbrest, improves the grip further.

The exterior casing of the K-5 II isconstructed using lightweight magnesiumalloy, while the chassis is made of stainlesssteel. This helps reduce the weight while

maintaining its rigidity. The body also boasts77 seals that make it weather-resistant anddustproof, as well as ensuring it can workproperly in temperatures as low as -10°C.All this protection adds somewhat to theweight, although the camera body remainsrelatively compact in size.

The large, bright viewfinder is a joy to use,especially if you’re familiar with the rathercramped o!eringsyou find on manysimilarly priced models. The 3in LCDmonitor is also worthy of praise, boasting avery bright screen that is usable in brilliantconditions. The menu system and range ofoptions for viewing information in di!erentways is ample, too, as is the crispness of

menus and images from the high-resolution921,000-dot screen.

The general control layout of the Pentax isexcellent, with pronounced, well-markedbuttons neatly arranged in logical positions.A major positive is the inclusion of two inputdials, one on the handgrip and the other onthe rear by the thumbrest, which greatlyspeeds up changing variables like aperturesand shutter speeds. The set-up of how thefour-way control, info button and LCDmenu system can work in unison alsodeserves credit.

As you can gather, I’m very impressedwith the general handling of the K-5 II, asindeed I was with the original version. Thecamera has been designed to be easy tonavigate and fast to operate, as well as suitedto serious use. In terms of handling, it’s oneof the best under-£1,000 models. The onetiny niggle I have is that due to the design ofthe SD card slot, it can be more di"cult thannormal to remove the card.

Features SCORE22/25

The specification of the K-5 II is surprisinglysimilar to the original. The 16.28-megapixelCMOS sensor has the same resolution of theprevious version, although we’re told it’s anewly designed sensor that promisesimproved performance. It sits inside aplatform that provides Shake Reduction ofup to three stops, so every shot you take canbenefit from stabilisation, regardless of thelens used. It’s worth noting that as it uses thePentax K-mount, pretty much any Pentaxlens made in the last few decades can beused on the K-5 II.

PentaxK-5II:Dimensions

LCD:3IN DEPTH:72.5MM

HEIG

HT: 9

7M

M

WIDTH:131MM

WORDS:DANIELLEZANO

TESTCENTRECamera test

Bodyonly:£800 (Guide) / £800 (Street)

18-55mmWRkit:£870 (Guide) / £870 (Street)

Imagesensor:CMOS APS-C (23.7x15.7mm)

Imageresolution:16.28-megapixels

LCD:3in (921,000 dots)

Storage:SD (SDHC/SDXC)

Weight:680g (including battery and card

PentaxK-5II

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 107

ABOVE:Thecompact sizeand robust,weatherproofbodywill appeal toenthusiastslooking for acameraable to survive the rigoursofheavyuse inpoorweather.

Inthebox

The Pentax K-5 II is supplied with theLi-ion battery (D-Li90), battery charger(K-BC90H), body cap, wide strap, interface(USB) and AV cables, software CD andowner’s instruction manuals.

Page 108: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

TESTCENTRE Camera test

108 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

Aimed at more advanced users, Pentaxhas not included Scene modes among itsexposure options, but there is program, aswell as semi-auto and manual modes.You’ve a choice of 77-segment, spot orcentre-weightedaveragemeteringpatterns,along with the usual exposure overrides.

The biggest change on this model is theautofocus system, which uses the newlydeveloped SAFOX X AF module, boastingimproved sensitivity, especially in low light.The focusing system uses 11 points, whichcan be used individually or with five or all 11AF points active.

Image processing is handled by the highlyregarded PRIME II (Pentax Real ImageEngine II), that allows for shooting at a veryrespectable seven frames-per-second,along with an ISO range of ISO 100-12800(extendable to ISO 80-51200). Full HD videois also possible (1980x1080pixels) at 25fps,with an external microphone socket locatedon the left side above the HDMI slot.

For those looking to try in-camera e�ects,the K-5 II sports 18 digital filters. Otherfeatures worth noting are the integral flashwith a full set of modes, including Wireless,image sensor Dust Removal and LiveView.

Performance SCORE23/25

The K-5 II performs in a very similar fashionto the original K-5, which was itself anexcellent camera. The main improvement ishow well the AF system operates in low light– it’s surprising how in very dim conditions itlocks focus on the subject. In normal

conditions, the AF is quick and positive,although LiveView still needs improving.Metering is excellent, only backlightingcauses it major problems. Image quality isexcellent, with good sharpness and realisticcolours. Most impressive is the level of noise,which isn’t that evident until the ISO reaches3200. HD video is impressive, too, withsmooth, clear recordings.

Keyfeatures

CMOSSENSORThe resolutionmay be the sameas the original K-5,but images areslightly improved,with noise athigher ISOs beingvery well controlled. The sensor sits in ahousing as part of the Shake Reductionsystem and has anti-dust protection.

ROBUSTBUILDVery few DSLRs atthis price boastthe build qualityand weatherresistance of theK-5 II. Its casing ismade usingmagnesium alloy, which is both lightweightand tough, while the chassis is stainlesssteel. 77 seals protect from dust and water.

11-POINTAFAs with theoriginal, thePentax K-5 IIo�ers an 11-pointAF system, butbenefits from theinclusion of theSAFOX X AF module which improves itssensitivity in particular in very low light.

PentaxK-5IIS

The £950 Pentax K-5 IISis a variant of the K-5 IIthat is virtually identicalwith the only majordi�erence being the lackof the anti-aliasing filterabove the image sensor. In a similar fashionto the Nikon D800E, it allows for slightlysharper images, although users need to beaware of the increased risk of moiré e�ects.

Verdict

The Pentax K-5 II isn’t amajor update of the K-5,but its changes, howeverminor, do improve on theoriginal. With a price tagthat is very competitive, thePentax deserves to do well.It’s particularly suitable foroutdoor photographers who would benefitfrom its excellent build. As well as rivalbrands, it faces competition from thecheaper K-30, which is very similar inspecification. It’s a great camera but withmost models o�ering 18-megapixels ormore, it has a fight on its hands.

Handling&easeof use 23/25

Features 22/25

Performance 23/25

Value formoney 23/25

Overall 91/100

BESTBUY

THEK-5II ISN’TAMAJORUPDATE,BUTITSCHANGES,HOWEVERMINOR,DOIMPROVEONTHEORIGINAL

Viewfinder

Thanks to the inclusion of a glasspentaprism in the design, the Pentax boastsa wonderfully bright and sharp viewfinder.Add to this the fact that it provides 100%frame coverage and you have one of thebest viewfinders of any APS-C DSLR. AFpoints light up red when activated whileinformation is displayed along the base.

You’ll find thePentaxconsistentlydelivers images that are sharp,well-exposedandnoise-free.

Page 109: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

TESTCENTRECamera test

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 109

Comparisontable:PentaxK-5IIandrivalenthusiast-levelDSLRs

MODEL PENTAXK-5II PENTAXK-5 CANONEOS60D NIKOND7000 SONYALPHA65

CONTACT 0870 736 8299www.pentax.co.uk

0870 736 8299www.pentax.co.uk

08705 143723www.canon.co.uk

0800 230 220www.nikon.co.uk

08705 111999www.sony.co.uk

GUIDEPRICE (RRP) £800 (body only) £780 (body only) £1,050 (body only) £1,005 (body only) £790 (body only)

SENSORTYPE CMOS (APS-C) CMOS (APS-C) CMOS (APS-C) CMOS (APS-C) CMOS (APS-C)

RESOLUTION

(EFFECTIVEPIXELS)

16.28 16.28 18 16.2 24.3

MAXIMUMIMAGE

RESOLUTION

4928x3264 4928x3264 5184x3456 4928x3264 6000x4000

EFFECTIVEFOCAL

LENGTH INCREASE

1.5x 1.5x 1.6x 1.5x 1.5x

NUMBEROFAFPOINTS 11 11 9 39 15

MULTI-ZONEMETERING 77 77 63 2016-pixels 1200

NOMINAL ISORATING 100-12800 100-12800 100-6400 100-6600 100-16000

EXPANDABLE ISORATING 80-51200 80-51200 100-12800 100-25600 100-16000

CARDFORMATSD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC 2x SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/HC/XC &MS

SHUTTERSPEEDS 1/8000sec-30sec+Bulb 1/8000sec-30sec+Bulb 1/8000sec-30sec+Bulb 1/8000sec-30sec+Bulb 1/4000sec-30sec+Bulb

BUILT-INFLASH Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

FLASHSYNC 1/180sec 1/180sec 1/250sec 1/250sec 1/160sec

SHAKEREDUCTION Yes Yes IS lenses only VR lenses only Yes

DUSTREDUCTION Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

CONTINUOUSFRAMERATE 7fps 7fps 5.3fps 6fps 8fps (10:Hi-speedmode)

LCDMONITOR3in 3in 3in vari-angle 3in 3in tilt & swivel

HDVIDEO Full HD Full HD Full HD Full HD Full HD

POWERSOURCE Lithium-ion Lithium-ion Lithium-ion Lithium-ion Lithium-ion

SIZE (MM) 131x97x72.5 131x97x73 144.5x105.8x78.6 132x105x77 132.1x97.5x80.7

WEIGHT (GRAMS) 680 660 675 690 543

ISSUETESTED January 2013 March 2011 January 2011 February 2011 January 2012

TESTRATING (%) 91 90 88 91 92

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JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 111

TESTCENTREDigitalSLR listingsPRICESSTATEDARECURRENTGUIDEPRICESINCVATAT20%

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Page 113: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 113

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4/5

NEW! Olympus PEN Mini

E-PM2£450* 16.1 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 200-

25600Opt 1/250 8 269 109.8x64.2

x33.8– –

NEW! Olympus PEN Lite

E-PL5£550* 16.1 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 200-

25600Opt 1/250 8 325 110.5x63.7

x38.2– –

NEW! Olympus

PEN E-P3£680 12.3 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 200-

12800■ 1/180 3 321 122x69.1

x34.3Oct 11 4.5/5

NEW! Olympus

OM-DE-M5£1,150 16.1 2x Four-Thirds SD/

HC/XC3 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 200-

25600Opt 1/250 4.2 425 121x89.6

x41.9– –

NEW! P anasonic

Lumix GX1£600 16 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 160-

12800■ 1/160 4.2 272 116.3x67.8

x39.4– –

PanasonicLumix GF5

£450 12.1 2x Four-Thirds SD/HC/XC

3 ■ – ■ – – ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4,000 160-12800

■ 1/160 4 267 107.7x66.6x36.8

– –

NEW! Panasonic

Lumix G3£630 16 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 160-

6400■ 1/160 4 336 115.2x83.6

x46.7Aug 11 4/5

NEW! Panasonic

Lumix G5£770 16 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 160-

12800■ 1/160 6 346 119.9x83.6

x46.7– –

NEW! Panasonic

Lumix GH2£970 16.05 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 160-

12800■ 1/160 5 392 124x89.6

x 75.8May 11 4.5/5

NEW! Panasonic

Lumix GH3£1,550* 16.05 2x Four-Thirds SD/

SDHC3 ■ ■ ■ ■ – ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 125-

25600■ 1/160 6 855 132.9x93.4

x82– –

NEW! Pentax Q10 £380 12.4 5.5x 1/2.3in SD/

HC/XC3 – Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/8000 100-

6400■ 1/180 5 200 102x58

x33.5– –

NEW! Pentax Q £550 12.4 5.5x 1/2.3in SD/

HC/XC3 – Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/8000 125-

6400■ 1/180 3 180 98x57.5

x31BGJan 12

4/5

NEW!

PentaxK-01 £680 16.2 1.5x APS-C SD/HC/XC

3 – – ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 100-12800

■ 1/180 6 561 122x79x58

– –

NEW! SamsungNX11 £500 14.6 1.5x APS-C SD/

SDHC3 – ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ HD 1/4000 100-

3200■ 1/180 3 353 123x87x39.8 Sep 11 4/5

NEW! SamsungNX200 £700 20.3 1.5x APS-C SD/

SDHC3 – – ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 100-

12800– 1/180 7 220 116.5x62.5x

36.6Mar 12 89%

NEW! Sony NEX-5N £550 16.1 1.5x APS-C SD/

SDHC3 ■ Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 100-

25600Opt 1/160 10 210 110.8x62.2

x38.2BGDec 11

4.5/5

NEW! Sony NEX-5R £670 16.1 1.5x APS-C SD/MS 3 ■ Opt ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 100-

25600Opt 1/160 10 276 110.8x58.8

x38.9– –

NEW! Sony NEX-6 £710* 16.1 1.5x APS-C SD/MS 3 – ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 100-

25600■ 1/160 10 345 119.9x66.9

x42.6– –

NEW! Sony NEX-7 £1,130 24.3 1.5x APS-C SD/

SDHC3 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Full HD 1/4000 100-

16000■ 1/160 10 415 119.9x66.9

x 42.6– –

Page 114: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

Adecent tripodallows forshake-free longexposuresandawholenewworldofamazingpicturepotential.Wetestninepopularbudgetmodels

Featuresto lookoutfor1) Leg sections:Threeor four sections are popular. Yougetmoreheightwith four sections, but they canbe less stable.

2) Leg locks: Lever locks are faster, and it’s easyto see if they’re not properly locked. Twist-collarlocks aremore robust.

3) Centre column:Greatly extends theheight, butpushing it up too far reduces stability.Often reversible togetdown toground level. Somecan tilt or swingdown.

4) Ballast hook: Look for a hookon thebottomof the centrecolumn to attach abagorweight for extra stability.

5) Feet:Usually rubber,which is good formost purposes, orspikes– ideal for grass but not hard surfaces! Best is a rubber footattached to an adjustable screw that turns to reveal a spike.

6) Tripod head:Thehead is important.Heads that comecompletewith the tripod areoftenbuilt down to aprice ratherthanup to a standard.

Spirit level:Useful for ensuring thehorizon is level.

Height:A tripod shouldput the topof the camera aroundshoulder height, for comfortable use.

Minimum height:Extra leg-angle locks allow the legs tobe spreadwider, to get the tripodmuch lower, or helpto level the tripodonunevenground.

Aluminium vs carbon-fibre: It’s a simple choicebetweena little lessweight for a lotmore cost.

Monopod option: Sometimesone leg canbeunscrewed, bolted to the removable centrecolumn, andused as amonopod. Very useful.

TEST:RICHARDHOPKINS

TESTCENTRE Comparisontest: tripodsunder£150

Tripodsunder£150

AGOODQUALITY tripodopens thedoor tosomanygreatphotoopportunities.There’s justasmuchhappeningwhenthe lightgets lowandshutter speedsbecometoo long for sharphandheldshooting.Not tomentiondeliberately slowing thingsdownforcreative techniques likestreakinglight trails, thatwonderfulmilkywater lookwithdarkNDfilters, lightpaintingorfireworks.And justasoften, youalsoneeda tripod tosimplyhold thecameraexactly inpositionwhensettingupastudioshotorwaiting for the right light ina landscape.Avoidcheap tripods.Theymight lookmuchthesame,butprovideflimsysupportandgeteasily

damaged,aswell asbeingapain touse.Goodtripodsusually start aroundthe£100mark,but if youbuywell itwill last formanyyears, sooverall the investment is low.There’sasayingabout tripods:lowcost, sturdybuildor lightweight–youcanhaveany twooutof three.Therealsocomesapointwherespendingmoremoneyonlygainsasmall advantage,and that’susuallywhencarbon-fibrestarts toget involved. It’swonderful stu�,butcandouble thecost forasmall saving inweight.Therearea fewbasicdesign types: theclassic, likemosthere, thensomevariantsof thatwhichdo

clever thingswith thecentrecolumn,allowing it to tilthorizontallyor swingdownwards forclose-upwork.Andthenthere’s thecunning ‘folding traveller’ stylewhere the legspivot rightupandbackonthemselves, resulting inamuchsmallerclosed length for transport.Onethingwewill say isdon’toverlook thehead.Youshouldconsider it tobeas importantas the tripod,as it’swhatactuallyholds thecamera.Kitheadsaresometimesnot thebest,but theyallhaveauniversal screwmountsoyoucanbuyandfit separately.Wetest sevenof themostpopularball&socketheadshere, too.

2

6

5

1

3

4

114 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

The290series is fairlynewfromManfrotto,filling thegapbetweenthesmaller 190andlarger055ranges. It comeswithadi�erentplatformdesign,usingsingle-sidedpivotsinsteadofmoreconventionalhinges for thelegs, and thereare just two leganglepositions (normalandabout45°) insteadoftheusual three, selectedbya thumb-operated rocker switch.Theuserbenefitsofthisnewsystemareunclear, and in therigidity test therewassomeflex in theplatformpivots, thoughthiswas lessevidentinnormaluseexceptwhenthe legsweresetat the lowerangle.But in thesametest, thesmallerManfrotto190provedstronger.Other featuresaresparse, just the risingandreversiblecentrecolumn.Height isgood,though,at 139cm,andweight ison the lowside.Withacompetitiveaveragestreetpriceof£90,you’ll alsofind itcanoftenbe foundatunder£110withaballor three-wayhead.

Verdict

While this isaperfectlyadequatetripod, it’s surprisingthatManfrottohasnotmovedthings further forwardwiththenewdesign.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£100 (Guide) /£90 (Street)

Lengthclosed:60cm

Height:139cmExtended:168cmMin:40cm

Weight:1.8kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:26mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:5kg

Website:www.manfrotto.co.uk

Manfrotto290MT294A3

Howtochooseagoodtripod

Thebestway tofindagood tripod is todoaquick simulated test.1 Set the tripod at full height andhold twoofthe legs around the top section joint. Applygentleweight andpushone legwhile pullingtheother.Notehowmuch the legs flex andif there ismovement around theplatformpivots at the top. Somemovement andflex isnormal, but do thiswith twoor three tripodstoget a feel forwhich aremore robust.2Adjust theheight, seehowdi�erent tripodsand leg locks compare. Pull up the centrecolumnandcheck it in di�erent positions.Close it completely. Do this a coupleof times,comparingmodels for ease and speed.3Check thehead.Use a camera, ideallywith

a long lens. Frameupa fewdummyshots,carefully, and lock it in position. Reposition itvery slightly and relock it. Everything shouldbe smooth, positive and accurate.4Test thehead for anypositional shift.Close-ups are good for this. Frameupa shotand adjust the friction carefully so that thecamera is only just held in position, then lockit downfirmly and see if the framingmoves.Do this a few times to seehoweasily andaccurately youcan framea shot exactly.5Drop theheadover toput the camera in theportrait position, andcheck that thequick-releaseplate doesn’t twist on the camerabase. If youhave aheavier lens, use that asthe extraweightwill bemore testing.

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TESTCENTREComparisontest: tripodsunder£150

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 115

Slik has been at it for decades and they knowa thing or two about tripods – get the basicsright and the rest follows. The Slik Pro 500DXis a no-frills design, but it starts with abroad-shouldered platform and 27mm topsections, promising good stability. The legsare also grooved, which adds a little morerigidity and prevents them from rotating.It also seems to help them slide moresmoothly. Weight is about average at 1.9kg,though height is modest at 129cm beforeextending the centre column, making it oneof the shortest here. The centre column hasa locking collar and also a knob for extrasecurity. The two work well together,making adjustment just a bit easier. Thecolumn itself splits in two, and unscrewingthe bottom half allows the legs to splay rightdown flat to get the camera within 25cm ofthe ground. There’s no hook on the bottom,though, for hanging extra ballast.

Verdict

TheSlikPro500DXmakesagoodstableplatform,hasall thebasics rightand isnicetouse,but it’sa littleontheshortsideforsome.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£170 (Guide) / £90 (Street)

Lengthclosed:62cm

Height:129cmExtended:157cmMin:25cm

Weight:1.9kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:27mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:4.5kg

Website:www.intro2020.co.uk

SlikPro500DX

This is quite a di�erent animal to the otherGiottos on test. It’s aimed squarely at macroand table-top photography with a versatilecentre column that extends, tilts and rotates,swinging right down to ground level orlocking firmly into place anywhere alongthe way. There is also a mini columnincluded in a pouch that clips to theplatform, allowing the camera to get rightdown to ground level another way. You haveto reattach the head, though, so it’s not aten-second job. There’s a complicatedlooking set of knobs and locks to hold it alltogether, but they’re actually quite logicaland easy to use, allowing the camera to bepositioned almost anywhere. None of thiswould be much use if the basic tripod wasn’tup to it, though luckily it is. To keep theweight down to 1.9kg, the upper legs havebeen slimmed to 25mm, but rigidity is nottoo seriously impaired.

Verdict

Formacrophotographers,oranyonewantingtopoketheir lens intoawkwardplaces, thiso�ersunrivalledversatilityandvalue.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£105 (Guide) / £95 (Street)

Lengthclosed:62cm

Height:139cmExtended:163cmMin:45cm

Weight:1.8kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:25mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:5kg

Website:www.giottos-tripods.com

GiottosMTL9351B

Velbon’s Sherpa 630+ is a basic all-roundertripod, but there is one important thingmissing from the spec sheet – weight. Atonly 1.6kg, it’s anything up to 400 gramslighter than rivals here, and that puts it in thesame league as carbon-fibre tripods costingtwice the price. With the quest for weightsaving, you might suspect that stability hasbeen compromised, but while it’s not quitethe sturdiest model on test, it’s not at all bad.The legs are grooved to prevent rotation andperhaps this also helps reduce flex. For tallerusers, it’s a little short on height, though. Asfar as the Sherpa’s main features go, that’sabout all it o�ers. As usual, the legs can befixed at three di�erent angles to get downlow, and the centre column (sans ballasthook) splits in half to go even lower. Thecentre column lock is unusual in being alever rather than a ring or knob, and it allworks rather well.

Verdict

TheVelbonSherpa+630’skeyfeatureis lightweight.That’sanicebonus,because it’salsoadecent tripodataverygoodprice.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£130 (Guide) / £90 (Street)

Lengthclosed:56cm

Height:131cmExtended:163cmMin:13cm

Weight:1.6kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:29mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:4kg

Website:www.intro2020.co.uk

VelbonSherpa+630

HIGHLYRATED

Page 116: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

TEST:RICHARDHOPKINS

TESTCENTRE Comparisontest: tripodsunder£150

116 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

Manfrotto’s 190-series tripodsarepossiblythebiggest sellerson theplanet.Over theyears, thedesignhasbeentweakedandupdated,and the latestXPro range featuresacentrecolumnthat tilts through90° tocreateahorizontalbar.There isnoangleadjustment like theGiottosMTL9351BorVanguardAltaPro, thoughthecolumnslidesandrotates.Combinedwith thevariable legangleadjustment togeteverythingdownlow, it’smoreversatile thanyoumight thinkandhas theupsideofbeingmore rigidlysecured. Itworkswell. The190XProBfeelsverywellplantedandsolid,which isperhapsdue to theshorter legshaving inherently lessflex, thoughtheobviousdownside is theshorter-than-averageheight.Tobehonest,it’sbarelybigenoughformost, so tallerusersmightbebettero�withsomethingbiggerrather thanhaving toextendthecentrecolumntoooften.Quality isagiven.

Verdict

If it’s tallenough, theManfrotto190XProB isasolid tripod,quite light,andwiththebigbonusof thathorizontalcentrecolumn.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£145 (Guide) /£95 (Street)

Lengthclosed:57cm

Height:122cmExtended:146cmMin:18cm

Weight:1.8kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:25mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:5kg

Website:www.manfrotto.co.uk

Manfrotto190XProB

HIGHLYRATED

It’sgoodwhen it all comes together right,and that’swhatGiottoshasachievedherewith its justlypopularMTL9261B.Achunkyplatformand large28mmdiameter topsectionspromisegoodstability, and that’sprettymuchdelivered.There is someflexwhenthe tripod isat full height,but that’snotunexpectedat 148cm, tall enougheven forsix-footers.Reducing theheighta littlesti�ensupthe legsandthere’sabit lessflexin the joints,making foragoodsolidbase.Minimumheight isnot the lowestat33cm(basically the lengthof thecentrecolumn),thoughthat is reversible, andweightat 1.9kgis very reasonable fora taller tripod.Somenicefinishing touches includeaballasthook,spirit level, ahandymetal loopontheplatformtoattachacarryingstrapand leverlocks thatareadjustable for tensionandwear.Atunder£100, it’s aquality tripodwitha lotof functionalityandvalue.

Verdict

GiottosMTL9261Bhasasoundbasicdesign,withafewniceextras. Itperformsverywellwiththebonusofextraheight.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£110 (Guide) /£95 (Street)

Lengthclosed:66cm

Height:148cmExtended:171cmMin:33cm

Weight:1.9kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:28mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:8kg

Website:www.giottos-tripod.com

GiottosMTL9261B

BESTBUY

Thiscunning littleVanguarddoeseverythingdi�erently. It is incredibly small, foldingdownto just37cm,andvery lightatonly1.1kg,and that includesan integral tiltingandpanninghead.Thefive-section legsextendby twisting the foot thatclicks to releaseonesectionata time.Thereare threeadjustmentangles, setbypressingabutton.TheplatformisU-shaped,allowing thecentrecolumntopivotuponakindofgolf-balldevice, throughtheopensideof the ‘U’ tofurtherextend toheadheight. If youwantinnovation, thisVanguardhasa little toomuch.That’s theendof thegoodnews.Rarelyhassuchawobblyandunstabletripodbeenconceived.The legsare thinandbendy, the jointshavenorigidity.TheU-shapedplatformisa fundamentallyflawedconceptand it is impossible totightenanythingas it’s allmadeofplasticandjustbends.Samegoes for theplastichead.

Verdict

Ifonly itworked.Smallenoughtopackinabag, lightenoughtobehardlynoticed.Shouldbebrilliant!Butunfortunately it isn’t.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price(includinghead):£120 (Guide) /£110 (Street)

Lengthclosed:37cm

Height: 120cmExtended: 161cmMin:36cm

Weight: 1.1kg inchead

Legsections:Five

Maxdiameter:24mm

Leg locks:Twist foot

Manufacturer’s load rating:3kg

Website:www.vanguardworld.co.uk

VanguardNivelo245BK

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TESTCENTREComparisontest: tripodsunder£150

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 117

Testconclusion

This iscaseprovenreally–youdon’tneed tospenda fortune togetaqualitytripodand indeedanyoneofourBestBuyorHighlyRatedchoicescomes inwellunder the£150budget.What’smore, theyactually leaveplentyofchange to invest inaqualityhead–somethingyoureally shouldn’t skimpon–andthereareseveralof those tochoose fromover thepage, too.OurBestBuyGiottosMTL9261Bgot

o�toaflyingstart. It’s awell-knowntop-sellerand thespecification readswell– tall, reasonably lightweight, agoodsmatteringofusefulextra featuresandaverycompetitiveprice. If theperformance livedupto thepromise itwasalwaysgoing tobehard tobeat,andso itwas.Our twoHighlyRatedchoicesare

quitedi�erent.TheManfrotto190XProBkeepsondeliveringyearafteryear,andscoreshigher thanever in thisXProversionwith theneatandsimplehorizontalcentrecolumn.While itappears lessversatile than themoreelaborateGiottosMTL9351BandVanguardAltaPro263ATthato�erevenmorecentre-columnpositioning, inpractice theManfrottodoesn’t loseoutonmuch,apart frombeinga little small.TheotherHighlyRated

recommendation is theVelbonSherpa630.That’snotexactly tall either,butadequate formostusers. Itsmainappeal is lightweight–apreciouscommodity ina tripod thatyou’llprobably spendmore timecarryingthanwithacameraontop. It’s alsonicetouse,withwidesection legscoveredinchunky foamandcontrols thatareeasy togetholdof.Attheendoftheday,noneofthese

tripodsarebad,orhasfundamentalflawsthatshouldbeavoided.Theyallhavetheirgoodpointsandalldoagoodjobatafairprice.Well,allexceptone,that is.

Hatso�toVanguard for innovation.Whilethe ingenious littleNivelo is less successful,thisAltaPro isagreatdesign.Like theGiottosMTL9351B, themain feature isacentrecolumnthatpullsupandout, thenrotatesandtilts throughanyangle fromvertical tostraightdown.Combinedwith the three-position legs forgetting rightdownto it, thecameracan literallybepositionedanywhere.It’sevenslightlyeasier touse than theGiottos.Therearen’t toomanyextra featuresyoucanaddtoa tripod,butVanguardhasgot themall covered–bubble level,ballasthookandrubber feet thatcanbescrewedback to reveala spike. It’s allwell thoughtout, the legsextend toagoodheightand it’snicelyfinished,but thereareacoupleofcaveats.Thoughnothingmajor, there’sabittoomuchflex in the leg joints for totalmechanicalconfidence,and theprice isonthehighside.

Verdict

Anothergoodoptionformacroshooters, though itwouldbeevenbetterwithaslightlymorerobustbuildanda lowerprice.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£160 (Guide) /£140 (Street)

Lengthclosed:63cm

Height:133cmExtended:165cmMin:46cm

Weight:2kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:26mm

Leglocks:Lever

Manufacturer’s loadrating:7kg

Website:www.vanguardworld.co.uk

VanguardAltaPro263AT

Induro is theother tradingnamefor theChineseBenrocompany,made in thesamefactorywithmainlycosmeticdi�erences.This isnobadthing,and ithasbuiltupagoodreputation forquality, especiallywith itshigherendcarbon-fibremodels.This Indurofollows theclassicdesignstyle,with thekeyfeaturehereof slightlygreaterheight thanaverage,only justbeatenbyourBestBuyGiottos. In fact, the twotripodsareverysimilar inbothspecificationandperformance,withperhaps themaindi�erencebeingasmallone–the Indurouses twist-collar locks rather than levers. It’sverynice touse, thecentrecolumnbeingparticularly smoothandeasy topositionwith the large three-winged lock.Stability isaverageat full extension,but improvesatlowerheightswhena littlemoreof the lowerleg is left inside theupper, improving rigidityof the legs–as itoftendoes.

Verdict

Wellmade,smoothoperating,bigandwithabubble levelandballasthook,butwhatstandsoutmostarethetwist-locks–andhigherprice.

Buildquality

Features

Stability

Value formoney

Overall

Price:£135 (Guide) /£120 (Street)

Lengthclosed:65cm

Height:145cmExtended:167cmMin:34cm

Weight:2kg

Legsections:Three

Maxdiameter:28mm

Leglocks:Twist-collar

Manufacturer’s loadrating:10kg

Website:www.profoto.com

InduroAT213

BESTBUY

Page 118: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

118 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

TESTCENTRE Comparisontest:Ball&socketheads

Tried&tested:Ball&socketheads

Price:£60 (Guide) /£60Weight:248g+57gHeight:92mm

Basediameter:44mmBallsize:30mmQRsystem:VelbonQB-62

Manufacturer’s loadrating:5kgWebsite:www.intro2020.co.uk

VelbonQHD-53D

TheVelbonQHD-53Dhasa lowweightandaslimprofile,whichwefound ismoresuited forusewith‘traveller’-type tripods.Thedesign isabasicclam-shell,where the twohalvesclamptheballwitha large lever.Ontop,we foundthat thequick-releasesystemworkswell,witha longplate thatcanbeusedeither sidewaysorlengthwaysandanunusuallygoodandgrippy rubberisedsurface.Finepositioningadjustmentswerea little trickyinour testandclampingstrengthwas low,needing tobescreweddownespeciallyhardtocomfortablyholdour test4kgweight inportrait format. Itdidn’tgiveus toalconfidence that itwouldstand the testof time.

Star ratingVerdict:Okay fora lightercameraoutfitandbestmatchedtoa lighter travel tripod,but theconstruction isn’tup tomuchmore.

Price:£85 (Guide) /£70Weight:457g+41gHeight:101mm

Basediameter:60mmBallsize:36mmQRsystem:GiottosMH652

Manufacturer’s loadrating:10kgWebsite:www.giottos-tripods.com

GiottosMH1311-652Series II

TheGiottosMH1311hasa fullyfledgedspecificationwith threeseparatecontrols forpanning, frictionpre-tensionanda largemainlockingknob.They’reallsmoothandnicelyweighted,and thepre-tensioncontrolworkswellforaccuratepositioning.Generally, a reallygoodheadtouse,thoughtheball couldbeprone toslightmovementon lock-down,orsometimes itwouldnotchangeatall. It varied,thoughunlessyou’redoingcriticalwork, likemacroperhaps, you’dnevernotice it. Shooting landscapesshouldbefine,forexample.TheQRclamphas twinspirit levels.

Star ratingVerdict:Aqualityheadandgoodtouse,butovershadowedby theexceptionalperformanceof thecheaperMH5400.

Price:£80(Guide) /£65 (Street)Weight:388g+36gHeight:105mm

Basediameter:62mmBallsize:33mmQRsystem:VanguardQS-39

Manufacturer’s loadrating:10kgWebsite:www.vanguardworld.co.uk

VanguardSBH-100

TherevitalisedVanguardbrand isproducingsomeimpressiveandgreat-valueproducts thesedays, andthisSBH-100headcertainlylooks thepart. It’s agoodsize,hasseparate lockingknobs forthebaseandball, and twinspiritlevelson thequick-releaseplatform.Everything’sfineandlooksgood…until youuse it,that is.Whatever isgoingoninside, it cannot lock theballwithout it shiftingafrustratingly longway fromthesetposition,andevenwhencrankeddownhard, itstruggled toholdour4kgtest-weightcameraand lenswhenturned foravertical shot.A real shame–weexpectedbetter–but thereare farbetterball&socketheads fromotherbrandsontesthereatasimilaror lowerprice.

Star ratingVerdict:Thespecification readswell, itlooks rightand feelsgood,but theperformancedoesn’t liveupto thepromise.

Price:£125 (Guide) /£75 (Street)Weight:303g+39gHeight:100mm

Basediameter:51mmBallsize:25mmQRsystem:Slik6183

Manufacturer’s loadrating:5kgWebsite:www.intro2020.co.uk

SlikSBH-280E

Verywellmade,withadesign that’s slightlyunusual.One largeknobcontrolseverything,including lockingthesmallish25mmball. It’srated foramodest5kg loadbutcanactually takemuchmore.This isa toughheadandworkswell. There’sminimal shiftonlockingdown–in fact,wefound it tobeoneof thebesthere. It’snice touse, too.Themainknobhasafinelymachinedgrippysurface,lockingsolid inonly1/8thofaturn.Thequick-releaseplatehasanon-slipcorksurfaceanddropseasily intoplaceas thelever snapsshut.All inall, this isagoodo�ering fromSlikata reasonableprice, so for these reasonsitdeservesaDigital SLRPhotographyBestBuyaccolade.

Star ratingVerdict:The lockingknob isabiteitheronoro�,yetpreciseandeasy togetused to.Goodhead,nicequick-releasesystem, too.

BESTBUY

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JANUARY 2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 119

TESTCENTREComparisontest:Ball&socketheads

Youshouldcarefullyconsiderwhathead tofitonyour tripod.The twomostpopular typesarepanheadsandball& socketheads.We test the latter, designed togivea rigid support that’s fast toadjust

Price:£170 (Guide) /£170 (Street)Weight:782g+40gHeight:121mm

Basediameter:84mmBallsize:64mmQRsystem:ArcaSwiss

Manufacturer’s loadrating:25kgWebsite:www.profoto.com

InduroBHD3

According to the factsofphysics, a largeballhashugeadvantages inleverageandclampingsurfacearea, so this InduroBHD3withan84mmball–relatively speaking, thesizeofasmallplanethere–shouldbesomethingspecial.And inall fairness, itperformedexceptionallywell in the test for shiftingpositionon lockingdown–asclose tozeroas itgets.But in termsof sheer strength,andability tohold4kgofcameraand lenshangingo�theside inportraitformat, amazingly, itstruggledand letusdownonthispartof the test.Weexpectedmoreandweredisappointed that it fell short in thisimportantarea.Better lucknext time, Induro.

Star ratingVerdict:Accuratepositioning,qualityquick-releaseclampandcameraplate,butspongycontrolsandpoor lockingstrength.

Price:£190 (Guide) /£170 (Street)Weight:485g+43gHeight:104mm

Basediameter:62mmBallsize:43mmQRsystem:ArcaSwiss

Manufacturer’s loadrating:20kgWebsite:www.vanguardworld.co.uk

VanguardBBH-200

Compared to theotherVanguard,thisBBH-200headcouldnotbemoredi�erent. It’sbiggerandheavier, a lotmoreexpensive, andsomuchbetter.Theinnovativedesignfeaturesweight-savingcut-outsand theorangeswitchconvenientlypositionstheheadexactlyupright.The large leverlock is verygood,combiningfinecontrolwithhighclampingstrength,andcanalsobeadjusted forposition.Performance isexcellent,withminimalpositioningshifton lock-down,and theplatformusesthepopularArcaSwissQRsystemfoundonmosthigh-endheads.

Star ratingVerdict:Goodsize, reasonably light,highperformanceandusing theexcellentArcaSwissQRsystem. It’s justa tadpricey.

HIGHLYRATED

Price:£310(Guide) /£275 (Street)Weight:510g+35gQR-plate

Height:102mmBasediameter:57mmBallsize:50mmestimated

QRsystem:GitzoManufacturer’s loadrating:14kgWebsite:www.gitzo.co.uk

GitzoGH2780QR

YoucanalwaysdependonGitzo forhighquality–andhighprice.TheGH2780QRisaninnovativedesignmade fromweight-savingcastmagnesium.Theball isbigat50mm,andbothpre-tensionand lockingaredonewith theverygrabbablesideknob. Itneedsa littlemore turningthansome,butworksexceptionallywell,withsuper-smoothfinecontrolandsolid locking,andzeroshifton lock-down.Theonlydrawback isGitzo’squick-releasesystem.It’s verysecure,butmorecomplexandfiddly than theArcaSwiss type.Youcould relyon thisone toserveyoubrilliantly,butyou’dexpect it toat thisprice.

Star ratingVerdict:Goodquality, superbperformanceandrelatively light,butahighprice.Di�erentQRplatesandconversionsareavailable.

HIGHLYRATED

Testconclusion

There’sahugeamountofchoiceout therewhen itcomes tochoosingasuitableball&socketheadand,on thesurface,theredoesn’t appear tobemuchtoseparate thedi�erentmodels–save for thenameontheboxandthedesign thatbest takesyour fancy. If you thought thiswas thecase thenhowwrongyouare, asourcomparison test illustrates.TheGitzoGH2780QRisan imposing-lookingheadmadeof

castmagnesiumand isworthyofourHighlyRatedaward.Thequalitywasasexpected fromGitzobutalsoatapricewe’dexpected fromGitzo too.Still, if youhave the funds then thisheado�erszeroshiftdownwhen loadedup.Vanguard’s twoo�eringscouldn’thave faredmore

di�erently.Whilst the lightweightbutpricierBBH-200wasworthyofourHighlyRatedbadge thanks to itscleverdesign,highclampingstrengthandArcaSwissQRplate, theSBH-100su�eredfrombadshiftingwhen lockedo�andstruggledwithour4kgtestweight.OurBestBuybadgewent to the

reasonably-pricedSlikSBH-280E.Although ithad thesmallestball sizeofallthemodels testedandaslightlyunusualsingle-dial control for lockingo�movementonall axis, itshigh-quality feelandfinishwas instantlynoticeableandtherewasnext tonoshift inpositionwhen loadedupwithour testweight inportraitorientation.

BESTBUY

Page 120: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

40 Churton Street, London SW1V 2LP, England Tel: 020-7828 4925 Fax: 020-7976 5783

[email protected] Mon-Fri 10am - 5:30pm, Sat 10am - 1pm

Nikon from Grays ... elementaryNikon Digital CamerasNikon D4 SLR body............................................................... £4,395.00Nikon D4 + AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED Kit......................... £5,695.00Nikon D4 + AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G IF-ED Kit......................... £5,595.00Nikon D4 + AF-S 14-24mm & 24-70mm f/2.8G Kit................ £6,895.00Nikon D800 DSLR body......................................................... £2,025.00Nikon D800 + MB-D12 Grip Kit.............................................. £2,320.00Nikon D800 + AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Nikkor.................... £3,330.00Nikon D800 + AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikkor.................... £3,255.00NikonD800+AF-S14-24mmf/2.8G&AF-S24-70mmf/2.8GEDNikkorKit............................................................................................... £4,560.00Nikon D800E DSLR body...................................................... £2,399.00Nikon D800E + MB-D12 Grip Kit........................................... £2,695.00Nikon D800E + AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Nikkor................. £3,699.00Nikon D800E + AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Nikkor................. £3,615.00NikonD800E+AF-S14-24mmf/2.8G&AF-S24-70mmf/2.8GEDNikkorKit............................................................................................... £4,899.00Nikon MB-D12 Grip for D800E/D800..................................... £329.00Nikon D600 DSLR body......................................................... £1,495.00Nikon D600 + MB-D14 Grip Kit.............................................. £1,730.00Nikon D600 + AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Nikkor........ £1,920.00MB-D14 Grip for D600........................................................... £249.00Nikon D300S SLR body......................................................... £1,129.00Nikon D300S + MB-D10 Grip................................................. £1,299.00Nikon D300S + AF-S 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX.......... £1,545.00Nikon D300S + AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-4.5G VR II Kit............ £1,699.00Nikon D7000 SLR body......................................................... £649.00Nikon D7000 + 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX IF-ED Kit........ £789.00Nikon D7000 + 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II DX IF-ED Kit..... £1,249.00Nikon D7000 + MB-D11 Kit.................................................... £865.00Nikon D90 SLR body.............................................................. £465.00Nikon D90 + 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX IF-ED Kit............ £609.00Nikon D3200 DSLR body....................................................... £399.00Nikon D3200 + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX Kit..................... £460.00Nikon D5200 DSLR body....................................................... £719.00Nikon D5200 + AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX Kit............ £819.00Nikon D5100 DSLR body....................................................... £349.00Nikon D5100 + AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX Kit............ £425.00Nikon D3100 body................................................................. £295.00Nikon D3100 + AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX Kit........... £319.00

Nikon 1 SystemNikon 1 V1 10-30mm Kit........................................................ £299.00Nikon 1 V1 10mm Kit............................................................. £575.00Nikon 1 V1 10-30mm & 30-110mm Twin Kit.......................... £475.00Nikon 1 V1 10-30mm Kit - Black............................................ £399.00Nikon 1 V1 10mm Kit - Black................................................. £575.00Nikon 1 V1 10-30mm & 30-110mm Twin Kit.......................... £585.00Nikon 1 V2 10-30mm Kit........................................................ £799.00Nikon 1 V2 10-30mm & 30-110mm Twin Kit.......................... £969.00Nikon 1 J1 10-30mm Kit........................................................ £299.00Nikon 1 J1 10mm Kit.............................................................. £415.00Nikon 1 J1 10-30mm & 30-110mm Twin Kit........................... £489.00Nikkor VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6................................................ £145.00Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6.............................................. £179.00Nikkor 10mm f/2.8................................................................. £179.00Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8............................................................... £179.00Nikkor VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-Zoom.............................. £545.00Nikon SB-N5 Speedlight........................................................ £119.00Nikon GP-N100 GPS Unit...................................................... £99.00Mount adapter FT1................................................................ £199.00

AF-S & AF DX Nikkor Lenses10.5mm f/2.8G AF DX ED Fisheye........................................ £545.00AF-S 35mm f/1.8G DX........................................................... £150.00AF-S 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX..................................... £645.00AF-S 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED DX.............................................. £835.00AF-S 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX................................... £449.00AF-S 17-55mm f/2.8G DX IF-ED........................................... £1,049.00AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR ED DX................................... £155.00AF-S 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX IF-ED............................. £225.00AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II DX IF-ED.......................... £589.00AF-S 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR DX................................. £719.00AF-S 55-200mm f/4-5.6G VR DX IF-ED................................ £245.00AF-S 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G DX VR....................................... £289.00

AF FX Nikkor Lenses14mm f/2.8D AF ED............................................................... £1,219.0016mm f/2.8D AF Fisheye....................................................... £619.0020mm f/2.8D AF..................................................................... £465.0024mm f/2.8D AF..................................................................... £369.0028mm f/2.8D AF..................................................................... £245.0035mm f/2D AF........................................................................ £255.0050mm f/1.8D AF..................................................................... £109.00

Prices include 20% VAT. Prices Subject to Change. E.&O.E. TO ORDER TELEPHONE 020-7828 4925

50mm f/1.4D AF................................................................ £235.0085mm f/1.8D AF................................................................ £299.0085mm f/1.4D AF IF............................................................ £949.00105mm f/2D AF-DC.......................................................... £799.00135mm f/2D AF-DC.......................................................... £1,025.00180mm f2.8D AF IF-ED.................................................... £695.00

AF-S FXSilentWaveNikkorLensesAF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED...................................................... £1,499.00AF-S 28mm f/1.8G............................................................ £579.00AF-S 35mm f/1.4G............................................................ £1,299.00AF-S 50mm f/1.4G IF........................................................ £279.00AF-S 50mm f/1.8G IF........................................................ £165.00AF-S 85mm f/1.8G............................................................ £379.00AF-S 85mm f/1.4G............................................................ £1,199.00AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED............................................ £1,310.00AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR.............................................. £849.00AF-S 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED............................................ £1,495.00AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G IF-ED............................................ £1,235.00AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR.................................... £429.00AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR............................................ £829.00AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR.................................. £679.00AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II IF-ED................................. £1,589.00AF-S 70-200mm f/4G VR IF-ED....................................... £1,172.00AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR IF-ED.............................. £435.00AF-S 200-400mm f/4G VRII IF-ED................................... £4,899.00AF-S 200mm f/2G VR II IF-ED......................................... £4,099.00AF-S 300mm f/4D IF-ED................................................... £1,029.00AF-S 300mm f/2.8G VR II IF-ED...................................... £4,025.00AF-S 400mm f/2.8G VR IF-ED......................................... £6,595.00AF-S 500mm f/4G VR IF-ED............................................ £5,875.00AF-S 600mm f/4G VR IF-ED............................................ £7,050.00TC-14E II 1.4x teleconverter............................................. £315.00TC-17E II 1.7x teleconverter............................................. £315.00TC-20E III 2x teleconverter............................................... £399.00

AF FX Zoom-Nikkor Lenses18-35mm f/3.5-4D AF IF-ED............................................. £495.0024-85mm f/2.8-4D AF IF................................................... £545.0080-400mm f/4.5-5.6D AF VR IF-ED.................................. £1,235.00

AF & AF-SMicro-Nikkor LensesAF-S 40mm f/2.8G DX Micro............................................ £199.0060mm f/2.8D Micro........................................................... £365.00AF-S 60mm f/2.8G ED Micro........................................... £399.00AF-S 85mm f/3.5G VR DX IF-ED Micro........................... £375.00AF-S 105mm f/2.8G AF-S VR Micro IF-ED...................... £609.00200mm f/4D AF Micro IF-ED............................................ £1,245.00

Nikon SpeedlightsSB-910 Speedlight............................................................ £339.00SB-700 Speedlight............................................................ £229.00SB-400 Speedlight............................................................ £119.00SB-R1C1 Close-Up Commander Ki.................................. £559.00SB-R1 Close-Up Remote Kit............................................ £399.00SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander........................ £269.00SB-R200 Wireless Remote Speedlight............................. £159.00

Manual Focus Nikkor AIS Lenses20mm f/2.8 Nikkor............................................................. £901.0024mm f/2.8 Nikkor............................................................. £608.0028mm f/2.8 Nikkor............................................................. £615.0035mm f/1.4 Nikkor............................................................. £1,227.0045mm f/2.8P Nikkor, chrome............................................ £325.0050mm f/1.4 Nikkor............................................................. £597.0050mm f/1.2 Nikkor............................................................. £743.00180mm f/2.8 ED Nikkor..................................................... £799.00

Zoom-NikkorManual AIS Lenses28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Zoom-Nikkor ...................................... £599.00

Special Purpose: Perspective

Control andMicro-Nikkor Lenses24mm f/3.5D PC-E ED Nikkor.......................................... £1,455.0028mm f/3.5 PC Nikkor...................................................... £1,195.0045mm f/2.8D ED PC-E Nikkor.......................................... £1,395.0055mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor.................................................. £541.0085mm f/2.8D ED PC-E Nikkor.......................................... £1,325.00105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor................................................ £1,047.00200mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor................................................... £895.00

PC: Perspective Control. PC-E:Tilt/Shift-Perspective Control

Follow us on: @NikonatGrays

D600

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Photographs by Tony Hurst

Visit our website:www.graysofwestminster.co.ukFind us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/graysofwestminster

Specialising

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The name “Apollo” derives from Nikon’s association with NASA during the Apollo space programme when Nikon supplied both test

equipment and equipment to beusedon flights. TheAPOLLONikonFbodies all had serial numbers beginningwith 72*** and 73*** and

were the very latest and best of the truly iconic F generation (incorporating improvements as a result of years of professional feedback).

F cosmetics changed late in production to match the then currently produced and just introduced F2. The Apollo F was updated with

a plastic tipped F2 type advance lever and self timer, and stronger camera strap eyelets. Earlier

Apollos had the standard F flash connection, later ones had the F2 type threaded PC connection.

We are pleased to offer both a chrome example in new condition, body boxed (believed unused)

with papers. Serial number 7205967 and black version (unboxed) serial number 7372506. POA

NIKON F PHOTOMIC FTn APOLLO BLACK AND CHROMEMODELS

Page 122: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

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ChristmasGiftIdeas

124 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY / JANUARY2013

DigitalcamerasGIVETHEGIFTOFPHOTOGRAPHYANDSPOILYOURLOVED-ONEWITHANEWDIGITALSLR,MIRRORLESSCAMERAORCOMPACT

CanonEOS650D£593www.canon.co.uk

Canon's 18-megapixel APS-Centry-level o eringpulls nopuncheswhen itcomes to imagequality and features. It o ers five frames-per-second shooting,ISOup to25,600, nine-point autofocus, built-in flash transmitter, a vari-angleLCD touchscreenandFullHDmoviecapabilities. TheEOS650D iswell-equippedwhatever your level of experienceandcomes in at an impressivepricepoint.

NikonD5200£820www.nikon.co.uk

With39autofocuspoints tochoose fromanda24.1-megapixelDX-format sensor, thebeautifullydesignedD5200o ersoutstanding imagequality atagreat price. Low-light performance is boostedbyanexpandable ISO rangeup to ISO25,600andmetering is takencareof by a2,016-pixel RGBsensor toensureoptimumexposure.

SonyAlpha37£375www.sony.co.uk

Sony's rangeofAlphacameras features translucentmirror technology rather, than the traditional reflexmirror found inotherdigital SLRs, allowing for fastand reliableAFevenwith LiveView.What'smore, theAlpha37 is up there asoneof the lightest digital SLRsavailable and there's agreat rangeofA-mountlenseson themarket.

PentaxK-30£450www.pentax.co.uk

The ideal body foroutdoor shooting in allweatherconditions, thePentaxK-30 is anentry-level camerao ering fullweatherproofing. Although it's slightlyheavier and losesouton thepixel count too eringsfromCanonandNikon, the 16.28-megapixel sensordelivers excellent imagequality and isworthconsideringbecauseof its all-weather capabilities.

NikonD3200£445www.nikon.co.uk

Nikon's entry-levelmodel boasts an impressive24.2-megapixel sensor, packedintoa lightweight andcompactbody. PoweredbyanEXPEED3processor ando ering 11-point autofocus,Nikon's SceneRecognitionSystemandFullHDvideo recordingaswell as an in-cameraphoto retouchmode, theD3200 is notonly easy tousebut is fantastic value formoney.

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Digital cameras

JANUARY2013 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / 125

Nikon S800c £380www.nikon.co.uk

ThisAndroid-powered smart-camerafromNikonboasts high-resolutiontouchscreencontrols aswell asdownloadable apps,Wi-Ficonnectivity andbuilt-inGPS. It's alsokittedoutwith awide-angle 10xoptical zoom lens, o ers8.1fpscontinuous shootingand is poweredbyNikon's EXPEEDC2processor.External colouroptions are sleekblackor stylishwhite.

Canon PowershotSX500 IS £250

www.canon.co.ukTheSX500boasts theability togofromultra-wide to super-zoom inaninstant, using its 30xoptical zoom lens– that's a 24-720mmequivalentreach! Thankfully, ImageStabilisationcomesas standard, too, aswell as a16-megapixel sensor tocapture all thedetail of your faraway subject in full.There's also fullmanual settings toofor thosewhowantmorecontrol.

Samsung Galaxy Camera£400

www.samsung.com/uk/Aside from looking fantastic, theGalaxyCamerao ersgreat imagequality and instant image sharing via3GandWiFi to Facebook, Twitter andanyoneof theother social networksout there thanks toGooglePlay anddownloadable app integration. It alsoallows for fullmanual control,voice-controlled shooting, editingontheflyandaneasy-to-use interface.

Panasonic Lumix GF5 £375www.panasonic.co.uk

Although theGF5mightnotbe thenewestmodel in theLumixline-up, it's certainly notoneyou'dwant tooverlook. Packinga12.1-megapixelMicroFour-Thirds sensor inside a very compactbody, the imagequality deliveredby theGF5 is right up therewith thebest in themirrorlessmarket. Prices aregoodat themoment, too!

Olympus PENMini E-PM2 £500

www.olympus.co.ukWith the samehigh-quality16.1-megapixel sensor andpowerfulprocessor as thewidelypraisedOlympusOM-Dmirrorless camera,theE-PM2packs aheckof apunch forsucha small and lightweightmodel.There's also touchscreen-shooting,art filters ande ects, and fullmanualcontrol,making it perfect forbeginners andexperts alike.

Pentax Q10 £380www.pentax.co.uk

TheQ10 follows thecurrent trend forretro styling in acompact,mirrorlessbodywith theblack and silver exteriorfinishpulling it o well. There's a12.4-megapixelCMOSsensorhiddenaway inside andabuilt-in flashaswellas image stabilisationbuilt into thebody rather than the lens–meaningthat any lens youusebenefits fromshake reduction.

Canon EOS M £684www.canon.co.uk

Canon's first foray into themirrorlessworldwas longawaited. TheEOSMdidn't disappoint; boasting the same18-megapixel APS-Csensor as foundin theEOS650Dandan intuitive andeasy-to-usemenusystemsimilar tothat usedonEOSDSLRs.What'smore,with theadditionof theoptionalEF-EOSM lens adaptor, youcanuseall of your existingCanonEF/EF-Slenseson this compactbody.

Nikon 1 J2 £450www.nikon.co.uk

The successor to thehighlypopularNikonJ1, themirrorless J2 isfast-focusing, fast-shootingandboasts a 10.1-megapixelCMOS-sensor, poweredby the sameEXPEED3processor as found in the largerNikonSLRs. There's a rangeof creativefilters and functions tochoose fromaswell as theusual Full-HDmovie-shooting features.

Fujifilm XP170 £162www.fujifilm.eu/uk/

Waterproofdown to tenmetres,shockproofup to twometres,freeze-proofdown to-10°Canddust-sealed soperfect for a trip to thebeach, theXP170 is the ideal holidaycompanionwhenyoudon'twant toriskdamagingyourDSLR. It alsoo ersa5xoptical zoom, 14-megapixelresolution, image stabilisationandaWiFi facility thatwirelessly transfersimages staight to Facebook!

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LensesARGUABLYJUSTASIMPORTANTASTHECAMERABODY,GOODGLASSENSURESYOUCAPTURESHARPIMAGESANDNEEDN'TCOSTTHEEARTH…

NikonAF-S24-85mmf/3.5-4.5GEDVR£430www.nikon.co.uk

Luckyenough toownoneofNikon's excellent digital SLRs?This is the idealdo-it-all lens, o!ering theability to shoot everything fromwide landscapes toclose-upportraits– the ideal replacement for your standard zoom.Taking intoconsideration its reasonably fastmaximumaperture, it's comparatively light andsurprisingly compact. Theoptics areexcellent too.

Sigma10-20mmf/4-5.6DC£370www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

Agoodultrawide-angle zoom is essential for any self-respecting landscapephotographer. Sigmao!ers two lenses in this focal range: this onewith anaperture rangeof f/4-5.6; andonewith afixed f/3.5 aperture. For theapproximate£100di!erence inpricebetween the two,we'dgo for this version,unless you're regularly shooting in low lightorwideopenat these focal lengths.

CanonEF70-200mmf/4LUSM£495www.canon.co.uk

Although losingoutona stopof light compared to its f/2.8biggerbrother, thisL-series lenso!ersoptimum imagequality inside aweather-sealedbody. Perfectfor everything fromsports towildlife toportraitwork,we'vepricedup thenon-stabilised versionhere; if youwant ImageStabilisation, you'll need toaddanother£500 to theprice tag!

TamronSPAF17-50mmf/2.8XRDi II LD IF£280www.intro2020.co.uk

Thekit lens that camewith your camera is agoodstartingpoint, but after a shortperiodof timeyou'llwant toupgrade it to somethingmorecapable. Representingincredible value formoney, this o!ering fromTamronboasts great imagequality,surprising sharpness anda fastmaximumaperture, perfect for low-light shootingand selective focusing.

ChristmasGiftIdeas

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Sigma30mmf/1.4 EX£300www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

Whenmated toanAPS-Csensor, this fantasticfast-apertureo�ering fromSigmagives youanequivalent 48mmfocal length.Wideopen, itproducesbeautifully smoothbokehandout-of-focus areas and is surprisingly sharp stoppeddown.At this price youcan't argueeither; it'smuchcheaperthanequivalent lenses fromothermanufacturers!

'Niftyfifty' 50mmf/1.8 from£90www.nikon.co.uk/www.canon.co.uk

Amust-have in anyphotographer's kit bag, a fast50mmprime takes fantastic portraits andallowsyou to shootusingavailable light evenwhenlight levels are low.There's also theargument that,beingafixed focal length, it helpdyou tocomposeyour shotsbetter as youneed tomove to frameyoursubject, rather than simply twist a zoomring.

LensbabySpark£80www.intro2020.co.uk

Lensbaby's rangeof lenseshavebecomesynonymouswith funandunusual selectivefocusing. Although theSpark requires you to shootinmanualmode (or at least useexposurecompensation),withpractice youcanget somereally fun soft-focus and tilt-shift shots. Perfect forcreativeportraits and lifestylephotography.

LensaccessoriesCokinP-Series FilterKit£50www.intro2020.co.uk

Agoodsetof filters is anessentialaddition to your camera kit if you'reparticularly keenon landscapephotography.Cokin's P-series issuitable for lensesup to82mmindiameter so shouldcover even thewidest glass in your kit bag. This kitserves as agoodstartingpoint– itincludes aholder, a P121LNDx2filter,a P121MNDx4filter andaP121SNDx8filter. You'll alsoneed topurchaseanadditional adaptor ringtomatch thediameterof your lens–and theseare available at a costofaround£13.

KenkoExtensionTubes£140www.intro2020.co.uk

Fancy trying yourhandatmacrophotographybutdon'twant to shelloutonadedicatedmacro lens justyet?KenkoExtensionTubeso�er youthechance to shoot small subjectsusing your existing lenses. Packagedas a setof three in36mm,20mmand12mmvarieties, theycanbeusedindividually, all togetheror as acombinationof any twoat a time,dependingon the level ofmagnification required. Althoughthere arecheaperoptionsout there,theseKenko itemseven retain yourcamera's autofocus andTTLmetering systems, allowingyou touseall of your camera's functions still.

HoyaPRO1CircularPolariser From£50

www.intro2020.co.ukAnother important part of your kit,a circular polariser is amust if youregular shoot landscapes.When thefront ring is rotated to theoptimumposition, apolariserwill boost coloursaturation, inparticular blue skies,while also increasingcontrast andreducingglare in foliage. A two-stopfilter factormeans its also ausefulalternative toanNDfilter.

Kenko2xTeleplusPro300DGXteleconverter

£100www.intro2020.co.ukCheaper thanbuyinganother lens fortheextrapullingpower youneed,teleconverters sit betweenyourcamerabodyand lens too�er ahighermagnification. Rememberthat you losebetweenoneand twostopswith a teleconverter fitted, somake sure that your lens'smaximumaperturedoesn't gobelow f/5.6, ortheautofocuswon't function.

HitechProStopper£75www.formatt.co.uk

ExtremeNDsallowyou to shootlongexposuresduring thedaywithoutoverexposing. Thismeansthat youcancapture fantasticmotion inclouds andwater, or evenrenderbusycity streets completelyempty. It'sworth investing in agoodone suchas this o�ering fromHitech,as cheapermodelsoften reduceopticalquality. Remember you'll alsoneed topurchaseafilter holder, too.

Lenses

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TripodsOURTOPPICKSFORTHEBESTSUPPORTYOU'LLNEEDFORYOURPHOTOGRAPHY

Giottos Carbon FibreMT8223-50 £99

www.giottos-tripods.comA three-section, carbon-fibre traveltripod fromGiottos for under£100–itmust beChristmas! Lightweight,compact, and ideal for takingonyourtravelswith you; it extendsup to139cm inheight, foldsdown to56cm,weighs in at just 1.1kg (tripodonly) andyouevenget a three-wayheadandcarrybag thrown in too! Thewholeoutfit is rated to takeacamera andlenscomboup to3kg. You'll have tobequick, though, there's only a limitednumberono%er and theywon't bearound for longat this price!

Manfrotto 055XPROB £115www.manfrotto.co.uk

Apopular choiceamongstprofessional photographers, the055XPROB is a compact andlightweight aluminiumtripodbenefiting fromManfrotto's usual highbuildquality. Thecentre columncango fromvertical tohorizontalorientationwithin secondswithoutremoving thehead (or camera for thatmatter), and the three-section legscanbepositionedat almost 90° foroptimumversatility– there shouldn'tbemanyangles that youcan't reachusing this tripod,whichwillmake it agreatoption formacrowork.

Velbon Sherpa+ 630 £90www.intro2020.co.uk

Looking for agoodall-round tripodthat's not tooheavyon thewallet?The sturdymagnesium-alloyVelbonSherpa+630weighs just 1.6kg, cansupport amaximum loadof4kgandextends fromaminimumheightofjust 12cm, thanks to its split centrecolumn, to an impressive 163cmwhen fully extended.What'smore, theSherpa+630measures just 56cmwhenclosedaway soyou'll havenoexcuse for not taking itwith youeverywhere.Checkoutour full tripodtest onpage 114 to seehow it faredagainst similarmodels.

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT£134 (and £15 cashback)

www.vanguardworld.co.ukVanguardo%ers an impressive line-upof tripods that arepackedwithinnovative featureswithout youhaving to shell out toomuchof yourhard-earnedmoney. TheVanguardAltaPro263AT is analuminiummodelthat boasts amulti-angle centrecolumn,making it great formacro-photographyenthusiasts.Maximumload is agenerous5kgand, as abonus,Vanguard is o%eringup to£30cashbackonall Alta Pro tripodsuntil15 January2013,with£15cashbackon theAltaPro263AT.

SupportsGiottos MML3290B Monopod£40www.giottos-tripods.com

If you're luggingabig, heavycamera andlens aroundall day andwant abit of extrasupport, but don'twant thehassleofcarryinga tripod–consider amonopod,suchas thealuminiumGiottosMML3290B.This little gemextends toamaximumheightof 182cm, and features ahandstrap, padded foamhandgrip andquick-release leg locks, this supportwillhave you ready to shoot in an instant. It'll bean invaluable tool for photographinganythingwhere you're likely tobeplaced inoneposition for a longperiodof time, suchaswildlifeor sports.

Joby GorillapodFrom £15

www.joby.comJoby's rangeofGorillapodsare theperfect travelcompanions.Compact andlightweight, theycan sit onaflat surfaceorbewrappedaroundanearby treeorpole, turningobjects in yourenvironment into a tripod!Check theweight limitswhenpurchasingandmake sure youmatch the rightmodel to theweightof your camera and lens. If theoriginalGorillapodwon't do the job, then theGorillapodSLRZoom israted to support up to3kg!

Manfrotto 143AMagic Arm £103

www.manfrotto.co.ukThere's not aphotographer aroundwhodidn'twish theyhadanextra armor twoat thebestof times. TheManfrottoMagicArm is amulti-angle lockablesupport that's perfect forholding lights, cameras, almost anything really!Aball-joint at either endandcentral pivot allowyoutoposition thearmat almost anyangle you like.Pairedwith a£19ManfrottoSuperclamp, it canbeattached toanypoleor surfaceedgewithease.

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Tripods /Bags&straps

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 129

Bags&strapsTHESEGIFT IDEASWILLHELPMAKECARRYINGCAMERAKITACOMFORTABLEEXPERIENCE

TamracEvolution9£160www.intro2020.co.uk

WinnerofourBestBuyaward inour+£100photobackpack test(September2012), thedual-compartmentTamracEvolution9 is agreat all-roundbackpack. It o#ers a lotof versatility andan impressive speclist, including rain cover, tripodholderand space for a laptop, tablet ornotebook, all for a reasonableprice.There's roomfor acamerabodywithattached lens andfive to six additionallensesor flashguns inside, and it canevenbeconverted toa single-strapslingbag for convenience.

OP/TechProCameraStrap£18www.intro2020.co.uk

Standardcamera strapsoften leavea lot tobedesiredwhen it comes tocomfort.OP/Tech's Prostrapo#ersquick-releaseclips alongwith awidesurfacearea that distributes theweightof yourcameraevenly,making it feel instantly lighter.Theyalso feature rubbergripson the inside,meaning the strap is far less likely to slipo#whenbeingcarriedover the shoulder.

ThinkTankSpeedFreakV2.0£110

www.snapperstu�.comInnovativedesignanda feature listthat goesonandon, theSpeedFreakis likemost ThinkTankbags in that it'swellmadeandgreat value formoney.There areplentyof pockets andaccesspoints, and the shoulder andwaist-strapcombomakes accessingandputting your kit away incrediblyeasy. It holds your camerabodyandlens aswell as three to four additionaloptics, and featuresplentyof smallerpockets andpouches for storingawaythoseoddsandends.

PeakDesignCaptureCameraClip£50www.peakdesignltd.com

Need tokeepbothhands free inbetween shots?ThePeakDesignCaptureCameraClip fastens toanybelt or strapandallowsyou toquickly secure yourcamera inplaceandunclip it inonemotionwhenrequired. Perfect if you're carryinga secondbody,need toworkhands-freeor if you'renot keenondangling yourheavy (andexpensive) cameraoutfitaroundyourneck.

LoweproRoverPro45LAW£240www.lowepro.com

Brandnew fromLowepro, theRoverPro45LAW is ahybrid camping/mountain/photobackpack that looksmore like amountaineeringbackpackthanacamerabagando#ers a tonoffeatures andplentyof storage space.There's a trampoline-stylebackpanelwithbreathablemesh for ventilationwhen trekking inwarmweather andthecameracompartments areremovable, allowingyou to tailor thebag to suitwhatever you're carrying.Someone loves you if youget this onChristmasmorning!

VanguardUPRise II 45£90www.vanguardworld.co.uk

Votedasour favourite sub-£100photobackpack in its previousincarnation, the redesignedUPRise IIseries is superb value formoney. Thisparticularmodel provides a lotofspace,with roomfor your camerabodyanda large telephotozoom lensattached, aswell as two to threeextralenses andaflashgun. Purchasebefore 15January2013andVanguardwill give you£10cashbackon theUPRise II 45, 46and48backpacks too!Checkout theVanguardwebsite forfurther details.

BlackRapid From£50www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk

O#eringa rangeof straps and supportsystems that di#er fromyourusual'around theneck'methodofcarrying your camera, BlackRapidstraps focusonoptimumweightdistributionandcomfort–amustif you're carrying your cameraaround forhours at a time.There's ahuge rangeofaccessoriesono#er sothere's sure tobesomething for everyphotographer.

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LightingaccessoriesTHEREISAWEALTHOFFLASHANDLIGHTINGACCESSORIESTHATCANMAKEFORGREATXMASGIFTS

LastoliteTriGripReflector£58www.lastolite.com

Accuratelypositioninga reflectorwhilst holdingyourcamera, zooming in andout and triggering theshutter canbe tricky. This is instantlymadeeasierusing theLastolite TriGrip. Its easy-to-hold shapeallowsyou topositionanddirect the lightwithonehand, leaving yourotherhand free toworry abouttakingcareof everythingelse.

WexPro80cmLightTent£30www.wexphotographic.com

If you'veever photographedaa still-lifeor aproductto sell oneBay, you'll knowobtaininga soft, evenspreadof light is di�cult andeliminatingunwantedreflections fromashiny item is anotherbattlealtogether! This pop-up light tent fromWarehouseExpress is the simple solution– it foldsdown toverylittle andcanbe set up in amatterof seconds.

Phottix Strato II 5-in-1 FlashTriggers£110www.intro2020.co.uk

Withawireless rangeofover 150metres ando�eringTTLandflashpass-throughalongsideup to 1/250sec sync speed, thePhottix Strato II alsoo�ers four channels in four separategroups,allowing for ultimatecontrol over several flashgunsatonce. Andall for a fractionof thepriceofotherbrands–happyChristmas!

MetzMecablitz 52AF-1DigitalFlashgun£220www.intro2020.co.uk

Addingadedicatedflashgun toyour camera kitcan takeflashphotography to thenext level.Boastingan impressive rotating touchscreendisplay,a powerfulGuideNumberof 52 (ISO100), full TTLsupport, andaflip-outdi�user and reflector,Metz'slatest flashgunpacks inplentyof features at areasonableprice.

MacroLEDRinglight£28www.amazon.co.uk

Wewere so impressedwith this LED ringlight thatwetestedback in September2012'sBudgetPhoto thatwe thought it'd be rudenot tomention it again.There are severalmodels tobe foundonAmazonandmost seemtobemanufacturedby the samecompany–NeewerElectronics. Best of all, it's abargain at under£30!

HonlHP-Filter 1 SamplerKit £16www.flaghead.co.uk

Getcreativewithflashusinga setofHonl gels. Theycanbeused toaddcolour todull backgrounds, topaintwithcolourful lightor, combinedwith yourcamera'sWhiteBalance settings, cancreativelyreplicateor enhance lighting fromother sources.This kit includesenoughdi�erent colours andtemperatures toget thecreative juicesflowing.

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Lightingaccessories /Memory

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 131

MemoryGIFTSTOHELPRECORD,TRANSFERANDSTOREIMAGES

WesternDigitalMyPassport From£60www.wdc.com

It's surprisinghowmuchspacea fewyears'worthofphotographycan takeup. Inorder to keepyourcomputer running smoothly andyour imagessafe, consider anexternal harddrive to store yourphotoson. ThecompactWesternDigitalMyPassport is availablewithbetween500GBandawhopping2TBofmemory.

Lexar 16GBS73Jumpdrive£10

www.lexar.comAvailable in8GB, 16GB, 32GBandahuge64GB, it's crazy to thinkthat somuchmemorycanfit intosucha smallUSBdrive! ThespeedyUSB3.0 16GBS73Jumpdrive is perfect formovingyour images around, is incrediblycompact, backwards-compatibleforUSB2.0, features a retractableconnector andevenclipsontoyour key ring tomake sure youhave it onyouat all times.

Transcend8GBMemoryFrom£10

www.johnsons-photopia.co.ukWith the resolutionofdigitalcamerason the rise all the time,themorememory, thebetter!An8GBcard is agoodsize to startwith, but becautiousof going forthebiggest capacityono er–if youhaveacard failure, you'llhaveput all of your eggs inonebasket. Transcendo ers cards atvariouswrite speeds–we'drecommend lookingat cardso ering300xupwards.

SanDiskEye-Fi 8GBWirelessMemoryCard

£50www.sandisk.co.ukConnectivity has recentlybecomeabigpart ofphotography.However, if you'vegot anolder cameramodel, don'tworry–youneednotget leftbehind! SanDisk'sWiFi-enabledSDcards allowyou to instantlytransmit your imageswirelesslyto a tablet, phoneor computer asyou shoot, so youneverneedworry about runningoutofmemory again.

Interfit 5-in-1Reflector£35www.interfitphotographic.com

Amust-have for anyportrait or lifestylephotographer. Agood5-in-1 reflectornotonlyreflects usingeither thewhite, silveror goldcovers,but canalsoact as aflag (toblackoutunwantedlight) or as adi user to soften the light.What'smore,they folddown toa fractionof their total size,meaningyouneverhave to leavehomewithout it.

Interfit StrobiesPortrait Kit £100www.interfitphotographic.com

If youcan't take your flasho -camera, thenext bestthing is tomodify the light to softenor alter its e ect.TheStrobiesPortrait Kit from Interfit is a rangeofaccessories andmodifiers that fit to your existingflashgun. Included in the kit is a softbox, snoot,portablebeautydish, globedi user, barn-door setandahoneycombgrid.

LexarMulti-Card25-in-1USB3.0reader£23www.lexar.com

Althoughmost, if not all, digital cameras arebundledwith aUSBcable for transferring images, nothingmatches the speedandconvenienceof acardreader. Thiswell-builtmodel fromLexaro erssupport for an impressive25di erent shapes andsizesof card, andeven includesUSB3.0 support forultra-fast transfers.

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ChristmasGiftIdeas

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PhotogadgetsEVERYONELOVESAGOODGADGET,DON'TTHEY?CHECKOUTTHESENEATPIECESOFTECH…

Nikon GP-1 GPS Module £200www.nikon.co.uk

Image EXIF data can hold a bevy of usefulinformation, but one increasingly popular facility isthe ability to geotag your images. Each time a shot isfired o#, this GPS logger records the currentcoordinates, allowing you to look back and seeexactly where you were standing when youcaptured each image. Check your camera forcompatibility before buying.

Innergie PocketCell £70www.myinnergie.com

One downside of the gadgetry that surrounds usnowadays is that everything needs charging.Inevitably there will be occasions when yourcan’t-live-without device runs low on juice – usuallyat the exact moment when you least want them to.This neat mobile charger is your portable energylifesaver – it recharges your gadgets on the go andworks with hundreds of di#erent devices.

iPad From £399www.apple.com/uk

If you want to admire or show others some of thegreat photographs that you've taken, then you'll behard-pushed to beat the 2048x1536 resolutiono#ered by the latest Apple iPad. The large 9.7in LEDtouchscreen allows you to edit your images on thego using any one of the downloadable apps andApple's iOS operating system will recognise Raw fileswith no additional plug-ins.

Sabreswitch Triggersmart £238www.flaghead.co.uk

Make capturing high-speed images a doddle byusing the Sabreswitch Triggersmart. This clever littlebox of tricks includes sensors that allow you tocapture images using sound, light or motion with anadjustable, user-defined delay. Perfect for capturingwater droplets, wildlife, fireworks – pretty muchanything that would normally require quick reflexesto be successful!

Macbook Pro with Retina displayFrom £1,449

www.apple.com/ukPacking over four-million pixels into its 13-inch2560x1600 resolution display, the Macbook Pro withRetina display makes your images look better thanever. Prices start at just under £1,500, but by the timeyou start adding on options such as a bigger screen,more memory, a faster processor and high-capacitySSD hard drives, you'll be tipping the £3,000 mark!

Wacom Bamboo Tablet £70www.wacom.eu

Once you've edited your images using a graphictablet, you'll never want to go back to using a mouse.Wacom's Bamboo tablet is compact enough to nothog all of your desk space, yet allows for precisecontrol using the supplied pressure-sensitive pen.It also features touch controls allowing you to useyour fingers rather than the stylus, as well asmulti-touch gestures.

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Photogadgets /Stocking fillers

JANUARY2013 /DIGITALSLRPHOTOGRAPHY / 133

StockingfillersGREATGIFTSFORPHOTOGRAPHERSTHATDON'TBREAKTHEBANK

SteadicamSmoothee£150www.ti�en.com

Mobilephonesnowboast such impressive videofacilities that using themfor filmmaking is becomingseriousbusiness. If youenjoy shooting videosonyour smartphoneor actioncamera, then theSteadicamSmoothee is for you. Thecounterbalancesystem isbasedon the same technologyasusedonlarger rigs inHollywoodandensures that yourvideosnever su�er fromthe shakes again.

Jessops LensCapKeeper From£8

www.jessops.comWedon't knowabout you, butcollectivelywe've lost enoughlenscaps that, if placedend toend,wouldprobably reach to themoonandback, or at least getclose. This lens-capkeeper fromJessopscomeswith a lanyard toattach to your lens andensuresthat younevermisplacea lenscapagain. Available in a varietyofsizes to suit all of your lenses.

ExpoDisc From£65www.expoimaging.com

Obtaining thecorrectWhiteBalance is something thatmanyphotographersomit fromtheirworkflow, simplybecause youdon't always remember tocarry agreycardaroundwith you. TheExpoDisc simply fitson theendofyour lens, allowingyou toquicklytakeaWhiteBalance readingfromthe sceneandensure thatyour imagesdon't su�er fromcolour casts.

NeewerTimerRemoteControl £14

www.amazon.co.ukCalling allCanonusers: fancytrying yourhandat time-lapsephotography?Thenyou'll needan intervalometer.Programmabletofire the shutter at user-definedintervals andcompletewith LCDbacklight (perfect for shootingthoseall-night star-lapses), thismodel fromNeewer is a fractionof thepriceofotherbrandeditemsanddoes the same job!

HotshoeSpiritLevel £15

www.intro2020.co.ukAlthoughwonkyhorizonscanbefixedduringpost-processing,the less time spent in frontof acomputer, thebetter. This simplespirit level clipsontoyourcamera's hotshoeand, via thewondersofmodern science,reliably tells youwhether yourcamera is sitting level or not inboth landscapeandportraitorientation. Simple as that!

ToddySmartCloth£10www.toddygear.com

Keepyour kit clean in style; theseprintedmicrofibrecloths featurephotography-inspireddesignsandare ideal for cleaningyourcamera's LCDandbody, orwhateverother gadgets youhavetohand, suchas yourphone,tablet or computermonitor.There are42di�erent printeddesigns tochoose fromsoyou'resure tofind something to suityour tastes.

GiottosRocketAirBlower£9

www.giottos-tripods.comDust is everyphotographer'sworst enemyand sooneror lateradusty front lenselementorsensor is unavoidable. TheGiottosRocketAir Blower is acompact little gadget that youcanuse to remove lensdustwithacoupleof squeezeswithoutmakingphysical contactwith theglass–meaningno riskof nastyscratchesordamage.

Olloclip£60www.olloclip.com

Mobilephotographyhascomea longway in the lastfewyears and the saying 'thebest camera is theonethat'swith you' hasneverbeen truer. TheOlloclipexpands your iPhone's capabilities as acamerabyo�ering threeclip-on lenses–macro, fisheyeandwide-angle.Currentlyonly available for the AppleiPhone4/4S, it hasben revealed that there is aniPhone5-compatible versionon theway shortly.

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ChristmasGiftIdeas

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Prints&presentation

Just-for-fungifts

GETTHEMOSTOUTOFYOURPRINTEDIMAGESWITHTHESEGREATGIFTIDEAS

PHOTOGRAPHYGIFTSNEEDN'TBETOOSERIOUS–CHECKOUTTHESEFUNANDQUIRKYPRESENTS

Dodge&BurnT-shirts $29www.dodgeandburn.com

Dodge&Burn is a clothingcompanylocated inNewYork set upbyphotographers for photographers.Its stylish rangeof excellent qualityT-shirts appeals to the innercamera-geek inus all.What'smore,it has ahuge rangeof awesomedesigns featuringallmannerof coolretrocameras fromrangefinders toHasselblads andTLRs, and theyevenshipworldwide. Theonlyproblemyou'll have is narrowingdownwhichones youwant toorder!

CanvasPrints From£30www.jessops.com

Whatbetterway to showo&yourfavourite images thangetting themprintedbig anddisplayed in yourownhome?Jessopso&ers awide rangeofprinting services in variousfits andfinishes so there's bound tobesomething that suits yourhomedecor.Choosingandorderingcouldn't beeasier– just pick yourcanvas finish and size, anduploadyour image to theJessopswebsite!

CanonPIXMAMG6350£170www.canon.co.uk

Viewingyour imagesona screen isnice, but nothingbeats havingatangibleprint in yourhands. It canalsobeexpensivegetting yourprints donein a lab, though–step in theall-newCanonPIXMAMG6350: aWiFi-connected six-ink inkjet systemallowing formobile and internetprintingand featuringahigh-qualityprint head, 3.5in touchscreenandbuilt-inhigh-resolution scanner.

PrintedGifts From£15www.bagsoflove.co.uk

It's possible toget yourownphotosprintedonto just about anythingnowadays–bags, cushions, coasters,key rings, blankets, phonecases–youname it, youcanprint on it! Bagsof Love is agreat place to start– ittakesminutes touploadyour imagesto thewebsite, topick theproductsyouwant themtoappearonanda fewdays later theprinted itemsarriveonyourdoorstep. Simple!

BlurbBooks From£8www.blurb.co.uk

Gobacka fewyears and theonlywaytoget abookpublishedwas toconvinceapublisher that your imageswould sell andmake themthousands.Blurbmakesphotobookprintingincredibly easy for anyone; there arevarious size andfinishoptionsavailable anddesigningyour custombookcouldn't beeasier. Youcanevencreate an instant bookdirectly fromyour Facebookor Instagram images!

LensBracelets From$15www.lensbracelet.com

Showo&your camerabrandallegianceandwear your lensonyoursleeve.Well, sort of.Originally createdbymusicphotographerAdamElmakias tohandout as adi&erenttakeon the traditional business card,the lensbracelet has sincegrown inpopularity and is nowavailable in avarietyof designs tomatchyourfavourite lens.Quirky, funand, yes,ever so slightly geeky–butwe likethem!There's noUKdistributor, butthey shipworldwide, soorderquickly!

ThumbsUp! LensMug£15www.iwoot.com

Whatbetterway toenjoy yourfavouritehotor coldbeverage thanfroma replicaof your favouritecamera lens? Includinga lenscap tokeepyourdrinkhot,whichalsodoublesupas acoasteror essentialbiscuit holder. Available in either blackorwhite anddetailed to lookincredibly realistic, completewithswitches, dials andbuttons– just don'tget it confusedwith your actual lensandput it in your kit bagbymistake, orworse,when loading thedishwasher!

Snapshot Frames£10www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Youcanneverhave toomanyphotosaround thehouse. Spiceupyourhomedecorwith these vintageandiconicPolaroid-inspiredmagneticphoto frames. There arefive includedineachpack–simply cut yourphotosto size, pop them in the framesandattach themtoyour fridge,chalkboard, filingcabinetor anymetalsurface you fancy. There's even spaceunderneath the image for a shortmessage. It's like a real-life Instagramin yourownhome.

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Othergifts toconsider

JANUARY2013 /DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY / 135

Filmcameras

Software&workshops

GO RETRO WITH THESE FUN AND EASY-TO-USE FILM CAMERAS

FROMWEBSITESTOWORKSHOPS,SOFTWARETOSUBSCRIPTIONS

500px Account From $20www.500px.com

Sharing your images online is a great way to get yourwork noticed, but it also allows you to receivevaluable comments and critique to improve yourimages. Setting up an account on 500px is free, butto reap the benefits of the site you'll want a $19.95Plus or an aptly named $49.95 Awesomemembership; the latter allowing for unlimiteduploads, visitor statistics and a personalised portfolio,amongst other benefits.

Lomography Diana+ £39www.lomography.com

A modern take on the classic Diana camera of the1960s, the Diana F+ allows you to shoot beautifulethereal lo-fi images on 120-format film. What'smore, there's a range of accessories on o erallowing you to shoot to 35mm or Fuji Instax instantfilm along with various di erent toy lenses and flashaccessories. Give film a go!

Clikpic Website From £40www.clikpic.co.uk

Website building is tricky business and if you've evertried it, you'll know why web designers charge somuch! Clikpic is a template-based website servicedesigned specifically for photographers. There arelots of brilliant templates and layouts to choosefrom, allowing you to easily design, set up andpublish your own photo website with no priorweb-developing knowledge; an essential step if youwant to earn money from your photography.

Golden Half 35mm Film Camera £37www.amazon.co.uk

Tiny and incredibly easy to use, the Golden Halfshoots on 35mm film but with a di erence – eachshot only fills half of the frame, meaning for eachexposure, you get to take two photos. You can tryto match up the two halves of each frame tocomplement each other or just shoot away and seewhat interesting combinations you come up with!

Digital SLR Photography subscription!Six issues for only £19.99!

http://subscribe.digitalslrphoto.com/What better gift is there than a subscription to theUK's best photography magazine? Each issue ispacked with useful tips, photo inspiration, advice andreviews. Subscribe now and not only do you ensureyou'll never miss an issue again, but you'll receiveyour copy before it goes on general sale in theshops. We've currently got a great o er up for grabswhereby you can get six issues for only £19.99!

Fujifilm Instax 210 Wide InstantCamera £61www.fujifilm.eu/uk/

Most people remember the excitement of waitingfor an image to magically appear as you waited foran instant photograph to develop. The Instax 210Wide isn't a small camera by any means, and the filmis a bit on the pricey side, but shooting with it isincredibly good fun and you can create an instantkeepsake to give to your friends and family.

PhotographycoursesThere's no better way to learn than being hands on with a little professionalguidance! Many photographers host workshops in the UK, such as landscapeand nature photographer Ross Hoddinott (www.rosshoddinott.co.uk), andportrait pros Bjorn Thomassen (www.bjornofinspire.com) and BrettHarkness (www.brettharknessphotography.com). If you fancy going a bitfurther afield, Lee Frost's photo holidays to Cuba, Namibia and Iceland are anabsolute must (www.leefrost.co.uk).

AdobesoftwareWhatever your level of usage (and budget), Adobe o ers aphoto-editing software solution to suit. You might want to tryPhotoshop Elements 11 for £79 to get to grips with thesoftware before deciding whether to make the jump up to thefull £661 Photoshop CS6 package. Alternatively, there'sLightroom 4 for £106 – the perfect workflow solution if youwant to edit and organise large collections of images.www.adobe.com/uk

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Nikon to Canon EOS body?No problem – stan-dard adaptor £123.00, for G type lenses £139.00Medium format to digital SLR – it can be done!

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the weight of

a heavy SLR

off their

back or

shoulder.

This rugged

vest system

leaves both

hands free too. Versions for a single

camera, or as shown here, for two,

costing £159.95

Cotton Carrier Vest

Velbon travel tripod

Ultrek UT043D usesreverse-folding 6-sec-

tion legs with innova-tive ‘trunnion’shaft con-

struction to give a nor-mal working height of

156.5cm, yet folds tojust 29.5cm. Complete

with ball head.£94.50

NOW AVAILABLE

FOR FUJI X-PRO 1

With 32 channels, a 500m+

operating range, 1/250th

sync speed with FP shutters

and a maximum triggering

frequency of 14.5fps, using

the 433MHz band, the Plus

III is pretty much state-of-

the-art for anyone not

wanting wireless TTL expo-

sure control. Best of all is the

price point – even lower than

the Plus II it replaces.

Single unit £125.00

PocketWizard Plus III

MacWet GlovesBeloved of riders

and golfers, and abest kept secret of

pro cameramen,

MacWet glovesare low bulk, give

grip in the wet,maximum feel for

controls and insulate

the hands. Long orshort cuff. £25.00

Manfrotto Lino Pro Photo Vest

Two large front pocketshave padded inserts to

keep them open when

shooting, but whenremoved the pockets foldflat. The inserts can be

strapped around knees or

elbows for comfort too!All-black, with a distinct-

ly Italian look. £189.00

Triggersmart

The UK-designed Triggersmart offers sophisti-cated motion capture possibilities at anunprecedented price point. You can easilycapture images by triggering the camera usingsound, light intensity increase, movement orby breaking an infra-red light beam, so it’sideal for nature photography, outdoor eventslike lightning or fireworks, and special effects.The supplied 2.5mm jack cable fits many

cameras, and adaptors (£5.40) are availableto fit most SLR cameras on the market. Eachcable is 3m long, and 5m extension cables areavailable. The controller uses 4 x AA batter-ies, or an optional (£15) mains adaptor, anda comprehensive and easy to understandinstruction booklet is supplied. £238.00New: tilt-sensor switch due shortly.

Takes apro-sizeDSLRbody with24–70/f2.8lens with

hood

reversed, orwith the pop-down bottom sec-

tion released, the hood in position. In this

configuration the Holster also is long enoughfor a 70–200/f2.8 with hood reversed. Theshape is tailored to the contents to keep bulk

to a minimum and shoulder strap and rain-

cover are included. RRP £54.00 £36.00

Think Tank Digital Holster 40

v1.0 Save £18 on RRP

Elinchrom D-Lite RX One

Novoflex MagicBall

Manfrotto, Gitzo and more . . .We stock over 40 different ball and socketheads from FLM, Manfrotto and Gitzo, andalso selected types from Benbo and Giottos.

Heads from Velbon and Slik to order.

Flash assistants

Wein Safe-Sync

protects againsthigh trigger volt-age of older flash

heads. £54.95

Until 31st January 2013 claim a free holster

worth £54.95 with this pro quality multi-use

sling/backpack. £144.00

Kata 3N1 25PL Backpack

FREE KATA

ACCESS 16

POUCH

Light meters

Sekonic L-308S£139.00

Sekonic L-478D£345.00

Gossen Digipro F£156.95

£10800

Phottix Strato II Multi

150m range wire-

less triggering ofone or more

remote flashguns,plus Canon or

Nikon cameras.

TRANSMITTER +

2 RECEIVER KIT

Novoflex PATRON

The umbrella

which pro-

tects from rain

or sun, acts as

a reflector,becomes a monopod – andmore! £79.95

Tripod bracket shown is extra

Twice the power of a

typical on-camera

flash; built-in Skyport

RX radio triggering –

the new D-Lite One

offers an incredible

specification at an

amazing price.

Head

£145.00

2-head Umbrella Kit£37500

2-head Softbox Kit£42500

Twin Pack£22900

PocketWizard ControlTLTTL flash control

with Canon or

Nikon. Set of TT1

controller and 2 x

TT5 receivers £449

£394

Page 145: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

PHOTOGRAPHIC

ACCESSORIESKOOD

Canon AFCanon FDM42 screwSony/Min AFSony NEXMinolta MDNikonOlympus OMOlympus 4/3Olympus m 4/3Pentax KYashica/Contax

Canon AFCanon FDM42 screwSony/Min AFSony NEXMinolta MDNikonOlympus OMOlympus 4/3Olympus M4/3Pentax KContax/Yashica

Camera – Lens AdoptersCan AF – FDCan AF – M42Can AF – NikonCan FD - M42Oly M4/3 – CAFOlym 4/3 – Can Af (With aperture ring)Oly M4/3 – NikonOly M4-3 – Nikon (With aperture ring)Oly M43 – Leica MSony/Min AF – MDSony/Min AF – M42Minolta MD – M42Nikon – M42Pentax K – M42Sony NEX – Can AFSony NEX – Son/Min AFSony NEX –Nikon AISony NEX – Nik AI and GSony NEX – PKYash/Con –M42

Canon AFCanon FDM42NikonOlympus OMPentax KT2 ThreadMicroscope adaptor

Can AFCan FDNikonOlympus OMOlympus AFOlympus 4/3Oly Micro 4/3Sony/Min AFMinolta MDPentax K

37mm46mm49mm52mm55mm58mm62mm67mm

Can AF 52mmCan AF 58mmCan FD 52mmCan FD 55mmYash/Cont 52mmM42 49mmM42 52mmM42 55mmM42 58mmMin MD 49mmMin MD 52mmMin MD 58mmSony/Min AF55

Nikon 52mmNikon 58mmPraktica B 49mmPentax K 49mmPentax K 52mmPentax K 55mmPentax K 58mm

Camera Viewing accessoriesScreen HoodsCanon 50DCanon350DCanon450DNikonD70NikonD80Nikon D300Full shield magnifying Screen HoodsCanon 5D/7D/500DCanon 550d/Nikon 500DCanon60D/600DEye CupsCanon 550D typeNikon D300 typeChinonFujicaNikon F typePrakticaPrism Right Angle Viewer

(CR with Locking Collar T)10” Metal Cable Release18” Metal Cable release24” Metal Cable release36” Metal Cable release10” Vinyl Cable release18” Vinyl Cable Release20” Vinyl Cable release36” Vinyl Cable release20 ‘ Air release

Jumbo Hurricane BrushLarge Blower BrushMedium Blower BrushSmall Blower brushLipstick Lens BrushLens TissuesSmall Micro Fibre(Lens cloth)Large Micro Fibre(Lens cloth)Lens Cleaning Solution4 Piece Cleaning set7 Piece Cleaning Set( in White Snap Box)2 x Silica Gel4 x Silica Gel3 x Digital Screen Protect(Squeegee and cleaning)Contact Cleaning PenRed Eye Pen

(Shock absorbing withConcealed Wire, tripodBush attach) strapDouble concealed wire strapWrit strap bush fitting

(Wide Neoprene, loose stitched

Backing, reverse quick release

Catches Makes hand strap)

Black

Royal Blue

For Canon

For Nikon

For Minolta

For Minolta

For Pentax

For Olympus

Plain Black, embossed

For Canon , embossed

For Nikon, embossed

For Minolta, embossed

For Olympus, embossed

For Pentax, embossed

Hand Grip with Camera Platform

Narrow black strap 25mm

Metallic Neck Strap

Metallic Wrist Strap

Basic Rain CoverLargeMediumSummerWinter

16”x17” Changing Bag27”x29” Changing Bag#3”x45” Changing Bag10 piece Film Dev Kit14 Piece film and print Dev KitDark Room ApronStraight Tank TherometerAngled Dish Therometer2 XS/Steel film Clips3 x Bamboo Print TongsPrint/film squeegeeUniv Dev Tank 2 x Spirals35mm Dev TankSpare Univ Spiral3 x 7”x10” Dev Trays3 x 12”x10” Dev Trays3 x 12”x16 Dev Trays3 x 16”x20” Dev Trays3 x 16”x20” Dev Trays3 x 24”x20” Dev TraysGraduated Beakers with Handle500cc100cc2000ccGraduated H/Duty Measures50cc100cc250cc300cc650cc1000ccSafelights free standing Or wall fixingYellowGreenOrangeRed

Inverted cone attachment

give soft daylight result for

Canon 420EX

Canon 580EX

Canon 380EX

Nikon SB 600

Nikon SB 900

Diffusers

Canon380EX

Canon 420EX

Canon 430EX

Canon 540EX

Canon 550EX

Canon 580EX

Nikon SB600

Nikon SB800

Nikon SB900

For v Pop up Flash

Soft Flash Elasticated Cover

Flash Brackets

Straight Flash Bracket

Angle Flash Bracket

Pro Bracket 1

Pro Bracket 2

Pro Bracket 3

Pro Bracket 5

Pro Bracket 5

Hot Shoe Co axial

Hot shoe with lead

Flash Slave Unit

Flash Slave Unit with Sucker

Flash Slave Nikon iTTL

Flash Leads Pc Pc

.05m Straight

1m Straight

3m Straight

3m Straight

5m Straight

10m Straight

3m Coiled

5m Coiled

Flash Leads PC- two pin AC

0.5m straight

1m straight

2m straight

3m straight

5m straight

Film retrieverSS Film RetrieverFilm Cement100x super 8 splicing tapeSuper 8 Tape Splicer35mm Plastic reloadableCassettesFilm Cassette OpenerBulk Film LoaderAttaché case 5 x 50 din magAttaché Case up to 600 slidesAPS Film CaseDaylight Slide Viewer3 x Mag Slide Viewer2 X Mag Slide ViewerAuto Slide Vewer5”x4” Slide Sorter6”x10” Slide SorterBox of 6 Acrylic Slide panelsTwin 50 Din MagTwin 50 CS MagHanimax Rondel MagHanimax StraightKodak Carousel c/w lid

2x Filter Wrench 48 – 58mm2x Filter Wrench 62 -77mmFolding Filt. Pouch 4 x -86mmFolding Filt. Pouch 4 x – 67mmFolding Filt. Pouch 9 x – 86mmFolding Filt Pouch 9 x -67mm

25.5mm27mm28mm30mm30.5mm34mm35.5mm37mm37.5mm40.5mm43mm46mm48mm49mm52mm55mm58mm62mm62mm deep67mm72mm72mm deep77mm82mm86mm95mm105mm127mmFilter Ring rotating c/w retainer46mm52mm55mm58mm62mm67mm72mm77mm82mm86mm

Collapsible rubber40.5mm43mm46mm49mm52mm55mm58mm67mm72mm77mmWide Angle49mm52mm55mm58mm62mm67mm72mm77mm

Combi Two stage WA – Tele49mm52mm55mm58mm62mm67mm72mm77mm

Petal Hood Screw fit can beRotated to centralise49mm52mm55mm58mm62mm67mm72mm77mmMetal27mm28mm30mm30.5mm34mm37mm40.5mm43mm46mm82mm

Snap Caps

27mm

28mm

30/30.5mm

34mm

37mm

40.5mm

43mm

46mm

48mm

49mm

52mm

55mm

58mm

62mm

67mm

72mm

77mm

82mm

86mm

95mm

With center grips

49mm

52mm

55mm

58mm

62mm

67mm

72mm

77mm

White Balance Snap Caps

52mm

55mm

58mm

62mm

67mm

72mm

77mm

82mm

With draw string

75x90mm

75x110mm

90x140mm

90x170mm

90x200mm

Zipped lid and filter compartment

Small

Medium

Large

Extra Large

2 Way

2 Way for Sony

3 Bubble

3 Bubble for Sony

Back Caps Rain Covers

Non Collapsible Lens Hood

Lens Caps

Lens Pouches

Shoe Fitting Spirit Levels

Filter Accessories/Rings

Lens Hood

Filter Rings with Ret also can beused as distance rings -s black

Dark Room

Flash Accessories

Body Caps

Adopters Shutter Release Items

Camera Care Items

Camera Sling Strap

Comfort Straps

30mm-38mm Wide Straps

Loop Fitting Strap

Film Items

C Mounts

T2 Adopters

Series 7

Reversing Rings

Tel: 01727 823812 Fax: 01727 823336 www.koodinternational.com

Page 146: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

KOOD SUPPLIES EVERY PART OF THE PHOTO TRADE - HOME AND EXPORT.

EMAIL: [email protected] FOR DETAILS OF STOCKIST IN YOUR AREA OR, IF YOU ARE A CAMERA EQUIPMENT TRADER,

SEND YOUR DETAILS FOR ACCOUNT APPLICATION AND TRADE SUPPLY PRICES

KOOD International Limited, Unit 6, Wellington Road, London Colney AL2 1EY

Tel: 01727 823812 Fax: 01727 823336 E-mail: [email protected]

www.koodinternational.com

K O O D

KOOD BRAND PRODUCTS ARE EXPORTED WORLDWIDE

CAN BE ORDERED FROM ANY INDEPENDENT RETAILER

Stepping Ring 25-28mm

Stepping Ring 25-30mm

Stepping Ring 25-37mm

Stepping Ring 27-28mm

Stepping Ring 27-30mm

Stepping Ring 27-37mm

Stepping Ring 27-43mm

Stepping Ring 27-46mm

Stepping Ring 27-49mm

Stepping Ring 27-52mm

Stepping Ring 28-27mm

Stepping Ring 28-30mm

Stepping Ring 28-30.5mm

Stepping Ring 28-35.5mm

Stepping Ring 28-37mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-25mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-27mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-28mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-33mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-35.5mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-37mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-43mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-46mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-49mm

Stepping Ring 30.5-52mm

Stepping Ring 30-25mm

Stepping Ring 30-28mm

Stepping Ring 30-30.5mm

Stepping Ring 30-33.5mm

Stepping Ring 30-37mm

Stepping Ring 30-43mm

Stepping Ring 30-46mm

Stepping Ring 30-49mm

Stepping Ring 32.5-37mm

Stepping Ring 34-37mm

Stepping Ring 34-43mm

Stepping Ring 34-46mm

Stepping Ring 34-49mm

Stepping Ring 35.5-37mm

Stepping Ring 35.5-49mm

Stepping Ring 36-37mm

Stepping Ring 37.5-37mm

Stepping Ring 37.5-43mm

Stepping Ring 37.5-46mm

Stepping Ring 37.5-49mm

Stepping Ring 37.5-52mm

Stepping Ring 37-27mm

Stepping Ring 37-28mm

Stepping Ring 37-30mm

Stepping Ring 37-30.5mm

Stepping Ring 37-34mm

Stepping Ring 37-35.5mm

Stepping Ring 37-37mm

Stepping Ring 37-37.5mm

Stepping Ring 37-40.5mm

Stepping Ring 37-42mm

Stepping Ring 37-43mm

Stepping Ring 37-46mm

Stepping Ring 37-49mm

Stepping Ring 37-52mm

Stepping Ring 37-55mm

Stepping Ring 37-58mm

Stepping Ring 38.1-49mm

Stepping Ring 38.1-52mm

Stepping Ring 38.1-55mm

Stepping Ring 38.1-58mm

Stepping Ring 39-46mm

Stepping Ring 39-49mm

Stepping Ring 39-52mm

Stepping Ring 40.5-37mm

Stepping Ring 40.5-43mm

Stepping Ring 40.5-46mm

Stepping Ring 40.5-48mm

Stepping Ring 40.5-49mm

Stepping Ring 40.5-52mm

Stepping Ring 43-34mm

Stepping Ring 43-37mm

Stepping Ring 43-39mm

Stepping Ring 43-46mm

Stepping Ring 43-49mm

Stepping Ring 43-52mm

Stepping Ring 43-58mm

Stepping Ring 43-62mm

Stepping Ring 46-37mm

Stepping Ring 46-43mm

Stepping Ring 46-48mm

Stepping Ring 46-49mm

Stepping Ring 46-52mm

Stepping Ring 46-55mm

Stepping Ring 46-58mm

Stepping Ring 46-62mm

Stepping Ring 46-67mm

Stepping Ring 48-43mm

Stepping Ring 48-46mm

Stepping Ring 48-49mm

Stepping Ring 48-52mm

Stepping Ring 48-55mm

Stepping Ring 48-58mm

Stepping Ring 48-69mm

Stepping Ring 49-34mm

Stepping Ring 49-37mm

Stepping Ring 49-39mm

Stepping Ring 49-43mm

Stepping Ring 49-46mm

Stepping Ring 49-48mm

Stepping Ring 49-52mm

Stepping Ring 49-55mm

Stepping Ring 49-58mm

Stepping Ring 49-62mm

Stepping Ring 49-67mm

Stepping Ring 49-72mm

Stepping Ring 49-77mm

Stepping Ring 50-49mm

Stepping Ring 50-52mm

Stepping Ring 50-55mm

Stepping Ring 50-58mm

Stepping Ring 52-37mm

Stepping Ring 52-43mm

Stepping Ring 52-46mm

Stepping Ring 52-48mm

Stepping Ring 52-49mm

Stepping Ring 52-55mm

Stepping Ring 52-58mm

Stepping Ring 52-62mm

Stepping Ring 52-67mm

Stepping Ring 52-72mm

Stepping Ring 52-77mm

Stepping Ring 55-37mm

Stepping Ring 55-46mm

Stepping Ring 55-48mm

Stepping Ring 55-49mm

Stepping Ring 55-52mm

Stepping Ring 55-58mm

Stepping Ring 55-62mm

Stepping Ring 55-67mm

Stepping Ring 55-72mm

Stepping Ring 55-77mm

Stepping Ring 58-37mm

Stepping Ring 58-46mm

Stepping Ring 58-48mm

Stepping Ring 58-49mm

Stepping Ring 58-52mm

Stepping Ring 58-55mm

Stepping Ring 58-62mm

Stepping Ring 58-67mm

Stepping Ring 58-72mm

Stepping Ring 58-77mm

Stepping Ring 60-62mm

Stepping Ring 62-46mm

Stepping Ring 62-49mm

Stepping Ring 62-52mm

Stepping Ring 62-55mm

Stepping Ring 62-58mm

Stepping Ring 62-67mm

Stepping Ring 62-72mm

Stepping Ring 62-77mm

Stepping Ring 67-52mm

Stepping Ring 67-55mm

Stepping Ring 67-58mm

Stepping Ring 67-62mm

Stepping Ring 67-72mm

Stepping Ring 67-77mm

Stepping Ring 67-82mm

Stepping Ring 69-52mm

Stepping Ring 69-62mm

Stepping Ring 69-67mm

Stepping Ring 69-72mm

Stepping Ring 69-77mm

Stepping Ring 72-52mm

Stepping Ring 72-58mm

Stepping Ring 72-62mm

Stepping Ring 72-67mm

Stepping Ring 72-77mm

Stepping Ring 72-82mm

Stepping Ring 72-86mm

Stepping Ring 72-95mm

Stepping Ring 77-52mm

Stepping Ring 77-58mm

Stepping Ring 77-62mm

Stepping Ring 77-67mm

Stepping Ring 77-72mm

Stepping Ring 77-82mm

Stepping Ring 82-67mm

Stepping Ring 82-72mm

Stepping Ring 82-77mm

Stepping Ring 82-86mm

Stepping Ring 86-82mm

Hasselblad Adapter B50-52

Hasselblad Adapter B50-55

Hasselblad Adapter B50-58

Hasselblad Adapter B50-67

Hasselblad Adapter B60-58

Hasselblad Adapter B60-62

Hasselblad Adapter B70-72

Rollei Adapter 66-67mm

Rollei Adapter 66-72mm

100x Adhesive dots small100x Adhesive dots Medium100x Adhesive Dots Large500 x White Mounting Squares250 X Clear Mounting Corners250 x Reg 32mm M, Corners250 x 32mmMax View M, Coners100 x 75mm Mounting Corners100 x 75mm Max view M.C0rners25m Double Sided Tape6m Super High Tack tape250 x 10mm Clear Photo Corners500 x 10mm Clear Photo Corners250 x Photo Fix500 x Photo Fix3 x A4c Self laminating Cards3 x A5 Self Laminating Cards3 x 150 x 100mm S,Lam Cards10m Eazy Runner Per adhesiveEasy Mini Dots dispenser

Tripod Bushes Eng,- Cont

Pro Tripods with long and short col,

3 step leg splay, bag hook, case

Shoulder strap

28mm Alloy 4 section

22mm 4 Section Carbon Fibre

28mm 4 Section Carbon Fibre

32mm 4 Section Carbon Fibre

Spare Tool Kit

Pro Monopods 4 section

28mm Alloy

22mm Carbon Fibre

28mm Carbon Fibre

32mm Carbon Fibre

Light weight Alloy with pan tilt, spirit

level Geared centre col. Plus case

23mm three section

26mm three section

Ball and Socket Heads

24mm series o

30mm series 0

36mm series o

36mm series 1

44mm series 1

54mm series 1

36mm series 2

44mm series 2

54mm series 2

36mm series 3

44mm series 3

54mm series 3

105mm 3 Way

120mm 3 Way

Std BS Large

Std BS small

QR Plate 1

QR Plate 2

QR Plate 3

QR Plate 4

QR Plate 5

QR Plate 6

QR Plate 7 for L/Alloy

Small

Medium

Large

Wire Flexi Pod

G Clamp with ball head

K Rig b1K Rig 2K Rig 3K Rig 4Camera Cage

Vest and Arm 1Carbon Stead Cam

60cm80cm100cm120cm

K Small 4 wheelsK Big 4 Wheels 2 x standsK Big 3 WheelsK 2 x Dolly Stands

0 for rods/ QR Clamp, Lens Gear Belt

1 for rods , Lens gear belt

2 for Camera, L Mount, Lens Gear Belt

3 Rods , Hard Stoppers, Lens Gear Belt

4 for Rods Hard Stopper,

Quick release , Lens Gear Belt

KM1

KM2

KM3

7” Arm

11”m

Arm Rod Clamp

Super crab Clamp

Speed crank for F0-4

12” Whip

18” Whip

Large Lens Support

LENS Gear Belt

Zoom Lever Gear Ring

18mm Connectors and Rods fr Rig 1

C Arm and Top Handle

Platform with 40cm Rods

L connector

Z Connector

Rig 1 with Top Handle

Rig 2 With Top |Handle

Rig 3 F/Focus 4,KM2,

Crank, Whip and case

Rig 4 , KF3, KM3

Cage set connector 2, Rods,

Top Handle KF 1 ,KM1

Scrapbook 3L

Flexible Grip Pods

Complete Rigs

KOOD Stead Cam

Tracked Slider

Skate Wheeled Dollys

KOOD DSLR Rigs

Follow Focus Devices

Matte Boxes

Support Items

Tripods and Ball Heads

Stepping Rings

Tel: 01727 823812 Fax: 01727 823336www.koodinternational.com

Page 147: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

KOOD SUPPLIES EVERY PART OF THE PHOTO TRADE - HOME AND EXPORT.EMAIL: [email protected] FOR DETAILS OF STOCKIST IN YOUR AREA OR, IF YOU ARE A CAMERA EQUIPMENT TRADER,

SEND YOUR DETAILS FOR ACCOUNT APPLICATION AND TRADE SUPPLY PRICES | TRADE AND IMPORTERS CAN PAY BY

KOOD BRAND PRODUCTS ARE EXPORTED WORLDWIDE

A FILTER TO FIT ALLCOKIN A SIZE SYSTEMS

100 MM FILTERSGRADIENTS 100 X 125MMDOUBLE EXPOSURE AND MASKS

GRADIENTS

POLARIZERS

NEUTRAL DENSITY

NEUTRAL DENSITY

NEUTRAL DENSITY

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

INFRA RED 720 P FILTER

DIFFUSERS AND FOGS

DIFFUSERS AND FOGS

CONVERSION FILTERS

NETS

POLARIZERS

SPOTS

SPOTS

CLOSE UP’S

MULTI IMAGE AND SPEED

COLOURS

COLOURS

COLOURS

GRADIENTS

CONVERSION

STARS AND DIFFRACTIONS

STARS AND DIFFRACTIONS

CLOSE UP FILTERS

SLOT FILTERS THAT DO NOT DEGRADEA unique system ensures the material is completely cured before we dye the filters. This and the KOODFilter Wallet ensures the colour and density remain the same year in, year out. Other makes can loseup to 30% over three years. All KOOD slot filters are manufactured by KOOD in the UK and we havecontrol of all processes from the casting of the base material to the finished filter ready for sale.

P SYSTEM TO FIT ALLCOKIN P SIZE SYSTEMS

DIFFUSERS AND FOGS

CONVERSION FILTERS

CAN BE ORDERED FROM ANY INDEPENDENT RETAILER

KOOD

K O O DKOOD International Limited, Unit 6, Wellington Road, London Colney AL2 1EY

Tel: 01727 823812 Fax: 01727 823336

E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]

www.koodinternational.com

20 x Wratten polyesters set80A80B80C81A81B81C82A82B82C85A85B85CFLBFLDFLW

A Double ExposureA Double Mask 1A Double Mask 2A PSF

A light DiffuserA Strong DiffuserA Fog 1A Fog 2

Net BlueNet GreyNet GreenNet OrangeNet RedNet VioletNet White

Oval Spot BlueOval Spot ClearOval Spot GreyOval Spot RedOval Spot WhiteSpot BlueSpot ClearSpot GreySpot GreenSpot OrangeSpot RedSpot VioletSpot WhiteWide Spot BlueWide Spot ClearWide Spot GreyWide Spot GreenWide Spot OrangeWide Spot RedWide Spot VioletWide Spot White

P Size HolderKood Adaptor Filter Rings + Cokin HoldersP Adapter Ring 38.1mmP Adapter Ring 49mmP Adapter Ring 52mmP Adapter Ring 55mmP Adapter Ring 58mmP Adapter Ring 62mmP Adapter Ring 67mmP Adapter Ring 72mmP Adapter Ring 77mmP Adapter Ring 82mm

Light Grey Graduated Hard EdgeDark Grey GraduatedDark Grey Graduated Hard EdgeGG4 ND8 3 stop GradGG4 ND8 3 Stop grad Hard EdgeLight Blue GraduatedDark Blue GraduatedCool Blue GraduatedLight Green GraduatedDark Green GraduatedLight Grey Graduated

A Filter Holder SetAdapter Rings Only Fit Kood HolderA Filter Holder CapA Filter Holder HoodA Adapter Ring 37mmA Adapter Ring 38.1mmA Adapter Ring 40.5mmA Adapter Ring 46mmA Adapter Ring 49mmA Adapter Ring 52mmA Adapter Ring 55mmA Adapter Ring 58mmA Adapter Ring 62mm

Light Grey GraduatedDark Grey GraduatedND8 Grad 3 StopsND8 Grad Hard CutLight Blue GraduatedDark Blue GraduatedCool Blue GradientLight Green GraduatedDark Green GraduatedLight Mauve GraduatedDark Mauve GraduatedLight Red GraduatedDark Red GraduatedLight Tobacco GraduatedDark Tobacco GraduatedLight Fog GraduatedStrong Fog GraduatedLight Yellow GraduatedDark Yellow GraduatedLight Sunset GraduatedDark Sunset Graduated

Linear Polariser FilterCircular Polariser Filter

Neutral Density 2Neutral Density 4Neutral Density 8

Star x 4Star x 6Star x 6 with centre spotStar x 8Difraction 2xDifraction 36xDifraction 4xDifraction Star 4Difraction Star 8Difraction SquareDifraction Halo

Close Up 1Close Up 2Close Up 4Split Field

Multi Image 3Multi Image 5Multi Image 7Speed

20 x Polyester colour setYellowOrangeGreenRedSepiaSky

Light Mauve GraduatedDark Mauve GraduatedLight Red GraduatedDark Red GraduatedLight Tobacco GraduatedDark tobacco GraduatedLight Yellow GraduatedDarkYellow GraduatedLight Sunset GraduatedDark Sunset Graduated

Linear PolariserCircular Polariser

Neutral Density x16 (Glass)Neutral Density x2Neutral Density x4Neutral Density x8Neutral Density x8 (Glass)

Infra Red 720 Optical Glass

Starburst x4Starburst x6Starburst x8Difraction 2xDifraction 36xDifraction Double HaloDifraction HaloDifraction 4x StarDifraction Filter DS8Difraction Square

Close up +1Close Up +2Close Up +4Split Field

YellowOrangeGreenRedSkylightSepia

Light DiffuserStrong DiffuserLight FogStrong Fog

80A80B80C81A81B81C82A82B82C85A85B85CFLDFLWFLB

Double ExposureSolar Eclipse Filter

Blue Clear SpotClear SpotGreen Clear Centre SpotGrey Clear SpotOrange Clear SpotClear Oval SpotGrey Oval SpotWhite Oval SpotRed Clear SpotViolet Clear SpotWhite Clear Spot

Light Grey GraduatedDark Grey GraduatedLight Grey Hard EdgeDark Grey Hard EdgeND 8 three stop GeadsND 8 three srtop hard edge GradLight Blue GraduatedDark Blue GraduatedLight Green GraduatedDark Green GraduatedLight Tobacco GraduatedDark tobacco GraduatedLight Sunset GraduatedDark Sunset Graduated

Neutral Density 2Neutral Density 4

Diffuser LightDiffuser StrongFog 1Fog 2

YellowOrangeRedGreenSepiaSkylight

80A80B80C81A81B81C82A82B82C85A85B85CFLBSpot ClearSpot OvalSpot White

Page 148: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

KOOD International Limited, Unit 6, Wellington Road, London Colney AL2 1EY

Tel: 01727 823812 Fax: 01727 823336

E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]

www.koodinternational.com

K O O D

KOOD BRAND PRODUCTS ARE EXPORTED WORLDWIDE

CAN BE ORDERED FROM ANY INDEPENDENT RETAILERKOOD EXPORTS WORLDWIDE TO DISTRIBUTERS OR RESELLERS

KOODMANUFACTURE THE

MOST COMPREHENSIVE

RANGE OF FILTERS AVAILABLE

KOOD

Blue Water 100mmx100mmBlue Water 104mm DiscBlue Water 125mmx125mmBlue Water 27mmBlue Water 30mmBlue Water 30.5mmBlue Water 34mmBlue Water 37mmBlue Water 37.5mmBlue Water 40.5mmBlue Water 43mmBlue Water 46mmBlue Water 49mmBlue Water 52mmBlue Water 55mmBlue Water 58mmBlue Water 62mmBlue Water 67mmBlue Water 72mmBlue Water 77mm

For water without CoralGreenWater 100mmx100mmGreen Water 104mm DiscGreen Water 125mmx125mmGreen Water 27mmGreen Water 30mmGreen Water 30.5mmGreen Water 34mmGreen Water 37mmGreen Water 37.5mmGreen Water 40.5mmGreen Water 43mmGreen Water 46mmGreen Water 49mmGreen Water 52mmGreen Water 55mmGreen Water 58mmGreen Water 62mmGreen Water 67mmGreen Water 72mm

UVC 46mmUVC 49mmUVC 52mmUVC 55mmUVC 58mmUVC 62mmUVC 67mmUVC 72mmUVC 77mmUVC 82MMUVC 86mm52MM UV Multi Coated55MM UV Multi Coated58MM UV Multi Coated62MM UV Multi Coated67MM UV Multi Coated72MM UV Multi Coated77MM UV Multi Coated46mm PLC49mm PLC52mm PLC55mm PLC58mm PLC62mm PLC67mm PLC72mm PLC77mm PLC82mm PLC86mm PLC

UV 24mmUV 25mmUV 27mmUV 28mmUV 30mmUV 30.5mmUV 34mmUV 35.5mmUV 37mmUV 37.5mmUV 39mmUV 40.5mmUV 43mmUV 46mmUV 48mmUV 49mmUV 52mmUV 55mmUV 58mmUV 62mmUV 67mmUV 72mmUV 77mmUV 82mmUV 86mm

Skylight 1B 37mmSkylight 1B 40.5mmSkylight 1B 43mmSkylight 1B 46mmSkylight 1B 48mmSkylight 1B 49mmSkylight 1B 52mmSkylight 1B 55mmSkylight 1B 58mmSkylight 1B 62mmSkylight 1B 67mmSkylight 1B 72mmSkylight 1B 77mmSkylight 1B 82mm

Skylight 24mmSkylight 25mmSkylight 25.5mmSkylight 27mmSkylight 28mmSkylight 30mmSkylight 30.5mmSkylight 34mmSkylight 35.5mmSkylight 37mmSkylight 37.5mmSkylight 40.5mmSkylight 43mmSkylight 46mmSkylight 48mmSkylight 49mmSkylight 52mmSkylight 55mmSkylight 58mmSkylight 62mmSkylight 67mmSkylight 69mmSkylight 72mmSkylight 77mmSkylight 82mmSkylight 86mmSkylight 95mm

Infra Red 49mmInfra Red 52mmInfra Red 55mmInfra Red 58mmInfra Red 62mmInfra Red 67mmInfra Red 72mmInfra Red 77mmInfra Red 82mmInfra Red 86mmSkylight 105mm

ND4 27mmND4 28mmND4 30.5mmND4 34mmND4 35.5mmND4 37mmND4 37.5mmND4 40.5mmND4 43mmND4 46mmND4 48mmND4 49mmND4 52mmND4 55mmND4 58mmND4 62mmND4 67mmND4 72mmND4 77mm

ND8 37mmND8 40.5mmND8 46mmND8 49mmND8 52mmND8 55mmND8 58mmND8 62mmND8 67mmND8 72mmND8 77mm

4 STOPSND16 46mmND16 52mmND16 55mmND16 58mmND16 62mmND16 67mmND16 72mmND16 77mmND16 82mm

9 STOPSND 400 52mmND 400 58mmND 400 62mmND 400 67mmND 400 72mmND 400 77mmND 400 82mm

Polariser Linear 39mmPolariser Linear 43mmPolariser Linear 46mmPolariser Linear 48mmPolariser Linear 49mmPolariser Linear 52mmPolariser Linear 55mmPolariser Linear 58mmPolariser Linear 62mmPolariser Linear 67mmPolariser Linear 72mmPolariser Linear 77mmPolariser Linear 82mmPolariser Linear 86mm

Polariser Circular 25mmPolariser Circular 25.5mmPolariser Circular 27mmPolariser Circular 28mmPolariser Circular 30mmPolariser Circular 30.5mmPolariser Circular 34mmPolariser Circular 35.5mmPolariser Circular 37mmPolariser Circular 37.5mmPolariser Circular 40.5mmPolariser Circular 43mmPolariser Circular 46mmPolariser Circular 48mmPolariser Circular 49mmPolariser Circular 52mmPolariser Circular 55mmPolariser Circular 58mmPolariser Circular 62mmPolariser Circular 67mmPolariser Circular 72mmPolariser Circular 77mmPolariser Circular 82mmPolariser Circular 86mm

Close Up Set 37mmClose Up Set 40.5mmClose Up Set 43mmClose Up Set 43.5mmClose Up Set 46mmClose Up Set 49mmClose Up Set 52mmClose Up Set 55mmClose Up Set 58mmClose Up Set 62mmClose Up Set 67mmClose Up Set 72mmClose Up Set 77mmClose Up Set 82mmmade in China

Split Field 49mmSplit Field 52mmSplit Field 55mmSplit Field 58mmSplit Field 62mmSplit Field 67mm

Starburst 4X 27mmStarburst 4X 28mmStarburst 4X 30.5mmStarburst 4X 34mmStarburst 4X 35.5mmStarburst 4X 37mmStarburst 4X 40.5mm

Starburst 4X 43mmStarburst 4X 43.5mmStarburst 4X 46mmStarburst 4X 49mmStarburst 4X 52mmStarburst 4X 55mmStarburst 4X 58mmStarburst 4X 62mmStarburst 4X 67mmStarburst 4X 72mmStarburst 4X 77mmStarburst 4X 82mmStarburst 6X 27mmStarburst 6X 28mmStarburst 6X 30.5mmStarburst 6X 34mmStarburst 6X 37mmStarburst 6X 40.5mmStarburst 6X 43mmStarburst 6X 46mmStarburst 6X 49mmStarburst 6X 52mmStarburst 6X 55mmStarburst 6X 58mmStarburst 6X 62mmStarburst 6X 67mmStarburst 6X 72mmStarburst 6X 77mm

Starburst 8x 37mmStarburst 8x 49mmStarburst 8x 52mmStarburst 8x 55mmStarburst 8x 58mmStarburst 8x 62mmStarburst 8x 67mmStarburst 8x 72mmStarburst 8x 77mm

Soft Focus 49mmSoft Focus 52mmSoft Focus 55mmSoft Focus 58mmSoft Focus 62mmSoft Focus 67mmSoft Focus 72mm

Fog 49mmFog 52mmFog 55mmFog 58mmFog 62mmFog 67mmFog 72mm

Centre Spot Clear 49mmCentre Spot Clear 52mmCentre Spot Clear 55mmCentre Spot Clear 58mmCentre Spot Clear 62mm

Mulit Image 3x 49mmMulit Image 3x 52mmMulit Image 3x 55mmMulit Image 3x 58mmMulti Image 5x 52mmMulti Image 5x 58mm

Yellow 2x 46mmYellow 2x 49mmYellow 2x 52mmYellow 2x 55mmYellow 2x 58mmYellow 2x 62mmYellow 2x 67mmYellow 2x 72mmYellow 2x 77mmYellow 2x 82mmYellow 2x 86mm

Y/G 2x 49mm Yellow GreenY/G 2x 52mmY/G 2x 55mmY/G 2x 58mmY/G 2x 62mmY/G 2x 67mmY/G 2x 72mm

Orange 2x 46mmOrange 2x 49mmOrange 2x 52mmOrange 2x 55mmOrange 2x 58mmOrange 2x 62mmOrange 2x 67mmOrange 2x 72mmOrange 2x 77mmOrange 2x 82mmOrange 2x 86mm

Green 2x 46mmGreen 2x 49mmGreen 2x 52mmGreen 2x 55mmGreen 2x 58mmGreen 2x 62mmGreen 2x 67mmGreen 2x 72mmGreen 2x 77mmGreen 2x 82mmGreen 2x 86mm

Red 2x 46mmRed 2x 49mmRed 2x 52mmRed 2x 55mmRed 2x 58mmRed 2x 62mmRed 2x 67mmRed 2x 72mmRed 2x 77mmRed 2x 82mmRed 2x 86mm

We are unable to replacethese with Japanese filters- replacements willbe UK Opticalresin filters

80A 52mm80A 55mm80A 58mm80A 62mm80A 67mm80A 72mm80A 77mm80B 49mm80B 52mm80B 55mm80B 58mm80B 62mm80B 67mm80B 72mm80B 77mm81A 49mm81A 52mm81A 55mm81A 58mm81A 62mm81A 67mm81A 72mm81A 77mm81B 49mm81B 52mm81B 55mm81B 58mm81B 62mm81B 67mm81B 72mm81B 77mm82A 49mm82A 52mm82A 55mm82A 58mm82A 62mm82A 67mm82A 72mm82A 77mm82B 49mm

82B 52mm82B 55mm82B 58mm82B 62mm82B 67mm82B 72mm82B 77mm85A 49mm85A 52mm85A 55mm85A 58mm85A 62mm85A 67mm85A 72mm85A 77mm85B 49mm85B 52mm85B 55mm85B 58mm85B 62mm85B 67mm85B 72mm85B 77mmFLD 49mmFLD 52mmFLD 55mmFLD 58mmFLD 62mmFLD 67mmFLD 72mmFLD 77mmFLW 49mmFLW 52mmFLW 55mmFLW 58mmFLW 62mmFLW 67mmFLW 72mmFLW 77mm

Underwater Filters Bluewater for water with Coral

Conversion FiltersColours for B&WGround optical glass

UK OPTICAL RESINMADE IN UK

JAPANESEOPTICAL GLASSOR UK OPTICALRESIN

OPTICAL FILTERGROUND GLASS

INFRA RED 720nmOpt. GROUND GLASS

Opt. DIOPTERWITH CENTER HOLEFOR SHARP CENTER

Opt. GROUND

ONE AND ONETHIRD STOP

Opt. GROUNDHALF DIOPTER

Opt. GLASS VERYFINE ETCHED

Opt. GROUND GLASS2 STOPS

DIFFUSER

ONE STOP

THREE STOP

ONE STOP

THREE STOP

TWO STOPS

FOG OPTICAL GLASS

OPTICAL FILTERS MADEON A MERCURY BEDMADE IN JAPAN

OPTICAL FILTERS MADEON A MERCURY BED

SLIM KOOD FILTERSMADE IN CHINA

Opt. GROUND GLASS

Opt. GROUNDCLOSE UP SETS+1, +2, +3

KOOD SUPPLIES EVERY PART OF THE PHOTO TRADE - HOME AND EXPORT.EMAIL: [email protected] FOR DETAILS OF STOCKIST IN YOUR AREA OR, IF YOU ARE A CAMERA EQUIPMENT TRADER,

SEND YOUR DETAILS FOR ACCOUNT APPLICATION AND TRADE SUPPLY PRICES | TRADE AND IMPORTERS CAN PAY BY

All Japanese filters are packed in a twist box

Page 161: Digital SLR Photography 2013-01

PROOPINION

something todowith the codec the Sonyused.Noneof these thingsmake the Sonyabadcamera– far from it– and I do see itappearing in futurework that I haveon thehorizon. It is just a di#erent approach. Forme, theCanon is a better all-roundcamera formost real-world situations.What I’ve learned from this experience

is that you should always buy a camerabasedonhowmuchyou like it andhow

WEHAVEALLdone it: bought thelatest greatest camerabefore arivalmanufacturer bringsout a

competitor product that outperforms theone youhave just spent your hard-earnedcashon. You’re left feeling a little deflatedandwith the thought that perhaps, justmaybe, youhavemade thewrongchoice.If only youhadwaited a little longer, thisnewsuper-duper productwouldhavebeen released and youwould, or at leastcould, havebought it.I knowquite abit about this. I stumped

upaconsiderablewedgeof cash for thenewCanonC300and Imust say I reallydo like it. It doeshaveone featuremissing,though,which Iwoulddearly love (onethat nodoubtwill come in futuremodelsof the camera) and that is super slowmotion– thepower togive awonderfullookwhere time itself is sloweddown tomake just about anything look special.Filmmaker Philip Bloomshot a simplepieceof footageof hismumcleaning thewindow–amundane subject by anystretchof the imagination–and it lookswonderful. Youcan seehis super slowmotionwork at philipbloom.net.Asmuchas I’d like the e#ects of this

feature, though, I’mhappywith theCanonC300–overall it iswonderfuland I can livewithout super slowmotion…or at least that’swhat I thought.NowSony’s broughtout theheavy-spec FS700it probably leaves anyonewhohas justbought theCanonquestioningwhethertheyhavedone the right thing.Notonlydoes it have super slowmotioncapabilities and200 frames-per-secondat Full HD1080p, but it has the capabilityof beingupgraded to4K resolution (theC300’s highest resolution is acomparativelymodest 1080p) via aforthcoming softwareupdate to record toanexternal recorder.What’smore, it’saroundhalf thepriceof theCanonC300.To say I felt a little disheartenedwas an

understatement– thatwasbefore Iwas lucky enough to try out theall-singing, all-dancing Sony FS700, andeven shootwith it a little, alongside theCanonC300. The FS700’s slow-motionfootagewas really impressive, and if slowmotion alone is your thing, this camera istheone for you. But there ismore to videoproduction than super slowmotion, andtherewere someaspects of the Sony thatdidn’t quite do it forme.Inmyvery short timewith the FS700,

Iwasnot too impressedwith the camera’sergonomics andmenus, and the LCDcould, inmyopinion, be improved. Thefootage also seemed to lack the sparklethat came from theCanonC300, perhaps

often you’ll use it to takegreat pictures–don’t get toohungup if a competitorproduct comesout that seems, onpaper,tooutperform theone youhave justbought. Thebeautyof our industry is thatthere’s always thenext best gadget justaround thecorner– spec sheets areonething, though; reality is quite another.Step intoDrew’sworldofphotographyandenjoyhisblogat:www.drew.it

THEBEAUTYOFOURINDUSTRYISTHATTHERE’SALWAYS

THENEXTBESTGADGETJUSTAROUNDTHECORNER

Gardner’sworldALOOKATLIFETHROUGHTHEEYESOFPROPHOTOGRAPHERDREWGARDNER

PART5:THEJOYOFSPECS

ThebattleofHDvideo:Sonyshowso�its super slowmotion

162 /DIGITAL SLRPHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY2013

©CINEMATOGRAPHER,ALISTERCHAPMAN