Innholdsfortegnelse for May 4, 2013 i Amateur Photographer

ONE OF of my favourite things about photography is that it gives us a chance to show other people our ‘vision’ of a subject. Whether that be in its truest, full-colour form, or in alternative ways like HDR, infrared or black & white, is up to the photographer. While black & white processes are fairly commonplace in landscape or portraiture, wildlife seems to be different. But with the textures, patterns and natural contrast of the subjects, I wonder why. With many photographers believing everyone should use their lens for monochrome captures before advancing to colour, I wonder if we would all benefit from spending a week shooting purely black & white. Allowing us to concentrate on the light and the way it interacts with our subject would help retrain our…

Wednesday 1 May EXHIBITION Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography, until 31 May at venues throughout the city. Tel: 029 20 34 1667. Visit www.diffusionfestival.org. DON’T MISS Bluebell Walk (11am-1.30pm), guided walk at Buckland Abbey, Garden and Estate, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6EY. Tel: 01822 853607. Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk. Thursday 2 May EXHIBITION 2020Vision Street Gallery Exhibition, until 31 May at More London (between London Bridge and Tower Bridge on London’s South Bank). Visit www.2020v.org. DON’T MISS Bluebell Walk (2pm-3pm) at Glendurgan Garden, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall TR11 5JZ. Tel: 01326 252 020. Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk. Friday 3 May EXHIBITION Portraits by Richard Ansett, until 4 May at Tenderpixel Gallery, London WC2N 4HE. Tel: 0207 379 9464. Visit www.tenderpixel.com. EXHIBITION 2013 Sony World Photography Awards, until 12 May at Somerset House, London WC2R 1LA.…

LETTER OF THE WEEK Wins a 20-roll pack of 36-exposure Fujifilm Superia ISO 200 35mm film or a Fujifilm 8GB media card* TAKING A LARGER VIEW I very much appreciated Andrew Sanderson’s guide to large-format photography (AP 30 March). I thought I understood the theory and, judging from your guide, I wasn’t that far off. Even if I never use a large-format camera myself, I like knowing how to use it. When I was on holiday in Malta, I saw a photographer take a Mamiya RB67 up a couple of flights of narrow stairs in a café. I thought that was dedication until I went to a natural feature called the Azure Window, which is a rock arch at one end of the Maltese island of Gozo. I’d had to…

WITH landscape photography, it can often be tricky to capture a scene where you need to balance the exposure required for the ground with that for the sky. When our eyes see a scene like the one shown here, they naturally adjust as we look from the ground up to the clouds in the sky and we don’t really perceive the difference in relative luminance that actually exists. One way to photograph a scene like this is to place a graduated filter over the lens to darken the sky at the time of capture. In this example, I used a neutral grad filter, but it wasn’t strong enough to balance the sky exposure with the ground. However, there was still enough information captured in the raw image so I could…

What images do you think of when someone says the word architecture? No doubt your mind instantly jumps to the grand exterior architecture of a cathedral or the slick modern designs often found in major cities. But for this round we want you to try something different. Walk through the doors of a building and take a look round. Within those walls you can find countless opportunities, from the graphic shapes of a spiralling staircase to the quiet atmosphere of an abandoned building. Interior architecture is a genre we perhaps don’t see enough of, so this is a great opportunity to explore this neglected facet of photography. Images can be found in the home, public locations, abandoned buildings (make sure you seek permission and stay safe) and even your own…

Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V8 £100 pacsafe.com PACSAFE offers a range of travel gear designed for optimal safety and protection against theft. The Venture V8 antitheft shoulder bag is one of many Pacsafe products designed specifically for photographers, and will accommodate most DSLRs (up to about the size of a Canon EOS 5D) with a mounted lens, with space for another lens. The removable Velcro dividers allow the space to be customised, and a pocket on the rear allows for storage of a tablet or laptop of up to 26cm in length. The dual zips that close the main pocket are connected together with a reinforced stainless-steel bar. This can be locked in place when closed via a concealed clip on the side of the bag. The strap and body panels…

RRP £999.99 Sensor 16.2-million-effective-pixel, APS-C-sized CMOS Output size 4928 x 3264 pixels Lens 18.5 mm f/2.8 (28mm equivalent) File format JPEG, NEF raw, JPEG+ raw Compression 2-stage JPEG Colour space Adobe RGB, sRGB Shutter type Mechanical and electronic shutter Shutter speeds 30-1/2000sec, plus bulb ISO 100-6400 (ISO 100-25,600 expanded) Exposure modes PASM + 20 scene modes Metering system Matrix, centreweighted, spot Exposure comp ±5EV in 1/3EV steps White balance 2 auto, 6 presets, 7 fluorescent, custom, manual Drive mode 4fps LCD 3in, 921,000-dot LCD Viewfinder type N/A (optional optical viewfinder) Field of view N/A Dioptre adjustment N/A Focusing modes Single, full-time, face detection, focus tracking AF points Contrast-detection AF, wide or normal focus areas creating 12,500 possible AF areas DoF preview No Built-in flash Yes (GN 6m @ ISO 100)…

ANTI-ALIASING FILTER Until recently, anti-aliasing filters were something we took for granted, if indeed we even considered them at all. This is because, like the photosites on a sensor, they were a factory-fitted part in virtually every camera. The reason they were (and still are) so prolific is due to the fact that they were seen as having a positive impact on image quality. An anti-aliasing (or low-pass) filter sits in front of the camera sensor where it filters the light heading for the sensor to prevent moiré patterns affecting the images. Although moiré is still seen in cameras with anti-aliasing filters, it is by no means as pronounced as it could be, and generally restricted to areas of fine texture. However, to achieve this, the filter softens the image…

THE LAUNCH of a new film camera is such a rarity that it’s a genuine delight when something appears, and the Belair X 6-12 is more exciting than most. It’s not every day that you see a folding, mediumformat, 6x12cm, panoramic camera with interchangeable lenses and automatic exposure metering. In fact, it’s a world first. BUILD There are three ‘standard’ Belair models – the City Slicker, Jetsetter (seen here), and Globetrotter – although the difference between them is purely cosmetic. They are all manufactured primarily from plastic, although the Jetsetter’s metal casings and faux leather finish give it a ‘classic metal’ appearance. As with the other models in the range, the Jetsetter comes with a trio of interchangeable format masks that allow you to shoot 6x12cm, 6x9cm or 6x6cm format…

“ Photography is within and around us all…” Let landscape battle commence, page 9 PANASONIC promises 7fps (framesper-second) shooting and has installed an OLED viewfinder in its latest compact system camera, the Lumix DMC-G6. The G6 is due out at the end of May, priced £629 with a 14-42mm zoom, or £549 body only. In the UK, it will not replace the G5. An ISO sensitivity range of 160-25,600 and better video are among the billed improvements on the 16-million-pixel micro four thirds model, which boasts better signal-to-noise ratio to help boost performance in low light. Panasonic also claims to have improved AF tracking, to help photographers lock onto a moving subject, thanks to a type of predictive AF software, according to Panasonic Japan’s imaging consultant Michiharu Uematsu. Features include…

X-Ray Art Photography By Werner Schuster and René Harather Hirmer, £29.95, hardback, 108 pages, ISBN 978-3-7774-8081-7 ALTHOUGH still a relatively niche practice, X-ray photography has had its share of devotees since the late 19th century. Photography in general could well be described as a fusion of art and science, and the X-ray work by Werner Schuster in this book really brings that combination to the fore. The inner structures of animals, human body parts and even inanimate objects are laid bare in this singular portfolio of images. Sometimes the X-rays form a smaller part of a larger image, digitally juxtaposed with solid objects to create a chilling, almost deathly effect. René Harather has done a formidable amount of work for the book, assembling an exhaustive history of X-ray photography practitioners…

THERE are many photographs shot on a Nikon camera that have been awarded a trophy, but now it transpires that the company supplies rifle scopes to trophy hunters seeking to hunt and kill wild animals. It’s a decision of astonishing insensitivity that has rightly outraged photographers – not just Nikon users – who adore shooting wildlife images. And Nikon’s description of hunters as ‘outdoor enthusiasts’ and its support of legal hunting only adds fuel to the fire. Grisly images of dead elephants and rhino killed for their tusks and horns are published all too frequently in the press. The sanctity of innocent animals’ lives is ignored by poachers and hunters intent only on large wads of cash or the appalling self-esteem of having ‘bagged’ what was once a fine animal.…

IT IS often said that the central virtue of monochrome photography lies in the fact that it is able to reduce a subject down to its most basic graphic elements. When colour is removed, the viewer is able to concentrate on the textures, patterns and shapes that make up the form. Take the German avantgarde photographer Ilse Bing, for example. Her extraordinarily composed images of architecture displayed the various ways that tonal range and structure can work together to bring out the expressive qualities of a subject. But how does this way of thinking apply when a photographer wishes to capture something that exists in the natural world, particularly when that same photographer has become known for their vivid and intensely hued images of wildlife? For many years, South African…

GASPARD Félix Tournachon, better known by his professional name Nadar, was at different times in his life a caricaturist, journalist, novelist and balloonist. His greatest achievements, however, came in photography: he was an important pioneer of the medium as an art form, but also succeeded in extending its technical boundaries. Nadar was known for his flamboyance and approached his various projects with characteristic enthusiasm. His friend, the poet and essayist Charles Baudelaire, described him as ‘the most astonishing manifestation of vitality’. Born in 1820, Nadar was raised in a moderately prosperous and politically radical family. His father was a printer, but Nadar was aiming for a career in medicine until the collapse of his father’s business and his subsequent death. The decline in the family’s fortunes led Nadar to give…

AS THE general public increasingly opts to take its snapshots using mobile phones rather than compact cameras, many manufacturers have been forced to rethink their approach and adapt their compact line-ups. Over the past year or so, manufacturers have been reducing the number of compacts in their ranges and concentrating instead on more specific models, such as a travel zooms and high-end models. This new direction has been the most positive area of growth in the camera market, with a new range of premium compact cameras appealing to many enthusiast photographers. The emphasis in these cameras has been on using large imaging sensors and high-quality lenses to produce image quality more akin to that of DSLRs than normal compacts. The most notable success has been the Fujifilm X100 and the…

PRICE DIFFERENCE Q Some manufacturers now offer two versions of their DSLRs, one with and one without an anti-aliasing filter in front of the sensor, but why is the version without the filter always the more expensive? Is it something to do with profit margins? Chester Willey A You’re right, Chester, profit margins are the reason, but perhaps not in the sense I think you are implying. Instead, it simply comes down to the basic economic premise that the more demand there is for a product, the less expensive it (usually) becomes. This is because as unit sales increase, manufacturing costs decrease and the volume of sales means a smaller profit margin can still deliver the desired financial return. In this case, the cameras with the anti-aliasing filter are the…

SECOND-HAND SPECIAL Grab yourself a bargain and get creative at the same time SECOND-HAND DSLRS Why you should consider a used DSLR, what to look for and eight great bargains to buy OLD LENSES FOR PORTRAITS Learn to love the flaws of older lenses and take stunning portraits IPHONE vs VINTAGE We find out whether a phone camera or a vintage camera produces the best effects PLUS PLUS Grab yourself a bargain and get creative at the same time Six of the best medium-format TLRs and six of the best film cameras for under £50…

I’M TOO young (well almost) to remember the Swinging Sixties, but I do know that it was a decade that saw innovations in popular photography as much as in other areas of life. Even camera names reflected the spirit of the time – the Polaroid Swinger, for example, was extremely popular. My camera this month is also a swinger from the 1960s, but in quite a different way. Made in the Russian town of Krasnogorsk, the FT-2 is a panoramic camera, ideally suited to taking large group photos of Soviet factory workers or conscripts. It achieves the necessary long, thin negative by swinging the lens from right to left, taking a sweeping shot of the scene in front of it. Swing-lens panoramics have been around since the dawn of photography…

With a 16.2-million-pixel, APS-C sensor and fixed 18.3mm f/2.8 lens, yet costing just £599, the new Pentax Ricoh GR could blow open the premium compact market. Richard Sibley offers his first thoughts THE LINEAGE of the new Pentax Ricoh GR stretches all the way back to 1996, when the first Ricoh GR 35mm film compact camera was released. This was one of the most highly regarded compact cameras of its generation, so the latest digital version has a lot to live up to. With a 16.2-million-pixel APS-C sensor, the Pentax Ricoh GR is the latest in a number of premium compact cameras fitted with sensors we are more used to finding in a DSLR or compact system camera. The most obvious comparison to make is with the Nikon Coolpix A…

● PHOTOGRAPHIC DIGITAL PRINTING by David Taylor, £14.99 Printing your own photographs can seem like an impenetrably daunting task to the uninitiated, so the jargonbusting approach David Taylor takes for this book is most welcome. There are detailed technical tips on every aspect of the process, and a roundup in the final chapter of what you can do with your photos post-printer is most welcome. ● DIGITAL STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY by Steve Sint, £19.99 Making a living from a stilllife photography business is a career choice that demands commitment, dedication and consistent hard graft. If you’re considering venturing down this path, Steve Sint’s guide may be of some use. Sint’s personable writing style makes the book a little more accessible than some of the drier guides on the market, and…

SOMETIMES, the most interesting creative projects are born from the necessity to understand an event or a place. When I want to get a handle on an environment I’m unfamiliar with, I’ll do it in the only way I know how – through the lens of my camera. The image you see here [which is a finalist in the Professional Travel category of the 2013 World Photography Organisation Awards] is taken from a series of images called ‘Cities from a Taxi: Tourism 3.0’. The project had its genesis during a summer holiday in New York with my girlfriend. I knew I was going to be there for a month and, as I hadn’t been there before, I realised I should attempt to document something about the place through my photography.…

Round four ENTER TODAY! Round 4 of this year’s Amateur Photographer of the Year competition, sponsored by Panasonic, is Interior Architecture (inside man-made structures). We’re all familiar with images of classic and modern architecture. Walk through any city or town and you’ll soon see why photographers are attracted to the exteriors of these brilliant man-made structures. But what about inside? For this round, we want you to train your lens on the most interesting interiors you can discover. Turn to page 29 for some advice and ideas on what to look out for. We have thousands of pounds’ worth of fantastic camera equipment up for grabs, as well as the chance to be crowned Amateur Photographer of the Year 2013.. The closing date for round 4 is 31 May 2013.…

Maria Gaellman Glasgow Before she was given a Konica AF3 at the age of 15, Maria used to borrow her father’s camera to take photographs of her family, wildlife and nature. She says that photography has now become much more than just a hobby, and with the help of her partner she has been learning the manual settings on her camera. To see more of her images, visit www.mariaphoto.co.uk. Ayrshire shipwreck 1 The light and colour are perfectly judged here Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 17-40mm, 10secs at f/10, ISO 50, 0.9ND grad, tripod, polariser Glencoe stars 2 Getting the stars in sharp focus was crucial Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 17-40mm, 20secs at f/4, ISO 2000, tripod Clyde Arc bridge 3 The soft evening light lends a pleasing tone…

THERE are many advantages to using a fixed lens. First, a fixed lens is smaller than even a short zoom lens, which helps to keep the camera size to a minimum. Another plus point is that a fixed lens has the potential to produce far sharper images than a zoom lens. The Coolpix A is fitted with an 18.5mm f/2.8 lens that, when paired with the APS-C sensor, produces the same field of view as a 28mm lens on a full-frame camera. The optic comprises seven elements in five groups, which produces a minimum focus distance of 10cm when the camera is set to its macro mode. I was very impressed with the quality of the lens. When combined with the lack of an anti-aliasing filter and the sensor, it…

Lozza asks I recently bought a Samsung NX1000 entry-level compact system camera. Can I use studio lighting with this camera? AlexMonro replies Yes you can, but depending on the type of studio lighting kit you’re thinking of you may need some extra bits. You can use continuous light sources, such as photofloods, HMI and LED lighting, straightaway, although it might be a good idea to use a grey card to set a custom white balance. Flash will require a trigger adapter that mounts in the Samsung NX1000’s hotshoe. The cheapest option is probably a hotshoeto-cable adapter such as the Kaiser Hot Shoe Adapter (1300), together with sync cables to the flash heads. A better way is to use a wireless trigger, so you don’t end up falling over the cables.…

SALT printing is one the earliest photographic printing techniques we have. You can thank William Henry Fox Talbot for that. In 1833, Talbot was using a simple optical device known as a camera lucida, a contraption that optically superimposes a live scene onto paper to aid in the drawing of a picture. However, Talbot was disappointed with the results. He was reminded of a similar experience ten years before, when he had used a similar device – a camera obscura, which projects an image onto a screen. He remembered how nice the projected image looked and wondered, as recalled in his book, The Pencil of Nature: ‘How charming it would be if it were possible to cause these natural images to imprint themselves durably, and remain fixed upon the paper!’…