Innholdsfortegnelse for 18-Feb-2017 i Amateur Photographer

One of the quickest ways to differentiate between a serious photographer and a snapper is to ask them about lenses. Snappers don’t give much thought to their lens; it’s just there, like the clutch in their car, only to be considered when something goes wrong. However, the serious photographer realises how crucial lens choice and lens quality is. Much of this issue is dedicated to helping you get the most from your precious glass. Discover how to fix the most common types of lens distortion, particularly when it comes to converging verticals (where the edges of buildings lean in). We also help you to find your lens’s ‘sweet spot’ for pin-sharp results. There’s plenty more to interest the curious and creative photographer, including a guide to shooting in Iceland, and…

FOLLOWING a large-scale recall last year, GoPro has confirmed the return of its first-ever drone, the Karma, available in the UK in spring 2017. According to the action-cam giant, initial shipments will be limited, but production is set to increase rapidly. The Karma will relaunch with a redesigned battery latch to solve the previously reported issues. Only days after the release of the original Karma, users reported their drones losing power and plummeting from the skies. GoPro soon called a halt on production. The Karma features a compact design, built to fit inside a backpack, and includes an image-stabilisation grip that can be handheld or worn for when the drone is not in use. GoPro says the Karma will make it easier than ever to capture smooth, stabilised video. Bundled…

Rob Cherry Growing up around the fantastic coastline of Dorset, Rob Cherry’s photographic interest began with a love for his unique natural surroundings. Rob has a passion for black & white photography, which has deepened since discovering the imagery of artists such as Michael Kenna and Michael Levin. Visit www.robcherryphotography.com. Image distortion can be roughly divided into two types: optical and perspective. While the first describes unwanted effects created by the design or build of the lens, the second is caused by the photographer, and usually occurs due to the perspective from which the image is taken. Not all distortions are unwanted – those created by a fisheye lens, for example, can be rather attractive. Most common photographic lenses are rectilinear, which means that straight lines in a scene are…

1 Open the file in Photoshop First I open my raw file (see page 15 for the original shot, displaying significant distortions!) using Photoshop, which is set to automatically open in ACR. I then go to the Lens Corrections panel and on the Profile tab I ensure that Enable is ticked and the correct profile has been automatically selected. I also remove some vignetting here and remove any chromatic aberration via the Colour tab. 2 Click on the Manual tab Next, I set about straightening things up by clicking on the Manual tab within the Lens Corrections panel. Here we can see the Upright tool with Auto, Level, Vertical and Full options. At this point make sure that you turn on the Overlay grid. 3 Try the Full option First…

You answered… A Yes, I love the Ice Light 18% B No, I get away with flash, on or off camera 35% C No, I try to rely on wide apertures and high ISOs 35% D Winter nights are too dark and cold – my camera goes to bed at night 12% What you said ‘I try to rely on fast lenses and high ISO.’ ‘I have painted with light with handheld flash on a number of occasions. And I’ve painted with tungsten floods in the studio for product and commercial photography, rather more so. It seems to me these light sticks have a far more limited use. And become the subject themselves rather than a useful illuminant.’ ‘Not that I can recall, though I ought to give it a…

‘He was very charming and erudite, and was clear about how he wanted to appear’ Bill Nighy’s roles in films including Love Actually have made him one of Britain’s best-known actors. In person, he’s known for his sophisticated dress sense and was named one of Britain’s best-dressed men by GQ magazine in 2015. Like Michael Caine in the 1960s, his distinctive glasses are an integral part of his brand. Most photographers who shoot portraits of him feature them in some way and he’s often pictured with one hand touching the frame. In February 2014, he was about to appear on BBC TV in David Hare’s political thriller Turks & Caicos, the second part of the acclaimed Worricker Trilogy. As part of the publicity drive, he was being interviewed for Spectator…

How to lighten the shadows I LIKE this candid portrait by Josef Thobroe, and how the strong graphical composition enhances the photo. You will notice that no Transform adjustments were required here. The cropping was important, though, as I wanted to remove the distracting white wall to the left and the ceiling. I chose to keep the burglar alarm in because it was a key element that aligned precisely with the scooter's rear wheel. Mainly I used Exposure lightening and Graduated Filter adjustments to balance the tones to create a greater sense of emptiness around the man. 1 Crop the image I selected the Crop tool and adjusted the handles to remove the white wall on the left and the ceiling above. In the Basic panel, I then set the…

If cameras were judged solely on their lab results then the Alpha 6500 is a clear winner. In fact, with 13.7EV (at ISO 100) at its disposal, the Alpha 6500 offers a wider dynamic range than just about any other digital camera currently on the market. The Alpha 6500 is also out in front when it comes to resolution, with its 24.2MP APS-C sensor returning higher l/ph figures than all of its main competitors, especially when used at lower sensitivities. Put simply, the camera produced a really quite exceptional set of lab results that firmly establish it as the leader of the pack in terms of image quality. Dynamic range Our Applied Imaging tests show that the Alpha 6500’s 24.2MP APS-C sensor has a maximum 13.7EV at ISO 100 –…

The word ‘iconic’ has not yet been devalued as much as ‘awesome’, but it looks to be well on the way. This is extremely unfortunate, as it robs us of an entirely legitimate description of many of Larry Burrows’ pictures. They are, in the strictest sense, icons of the horrors of war in general and of the Vietnam War in particular. Despite its excellence, this is not necessarily one of them. It is not even a picture of which I was aware until I was looking deeper into his Vietnam-era work from Life magazine. It shows an F-4 being armed, fuelled and crewed for yet another sortie over Vietnam. There is no drama of guns blazing, no tragedy of a badly wounded soldier surrounded by his exhausted, hollow-eyed comrades. Rather,…

In News (AP 11 February) we reported that the overall winner of the 2016 Societies' Photographer of the Year had been announced. It was Darrin Zammit Lupi, with his strikingly graphic black & white street photograph. He received a cash prize as well as a Fujifilm X-T2 camera, but if you're a dog lover, there was something for you, too. This image by York-based wedding photographer Paul Hawkett took first prize in the Wedding Photojournalistic category. As the judges said, the shot is an excellent capture as well as being an image that carries universal appeal. It is a great image and one that is wholly unexpected, considering the setting and event. To see more visit www.thesocieties.net. Words & numbers Whosoever possesses a camera should never know boredom Wayne Gerard…

HASSELBLAD, the leading manufacturer of medium-format cameras, has announced that CEO Perry Oosting will step down from his role by the end of this month. Oosting, who took on the CEO role in 2015, played a big part in turning the company around after it hit one of its darkest periods in its 75-year history. In the past two years, Oosting has transformed Hasselblad's business model by stepping away from rebrands to concentrate on introducing new and innovative products, such as the H6D and the X1D. During this period, Oosting has led the company to safety with an increase in sales, as well as the successful partnership with aerial camera company DJI. Oosting is set to step down from his operational responsibilities and return to his role on the Board.…

There's something particularly striking about sights that at first appear beautiful only to later reveal the aching horror that lies beneath. This book by environmentalist and photographer J Henry Fair functions with that notion in mind. His mission statement is to make images that are both meaningful and beautiful. Industrial Scars, a collection of aerial images that are notable for their gorgeous textures and colours, is not only a book of devastating beauty, but is also a volume that has something utterly vital to communicate to its audience. What we find in Fair's images is the consequences of our pillaging of the earth's natural resources. Like Sebastião Salgado and Edward Burtynsky, Fair is a photographer who deals in big themes. Whereas Salgado creates stark monochrome images, Fair instead takes the…

In the 29 October 2016 issue of AP, Roger Hicks lightheartedly noted the classification of modern photos as either ‘fine art' or ‘other.' The image up for discussion ‘Cold Reflections' isn't fine art, so it's the latter – in this case, reportage with elements of the ‘art-esque. Broken down, these relate to the interplay of shape and symmetry, including the reflections off the water; the high contrast and overtones of lightness-to-darkness; the contrast between the striking built lines and ripples; and the people as a subject. Strangely, when I looked at the photo I saw none of those things (well, other than the people). What I saw was an immediate cognitive response to one of Henri Cartier-Bresson's classic images ‘Place de L'Europe' – Google it if you need a reminder.…

Back in autumn, AP and Lonely Planet Traveller magazine joined forces in the Inspired Travel Photographer 2016 competition. Photographers were invited to enter a wide variety of images, based on the themes of people, places and nature. We received an unprecedented number of entrants, which is hardly surprising; the grand prize is a seven-night holiday for two to The Gambia, while each of the three category winners wins a Fujifilm X-T10. We’re now pleased to announce the winning images. Wildlife category winner Prashant Meswani The wildlife category prize goes to Prashant Meswani for his spectacular image of a short-eared owl, taken in Heartwood Forest near St Albans in November 2015. ‘It's always great to win competitions and get the recognition, not just from my peers, but also from the experts…

Having been a reader and follower of AP for many years I felt I should write to you with a possible suggestion. I am a disabled person, and considered quite old with restricted movement, but I do not believe I have ever seen an article with ideas of how a disabled person can improve their photography. I have read various articles containing the words ‘climb the pathway to view' and ‘kneel to obtain' etc, but I cannot stand and bend. If I found myself on the floor or ground it would take two very strong men to put me back in my wheelchair. Furthermore, it is annoying when, from my low position, an unthinking person will stand in my area of view and I therefore lose the chance of taking…

Standard adjustments This picture was shot in raw, so in the raw converter I made a few standard adjustments as I would with a colour image before importing it into Photoshop as a JPEG. In this instance it needed little attention, however if needed I may have adjusted exposure. Clean and crop For the the next stage I continued using Photoshop. I cloned out any dust spots and specks. It would be at this stage that I would normally crop the image if required, so I work only on the finished image area. In this example I decided to leave it as it was. Dodge and burn While still a colour image I tend to do any dodging and burning needed in Photoshop as opposed to Silver Efex Pro because…

Adjustable shoulder straps As you would expect, the straps on the Gillis London Rucksack are padded and fully adjustable. High-quality leather The Gillis rucksack is made from high-quality buffalo leather with a vintage finish, and is REACH certified, making it environmentally friendly. Front compartment On the front of the bag is a zipped pocket, designed to hold a 15in laptop. It’s also useful for storing items such as books, notepads, tablets and reflectors. Flexible dividers The padded, quilted dividers are flexible, so they can be moulded around lenses. • £299 • www.camerabags.gillislondon.com At a glance • Two separate compartments • 43x32x15cm • Classic styling GILLIS London specialises in handcrafted canvas and leather camera bags. One of the least conventional is this, the Gillis London Trafalgar Rucksack. Measuring 43x32x15cm, it's big…

IMAGE stabilisation has become an important battleground in recent years, with manufacturers competing hard to provide the best all-round system. Image stabilisation is important because it allows photographers to use longer telephoto lenses and shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds with much greater confidence. Indeed, for the majority of enthusiasts, the technology has had a profoundly liberating effect on lens choice, especially for those that prefer to shoot handheld. The Alpha 6500 is the first APS-C mirrorless camera from Sony to come with 5-axis Image Stabilisation technology, although it already features on all the models within the full-frame A7 II range. In addition to correcting pitch and yaw as most stabilised lenses on the market do, Sony's 5-axis system also corrects for movement on the vertical Y-axis and horizontal X-axis,…

‘Wild Dogs in Paris’ funds photography ideas Greyhours, the luxury watch brand, has partnered with photographer Tom Hoops to launch a new platform called Wild Dogs in Paris to showcase and help fund independent photographers’ work. For more information visit www.wilddogsinparis.com. Crowdfunded camera bag launches After a year of development, the Pakk Camera Bag has launched on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. According to designer Adam Bodini, the bag was built by and for modern-day photographers. Manufactured from 1000-denier Cordura, it is designed to be strong and water resistant, and should be available from August. Visit www.indiegogo.com. Kenro carbon-fibre gimbal head Kenro has introduced a new, lightweight carbon-fibre gimbal head for sports and wildlife photographers, designed to make it easier to manipulate large DSLR lenses. The 360° smooth panning base and the…

THE LATEST in Ricoh's line of Pentax K-series DSLRs has been announced as the Pentax KP. Combining a new generation of APS-C-sized image sensor (effectively 24.32MP), the ability to shoot at high ISO sensitivities (up to 819,200) and a weatherproof design, Ricoh appears to be pitching the KP as a versatile tool for photographers working in challenging low-light and/or outdoor conditions. On the inside, that 24.32-equivalent CMOS sensor is combined with an AA-filter-free optical design, intended to deliver clear and accurate reproductions of texture and gradation. A built-in 5-axis shake-reduction system hopes to minimise camera shake even during challenging situations – compensating not only for pitch and yaw, but also horizontal and vertical shift (common in disciplines such as macro photography) and roll. Twenty-seven AF points are paired with a…

Twitter Simon Knight @knight_simon Simon has photographed St Cwyfan’s church from the bank of Cribinau, a small tidal island off the south west coast of the isle of Anglesey in Wales. The ghostly waves give the image a truly haunting feel. Join the conversation @AP_Magazine Facebook Greg Sheard Photography Gary took this image at a Halloween dog parade in Liverpool last year. Despite being a few months old, it really couldn’t be more opportune. The wig is a particularly nice touch. Like us www.facebook.com/amateurphotographermagazine Flickr Pete Rowbottom In this image titled ‘Nowhere’, Pete captured the minimalist shot he had waited so long to achieve. Despite the risk of having to clone out raindrops due to the torrential downpour, Pete fixed on his 10-stop filter and walked away with this…

When checking your lens for distortion, you need to use a tripod and take pictures of objects with parallel vertical or horizontal lines. There are plenty of square things you can use, such as brick walls, big windows or doors. You want the object to be at your level, though, because angling the camera up or down will create its own distortion. You need the camera lined up near the centre of the object. Try taking shots at different apertures, and if you're using a zoom lens experiment with different focal lengths. Next, view the whole picture on screen. Are the lines straight or do they bow in (pincushion) or bow out (barrel) Compare different lenses at the same aperture. Keep a record of your results.…

This motion blur image of blue-and-yellow macaws flying against the lush Amazonian rainforest is a vibrant colour image. A macaw's plumage is a spectacular palette of colour, and stripping away the blues and yellows that contrast with the various tones of green of the forest leaves this image looking quite flat and with less impact than its colour version. The technique used does not sit well as a black & white conversion. When motion blur is used on a colourful subject it is often the colour in the image that helps to make it work. With the colour gone my view is that the image loses interest.…

Mark Cornick, Shepperton As should be obvious from this selection of images, Mark identifies the urban environment as his favourite subject to photograph, particularly the architecture in and around London. The images in this selection are part of a larger project called ‘Dystopian Disorder – The Dream State'. The images were inspired by the film Inception, where the characters are able to interact and mould the urban environment around them, while in a dream state.www.markcornickphotography.co.uk 1 Stride By Here, a motion layer was created to give us this futuristic style. Mark then added a layer mask to bring back some sharpness to the face Canon EOS 6D, 24-70mm, 1/100sec at f/8, ISO 640 2 Passage This passage at King’s Cross in London is often photographed, but here we see a…

• £13 (32GB), £17 (64GB), £28 (128GB) • www.samsung.co.uk IF YOU'RE a photographer who uses both a desktop or laptop computer and an Android tablet or smartphone, then you'll probably know that USB on-the-go memory sticks such as this Samsung Flash Drive Duo can be used to share files between the devices. It has a full-size USB connector that plugs directly into most Windows or Apple machines, along with a micro USB connector that will work with the majority of Android phones or tablets from the likes of Samsung or Sony. Among the many similar devices on the market, this one stands out due to its unusually neat, slimline metal-bodied design. Samsung claims it to be water, shock, magnet, temperature and X-ray proof, but the same is true of most…

Connectors A small panel on the left-hand side of the camera opens to reveal individual Micro USB, HDMI micro and external microphone ports. A small lamp here shows battery-charging status. Eye-focus AF This first needs to be assigned to one of the custom buttons, and when deployed the camera will maintain focus on your subject’s eye. This is really useful for portrait work. Battery The Alpha 6500 is powered by a 1020mAh Sony NP-FW50 li-ion battery that is good for around 310 shots when using the viewfinder, or 350 shots when the LCD display is used. Dual command dials The main command dial on the top of the camera is complemented by another on the back of the camera. You will probably need to adjust your grip slightly when using…