Innholdsfortegnelse for 01-Jul-2017 i Amateur Photographer

Airshows are surely one of the British summer’s photographic highlights. They offer a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with some classic and cutting-edge aircraft, and there are usually some dazzling aerial displays too. Getting decent aircraft shots can be a technical challenge, however, which is why we asked top US aviation photographer and Nikon Ambassador, Moose Peterson, to share his insights and experience on page 12. A perfect camera for aerial displays – or any fast-moving subject – is the new Sony A9, a game-changing mirrorless device which sports photographers are raving about. It’s one of the most exciting cameras of the year, so check out our in-depth review on page 36. Last but not least we show how to set up your camera like a pro…

James Cadden James Cadden’s work is the latest to be included in a series of members’ exhibitions hosted at Glasgow’s Street Level gallery. The exhibitions provide members with an opportunity to show and speak about works in progress to others, and this particular set of images was taken during James’ time as a music photographer. Until 29 August, www.streetlevelphotoworks.org Child portrait photography Photographing children is not always the simplest of tasks. Luckily, Saraya Cortaville, an award-winning portrait and social documentary photographer, is putting on this workshop with the RPS. She will be on hand to guide you through the best ways to achieve engaging child portrait photography. 9 July, www.rps.org/events Geology field trip While the whole of Devon is a truly beautiful experience for any landscape…

THE SECOND release from Manfrotto this week is the PIXIPano360, a remotely controlled 360° panoramic head. Ideal for smartphones, Compact System Cameras, DSLRs and action cameras, users can create stunning, vibration-free panoramas and time lapses with ease. The head can be controlled via a remote control or an intuitive app, which allows users to control the speed rotation and angle. It is constructed of premium metal and has a payload of 2kg. It features a universal 1/4in thread attachment on the top and bottom to hold your device securely and to attach it safely to a tripod. The PIXIPano360 is priced at £124.95.…

You answered… A Ensuring foreground interest 21% B Using lead-in lines to draw the eye in 10% C Rule of thirds and other ways to place the subject in the frame 17% D Controlling the background 26% E None – composition is easy! 26% What you said ‘Every scene has its own set of challenges– light, foreground etc. They differ from scene to scene, day to day.’ ‘I could only tell you what I intend to do when I’m looking at a scene I want to record.’ ‘I think it’s important to know how to use intersecting thirds, leading lines and foreground interest when the image calls for it – but then again, it’s just as useful (and far more difficult) to learn when to ignore the rules and do…

Thanks to mobile phones most people now carry a camera everywhere. And while the larger sensor and lens of a dedicated camera will produce better results, there's no denying that modern mobile phones are able to produce great images. There are also some excellent accessories that can help you take even better pictures. Tripods and supports There are times when you need some form of support to get the shot you want. It's helpful in low light to prevent shake and it also enables you to get in the picture. A support can also eliminate wobble in video footage. The MeFOTO SideKick360 smartphone adapter has an expandable, secure clamp that holds any mobile steady. It also has a flat base that allows it to stand on a table top or…

Angela Nicholson Photographer and journalist Angela Nicholson started reviewing cameras for Amateur Photographer in 2004 and was our technical editor before leaving for pastures new in 2010. She’s tested everything from camera straps to backpacks, compacts to medium-format cameras and has set up more cameras than she cares to remember. See www.angelanicholson.com. WHETHER you’re picking up a serious camera for the first time or you’ve just moved up to your next camera in a long line of upgrades, the extensive menus of modern cameras can seem a little overwhelming at first. In the next few pages, I’ll take you through all the steps you should take to ensure you’ve got everything set up just right. 1 Check the firmware Even if your camera is new, it's advisable to visit the…

The Sigma sd Quattro features a mirrorless structure and the Sigma SA mount. The camera is compatible with all Sigma lenses and is designed to take full advantage of these lenses' optical performance. The camera features an APS-C size sensor and offers medium-format image quality with 39 million pixels. The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM, the large-aperture standard lens with an angle of view equivalent to 45mm on a 35mm camera, is a superb go-to lens for an APS-C format digital SLR.…

Battery The 2280 mAh NP-FZ100 battery is rated to 480 shots per charge, but routinely stretches into the thousands when shooting bursts. It can be topped up in-camera using USB. Wireless Built-in Wi-Fi for image transfer and remote control is complemented by NFC and Bluetooth connectivity. Custom controls The function of almost every button and dial on the camera’s body can be reassigned to suit the user’s preferences. Connectors On the camera’s side you’ll find microphone and headphone sockets, USB and HDMI, plus PC flash sync and even an RJ-45 ethernet socket for events shooters. Tilting screen The LCD tilts 90° up and 45° down for low or high-level shooting. In a welcome change from the A7 series, the viewfinder eye sensor won’t turn the screen off when it’s tilted.…

Tilt-shift lenses or correction in post? Q I can understand why specialist tilt and shift lenses were essential for cameras in the days of film, so I am intrigued to find that these amazingly expensive lenses continue to be manufactured and bought for digital SLRS, even now. Why would this be the case when we have such powerful tools in software to do the same job? Vin Geddes A A very long article could be written to answer your question in detail, but I can only be brief here! One obvious advantage of using a lens is that the job of composition can be done in-camera and you can see the result immediately, across the entire frame. When using software perspective correction you can end up with large areas of…

There has been no shortage of novelty cameras marketed over the years, and I've acquired and used a number of them. They are almost always a very basic model, with varying degrees of styling or modification added. They range from very basic customisation using stick-on transfers, to carefully thought through pieces of product design. Common themes include cameras made to look like drinks cans or footballs, and those that are spin-offs from popular film or cartoon characters or pop groups. Actionman, Barbie, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the boy band NSYNC, have all put in an appearance in my camera collection. The British Airways Planecam camera takes the form of a highly stylised version of a passenger jet, and has some clever touches. The tailplane slides back to reveal…

Blowing in the Wind by Mick Weaver Olympus E-M1 Mark II, 300mm, 1/2000sec at f/4, ISO 200 ‘I had planned a few days at RSPB Bempton Cliffs and the surrounding area to photograph seabirds and the beautiful countryside,' says Mick of this image, which he uploaded to our Flickr page. ‘On the day in question, I was meant to be on a boat trip, but it was cancelled the evening before due to bad weather. As it happened, the weather that morning wasn't too bad. I spotted a small group of gannets collecting nesting material on the grassy banks on top of the cliffs and proceeded to shoot low through the grass to give the nice diffused foreground. I was hoping to catch a gannet holding a sprig of red…

Perhaps the biggest debate in photography concerns the relative merits of mirrorless cameras and traditional DSLRs. But for sports and action shooting, many photographers remain convinced that top-end pro DSLRs will always hold sway, due to their exceptional autofocus tracking and speed-of-light optical viewfinders. However, during my testing of Sony's groundbreaking Alpha 9 for this issue (see page 36), I've become convinced that it changes the dynamic entirely. It can shoot at 20fps with no viewfinder blackout, while tracking moving subjects using its 693 autofocus points arrayed across 93% of the frame. This exceeds the abilities of any DSLR, and I've been blown away by just how well it all works. In fact, the Alpha 9 suggests that we've been asking the wrong question all along. Perhaps we should have…

A good eye While I have always had a keen interest in photography, I never had the time or funds to warrant the purchase of a ‘proper' camera when I was younger. I finally saved enough for an entry level model, a pre-owned Nikon D3200 and off I went, see how I could best make use of my new (and, to me, very expensive) toy. My 11-year-old son has now taken an interest and rather than risk damage to my precious model, I bought him a set of clip-on lenses for his iPhone. He arrived home the other night to show me his latest batch of captures, one of which completely blew me away. This close-up image (above) was taken on a camera phone and a £3.50 clip-on lens! We…

Moose Peterson Moose Peterson is a Nikon Ambassador USA, Lexar Elite Photographer, recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award, and research associate with the Endangered Species Recovery Program, to name a few of his honours. He is the author of 28 books, including his latestTake-Offand the bestsellerCaptured. Find out more at www.moosepeterson.com. Aircraft are an industrial art form with a very distinct purpose: to break the bounds of gravity and soar the heavens. They come in every shape and form, and for the past 100 years we have turned our heads skyward to watch their passing. We see and perceive aircraft as flying, so when taking photographs of them we have to bring not only that sense of movement but also the romance that goes along with flight. While this…

Resolution Our Image Engineering MTF tests tell us that the lens is at its sharpest when it’s used between 100-200mm. Corner sharpness improves at all focal lengths by stopping down to f/8. Central and corner sharpness isn’t quite as high when you push to the long end of the zoom. However, as our real-world images in this review show, it’s more than capable of delivering acceptable results at 400mm. Shading Pair this lens with a full-frame DSLR and you can expect corners to appear considerably darker than the centre at all focal lengths when it’s used at its widest aperture. To reduce the effect of vignetting, users can stop the lens down to f/8 or remove it in post by applying a lens profile when shooting raw. Curvilinear distortion The…

Calumet events raise thousands for charity Open days at Calumet have raised almost £4,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital. The events in Manchester and London attracted professionals and amateurs, many of whom gave generously to the charity in exchange for a complimentary DSLR sensor-cleaning service. New competition for young photographers A foundation formed to support young photographers has launched a competition for 13-19 year olds. Entry is free to the JJ Foundation competition, and prizes include studio hire, work experience and a Nikon DSLR. www.jjfoundation.co.uk. Photographer lost in Grenfell fire Among the many victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy was Khadija Saye, an up and coming photographer whose work is exhibited at this year’s Venice Biennale. Saye, 24, lived with her mother on the 20th floor of the block. AP’s…

THE VIDEO Mode's Amateur Filmmaker of the Year (AFOY) 2017, in association with Canon, has reached the final stages of the competition. The third and final round with the theme ‘People' has been judged and the winner and top ten films have been announced. Judges saw a variety of subject matter from documentary style in Africa and Italy to animations and surreal storytelling with a fairytale twist. The expert judging panel was made up of award-winning photographer and filmmaker Simeon Quarrie (an Explorer in Canon's Ambassadors Programme) and representatives from Canon UK and The Video Mode. The panel was looking for strong storytelling; creativity, technical execution and striking visuals in films that could skilfully hold the viewers' attention throughout. The Round 3 winner title goes to Jamie Unwin for his…

DIGITALAB, a family run professional photo lab based in the North East, has won the Large Trader of the Year title at the prestigious Newborn Photography Show. The highly competitive category is voted for by photographers and includes many of the best professional photography services from across Europe. This is Digitalab's first industry award and it's clear to see its focus and pro-active work targeting the newborn photography sector has paid off. As a highly regarded professional photo lab, Digitalab has attracted a host of creative collaborations, to find out more go to www.digitalab.co.uk. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk…

A rounded view Why on earth are we debating the subject of film versus digital? Photography is ,after all, photography, regardless of the type used. There seems to be an unnecessary and, at times, nasty attitude towards film photography by certain individuals who contribute to this page and I find it quite objectionable. If some readers like using film, so what? This magazine is called Amateur Photographer there is no mention of the word ‘digital', there are plenty of digital-only magazines on the newsagents' shelves. I enjoy AP because it covers both formats. I use both film and digital. I enjoy digital photography; equally I still enjoy developing 35mm film and scanning it – a sort of meeting of old and new technology. There have been several recent excellent articles…

Lenses A wide lens such as a 24-105mm can give you a dramatic sweeping image, whereas a longer lens such as a 70-200mm can help you to home in on some of the more interesting details. Night Find a suitable spot and place the camera on a tripod. Turn the mode dial to aperture priority (AV) mode – you want f/8 and upwards for a greater depth of field. Use the camera's self-timer or a cable release for a blur-free image. Black & white Removing the colour in a city location is a certainly a great way to draw the viewer's attention towards the more formal and graphic elements of any urban environment. It can also lend your image a more abstract feel. Weather As with any scene, the weather…

DESIGNED for portrait and location photographers and videographers on the move, AEOS is a bi-colour, location LED light with a unique ‘ultra-thin' design concept. Weighing in at less than 1.5kg and just 2cm thick, AEOS is one of the most portable lights on the market. It delivers a powerful light output of 5,750 lux at three feet, but is also one of the most energy efficient LEDs on the market, able to run for three hours at 100% power on a single 95W battery – more than twice as long as the industry standard. Unlike most LED lights with limited tilt angles, the AEOS uses a pro-level ball head as standard Our bundle includes: • Rotolight AEOS light • Pro Aluminium Ball Head • Power adapter • 95 Wh V-Mount…

Custom fabric FlashBender 2 reflectors use a flexible custom fabric to reduce weight and soften highlight reflections Attachment system The reflectors use a secure belt-and-buckle attachment system Compact style Very compact kit with total weight of 540g (19oz) Filters and gels Extensive range of colour correction filters and coloured gels At a glance • Suitable for off- and on-camera flash • Fits all popular makes of Speedlite-type accessory flashguns • Comprehensive set of reflectors, diffusers, grids and filter gels • £149.95 • rogueflash.com WHETHER you are an occasional flash user or an expert with multiple flash guns, this lighting kit has plenty to offer. Probably the most significant parts of the kit are the small and large reflectors with their optional diffusion panels. These turn your flashgun into a small…

Do you have more than one lens? What about a tripod, carry case or any additional video or audio equipment? The value of all your kit soon mounts up – but would you be able to replace it if something happened? Cameras are designed to be taken out and about, whether to shoot your next landscape, capture wildlife or travel photos for your portfolio, or just to capture those precious family moments. Plus, if you’re passionate about photography, as well as investing your time, you’ve probably invested heavily financially too. That’s why we’ve teamed up with well-known insurance provider, Thistle Insurance Services Limited, to bring you the cover you may need. Amateur Photographer Insurance Services can provide protection against theft and accidental damage for your camera and accessories up to…

The memento mori, the reminder of mortality, has a long history in philosophy and art; and What Is Left Behind, Norm Diamond’s 2017 book subtitled Stories from Estate Sales, is very much a memento mori. Where most Europeans might get someone to clear the house of a deceased relative, or do it themselves, it is quite common in the US simply to put price tags on everything and then throw the house open to all comers – an estate sale. Diamond’s pictures are poignant reminders of how alike we all are in the way we treasure our memories, our experiences and possessions, and how different we all are in what we remember, experience and keep. But how are they ‘Fine Art’? Well, the photographer’s intention, obviously: one of the best…