Innholdsfortegnelse for 05-May-2018 i Amateur Photographer

Spain was hit hard by the European economic crisis and it is estimated that 3.4 million houses stand empty, after housing estates were built by developers cashing in on cheap loans and favourable government regulations. Part 2 of Markel Redondo's project ‘Sand Castles' provides a new perspective on these abandoned developments that litter Spain's landscape. Markel Redondo was one of two winners of the recent DJI Drone Photography Award and won a Phantom 4 Pro drone and £1,500 project financing. He decided to revisit this project that he first photographed in 2010. He says, ‘We live in a society with huge housing issues ... yet Spain has more than three million empty homes.' Words & numbers “I have a burning desire to see what things look like photographed by me…

BRITISH artist Alys Tomlinson has been named Photographer of the Year at the prestigious annual Sony World Photography Awards for her series ‘Ex-Voto'. She wins US$25,000. The jury praised the series for its beautiful production, technical excellence and sensitive illustration of pilgrimage as a journey of discovery and sacrifice to a greater power. Tomlinson's series was selected from the 10 category winners of the Professional competition, the winners of which were also announced at the same time. The winner of the Open Photographer of the Year award went to Veselin Atanasov from Bulgaria. Selected from 10 category winners as the best single image in the world, his photograph ‘Early Autumn' wins a US$5,000 prize. All winners were invited to attend the ceremony in London and took home Sony digital imaging…

‘Meadows laid the images out on boards and nailed them to a tree in a park’ You could often be forgiven for buying into the idea that art and culture is a purely London-based affair. It's been a bone of contention for many years from artists and organisations across the country, who feel like they are hitting their heads against a brick wall as they attempt to penetrate the London-centric coverage afforded to music, art and literature. With that in mind, it's always a pleasure to encounter an organisation that is committed to exposing artists that exist outside the capital's sphere and is dedicated to promoting the exhaustive wealth of talent that exists further north. Hobo Photo is one such organisation, and the exhibition ‘Hit the North' brings together eight…

With so many different competitions to enter, you can be sure there’s one that matches your favourite genre. It’s a great way to challenge yourself, focus your mind and potentially take home some fantastic prizes. Some of the UK’s top competitions can attract tens of thousands of entries, so trying to ensure that your image stands out from the crowd can be tricky. To help increase your chances, we spoke to the judges of some of the world’s biggest competitions, and have compiled the best advice and tips. Most competitions, owing to the effort involved in the shortlisting and judging process, charge a fee to enter. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure your image stands a chance of getting to the finals, otherwise you’re simply wasting your money. The following insights…

Great on paper I enjoyed Matthew Richards's recent article Great on screen, great on paper (AP 14 April) but there was one part I thought could have been amplified with some further clarification; I know you were confined to the space in the article and the screengrabs were as small as you could get away with. The second paragraph on page 36 starts to highlight the potential pitfalls of colour space conversions while in your workflow. I would have liked some further explanation as to what is one of the correct ways of achieving this so that I'm not taken aback by shifts in colour, etc. at some point further down the line. James Duffy Thanks, James. Space was indeed limited and Matthew had a lot to talk about, but…

It feels like only yesterday that Sony introduced the revolutionary A7 and A7R – yet here we are looking at the third iteration of the company's most basic full-frame model. Since 2014's A7 II, we've seen Sony introduce innovative technologies, refine the design and deal with concerns about the extent of the full-frame E-mount lens range. For those after a highly versatile and more affordable full-frame camera than the A7R III or A9, the A7 III looks very appealing. It incorporates many of the niceties of the A7R III and A9 at a price of less than £2,000. Don't be fooled by the ‘basic model' status that Sony gives it: we're looking at a very capable camera indeed. Features As with the A7 and A7 II, the A7 III is…

THERE ISN'T long to go before the fourth annual Photo London fair opens. Held at Somerset House, London, from 17 to 20 May, the fair will feature a record 108 galleries from 18 countries showcasing a range of exhibitions, talks and more. Building on the success of the previous three editions, Photo London 2018 aims to showcase the very best of the past, present and future of photography to a growing international audience. Emerging artists will be presented alongside new work by established masters and rare vintage pieces. This year, for the first time, a select group of participating galleries have created special projects, including a major exhibition on the legacy of William Henry Fox Talbot, one of the earliest pioneers of photography. Each year, a Master of Photography is…

Lifestyle By Frank Kunert, Hatje Kantz, £17.88, 72 pages, hardback, ISBN 978-3775743761 Photographing miniature models has a rich history. This specialist endeavour – one requiring limitless imagination, ample time and steady-handed craft – is the preserve of a select few, perhaps most notably in figures such as Michael Paul Smith, whose acclaimed images bring to life dreamy and nostalgic 1950s Americana. Joining Smith in the pantheon of miniature-model photographers is German-born Frank Kunert, whose detailed and painstaking images create scenes that straddle the border between the uncanny and comfortably familiar. Each of Kunert's scenes is shot on a large-format film camera, which only serves to heighten the realism of his scenes. This lovely book acts as a kind of greatest hits compilation: one that brings together his previous works to…

Now in its 12th year, the Sony World Photography Awards highlight the best contemporary photography worldwide. The awards comprise four categories: Open, Youth, Student Focus, and Professional. The Open awards recognise outstanding individual images, while the Professional categories celebrate bodies of work. There is also an award for Outstanding Contribution to Photography – this year awarded to Candida Höfer, known for her large-scale, richly detailed pictures of empty interiors. This year 319,561 images were submitted from more than 200 countries and territories (a 40% increase on 2017). A total prize fund of $30,000, plus Sony digital imaging equipment, was shared between the winning photographers. Aside from the prize money, the organisers aim to provide extensive exposure to the winners, shortlisted and commended entrants, and support new talent via the Student,…

Through the pinhole As a big fan of pinhole photography, I found Andy Westlake's article ‘Pinhole wizard' (AP 21 April) interesting and informative. However, I have to disagree with him over the effectiveness of pinhole body caps. I use one with my Canon EOS M3 and find it very effective. While images created using it require sympathetic processing, the final products can have a wonderfully evocative and timeless feel. The key is to use them boldly, applying good directional lighting to the subject, emphasising shape, form and texture. I use mine handheld, in aperture-priority mode, adjusting ISO settings to regulate shutter speed. The noise generated by the ISO increase often enhances the image's texture. Pinhole body caps are not perfect, but they allow us to explore this fascinating aspect of…

As the world’s leading photographic charity, The Royal Photographic Society offers its members (and non-members) a unique opportunity to further their knowledge and fine-tune their work by applying for a Society Distinction. An RPS accreditation is perfect for photography fans who wish to gain further advice and improve their work – and in some cases, further their career as well. Accreditation from the RPS certainly doesn’t get any more prestigious, and members can apply for three levels of Distinction: LRPS (Licentiate), ARPS (Associate) and FRPS (Fellowship); the Society recommends that you apply for the LRPS first, unless you’re an experienced photographer. All assessment events are held at the RPS Headquarters in Bath. LRPS (Licentiate) For the LRPS (Licentiate) Distinction, applicants must show variety in approach and techniques, but not necessarily…

With the Alpha 7 III, Sony has hit the sweet spot in terms of what many photographers want from a full-frame model that falls under £2,000. The criticisms we previously made about the A7 II – notably the colour accuracy of its EVF, lack of silent mode, poor battery stamina and sluggish focusing on erratic subjects have all been ironed out, and the superb 693-point AF system and effective in-body stabilisation system merge well with the improved control layout. It doesn't rattle out a continuous burst at the same blazing speed as the Alpha 9, nor does it deliver the same high resolution as the Alpha 7R III, but it succeeds at doing what a great all-rounder should do, which is to perform outstandingly well when challenged by a variety…

Lens mounts Each manufacturer has its own lens mount and most aren’t compatible with one another. For example, a Canon DSLR can’t use Nikon lenses, although you can use independent brands if you get them with the right mount. Built-in focus motor Most lenses now incorporate an internal motor to drive the autofocus, although some are still driven from the camera body. DSLR lenses often use ultrasonic-type motors for fast focusing, while those for mirrorless cameras tend to employ video-friendly stepper motors. Filter thread A thread at the front of the camera will have a diameter, in mm, which will allow you to attach a variety of filters or adapters to the lens. Maximum aperture Wider apertures mean you can use faster, motion-stopping shutter speeds. IN GENERAL, the easiest way…

Sigma announces E-mount lens pricing Official prices for Sigma’s range of Art lenses in Sony FE-mount have been announced as follows: 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM - £1,679.99, 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM - £859.99, 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM - £799.99, 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM - £799.99, 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM - £749.99, 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM - £1,199.99, 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM - £1,399.99. SmugMug acquires Flickr Flickr was once one of the most popular photography-sharing sites in the world, but in recent years its popularity has waned. Now, photo-management platform SmugMug has agreed to buy Flickr. The new acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, hopes to revive the fortunes of the sharing site, combining expertise from both platforms for the benefit of photographers. Watch this space. BackLight Daypack from Mindshift An…

An idyllic landscape filled with temples, the gardens at Stowe were created in the 18th century on a massive scale by the rich and powerful Lord Cobham and continued by his nephew Earl Temple. More than gardens, they hold hidden meanings based on Greek mythology: the paths and temples reveal Lord Cobham’s beliefs on vice, virtue and liberty. This timeless rolling landscape of winding paths and tranquil lakes framed by belts of trees and dotted with temples and monuments was worked on by many notable 18th-century gardeners and architects, including John Vanbrugh, James Gibbs, William Kent and Capability Brown. Over the years they turned Stowe’s 250 acres of gardens into some of the finest views in England for which photographers today are eternally grateful. Justin’s top tips 1 Go for…

AS PART of its long-standing relationship as official photography partner for the National Trust, Panasonic will be holding events around a variety of stunning National Trust properties over the coming months. Both Panasonic and AP will be at Stowe on 19/20 May. Stowe has attracted visitors for more than 300 years, and it’s easy to see why. The winding paths, lakeside walks and temples are wonderfully photogenic, and during spring the chatter of birdsong fills the air while the sun creates glittering patterns on the lakes. Aside from spring lambs, the grounds are also home to nocturnal animals including glow worms, bats, hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, and even polecats. On the weekend of 19/20 May Panasonic LUMIX will be offering visitors to Stowe the chance to try out its latest cameras…

Round Three Mono culture Photographers working in black & white often say that colour is a distraction. When we remove colour from the equation, the rules of composition, framing and lighting shift their parameters and require the photographer to see the world differently. With everything pared back we can focus on the graphic elements of a scene. Light is a key factor. When black & white and atmospheric lighting combine, the result is powerful. To hone your black & white skills look at the work of monochrome masters such as André Kertész, Michael Kenna and Sebastião Salgado. Toning is acceptable in this round. Plan your APOY 2018 year Below is a list of all this year's rounds including when the rounds open, when they close and the dates the results…

1 Why organise? Perhaps you’re just starting out and building your image library, or maybe you have a huge, disorganised mess of folders, duplicate images and garbled file names that would take days to sort. Either way, now is the time to get on top of your image library. It’ll save you time and stress, safeguard your images and allow you to find whatever photo you need, whenever you need it – ideal for finding the right photo for any competition you might enter. 2 What is the Catalog? Lightroom's Catalog is the nerve centre of your image library. It stores data about where all your files are located, whether you've added ratings or other metadata, and it remembers every edit you make to an image without ever needing to…

Sony's A7-series has gained an excellent reputation for offering photographers a high level of customisation in the past, and the A7 III is no different in this regard. Head to custom operations in the main menu and you'll find there are as many as 81 functions that can be assigned to no fewer than 11 custom buttons (which Sony refers to as keys) dotted around the body. Functions can be assigned to stills, movies and playback sets, and the way in which the front and rear command dials operate can be reversed if you'd prefer the front dial to control shutter speed and the rear dial to control aperture. The function menu, which is loaded by hitting the dedicated Fn button, is a great way of quickly accessing regularly used…

There are some things we need to make clear about the Lumix GH5S. Firstly, it's not an update of or replacement for the GH5. There are some distinct differences between the internal functions and features of the two bodies, but they share a lot in common on a superficial level. With the ability to record professional standard Cinema 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 video at up to 400Mbps, variable frame rate video for dramatic slow-motion footage, flat V-log and HLG modes, both the Lumix GH5 and GH5S are designed to appeal to those who shoot video. However, the GH5 sports a high-sensitivity 20.3-megapixel Micro Four Thirds Live MOS sensor with a pixel pitch of 3.34 microns, 12fps continuous shooting, 6K-photo mode and IBIS, making it a superb all-rounder for photographers with video…

LAUNCHED 1957 PRICE AT LAUNCH Approximately £60 GUIDE PRICE NOW £90-120 Open the back of an Adox 300 to load a 35mm film and, where you expect to see the film plane, sprockets, space for a cassette and take-up spool, what you actually see is – nothing. The camera is devoid of all the usual internal devices that typify a 35mm camera. That's because the film-loading mechanisms are actually in a separate, detachable magazine. The idea is you load the magazine first and then slot it into the camera. In this way, you can keep several magazines pre-loaded with different types of film and swap them mid-roll. To prevent the film getting fogged during the swap, a metal blind acts as a protective mask. Operating the camera's back-locking mechanism with…