Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Jul-2018 i Amateur Photographer

For a long time serious photographers tended to look down at ‘phone snappers’, and there still remains a bit of prejudice (on either side, to be honest). It doesn’t need to be an either/or situation though; as the old belief goes, ‘the best camera is the one you have with you,’ and the quality of image-processing software in today’s smartphones is staggeringly good. So in this issue, top smartphone photographer Jo Bradford explains how to get the best of both worlds: good-quality images and convenience. Undoubtedly, most AP readers will have a smartphone, so turn to page 12. Talking of convenience we also review Sony’s RX100 VI superzoom compact. And I reveal how to get better boudoir photos (page 32). So never let it be said that AP is short…

IF YOU'VE ever tried to flatten film to be photographed with a digital camera, rather than scanning it, you'll know it can be a challenge. Hence the announcement of pixl-latr, a new product that has hugely exceeded its funding target on Kickstarter.com. Essentially the product is a diffusing plate that uses pins and frames to flatten 35mm, 120 film (up to 6x12) and 5x4 sheet film so it can be shot with a digital camera. You can still pledge some cash on Kickstarter to get one - pledge £40 or more and you'll get a cool pixl-latr metal pin as well as the pixl-latr. Let's hope we get a chance to review it in AP.…

OUR THIRD swimsuit cover in a row is no coincidence – until at least the mid-90s, bathing belles were the de rigueur cover image choice for AP's hard-pressed editors, as it's summer and we're photographers, right? By 1985 things were heating up considerably, but as our current cover shows, we've taken the temperature right back down again – taste and social conventions move on. Steamy cover models aside, there was an eclectic mix of content inside this issue, including a far-from-glamorous, but still very interesting, documentary feature on the hard lives and early-morning drinking habits of Smithfield meat market workers. It gives a real insight into how London has changed in the past 30-odd years, although with Big Bang deregulation of the City just around the corner, the writing was…

Whenever the kit of named professionals is detailed in a magazine, I notice that two identical bodies are often listed. This is most true of those who travel to all corners of our earth. These second bodies, I assume, are almost purely for emergencies. Lesser mortals often ‘upgrade, from a 4 to a 5 or iii to iv, while keeping their old buddy as a ‘second' body. (To me, this appears to be an excuse for not parting with the camera, rather than a valid strategic photographic move!) The second body is, therefore, a camera that the photographer is familiar with. If not identical, it is at least very similar to the new ‘first' body. Nine times out of ten, the sensors will be the same size. And the lenses…

ISO On an iPhone use the ProCamera app to shoot in ISO priority. The ProCamera app has an ISO range of 25-2000. If you're using an Android, use its Pro Mode to alter the ISO. The range of ISO values available varies between devices, but at the least is around ISO 100 to ISO 800. Focusing The camera may focus on the centre of the frame, but if you have the subject aligned on the rule-of-thirds grid, tap on screen to focus your image and the focal point will change to that spot. For moving subjects, tap and hold your focal point until the AE/AF indicator appears. Depth of field Add some depth of field and lens blur effects with an app like Focos for iOS. For both Android and…

Round Three Mono Culture Steve Cheetham wins round three of APOY. He takes home a Sigma dp3 Quattro and a Sigma 1.2x FT-1201 Conversion lens. This medium telephoto lens camera (equivalent to 75mm on a 35mm camera) incorporates a Foveon X3 direct image sensor, which can detect a broad range of light wavelengths. The Sigma 1.2x FT-1201 Conversion lens has been exclusively designed for the dp3 Quattro – when it is attached to the front of the lens, it magnifies the focal length of the lens by 1.2 times (60mm/equivalent to 90mm on a 35mm format), and does not change the f/2.8 aperture value. The total prize value is £1,050. 1 Steve Cheetham UK 30pts Canon EOS 5DS, 16-35mm, 20sec at f/11, ISO 100 Iceland is incredibly popular with photographers,…

Unlike the cheesy glamour photos that once dominated lads’ mags (and AP), boudoir photography is more romantic and is aimed mainly at a female audience – indeed the vast majority of boudoir is commissioned by the subjects, often as part of a bridal photography package, or for a landmark birthday, or as a gift for a partner. Many women choose a boudoir shoot as a confidence boost after having children, getting divorced or losing weight. Boudoir photography is generally shot in a bedroom setting – hence the name – and is sensual and sexy without being explicit. The subject’s modesty is generally covered by lingerie or bedding, and artful posing. Most successful boudoir photographers are women, for obvious reasons, so male photographers hoping to succeed in this genre should consider…

1 Location Hotels are great locations to shoot boudoir, but look for somewhere that gives you more creative options than just white walls and linen. 2 De-clutter The first thing to do before you introduce the model is de-clutter the room. Hide the kettle and cups, and avoid the TV in shot. 3 Clothing Make sure the model has a collection of different lingerie in a variety of styles/colours so that you can pick outfits to complement the room décor. 4 Hair/make-up Good make-up is vital for successful boudoir photography. If possible hire a professional, or ask a friend who is skilled in this area. 5 Props Use props such as a phone, hairbrush or lipstick. Giving them something to do helps provide a distraction for your model and helps…

Esther Ling is a professional photographer and LUMIX Ambassador whose main passions are social, documentary, food and travel photography. Her camera of choice is the Panasonic LUMIX G7. Here, she shares her tips for those who are new to the range. www.estherling.co.uk. 1 If you're nervous about taking the camera off auto, don't worry – treat it as a positive instead. Using auto allows you to concentrate on other things, such as composition. If you have an eye for a picture, you're lucky; so don't be afraid to use auto as you build up your confidence. 2 Keep it simple. People have a habit of overcomplicating things: they take an image and crop it, but why not move your feet instead? Another mistake people make is to over-process their files.…

Connectors The Micro USB ‘multi-connector’ can be used for charging the battery or powering the camera directly, attaching a wired remote control, or copying your images onto a computer. Below it is a micro HDMI output for connecting to a TV. Lens The 24-200mm equivalent 8x zoom uses 15 elements in 12 groups, with 8 aspheric elements including 4 Advanced Aspheric lenses, and 2 ED glass elements. Battery One disadvantage of the pocket-sized body is that it can only accommodate the small NP-BX1 battery, which is rated for just 220 shots using the viewfinder, or 240 with the LCD. Connectivity Built-in Wi-Fi allows connection to a smartphone or tablet for image transfer or remote control via Sony’s free PlayMemories Mobile app for Android or iOS. NFC can quickly set up…

Panasonic/Olympus image stabilisation Q I understand the Panasonic in-lens image stabilisation (IS) is not compatible with the Olympus body. My question is, should I switch the Panasonic lens stabilisation ‘on' or ‘off'? When the lens is switched on you can see the stabilising effect in the viewfinder, but it is on all the time the camera is switched on and not just when the shutter button is half pressed (flattening the battery quicker). Geoff Thomson A Panasonic in-lens stabilisation certainly can be used with an Olympus body but not at the same time as the Olympus body’s own sensor-shift stabilisation. On more recent Olympus bodies, like the one you have, there is a menu option that can enable the prioritisation of lens IS when using a Panasonic lens. This is…

THERE are a number of good apps to help improve your photos. I favour the free Snapseed app (iOS and Android) on my smartphone for the quick edits, and Affinity Photo on my iPad Pro for more detailed work. Both Snapseed and Affinity Photo have a facility to develop raw files. Most smartphones automatically boost the saturation when you take a photo. This can make a picture look punchy, but it also looks fake. Turn the saturation down slightly now, so that you are not overlaying even more fakery onto it to begin with. Make it look realistic for now, and trust that you can boost your saturation again later with just the right amount. It will be like a final layer of varnish to enhance your masterpiece at the…

Just say... OM Thank you so much for your piece on Olympus OM film cameras (Film Stars, 14 July issue). My first ‘proper' camera was an OM10: at £110 it was a very generous 18th birthday present. It was so well designed it immediately became an extension of my eye and mind; I could shove it in any old bag; the kit lens was a fast 50mm Zuiko prime which taught me my craft. Along with a 28-70mm zoom, the OM10 was my faithful workhorse for 20 years, all the way to an A Level in Photography. Then I lost my darkroom, tried to go digital with a great lump of a Nikon DSLR, got entangled in early Photoshop, and all but gave up photography altogether. Only in Lightroom did…

Nikon D700 Long-since superseded but this is still Emma’s favourite camera. ‘I still love the look I get from the 12MP full-frame sensor.’ Kit zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 A good general-purpose lens is good for full-length shots at the wide end, and portraits at the tele end. Fast prime lenses 50mm f/1.4 Emma’s favourite lenses for boudoir are her 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 primes. ‘I prefer primes and like to shoot wide open to get a much more creative look.’ Rotolight AEOS I much prefer constant lighting because you can see the effect with your eye. The Rotolight AEOS is powerful yet still portable. Rotolight NEO 2 The NEO 2 is a mini version of the AEOS that can be handheld or attached to a hotshoe.…

Our cameras and lenses are tested using the industry-standard Image Engineering IQ-Analyser software. Visit www.image-engineering.de for more details We've seen this sensor and processor combination in several Sony cameras now, so it's very much a known quantity. As in the RX100 V and RX10 IV, it delivers highly detailed images at low ISO settings, while keeping noise fairly well under control at sensitivity settings up to ISO 1600. In terms of sensor output quality there's no significant advantage over compact cameras with 1in backside-illuminated sensors, including the Panasonic TZ100 and TZ200. Instead the main image-quality differentiators will be the lens and the in-camera JPEG processing. Resolution Looking at the camera’s JPEG output, the RX100 VI resolves around 3200 lines per picture height at ISO 80, with the camera blurring higher…

The Loupedeck+ isn't drastically different from the original, but has been refined. When I reviewed the Loupedeck I made the comment that it was short of customisable buttons and knobs. This issue has been addressed on the Loupedeck+ and the excellent custom mode option, in addition to the L1, L2 and L3 buttons for accessing the Adjustment Brush, Radial Filter and Graduated Filter, are very well received. Users of the original Loupedeck will need to retrain their muscle memory if they upgrade, but with regular use they'll quickly learn the positioning of the new buttons and knobs just as I did. The new software makes it a breeze to set up the console, and most importantly, any adjustment you make occurs in real time with no frustrating lag. The price…

Nothing lasts forever. There are ruins and semi-ruins everywhere. A thousand-year-old castle stands over the village where I live, visible from the village graveyard: mostly a hollow shell, though a staircase winds up to the battlements. With history, we can figuratively shrug and say, yes, well, it was a long time ago. But what if it wasn’t? What if it happened on our watch? Many remember the Twin Towers. There are those who remember the fire-bombing of Dresden in 1945. But none live who remember the siege of Béziers, southern France, on 22 July 1209. Catharism was one of the stranger sects of Christianity: strange enough that the ill-named Pope Innocent III declared them heretics, and raised the so-called Albigensian Crusade. Arnaud Amalric, Abbot of Citeaux, Papal legate, commanded the…

If you’d like to see your work published in Amateur Photographer, here’s how to send us your images: Email Email a selection of low-res images (up to 5MB of attachments in total) to appicturedesk@ti-media.com. CD/DVD Send us a disc of high-resolution JPEG, TIFF or PSD images (at least 2480 pixels along its longest length), with a contact sheet, to the address on page 26. Via our online communities Post your pictures into our Flickr group, Facebook page, Twitter feed, or the gallery on our website. See details above. Transparencies/prints Well-packaged prints or slides (without glass mounts) should be sent by Special Delivery, with a return SAE, to the address on page 26.…

‘THE CAMERA and lens do not make the photo – the photographer does', says Ami. ‘But, the right gear can make a big impact in how we make images. But here's a small piece of advice: while it's tempting to acquire all the latest kit, I recommend you carry as little as you think you need. Less is more.' As a Nikon Ambassador Ami uses a range of Nikon DSLRs but her main body is a D4s. ‘Incredible technology and my workhorse camera,' she says. ‘It allows me to shoot in very dark situations without any extra lighting.' She also has a D850 and D750. Her favourite Nikon lenses include the 14-24mm f/2.8G, 24-70mm f/2.8G, 24mm f/1.4G, 50mm f/1.4G, 85mm f/1.4G, 70-200mm f/2.8G, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6G and 24mm and 85mm Tilt–Shift…

YOU CAN make long exposures of light trails and moving water with your smartphone. For an iPhone use an (iOS) app like Slow Shutter Cam. In Android phones that have Pro Mode, experiment with the native settings. For rapid-fire shooting, experiment with the camera's continuous shooting mode, aka burst mode. I like to overlay the sequence of frames into a single image using the Affinity Photo iPad app for dramatic effect. Shutter speed experiments require a tripod. For smartphone photography, I use the Joby Gorillapod with its sturdy smartphone-compatible head. It is my favourite because the head that grips the camera has the same size thread as the head on my professional Manfrotto tripod system, making the whole set-up more flexible. I can switch between the small bendy legs of…

1 Ambient light The smartphone camera works best in ambient daylight – natural sunlight is its forte. The fixed lens and wide aperture will allow lots of light in, making it perfect for candid portrait shooting. Hazy days work best, where the sunlight is diffused, giving a soft flattering light for skin tones. 2 Portrait mode Start with the standard lens on your smartphone camera, and move closer to fill the frame. If you have a dual lens phone, use the Focos app or the portrait mode to blur the background. You may want to try attaching a lens for this type of portraiture; if so, go for a telephoto lens. 3 Low key Be precise with your focusing here; ensure you tap the screen to focus on the eye…

Have an assistant It's useful to have someone on hand to look out for unflattering creases, hairs out of place and other things you may not spot. They can also help adjust, move or hold the lighting. If you're a male photographer the assistant should be female – perhaps the make-up artist, so they can also apply touch ups if needed. Standing poses You always want a bend on the leg nearest the camera as it creates a nice curve and elongates the leg. The weight should be on the back leg, because if you put your weight on the inside leg it will thicken that hip and we want to make it look as slender as possible. Turn the bent knee away from the camera. Shoot from low down…