Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Jul-2019 i Amateur Photographer

This week we offer some power to the people photographers, with a special issue dedicated to portraiture. As a species we take more snaps of each other than of anything else, but as photographers we want to capture an image that people other than the subject will appreciate. A good people picture may be a posed portrait or a candid, shot indoors or outside. It can be a wide shot placing the subject within a setting, or a close-up on just the eyes. You can do it with just a basic camera and standard lens, or you can go mad with lights and accessories. But whatever the approach, a good portrait will be well lit and reveal something about the subject – and perhaps the photographer too. I hope this…

TO DEMONSTRATE the impressive quality of images from the Nikon Z 7, the company has commissioned 12 of Europe's leading photographers to show how different forms of light from the natural environment can be used to create stunning photography. Photographers including Daniel Kordan, Mikko Lagerstedt, Lina Kayser, Krasimir Matarov and British photographer George Turner took part in the project, all using Nikon Z 7 cameras and Nikkor lenses. This image was taken by George Turner with the Nikon Z 7. He used a shutter speed of 1/2500sec and an f/4 aperture, at ISO 400. Sharing the photo on his Instagram page, Turner (who uses the handle @georgetheexplorer) said, ‘Dusk is a photographer's dream; a strange limbo between light and dark, with all the advantages that each brings.' You can see…

The relationship between video gaming and photography has been smouldering away for years. Many games include photo modes where you can capture what's happening on screen, adjusting the framing and exposure of your snapshots. Some games encourage you to play the role of photographer. Back in 1999 the classic Pokémon Snap involved taking pictures of elusive creatures that were rated according to their pose and size in the frame. Afrika, dating from 2008, is another notable example. You're hired to shoot pictures of wild animals and can choose from a variety of Sony cameras and lenses, and select exposure settings while the PlayStation controller measures shake, rewarding you for a steady hand. In the forthcoming Snap Hunt, inspired by the Bigfoot conspiracy culture, four players compete, using 1970s film SLRs,…

I read with interest the article about photography and mental health (The healing power of photography, 4 May). I saw, at first hand, the beneficial effects of photography on my late wife's mental health when she developed a rare form of dementia. Looking at photos not just of her family but also old photos of her native city gave her solace during her illness. For a time, it was a form of reminiscence therapy helping her to recall happier times. Since she passed away I have been looking into the role of photography on dementia sufferers and their carers. An interesting example in dementia care is the Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry in Kendal, Cumbria, where they are using a collection of photos from the 1930s to 1960s by…

The Reader Portfolio winner chosen every week will receive a copy of Skylum Luminar 3, worth £65. See www.skylum.com Luminar is a fully featured photo editor for Mac and PC designed for photographers of all skill levels, blending pro-level tools with remarkable ease of use and an enjoyable experience. A new Library feature lets you organise, find and rate images easily, while over 100 editing features, plus a suite of fast AI-powered technologies under the hood, will make any image stand out.…

The old adage goes that after a certain length of time, owners will start to look like their dogs (or perhaps it’s the other way around). This simple idea sparked a thought for Gerrard Gethings, and it would eventually go on to become a game sold in shops all over the world. I spoke to the photographer over the phone while he was holidaying in Barbados to find out more about how the project developed. Many of us will have vague ideas for projects kicking around in the back of our minds that may never see the light of day. The same was true for Gerrard who had been thinking about a canine-human project for some time. So, when the publisher Laurence King approached him with a similar idea, he…

I've reviewed a lot of Sony's premium lenses over the past couple of years, and the firm continues to impress with its ability to make near-perfect optics. The FE 135mm F1.8 GM continues this run of form, with its combination of supreme sharpness and gorgeous bokeh likely to appeal strongly to portrait and wedding photographers. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed by the images it produces. Compared to 85mm alternatives, it'll give a more flattering perspective and greater background blur. The complicating factor, though, is that its Sigma and Zeiss rivals are capable of producing equally fine images at a significantly lower price. So ultimately you're paying a hefty premium for desirable touches such as a physical aperture ring, and the confidence of perfect compatibility with Sony cameras for both…

Compatibility The drive is preformatted in exFAT and will work on Windows and Mac machines straight out of the box. Capacities As well as the 1TB version, 250GB (£73), 500GB (£99) and 2TB (£320) capacities are also available. Protection The drive sports an IP55 rating for dust and water protection. Ruggedness The drive showed no ill effects or damage when dropped from 2m onto a solid concrete floor. ● £155 ● www.sandisk.co.uk IF YOU'RE a photographer who edits on the move and requires a dependable storage device to back up shots, having a portable hard drive that you can rely on and trust is essential. Hard disk drives, or HDDs for short, are notoriously cheaper than solid state drives (SSDs), but because SSDs don't have any moving parts and use…

The first time I checked into a motel was on my first professional foreign assignment. The receptionist asked me for how many hours I would like the room – it was that kind of place. ‘Five days,’ I replied. She looked surprised. Waking up in the morning, I tuned in the radio to hear how many violent incidents there had been in the area where I was staying; there were quite a few. The writer I was working with for the magazine feature was relaxing at a luxury hotel across town. I was happy where I was, as this was an American motel. It did what all great American motels do: the room doors opened onto a ferociously busy highway, the curtains didn’t quite close, the free coffee wasn’t quite…

JAPAN'S biggest camera show, CES, was held this February, and details of lenses announced there are now being confirmed. Tamron's 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD, for example, is a fast, wideangle zoom for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras; the lens will weigh 420g while measuring a compact 99mm in length. The lens features the RXD (Rapid eXtra-silent stepping Drive) AF motor unit, which Tamron claims offers fast, virtually noise-free operation, so it's also suitable for shooting video. Other features of this weather-resistant lens include 13 elements in 11 groups, with three aspherical lens elements, two Low Dispersion elements and one eXtra Low Dispersion element. It has a 17cm close focusing distance and a small 67mm front filter ring. The Tamron 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD goes on sale at the end…

Pedro Jarque Krebs has an impressive CV. Originally from Peru, he graduated in philosophy of science at the Sorbonne in Paris, and has been a landscape and nature photographer since the1980s. Along the way, he has garnered worldwide acclaim, including over100 awards for his photography. His latest book, Fragile, continues his established approach to photographing animals in natural reserves, but with framing and isolation of his subjects that succeeds in giving an almost studio-like sense of intimacy. In Fragile, a combination of more than 100 colour images with accompanying text, which describes each animal pictured, is aimed at conveying the fragility of animal species in the natural world. In the introduction, the finger is pointed firmly at the behaviour of humankind in escalating disturbing figures, such as 60% of known…

This eye-catching cover evokes Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh, although that classic cut didn't come out until 1986. We're guessing the shot refers to a test on colour film, which was still a big investment in the early '80s. Other highlights of this issue include a Vivitar lens test and a feature on a photo contest for under 16s. We're also intrigued by the retrospective piece on Burk Uzzle. He was quite a big deal in this period, having become LIFE's youngest-ever staff photographer in 1962 and then a member of the prestigious Magnum Photos agency. The well-known photography writer, Bryn Campbell, also rated him. Burk's work deserves to be better known – his images are certainly intriguing. As the feature attests: ‘Like the street photographer school identified…

Environmental portraits Portrait photographer Jonathan Bielaski shares his portfolio of images as well as his insights on photographing people in their environment Mix the light When using external lighting, try to make it look as natural as possible. Drag your shutter to bring in some of the ambient light and match the colour temperatures. It's fine to play with different tones of light, as in this image, with some light warmer than other parts. Just make sure that it's intentional. Pay attention to colours The colours in your image – both from the wardrobe to the supporting elements – are key to making a cohesive image. With this image I wanted to make sure that the tones and richness came out in this theatre set. Know your subject When you…

I love watching and playing tennis, so in 2015, I was excited by the prospect of meeting and photographing one of the sport’s most famous champions, Boris Becker. As tennis fans will know, Boris was just 17 when he won his first Wimbledon title and became the youngest-ever Grand Slam champion. He went on to win five more Grand Slam titles along with numerous other honours. Since retiring in 1999, he has at various times been a businessman, television tennis pundit and successful poker player, as well as coach to fellow Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic for three seasons. He’s also had a turbulent private life, which has often been highlighted in the media. ‘From the outset I realised he was going to be a good portrait subject’ In June 2015,…

Resolution Even a cursory glance at our Applied Imaging MTF tests, measured on the 42.4MP Alpha 7R III, reveals that this lens is something well above the ordinary. It’s not just the central resolution that’s breathtaking, but also how close the corners come to matching it. This remarkable sharpness also means that you can happily use the lens at smaller apertures than you might expect, as there are so few aberrations to compound diffraction blurring. Shading With the aperture set wide open, around a stop of vignetting is visible, much as we’d expect. But the gradual fall-off profile means that it’s not visually objectionable – indeed it will usually enhance your images rather than spoil them. This vignetting effect disappears on stopping down to f/2.8. Curvilinear distortion Looking closely at…

As a rule, I don't feel much love for the myriad fully automatic zoom compacts from the1990s. Granted, they gave a degree of flexibility to the casual holiday and family photographer, but they don't offer much to the enthusiast. In the course of my 52 cameras in 52 weeks project – which is now, rather embarrassingly, approaching week 500 – I've used several of them. With one exception though, I've only put a single film through each one. That exception is the Pentax Espio160, which has accompanied me on a number of trips. Pentax used the Espio name (IQ Zoom in the USA) from the late 1980s through to 2003. Over the course of time, the range of the zoom lenses increased: the first model was 38-60mm, maxing out at…

John Blackman, Weymouth It was when he was in his late teens that John realised the prints he got from his local chemist didn't cut the mustard, and so he learned how to print his own negatives. Having spent many years photographing anything to do with aviation and military vehicles, since retiring to Dorset he has focused on landscapes and – as shown here – history re-enactors. ‘They are a gift to photographers,' he says. He has a Facebook page called, ‘So many subjects, so little time', which pretty much sums up his attitude to photography. Submit your images Please see the ‘Send us your pictures’ section on page 3 for details or visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/portfolio…

Remote shuttle release system Using a remote shutter release system gives you the ability to connect with your subject and step out from behind the camera. It becomes a more personal shoot and you can have a conversation with your subject. Sturdy tripod Locking your composition and working with props to fill the frame is much easier to do on a tripod. A stable and correctly sized tripod for your camera will make composites easier, if needed, too. MacBook Pro/iPad Pro Shooting tethered (wired or not wired) is the only way for me. Being able to show my subjects the way the shot looks can break down any fears or nerves that they may have. 50mm lens It’s the most versatile lens to have, and I know it inside out.…

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for those who want to explore studio portrait lighting is the practicalities of flash photography. Flash adds a layer of complexity that has little to do with the light itself, and more to do with the method of delivery. It’s impossible to judge the strength or quality of flash by eye, so it must be metered and tested until it looks right. By contrast, lighting with LEDs removes that layer of complexity. The constant output means there is no need for light meters or test shots; you can simply judge the direction and quality of the light by eye, then get on with taking the shot. When it comes to lighting a portrait, being able to control the direction and quality of light is…