Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-Nov-2019 i Amateur Photographer

We all know that trees play a vital role in making our planet habitable, by removing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. Which is great, of course, but their most important role is to act as compositional elements for landscape photographers, providing a frame for a distant view, or a focal point on one of the thirds. In winter their bare branches form twisted shapes that make great silhouettes. Neil Burnell’s gothic woodland landscapes look like scenes from a Tim Burton movie, and he shows us how he created them. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is surely the world’s most beautiful and moving photo competition. I urge you to go and see it in its natural habitat (the Natural History Museum), but in the meantime enjoy our pick…

SPECIFICALLY optimised for full-frame mirrorless cameras, Sigma's all-new 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art will be available in both Leica L and Sony E mounts. Promising ‘best-in-class performance', it uses 19 elements in 15 groups, including a whole array of special elements and coatings to minimise aberrations. Handy features include an AF-ON button that's programmable from the camera body, AF/MF and zoom lock switches, and dust- and splash-proof construction. It uses 82mm filters, weighs 830g, and its minimum focus distance ranges from 18cm to 38cm. Both pricing and availability are to be confirmed. For the latest news visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk…

There comes a stage in every serious photographer's career when they start to think about how they can become a more creative and original photographer. Based on my own experiences, and also from teaching beginners, I think there are a lot of similarities with learning to play an instrument – let's say the guitar. Depending on how fast you learn and how hard you practise, basic chords and scales can be picked up in a year or two, and with these fundamentals under your belt, you can start to play along to famous songs (one recalls the long-suffering guitar shop banning punters from playing Smoke on the Water). In photography too, newbies first figure out the exposure triangle and the basics of focusing and composition before trying to emulate the…

Sunrise by Mike Andrew Canon EOS R with 70-200mm f/2.8, 1/20sec at f/11, ISO 50 This photo was uploaded to our Twitter page by photographer Mike Andrew using the hashtag #appicoftheweek. He tells us, ‘The photo was taken on the site of Hardknott Roman Fort, which is located in Eskdale in the western Lake District. It's 10 miles from where I live and thankfully I brought my camera with me on a fell walk that evening. I couldn't resist that bright orange sunset.' Mike also used a polariser and an ND4 Grad to darken the sky. We love the image for its bright and warm colours and appealing composition. Picked by Nigel Atherton, editor, as our #appicoftheweek…

Political correctness Your 19 October issue offers a telling commentary on political correctness. On page 45, a truly shocking image of children that will attract no attention at all on social media. On page 23, an AP front cover from 1976 of a model which, if uncensored by your ‘Oops!' badge, would probably unleash a social media storm in a teacup. So why didn't AP censor Helmut Newton's book cover in your review? I bought this book: it is really excellent! Thanks for making us care about this stuff. Paul O’Sullivan A good point, Paul, which I address in this week's ‘Back in the day' (right) – Nigel Atherton, editor Don’t forget the Ti’s As an Olympus OM system user since the mid 1970s, I enjoyed your supplement 100 Years…

TREASURES FROM THE HULTON ARCHIVE Royal Wedding by Bert Hardy 20 NOVEMBER 1947: As a nation, we have long been gripped by royal nuptials. The 1947 wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth to Lt Philip Mountbatten took place 72 years ago this week. On the morning of the wedding, Philip had been made the Duke of Edinburgh. In this photograph, page boys can be seen holding Princess Elizabeth's veil as she walks down the aisle at Westminster Abbey with her father, King George VI. For the wedding dress, Elizabeth famously required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown, which was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was made from duchesse satin, and you can see the motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms that adorned the veil in this…

Runs until 15 March 2020, £13 / £12 concessions, free for members. Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG Anew exhibition at the Tate Modern is the largest retrospective of Dora Maar ever held in the UK and celebrates the work of this notorious surrealist photographer. During the 1930s, her work – mainly consisting of photomontages – became icons of surrealism, while her eye for the unusual translated to her commercial photography, which included fashion and advertising. As an active member of left-wing revolutionary groups, she also undertook social documentary projects at a time when Europe was experiencing a particularly fraught political climate. An eight-year relationship with Pablo Picasso, whom she met around 1935 or 1936, would also have a profound effect on both their careers. She documented his most political…

Keeping your gear great How to keep your kit in top condition, to save you missed shots and pricey repairs Street photos and the law Damien Demolder shares his experience and tips for taking street photos, safely APOY Round 7 results Your stunning images from Round 7 of APOY: Whatever the weather CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE…

A little while ago, a correspondent to your Inbox page mentioned selling the occasional image. My experience of being offered money for an image is probably the exception in today's corporate world. The managing director of a multinational oil and lubrication company visited Leek Show where he saw an exhibition of work by my club, Leek Photography Club. He liked my images and contacted me, asking to see more of my work. Several emails, an international conference call and a detailed working dinner later, we had agreed the use of my photography as artwork in huge sizes to adorn their HQ in Germany, and for use in a range of brochures. It was a real thrill. Their desire to use original images and their generous offer to pay the going…

Benjamin Tan, Singapore In 2005, having completed a degree in IT, Benjamin Tan found himself in need of a hobby to enjoy after four years of hard work. He decided to invest in a DSLR and, having photographed events and friends' weddings, he decided to concentrate on landscapes and cityscapes. ‘Photography helps me wind down and rejuvenate after a long week of work,' he says. ‘I love how surprising photography can be. You can go to the same place every weekend, but the changing light and weather can give you a different mood and photo each time.' Visit www.benjamintan.photography. 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…

Hydrobius Contemporary Color Film Most of the LUTs in Lutify.me are named after stars, which is a bit random, but you can easily see the effect on your image by hovering your mouse over the LUT's name in the Lightroom Profile Browser. Hydrobius gives lush, rich dense colours and warm tones. Sorealis Vintage Films The vintage film LUT effects are sophisticated, and not too cheesily retro or crude. Sorealis works well as it gives warm colours but a slightly cold colour temperate. All the exposure settings can be easily tweaked in Lightroom, but LUTs can be a great starting point. Albireo Alternative Processes The 16 Alternative Process LUTs are also well worth experimenting with. Albireo adds a rich, warm tone without being garish or overpowering. With over 200 LUTs you…

BOOK Manual By Craig McDean, £85, 208 pages, Rizzoli Publications, hardback, ISBN 978-0-8478-6620-5 Craig McDean's world is literally cars and girls. A former car mechanic, he put down his wrench and picked up his camera to make a huge impact in the world of fashion. Manual is the follow-up to his book Amber, Guinevere and Kate and showcases 20 years of work. Beautifully packaged featuring a print of model Audrey Tchekova and an embossed title tag, Manual is a high-octane visual barrage of classic automobile imagery with inventive fashion frames. It is only broken up by a central ‘essay' on McDean, penned by the Guggenheim Museum's Lisa Naftolin, which unpicks his work and explains the juxtaposition of the imagery in the book. McDean may not be as well known as…

We also liked… Afternoon stroll by Gareth Mon Jones Nikon Z 6 with Laowa 15mm lens Z mount, 1/250sec at f/8, ISO 50 Gareth shared this image on Twitter and told us, ‘My intention was to create a minimalistic feel, but when changing the height of the tripod to accommodate more of the swimming bath I noticed the elderly gentleman with his walking frame out enjoying the sun. I made rapid setting adjustments to capture him central to my composition at the optimum moment. I love the sparkle in the turquoise coloured pool.' Picked by Claire Gillo, technique editor Bessera elegans by Paula Cooper Panasonic Lumix G7, 200mm and x1.4 teleconverter, 1/500sec at f/4, ISO 800 Paula shared this image with us. She says, ‘This image was taken in my…

Cable remote You’ll often shoot moody images in darker conditions so shutter speed can be a few seconds. A remote will help eliminate any shake; the other option is to use the timer on your camera. Polariser Wet leaves and damp tree bark can often cause distracting highlights even in the softest light. Controlling the highlights is made easy by using a rotating polariser – a great accessory when shooting moody woodland. Tripod Keeping your camera stable while shooting longer exposures in near-dark conditions is a necessity. I use a tripod that can extend to my own eye level and can also be adjusted to shoot only inches from the ground. This helps me shoot at any angle.…

Scout your area It's often best to scout a location several times before taking your full list of equipment. On the outside Resist the temptation to walk straight into a woodland. It's often easier to spot scenes or areas of interest while looking into the woodland from the outside. Take your time Shooting woodland can be daunting, so don't rush straight in. It will take time to get your eye in so walk slowly and enjoy your surroundings. Be inspired I often look for inspiration and enjoy viewing images from masterful photographers I follow on social media. There are so many talented UK landscape photographers who shoot beautiful woodland scenes. Know the direction of the light Even with flat light or mist I find it useful to know where the…

THIS cover reminds me of Paul O'Sullivan's letter (see Inbox, left) about how glamour photographs attract more outrage than pictures of starving children. This cover gives us a skinny model (though more fashion than glamour) and a malnourished child side by side. If that wasn't uncomfortable enough, there's also a group test of ‘luxury' compacts. ‘Got £1,000 burning a hole in your pocket but not sure what to spend it on?'. In a fairer world the answer might be found on the bottom half of the cover, but there you go. Fortunately there's a great postscript in the news pages on the power that photography has to do good. Tom Stoddart's moving pictures from Sudan caused such outrage when published that Médecins Sans Frontières received more than £40,000 in donations…

Under £50 Eyelead Sensor Dust-Sticking Bar ● £35 ● www.speedgraphic.co.uk Eyelead's Sensor Dust-Sticking Bar (SCK-1) is one of the most effective accessories we've used to remove dust safely from a camera's sensor. The gel on the sticking bar is formulated to capture dust without damaging the sensor and leaves no residue behind. After the dust has been removed, dab the bar on special cleaning paper, with the higher adhesion of the paper retaining the dust and enabling the sticking bar to be reused. It's important to note that the SCK-1 version should not be used with Sony or Leica sensors; instead it's imperative to use the SCK-1S (red) version. Photo Boards ● From £18 ● www.photoboards.org If you're struggling to find the perfect backdrop on which to shoot product, food…

FOR LIGHTROOM users, the integration with Lutify.me is seamless, making LUTs very easy to apply. As of version 7.3 of Lightroom Classic CC, Lutify.me LUTs are applied through the Profile Browser option in the Develop tab. Installation is a cinch (see lutify. me/docs). Once installed, you can access the full selection of LUTs under the Profile Browser and they are organised into ten different categories in the Pro package: Alternative Processes, Black and White Films, Cine Looks, Cinematic Base Grade, Instant Films, Contemporary Color Films, Movies Inspired Looks, Skin Tone Manipulation, Teal and Orange, and Vintage Films. To preview a particular LUT, simply hover your mouse over it. Click to apply to your image (you can vary the amount via a slider) and then close the Profile Browser and carry…