Innholdsfortegnelse for 03/04/2021 i Amateur Photographer

I believe that today’s digital cameras represent pretty good value when you consider the technology they contain, and compare them with the historical cost of cameras – as our regular delve into the archives shows. But nevertheless they aren’t cheap and it’s also true that used kit represents even better value, now we’re at a point where cameras even four or five years old are still more than good enough for most users’ needs. This week we name our picks of the best used cameras for different types of work. We also look at early colour processes, tell the story behind another classic album cover, test a new wideangle zoom from Fujifilm and talk to Brighton and Hove Camera Club about their permanent exhibition space on the beach. Perhaps your…

Vulnerable by Olga Michi £45, TeNeues, hardback, 240 pages, ISBN: 9783961712984 In this beautiful compilation of 140 images, Olga Michi’s striking portraits shine a light on endangered ethnic groups from across the globe. Shot against a black background, the portraits have been designed to focus on the people’s dress, accessories and their individual expressions. Representing some of the most unique cultures in what has become a hyper-globalised world, these indigenous peoples were met by Olga on her travels across the globe in her bid to share their traditions and customs. The book aims to make no political argument, but hopes to raise questions that are relevant within it. One such position is the remnants of Western culture that are pervading other societies – typically in a detrimental way. As an…

‘We used 1m3 gabion mesh baskets, that were filled with a suitable stone material as the base unit. The top unit is also a gabion 1m3 wire basket which has a plywood box built inside of it. These are linked together with wire/steel ties that should come with the gabion baskets. ‘The gabion baskets and the rock fill are off the shelf and can be purchased from a number of building suppliers. The rocks can come in a variety of colours. The plywood box was made to suit and braced internally. The whole costs of each unit were approximately £350-400 each (without VAT). Costs may vary on location; cost reductions could be made depending on the type of rock fill. However, this does not include for any foundation works as…

Andy Cowles Joe Jackson’s approach was all about taking conventions and shoving them where the sun doesn’t shine. This stunning trick of the light visualises Joe’s attitude perfectly, smoothly punching way above its weight, and letting his audience know theirs is the light that counts. Dennis Morris It is the simplicity of it! The sharpness! It’s like a moment caught in a timeless dancehall. As the title of the album says, ‘Look Sharp!’, and sharp it was certainly looking. Kirk Weddle This is a really clean, simple, beautiful photograph. It’s got it all, light against dark and dark against light. It’s really well styled. The pointy white shoes and the creased black pants and the laces are just›so. The cropping is spot on. It’s a clever image.…

Protective cases for equipment? Q I have recently got back into photography and enjoy taking my camera around with me wherever I go. However, I tend to put the camera in whatever bag I am using on the day and I am worried that the camera is not getting enough protection. I don’t want to carry a separate big camera bag and am wondering if there is a light and compact protective case that I can use. I have a Nikon D3500 with a standard 18-55mm lens. Charlotte Lewis A There are purpose-designed camera inserts available to do this job and the trick is to find one the right size for your bag. Possible options include Tenba’s BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) range, which is available in a variety of…

‘What do I need to do to become a successful art photographer, Paul?’ It was 2001, and I was running a MA Photography course at De Montfort University. I don’t think I had been asked that question before – and it was a surprise coming from this particular student, Michelle Sank. Whilst certainly not shy, and an excellent student, she did not appear to have sticky-out elbows. I was delighted to hear the question, as it showed the sort of ambition that I wanted my students to leave with. No male student had ever asked me that in my several decades as a teacher of the medium. But it did indicate how the role of women had changed. When I started teaching in 1971, female students represented about 25% of…

Easter Bunny at Work by Frees / FPG A rabbit wearing a jacket and checked trousers stands on a chair to make a list with his quill in this image from around 1930. Originating in Germany, the ‘Easter Hare’ acted a little like Father Christmas –determining whether children were good enough to receive eggs. The first reference to the Easter Hare custom can be found in 1682’s De Ovis Paschalibus (About Easter Eggs) by Georg Franck von Frankenau. The Getty Images Hulton Archive is one of the world’s great cultural resources. Tracing its origins to the founding of the London Stereoscopic Company in 1854, today it houses over 80 million images spanning the birth of photography to the digital age. Explore it at www.gettyimages.com.…

7 April 1948 EASTER 1948, and what could be important enough to make AP join forces with rivals, the British Journal of Photography and The Miniature Camera magazine, to campaign about? Printing paper, that’s what. ‘The sizes of enlarging paper at present accepted as standard do not owe their existence to any form of coherent planning,’ wrote the editor back in February. ‘The main faults in the existing series of sizes are that the steps from one size to the next are not even, that the shapes are not uniform, and… that a large sheet can only in a few cases be cut down, without waste, to give two or more sheets of a standard or useful smaller size.’ An identical article ran in all three magazines setting out a…

A shot of a pair of white Denson winkle-picker shoes, as worn by singer/ songwriter Joe Jackson, standing on a pavement in central London, produced one of the most simple yet most effective album cover images of all time. The photograph, taken by Brian Griffin, simply showed Jackson’s shoes and the bottom of his dark suit trousers as they fell over the top of the white winkle-pickers while Jackson was standing in a shaft of natural light created by the bleak architecture of the buildings on London’s South Bank. Mike Ross, who was the head of art at A&M Records at that time, had commissioned the photo shoot. Griffin recalls, ‘I did a lot of work for A&M Records and he used me quite a lot to do stuff. I…

DESPITE it being a fairly minor update on the XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS, this is an important lens that introduces some welcome new features. Fujifilm users who want a durable wideangle lens will appreciate the addition of weather resistance, making it a far better match with X-series cameras that feature weather sealing like the X-T3 and X-T4. After testing it in wet weather, I’d use it for short periods in a downpour or longer periods in constant drizzle without giving it a second thought. The updated aperture ring with f-stop scale and auto-position lock are useful additions too and the improved optical stabilisation lets users shoot sharp handheld shots with slower shutter speeds. Paired with an X-series body with 5-axis image stabilisation I found I was able to capture…

Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Fisheye Lens One of the most popular fisheye lenses for DSLRs, Sigma’s 15mm f/2.8 EX DG produces a 180› angle of view on full-frame cameras. Flare and ghosting, two common problems for fisheye lenses, have been minimised with multi-layer lens coatings. This optic features a filter holder at the rear, allowing the use of gelatin filters. Its minimum focus distance is just 15cm, so that you can get up close to any action for the most dramatic images possible. £599 ● Available in Sigma SA, Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax fits ● 180› angle of view ● Diagonal fisheye Samyang 8mm f/2.8 UMC II Fisheye Lens With an integrated lens hood and anti-reflection lens coatings combining to minimise flare and ghosting, this diagonal fisheye…

AP picture of the week Robin Silhouette by Richard Hooper Canon EOS 7D, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L L II, 1/80sec at f/5.6 This is a great image that shows the power of creative thinking, and thinking before you shoot in general. ‘Every evening a robin had been coming to perch on top of a neighbour’s tree to sing for over an hour,’ says Richard, from Merthyr Tydfil. ‘I noticed a full moon rising in the sky and wondered about the chances of lining them up. I grabbed the only camera to hand, which was my old Canon EOS 7D, and matched it up with my Canon 100-400mm. By getting down low I was able to get the bird in front of the moon. I’ve been doing nature and landscape photography for over…

Like many people I’ve been amazed in recent years how smartphone makers have used software and processing power to boost their devices’ photographic prowess. Scene detection, depth of field and lighting effects, and a seemingly effortless ability to combine images to achieve noise reduction, image stabilisation and night vision have doubtless given traditional camera manufacturers sleepless nights. But I suspect we’re about to reach a plateau in this most popular manifestation of computational photography. Surprisingly, perhaps, my expectations have been lowered by the iPhone 12 Pro Max I bought shortly after launch. The improved ‘Deep Fusion’ technology (first seen on the 11) promises all the tricks and more, taking nine shots every time you press the shutter, analysing them with its ‘neural engine’ and combining the best details into one…

I’m always interested to read in AP about the ways photography can be therapeutic for those with physical or mental health problems, but Graeme Dawes (Inbox, AP 2 January) drew my attention by mentioning how vital his photo blog has become in helping him combat depression. I’ve been running a photo blog on WordPress (www.eccentric99.wordpress.com) for nearly ten years and find it a simple and ideal way of showcasing my images, of being in contact with like minds – and, indeed, of giving myself the motivation to continue taking photos. This has of course become all the more important during the current pandemic. My blog, FATman Photos, is not very successful if viewed in terms of the ways in which success is often gauged these days, i.e. likes and followers.…

Choose a theme It’s a good idea to have an overall theme for the exhibition, rather than just being a random collection of members’ images. ‘The “Our City” theme worked really well for us and gave it a focus that other club exhibitions haven’t had,’ says Audrey. ‘I think that’s important for other clubs to think about.’ Location BHCC’s exhibition has benefited from being on one of the UK’s most famous beaches, but every town and city has its open public spaces. If possible, choose a central location which has plenty of passers-by. Permissions When you’ve selected a suitable public space, approach the location’s owners – usually a department at the local council – for permission to mount an exhibition. ‘I guess the trick, as always with these things, is…

Musicians: Joe Jackson, Gary Sanford, Graham Maby, David Houghton Released: 5 March 1979 (A&M) Best chart performance: No. 20 in the US Billboard 200, No. 40 in the UK Albums Chart Sales: Not confirmed, but the album was certified gold in the USA for more than 500,000 sales Fascinating fact: The album Look Sharp! included a single release, which was also called Look Sharp! In the USA A&M marketed this single by adapting Brian Griffin and Mike Ross’s album cover work and stripping in a woman in high heel shoes in the top left of the single’s record cover design. The UK version of the Look Sharp! single used exactly the same treatment of the image and text font but with different copy – it was also available in a…