Innholdsfortegnelse for 03/07/2021 i Amateur Photographer

As photographers, we spend our lives capturing frozen moments in time from a world that is in constant motion. Even the landscape is affected by moving clouds, water and the arc of the sun. How we choose to record this motion is a creative decision. Fast-moving subjects can be frozen in motion or allowed to leave a trail of blur to convey their speed and trajectory. There is no right or wrong, these are simply creative decisions, though certain subjects lend themselves to one approach or the other. For this week’s issue we’ve assembled a formidable team of top photographers from every genre to share their expertise on how to convey movement in a photo. So, whatever you like to shoot, you’ll find something here to inspire you. Don’t forget…

PHOTO-printing specialist CEWE recently carried out a survey to mark World Wellbeing Week from June 21 to 30, and it reveals that looking back at photos has a more positive effect on mental well-being than exercise or meditating. The survey spoke to 2,000 CEWE customers across the UK; taking a bath ranked first (34%), followed by looking at photos (32%), exercise (25%), listening to podcasts (9%) and meditating (8%). The survey also highlighted the range of positive emotions that looking back on photos can have. Participants said it makes them feel nostalgic (65%), happy (56%), relaxed (31%) and inspired (14%). ‘Photos have a magical quality that allows us to be transported back to our happiest memories,’ said CEWE’s Claire Moreton. ‘This instant feeling of positivity that we get from reminiscing…

Telephoto lens For most wildlife subjects, a tele or tele-zoom lens will be needed, especially for wary subjects. For any fast-moving action, a lens with a large maximum aperture such as f/2.8 or f/4 will be useful, but it is by no means essential. Beanbag For low-level subjects, a beanbag is an excellent choice of support. It will offer a rock-solid platform for your lens whilst still allowing a good freedom of movement. Tripod and gimbal head When using a tripod, a gimbal head is a great way of supporting long telephoto lenses. A gimbal will take all of the weight out of the lens, whilst also allowing a smooth panning movement – which is perfect when you’re photographing birds in flight. Portable hide When photographing garden birds, unless you…

Thank you for publishing my letter about remote shooting (19 June). I am very sad to have to record that Stephanie Dubois (whose photo you published) tragically died in May. I had the dubious privilege of being one of the last photographers to work with her, on our second remote shoot. Stephanie was full of life and hope, and was enjoying her new house in Cyprus: during our last shoot she described her plans for the coming months. People have many misconceptions about models, and Stephanie confounded more of them than most. She was never in any way a victim of the male gaze, and was bracingly intellectual in her approach to work that many see as not requiring much thought. Every model has a life away from the camera,…

From minimal, semi-abstract scenes, to classic mountainscapes and ethereal misty views, the capacity for creativity in landscape photography knows no bounds. This category is always one of our most popular, but this year was marked by slightly fewer entries than we’ve come to expect – perhaps it was the lockdown effect coming into play, with people not having had the chance to get out into the landscape as often during the past year. Despite this, the entries were as diverse and creative as we’ve come to expect from this round.…

Barring Daniel Newton jumping into joint fifth place, thanks to his winning image, there is little change at the top of the main leaderboard following the latest round. Lucy Monckton and Muhammad Hossain are continuing to battle it out at the top of Young APOY, but with five rounds still to go, a lot could yet change. With five photographers shortlisted (including Nick Bodle, in fifth place), Launceston Camera Club has gone straight to the top of the camera club leaderboard.…

1 Lens correction This is a primary move when using LR software. To ensure that it has recognised your lens, tick the Enable Profile and Remove Chromatic Aberration boxes. You will see the image pop open especially if you have used a wideangle lens. 2 Tone curve We all have our own way of working and as my LR is already set up with Lens Correction applied, my initial aim is to obtain the best ‘S’ curve I can in the Tone Curve. For this, I simply adjust the Lights and Darks. I don’t usually touch Shadows or Highlights here. 3 Basic adjustments It is important that the rocks are defined using the shadow slider. They need to complement the silky feel of the water which is now in check…

Portraits Caroline Schmidt An experienced family and children’s photographer, Caroline’s portraits and expertise is regularly published online and in magazines as well as shared during photography workshops. www.carolineannphotography.co.uk,Instagram: @carolineannphotography. Capturing children Children aren’t best known for staying still for long, following instructions nor giving genuine smiles to the camera on cue but, so long as you have this expectation, you’ll have the patience to capture great portraits. Children are meant to be free and playful, and when they’re enjoying themselves the picture-potential comes thick and fast – you just have to be ready to capture it. Having a good camera with fast and accurate autofocus, such as the Nikon D750 and Sony A7R III, will dramatically increase your chances of isolating those perfect expressions – the smallest of lags between…

ALL LANDSCAPES have moving elements, whether that’s grass, water or clouds etc. Many even have a combination of some or all of these factors, so there’s always a huge amount of potential for creative long exposures. The most dramatic, and often interesting, movement can be found in water and clouds, and exposure time itself can produce drastically different results depending on what you’re aiming for. Scenes with clouds in the sky look great when you use a long exposure to capture them streaking towards the camera, and depending on how fast the clouds are moving the exposure required could be anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes. Whereas with water, exposures between 1 and 3 seconds provide the most texture and definition in the water, while exposures of 30 seconds…

POST processing is where we combine the images and remove any objects or lights we don’t want in the final image as we often get satellites, plane trails, car lights, other people’s torches. There is an excellent tutorial on YouTube called Star Trails – Photoshop Tutorial by Peter Zelinka. A link to the YouTube video can also be found on the blog at my website titled ‘How to create Star Trails like these over Silchester Church’. For my final image I hid all the layers in Photoshop and then went through one at a time. If the layer had any kind of light, I gave it an appropriate title, e.g. Church Path Lit 1. This made it much easier to identify and hide or reveal all the different layers one…

LIKE its 24MP stablemate, the Sigma fp L is a curious, quirky beast that’s difficult to compare to other cameras. It has one of the finest sensors of any full-frame model, which is capable of superb resolution, low noise and really impressive dynamic range, for a remarkably reasonable price. Paired with Sigma’s compact i-series primes, it delivers stunning image quality in an unusually compact package. Its well-designed control set-up makes it a likeable camera to shoot with, while its unique modular design means you can add the viewfinder or grips as required. However, while £1,999 for a 61MP full-frame camera sounds like a bargain, the price jumps past £2,500 once you’ve added the viewfinder and a grip. That’s still £700 less than the Sony A7R IV, but it’s more than…

NIKON introduced the Z mount to give its lens designers more scope to produce fast, high-quality lenses and they really seem to be reaping the rewards. Like Nikon’s other S-Line optics, the Nikkor Z 24mm f/1.8 S is an excellent performer and while there’s plenty of depth of field to be had with the lens stopped down, the wider apertures enable selective focusing with the subject still being impressively sharp against an attractively blurred background. Although the Z 24mm f/1.8 S’s barrel seems quite long for a 24mm lens, it doesn’t feel out of place on a full-frame Nikon Z camera and the weight is a pleasant step down from that of a 24-70mm f/2.8. It’s also an uncomplicated lens to use, just relying on the AF/MF switch and a…

Looking for a new camera or accessory and need some advice? We’re›here to help. Contact us at ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk or on Twitter at @AP_Magazine and #AskAP Do portable backdrops for group shots exist? Q I’ve started offering family portraits locally, but it’s often tricky to find clean-looking backdrops at the locations I arrive at. Ideally, I’d love to use studio paper rolls, but I think I might struggle to quickly set them up on my own, and to transport rolls in my car that are big enough for groups of people. Are there any portable alternatives? Bonus points if they’re under £200! Taylor Milward A Get those bonus points ready Taylor, there is indeed! It sounds as though something like Lastolite’s Plain Collapsible Background could be ideal for you, especially in…

When I go into my old black & white darkroom, now used for storage, I see reminders of when it was used on The Photographers Place workshops by the likes of Fay Godwin, John Blakemore, and from the USA, by Paul Caponigro and Aaron Siskind. I also see boxes of photographic paper that have been unopened for well over a decade. They belong to documentary photographer Kate Bellis, the darkroom’s last user, who came to live quite near me in Derbyshire in 1997. When the workshops finished in 1996 and I moved into colour, I did not need a wet darkroom, so she asked if she could use it as she didn’t have one of her own. We did a deal, and she became a good friend. Over the next…

Dolly, the first cloned sheep by Mathieu Polak The 5th of July marks 25 years since the world’s most famous sheep, Dolly, was born. The first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, she made headlines around the world when her existence was announced a few months later in 1997 due to the scientific advances she represented. Cloned from the cell of a mammary gland, she was rather cheekily named after the country singer Dolly Parton, notably famous for her generous assets. Dolly (the sheep) died shortly before her seventh birthday, from a disease not considered to be related to her being a clone. Her legacy in scientific fields including stem cell research, medicine and the potential to save extinct species continues to this day. The Getty Images Hulton Archive…

MAJOR retailer Wex Photo Video is now stocking more than 100 Leica cameras, lenses and accessories, including the SL2, M10, D-LUX 7, V-LUX 5, MP and CL line-up. The Leica range at Wex is set to expand further over the coming months. Wex customers new to Leica can receive a free workshop with an in-store expert and to mark the launch, there’s a prize draw to win a pair of Leica Trinovid 8x20 BCA binoculars worth £379. You have till 30 July to enter. See wex.co.uk/leica-prize-draw.…

3 July 1916 105 YEARS ago the editor was vexed by the obsession with movement, which he blamed on the inventions of the motor car, cinematograph and handheld camera. ‘It will be generally conceded that landscape camera work does not hold the same measure of interest or support that it did a decade or so ago,’ he lamented. ‘A landscape picture is, for the most part, of a peaceful, quiet and non-exciting character, appealing to a calm and contemplative frame of mind. But the advent of the motor close on the heels of the cyclist has abolished the walking tourist. The pedestrian had time to see and enjoy the scenery through which he was passing. But the man on wheels is only concerned to cover the maximum distance in the…

A FEEDING station for garden birds can be as simple as you wish and should be a relatively inexpensive project. The beauty of a set-up like this is you will have ultimate control over the positioning, the background and its orientation to the light. You could take advantage of both front lighting and backlighting opportunities by simply moving your shooting position. This easy step-by-step guide will help you to set up an effective feeding station in no time and therefore provide you with a steady influx of garden visitors that you can photograph all year round. Set up a feeding station A feeding pole will need to be fixed into the ground. On this you can then hang one or more feeders. Make sure the background is distant enough to…

1 When panning, be sure to switch your image stabiliser to setting 2; this only corrects vertical movement and should help to speed up the auto focus. 2 Switch to predictive focus mode, because this will allow you to track your subject, keeping it in focus at all times. 3 When panning, expanding your focusing area will give you a greater margin for error when it comes to keeping your focus point on a moving target. 4 If the light is bright enough, try stopping your aperture down to f/8. This will increase depth of field, making focusing accuracy a little bit less critical. 5 Shooting in high-speed drive mode will allow you to fire a sequence of frames, giving you the best chance of capturing the optimum wing position.…

The striking third-placed shot of paragliders over Lake Annecy, against a mountainous backdrop, by Dave Smith, was taken using a Canon EOS 550D. This DSLR was launched in 2010, and demonstrates that eye-catching images don’t have to be shot using expensive kit. In fact, this entry-level 18MP APS-C camera body can be picked up at MPB, in excellent condition, for a mere £164. Taking fifth place, Nick Bodle used a Fujifilm X-E2 for his glorious image of Grasmere in the mist. A hugely popular 16MP interchangeable-lens mirrorless model, it gives superb image quality and has the lovely, classic layout that we’ve come to associate with the Fujifilm brand. This camera is available at MPB in excellent condition for £229. In ninth place, Luke Moseley shot his guest-judge-favourite image using a…

1 Dust spots No matter what you do, dust will invariably sneak on to the sensor! I go through the image with a fine-tooth comb and remove any using the clone or heal tool in LR, depending upon which is more appropriate. 2 Calibration My screen is calibrated on a regular basis as it is important to be faithful to your image. Whilst this is a b&w photograph, I don’t want any stray colours getting into the mix giving it a slight tinge. 3 Sharpness I am sure you will have checked the image for sharpness as soon as you took it but really scrutinise for any softness or imperfections – because the larger you print, the more these will show up. I always apply sharpening as…

ND FILTERS come in a range of light-reducing densities, and with screw-in filters you can get variable ND filters with strengths ranging from around 1.5 stops to 8 stops. For ultimate flexibility and control, the four filters that you need to control overall exposure are a polarising filter, a 3-stop ND, a 6-stop ND and a 10-stop ND. You can buy other densities, but with these four filters you’re covered for practically every eventuality. The four images here (see previous page, bottom) were shot in bright conditions so exposure times show a clearer progression of blur as filter strength is increased. Polarising filter 1/10 sec Polarisers are often used in combination with ND filters as they remove surface reflections from water and can deepen blue skies, but, with the ability…

The crops shown below are taken from the area outlined above in red Sensational image quality is the name of the game from the fp L’s 61MP sensor, at least in our controlled studio test. As expected, it resolves incredible levels of detail at low ISOs, with no visible noise. Indeed luminance noise only really becomes obvious at ISO 1600, bringing a slight negative impact on detail rendition. However I’d still be entirely happy shooting at ISO 6400, with the top standard setting of ISO 25,600 quite acceptable for smaller output sizes when necessary to get the shot. But I’d avoid the extended higher sensitivities.…

AP picture of the week Feather In The Sky by Jamie Simmons Canon EOS R, 17-40mm F4L, 1/60sec at f/11, Vanguard tripod ‘Just as the lockdown was easing and we were all eager to go out for the first time in months we took our two-year-old up to the Peak District to witness what I thought might be an incredible sunset, after checking out the weather apps,’ recalls Jamie. ‘At the top of Higger Tor, we saw the most beautiful sunset I have seen in a very long time. After a few Lion King-style shots on the more prominent rocks, we came across this one, and I had an idea. It took about 30 to 40 attempts to get this particular shot, which was done entirely in camera using a…

STOCK agency Shutterstock has announced it is now exclusively selling images from the LIFE Picture Collection, with the collection forming part of Shutterstock’s editorial archive, The Vault. ‘The LIFE collection is one of the most significant photographic archives globally. It features over 800,000 of the most recognisable photos, magazine covers (including Princess Diana, Winston Churchill, and Marilyn Monroe) and historical moments,’ said the company. The two are working together to bring never-before-available images from the archive to market. See https://bit.ly/shutterlife.…

WITH demand for original and quirky film growing, Kosmo Foto has launched its second black & white film, Agent Shadow, via Kickstarter. Agent Shadow follows on from the brand’s 2017 debut release, Mono black & white film, and is a 35mm, ISO 400 film which can be pushed to at least ISO 3200 – making it ‘perfect for street, documentary, and travel photography’, according to the company. That’s just the start, however. The film is being launched with a special collector’s briefcase box which also includes five rolls and a graphic novella – ‘The 36 Frames’ – featuring the enigmatic Agent Shadow character in ‘a desperate mission across a nighttime city’. The Agent Shadow film is being offered exclusively via Kickstarter before Kosmo Foto makes it available to retailers later…

My 365 project I’d like to thank the AP team for your regular articles on photography and well-being. I’ve found that some small changes in the way I think about photography have made a big difference. In April last year I started a 365 project, using the Blipfoto platform (www.blipfoto. com/Rock_Dr) as a source of inspiration and encouragement, enabling me to share my efforts. I am now close to 400 days, with no intention of stopping. There’s a fine balance between being inspired to take a new photograph every day and feeling obliged, when it would become a burden, but it has worked for me. I think (hope?) that my photography has improved and I now find pictures in the environment around me, rather than resenting other photographers’ fantastic locations…

1 Daniel Newton Dubai 100pts Nikon Z 7, 24-70mm at 29mm, 1/200sec at f/11, ISO 64 This was a unanimously recognised and well-received image, achieving placings and commendations from nine of the ten judges. A classic, bucolic landscape scene it most certainly is not, but that’s what makes it stand out. There’s an odd balance of bleakness and anticipation here. Bleak, of course, thanks to the desolate sand dunes that flank the empty road, while the anticipation comes from the sense that the viewer is heading somewhere. We can’t help but be curious as to what might exist beyond the horizon. The interesting processing adds to the overall effect. By desaturating and toning the image in the way he has, Daniel has enhanced the sense of otherworldliness. We could see…

Mark Gilligan Mark Gilligan is a professional photographer based in the north-west of England. A LEE Filters Master and a winner of the #OMGB in the LPOTY, he is a Fellow of the BIPP.Visit www.wastwaterphotography.co.uk. I am sure that like me, you visit locations which look promising but due to the conditions, they don’t deliver. So, we put them in our memory bank for ‘the right time’. I have been going to Snowdonia for work and my own personal photography trips for over 45 years now and love Cwm Idwal in the Ogwen Valley. As you walk up to the Cwm, you cross a bridge where Afon Idwal tumbles out of Llyn Idwal. Over the years I have taken the odd snap but not the one I wanted so I…

‘For this beautiful black & white photo, I recommend our passepartout in natural white. Our passe-partouts are made from the finest, non-acidic, fade-resistant museum cardboard and for this picture I chose the medium size of the passepartout. The solid wood frame Hamburg in black oak and a glossy float glass set off the motif very well. Our Ilford black & white paper with its brilliant whites and rich black tones turns the photo into an absolute eye-catcher.’ Jan-Ole Schmidt, Product Manager, WhiteWall.com…

1 There are certain things you want to freeze and certain things that you want to blur. In motorsport you want to show motion and you want to blur it because if you take a picture of a car or a bike at 1/2000th of a second it looks like it’s parked up and not going anywhere. So you want to shoot that and use a slower shutter speed to convey that motion. By blurring the background you’re showing the viewer the movement or the speed of something. 2 Water’s a bit different, you could shoot water either way. You can blur it or freeze it instantly at a really high shutter speed to show that moment and you just see that explosion of water going everywhere. For me, although…

Tripod A tripod is essential for long-exposure photography because the camera must be kept completely still during exposures to avoid camera shake in areas of the scene that should be sharp. Shutter remote Using a shutter remote allows you to fire the shutter without touching the camera and causing camera shake. They’re also necessary for shooting in Bulb mode to manually hold the shutter open. Exposure calculator apps The LEE Stopper and NiSi Filters apps allow you to dial in the standard exposure and will calculate the exposure required for a variety of ND filters including 6, 10 and 15-stop NDs. Filter holder If you plan to combine ND filters with graduated ND filters to maintain sky detail, you’ll need a filter holder where 100mm filters slot in place and…

EXTREME NDs, Big Stoppers and Little Stoppers are all names you’re likely to have heard of, and in a nutshell, these simply refer to ND filters that reduce light entering lenses by more than 4 stops. ND filters in this category can’t be used like lower-strength NDs where you simply attach them to the lens and shoot as normal; these filters require you to calculate exposure based on what the ‘standard’ exposure should be, then shoot in Bulb mode and manually time exposures if they’re longer than 30 seconds. Unfortunately, most cameras have a maximum shutter speed/exposure time of 30 seconds, which is often too short when using extreme NDs. Owners of higher-end Fujifilm cameras such as the X-T4, GFX100S and X100V can set exposure times up to 60 minutes…

Pick a location Decide on a location and think about the composition. It’s a good idea to visit in the daytime and determine what you want to show in the final image. Take a few test shots to help work out where to position your tripod as it won’t be as easy in the dark. Locate Polaris When you visit, open Nightsky on your IOS device and locate Polaris using Sky view. Sky view presents you with a real-time simulation of the sky as currently seen from your own location or other location of your choice. It is a 360° view and you can move it around by moving your device. Setting up Set up your tripod in your chosen spot and mount the camera securely. Use an LED torch…

Round Six Movement One of the biggest challenges in photography is capturing movement: whether that’s freezing the action unfolding in front of you with fast shutter speeds or flash, or creating an implied sense of movement with long exposures or camera panning. Whichever technique you choose to use, there is a whole host of potential subjects on offer. We’d like to see your interpretation of movement, be it people on the go, sports, or trains, planes and automobiles. Your guest judge Your guest judge for Round Six of APOY is Ben Hall. Ben is one of Britain’s leading wildlife photographers. His images are often surprising, always striking and he strives to awaken us to the diversity of the natural world. Capturing a sense of movement is crucial to many of…

● £169.99 ● www.3leggedthing.com 2-part kit The stabiliser stand can be easily removed and replaced by a rubber foot, allowing the monopod to be used on its own. Connector A standard 1/4in thread allows connection to a camera or telephoto lens, while a sprung, push-down 3/8in outer sleeve accepts ball or tilt heads. Large locks 3 Legged Thing’s signature chunky leg locks make this monopod quick to set and adjust in height. Rubber grip This boasts a textured surfaced along with sculpted channels, promising secure grip in wet conditions. At a glance ● Monopod and stabiliser kit ● 5-section carbon-fibre leg ● Maximum height 156cm ● Folded length 50cm ● Weight 1.11kg TABLE TRIPOD In principle, the Docz2 stand can also be used as a mini tripod. It only really…