Innholdsfortegnelse for 9/10/24 i Amateur Photographer

We have to take Niépce’s word for it that he created the first permanent photographic image in 1824 because the evidence has been lost to time. But the one he made three years later survives to this day, so he probably wasn’t lying. If true, photography is 200 years old this month. Michael Pritchard tells the story of Niépce and his work. We test the delightful Leica D-Lux 8, a premium compact that may well give the Fujifilm X100VI some serious competition. With the launch of our macro round of Amateur Photographer of the Year we get some tips for success from six photographers with very different approaches to close-up photography. Don’t forget to enter your own efforts to be in with a chance to win £1,100 worth of prizes.…

Canon has announced a new flagship A2 desktop photo printer, the imageProGraf PRO-1100. The previous model, the PRO-1000, was introduced nearly a decade ago, and this new release is designed to give the highest print quality of any Canon desktop printer, as well as enhanced durability. The imageProGraf PRO-1100 introduces a 12-ink Lucia PRO-II pigment ink system, which is designed to have a 180/200-year lifespan, depending on the choice of media. This includes a special wax, which Canon says gives additional scratch-resistance to prints, and the system gives truer blacks, according to Canon. Out now, the new printer is priced at £1,099.…

In our recent story on the Ffoto Cymru: Wales International Festival of Photography, we incorrectly called key exhibitor Marian Delyth ‘Marilyn’. Apologies for any confusion caused. The show features a 50-year retrospective of Marian’s pioneering documentary photography, so it’s well worth visiting. Ffoto Wales takes place in October in Cardiff, and full details are at www.ffotogallery.org/programme…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH In regular photography, shallow depth of field is often a valuable creative effect. Portrait photographers use it to blur backgrounds but keep their subjects sharp, for example. But in macro and close-up photography, depth of field can be a problem, simply because you can’t get enough of it. At very close focusing distances, the depth of field becomes progressively more shallow, so it becomes difficult to keep the full 3D shape of an object sharp, even at a small lens aperture. You can focus on the front, you can focus on the back, but you can’t get them both sharp at the same time. This is where ‘focus stacking’ comes in. This is a technique used widely by macro photographers where you take a whole sequence of…

Insects Matt Doogue Matt Doogue is a macro photographer, conservationist, outreach teacher and speaker on mental health. He has collaborated with BBC Earth, National Geographic and Canon and his images have been featured in many of the UK’s top photography magazines. To see more visit www.mattsmacro.co.uk or follow him on Instagram @matt85 Observe behaviour Spiders can be skittish, especially non-web-building spiders, so it’s key to know how and when to approach them. As with most insects and arachnids, early mornings and late evenings are the perfect times. Spiders are best approached from ground level and very slowly. Any shadows cast over them or fast movements will scare them away, so take your time, watch and study them to understand their behaviour. Check the forecast Butterflies are cold-blooded insects and generally…

Reader Portfolio winners receive a one-year subscription to a Gold Portfolio Series website worth £300. UK domain name included. Amazing Internet designs, builds and hosts amazing websites for creative people and companies. It has specialised in creating websites for photographers since 1999 and has services to suit all budgets. Whether you need a simple template-based site for £60 per year or a fully bespoke site, they’ve got you covered. www.amazinginternet.com Submit your images See page 3 for details of how to submit. You could see your photos here in a future issue! Please note: the prize is subject to change. Dan Beecroft, Epping About Dan Dan is a member of Loughton Camera Club and he enjoys photographing toys and models. How did you get into photography? I started my journey…

Say the word ‘Wall’s’ to those of a certain age and two things spring to mind: sausages and ice cream. Not on the same plate, of course. Starting with a market stall set up by Richard Wall to sell meat as far back as 1786, the business grew through successive generations until, by the 1900s, the company was nationally acclaimed for its products. The problem was that meat sales fell off in summer. So, in 1913, attention was turned to making ice cream during the summer months. The idea was shelved during World War I, but resurrected in the 1920s, selling ice cream in the streets from three-wheel tricycles with boxes of goodies on the front. Starting with ten tricycles in 1922, the company had 8,500 on the road by…

TRACY CALDER Tracy is one of six photographers who share their techniques for creating captivating close-ups MICHAEL PRITCHARD Photography is possibly 200 years old. Dr Michael Pritchard looks at one of its pioneers ANDY WESTLAKE Technical Editor Our chief reviewer conducts our big test of the Leica D-Lux 8 advanced zoom compact AMY DAVIES Features Editor Amy reviews the Panasonic FZ82D superzoom bridge camera and gives her verdict ANGELA NICHOLSON AP’s former technical editor tests a lightweight video tripod kit, the SmallRig AD-50Lite ROD LAWTON On page 18, editing expert Rod shows how to fix a common problem in macro photography…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH 1 I was pleased with the veil movement, but the bride’s face will need brightening up. 2 The emotion is the focus, so I converted it to black & white to avoid all colour distractions. 3 For post-ceremony shots, I shoot wide and low to add context, but some cropping is still needed. 4 I like my images to ‘pop’ so a bit of fine-tuning with added contrast and clarity are required. Emily Renier Emily is based in the South East of the UK. For the past six years, she has dedicated her time to capturing emotion-packed moments for couples and families. She is also an official Fujifilm Ambassador. www.emilysmomentsphotography.com The wedding couples that I work with tend to not enjoy their time in front of a…

● £99.99 ● smallrig.com While it’s possible to shoot video with a camera mounted on a photography tripod, you really need a dedicated video tripod and head if you want to keep the camera steady while you pan or tilt the camera. The AD-50Lite from SmallRig is an affordable option that fits the bill nicely, with a fluid head for smooth camera movements and a levelling base to ensure that the camera is level and the horizon won’t start to slope as you pan. You also get a leg spreader that snaps into place to help keep the legs rigid for extra stability. At 2.8kg, the D-50Lite is heavy in comparison with the travel tripods that are popular for photography, but it’s a relative lightweight amongst video tripods. With a…

LETTER OF THE WEEK Taro on the cards I’ve been into photography for decades, and always had a high regard for those brave or foolish enough to take their camera to tell the truth of war – the likes of Lee Miller, Larry Burrows and, of course, Robert Capa. Shockingly, until very recently I had never heard of Gerda Taro. She took photos under the name ‘Robert Capa’ with Andre Friedmann (who kept the name after her death in the Spanish Civil War), in order to be taken more seriously. Wikipedia explains it in more detail. I wonder how many of your readers are similarly in the dark about this talented and ultimately tragic photographer, and whether it’s time for an article about her? I feel that there’s a story…

Motorola has announced the Edge 50 Neo smartphone. It incorporates AI image processing to analyse multiple frames of a photo and blend exposures to create a ‘true-to-life’ image, while also improving the phone’s low-light capabilities. As with the Edge 40 Neo, it features 50MP main, 13MP ultra-wide and 32MP selfie cameras, but adds a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and 30x superzoom. It’s available now from £399.99.…

Barry Lategan, described by photography historian Michael Pritchard as ‘one of Britain’s leading fashion, portrait and advertising photographers from the 1960s to the 2000s,’ has died aged 89. Born in South Africa, Lategan came to the UK to study at the Bristol Old Vic theatre, before becoming fascinated by photography during National Service with the RAF. After honing his skills by assisting, he went on to establish his own studio in 1967 and became widely known for his portraits of Twiggy and other iconic ’60s models. He enjoyed a long working relationship with Vogue magazine and Olympus, and was a leading light in what is now The Association of Photographers. Lategan had his first exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery in 1975 and other honours included an Honorary Fellowship from the…

In association with Round seven Macro It’s easy to understand why people become obsessive about macro photography. It requires a balance of both technical and creative ability, while giving an insight into the world that is often impossible to appreciate with the naked eye. Patience is crucial. If you photograph animals or insects, take the time to study and understand their behaviour, so you don’t cause them distress. As well as plants or living creatures, we also want to see impressionistic still-lifes and abstract landscapes. Anything goes, as long as it’s taken in close-up. Your guest judge Your guest judge for Round Seven, Macro, is Tracy Calder. Tracy has more than 20 years of experience in the photo magazine industry. In 2018 she co-founded Close-up Photographer of the Year, an…

Tech Talk Previous articles have discussed the ‘partially stacked’ sensor in the Nikon Z6III. A storm has blown up on the web about the reduced dynamic range (DR) that this new sensor offers, when compared to the Z6II. A similar discussion has started about the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, which is alleged to provide a lower DR than the original R5. This article will attempt to answer two questions: are these reports accurate and, if they are, should buyers be concerned? The source for these figures is the ‘photonstophotos.net’ website run by Bill Claff. This is a useful and informative website, but like any data source, one should be aware of both precisely what it offers and any limitations. The material that I have viewed is not reporting ‘dynamic…

AP picture of the week Geese in Flight by Louis-James Gasson Sony Alpha 58, Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-F4.5 ZA, 1/6sec at f/8, ISO 100 ‘This photo was taking while on holiday near the Peak District. I was taking landscapes over a reservoir when a flock of geese took off. Using the settings for the landscapes I panned the camera to create the blur and give the flock a feeling of movement in the image.’ Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/150115068@N08/ #appicoftheweek Win! The AP Pic of the Week winner will receive a beautifully framed print of their winning image worth up to £100. If you Love it, Frame it! ThisPicture.com is an experienced, high-quality framing company with a unique, easy-to-use website. Build single or multi-image frames with a few clicks of your mouse and…