Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2016 i Australian Photography

Acouple of months ago DJI announced their newest drone, the Mavic Pro. It comes at an interesting time for drone technology in Australia. If you missed it, new laws came into force on 29 September that effectively cut much of the the red tape for people flying their drones commercially. Provided your drone has a maximum take-off weight of less than two kilograms, your now free to offer drone services at say a wedding, or take real estate images, all without an expensive licence from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Because apart from these commercial restrictions, it could be argued there was only one factor limiting the spread of drones up until now–their size. Consider what you needed to bring with you if you wanted a drone in your…

Imaging monitor alternatives? Q When I bought my Eizo monitor it was very much better than anything else on the market. Unfortunately I dropped it and it is beyond repair. As there has been real improvement in a range of monitors, I would appreciate any guide as to what I should consider to replace it. And what is your advice for calibrating these monitors? Robert Alexander, Gordon, NSW. A The answer depends on your exact needs, requirements for panel size and budget. How critical and stringent is the work you are needing to do? Are you doing your own printing? What minimum resolution are you requiring? For example, is Full HD (1920 X 1080 pixels) sufficient, or will you need 4K (3840 X 2160 pixels) down the track? Do you…

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Single Lens Kit If you’re wanting an alternative to the usual entry-level DSLRs that are popular in this price bracket, make sure you take a look at the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, the only entry class interchangeable lens camera with 5-axis image stabilisation. The OM-D is a gorgeous camera, with spot-on retro styling and large physical dials that make shooting with it really fun. It’s no old-school camera though, featuring a large, 2.36 million dot EVF matched to a 16.1-megapixel MOS sensor that delivers great looking images up to a native ISO of 25600. You can also flip the monitor in a range between 85 degrees upward and 45 degrees downward for shooting at low and high angles. Although it only shoots 1080p video…

Every October, photographers around the world get together to explore, photograph, share photos, make new friends and be part of a great cause. I'm talking about the Annual Worldwide Photo Walk, which in 2016 supported the Springs of Hope Kenya Orphanage, an organisation that feeds, houses, educates and empowers young orphans so that they can grow up to not just survive but succeed. As part of more than 18,000 photography enthusiasts I was part of the world’s largest social photography event. I was told there were more than 1000 photo walks taking place in cities and towns all around the world! Initiatially I was a little tentative in being part of a group of photographers with large expensive cameras, tripods and packs on backs walking slowly like a brood of…

WINNER PHOTOGRAPHER Vivienne Noble TITLE Adandoned works EDITOR’S COMMENT Vivienne Noble says she was on a trip to Sydney when she came across this old abandoned building. “I love the shapes and the rusted old tin,” she says. “It’s such a shame that eventually it will be an area of high rise buildings devoid of character, that won’t be worthy of photographing for future posterity.” There’s something beautiful and timeless about this shot, helped by some lovely post-processing and even better lighting on the chimney stacks. Although it doesn’t sound like it will be around much longer, you’ve done a great job of preserving this place through your photo. Great work Vivienne. TECHNICAL DETAILS Canon 600D, 18-135mm f/3.4-5.6 lens @ 31mm. 640s @ f8, ISO 100. Contrast added, sharpening, curves,…

The message of well-known Paul Kelly/Kev Carmody song, From little things big things grow, could also be used to illustrate just how personal projects that start out small can morph into something bigger. Case in point is a photography project undertaken by talented Sydney-based advertising and commercial photographer Zahn Pithers. The project featuring portraits of people from his neighbourhood and street in Newtown in Sydney’s inner west. Australia Street, Portraits from the Inner West - started with one image and went on to become an exhibition encompassing various local cafes, shops and eateries. The community-based project has now also spawned an award winning book. The Australia Street experience has proven to be both a rewarding and, perhaps, a surprising one for Pithers. “From one photo in the beginning it’s become…

Image Doctor Online Now there’s another way to get feedback on your images. We’re now offering an online version of Image Doctor at www.australianphotography.com, moderated by professional photographer Anthony McKee. Submit an image and find out what you’re doing right, what you’re doing wrong and, most importantly, what you can do to improve your photos. To upload an image go to www.australianphotography.com and click the ‘image doctor’ tab on the home page. THIS MONTH’S WINNER! Texture and lines Will Ellis wrote: “I am 14 years old and I love black and white photography. I have been using a Fujifilm Finepix s1 because I cannot afford anything else. This is one of my many photos and stands out because of its detail and contrast. Black and white is my style of…

I first became deeply involved with photography in the mid 1980’s when I obtained my first serious camera – a Nikon FE. Working with manual cameras and prime lenses back then taught me a lot about photography. I moved to the Canberra area in the early nineties and joined the Canberra Photographic Society. This was a great experience and has really helped me develop my photographic skills. In 2006 I made the leap to digital and switched to Canon. At that time my manual Nikon lenses would not fit on the Nikon digital bodies, but could be used on the Canon with a suitable adaptor. Never one for the darkroom I quickly became enthused with the new system and found digital processing much more to my liking. I retired a…