Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i N-Photo: the Nikon magazine

The mission • Capture patterns in receding waves with a long exposure Time • One hour Skill level • Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced Kit needed • Tripod • 6-stop ND filter • Remote release Crashing waves, glistening rocks and endless horizons are an irresistible combination for many. As such, a coastal shoot is full of opportunities for great photos, especially if you know how to blur the water. To achieve this we need to extend our shutter speed but there’s more than just that here, it’s also about timing. Landscape photography can often be enjoyed at a steady pace. However, when we include waves, things can change in a split-second. One moment the waves will come crashing towards land in a spray of foam, the next they recede back…

The mission • Take ultra-high-magnification macro photographs Time • One hour Skill level • Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced Kit needed • Laowa 25mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro lens, reversing ring or extension tubes Macro lenses are used to photograph things in close-up, and usually have a magnification ratio of 1:1, which reproduces the image at life-size. But why can’t ‘normal’ lenses do this? “There are other tricks you can use to turn your existing lenses into macro lenses Well, they simply don’t focus close enough. Some telephoto lenses have a ‘macro’ badge but, while they can focus closer than most, they typically only achieve one-third size (1:3) or half-size (1:2) levels of magnification. The Laowa 25mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro lens goes to the other extreme. It has a zoom function…

WATCH THE VIDEO The mission • Create an HDR vertical panorama Time • Two hours Skill level • Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced Kit needed • Tripod head with tilt function • Wide-angle lens • Remote shutter release • Photoshop CC You may have noticed that, with modern smartphone cameras, a panoramic option often comes with the various other in-built photography features. But what you get in expediency comes at the cost of quality. More often than not, these images are long, narrow and have low resolution when zoomed in. With your Nikon DSLR, however, a few well-composed shots can be stitched together in no time using Photoshop. Instead of using a horizontal movement to capture a panorama, you can instead tilt your Nikon vertically, giving your image a new…

FIND A NICE BACKDROP Keep an eye out for colourful backdrops to shoot. Whether it’s a moss stalk in front of a leaf, or a blue sky behind a flower. You can do the same by contrasting light and dark between the foreground and background. EMPTY THE FRAME Anything that isn’t in the frame doesn’t exist, so remove anything (or reframe the camera) that doesn’t add to the shot you want to achieve. Dead grass blades and extraneous twigs are often a bugbear of many macro photographers. ENGAGE CONTINUOUS BURST DRIVE In this mode you can fire off multiple shots in rapid succession when holding down the shutter release button. Combine this with a rocking motion, back and forth, to ensure at least one photo has perfect sharpness. USE A…

Our globetrotting Contributor at Large, renowned photographer and prolific author Michael Freeman, presents a month-by-month masterclass that’s exclusive to N-Photo, in which he explores his tried-and-tested paths to more creative photography. Michael has published dozens of books on photography, including the bestselling Perfect Exposure. If you enjoy this article and want to learn more, there are 50 more paths to be discovered in Michael’s new book Fifty Paths to Creative Photography (NB: all 50 are different from those that will be featured here in the magazine) Quite a number of creative strategies in photography head in the direction of keeping things simple, cleaning up and cutting away distractions. We did it here, back in issue 73, and it’s a convincing philosophy for all kinds of things. Simplification in photography has…

On Ellis Island… Lighting in the darkened morgue! WWW.JOEMCNALLY.COM Ellis Island is a magical, historical place. It quickly prompts reverie, spirits, and ghosts, much of it communicated to your head and your heart via the hallways, the peeling paint, the dusty artefacts, and the light at different times of the day. We’ve been blessed for the last couple of years to visit the still mostly deserted, off-limits section of the island via the auspices of the Save Ellis Foundation, and the Nikon School. We form a rather small class and shoot all day, taking a break for a bit to practise some lighting, in the old morgue, which, believe it or not, is actually a perfect place to run a lighting demo. “David didn’t exactly bargain for being in a…

First Women UK is a visual celebration of how far women have come in the past 100 years, told through 100 iconic portraits of pioneering Women who are ‘firsts’ in their fields of endeavour: from bomb detection to beatboxing; from blast furnace management to sheepdog training. I’ve been a photographer all my life and for a long time I’ve asked myself: ‘how was society acknowledging our contemporary trailblazing females?’ I wanted to create a body of work that would be my legacy, so that in 100 years from now, people could look back and see how far we have come – marking the centenary of women ‘winning the right to vote’. I wanted to shine a light on the achievements of these women who were creating a new reality and…

Gary Nunn PAGE 18 Pro wedding photographer Gary shares his top tips for shooting weddings and ensuring your shots of the Big Day are special. Michael Freeman PAGE 76 Regular contributor Michael demonstrates why filling the frame can be just as effective as keeping it clean and simple. Richard Dunwoody PAGE 52 Former Grand National star Richard shows us what it takes to be a show-stopping showjumping photographer. Joe McNally PAGE 90 Welcome to Ellis island, home to a rich history of America and the location of Joe McNally’s latest – and darkest – photo shoot. Khandie PAGE 62 Freelance photographer Khandie gets thrifty with it and shows you don’t need expensive kit to create a stylish shoot. Steve Schapiro PAGE 92 Steve’s shot everything from the US civil rights…

EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY THE APPRENTICE… Name John Harwood Camera Nikon D4S A keen enthusiast photographer since building a pinhole camera at the age of seven, John has owned many film cameras over the years, developing images in his own darkroom. His first DSLR was a Nikon D70 followed by a D300, but after a serious horse riding accident in 2014 he decided “life’s too short” and treated himself to a D4S. He loves photographing anything to do with horses, and jumped at the chance for some professional equine photography tuition. THE PRO… Name Richard Dunwoody Camera Nikon D4S, D4 & D810 Three-times Champion Jockey Richard has won Grand Nationals and Chelteham Gold Cups aplenty – among other prestigious titles – during his career as a professional jockey. After retiring from the…

Mission: Prove that images are made by the photographer, not the gear Photographer: Khandie Location: Northampton, UK Kit: Nikon D7000, 24-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Website: www.KhandiePhotography.com For this set of photos, I deliberately selected entry-level and older camera equipment. I wanted to show that you don’t need flashy, expensive kit to get great images. It’s your mind, team and vision that create the photograph, not the kit. I didn’t want to show off how amazing I could make something with all the mod cons and all the gadgets. I stripped my kit right back to basics. I borrowed an old Sigma 24-70mm lens and paired it with my 2010 D7000. I headed down to a local laundrette with my assistant, Epiphany, and thanks to some sweet-talking, permission was granted for us to…

LETTER OF THE MONTH Work the room I have been into photography since the early ’70s and some years ago I purchased a Nikon D5100. At some point (one of your earliest issues) I started reading N-Photo and have read almost every issue since. Now what you should know is that, although I previously purchased other well-known photo publications, I never lasted more than a few months with these magazines. Every month in N-Photo I find at least two or three sections that inspires or educates me. I think you have the right mix of content to satisfy the beginners, right through to the advanced photographers. I particularly like Your Stories and Portfolio Review, and Michael Freeman’s section is great. I have three sons, but none of them have shown…

You might breathe a sigh of relief when you know you have as much time as you need, and the resources needed, to create an elaborate scene, rather than anxiously trying to snatch one from real life. Well, yes and no, because large-set studio photography starts from nothing – a blank space which you, the photographer, have to compose. There’s no serendipity, no lucky breaks, and if the result’s messy, you have only yourself to blame. There are many ways of constructing a set for photography, but one of them has the target of making a kind of visual ‘list’. It might be Fabergé cigarette boxes, the full range of products from a manufacturing client or, in this instance, movie props and artefacts created by Industrial Light and Magic. “The…

?My Tamron 150-600mm lens no longer seems as sharp as it used to be on my D7100, but the service centre says there’s nothing wrong with it. Can you suggest anything? Howard Galley JASON SAYS… The most likely culprit is a slight autofocus inaccuracy, which can vary when using different camera bodies. To test this yourself, mount the lens and camera on a tripod, using the tripod collar supplied. Select the shortest zoom setting and widest available aperture and use only the central autofocus point. Apply the Exposure Delay mode in your D7100’s Custom Settings menu, to avoid blurring from mirror-bounce. Using autofocus, shoot something that’s around 20 metres away, like a tiled roof that slopes away from you. Take a series of shots, working your way through the zoom…

To celebrate Light & Land’s 25th anniversary, enter our incredible competition to win the trip of a lifetime by photographing Venice over four nights in January 2019 – a great prize worth £1500. Venice’s great wealth has led to some of Europe’s finest architecture, from the Byzantine, Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance periods. Nowhere else can you see such a remarkable medley of architectural styles, and this, along with the city’s 410 bridges, will present a never-ending series of opportunities to the photographic eye. Literature, painting and, latterly, the movies have all contributed to embedding the city’s mythical nature into our minds. For early risers amongst our party, a fine dawn across the Piazza San Marco offers a fabulous photo opportunity. Nothing could be more poetic than to stand on the…

Adam Waring Editor Enlist the assistance of the bossiest in-law you can find to round up and organize the rest of the guests for those all important group shots. adam.waring@futurenet.com Jason Parnell-Brookes Technique Editor Invest in a D850 and use the electronic shutter for unobtrusive shooting, especially if you’re aware of a shy bride and or groom. jason.parnell-brookes@futurenet.com Ben Andrews Lab Manager Church lighting can be less than ideal, so don’t be afraid to use high ISO sensitivities, or pack a monopod. No bride wants blurry shots of her big day. ben.andrews@futurenet.com Rod Lawton Head of Testing Visit the venue beforehand, if you can, to scout for good backdrops, locations and any lighting issues you need to allow for on the day. rod.lawton@futurenet.com…

1 Keep your distance Don’t get too close, it’s not your right as the chosen photographer to own the place. So put on a 50mm, ask the makeup artist if it’s okay to get closer, get your shots and get out of there. Capture the rest from a distance with your 70-200mm, be discreet. Using window light, capture a lovely portrait of the bride, then let her enjoy the moment with her bridesmaids. 2 Always be respectful There are moments when bride and groom will undoubtedly become emotional. Cherished words, a special meaningful gift or the moment a father sees his daughter as a bride for the first time, ready to walk her down the aisle. This will trigger laughs, smiles and tears. Again, keep your distance and don’t take…

WATCH THE VIDEO The mission • Create interesting in-camera effects using a prism Time • 30 minutes Skill level • Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced Kit needed • Prism A simple prism is designed to split up the spectrum of white light into separate wavelengths. As white light passes through we can see the visible spectrum of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. This spurred interest from the romans, and later, various European scientists, most notably Sir Isaac Newton. After the establishment of spectroscopy in the 17th century, there have been a variety of applications for prisms, one of the most common being, of course, photography. Many of our Nikon DSLRs have a five-sided prism inside. Light enters through the lens, bounces off the mirror and then reflects…

The mission • Blend three photos by making selections then creating layer masks Time • 20 minutes Skill level • Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced Kit needed • Photoshop CC or Elements This ‘broken backdrop’ effect is easier than it looks, and if you’re new to blending and combining photos, it offers a gentle introduction to fundamental Photoshop features like layers, masks and selections. You could use the images we’ve supplied to practice the technique, but it’s much more fun to go out and shoot your own pictures. We need three shots for this effect. Two of them are fairly obvious, but the other is not quite as clear-cut as the others. “You could use the images we’ve supplied to practice the technique, but it’s much more fun to go…

EXPOSURE 1/320 sec, f/6.3, ISO125 LENS 24-70mm f/2.8 Introduction Richard met John early one morning at Courtyard Stables in Wiltshire. A busy working stables, they had to photograph around the day-to-day activities of training the horses for showjumping events. But before heading to the paddock to shoot the steeds, Richard checked over John’s settings and suggested some changes for equine photography. Technique assessment SETTINGS Richard says… John had been using Aperture Priority mode, but with horses it’s important to take control of both aperture and shutter speed so I persuaded him to shoot Manual instead. Horses are big animals, so you’ll need a relatively narrow aperture of f/5.6 to f/8 to ensure it and the rider are completely in focus. They’re fast, too, so set a shutter speed in the…

YOUR PROJECTS CRITIQUED Abstract photography gives me freedom, which I love. It’s about taking risks and going places in my mind where I’ve never been. I don’t have any specific plans for my photo shoots, I prefer to just remain open-minded and go wherever each session takes me. I adore working with natural light as different lighting conditions, times of the day and seasons can give me endless possibilities to explore. These three images are part of a large project called Parallel Universes I started when capturing moss a few years back. Having just moved to a new house I noticed that our retaining wall was covered by moss. When I looked at it through my macro lens I was immediately transported into a fascinating world of shapes. Everything there…

Our search for the world’s best Nikon photographer continues! Each issue the monthly N-Photo POTY 2018 photo contest’s top 10 images are selected by the N-Photo team – along with a guest judge! This issue’s competition has the theme of Weddings, and who better to join our judging panel than multiple award-winning wedding photographer Ross Harvey? GUEST JUDGE: NIKON AMBASSADOR ROSS HARVEY ROSS IS A PRO AT CAPTURING THE BIG DAY, SO WHY IS THE D850 HIS FIRST CHOICE FOR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY? Nikon merged two technologies with the D850; the tried-and-trusted DSLR mechanical shutter with a brand-new electronic shutter for silent shooting. Both modes offer their own benefits for shooting weddings, and so we’ve been given the best of both worlds. The silent shutter cannot be underestimated. Weddings, as with…

?What’s a good secondhand portrait lens that I could use with my D750? Mike Dorling OUR EXPERTS AT MPB RECOMMEND… Like all other full-frame Nikon DSLRs, and up-market APS-C format bodies like D7xxx series cameras, the D750 has a built-in autofocus motor. You’re therefore not limited to Nikon’s ‘AF-S’ lenses that have their own internal AF motors. This older style of lens delivers superb image quality at a bargain price. Nikon AF 85mm f/1.8D IT’S A PREMIUM QUALITY LENS AT A BARGAIN BASEMENT PRICE RELEASED (YEAR): 1987 PRICE NEW: £400/$460 BUY AT MPB.COM TODAY: GOOD £244/$340 WELL USED £194/$270 The original edition of this lens was launched all the way back in 1987, and the updated ‘D’ version from 1994 onwards communicates focus information to the camera body. This can…

Which do you think of the current state of photojournalism? Today it’s much harder because it always was fun when your story was stretched over quite a number of pages, and today very few magazines will do that. Whereas I felt that emotion and design were the most important qualities of my pictures. Today a magazine will publish something in terms of information and the qualities of emotion and design are secondary to that… it’s really like doing the news rather than giving you great photographs. If you can do all three that’s great, and that does happen. TIME does that and Newsweek uses pictures very well. But it’s harder for a photographer to get a break today or to find a magazine that will publish your stories. The only…

Good lighting is key to photography, particularly when shooting still life subjects or for product photography. Each highlight and shadow must be controlled to ensure your subject looks its best, especially if you’re taking shots for e-commerce, where quality sells. Soft, shadowless lighting is key, but unlike in portraiture, where you’d fit a softbox over the light source, the smaller size of still life subjects requires a different approach. Here it’s often best to place the object you’re photographing inside the softbox – or in this case, a light tent – and shine one or more lamps through from outside. The only trouble with light tents is their fabric construction can leave distracting creases visible in the background of shots. A still life table is topped by rigid plastic that…

Monochrome Monday Here are your best monochromatic photographs, submitted to us over the past month Tutorial Tuesday This month we show you the basics of using Adobe Lightroom If you’ve never used Lightroom but want to give it a spin, here’s the low-down on how to use it right from the start. Simply visit: https://bit.ly/2I7Yx5A Workshop Wednesday Wednesday is an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and help others in the N-Photo community… I’m looking to get into infrared photography but I’m having difficulty on my D810 and the results have been mediocre. Any advice? Jasper Shadloo It’s possible to rent them from places like Advanced Camera Services. You could also use an old body, like a D70, as their sensor filters are weaker and will work better with an…