Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2016 i N-Photo: the Nikon magazine

Online Catch up with Nikon news, get inspired and learn new skills www.digitalcameraworld.com Facebook Join 285,000 Nikon nuts who ‘Like’ us on Facebook www.facebook.com/nphotomag Twitter Follow our tweets and keep up to date with all things #Nikon www.twitter.com/nphotomag About the cover Title Explosion in the Sky Photographer Carlo Resta Camera Nikon D600 Lens Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Exposure 8 secs, f/2.8, ISO3200 Description A magic night at Stokksnes, Vestrahorn, Iceland. After two hours of wind and cold, the northern lights came out over my head like a green explosion. An unforgettable moment in a beautiful country. Web www.500px.com/carloresta20 Most of us choose to shoot Nikon D-SLRs because of their build quality. Even Nikon’s entry-level models feel reassuringly, satisfyingly solid. And of course Nikon’s pro models feel like they’d survive…

Paul Grogan Editor Paul’s looking forward to meeting some worldfamous photographers at The Photography Show this month. paul.grogan@futurenet.com Jason Parnell-Brookes Staff Writer Jason’s loves meeting N-Photo’s readers, so if he’s on our stand while you’re there, remember to say hello! jason.parnell-brookes@futurenet.com Ali Jennings Lab Manager We let Ali out of the lab to go to The Photography Show. He’ll be making a beeline for Nikon’s stand, with its fab array of kit. ali.jennings@futurenet.com Angela Nicholson Head of Testing Angela will be having a prowl around the whole show, looking for interesting kit to share with you in future issues. angela.nicholson@futurenet.com Our contributors Ben Andrews, Sams Arefin, Thomas Brenac, Adam Burton, George Cairns, Laurie Campbell, David Clark, Christl Deckx, Michael Freeman, Einar Gudmann, Geoff Harris, Ross Harvey, Noel Kerns, Dinara Kuleshova,…

The mission ● Capture a misty landscape with a long lens Time ● One hour Skill level ● Beginner ● Intermediate ● Advanced Kit needed ● D-SLR ● Telephoto lens ● Sturdy tripod ● Remote release (optional) Distant landscapes can be difficult to shoot. We’re all often tempted to use as wide a lens as possible in order to capture a vast view that looks great to the naked eye, but in a photograph that impressive vista can become a tiny sliver of interesting land with a mass of dull foreground below and plain skies above. This issue we’re shooting landscapes with a telephoto lens in order to compress the scene. This technique may not fit in as much of the land at either side of the frame as using…

Brian Wilson likes to venture off the beaten path to capture landscape photographs with the ‘wow’ factor, and on a recent trip to Skye, he spent time trying to do just that... My journey into photography began three years ago, with simply wanting to learn to take better pictures of my dog. Borrowing my dad’s D3100, and shooting firmly on auto, I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t getting the results I’d hoped for. The journey out of auto commenced almost immediately, and I was captivated by the possibilities. Sunrise and sunset are my favourite time to shoot, no matter what the subject is. I strive to take photos from locations most people probably wouldn’t. Whether it’s the northern lights from 3000 feet up a mountain or sunrise through a sea…

There’s one month left to go in this year’s N-Photo Photographer of the Year competition, so get your photos in now if you want a chance to be declared our overall winner. The final category is ‘weddings’. If you feel like you’ve missed out, don’t despair, as we’ll be starting another year-long competition straight after that, so start sifting through your portfolio and planning your photography trips now. To enter the final month’s competition, and be in with a chance of winning the Judges’ Vote prize of a Manfrotto 3N1 Pro Lite camera bag worth £200, go to www.photocrowd.com/challenges – you could see your photo here next month. HOW TO ENTER ◘ A theme is set each month by the N-Photo team. ◘ Visit www.photocrowd.com/challenges/ to enter online (note, all…

? What’s the best lens to replace my 18-105mm after upgrading to an FX body? Kevin Elson, via email JASON SAYS... I’d suggest the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR, as featured in this month’s Big Test (see page 123). It doesn’t have quite as much effective reach as the 18-105mm, but will give you greater wide-angle potential. You could also look for the older version as a secondhand buy – it’s a real Secondhand Superstar, as I’ll explain! RELEASED: 2003 PRICE NEW: £490/$540 PRICE USED: From £120/$175 Until the Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm VR was launched in 2006, it was hard to find a lens that offered a big zoom range for use on cameras like the D70 and D200. When the 18-200mm hit the streets, it sold out almost instantly.…

“When I started out, I began volunteering for a local non-profit organisation – they had a project set up to give budding photographers the chance to conduct shoots for local charities, to gain experience and add to their portfolio. The charities benefitted by having good quality photos to use for promotional materials. After a while working as a volunteer I was asked to interview for the position of co-ordinator for the project, and I was successful. From there I photographed more and more, and got work retouching for the fashion industry. I’ve always been more of a photographer than a retoucher, though, so I carried on shooting when I could. Eventually, I’d gained enough experience to become a staff photographer for international fashion brand Superdry. Superdry’s photo studios were the…

When it comes to starting a business, the phrase “Hindsight is a wonderful thing” springs to mind. I’ve learned a lot in the year since starting my own business. Being on a tight budget, I decided against doing a lot of advertising, but the advertising I did wasn’t as effective as I’d hoped it would be. Word of mouth, on the other hand, is a great way to get new customers; do a good job for one customer and they will advertise your services for you. I was also pleasantly surprised at the results of advertising my services on Facebook – I have been contacted by two companies looking for photographers that way. I quickly realised that most of my customers needed me to go to them. Luckily the studio…

How important was the workshop to your development as a photographer? I had started my 4x5 era in 1974, so I was getting the hang of it by 1977. Ansel was my hero, and to spend time with him and learn from him was wonderful. I still carry these viewing cards which Ansel handed out. Basically, it is an 8x10 piece of Metboard with a 4x5-inch opening. Looking through it helps to visualise what a scene will be. Would you say using the viewing card was the best lesson from the Ansel Adams workshops? Yes, that has certainly had a lasting impact. At all my workshops that are field-related, I hand out these little viewing cards, too. I mean, it’s not a requirement to do a good picture, and for…

The hottest buzzwords in today’s TV market are 4k and UHD. But what do they mean? The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but 4k is a cinema standard, and refers to a resolution of 4096x2160 pixels (hence the term 4k), whereas UHD (Ultra High Definition) refers to a slightly lower resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. Both boast around twice the pixel count of so-called Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) both horizontally and vertically, so you’re getting four times the overall resolution. A typical Full HD TV or computer monitor has an overall resolution of around two megapixels, whereas a 4k or UHD monitor boasts more than eight megapixels. Both formats have the potential to deliver stunning levels of sharpness and detail, and will also do full justice to 4k video. The…

01 Use a long lens to compress a distant landscape 02 Shoot the reflection on a second camera’s mirror 03 Outline the landscape with light over a long exposure 04 Get the tilt-shift effect on the cheap by free-lensing 05 Correct converging verticals in Lightroom 06 Reverse the tones in a photo for a negative look 07 Scatter glowing eggs around a woodland scene 08 Recover detail in over-exposed highlights Watch all our videos online! bit.ly/NPhoto57…

We’ve a truly global spread of photos from our readers this issue. To start with, our Apprentice heads to Iceland to photograph its stunning scenery under the watchful eye of pro Einar Gudmann. In Your Stories, readers share their love of Paris and personality-packed Desi fashion. Our experts pass their eyes over a selection of stunning images of Skye for portfolio review. And this month’s competition even had a travel theme too. Better grab your passport! N-Photo Magazine, Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, UK, BA1 1UA mail@nphotomag.com…

Mission: To take amazing cityscape photographs Photographer: Thomas Brenac Age: 47 Location: Suresnes, France Kit: Nikon D810, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM | A, Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A, Helios 44-2, Samyang 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC, Gitzo GT2542L tripod, Gitzo G1278 head Website: www.flickr.com/photos/98614865@N05 For about 30 years I took photographs on film (I started with a Nikon F). About five years ago I returned to photography. My first D-SLR was a brand new Nikon D7000, then I moved to full frame with the D810. I’m not planning to upgrade anytime soon – not until I have reached its limits. I’ve always used Nikons, so I found myself at home with the layout of both cameras. I have to admit that the D810 is rock solid…

WAIT FOR IT Timing is everything, as Brian has demonstrated perfectly in his sea cave photo [3]. Use online tools like The Photographer’s Ephemeris (www.photoephemeris.com) to calculate where the sun will be in the sky. TAKE TWO When a small part of your image is really blown out, as in Brian’s sea cave shot, you can’t use an ND grad to balance the exposure. In such cases, often your only option is to take two exposures and combine them in Photoshop. ZOOM FOR A VIEW Use a zoom lens – you’ll be able to get closer to your subject without physically needing to move. They’re also handy when you’re experimenting with composition; by using both ends of the zoom you can get different perspectives. CUT IT OUT Don’t be afraid…

Long a technique used by studio photographers with view cameras, the Scheimpflug principle predicts what happens to the plane of focus when you tilt the optics of a lens. Nikon makes three tilt-shift lenses, the PC-E 24mm f/3.5, 45mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/2.8, and all work well as macro lenses, because close focusing is when you get the most striking effect. With a normal lens, the plane of sharp focus is parallel to the sensor. (Imagine a large sheet of glass in front of the camera, upright, and that’s your plane of focus.) You can move it closer or further away by turning the focusing ring, and you can make it deeper by setting a smaller aperture. But if you can tilt the lens, which you can with one of…

1 SHOW HIGHLIGHT CLIPPING Browse to our highlight_start.NEF image using Capture NX-D’s Folders view (Window>Folders). Choose Image>Show Lost Highlights (or press Shift+H) to summon the clipping warning. Clipped highlights will appear as patches of colour. These areas will feature no detail in the unprocessed photo. Black areas are not over-exposed. 2 DROP THE EXPOSURE VALU E Go to the Exposure Compensation dropdown menu and choose a preset to reduce the Exposure Value to -1/3EV. This reduces the overall brightness of the shot, and many of the coloured patches in the highlight clipping warning will turn a healthy black, with only a few patches of clipped highlight pixels remaining. 3 BOOST THE CONTRAST In the Tone (Detail) panel, drag the Highlight Protection slider towards the right until more of the highlight…

Manfrotto Befree Travel Tripod LEGS 3 HEAD Ball head FOLDED HEIGHT 40cm MAXIMUM OPERATING HEIGHT 144cm WEIGHT 1.4kg MAXIMUM LOAD 4kg LEG SECTIONS 4 per leg LEG SECTION LOCKS Flip locks PRICE £120/$200 Manfrotto 682B Self Standing Monopod LEGS 1 (+ 3 retractable) HEAD None FOLDED HEIGHT 69cm MAXIMUM OPERATING HEIGHT 172cm WEIGHT 1.26kg MAXIMUM LOAD 12kg LEG SECTIONS 3 LEG SECTION LOCKS Flip locks PRICE £75/$90 Size The aluminium Befree folds down to just 40 centimetres long, with the feet hinging up to surround the head. A lighter (1.1kg) carbon fibre version is available for about twice the price. Four-section legs enable a maximum operating height of 144 centimetres. The 682B weighs less than the Befree, at 1.26 kilograms instead of 1.4 kilograms, despite its much beefier construction. Like…

✓ Do… Be flexible in the type of photography and employment that you’ll take on, as you’ll find that many employers will need other skills alongside your photography abilities. Consider getting some recognised photographic qualifications, as these can prove useful when applying for some photographer roles. Get as much experience in different types of photography as you can, and include examples of these in your portfolio, to increase the number of positions you can apply for. × Don’t… Expect to find a full-time, well-paid job immediately, as it’s a small and competitive market. Expect it to be a nine-to-five job, as most photography jobs will involve a more flexible approach to working hours. Expect that you will spend all of your time taking photos, as even working as a staff…

Xuejun Xia PAGE 9 Be inspired by the stunning photo that won Xuejun first place in the Bountiful Earth category of this year’s Garden Photographer of the Year Andy Hooper PAGE 24 One of the UK’s most respected sports photographers, Andy is one of five pros who tell us why they wouldn’t shoot anything but Nikon Einar Gudmann PAGE 52 Landscape pro Einar has also worked for Iceland’s Environment Agency – so who better to teach our Apprentice to photograph Iceland’s beauty? Kate Hopewell-Smith PAGE 98 Lifestyle and wedding photographer (and Nikon UK Ambassador) Kate shares the image that helped get her career well and truly off the ground Charles Cramer PAGE 100 Charles studied with the legendary Ansel Adams, and is now in a league of his own. Meet…

Mission: To have different and unique take on fashion portraits Photographer: Sams Arefin Age: 24 Location: Kushtia, Bangladesh Kit: Nikon D7100, Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G Website: www.facebook.com/photographybysamsarefin My journey into the world of photography began two years ago when I had only a cellphone camera and absolutely nothing else! The photographs I took with my cellphone garnered much praise from my friends and family, and it was their inspiration and encouragement that made me pull the trigger to get a proper camera. After a few months of exhaustive research, I finally decided to get a Nikon D7100, as it seemed just about perfect for what I intended to shoot, and it was within my budget. I’m really glad with my choice. That’s also when I started reading N-Photo. I use…

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the mag and all things photographic! So email us at mail@nphotomag.com. You can also write to us at N-Photo Magazine, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, UK, BA1 1UA. We reserve the right to edit any queries for clarity or brevity. LETTER OF THE MONTH Follow your vision Motivation is something I find hard to come by, especially when it comes to taking photos. I am my own worse critic. I feel as if my photos are not as good as everyone else’s, but isn’t that always the case? There is and always will be someone out there who you think is better than you. Recently I have found comfort in the knowledge of this because maybe, just maybe, someone out there looks at…

One of the visually most satisfying jobs that focus can do is create a clear separation of planes in an image, and it calls for quite personal judgment. The idea is to make your subject more prominent by contrasting its crisp edges with a softened backdrop. There’s nothing startling about this, but it has several variables. They include focal length and aperture, the point of focus, and the separation between the subject and background. This last quality means finding the right viewpoint, and typically you would be looking for an empty space behind the subject so that the distant background is all at the same degree of focus blur. This is easily overlooked, but if you have the time to prepare for a shot, as in fashion or architectural photography,…

A very wide aperture used in a still life shot can be beautiful and inviting – it’s standard procedure in some kinds of food photography – but there are many occasions when you would want two different details sharp. This is one of them, where there’s a case for the closest part of the tartlet (the crust) to be sharp, but also the prominent berries on top. They’re at different distances, so one technique is to shoot both, then combine them as layers in Photoshop and gently erase an out-of-focus area from the upper layer.…

Our resident Nikon expert Jason Parnell-Brookes answers your questions and solves your problems. If you’d like Jason to come to the rescue regarding your Nikon-related question, email it to mail@nphotomag.com. Please note that we reserve the right to edit queries for clarity or brevity. ? If ‘fast’ lenses are better, why are so many of the images featured in N-Photo taken in the ‘normal’ aperture range? Stuart Jones, via email JASON SAYS... The big advantage of ‘fast’ lenses (and the reason they’re called fast), is that they have wide maximum apertures, and so make faster shutter speeds available in low light, without having to bump up your ISO too far. Another advantage is that wider apertures enable a tighter depth of field, and this is often used to blur the…

Even though most photography work is self-employed or freelance, there are still some opportunities for full- or part-time employment. This month we’ll look at some of the areas that you could look at. You’ll need to do plenty of searching on job websites such as www.indeed.co.uk, or trade bodies such as the Association of Photographers (AOP), to find photography jobs, and to be pretty flexible in what positions you’ll consider. None of the jobs we’ll be discussing comes up very frequently, and competition for the positions is often very fierce, but if you keep your mind open to all of the options, then it’s perfectly possible to get a job as a photographer, or in a photographic business, which could be the perfect starting point to a career in photography.…

WWW.JOEMCNALLY.COM The job: to take a simple shot on the front porch. The subject: Don Prince, a Nashville stalwart, who has a great face for a portrait. He travelled with the Charlie Daniels Band, which means the man can pick. So, great face, simple but eloquent location. The first thought in my head was, ‘Let’s just keep this simple, huh, Joe? Calm down and don’t try to light the whole damn building.’ I did some testing with the ever-patient Jon Cospito in place, prior to the arrival of the subject. You can see the first of those shots below. Nice try, but no cigar on this one. The test shot gave me good info to judge light and placement, though. A couple of the building blocks of location got set…