Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine

APPRENTICE NAME: KEVIN MOULDS CAMERA: CANON EOS 5D MK III KEVIN IS based in Glasgow and works in insurance. He’s an accomplished wedding photographer, comfortable shooting big crowds and in high pressure situations, but would love to learn more about how to take better street shots. He turns to street photography to unwind and gets out and about with his camera to take urban shots after work and on his lunch breaks. He’d like to know how to take better city photos so we’ve paired him up with city slicker Adam Bulley. CANON PRO NAME: ADAM BULLEY  CAMERA: CANON EOS 5DS R & EOS R5 ADAM IS a professional landscape and street photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland where he runs photography tours. He’s always wanted to photograph more of Glasgow…

✔ Landscapes ✔ Wildlife ✔ Coastal scenes ✔ Flowers ✔ Birds ✔ Insect close-ups ✔ Astro The term ‘outdoor photography’ can include a wide range of photographic genres. In this guide I’ll be concentrating on landscape and nature photography, which themselves can of course be highly varied! For me it’s this variety that helps to maintain my enthusiasm for photography, as well as continuing to encourage my creativity after almost 30 years in the business! I’ll begin with some tips to help you improve your landscape photography, including coastal scenes. I will also explain some of the techniques I use for shooting astro landscapes under the stars. I’ll move on to methods for capturing better wildlife photographs, and finally I’ll suggest some tips and equipment to help you hone your…

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Living in Pembrokeshire, I’m lucky enough to have one of the best coastal areas in the world on my doorstep, so it’s fair to say I’m more of a coastal photographer than anything else. The coast is an ever-changing landscape, from winter storms and crumbling cliffs, to serene summer evenings with lapping waves, so locations can look different every day. Add the sun rising and setting at varying angles through the year and the tides differing in height, all this plays a massive part in your scenes and potential compositions. Most landscape scenes will need a fair amount of planning and coastal scenes are no exception, especially throwing the tides into mix too, it can make it tricky to decide when and where to go. In this article I’ll give…

As the days slowly start to shorten, those who love to sleep have more chance of catching a sunrise. The early starts that are needed for mid-summer sunrises make way for us to only need to get up slightly earlier and grab some magic morning shots before work. One technique that can help get the most detail and colour in photographs is called ‘Expose to the Right’, or ETTR. It’s a simple principle where you expose to capture a lighter photo, rather than the medium exposure the camera metering suggests. You will still be avoiding clipped highlights, though. While sensor technology has improved, there’s less information in the shadows, so boosting them can introduce unwanted noise. It’s easy to darken shadows in editing, avoiding problems with potential noise. The image…

KAV DADFAR is the epitome of a successful, modern, Canon professional photographer. He embraces the business side of the profession as much as the creative and is never shy to diversify his skills in other areas. During the Covid-19 pandemic, several travel magazines sadly went under, but Kav – and fellow photographer Jordan Banks – saw it as the perfect opportunity to launch JRNY. The latest, fifth issue is a photography special, and as the website jrnymag.com explains, “There is no better way to tell a compelling travel story than through captivating text and immersive images.” Kav’s photography has been telling a story for editorial and commercial clients since his career began, and even in these image-saturated social media days, he still finds new ways to explore the world and capture…

“As a scientist, I enjoy a technical challenge and learning about the position of the galactic core” Jen Rogers Devon-based Jen has a passion for the outdoors and takes her camera kit with her on hiking adventures to take incredible astro photographs and seascapes I was given a used Praktica camera by my parents for my 22nd birthday, and I’d just moved to Scotland to study for my PhD, where I discovered hill walking. The camera became an extension of my love of the outdoors and remains so to this day. In 2007, I had the opportunity to travel through South America and realised I wouldn’t be able to carry enough film with me, so I switched to a digital Canon EOS 450D, and have since upgraded to better Canons…

The flash sync speed of an EOS camera determines the fastest shutter speed that it’s possible to use flash with for a standard exposure. It’s typically 1/200 sec, but it does vary. It can even change according to the Shutter mode you’ve set, if your camera offers this function. For example, the mirrorless EOS R6 Mark II can sync with EL/EX Speedlites at 1/200 sec or slower when it’s set to the mechanical shutter, but the sync speed jumps to 1/250 sec with the electronic first curtain shutter. If the subject you’re shooting requires a shutter speed that’s faster than the flash sync speed in order to expose it correctly, then the picture may end up looking too bright. This can often happen when you’re shooting outdoors on a sunny…

Access our amazing discount offers on our digital editions. Scan the QR code to get the app today! It’s easy to get PhotoPlus for your iPad and iPhone Wherever you are in the world, you can get new issues when they go on sale in the UK! 1. GET THE APP Scan the QR code (left) or go to the App store on your Apple device and search for ‘photoplus’ and then install the app. Now you can open the app on your iPad and/or iPhone. Any issues you buy will be stored in My Library. 2. USE THE APP In the app you can then buy any single issues, preview the current issue, scroll to find and buy any previous issues, as well as buy a selection of our…

Letter of the Month I wanted to say thank you for giving me inspiration and tips from your PhotoPlus magazines. I’m deaf and disabled and was somewhat a bit of a recluse and needed to find something to get me out and about more. So I bought a secondhand Canon EOS 1200D with a couple of lenses (I mainly used my phone camera beforehand) and I bought the July issue of PhotoPlus, and then the August issue. Both have been brilliant and I learned so much (but still so much to learn), plus I’m slowly working through the wonderful handbook. But it would be great to learn how to take photos at night. Would it be possible to feature this in future issues? Once again, a big thank you for…

KEVIN’S COMMENT “With the last light of the blue hour nearing we were able to squeeze in one more shot. This time it was of the Hydro Apartments Glasgow, reflected brilliantly in the Clyde. For this image we used a Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens and zoomed into 24mm to help reduce the barrel distortion you can get when shooting ultra wide, to keep the lines of the buildings nice and straight. The aperture was set to f/11 for a deep zone of sharp focus and ISO100 for good image quality. This resulted in a shutter speed of 25 secs which, on a tripod, has blurred the water and clouds brilliantly while keeping the bright city buildings pin-sharp and vibrant.” ADAM’S VERDICT “Kevin was an awesome Apprentice on…

Keep your camera still While a lightweight tripod may seem appealing, landscape shooters should consider that they’ll often be working in windy conditions on hilltops and along the coast. To really see the benefit of high megapixel cameras and expensive lenses, a really sturdy tripod is often a necessity, especially when using telephoto lenses. The rigidity of the tripod head is equally important. I use a Sachtler Flowtech 75 video tripod topped with a Really Right Stuff BH55-LR ballhead. Which aperture is best? Many landscape scenes require the use of a small lens aperture (e.g. f/22) to achieve front-to-back sharpness, usually resulting in the softening effects of diffraction. As long as there are no moving elements in the scene (especially windblown vegetation) try using a middle aperture of f/8 or…

Cape Town, South Africa. 18:41pm. 13 September 2016 Every time I venture to Namibia for my annual photography tour, I try to spend a few days at the end of the trip in South Africa. When I first went to Cape Town I really didn't know what to expect. The news headlines always describe this city as a crime hotbed and that South Africa is a failing nation, but I have nothing but good things to say about this remarkable country. Load shedding aside, Cape Town is a cosmopolitan city with some of the most breath-taking scenery. It was this majesty that I wanted to capture in the few short days I had before heading home back in 2016. The gigantic Table Mountain is the backdrop to this vast metropolis,…

Photographing people comes easily to some, but can feel daunting to others. Although there are many technical aspects to consider, you also need to build a rapport with your subject. In this photo project, I worked with model Melda (Instagram: @melem.en) and I’m going to show you how can simplify your shoots by using just one single prime lens. There are many opinions on which lens is the perfect lens for portraits. Usually 85mm is touted as the king (on full-frame). In fact, when I picked up my first camera, a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, it came with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. For a couple of years, this was the only lens I owned and still, to this day, is one of my favourite lenses to use…

Noise in photos causes them to become grainy and lack fine detail. It’s especially apparent in images taken at higher ISOs, and even more so in the shadow areas of these images. Heavy-handed image editing can also lead to increased noise if you want to recover lost shadow details. But, there are tools that can help. In this project, we’ll explore some of the best on offer in Photoshop CC. Noise reduction is always something of a balancing act, because it can come at the expense of fine detail. It would be easy to remove the noise from any image simply by blurring it, but who wants a blurry image? As such, we need tools that let us remove the noise but retain the sharpness. What’s more, we may only…

Brilliant English garden images Green-fingered photographer Clive Nichols heads to some of his favourite spots in England to take wonderful garden scenes It took me over five years to gather all of the images to put together my book: Brilliant English Gardens. I wanted to present gardens from all over England so I travelled far and wide in search of the best ones, from Devon in the west to Norfolk in the east, and from Sussex in the south to Northumberland in the north. I also wanted each of the 27 gardens to be shown in its full glory and that meant I could devote 12 or 14 pages to most of the garden locations featured. The gardens featured are not all well known – in fact, some have never been photographed…

The major benefit of a Speedlite over a built-in flash is that you can use the Speedlite remotely, allowing you to illuminate the subject in more interesting ways. When you take a flashgun off the camera, you’ll need a way of operating and triggering it remotely. While you can use an off-shoe cord to keep the Speedlite connected to the camera’s hotshoe, wireless is the most convenient way to go. You’ll need a wireless transmitter on the camera – some EOS cameras have one built in, but most will need a transmitter attached to the hotshoe. If you’re using Canon Speedlites, then you also have the option of using one of Canon’s Speedlite transmitters – relatively small and lightweight devices that slot onto the hotshoe or Multi-Function shoe of a…

MANY flashguns have the capability to zoom the flash head to match the focal length of the lens. This ensures that flash power isn’t wasted and coverage is matched to the field of view of the focal length. Some Speedlites do this automatically – which is handy if you’re using a zoom lens – but you can also manually adjust the zoom position. Changing the zoom is a creative way to control the look of your flash pictures. Zooming to a focal length that’s wider than the lens, for example, can help to spread the light for a slightly more flattering look (although this can lead to underexposed images if the flash isn’t powerful enough). Alternatively, zoom the flash in when using a wider lens for a spotlit effect similar…

Why are my photos rarely in focus when using a remote release, but always sharp when using back button focus? Peadar Ó Conghaile, Portadown BRIAN SAYS… When you configure a camera for back button AF, you stop the half-press of the shutter button from initiating focus. Most remote releases have two stages of release like the shutter, but internally the camera’s hardwire the connections of the remote socket to the switches in the shutter button. So when you combine remote release with a configuration for back button AF, the camera never initiates focus from the remote, any in-focus shots you get are pure chance or the good fortune of the depth of field with your aperture. If your camera has a custom shooting mode then you could configure this with…

DSLR CAMERAS PRICES QUOTED ARE BODY-ONLY UNLESS STATED BEGINNER DSLRs ENTHUSIAST DSLRs PROFESSIONAL DSLRs MIRRORLESS CAMERAS PRICES QUOTED ARE BODY-ONLY UNLESS STATED APS-C EOS M BEGINNER EOS R ENTHUSIAST EOS R PROFESSIONAL EOS R What to look for Canon EOS camera ranges Canon splits its EOS range into mirrorless cameras and DSLRs. Its older DSLR line-up includes beginner, enthusiast and pro ranges; the EOS 4000D is the most basic, the 850D for intermediates, the 90D and full-frame 6D Mk II for advanced enthusiasts, and the full-frame pro-level 5D and 1D lines. Over the page are the two EOS mirrorless ranges: Canon’s smaller, older APS-C EOS M cameras, and Canon’s EOS R System APS-C and full-frame cameras that offer the very latest digital technology. The APS-C crop-sensor EOS R50, R10 and…

01 STICK TO IT BY STEVEN ZHOU Steven has taken an incredible shot here capturing the perfect moment to create eye contact with the bull and excellent expression from the rider. His conversion to black and white has enabled him to boost the contrast and make for winning shot packed with drama and atmosphere. Lens Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Exposure 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO4000 02 WILL YOU? BY HENRIK SPRANZ Henrik has caught this unique moment between a pair of European ground squirrels. In this cute exchange, he shot the moment they were both interested in a flower and side-on to the camera for a great composition. He also got down low and shot with a wide aperture of f/5 to make it easier to blur the background so the…

Fire spin photos take light painting and turn it up to 11! If you’re looking for a photo project that is guaranteed to turn heads and leave your friends and family members wondering how you pulled it off, then a ‘fire spin’ photo is the project for you. While not for the faint-hearted, a fire spin image can be created by packing a metal whisk full of wire wool and igniting it, tethered to a dog lead you then spin it around quickly, and use a long exposure on your camera to capture the brilliant light trails as the sparks fly off in all directions, also lighting up the night scene with exciting and vibrant effects. Of course, working with fire is dangerous and won’t be for everyone. If you…

Affinity Photo offers all kinds of tools for blending images together, from layer blending modes to masking and more. In this project, we’ll take advantage of clipping, which allows us to position one layer inside the shape of another. This way, we can break our portrait down into several simple shades of grey then clip textures to each. To begin by using the Posterize effect, which allows us to simplify the image into just a few shades of grey. We’ve chosen to create four levels from white to black. From here, we can select the four areas of brightness using the Magic Wand tool and create separate layers for each. Now the fun begins, as we can simply copy in different textures and colourful abstract images, then drag them on…

My passion for portrait photography has been inspired by my love of ballet and the challenge of capturing the shape and movement of dancers as they practise their art. My first opportunity came about under the mentorship of the late Andrew Appleton and the dancer Alexa Hilton, who took the time to explain some of the complexities of dance, even getting me to attempt some of the movements! More recently, I’ve had the opportunity to photograph Kate Byrne and other dancers in the rehearsal studios of the English National Ballet. Another reason for my interest in portraiture is the challenge of engaging with the person with the aim of creating a rapport to get the best out of both the subject and myself. Shooting in the studio gave me the…

Speedlites give you the opportunity to try different flash modes, but ETTL and Manual are the main options. ETTL (Evaluative Through-The-Lens) is an automatic form of flash exposure, where the camera fires a brief pulse of flash before the main exposure. It uses this initial pulse to measure the light that’s reflected by the subject back through the lens to set the flash exposure. The ambient light is also analyzed too. To optimize the exposure, the camera’s AF points act as a guide to where the subject is and, if the lens transmits distance information, how far away it is too. Face detection can also be used to prioritize the flash output for people. ETTL doesn’t always get it right. If there are reflective objects in a scene, such as…

ONE OF the advantages of using a Canon Speedlite is that you can control it using the camera’s interface. It’s much easier to navigate the familiar menu structure and touchscreen of an EOS body than the small screen on the back of a Speedlite (if it indeed has one). You’ll find the flash settings menu under ‘External Speedlite control’ in the shooting menu. You may be able to customize one of the camera buttons as a shortcut to this menu, which can help to speed things up. The Speedlite EL-5 and Speedlite Transmitter ST-E10, both of which are designed for the EOS R system’s Multi-Function shoe, include a button that automatically brings up the flash functions menu on the camera display. For added convenience, the EOS R6 Mark II and…

Store images with image.canon Cloud storage service takes the hassle out of saving photos from holidays and travel trips Image.canon is a cloud service designed to simplify your workflow. Connecting your Wi-Fi compatible Canon camera to image.canon allows you to seamlessly upload your images and movies in their original format and quality, then access them from the dedicated app or a web browser and automatically forward them to your computer, mobile devices and third party services. Image.canon is also an online photo storage service designed for long term and short-term storage. You have up to 10GB of free storage that can be increased for a monthly fee, and a 30-day short term storage with unlimited capacity. Many recent Canon EOS cameras with built-in Wi-Fi can be used with the service. You’ll…

Ever since reading my first book on photography, there’s been one rule for sharper photos, and that’s to keep everything stationary. When hand-holding the camera, the traditional wisdom for shake-free shots was to use the reciprocal of the focal length. For a 500mm lens that means 1/500 sec, or for a camera with a crop sensor work with effective focal length – as 500mm becomes 800mm then use 1/800 sec. But with high-resolution digital sensors and larger viewing screens means that sharpness or lack of it is much more readily seen. A 24-inch monitor with 1920 pixels across is commonplace and if you zoom in to 100% on a 24MP image it’s like looking at a 1.5 metre print. It should be no surprise that you see more faults looking…