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Digital SLR issue 87

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SE A M T CGIFTH&REXIS ID GU CE PERIEN

capture

amazing images in minutes!

Simple steps to capture Winter nature

10 DSLR secrets

unleash your camera with these top secret tips

photo projects

Discover the magic of HDR

Easy ways to bag high-voltage pictures! Bumper inspiration section to improve your skills DSLR87-001 (COVER ROLL).indd 1

■ Your photo questions - answered ■ buying a cSC? read our huge guide 7/11/13 13:31:51

he Digital SLR staff love photography too and, when we’re not putting the magazine together, we’re out with our cameras. Here’s what the team got up to this month...

“Winter months mean freezing temperatures, but the flip side is that the golden hour arrives before teatime! I snapped this burning sky on the drive home from work, shooting in manual mode to cast the foreground and wind turbine as silhouettes against the magical sunset.” Matty, Editor

“Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean there’s no sun, and in fact the light can often be better than in the summer. I took advantage of this light with this shot, which was taken at around midday during early winter – if this had been the summer, the light and shadows would have been too harsh, but the sun was lower in the sky and has bathed the scene in a nice golden light.” Ian, Technical writer

“Autumn is the most beautiful season, but as photographers, it’s easy to focus on the wide scenes and miss out on the details. I captured this image of the sun backlighting some leaves during a morning walk with the dog. Two slices of nature combining for a very pleasing picture.” Roger, Editorial director

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Welcome

Some things in life you never forget: your first kiss, your first car and, of course, your first camera. And one technique I will always remember trying for the first time is HDR. A controversial technique, it can give amazing results if done right, or garish results if pushed too far. Fear not though, with our jargon-free guide, we’ll make sure you bag perfect results every time. And trust me, HDR is like a tin of Pringles – once you pick it up, you won’t be able to stop. Elsewhere this issue, we’re preparing for the cold months by dedicating our special feature to nature this winter. With our tips, you’ll be armed with the knowledge needed to head out into the cold with your camera to capture landscapes and fauna. We’ll even show you how to get some stunning wildlife shots without getting cold. We’ve got not one, but two bumper sections this month. Along with eight (count ’em!) Photo Projects to try, we’ve also put together an eightpage Christmas gift guide. Whether you’re looking for presents for family, friends or even yourself, we’ll tempt you with the latest and greatest photo gear that you’ll be writing to Santa about. Lastly, we’ve had a load of emails from readers following our Camera Wars series. This month sees the climax of our inter-staff grudge match as we find out which camera system has performed the best over our series of challenges. Enjoy the issue!

Matty Graham, Editor mattygraham@bright-publishing.com issue 87 DIGITAL SLR 3

7/11/13 16:07:41

Contents Digital SLR

Issue 87

Your new-look issue comes packed to the staples with great photo advice. This month you will find…

Capture wildlife and nature this winter Learn the secrets of your DSLR

Try our 8 Photo Projects Photo Technique

Equipment

6 Winter wildlife COVER

33 Christmas gift guide

Bag amazing wildlife and nature images this winter and discover ways to shoot without stepping out into the cold.

20 Master HDR COVER

You’ve probably seen the hyper-real, saturated results, but do you know how to shoot an HDR? Flick to page 20 to discover how to shoot your first HDR.

26 Top 10 DSLR secrets COVER

Find out all the secret features and functions of your camera to unleash its full potential.

74 10-minute masterclass

Stumped as to which exposure mode to use in different situations? Fear not, we’ll explain the basics in less time than it takes to brew a cuppa.

READERS’ SHOTS 16 Feedback

Our experts give honest and positive advice on readers’ images.

64 Reader Hero

It’s a family affair for this month’s Reader Hero, who likes nothing better than taking amazing portraits of her kids.

70 Photoblogs

Readers show off photos and tell us the stories behind them. This month they take us to the capital and hit the streets.

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Need inspiration for a present for a friend, or even yourself? Look no further; we’ve dedicated eight pages to the best gear and coolest gift ideas so you can enjoy a happy photo festive season.

60 Ask Ian

Technical writer Ian has a PhD. That means he needs to be fed lots of photo questions to keep him busy. Find out the problems he’s solved this month.

78 CSC super guide COVER

Pick the right CSC

Looking to invest in a compact system camera? Don’t open your wallet until you’ve read our huge guide, as we review and assess the most popular cameras on the market.

84 Camera wars

With two challenges down, here’s the final one as the team prepare their final verdicts on their three camera systems.

competitions & regulars 41 Photo Ideas

Want to fill your month with photo fun? We’ve got a massive eight Photo Projects for you to try. Each idea will improve your skills and bag you some great results.

98 Wordsearch

Find the 19 words and win software. It’s as easy as that.

Camera Wars gets serious

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7/11/13 16:28:33

wayne brittle

PHOTO TIPS

r e t n wi e r u t na

made easy Snow may be falling, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop shooting nature images. We show you how you can still capture fantastic wildlife shots 6 DIGITAL SLR issue 87

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8/11/13 09:27:18

winter nature

wayne brittle

Look for simple compositions

There’s nothing more dramatic than a single subject contrasted against a backdrop of snow or colourful sky. Many fields often have single, isolated trees, displaying their bare branches, which are full of character, and lines of bare hedgerows snaking across a white field offer unusual, interesting shapes and patterns. It can often pay to look up as well as the shapes of bare tree branches, dusted with snow against a blue sky, can make for fascinating, almost corallike patterns. The same rules apply when it comes to photographing animals and birds. Don’t overcomplicate your shots by trying to cram too much in one frame, keep it simple and tidy.

Matty says… Use a wide-angle lens if you have one to capture as much of the landscape as possible. Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

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PHOTO TIPS

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8/11/13 09:29:30

winter wildlife

winter

wildlife

Want to shoot wildlife without getting frostbite? Then head indoors to grab brilliant images without turning your fingers to icicles

f you want to avoid the nip in the air but carry on getting nature shots you can visit a wildlife centre where they have heated hides – the visitors’ centre at Cley in Norfolk is an excellent example and you can get a cup of tea or a bite to eat while you keep your eyes peeled for birds in the marshes. Another alternative to hypothermia is to visit a butterfly farm. You may think that butterfly images can only be captured during the summer, but butterfly farms are open all year, meaning you can frame up beautiful butterflies indoors while there’s frost on the ground outside. A group of Digital SLR readers recently attended an Olympus Experience day at Stratford Butterfly Farm (www.butterflyfarm. co.uk) for a fun-filled day of picture-taking. If you’d like to follow in our readers’ footsteps and bag brilliant butterfly images in the middle of winter, follow our top tips…

Lens choice

It might seem obvious but using the right lens for the job will help you to produce great images. Our Olympus users selected the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro for our butterfly shots. It helped us get up close to our subjects thanks to its small minimum focus distance, and helped to fill up more of the sensor’s megapixels, meaning more detailed shots. Macro lenses are more affordable than ever and some standard zoom lenses have a macro function, which allows you to turn the zoom into a macro lens.

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Feedback READERS’ SHOTS

Feedback

In association with

Expert advice and ideas to help you improve your pictures Donna Godlington Blackpool illuminations “This was my first attempt at light trails. I was experimenting with my camera in aperturepriority mode, adjusting the settings to lengthen the shutter speed. The Blackpool lights are the ideal place to try this technique.”

matty graham Wow! Donna has created an image high in impact and bursting with colour. The illuminated tram passing through the frame during the long exposure has created a fantastic light trail that leads the viewer’s eye into the centre of the image. While I think Donna has done a great job, I think she could have made more of the scene by employing a little solid camera technique. Firstly, Donna says that she used aperturepriority mode, and adjusted the aperture to change the shutter speed. A far easier method would have been to use shutter-priority mode (Tv or S) instead, as this would have allowed Donna to select the shutter speed more accurately. Alternatively, for total control of the exposure, she could have switched to manual mode (M), which would have allowed her to control both the shutter speed as well as the aperture. My other niggle with this image is the height at which it was taken. Donna has correctly used a tripod for the long exposure, but it looks like it was taken at head height. I’d always advise against this – get high or get low, it’ll make for a much better viewpoint. Lastly, it’s a shame Donna couldn’t have made more of the Ferris wheel in the background, or timed the tram so that it was covered up. At present, it’s rather distracting to the eye and doesn’t add to the image. All in all though – this is a nice image that certainly makes you look twice.

1) Get up or get down – shooting from head height doesn’t result in very interesting shots. 2) Long shutter speed. This has captured the tram’s whole journey down the street. 3) The Ferris wheel is distracting. Perhaps turning it into more of a focal point, or completely avoiding it with a different viewpoint, might have been better.

“for total control of the exposure, switch to manual” CAMERA INFORMATION Nikon D5200 Lens: 18-55mm Exposure: 15secs at f/8, ISO 100 16 DIGITAL SLR issue 87 82

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7/11/13 11:04:14

Feedback

READERS’ SHOTS

Meet the experts Our Feedback panel have over 60 years of picture-taking experience between them, which guarantees you’re getting top quality, image improving advice

Matty Graham Editor

Ian Fyfe Technical writer

Roger Payne Editorial director

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7/11/13 11:05:42

Master HDR

HDR MAGIC

mark cornick

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a photo technique that can bring your images to life, adding eye-popping saturation and making the most of shadows and highlights. But as self-confessed HDR fanatic Matty Graham explains, it’s a technique that should be used with consideration

20 DIGITAL SLR issue 87

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8/11/13 09:35:23

Master HDR o other photographic technique polarises opinion more than High Dynamic Range (HDR). It is the photo equivalent of Marmite – some people love the effect this technique gives, others feel it’s taking computer editing too far. But what exactly is HDR and how can you make your own HDR image? HDR is a post-production technique that has seen a huge spike in popularity over the years. HDR combines a number of underexposed, correctly, and overexposed images of the same scene (created by using different shutter speeds) to generate one final image that can be further edited to make the most of the highlights, shadows and saturation from the sequence of shots. Why do photographers use HDR? Well, we have to remind ourselves about the limitations of our cameras. Even a high-end DSLR camera can only capture a certain amount of information, which without extensive editing rarely appears how the human eye sees the

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TECHNIQUE

same scene. Take a beautiful sunset for example – while you may be able to capture a nice image, you’ll most likely struggle to replicate the intensity of the sky or the foreground detail. Combining the properties of multiple exposures in a software programme allows the photographer to produce an image with much more information and a wider (or higher) tonal range – hence the high dynamical range name. Essentially, HDR aims to bridge the gap between what your camera can capture and what your eye sees, and is a good technique to employ when working in tricky light conditions. Some people love the ‘in your face’ effect that HDR offers, but others think the technique is no more than ‘photo cheating’ and is pushing image editing one step too far. I believe there is a healthy middle ground and that impressive HDR images can be achieved that can enhance a scene. However, I also agree that HDR doesn’t suit all subjects and that the effect can be overused. HDR is more popular than ever, so let’s find out how you can create an HDR.

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Your DSLR has hidden powers. Roger Payne will help you unlock them, but read the feature very carefully, he will say this only once...

icrowave ovens. They’re loaded with features aren’t they? But I bet the one in your kitchen is used on full power, defrost and nothing else. It’s the same with digital SLRs. The chances are you’ll have bought your camera, charged the battery up and then stuck with two or three features that you know deliver good results. I’m no different; I use aperture-priority, single shot autofocus and evaluative metering for 95 per cent of the shots I take. In fact, I can safely say there are menus on my DSLR that I’ve never even looked at, let alone dabbled with the delights contained therein. The practice of sticking with what you know isn’t always a bad thing. It’s important 26 DIGITAL SLR issue 87

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that you gain confidence with your camera as this will lead to better pictures. But familiarity does breed a certain degree of complacency and in DSLR terms, that means you’re missing out on some seriously handy and useful functions. Actually, make that were missing out. This feature has been put together to help you unlock the gems of your DSLR’s specification. What follows is the breakdown of 10 features that you should find on your DSLR, but may never have had the pleasure of using before. All of them will, in some way or another, help you take better pictures, so be sure to learn not only what they do, but also when they should be used. Master the lot and it’ll be akin to cooking up a full Sunday roast in that microwave of yours. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DSLRMag

8/11/13 09:06:19

10 DSLR Secrets

TECHNIQUE

Self-timer and mirror up

Most photographers associate a self-timer with portrait pictures. But your DSLR’s self-timer is also a godsend when it comes to taking tripodmounted shots using a long shutter speed. You’ll typically find your camera’s selftimer as one of the Drive modes. Indicated by a stopwatch symbol (see below), all DSLRs will typically offer a 10-second delay between you pressing the shutter release and the camera firing. Some models also offer a shorter delay of two seconds, while others go as far as providing times up to 20 seconds! When you have your camera mounted on a tripod, it’s imperative that it’s used hands-free to eliminate any chance of camera shake. That means not touching it to take the picture. You could buy a remote release to do this, but they tend to be pricey, whereas the self-timer will do much the same job. Once you’ve got the image set up, activate the timer, step away from the tripod and a shake-free shot will be yours. While we’re talking about shake-free shots, real sticklers for quality should seek out their DSLR’s mirror-up function. Not all models will have this, so it’s worth checking the instruction manual first. It’s possible for the movement of the mirror inside your DSLR to cause slight shake when the picture is taken. If you lock the mirror up, however, the picture is taken without it flipping out of the way first so there’s no danger of shake. On the downside, selecting mirror up will black out the viewfinder, so you need to make sure that you’ve got your framing spot on before you activate the feature. Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

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with matty graham Stuck for inspiration this month? Not only do we have five great projects to keep you busy, but we’ve also dedicated three pages to brilliant and easy photo ideas that you can try right now. So get your finger on the shutter…

got an idea? I'd love to see your photo ideas. Email them to: mattygraham@ bright-publishing.com. The best will appear in the mag!

in This section

spirographs

chasing rainbows

bubbling away

flower power

silhouette

high-grain

selective colour

freeze frames

Swirl your way to great photos using a torch and your camera. Use a polariser to make plastic subjects shine. Light bubbles in a glass for an interesting textured shot. Use exposure compensation to give florals a whole new look. It's all about the shapes – practise capturing detailed outlines. Use that speckled noise for arty mono photos that pack a punch. Make your subject stand out by using a colour-pop technique.

Get the retro film look Want to get the retro film look without having to shell out on film and developing costs? Most imageediting programs include a filter or effect that will transform your image to something that looks like it’s from the past, with enhanced red or green tones. To fine-tune the effect, experiment with the colour balance and try to increase the reds or greens, depending on the look you are going for. Roger Payne Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

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As the weather gets chillier, shoot a frozen still life.

PA T PHGE UR OT FO N T O R M HE ID O EA R S E

PHOTO IDEA

7/11/13 11:22:40

Photo ideas

Did you know?

There are around 15,000 different types of wild fungi in the UK

Fun with fungi Take a walk around a forest this time of year and the chances are that you’ll find some interesting fungi, which makes for some great images. The best approach is to get as low as possible with your camera supported on a tripod as light levels are often poor under the forest canopy. If you have one, use a reflector to bounce some light back up onto the bottom of the fungi. Roger Payne

Stairway to heaven Circular stairways may be hard work on your knees, but the optical illusion they create makes for some brilliant photos. Try standing at the bottom of the staircase and shooting up as the stairs wind their way up to the centre of the frame. You’ll need a fairly wide lens to make the most of this sort of location – the 18mm end of a kit lens should do the job. Matty Graham

Stunning smoke trails This abstract art is easy to create and cheap too, as incense sticks cost a couple of quid. First, set up a black background and position an incense stick. Light the incense and wait until the smoke rises. After taking a few images of the smoke, download them to the computer and experiment by inverting the frame so that the black background turns to white and the smoke turns to black. You can also experiment with the hue settings to change the colour of the smoke. Ian Fyfe Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

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project one

Go loopy for spirographs Combine a long exposure with a torch to create a galaxy of swirly shots. Matty Graham lights the way

pirographs are a photo effect created by using a long exposure combined with the movement of a light source, typically a torch. By manoeuvring the torch in circular or linear motions over the lens, intricate, abstract trails can be created that leave viewers thinking: ‘How did they do that?’

as well as a camera you'll need LED TORCH COLOURED PLASTIC BAGS

15 MINUTES

TIME TAKEN

This technique is cheap and fun to carry out: a spirograph can be captured in literally minutes and your only prop – an LED torch – costs just a few quid. You can choose to use one torch, or take the technique a little further by introducing extra torches – mixing things up with different coloured light sources until you’re happy with your final result.

Final image

An arty, abstract image captured in minutes

44 DIGITAL SLR issue 87

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7/11/13 11:10:21

Photo ideas

The set-up We need a fairly uncluttered area as we’re going to lay the camera down, pointing up at the ceiling – this empty desk will do fine. This technique is best attempted at night, as the room will need to be pitch black.

Select the shutter speed The trick is to use a long shutter speed to record the spirographs, so select shutter-priority mode (S or Tv) and adjust the ISO to its lowest setting – usually 100. As a good starting point, use a shutter speed of six seconds.

Colour your torch light You’ll find that the light from your LED torch will probably be too bright for a good spirograph effect as it may light up the rest of the room too. Plus, white light is a little boring. The solution is to cover the LED lights in coloured cloth or even a coloured plastic bag. It may look a little DIY, but it works very well.

make more shapes Spirographs don’t have to just be circles. The trick is to keep experimenting to see what you can create. You can do this by changing the way you swing the LED torch. I created the image below by making little circular motions and gradually drawing out the shape of a cross. It may take a little time to get right, but your perserverance will be rewarded with a fantastic image and, as long as you have enough batteries, you have nothing to lose by trying exposure after exposure, so good luck.

Start to spin With the room lights off (we’ve kept them on to illustrate this step), set the selftimer going and then twirl the torch above the lens in a circular motion. Keep twirling until the shutter closes.

Time to experiment Experiment with the speed, height and angle of your rotations. As our examples show below, with some trial and error, you’ll capture some abstract creations in a short space of time.

Try two lights To take this technique up a notch, try adding a second, differently coloured torch. Again, experiment with the way you twirl the torches – try holding them at different heights.

Matty’s top three tips for shooting a perfect spirograph 1. If the light from your torch is still too white once it is covered, try double-wrapping a plastic bag around it to give the LEDs a more saturated colour. 2. If you want to get a really steady circle, you can try hanging the torch from a tripod and leaving it to spin freely. 3. Spirograph images make great screensavers for your computer and, if you get decent shots, you can print them out as a canvas.

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• • P • G HY MAN • EX RTS P E DI DVIC SPOR ERIN ENS TE P D L A L • ICE PO • A T O D HI E S M DIA ADV E • S G • MRIPO TING OT M ZOO S • WE • D IN T T P NC NG D IPO ALA ETER NS • A SE DE • S ACROETTI L MO G • R E B S N A TE POT M OM L AME L MONG • MERA ANU NNI S • Y• • S • ZO CE • C NUA NNI CAM H • M S • PA ODERAPH UAL • N U EM G S N MA PA RO AC BALA SH • US • ODES • FLA L FOC SUR OTO • MA L C H TE • FLA L FO RE M PHY NUA EXPO TS P DIA ICE • • A E A • R T U V A Y E PH ANU XPOS TOGR L • M VICE • SPO• MOD D AD ANC • SPO • • M E • E PHO E DIAD AD NGS ING IPO BAL ODE ING N R S D TR TE TI O M IC DV PORT • MO TRIP SET METEENS • WHI UAL • PAN • S RING NS • ERA OT M L GS • MAN CUS E E AM • SP OO IN H • O IC E T Fyfe ET OM L ETechnical S UAL F ADV • C DE Owriter • Z SETIan A O CR • FLMAN IPOD I’d like to take some nice • ZOLANC gives A ERA L M Mexpert Y advice A •to R H pictures of my children this A M U G• CA GRAP DIAL NS • T E B MAN Ihelp N • Christmas. Do you have any improve your shots S N E H • PAN ODE OTO ODE M L tips? Nicole, Facebook page • M PH • M ZOO US URE It seems a long S PO TS nicest photographs of children time ago now, but are natural and capture OR RING in January I started E • fleeting moments you’ll treasure. You T a 365 project, ME CRO won’t get pictures like this if you pose challenging myself MA them awkwardly in front of the curtains,

Ian Ask

Christmas children

the

to take at least one photo on every day of 2013. Now here we are with less than 40 days remaining, and I’m happily crossing off each day – not because I haven’t enjoyed it, but because it’s become a real struggle to find inspiring subjects. This has been made worse by the dark evenings, but now things are looking up – as we approach Christmas, a whole new world of photographic opportunities opens up, with festive sights that aren’t available for the rest of the year! Some of you have been asking for ideas of what to shoot this Christmas, so in this issue’s Hot Topic, I’ve put together some ideas to help you make the most of the holiday season. You might be thinking of reviewing your photographs from the year – I’ve also answered a question on how to whittle down your photo collection to the very best. Other topics include how to get great shots of your kids during the holidays, how to make sure you’re still capturing wildlife over winter, and how you can get started with light painting. All great questions for making the most of the festive period with your camera!

Share with us

i love to see pictures that you’ve taken, so if you try my tips for getting better pictures, show me the results by posting them on our Facebook page! 60 DIGITAL SLR issue 87

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but a great way to get natural shots is to photograph them while they’re playing. Christmas is a fantastic time for this – you can capture their faces as they open their presents from Santa, and on Christmas afternoon when they’re playing with their new toys or out in the (hopefully snowy) garden, they won’t even notice you with your camera. Use your kit lens at its longest focal lengths so you’re not too close to them – this way, they’re even less likely to notice you and start posing or become camera shy. It’s a great recipe for shots of them laughing and having fun that capture their personalities. Use a wide aperture as well,

setting the f/number to 5.6 or less if your lens allows – this blurs the background and makes their faces the focus of attention. We all know kids are never still, so you might have trouble keeping them in focus. Switch your camera to continuous AF mode. You can hold the shutter button halfway down and follow your subject in the viewfinder. The camera will continue to focus until you press the button fully, when it’ll capture the shot. You may want to use continuous shooting mode to take bursts of photos in quick succession, so you know you’ll get a few good ones.

Paint with light Please can you tell me where to start with light painting? Alan, email Light painting is great fun, and you’ll be pleased to hear, Alan, that it’s really simple. All you need is a tripod, an LED torch and a subject. With the lights on, set your camera up on the tripod and focus on your subject, then switch the lens to manual focus. Select shutter-priority mode (S or Tv) and dial in a shutter speed of about five to 30 seconds – you might want to experiment with different times to get the effect you want. Turn off the lights so it’s completely dark, get your torch ready and trigger the shutter – it’s best to do this with the self-timer, not only because this prevents the camera shaking, but also because it gives you time to get in position with your torch. Once the shutter’s open, literally ‘paint’ light onto your subject by moving the torch beam over the parts you want to be lit up in your image. You can also use light to create a subject. In a completely dark room, or outside at night, set up your camera in the same way and use the torch to make shapes in the air – draw anything you like, and try using different coloured lights to add an extra dimension. With a bit of practise, you can create some really striking images! Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DSLRMag

7/11/13 17:34:06

Ask Ian

I n association with

EQUIPMENT

hot topic

Festive fun There’s so much going on at Christmas that it’s easy to forget about taking pictures, but the whole thing only happens once a year and there are some unique photographic opportunities. Lots of you have been asking for some ideas of what to shoot this Christmas, so here are my favourite five.

festive bokeh At Christmas, lights are everywhere, and these give you the chance to explore the art of bokeh – the out-of-focus areas in your frame. Find some colourful lights, switch to manual focus and turn the focusing ring so that the lights are deliberately out of focus. This will create colourful circles that you can use to either create an abstract image or as a background to another festive subject.

The family Most of us get together with our families over the festive period, and everyone’s relaxed, so it’s a great time to get some natural shots of your relatives. You’ll probably see some family members you don’t see often too, so it’s a good chance to take some nice snaps of them! For even lighting, use a flashgun and bounce the light off the wall or ceiling.

Empty Streets In contrast to the days before Christmas where the hoards are out on the high street, on the big day itself the shops are closed and everyone stays indoors. This means the streets are utterly deserted, giving you the chance to capture shots of interesting buildings without any people getting in the way. It’s the only day of the year when you get such a good chance, so don’t miss it!

Food and drink Over the festive period you’ll no doubt be indulging in all sorts of gastronomic treats, so why not also use this as a chance to hone your food photography skills? If you have one, use a macro lens to get nice and close, and experiment with lighting – use window light, desk lamps, even your Christmas lights, to see what effects you can get. And the best part is, you get to eat what you shoot!

The Christmas Crowds Running up to Christmas, the streets are packed with people cramming in the last of their shopping. If you get yours finished early, you’ll be free to take advantage of this with some street photography. Everyone will be too busy to notice you. It’ll get dark long before the shops close, so be prepared to increase your ISO for shooting in low light.

Organise your pictures Please can you give me some advice on sorting my pictures after I’ve taken them, as I’m not very good at it? Lisa, email It’s easy to think that once you’ve got your pictures safely on your memory card, the job’s done, but the stage of reviewing your pictures and deciding which to keep is often overlooked. Get it right, and you’ll not only build up a well-edited portfolio of your best work, but you’ll get a better idea of what to look for through the viewfinder to capture a nicer picture. Choose a recent project and get the images on-screen. Even better, get them printed through a cheap online lab such as Snapfish – this will let you spread them out on a table or the floor. You’ll also have to wait a couple of days while they come, so when you see them again, you’ll have a fresh perspective. With the prints spread out, consider these questions. What project do I have here? What led to it? How could I improve Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

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the image? Thinking like this will help you with your edit. As you contemplate, also think about how the images connect to photographers whose work you like, or who inspired you. Also think about whether your project meets your original aims, and whether there’s a narrative that connects the images. Can you create a sequence? Is the

project finished? If not, what or who could help you to finish it? When you’ve finished, transfer the original files of your final set to one folder on your computer to keep them together, and make sure you back them up so you don’t lose your finished project. You might also want to get bigger prints made so you have a printed version of your project. issue 87 DIGITAL SLR 61

7/11/13 17:34:24

Mark George

Hit the streets Street photography is arguably one of the hardest disciplines to master. Keen tog Mark George picked up some tips during an Olympus Experience event in Brighton

treet photography is a strand of photography best reserved for photographers with a huge amount of patience. One snapper with plenty of this is graphic designer, Mark George. The 34-year-old has been shooting street photography for three years and has honed a unique style since first picking up a camera and heading out onto the pavement. Mark decided to attend a recent Olympus Experience day, held in Brighton, under the supervision of pro photographer, Kevin Meredith, which was the initial draw for Mark. “I’ve been following Kevin’s (AKA Lomokev) work for a while now, so I grabbed this opportunity to spend a day shooting with the great man. Kevin is known for his use of low-fi cameras, which is something I’m interested in myself and I like his style of photography. I already use Olympus cameras, so the chance to use some different lenses was appealing and to top it all off, the Experience day was held in Brighton, which is a fantastic location for street photography,” explains the keen shooter, who is a fan of the south coast town. “Everyone in Brighton is really relaxed and there’s a lot of alternative people there, which makes for great images. Sometimes you see these sorts of people in other towns, and even though they would make a good picture, they’re more on edge. In Brighton, it feels like people are less aware of someone taking a photo and that’s when you get those special candid moments.” Mark, who owns an OM-D and thinks Olympus cameras are perfectly suited to street photography, recalls the day: “We started by meeting in a nice hotel to hear Kevin give us a talk on street photography, offering us some good tips and talking about the right kit to use. There was representation from Olympus, who brought cameras and lenses for people

“everyone in brighton is really relaxed and there’s a lot of alternative people” 72 DIGITAL SLR issue 87

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INFO

 Olympus OM-D

 14-42mm/17mm lens  1/200sec at f/7.1, ISO 200

ABOVE “I call this shot Attack Cat! I used a technique where you use posters or signs in the background to interact with a human subject.” LEFT “One of the shots on the checklist was a street portrait. I asked this colourful old sailor and he was more than keen to have his photo taken.” TOP lEFT “This is just a random collection of things going on in one frame... a man throwing a seagull a chip while someone practises Tai Chi isn’t the sort of thing you see everyday.” TOP RIGHT “One of the hairiest photos I’ll ever take! The guy with the beard was sitting behind his market stall selling furs and he just blended in.” Middle RIGHT “There’s a street market in Brighton which is a great place for weird and wonderful subjects, like this man who was keen on buying the chair until he sat in it and realised how uncomfortable it was!” RIGHT “This is a shot of Eddie Izzard walking down a side street in his trademark high heels. He was too busy for a photo so I used the chance to grab a quick candid street shot instead.”

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7/11/13 15:46:06

In association with

Make Life Simple

™

biography

 N ame: Mark George  A ge: 34  Job: Graphic Designer  Camera kit: Olympus OM-D, 14-42mm Mk II and 17mm pancake lenses  Best bit of camera advice you’ve ever been given: “Think carefully about each frame and good images will come.” Website: street-traveller.tumblr.com



it about street photography that gets his heart racing? “I like street photography because you never quite know what you’re going to capture when you get up and pack the camera in the morning. I like to shoot and then I won’t review the images until I get home because I find it more exciting. I also like to shoot digital as if I’m shooting film I’d have to be very considerate with my frame count, rather than setting the camera to burst mode and firing eight frames per second,” explains Mark. “I want to keep going with street photography, hopefully all the practise will make me a more polished photographer.” Well Mark, by the look of these images, you’re already streets ahead! • Olympus Experience days run every month and offer the opportunity to improve your photography at some amazing locations. Visit www.olympusmag.co.uk. to try out throughout the day. We then were given a checklist of ten things to capture. The categories were quite loose, so it came down to how we interpreted the subject and after four or five hours shooting, we returned to the hotel to see each other’s take on the checklist. It was interesting to see each photographer’s images. “The size of the cameras means they’re very discreet – you wouldn’t want to be walking about with a huge DSLR or you’d never capture any candid moments. The Micro Four Thirds lens system means you can use optics from other brands and carrying a lighter camera makes for a more comfortable day on the streets,” suggests Mark. Mark took advantage of all the extra kit available by trying the Olympus 40-150mm lens. “It’s a really cool lens – you basically get an effective focal length of 300mm from a lens you can pick up for around £150.” Mark is a talented snapper, but just what is Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

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Ma Share your images, bag a Class 10 SD card

Every photographer who has a shot published in our Photoblogs section will receive a 16GB SD card worth £25.

issue 87 DIGITAL SLR 73

7/11/13 15:46:37

Roger Payne’s

10 Minute

Drew Buckley

masterclass

Fiddly photo problems fixed in the time it takes to make a cup of tea

Pick the right exposure mode here is so much amazing technology packed into your DSLR that you can take great pictures straight out of the box. Shooting on fully automatic avoids getting too technical with your camera’s settings. In fact, the way things are going, eventually all cameras will physically prevent you from ever getting involved in your picture-taking at all. Already Google are leading the way on this. One day photography will mean that you merely need to wear some special glasses, tell them what kind of pictures you like, and sit back as they take photos for you. So there you are. Problem solved. Photographs will

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survive. What will die, however, is the idea that taking photographs is fun. As you sit there, with the camera doing all the work for you, you will have no control. The machine sitting on your nose will be as exhilarating as a tumble dryer. So yes, while the world will be more efficient, photography will be as interesting as a wet towel in the wash. Luckily we’re not there yet, so let’s cheer ourselves up and look at what your camera does offer besides the fully automatic modes. Finding the correct exposure is a good way to start and your camera is blessed with a few modes to help you out here. You can either keep it simple, or get more involved and more

creative, it’s entirely up to you. However, some things are worth a bit of extra effort and this month’s 10 minute masterclass shows you how to use exposure modes to get great pictures.

Exposure simply means getting the right amount of light to your camera’s sensor to get a good picture. Too much and your picture will be too light, or overexposed; too little and your picture will be on the dark side, or underexposed.

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7/11/13 17:16:14

craig roberts

TECHNIQUE

roger says

as with anything, practise makes perfect, so try a few modes with a few subjects

Fully automatic modes For when you don’t have time to think about exposure, or haven’t explored exposure more deeply yet Auto, iAuto, Intelligent Auto (A, iA), or Green square mode: in auto mode the camera controls everything, including shutter speed, which is how long the shutter remains open to let in light; aperture, which refers to the size of the hole inside the lens that lets in light; recording quality, such as whether the camera’s images are saving in JPEG or Raw format; and ISO speed, which determines the sensor’s sensitivity to light. Auto is a highly convenient mode to use, and many DSLRs boast further ‘Scene’ modes, which automatically select the right settings to capture specific types of shots: portraits, landscapes, child photos, action, night shots , for example. But sooner or later you’ll want to get more control over things. And when that happens, you’ll want to switch to a semi-automatic mode.

The mode dial is probably the most important feature on your camera, so you should know it inside out. It sits on your camera’s top-plate and is where you’ll find the basic exposure modes such as auto, program (P), aperture-priority (A, Av), shutter-priority (S, Tv) and manual (M). Next to these are the creative modes: the Scene and Creative Effect modes. Creative modes are usually found on cameras aimed at starter photographers.

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BULB MODE

When you feel a bit more confident, move towards manual mode The thought of using manual exposure can be scary, but it offers the most creative way to shoot your photographs as you can literally hear the camera whining and clunking when you take a shot. It is the mode to use when you want total control over your pictures, and all photographers should be forced, by law, to shoot in manual in order to become better photographers. The camera indicates the correct exposure in the viewfinder, or on the rear LCD, using a needle on a scale. When the needle is centred on this scale, that’s the correct exposure setting. Practice makes perfect, as they say, so make sure you shoot lots of pictures until you get the hang of it. Most cameras limit the longest shutter speed to 30 seconds, so if you want a

craig roberts

the mode dial

Manual mode (M)

longer exposure, switch to Bulb mode (B), which allows you to keep the shutter open for as long as you like. This mode is perfect for techniques like shooting star trails.

In manual mode, you take control of ISO, shutter speed and aperture. These are different for different subjects so don’t expect to know how to shoot everything straight away. issue 87 DIGITAL SLR 75

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