How Do I?

How do I? Picture-taking problems solved In association with

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Your questions answered

2 HOW DO I? JANUARY 2012

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Welcome A few months ago, we conducted a survey and asked our readers a few questions about Digital SLR. We were keen to hear what you did and didn’t like about the content of the magazine. Our How Do I? section, which we introduced back in the April 2011 issue, was one of a number of features that was given a resounding thumbs up. So this month, we’ve decided to give you even more of what you like.

This special section is in addition to the four pages of questions and answers that we run in every issue of the magazine. We’ve chosen some common subject-based themes, selected some of the questions we get asked most regularly, then thrown in some equipment-related information for good measure. All in all, we think it’s quite a neat little extra.

If you like what you read here let me know and we’ll try and incorporate even more of your questions and answers into the magazine on a regular basis. If you really like what you read, why not take out a subscription? You’ll find the details of our latest offer below. And, of course, if you’ve got a question that you’d like answering in a future issue, be sure to send it in. Assistant editor Matty Graham is the man to contact and you can get him on: mattygraham@bright-publishing.com Enjoy the supplement!

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M DON I r e SS nd OUT ’T s1 7 Ja nu ! a

Roger Payne, Editor rogerpayne@bright-publishing.com

Contents 4 Landscapes Helpful advice to improve your landscape shots 6 Close-ups Techniques to help your shots stand up to close inspection 8 Low light Don’t be afraid of the dark – make the most of it with our advice 10 Animals & birds Tips to taking better shots of wildlife and household pets 12 Equipment All the answers to your camera equipment queries

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JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 3

Your questions answered

Landscapes

Struggling to shoot stunning scenics?

Our tips will set you on the road to success

HOW DO I...

HOW DO I...

...add visual interest?

...blur water?

Q

I love taking pictures while out walking but back at home my shots look flat and uninteresting.

What can I do?

A

Having an interesting object in the foreground will add depth to your photo by leading the eye towards the ‘back’ of the picture. Look for a stream, or rock formation that you can include in the bottom third of the image. Try to use features

like walls or tracks, or perhaps incorporate an open gate. And select a small aperture like f/16 or f/22. This maximises your depth‑of-field, which increases what’s in focus and ensures everything is pin sharp, from objects near to objects far.

HOW DO I...

...deal with rainy days?

Q

Can you recommend a plan of action for a rainy day?

A

A rainy day may prove to be one of the best outdoor expeditions you're likely to make. A storm‑tossed cloudy sky adds great drama, and if the sun happens to break through, you're guaranteed a photo 4 HOW DO I? JANUARY 2012

opportunity. If it’s a monotonous grey sky you’re faced with, cut out the sky altogether and focus in on objects such as pebbles, or shapes in trees or bushes; even a roadside verge can hold a wealth of potential. Swapping your standard lens for a telezoom such as a 70-200mm will allow you to really home in on details.

Q

I've seen pictures where a waterfall is blurred while the land is sharp. I've had a go by setting a slow shutter speed, but I just can’t go slow enough for the right effect.

What do I need to do?

A

A shutter speed of one second or slower is needed and on a bright day this may be difficult to achieve. Start by putting your camera on a tripod, selecting aperture-priority (A or Av) and then picking a small aperture of f/16 or f/22. Next, select the lowest ISO your camera offers. This may do the trick.

If not, you’ll need a neutral density filter. It works by reducing light entering the lens, so, for example, a x4 filter will reduce light by four stops and 1/30sec shutter speed will become 1/2sec. You can combine filters together to get an even stronger effect. Just make sure you focus before you position the filter and take an exposure reading afterwards!

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HOW DO I...

...get detail in the sky?

Q

Whenever I take landscape pictures I can’t get the right exposure on both the land and the sky? What can I do?

A

This problem is caused because there’s too much contrast between the land and the sky. To reduce this contrast you need a graduated neutral density filter.

These filters are half grey and half clear – the grey half goes over the sky. They come in various strengths: the stronger the grey, the darker the sky.

Before you slide the filter into place, expose for the land by pointing your camera towards the ground and let the camera decide the exposure. Lock the exposure by half-pressing the shutter button, and recompose to include the sky. Now hold or slide the filter into place and take the picture.

HOW DO I...

...get good snow shots?

Q

On a recent skiing trip I thought I’d got some great shots, but the results were grey and rather dreary.

What did I do wrong?

A

Your camera meter is being fooled by the whiteness of the snow. This is because a meter sees everything as a middle grey tone, which is great for middle-toned subjects like

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foliage, grass and roads; less so for black coal and white snow.

If your shot contains a lot of white snow, set your camera’s exposure compensation to +2.

Check the LCD screen to make sure your highlights are not burnt out (where detail is lost through overexposure). Some LCD displays show this loss of detail as flashing areas in the picture. If this happens, reduce the compensation by dialling in +1.5 or +1 instead.

JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 5

Your questions answered

Close-ups

Close-up (or macro) images are hugely popular, and they’re not as tricky as you might think to get right. Just follow our advice...

HOW DO I...

...improve my close-up shots?

Q

My close-up shots always look messy. What can I do to give them impact?

A

You should always try and find a clean, uniform background without distracting highlights that will emphasise your subject.

Green or dark backgrounds work best for natural subjects. For example, in woods use the dark of the woodland behind for dramatic effect, or use bits of bark as backdrops.

Composition wise, the rule of thirds is also helpful when composing.

Divide your frame into an imagined grid of three columns by three rows, giving nine equal rectangles. Place your subject or focus on the intersection of any of the grid lines and your picture will be more pleasing to the eye.

HOW DO I...

...work without a macro lens?

Q

I’d love to take some close-up shots, but macro lenses are way beyond my budget. Is there a cheaper gadget I can use that delivers good results?

A

Close-up filters are designed to bring small objects into closer view, and they’re fairly inexpensive. They come in different strengths, usually from life-size (+1) to four times larger than life (+4). They simply screw into the front of your lens and voila! – you’ve turned it into a macro lens. Close-up filters can also be combined, but be wary about using too many as they’ll soften your image considerably.

6 HOW DO I? JANUARY 2012

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...get it all sharp?

Q

How do I go about ensuring everything is sharp in my macro flower shots?

HOW DO I...

...focus accurately?

Q I'm having trouble getting my close-up subjects sharp. The autofocus just doesn’t seem to be working well enough. What can I do?

A

When you’re focusing up close, the slightest movement of either your body or subject will mean you lose sharp focus even after the autofocus has locked on.

Instead, set the lens to manual focus and rock the camera forwards and backwards until you achieve sharp focus. Shoot

with the smallest aperture you can (such as f/16) and use the camera’s self-timer to eliminate any shaking that comes from pressing the shutter button.

Shooting with a smaller aperture means using a longer shutter speed, so a sturdy camera support such as a tripod or beanbag is vital.

A

A lens can only focus on one area in your image at a time, and this area of what's in focus is called depth of field. Depth of field is actually the distance between the closest and farthest parts of an image that are reasonably sharp. The closer you are to your subject, the less depth of field you have, which is the bane of macro photography, but depth of field also depends on aperture size, so using a small aperture like f/16 or f/22 will increase what's in focus. A tripod is essential as using a small aperture will require a longer shutter speed.

HOW DO I...

...light a subject?

Q

Do you have any ideas as to how I can light my macro subjects?

A

We’d advise you to steer clear of using flash – you’ll get harsh shadows that will spoil the shots. Instead, use a silver/white reflector to bounce light back into the shadows of your subject.

You can buy reflectors, or make your own. Use white card for a softer reflection, or cover card with kitchen foil to increase the amount of light reflected.

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Use the camera’s self-timer to eliminate any shaking that comes from pressing the shutter button JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 7

Your questions answered

Low light Illuminating tips and tricks that will help you improve your images in low-light conditions

...calculate exposure?

Q

A

Long exposures at night are largely guesswork, so make good use of your camera’s rear screen to check results and take plenty of shots.

...keep it steady?

Q

During long exposures what is the best thing to do to keep my shots steady?

A

HOW DO I...

How do I know what exposure to use when I’m out and about shooting at night ?

HOW DO I...

Long exposures need good support so you’ll need a tripod. If you don’t have one to hand, use a wall, table, or another flat surface like the roof of your car. For these alternative options, use your camera bag or a rolled-up jumper to make it easier to manoeuvre your DSLR into the right position. A remote release cable will help you fire the shutter without touching the camera, but your self-timer will do the same job – some DSLRs have a self‑timer of two seconds, which means less waiting.

To help, zoom in on the darker parts of the picture rather than including highlights like streetlights that may fool the meter into underexposing.

Lock the exposure by half-pressing the shutter button and recompose.

Alternatively, remember the meter settings and set them in using the manual (M) mode.

HOW DO I...

...shoot the moon?

Q I’d like to take some moon rather than the sky, shots of a full moon. otherwise the moon will be too bright. Selecting the spot Any tips?

A

A telezoom, such as a 70-210mm or 70-300mm, is essential. Focus on the moon using autofocus and then switch to manual focus to avoid the lens ‘hunting’ when you want to take the picture. If your lens has a manual focus ring, turn it to ∞ (infinity focus).

You need to expose for the

8 HOW DO I? JANUARY 2012

metering mode in your camera, which meters from the very centre of the picture (typically denoted by a small circle in the viewfinder), will help here. Place this circle area over the moon and half‑press the shutter button.

Note the exposure, switch to the manual (M) mode and dial in these settings. Finally, make sure you use a tripod to avoid camera shake.

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...shoot traffic as long streaks?

Q

I’m trying to make car headlights streak across the picture but I’m not having much success. Could you explain to me how I can do this?

Traffic trails need a long shutter speed of at least four seconds, so select shutter-priority (S or Tv) and then set this speed as your starting point. The camera will then set an appropriate aperture for a correct exposure. You’ll need your camera mounted on a tripod and should start shooting when there’s still some light left in the sky. Use features such as a tree or a traffic

A

light to add interest. Alternatively, find a higher vantage point over a busy road. Curved roads make for more interesting shots, as do roundabouts and junctions, especially if the traffic is heading into the foreground of the picture.

Wait for a good flow of traffic and then start the exposure. Make sure you try alternative shutter speeds to get a good variety of images.

HOW DO I...

...get colours right?

Q I’m trying to get to grips with night‑time photography, but the colours never seem to look quite right. What can I do?

A

This is a question of white‑balance. If you shoot in artificial lighting, or a mixture of light sources, your camera’s automatic white-balance might need a helping hand.

You have two options. The best is to shoot in the Raw file format.

This means you can play with the white-balance settings on your

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computer when you get home to get the colours right.

If you don’t fancy shooting in Raw, stick to JPEG and then use your DSLR’s different whitebalance presets to see which one delivers the best results. It does mean you’ll need to take more shots, but you should get at least one result you’ll be pleased with.

JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 9

Your questions answered

Animals

If you’re keen to take better shots of animals, whether they’re household pets or wildlife, these answers should help you on your way

HOW DO I...

...get a purr-fect portrait?

Q

I’d like to take a good portrait of my cat. What’s the best way for me to do this?

A

A good pet portrait is a matter of good lighting and a comfortable pet. Your cat sleeping on the sofa is perfect; just make sure the sofa’s near a large window for maximum light. Your standard 18-55mm zoom lens will suffice, but it’s also worth putting your camera on a tripod to avoid camera shake.

A black cat stands out better against a light background, so make use of a throw if the sofa or basket is the wrong colour and always focus on eyes.

Excluding faces and homing in on details like paws and furs can also be very effective.

HOW DO I...

...improve my hit rate?

Q

I’ve been trying to take shots of a squirrel in my garden, but my hit rate of good shots is low. What can I do?

10 HOW DO I? JANUARY 2012

A

Ask any professional nature photographer and they’ll say how important it is to research your subject. This doesn’t just mean burying your head in a book, research can also be done by observation.

Animals have habits; the squirrel will probably take a certain route through your garden, most likely at a certain time. Find out what this route is and when.

You should also try to find out what the squirrels like to eat and place some of this in a location where you can get some good shots.

‘Baiting’ subjects in this way will improve your hit rate if you’ve got your camera trained on the right place. All of this takes a lot of time so you’ll have to be patient, and be consistent with any feeding regime you set up.

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...take wild shots at the zoo?

Q A

HOW DO I...

...stop my dog in his tracks?

Q

I’ve seen some great shots of animals taken on safari, but I can’t afford a trip like that. Can I get some similar shots at my local zoo?

Clearly, you won’t be able to get the Serengeti feel at a zoo, but you can create shots that look as though they’ve been shot in the wild.

A telezoom lens, such as a 70-210mm or 70-300mm, will get you close to the animals. Use the widest aperture it offers – usually f/4 or f/5.6 – and make sure the background is free from distractions. Get as close to the mesh as possible and it won’t

dominate your shot. For best results through glass, use a rubber lens hood and place your lens flat against the glass.

Feeding times make for great shots, so be sure to find out when they are. You’ll need a fast shutter speed of at least 1/250sec to freeze any action. For close-up animal portraits, do the same as you would for a person and focus on the eyes.

My dog loves running on the beach, but he moves so fast I find it hard to get sharp shots.

What can I do?

A

Set the camera’s autofocus to continuous, or AF-C mode. An ISO speed of at least 400 will ensure a fast shutter speed to keep everything sharp. You should aim to use a shutter speed of 1/1000sec. Alternatively, you could try keeping your dog sharp and blur the background by using a slower shutter speed of 1/60sec. ‘Pan’ the camera, by tracking your dog and keeping him in the centre of the frame. Press the shutter while continuing to move the camera in the direction he’s running.

Panning like this takes practice and works best if your dog’s running across your field of view.

HOW DO I...

...get closer to birds?

Q

When I get close to shooting the birds in my garden, they all fly away. What should I do?

A

Start by hanging bird feeders up and keep them topped up so the birds can rely on it as a food source. Place the feeders in good light, with backgrounds as far away as possible, and give the birds a perch to land on and you to focus your lens on. You can hide your presence by using a sheet with holes, or scrim netting attached to a tree, or a doorway, or even your car window. A greenhouse or shed can also be used to great advantage.

Once in position, use the longest focal length lens you have, keep the aperture wide (f/4 or f/5.6) and use manual focus to avoid the lens struggling to focus when the birds land.

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JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 11

Your questions answered

Equipment

From choosing the right camera to picking the filters to go on it, we’ve got the answers you need

HOW DO I...

...clean my camera’s sensor?

Q

I’ve got some dust on my DSLR’s sensor which I can’t shift by blowing on it. How can I get rid of it?

A

Avoid dust in the first place by turning your camera off when you change lenses

If you’re in any doubt about cleaning your sensor, get it cleaned professionally. If you fancy having a go yourself, make sure the battery is fully charged and select your camera’s sensor clean mode (which will be found in one of the menus). Press the shutter to flip the mirror up. You’ll be able to see any dust with a bright torch.

Remove larger dirt with a blower brush or a specially designed sensor-cleaning brush. Then use a suitable dedicated swab and cleaning fluid, following the instructions of the product. Once done, switch off the camera to close the shutter. Naturally there are ways of avoiding dust in the first place: always turn your camera off when you change lenses so no electrical current is passing through the sensor and keep lens changes to a minimum!

HOW DO I...

...choose the right camera?

Q I’m in the market for a new camera and can’t decided between a CSC or a DSLR. Which would you advise?

A

For the starter or improver, CSCs, or compact system cameras are great. CSCs lack the optical viewfinder and internal mirror of a DSLR. That means they’re smaller and lighter than DSLRs, but their sensors still offer excellent picture quality. They seem perfect, but handling and operation are equally important, which is where DSLRs still have the edge.

If you like shooting fast-moving subjects, the optical viewfinder system of DSLRs is superior, plus they offer a greater range of affordable lenses.

If you like shooting fast-moving subjects, the optical viewfinder system of DSLRs is superior 12 HOW DO I? JANUARY 2012

ABOVE CSCs like the Nikon J1 are great for the beginner or improver but lack the optical viewfinder and internal mirror of a DSLR, such as the Nikon D5100 (left).

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MAIN IMAGE A circular polariser is the right type for a DSLR but it is more expensive than the linear version

...get more power?

Q

I often run out of battery power at the crucial moment. What are my options to avoid this happening?

A

It’s good practice to make sure your battery is fully charged before you leave the house. If that’s still not giving you enough juice for a day’s shoot, you should buy another battery. If you don’t want to buy a manufacturers own model, there are third-party alternatives, such as those from Hahnel. You could also investigate a battery grip. These attach onto the bottom of your camera, and some can even take AA batteries, which is great when shooting abroad. Not all DSLRs take a battery grip, so double-check compatibility before you buy.

HOW DO I...

...know which polariser to use?

Q

I want to buy a polarising filter, but I understand there are two types – which one do I need for my DSLR?

A

Polarisers come in two types: circular and the linear. This has nothing to do with the filter’s physical shape, but refers to the way the filter polarises the light.

A circular‑type polariser won’t affect the camera’s autofocus and metering systems and so is the one to use for DSLRs. Sadly, it’s also the more expensive of the two.

HOW DO I...

...pick the filters for me?

Q A

I’ve heard it’s a good idea to use certain filters on your lens when taking pictures. Which ones are best and why?

There are two type of filter– round and square (or system) filters. Round filters screw into the filter thread on the front of your lens. They’re fine, but you do have to buy a different filter for each different filter thread you have.

In these circumstances, it’s better to go for square filters such as those from Formatt. These fit into a holder, which slips onto an adapter ring that screws into the lens. This

means that you can have one filter, one holder and different adapter rings. Square filters are best if you want to use graduated filters, as sliding the filter up and down within the holder controls the effect.

We suggest you buy a neutral density for long exposures during the day, graduated filters to get detail in the sky when you shoot landscapes, and a polariser to cut reflections and boost colours.

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JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 13

Digital SLR promotion

Everything you need to know about Formatt Hitech Find out more about the company behind the filters – and why you should use them

These products are giving photographers new ways to create groundbreaking images Formatt Hitech is the fastest growing photographic filter company in the world. Specialising in producing photographic lens effect filters and filters for televisions and film cameras, the company achieved a turnover of £1 million last year, and is on track to double this figure this year.

The company, which has won a Queen’s Award for Industry for its photographic filter manufacturing process, has also re-modelled its Aberdare factory and invested £150,000 in state of the art new equipment to strengthen the efficiency of its manufacturing department.

Principal shareholder, David Stamp commented: “We have taken advantage of an upsurge in demand for our products, expanded our team and doubled our turnover. We have taken on 11 new staff this year, with two more starting in January, all of whom came from the local community, 14 HOW DO Do I? JANUARY January 2012

which is extremely important to us. I am proud that we are an export-led UK manufacturer which is expanding its sales and brands on a worldwide basis even in the midst of very difficult economic times” The growth of the company has been partly fuelled by its ability to innovate and produce new products. During the current year it has introduced a complete range of exciting products, including a new modular filter holder, reverse neutral density graduated filters for shooting sunsets, Prostop high density neutral density filters for long exposures, Multistop fader filter and most recently, the Warm2Cool dual purpose blue and yellow filter. These new products are giving photographers new ways to use filtration and create different and groundbreaking images.

The company’s next project – a completely new and revolutionary holder/matte box and specialist filter

ABOVE The Formatt modular filter holder gives users scope to use a wide range of filters either individually or combined. What’s more, it’ll fit onto any DSLR and lens combination!

range for DSLR video – is slated for introduction during the first quarter of 2012. “The video and photographic markets are crossing over now in so many ways,” says Stamp. “As the only company with a foothold in both markets – with our Formatt broadcast glass filter range and our Hitech photographic range – we are uniquely positioned to take the best elements of both technologies to produce a product which is unique in the industry. We think that the result will both surprise and excite the market when it is launched.

Watch this space!”

For more details on the Formatt Hitech range, visit www.formatt.co.uk or call 01685 870979.

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JANUARY 2012 HOW DO I? 15