Photography News 9

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Photography news

Issue 9

17 June – 21 July 2014

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography

Tamron pushes zoom boundary

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Hands-on with the Pentax 645Z, plus the latest from Sony, Nikon & Manfrotto All the top photographic stories you need to know

World’s first 18.8x zoom for APS-C format unveiled. Could this revolutionary 16-300mm lens replace all the optics currently weighing down your kitbag?

Tamron has shattered its own supersoom record with the introduction of the 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD. Available in Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts for £529, the range dwarfs the previous record breaker; the 18-270mm.

The new lens is for APS-C format cameras and gives the 35mm format equivalent of 24-450mm (depends on crop factor) so in one compact package, almost every subject can be handled. It’s the perfect one lens solution, ideal for travelling light – it weighs in at just 540g.

It features Tamron’s Piezo Drive technology so it’s almost silent in use and there’s full-time manual focus override with 39cm minimum focus throughout the range. To help with shooting sharp pictures at low shutter speeds there is Vibration Compensation.

Photography News’s editor Will Cheung got to spend some time with the zoom recently and first impressions are favourable. He comments that the autofocus is speedy, “even in low light it latched onto scenes with little or no hesitation”. Find out what else he had to say on page 6 of this issue. π To find out more, go to www.tamron.co.uk.

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Take a View founder says: “We live in such a fantastic country” Charlie Waite shares his view of the landscape

It’s not just about 4K video – so what else does the GH4 offer?

Plus mini tests on Nisi, Manfrotto & Gossen kit

Issue 9 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 9

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Latest photography news

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New from Manfrotto

NEWS IN BRIEF

Lightweight, practical and protective bags

LENSPEN IMPROVED Lenspen is now using an improved invisible carbon for its cleaning products. It’s a dry cleaning method for lenses, filters, binos, eyepieces and tablets.

There’s also a camera sensor cleaning kit too and for £60 you get a magnifying loupe, powerful blower brush and a Lenspen cleaner.

The cleverly designed loupe has built-in LEDs to allow you to see what’s going on as you clean the sensor. www.lenspens.co.uk

Manfrotto’s new Pro Light collection of camera bags offers lightweight kitcarrying solutions, without compromising on gear protection and practical usability. In the photo bag range there are eight backpacks and holsters, while in the video collection there are two backpacks, three cases and three rollers.

The range features Manfrotto’s Camera Protection System (CPS), which employs 3D shock-absorbing foam, and the bags also feature the brand’s own Advanced Harness system, making sure all the Pro Light bags are comfortable to carry.

You can check out the latest Pro Light range and many other products on the Manfrotto Takeover tour – turn the page for details. . π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

Making sure all the Pro Light bags are comfortable to carry

CAMRANGER HEAD The CamRanger PT Hub & Head kit lets you wirelessly control your camera using a CamRanger and your iPhone or iPad. It costs £250 on its own or £500 for the head and CamRanger unit.

It’s a brilliant solution for remote shooting, allowing you to precisely frame your shot without disturbing the subject. www.intro2020.com

INSET Andy Cubin

Flash workshops at camera clubs Photography Workshops regularly visit camera clubs throughout the UK demonstrating the great possibilities speedlights offer for creative lighting.

Taking the audience from pop-up and on-camera flash, then developing the concepts of manual and off-camera light, Terry Hewlett and Andy Cubin present an interactive programme of progressive illumination techniques, where the camera club members learn by practical shooting.

Real-time linking through the large screen TV allows members to chart their progress as Terry and Andy guide them through a variety of light and camera crafts in a light-hearted www.photography-news.co.uk

but concentrated learning experience.

Programme secretaries should email info@ pworkshops.co.uk for more details. . π To find out more, go to www. photographyworkshops.co.uk.

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Latest photography news NEWS IN BRIEF PRICE CORRECTION In last month’s Photography News, we quoted the street prices of the new Manfrotto 055CXPRO 4 and 055CXPRO 3 carbon fibre tripods at £259 and £239 respectively.

The street prices of these products are currently £374 and £359 respectively.

Our apologies to Manfrotto and any readers who were inconvenienced.

HAVE A HEART The British Heart Foundation (BHF) would love to have any old camera kit that you no longer need.

Photographic gear is being sold to raise funds for the BHF’s fight against heart disease.

So clear out the cupboards, then pop into your local store with your donations or call to arrange free collection.

For your nearest store go to bhf.org.uk/shops

Premium Sony compact Could the RX100 III boost the compact camera market?

Words by Will Cheung Busy Sony has announced the RX100 III, a premium compact camera. Sales of compact cameras are falling fast especially at the lower end of the market where camera phones are taking over. But sales continue to grow in the premium compact market – which is where the RX100 III, priced at £699, is squarely aimed.

After a great deal of research Sony identified three key needs, according to Koichi Matsunaga, product marketing manager of Sony Europe: “First, people wanted a good lens with a wide setting and a bright aperture so the RX100 III has an equivalent of an 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 Zeiss zoom. Second, an EVF was needed so we have built one in using a unique design, and finally, an adjustable monitor so this camera has one that can be turned 180° for selfie shooters. We packed all this into a truly pocketable camera that is only millimetres bigger than the Mark II which has much less in the way of features.”

The RX100 III features a one-inch sensor with a top ISO of 12,800. Compacts with small sensors like this can suffer from noise so at the recent launch day, I did some tests at ISO 6400 and

12,800. We weren’t allowed to use our own cards in the cameras, but previewing those shots on the monitor, they showed remarkably little digital noise and impressive sharpness. π To find out more, go to www.sony.co.uk.

We packed all this into a truly pocketable camera that is only millimetres bigger than the II

Diary dates Throughout June and July, Manfrotto Takeover events will be touring many wellknown photographic dealers. There will be free talks from leading professional photographers, special discounts and the chance to handle the latest Manfrotto products including the Pro Light bags, as well as the 190 and 055 series tripods. Experts will be available all day to answer any questions you may have. There will also be live macro demonstrations by Wild Arena.

To book a free place at any of the talks or for a one-to-one Ambassador Appointment, call the Manfrotto customer services team on 01530 411515 or email info@ manfrottodistribution.co.uk. π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto. co.uk/manfrottotakeover.

Elgato Thunderbolt Dock This accessory is perfect for MacBook photographers on the move. With two integral Thunderbolt ports, one HDMI, one Ethernet and three USB 3.0 ports plus microphone input and audio output in one unit, it means you can plug in all your devices without lots of extra accessories.

This Dock is available exclusively from Apple’s online or retail stores and costs £180. π To find out more, go to www.elgato.com.

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Latest photography news

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NEW ACCESSORIES FROM JUST Nikon’s long ’un Just Ltd has announced a new rain cover from Matin. A black version is already available at £40, but the latest one is a camouflage variant, priced at £50. The cover has two sleeves for easy access and a transparent window to allow viewing of the monitor. The cover can accommodate lenses up to 48cm in length so it will suit wildlife photographers, but the extension can be tucked away when using shorter lenses.

There is also a new ‘pap’ strap called the FastAccess 5. This lets you carry the camera on an across-the-body strap and bring it up to your eye really quickly. It’s suitable for CSCs and normal DSLRs but not professional, deep-bodied DSLRs. π To find out more about both products, go to www.cameraclean.co.uk.

Nature and sports photographers will be interested in Nikon’s latest long telephoto. It’s a 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens. Its predecessor was something special so the updated version is going to have to go some to beat it. That said, the new lens’s specification is impressive, as is its price: £10,399. π To find out more, go to www.nikon.co.uk.

NEWS IN BRIEF UPDATES Firmware upgrades are available for the Nikon D800/D800E, Olympus OM-D E-P5, E-M1, E-M10 and Stylus 1. www.nikon.co.uk www.olympus.co.uk COREL SOFTWARE Corel AfterShot Pro 2 is claimed to be 4x faster than any Raw converter on the market thanks to its 64-bit processing. It offers other features too including an improved workflow interface, updated Raw profiles and, on Windows, HDR functionality. It costs $79.95, with upgrades from $59.99. www.corel.com MOTOR SPORT TRAINING If you enjoy action photography and want to hone your skills, get along to a Jessops Academy motor sports course. It costs £199 for a day and there are various venues across the country. www.jessops.com/ academy

Sensor cleaning Dirty sensors are part and parcel of digital capture, but if you are too wary of cleaning it yourself, take your camera to one of Jessops’s 28 stores for a professional clean. Prices start from £30 for a two-day turnaround.

If you want to buy your own cleaning kit, Jessops can help there too. Its product range includes Lenspen lens, sensor and tablet cleaning accessories. π To find out more, go to www.jessops.com/sensorclean.

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Nat Geo bags If you prefer your camera bag to have a less obvious camera bag look, check out the new options in the Africa collection brought to us by Manfrotto and National Geographic. There are six new bags in the range, from stylish day trip slings to small and medium backpacks. All the bags are made from washed canvas and leather. They are designed to offer a high degree of protection while still enabling quick access to the contents.

Prices start from £79.95. π To find out more, go to www.geographicbags.co.uk.

DX0 OPTICS PRO Dx0’s Optics Pro 9.5 allows Lightroom users to enjoy the benefits of Dx0’s PRIME denoising technology. It’s the first software that allows full integration with Raws through Lightroom on Mac and Windows. www.dxo.com SAMSUNG GALAXY K ZOOM This 20.7 megapixel camera phone is now available in the UK. NEXT ISSUE Issue 10 of Photography News will be available from Monday 21 July.

Issue 9 | Photography News

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Previews

Pentax 645Z At a recent press event, PN’s editor Will Cheung got to put the 645Z through its paces – albeit briefly.

What are his first impressions?

SPECS STREET PRICE £6800 body only £7700 with the 55mm lens CONTACT www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk SENSOR 51.4-megapixel CMOS FILE FORMATS Raw (PEF/DNG), TIFF, JPEG SHUTTER SPEED RANGE 1/4000sec-30secs, bulb ISO RANGE 100-204,800 AUTOFOCUSING 27 AF points, 25 cross-type SHOOTING SPEED 3fps MOVIE Full HD MONITOR 3.2in, tiltable TFT colour, approx 1037k dots DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 156x117x123mm WEIGHT 1.55kg inc. battery & card

Words by Will Cheung Not every photographer wants to shoot mediumformat and it’s true not every photographer can afford or needs the image quality of medium-format – but a great many photographers want the best image quality they can get and are not afraid of digging deep to pay for it. And at £6800 body only and with 51 megapixels, the Pentax 645Z could tempt them.

With all that in mind, I got to spend an hour with a pre-production sample. And I’m happy to admit that I was impressed – and now I’m looking forward to trying a finished test sample when they arrive in the UK later this summer.

The 645Z features a 14-bit 43.8x32.8mm Sonymade CMOS sensor and its ISO range is more in keeping with the 35mm full-frame rivals than with medium-format contenders.

The ergonomic handgrip is excellent and deep so holding the camera single-handedly is no problem at all. Your right hand is kept very busy as many of the key controls are under it. Control layout and design is first-rate. Everything felt positive and assured, so no issues here.

The Pentax menu system is similar to most brands, so anyone familiar with tabs running across the top and specific items running down won’t be fazed. With plenty of tabs, it might take a while to get familiar with them, but it all seemed pretty straightforward.

The 645Z has so many commonly used functions controlled by buttons (some are customisable too) and switches on the body itself that there’s not much need to go into the menu structure too often anyway.

The monitor itself is lovely, big and clear. It’s tiltable, but not touch sensitive.

You can record JPEGs at differing quality levels and Raw, in either PEF format or Adobe DNG. And you can record them together or individually.

With a PNY Pro-Elite Plus SD card, continuous shooting mode and Adobe DNG Raw and the biggest JPEG file selected, I got five shots at 3fps before the camera buffered and then it took around 20 seconds to clear. While the 645Z is not designed for high speed shooting, this performance is perfectly good.

While my hour with the camera and a few Gigs of files don’t rate as a thorough going over, first impressions are certainly favourable and I’m anticipating a longer, more in-depth partnership next time around.

ISO performance ISO 25,600

An impromptu ISO performance test reveals that digital noise is minimal until 3200. Colour noise is very noticeable from 25,600 onwards, but you’re unlikely to want to use those settings anyway.

Please note these images were taken using a camera with beta version firmware, not the final version.

Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 PZD VC

Getting hands-on with the new all-in-one contender from Tamron Words by Will Cheung Tamron’s superzoom for the APS-C format impresses from the moment you pick it up.

It’s remarkably light given the massive zoom range it encompasses and the 16 lens elements it contains. In the 35mm format this lens covers an equivalent of 24 to 450mm, which is remarkable for an interchangeable lens. I tried it on a Nikon D7100 and the combination was well balanced.

The lens features Tamron’s PZD technology so the AF operates with barely a whisper.

Perhaps more impressive, though, is its speed – even in low light it latched onto scenes with little or no hesitation. If the system does need help, there’s full-time manual focus override so fine adjustments can be made without having to switch the lens over to manual focus.

Focusing is down to 39cm and this is possible at all focal lengths without any need to switch the lens over to any macro setting. It does mean that at the longer focal lengths you can successfully tackle subjects like insects because you get a nice working distance and a macro magnification of 2.9x.

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The lens also includes Tamron’s VC (Vibration Compensation) feature and it really makes a difference when shutter speeds start dropping down. I was getting sharp pictures at 16mm at 1/6sec and 300mm, and I had success as low as 1/20sec and 1/30sec.

Optically the lens impresses too. We’ll have a full test of this lens in the next issue of PN so we will cover this (and everything else) in more detail then. For now, it’s safe to say that if you are after a one-lens solution, this could be it.

16MM

300MM

SPECS STREET PRICE £529 CONTACT www.tamron.co.uk CONSTRUCTION 16 elements in 12 groups APERTURE RANGE f/3.5-6.3 to f/22-40 MINIMUM FOCUS 39mm (at all focal lengths) giving 1:2.9 magnification FILTER SIZE 67mm LENS HOOD Supplied DIMENSIONS (LXD) 99.5x75mm at 16mm, 181x75mm at 300mm WEIGHT 540g FITTINGS Canon, Nikon, Sony

It is impossible not to be impressed with this Tamron’s 18.7x zoom range. Just look at the two shots here taken without changing camera position.

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Bleeding London: Are you in?

It’s your chance to get involved in the most ambitious photo project London has ever seen. This initiative, launched by RPS London, aims to photograph every avenue, road and street in the London A-Z – that’s a mere 73,000 entries If you live in the London region or are planning to visit the capital before the end of October, you can sign up and get involved in this ambitious and massive photo project. Basically, the aim is to photograph every street in the London A-Z. The idea of the Bleeding London photo project is based on the Whitbread shortlisted novel of the same name written by Geoff Nicholson – see the panel.

“I read the book when it came out,” says Del Barrett ARPS, the project’s organiser. “Normally I read a book and forget about it within a week, but Bleeding London really stuck with me. So when I tramp around the streets of London I often think of Stuart [one of the main characters from the book] and what he says and sees and I thought to myself ‘you know, I could do this as a photo project’ but realised I needed help so I talked to the RPS. It is completely behind the project because they can see it getting so many people engaged with photography, especially as we are encouraging the smartphone user, the new generation of photographers and some might join the Society. It’d be great too if someone got their RPS distinction based on their work for this project.”

With London constantly growing, deciding what was to be included must have been difficult. “After a lot of discussion with the A-Z we established that if you take the standard London A-Z Street Atlas the perimeter has not changed since Geoff’s book came out in 1997 so that is what we are using,” Del explained. “It has 73,000 entries.

“London is changing so much I thought it would be fantastic to have a record of what it’s like right now.

You might say, what about Google Street View, but the thing is that all you get is a view of the street. In Bleeding London we want pictures of all types. We want portraits, pictures of the architecture, of rubbish lying in the street – we want an eclectic mix.

“We have a different suggestion for people to shoot every day on the RPS and Facebook websites and photographers can earn bonus points with the photographer having the most winning an Olympus OM-D camera. For example, on 29 May we suggested streets related to cheese, while back on 5 May we had feral furniture suggested by Geoff. We now have one photographer completely obsessed with abandoned furniture and she goes out hunting for it.

“It’s interesting too that people are learning a lot about London. People are even debating things like apostrophes: why does Earl’s Court have one but Barons Court doesn’t? Stewart’s Grove in SW3 has three different signs, one with an apostrophe, one without and one handwritten.

“We have a whole network of people organising walks and details will be on various websites. We’re using Meetup groups and London Independent Photography is involved too.

“We aim to have postmasters for all the postcode districts and while they don’t have to walk every www.photography-news.co.uk

street they are responsible for setting up walks and identifying gaps here and there to shoot. We have 2030 postmasters at the moment, but we need 120 so we are appealing for more.

“Any pictures taken from 7 March this year are eligible and any imaging device can be used –- the Instagrammers are really into this and producing some amazing pictures. Any subject is good too and you don’t have to include the street sign in the picture – although taking a shot of any sign is good because it might be needed later for verification.

“We have an end date of 31 October, but we are leaving ourselves two months to do a sweep-up exercise because we don’t want the project to fail just because someone forgot to walk one street. Next year, we plan to have an exhibition and a book. For images to be considered for the exhibition, they must be uploaded to the ultimate portfolio site for Bleeding London, http://rps-upf.org.

“We want more people to sign up to the project and maybe join the RPS. So far, we have 800 people signed up and everyone is welcome.” π To find out more about Bleeding London and to register, go to www.bleedinglondon.co.uk, and if you want to be a postmaster email london@ rps.org. You can also help the cause by buying the book or Kindle version through the Bleeding London website.

POINTS OF CONTACT TO UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES http://rps-upf.org FOR EVENTS, MEETUPS AND NEWS: RPS London region blog http://bit. ly/1tSYlKw FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/bleedinglondon MEETUP http://bit.ly/1hBe5KU TWITTER @bleedinglondon

Bleeding London: the book “I originally arrived in London from Sheffield in 1977 and the book came out 20 years after that,” says author Geoff Nicholson (pictured right). “I was one of those people who went out walking or exploring at the weekend. At first it was Piccadilly or Trafalgar Square but that gets old very quickly, and it was always a big thrill going to see friends at Tooting Beck or somewhere different. I was moving every three months too – if you charted my progress you will see that I lived in every unpleasant part of London for a while.

“As a writer, there is no point doing anything without thinking ‘is there a book or feature in this’ so I had the idea of having a character who was actively exploring London in my head for a long time. One of the three main characters, Stuart, is trying to walk down every street in London using his standard A-Z and he draws a black line as he goes so by the end of his project every street in London is blacked out.

“Mick, one of the other characters – I got the idea for him when years later I went back to Sheffield for a year where I met so many people who said ‘oh, you lived in the London, that’s a bleeding awful place’; usually the opinion was based on one visit.

“So there’s one character who is in London on a revenge mission, gets lost, needs a map and ultimately gets seduced by the place and the other is the ultimate Londoner exploring the city and keeping a written diary of the walks he does.

“When Del approached me with the idea of showing London in pictures rather than words, I thought this was the visual realisation of the idea in the novel. I am the sort of guy who likes to say ‘yes’ so when Del emailed me late last year with the idea of a photo project and exhibition, I said ‘sure’ and expected never to hear from her again but here we are launching the project.”

Issue 9 | Photography News

Camera clubs

Tell us your club’s latest news, email: clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

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NEWS IN BRIEF CALL FOR ENTRIES Entry forms for Yardley Photographic Society’s open 2014 BPE Awards exhibition are now available from the society’s website or you can email the exhibition secretary Tom Mace at exhibition@yardleyps. co.uk. The closing date for entries is Sunday 21 September 2014. www.yardleyps.co.uk © Trevor Leach

ABOVE An original image of one of the first outings to Roche Abbey made by Sheffield Photographic Society members in 1865, and recreated by current members in 2014.

© Peter Cox

© Barry Freeman

IT’S ALL BLACK & WHITE IN SUFFOLK Founded in 2009, the Suffolk Monochrome Group now boasts 12 members, who are all dedicated to furthering the art of black & white photography, both chemically and digitally.

The Group has an exhibition featuring a wide variety of subjects on display until Sunday 29 June at the Wingfield Barns, Church Road, Wingfield IP21 5RA. www.suffolkmono chromegroup.co.uk

Shoppers’ favourite image

Sheffield Photographic Society is one of the oldest photographic societies in the world and celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2014 with several special events. One of which is a fascinating Now and Then exhibition, which will be at Sheffield Cathedral 7-13 July before moving to the Sheffield Winter Gardens, 24-30 November. Unique images scanned

The Great British public have their say in Potters Bar & District PS’s annual exhibition in Hatfield Potters Bar & District Photographic Society’s 2014 Annual Exhibition has finished and the public vote selected Bridge at Sunset (pictured above)

by Trevor Leach as the favourite photograph. The Society’s president, Helen Frost said, “We were thrilled at the public response to our latest exhibition at The Galleria in Hatfield. We had well over 200 votes cast by the visiting public for the best photograph, and Trevor’s picture was a worthy winner.

“Unbelievably, this is the 64th exhibition our Society has held. The Galleria is a very popular shopping mall and we are delighted and grateful that they allow us to hold our current exhibitions there.”

Winner Trevor revealed that the public’s favourite shot “was taken from a boat on a lake in Mandalay, Myanmar”.

The Society’s next exhibition opens on Sunday 13 July at the Dutch Nursery, Brookmans Park, near Hatfield.

Facebook friends?

Photography News recently spotted this on Facebook from passionate club photographer, Keith Bannister (with his full permission to publish it, of course). To save embarrassment, we’ve anonymised the club: “Due to comments on the camera club’s Facebook site last night, I feel I have to make a statement to all my friends here on Facebook. I am a keen amateur wildlife photographer, and mainly do bird photography, which gives me the most pleasure.

“Last night’s comments saying ‘I was littering the site with bird shots, and can you not try something else to photograph?’ was out of order in my opinion. After deep thought, I have decided to leave the camera club and their Facebook site after five years of membership.

Date for your diary

Photography News | Issue 9

“I will continue to photograph what I want, when I want and don’t need advice from people about what to take pictures of.

“If you don’t like what you see on my page, which will be mainly birds, please unfriend me and leave me to get on with what I like doing best.

“Thank you.”

While we are saddened to hear of Keith’s experiences and his ultimate decision, we are also curious how other clubs manage their Facebook pages and members’ submissions and indeed whether any other clubs and members have had similar experiences. As always, we’d love to hear from you, so please drop us a line at clubnews@photographynews.co.uk – we only ever publish stories with your permission.

Get your club news heard We welcome any aspect of club news. It could be a member’s individual success or it might be a recent club shoot, maybe the club won a regional contest, has a special anniversary or exhibition coming up, or a big speaker due and you simply want to sell more tickets.

Rob Lea

π To find out more about Chichester CC’s exhibition, go to www.chichestercameraclub.org.uk.

from old glass plates dating from as far back as 1865 will be on display together with a timeline and images through to the present day.

Other anniversary events include a Celebratory Dinner in November and an evening on the History of the Society in December. It certainly promises to be an eventful year for the Society’s members.

π To find out more about Sheffield Photographic Society, go to www.sheffield-photographer.org.uk.

π To find out more about Potters Bar & District Photographic Society, go to www.pottersbarphotosoc.org.uk.

Whatever it is, if you want any items considered for Club News email them to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk before the deadline, 2 June. © Cathy Hughes

Chichester Camera Club’s Summer Exhibition takes place 16-23 August (closed on Sunday 17th) at the Assembly Rooms, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ. Chichester CC is one of the most active clubs in southern England and its current membership is about 130. The Summer Exhibition features over 250 prints and a rolling projection show of more than 150 images. The exhibition is open each day from 10am until 5pm.

A high-quality, full colour, exhibition catalogue will be on sale for £1. Profit from the sale of this will go into club funds, which helps towards the cost of staging the exhibition. Also for anyone wishing to further boost club funds by showing their appreciation of the quality of work they have seen in the exhibition, there will be a donations box on the door.

Celebrating 150 years of Sheffield Photographic Society

Deadline for the next issue is 2 June, out Monday 16 June.

NEWSLETTERS WANTED

If your club or society publishes a newsletter, please add us to the mailing list using this email address: clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

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Advertisement feature

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EPSON PRINTERS

Print like a pro

Director of aspect2i, Paul Gallagher, runs workshops that cover all aspects of photography. Not only can he help you to take stunning photographs, but he will also show you how to turn them into striking prints Pro landscape photographer Paul Gallagher mastered the art of printing back when he first started out in his career. He’s now become one of the biggest advocates for perfecting the whole photographic process, from taking great photos in-camera, to post-production processing, to exhibition quality printing. Propelled by his passion, enthusiasm and expertise for all things photography, Paul founded aspect2i, a company dedicated to providing tailored and targeted photography workshops, and has also been running the Epson Print Academy for the past four years.

“One thing people are doing in the digital world is they are going out and taking lots of pictures and never printing them, they’re never finishing off the process,” explains Paul. The Epson Print Academy has helped to meet the ever-growing demand for learning how to turn a hard-earned photo into a print that does the image justice. “We design courses that cover as many eventualities as we possibly can for people out there who go out with their cameras, come back and find they can’t get a good image out of their printer.”

From those who’ve just purchased their first printer and want to learn the ropes through to professional studio photographers who are looking to improve their printing skills, the Epson Print Academy’s workshops attract a broad range of photographers. Each workshop lasts a day, with lunch included, and covers everything from black & white prints to landscape photography and printing to exhibition standard.

Paul uses the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 to demonstrate the techniques, the main reason being because it takes a variety of different media from lightweight to heavyweight and also features a black and white driver which enables superior printing in both black & white and colour. “It is a great machine and a perfect fit for the workshops,” adds Paul. The printer’s interface is also the same as many other Epson printer models’, enabling techniques learned in the workshop to be easily transferred when using a different model at home.

One of the most popular misconceptions that Paul encounters in his workshops is that the printer is to blame for poor prints. “Often though, the colour

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space is not set up right or the post-processing approach is not right, or sometimes some of the printer’s settings aren’t right and that’s what we aim to iron out,” he says. “It’s creating the image from the Raw file to actually getting it ready to click print, that’s the bit people seem to struggle with.”

There are two things that anyone can easily do to instantly improve print quality. “The one thing everyone should do is use the designated printer profile for the particular types of paper they’re using,” says Paul. Second to that is to make sure that all of your kit is calibrated. “Your photos might look great on your monitor, but if your monitor isn’t set up to speak to your printer, it’ll never come out of your printer looking right.”

ABOVE The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 used by Paul Gallagher in his workshops.

BELOW Paul took this stunning photo on a trip to Lofoten, Norway.

The one thing everyone should do is use the designated printer profile for the particular types of paper

Epson Print Academy workshops run throughout the year and are held at Epson Hemel Hempstead and Epson Telford. There’ll be plenty of one-to-one tuition and a professional on hand throughout the day, leaving people able to make the most of their Epson printer. For more information on workshops and how to book, visit www.aspect2i.co.uk.

π To find out more about the Epson range of inkjet printers, go to www.epson.co.uk.

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Advertisement feature MANFROTTO BAGS

Bags of choice

Photography is easier with the right camera bag, and Manfrotto’s expanding range covers all the bases – comfort, protection and ease of use. There’s sure to be one that suits you

If you’ve invested a lot of money into camera kit, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of having the right bag – not only will it protect your valuable gear, but it’ll help make sure you get better pictures. A bag that lets you carry your kit comfortably encourages you to take your camera with you in the first place, and if it fits everything you need

so you can get to it all quickly and easily, you’ll always get the shots you want.

No matter what camera kit you use, where you want to take it and what style of photography you prefer, Manfrotto’s range of bags has something for you. The complete range includes 92 bags of different styles and sizes, from pouches

and holsters to messenger bags, shoulder bags, slings and backpacks. Whether your priority is budget, comfort, ease of access, size or protection, Manfrotto has your needs covered, and all with its trademark Italian style. Read on to find out which of the four ranges suits you best: Stile, Advanced, Professional or the brand new Pro Light.

Stile [pronounced: steel-a]

Italian for style, the Stile range offers more than just great looks Camera bags don’t have to look like camera bags, and Manfrotto’s Stile range proves it. Their urban style means they blend into the environment, making them ideal if you want to keep a low profile and keep your expensive kit under wraps. No matter what combination of looks and functionality you want, the Stile range has it covered: from pouches that offer basic protection for small cameras through to backpacks that hold plenty of kit, as well as personal items and essentials. There’s everything in between too: holsters for protection and immediate access to a DSLR with lens attached, shoulder and messenger bags for comfort in the streets or discreet everyday use, and slings for the perfect combination of comfort and access to your kit.

Style comes with performance too. Stile sling bags, backpacks and Allegra and Diva shoulder bags come with a separate insert that protects your camera but can be removed to leave a bag for everyday use. Other Stile bags have padded interchangeable dividers that can be arranged

Advanced

For the passionate amateur who needs protection, practicality and style First and foremost, Manfrotto’s Advanced bags are durable – they’re made with rugged materials, including high density nylon fabric, and feature metal zip pulls and buckles, while inside there are sturdy protective inner pads that can be adjusted to fit your kit and keep it secure. Protection is combined with practicality too – innovative designs offer easy access to your gear, while tripod holders, pockets and rain covers are all carefully tailored to your needs, to make them easy to use on the move. And none of this is at the expense of style – Advanced bags have clean lines and stylish designs, with carbon detailing for a touch of Manfrotto’s Italian heritage.

No matter what kit you want to carry and how you want to carry it, the Advanced range includes a bag that will suit. The holsters are perfect for carrying the bare

Photography News | Issue 9

to suit your kit. There’s always a dedicated pocket for a Manfrotto pocket tripod, and the bigger backpacks and sling bags can carry a bigger tripod too, either on the outside or on the inside. All the Stile bags also have a specially applied coating on the outer fabric making them resistant to water. The Stile range is ideal if you’re budget conscious too, since prices start as low as £10.95, and the top price is only £84.95.

essentials, designed to hold a DSLR with lens attached and small accessories. Advanced shoulder bags and Active slings are ideal for carrying more kit but still with quick access, perfect for using in the city. Eight different sizes of shoulder bags can accommodate everything from CSCs to pro DSLRs, and all have an easy throw zipper to open the front flap. Active slings can be worn on your back for comfortable carrying, but swing round easily with your camera in quick-draw position.

Completing the range are three distinct styles of backpacks, all designed for carrying larger amounts of kit and perfect for travelling or longer days out when you’ll appreciate maximum comfort. Gear backpacks are dedicated entirely to camera kit, while Active backpacks hold camera kit in the bottom half, with a top compartment dedicated to essentials and personal items. Alternatively, Tri backpacks offer three different ways to wear them – on both shoulders like a normal backpack, with the straps in an ‘X’ formation across the chest, or with one strap across the body like a sling bag.

Comprising 21 bags in total, the Manfrotto Advanced range offers great value too – prices start at £20 for the smallest holster, going up to £125 for the largest Tri backpack.

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Professional

Maximum protection with the minimum of fuss For ultimate protection, Manfrotto has combined multiple innovative defences in its Professional range of bags, without compromising on ease of use or style. The first line of defence is the Exo-Tough outer construction – a multi-layered shock-absorbing foam covered with highperformance rip-resistant fabric that spreads the initial shock of an impact across the surface, channelling it around your kit rather than through it. And for any force that this doesn’t deflect, there’s protection at the heart of the bags too. Manfrotto has recognised that the weakest point of a bag is the centre, and that if you drop it the items at the edges get forced into the middle and compress what’s there, risking serious damage. To avoid this, Manfrotto Professional bags feature a unique Camera Protection System, which uses dividers made with a thick layer of 3D shock-absorbing foam that encase the central area and dampen impacts. There’s a built-in rain cover too, and feet keep the bottom off wet or muddy ground.

Alongside this protection, Manfrotto Professional bags have also been designed for ease of use. All pockets and compartments are positioned for convenience, while durable metal fastenings and oversized zips mean it’s quick and easy to get into them. A minimal and stylish design also means they’re suitable for any situation while remaining discreet.

The Professional range includes 16 bags, so there’s sure to be one that suits your needs. Backpacks let you carry the

most, designed to hold pro DSLR bodies, lenses, flashes, a laptop, tripod and accessories. Professional shoulder bags offer an easy way to carry your camera kit as well as a laptop, tablet, notebook, documents and personal items with easy access to all of it. The range also includes holsters for when you want to carry the minimum, sling bags for easy access and comfort, and airline-friendly roller cases for transporting and travelling with large amounts of kit.

Prices start at just £65 for the Professional Holster Plus 20, and the top price is £320 for the Professional Roller Bag 70.

Pro Light

New to Manfrotto’s line-up, the lightest camera bags on the market with professional protection Manfrotto’s brand new Pro Light range has it all – not only do these bags protect your kit and offer ergonomic solutions in a variety of sizes, but they’re also extremely lightweight.

They’re built using the latest innovative materials to keep the weight to a minimum without sacrificing durability, so they’re still reliable and highly resistant even in the most demanding of situations. And inside is the same Camera Protection System as in the Professional range, using 3D shockabsorbing foam to shield the most vulnerable equipment in the centre of the bag from the force of an impact.

Stability and comfort also come as standard with the Pro Light range. These bags feature Advanced Harness System and gecko EVA foam harness straps, and there are removable ergonomic waist straps to improve stability and comfort when walking. All pocket positions, zip pulls, tripod holders and straps have been carefully considered to offer the most innovative carrying solutions.

Take the Revolver Backpack as an example. It includes a revolving internal magazine that can store a large range of lenses and rotate to provide single-point side access to them all. There’s also top access so you can store your DSLR where you can reach it easily. It means you can comfortably carry your DSLR with lens attached, even a 70-200mm zoom, and reach any of it without having to unpack everything.

The 3N1 Backpack shows the thought put into the ergonomics of the Pro Light range as well. The design means www.photography-news.co.uk

you can choose from three carrying positions – right sling or left sling keeps the bag across one shoulder so you can quickly swing it round to the front, while the cross position combines the comfort of a backpack with the quick access of a sling bag.

The entire Pro Light range is made up of 21 bags, including bags and cases for video and lighting equipment as well as backpacks and holsters for photography. There’s also a range of complementary accessories: a camera strap with a 3D mesh construction for comfort, and a variety of camera and video rain covers for waterproof protection – with transparent panels so you can see the camera controls.

The Pro Light bags start at £74.95, while the accessories start at £16.95.

π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

Issue 9 | Photography News

12

Profile INTERVIEW

BIOGRAPHY

Chris Carr

BIOGRAPHY AGE: 38

YEARS IN THE PHOTO INDUSTRY: 21 CURRENT LOCATION: Ashby-de-la-Zouch LAST PICTURE TAKEN: At a friend’s wedding HOBBIES: Photography, football, spending time with my family WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? An architect DOGS OR CATS? Definitely dogs

This issue PN quizzes Manfrotto UK’s managing director Chris Carr to find out what makes Manfrotto such a trusted and recognised brand Can you tell us about your role at Manfrotto?

I manage the Manfrotto UK team. Between them they have over 300 years’ experience in the photographic trade. Together we ensure that in conjunction with our retail partners we get the products that photographers need to market and also help explain to people how the right accessories can improve their photography.

Manfrotto is one of the most established brands in the industry. Please tell us about its history.

At the end of the sixties, Lino Manfrotto was working as a photographer in Bassano del Grappa (close to Venice) and due to the lack of suitable equipment for his photographic needs he made his first product which was a light and sturdy lamp stand. Then in 1974 with support from his new partners the first Manfrotto tripod was created which joined the already existing wide range of light stands produced by Manfrotto, including the Autopole, Superboom and Superclamp.

By the eighties, demand became so large that the production sites near Venice expanded to another five sites where we still make tripods today.

Why do you think Manfrotto has the strong reputation that it does?

We understand photography, many of our team both here in the UK and globally are photographers either professionally or in their spare time. In addition, we listen very carefully to other photographers, taking their feedback on board and slowly but surely we will find the best product for photographers’ needs.

How much have Manfrotto’s tripods changed since first being produced in the seventies?

The basic principles have remained the same, and I am sure that many readers, like me, will still have a Manfrotto tripod they bought 15-20 years ago, but at the same time our improved designs have helped support the photographer and videographer in capturing their imagination.

Some of the new technology like the Manfrotto video heads, which provide fantastic fluidity to videography, have been revolutionary, whilst other developments like the new Manfrotto XPRO 3-Way Head is one of those things where everybody that sees it says simply, ‘Why has that not been done before?’

The 190 series recently won Best Tripod at the TIPA Awards, why do you think they make such successful products?

The 190 range has always been one of the benchmarks for tripods in the industry and this range builds upon that, focusing on the fantastic feedback we have had over the years. We have made it stronger so it can hold more, taller at full extension yet shorter when folded down for transport, easier to open with the new Quick Photography News | Issue 9

Power Locks, as well as handy features like a rotating bubble level and easy link to connect accessories to.

Manfrotto has grown from a manufacturer of innovative but basic photography accessories to selling a broad range of products, from bags to tripods to LEDs. Is this breadth of product the direction Manfrotto will continue to head in?

If a product idea supports the photographer to capture their imagination and we can then make what that photographer needs to the standard and quality you’d expect from Manfrotto, then the answer is yes.

Camera bags are a relatively new venture for Manfrotto, what are your ambitions in this very competitive market?

Our aim is to provide a wide range of bags, that enables us to answer the needs of all photographers (of varying levels and interests) combining the level of innovation and the quality you have come to expect from all Manfrotto products. The scale of this challenge is significant because a photographer’s needs change so we have tried to answer it with a number of ranges.

The Manfrotto Stile range is designed for the social photographer who does not want to carry a technical camera bag and therefore design and colour are crucial. Whilst the Manfrotto Advanced range is your more traditional technical bag with lots of pocket space, rain cover etc. Finally, the Manfrotto Professional bags are designed for ultimate protection; they have an Exo-tough exterior and a reinforced divider system inside called the Camera Protection System, which does just that.

To complement these ranges, we have just launched the Manfrotto Pro Light collection. This provides a lightweight solution for the outdoor photographer whilst still utilising the strength of the Camera Protection System as found in our Professional range of bags.

What significant developments have you witnessed whilst at Manfrotto?

The most significant change is the amount of videography being completed by what used to be traditional photographers. Some of the camera models changed this clearly but it is also fantastic to see some traditionalists take to a new medium.

What is the most innovative product Manfrotto has on the market?

That’s hard for me to answer as many of our products are innovative, for example we have recently won seven Red Dot Awards for innovation in our latest products. From a personal and photographer’s perspective, the Befree Travel tripod is great because it folds down to 40cm so you can have it with you at

The new Manfrotto XPRO 3-Way Head is one of those things where everybody that sees it says simply, ‘Why has this not been done before?’

TOAST OR CEREAL? Toast EMAIL OR PHONE CALL? Phone call

all times. The new surface-mounted LED technology used on the Spectra 500F LED light is amazing with zero flicker when dimmed and the Advanced Tri Backpack Medium is so clever and flexible it is my first choice bag.

Manfrotto’s tripods are known for their quality and durability, but often not the physical flexibility that competing models offer. Is that something you are working on developing?

For Manfrotto, quality and durability are absolutely crucial and critical to photographers’ needs – that being said we do have some of the most versatile products in the market with the likes of Befree, hybrid photo/ video heads, Sympla video rigs, Fluid monopods and the complete KLYP system. We of course have products being designed and just about to launch, with one product which will revolutionise photography for people who love the great British outdoors!

The KLYP+ range is the first all-in-one photographic set for iPhones. Is the smartphone photographer the customer you are seeing the biggest rise in demand from?

Yes, but only because we are only now offering accessories for their photography.

Many photographers now have iPhones with them at all times – it may not be their best camera but often it is the best camera they have with them. We just want to ensure they have everything they need to get the best shot possible.

Is there a product that hasn’t yet been developed that you would like to see on the market?

Yes, but we are not in a position to release it just yet, you will just have to keep an eye out to find out more over the coming months.

In the beginning, Manfrotto products were developed by photographers. Is that how R&D works today?

Yes, with significant input from designers and engineers to ensure the initial concept is delivered to the quality you would expect from Manfrotto.

What are your future ambitions for Manfrotto?

We aim to continue to build our relationship with photographers, providing the solutions they need so they can realise their full potential.

Come and see us at our Manfrotto Takeover Roadshows throughout June and July where there’ll be free seminars from expert photographers like David Noton, Drew Gardner, Michael Freeman, Phil Coates, Adam Duckworth and many more. π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk. www.photography-news.co.uk

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Issue 9 | Photography News

14

Opinion BEFORE THE JUDGE

Andrew Perry MEET THE JUDGE Andrew Perry:

Andrew took up photography in 1983 when illness ended his musical activities (for a period; he’s since returned to the stage).

He began judging and giving talks in 1989.

Home club: I no longer attend a club, but am a past member of Chichester Camera Club, Bognor Regis and the IBM (South Hants) Camera Club.

Years in photography: 31 Favourite camera: My old Canon F1nAE

Favourite lens:

My old Canon 15mm, 17mm, 24mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm primes. Never used a zoom lens

Favourite photo accessory: A

beloved Billingham bag

Favourite subject or technique: Not

the subject, the mood and/or the story. I want to be drawn into the image, and involved. I enjoy images that captivate, rather than capture a subject.

Favourite photographers:

Well for inspiration – Henri Cartier-Bresson, Franco Fontana, Ralph Gibson, Eugene Smith, Robert Frank, Brassaï, Kertesz, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Arthur Rothstein, Nick Sinclair

Awards won:

I gained my ARPS in 1989 and won my FIAP Gold medal in 1995.

Words by Andrew Perry My photography started in 1983, when illness restricted my musical pursuits. My company had an unused darkroom enabling me to teach myself – and others – and accumulate a considerable portfolio. I joined two local camera clubs serving as exhibition secretary and chairman, instigated my company’s camera club, and attended many seminars and workshops.

I perceived that many judged club competitions as to ‘what they liked’ rather than helping and encouraging competitors. The silver-haired chaps in my clubs had a wealth of knowledge and a willingness to share – they became my mentors.

I was encouraged by club members to become a judge, but I resisted until achieving my ARPS in 1989.

Over the years I have sought to judge positively and sympathetically, regardless of my preferred subject matter, format, style or quality.

In the ’90s many clubs experienced reducing numbers and it seemed to me that it was due to poorly presented talks and sombre, often discouraging competitions. I saw a need to combine information and encouragement with entertainment. Clubs are now healthier but the need for stimulating talks and enjoyable competitions continues.

The skills of a good judge are manifold: he/she needs the skill base of a teacher, psychologist, rally driver and to be as expert in improvisation as a stand-up comedian or jazz musician. A head revolving 360° to assess images whilst presenting to the audience also helps!

I aim to arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled start. I clarify timings, entry numbers and marking requirements and try to view print entries and PDIs, preferably without interruption. This enables me to assess the overall level and to begin determining entries needing advice and those meriting commendation. I befriend the print ‘putters-up and down’ and the projectionist. Once introduced, I greet the club with humour and a short anecdote about how such evenings are for members to share images with colleagues and that my input is incidental. This sets the tone and relaxes the audience.

Lord Reith’s BBC ethos – “to educate, inform and entertain” – is my yardstick. The judge’s duty is not merely to mark, but to encourage, inspire, stimulate and commend as appropriate, but also to conduct an informative, rewarding and entertaining evening.

I need to assess technical merit, design, storytelling, mood and impact within a few seconds with the initial preview, adding more detail during the judging. I comment on all images, marking most on first viewing, holding back others for final marking

The skill base of a teacher, psychologist, rally driver and to be as expert in improvisation as a stand-up Photography News | Issue 9

at the end – I do not repeat my previous comments but I may explain their qualities. This enables me to finalise the marking and creates an enjoyable sense of anticipation with an uplifting end to the session.

The interval is an important time for club members to meet and chat, but not a rest period for the judge! It is a time to receive expenses, gulp a drink and to study images for the second half.

I refer to the great photographers – especially portraitists and landscapists and the timing skills of Cartier–Bresson, ‘dropping’ names that newer photographers can seek out and learn from. I refer to the way the human eye/brain interprets still images and how skilled photographers can design an image to control the way that it is viewed. I refer to the RPS method of assessing natural history images… and my own criteria. I make the odd little joke or anecdote – but never at the expense of the competitor. For less inspiring images I issue gentle challenges, encouraging the entrant to explore and communicate their interest in the subject.

Success for me is measured by those who thank me for inspiration or encouragement. I believe that marks should be used as awards, never penalties – I don’t mark harshly.

A great judge once advised me: Before you speak – consider that the image might be the first or last that the photographer has entered. When pointing out a shortcoming, use the ‘kiss-slap-kiss’ approach.

Use humour but never against a person or image.

Never make comments that could discourage.

It occurs to me that judges are invited to return because members enjoyed their last visit. We should always judge with compassion, to inform and inspire, but we must also entertain, and, of course, keep to time – no one likes an evening to overrun.

Judges drive miles on unknown roads for inadequate expenses through cold, dark, rainy

© ANDREW PERRY

Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences with us. This month, Andrew Perry educates, informs and entertains

nights to do this. We don’t get ‘paid’ and we aren’t employed by clubs: we are guests and should be treated, and act, as such. A well-organised club makes matters much easier for the judge to deliver the best possible performance.

We do it out of commitment to the photographic community and because we enjoy viewing images.

Our most rewarding compensation is thanks from members and a well thought-out Vote of Thanks from the chairman (or nominate) reiterating cogent points made by the judge – and not his own opinions! π To find out more about Andrew’s judging or talks, email andrew@andrewperry.plus.com.

The judge’s nightmare This is the judge’s nightmare and I’ve experienced it all The invitation is not confirmed, the original contact’s email is out of date. No one rings. The venue and time haven’t been advised and the website is down.

You drive 50 rush-hour miles in the dark and in bad weather to find there is no parking place and no one from the club has arrived. You sit quietly, club members arrive – they ignore you. The chairman is late, or absent; there is no deputy.

The competition secretary has been replaced by a novice who tries to tell you how to assess images.

His attitude is, as if the judge is being ‘employed’, rather than invited as a guest. You ask how many images – there’s either less than 20 or over 100.

No one knows how to assemble the easel, and the projectionist cannot work the laptop. You ask about timings, only to be told that they must start at 7.30pm (usually at 7.45pm) and that they must be out of the room by 10pm or pay extra. The chairman starts with parish notices and you find yourself in an ad hoc committee meeting/argument.

Images arrive ten minutes after the competition starts. The putter-up and down is a deaf centenarian.

You have to use a head or hand mic (grrrr!) when there are only 20 people in the room. The PA is poorly set – no one knows how to balance the sound.

The tea break over-runs by 20 minutes, you are not offered a drink and the raffle takes another 20 minutes. You cannot view the next batch of PDIs as the projectionist has gone outside for a smoke. The treasurer is either absent or does not approach you – you have to ask! You are paid grudgingly in coins.

Halfway through the next 50 images the chairman announces loudly that time is running out – even though you are carefully monitoring your own progress. You have worked to finish by 9.45 to enable the Vote of Thanks (VOT) and close, and then you are asked to sign and present certificates of merit, and to name the best image in every class and group. There is either no VOT or the chairman shows no notion of how to give one – with the worst possible insult, ‘thanks for coming’!

Your journey home is blocked by floods requiring a 20-mile detour.

And yet we still do it!

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Issue 9 | Photography News

16

Opinion

SPEAKERS’ CORNER

Originality is key As a Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union judge, I continue to see photographs of statues, graffiti, plaques and stained glass windows in competitions. Whilst the piece of work depicted is often quite beautiful, I do question the validity of such images in the world of contemporary club photography. To my mind, this is just the photographer ripping off someone else’s artwork – plain and simple. Take a life-size figure sculpture for example. The artist probably created a small maquette, built the final form in clay or plaster, created a mould and ultimately cast the statue in bronze and applied some form of patina. The whole process may have taken many months or even years. And then a photographer comes along and in the blink of an eye captures an image and calls it his own.

I think not! Where is the originality or imagination; where is the creativity in that process? You would not go into the Louvre, photograph Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and then put that into a competition, so why is other people’s artwork, even if it is displayed in an open public space, any different?

Gone are the days when a good or even mediocre record shot would do well in a club competition.

Whilst there is a place for record photography, unless it is something really special or presented in an interesting way, I am not convinced it is suitable material for club photography, let alone competitions.

Anyone can roll up to the viewing point car park, poke the camera out of the window and grab a half-decent shot

Like it or not, camera club competitions at local and national level tend to be dominated by those who combine great imagination, creativity, vision and are able to realise that through well-honed computer skills and artistic flair.

In discussion, similar comments are often made regarding the ‘originality’ of architectural or even landscape photography. In the case of the former aren’t we just photographing a building that an architect has designed and a builder built, ie. someone else’s work? And in the case of the latter, are we not just copying nature? Fair points you may say, though I would argue differently.

In the case of architectural photography, the lighting is critical if you want to capture the textures on the building. Shadows often play a prominent role in good architectural shots and that means being there at the right time of day – or even year.

With regard to landscape photography, anyone can roll up to the viewing point car park, poke the camera out of the window and grab a half-decent shot. However, the best landscape images involve going that extra mile. It’s all about trekking to a spot which gives you a commanding vista; it’s about returning again and again to the same spot; being there and setting up the camera before the sun rises; moving round to ensure the composition is right. It’s about having the right equipment, the determination and commitment to make the image extra special and, just as importantly, ‘yours’.

Although photography does not necessarily need to be difficult, and we are encouraged to disregard the difficulty involved in creating an image when making an assessment of its merits, I believe there is value in actually assessing the photographer’s true contribution to the image-making process.

When I repeat this statement I always think of that great photo of Herbert Ponting hanging over the edge of Scott’s ship the Terra Nova in the Antarctic, precariously balanced on a couple of planks and

© BRIAN LAW

Words by Brian Law

© WILL CHEUNG

What makes an acceptable photographic subject? Brian Law ARPS CPAGB debates whether taking an image of someone else’s artwork, be it graffiti or architecture, can be an acceptable competition entry

suspended by ropes whilst he captures the ice floes with a massive wooden camera; now that is dedication and commitment for you: that’s going the extra mile to get the shot. Although he was not competing with others, Ponting was ensuring he got an original shot, he was being creative; he was using his imagination. Though he was making it difficult for himself, in that very act, he was making the image his own.

Hopefully it should be clear that good or great photography is about what you as a photographer put into it: as Ansel Adams said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” π To find out more about Lancashire and Cheshire PU, go to www.lcpu.org. To see Brian’s work, go to www.brianlawphotography.co.uk.

© BRIAN LAW

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Photography News | Issue 9

LEFT & ABOVE Do both of these images merit entry into a competition?

Brian Law thinks only one does.

Have you found a creative way to shoot other people’s artwork or put your own spin on it? Or maybe you have a strong view on what should and shouldn’t be accepted into competitions. Let us know your thoughts and share some experiences with us at opinion@photographynews.co.uk.

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17

FUJIFILM LENSES

Capture it all

Fujifilm has released the first in a series of three XF weather-resistant lenses, and it doesn’t disappoint

After much anticipation, Fujifilm’s very first weatherresistant XF lens is hitting the market next month.

The Fujinon XF 18-135mm high magnification zoom lens not only features weather-resistant sealing, but it’s also dust proof and waterproof and is compatible with any of the X-series interchangeable lens cameras. The news couldn’t come soon enough for X-T1 shooters as it perfectly complements the camera’s weather-resistant body, extending the shooting possibilities no end. It isn’t just its weather resistant structure that’s getting Fujifilm photographers excited, its wide shooting range, fast autofocus, cutting-edge image stabilisation and light weight and portable size add to its appeal, making it a superb all-rounder lens fit for any purpose.

If you’re going to invest your hard earned cash in a lens, you want to make sure you can absolutely make the most out of it. The XF 18135mm confidently steps up to the mark. Whether you’re capturing wide-angle landscapes or wanting to shoot telephoto to get up close to your subject, the XF 18-135mm lens has got it covered. However you choose to shoot, you’ll be rewarded with sharp images and rich contrast throughout the entire www.photography-news.co.uk

length of the lens thanks to its high performance glass. To ensure your photos are consistently high quality, Fujifilm’s new lens features multilayer HT-EBC (a high performance coating) to reduce lens flare and ghosting.

Wildlife and sports shooters will be particularly pleased to learn that when combined with an X-series camera body, the lens facilitates even quicker autofocus capabilities up to an incredible 0.1 seconds. It’s been designed with a linear motor, which results in silent operation, an ideal design feature for those shooting movie footage.

There’s no need to pack a kitbag full of cumbersome accessories. The XF 18-135mm lens was made with the lightly equipped shooter in mind and features the world’s most advanced 5.0stop image stabiliser, so you can leave your tripod behind. It particularly comes into its own when shooting long exposures where its improved ability to detect movement combined with an algorithm to sense blur counteract shakes, for sharp images even when shooting handheld.

If you’re caught in a sudden onset of rain or the wind starts to whip up dust, the XF 18-135mm lens’s

It really is the lens that has it all and is great for those wanting to travel light but not compromise on quality

weather resistant structure means you don’t have to worry. The lens barrel is sealed in 20 places enabling it to handle a bit of bad weather, so you can carry on shooting carefree. The weather sealing doesn’t interrupt a smooth shooting experience either. A ventilator inside the base of the lens barrel prevents dust particles and moisture from getting to the lens and facilitates a smooth zoom operation.

It really is the lens that has it all and is great for those wanting to travel light but not compromise on quality. When combined with the X-T1 it weighs just 930g making it highly portable and versatile.

It is the first of three weather resistant lenses to be released by Fujifilm. The XF 16-55mm and the XF 50-140mm lenses will be the final two to follow from Fujifilm’s exciting weather resistant collection. If the XF 18-135mm lens is anything to go by, the next in the series will be well worth the wait.

π To find out more, go to www.fujifilm.eu/uk Issue 9 | Photography News

18

Competitions INTERVIEW

A view of Britain Renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite set up the Take a view – Landscape Photographer of the Year Award to celebrate Britain’s best vistas.

We quiz Charlie to discover what it is that makes it such a success

Interview by Megan Croft You are the mastermind of the competition; what was the inspiration behind it?

I have become known as being rather evangelistic when it comes to landscape photography. Some say that the camera divorces us from our surroundings by distancing us from the immediate experience but I feel that the whole process, from finding the location and pre-visualising the result you wish to achieve through to the final image, can be a very enriching and rewarding one and is something that I have always wanted to share with as many people as possible. Although it is possible to get great personal satisfaction from photography, you can argue that Photography News | Issue 9

ABOVE LEFT Weightlessness, South Bank, London

by Tatiana Zigar, Commended, 2012 ABOVE RIGHT Buckholt Wood, Cranham, Gloucestershire by Robert Wolstenholme, Highly Commended, 2013

this is enhanced when an audience approves – when something of the emotion you felt when creating the image is shared by others. I wanted the competition to provide an ongoing showcase, enabling talented landscape photographers to have their work seen and enjoyed by people across the UK and beyond.

What’s the competition’s background?

Although the idea for the competition had been in my mind for some years, the planning started in 2006, with the first winner, Jon Gibbs, being announced in 2007. One of the key things about the competition is that it is aimed at everyone – amateurs, enthusiasts and professionals can all enter. We also have separate classes for adults and

young people. The images that are entered must be of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. We live in such a fantastic country and it is a place where I am proud to live. Many people feel exactly the same way and I hope that the competition helps to spread the word about the variety of intriguing landscapes that exist and encourages people to explore and discover.

How much involvement do you have with the Landscape Photographer of the Year Award?

It is a project I am very involved with. My creative director, Diana Leppard, has been with me since day one and we worked together on setting up the competition and she continues to manage the overall structure and reminds me where I need to www.photography-news.co.uk

Competitions be and when! Although we speak about plans on most days, my main role could probably be said to revolve around judging and spreading the word about the competition.

I am very involved in the judging process and it is something that I take very seriously and actually find quite challenging, as I appreciate what each image means to its photographer. From a media point of view, I give radio interviews, lead tours of the exhibition, write articles – it’s a many and varied role but one from which I derive a great deal of satisfaction.

Does the competition continue to grow much?

The reach of the competition continues to grow and, although on one level, the extent of the interest does not surprise me – as I personally find the process of landscape photography endlessly intriguing, why should others not feel the same? – it is still wonderful to find our enthusiasm shared and reciprocated.

Last year saw our spin-off exhibition of the Network Rail Lines in the Landscape Award at the National Railway Museum, together with a series of smaller exhibitions at some of Britain’s largest stations. Over the last two years in particular, the level of global coverage has increased rapidly and winning images have appeared in the news across the world – from Australia to the USA. Do you get many entries from outside the UK? The competition has always had entrants from overseas; in fact our 2009 winner Emmanuel Coupe was born in France and divides his time between Paris and Greece I believe. The publicity we have been getting in the global media has encouraged

19 entries from countries as varied as Kuwait, India, Poland and Thailand. The 2014 awards are being held in association with VisitBritain and Countryside is GREAT and they both aim to get the world thinking and feeling differently about Britain, so that we are seen as a vibrant, inspiring and innovative place to visit.

The VisitBritain You’re Invited Award is a special award for the best image from an overseas entrant.

Last year it was won by Bart Heirweg of Belgium.

Unlike other similar competitions, Landscape Photographer of the Year doesn’t distinguish between professionals and enthusiasts, why?

To me, going out to take photographs of the British landscape has many advantages, including: n a chance to escape from the rapid pace of our lives today n a creative process, where your imagination comes into play n a reason to discover and explore and to reconnect with your environment n a n involving experience that can then be shared with others.

Why would you not want to share these with as many people as possible?

Which is the most popular category?

This is probably best answered by the debate ‘What is a landscape?’ The Oxford Dictionaries suggest that it is “all the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal”. When we started the competition, we decided on a broad interpretation; we wanted to appeal to those who like to take pictures of snowboarders in a Scottish TOP Gursky goes to Margate, Kent, England by Valda Bailey, Commended, 2012 ABOVE Hebridean Sea III, Scotland by David Baker, Category Runner-Up, 2013 LEFT View over Derwentwater from Catbells, Cumbria

by Bart Heirweg, VisitBritain You’re Invited Award Winner, 2013

I am very involved in the judging process and it is something that I take very seriously and actually find quite challenging www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 9 | Photography News

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Competitions

blizzard, as well as those who apply a narrower and more classical definition. However, when you ask someone to picture a landscape in their mind, most think of a sweeping iconic view and it’s the Classic View section that is generally the most popular.

The winner of 2012’s competition was disqualified for entering a composite image. Is your stance still the same on digital manipulation?

For three of our categories, we now request the Raw files or original JPEGs of images that are shortlisted.

The fourth category, Your View, aims to encourage a slightly more conceptual viewpoint and higher levels of manipulation are allowed. However, from my point of view, your eye and your brain work together to tell you immediately if something is believable; if it ‘works’ – and this applies just as much to Your View as to the other categories.

ABOVE LEFT Hunting the Pow, Glencoe, Scotland

by Nadir Khan, Commended, 2013 ABOVE RIGHT Grazing Cattle, Marleycombe Hill, Wiltshire by Ken Leslie, Highly Commended, 2012

Photography News | Issue 9

Fancy entering?

The 2014 awards are held in association with VisitBritain and Countryside is GREAT. The closing date for entries is 11 July 2014.

Entrants can submit up to 25 images across the four categories: Classic View, Living the View, Urban View and Your View.

Final judging panel

Tell us about the prize, exhibition and book.

Each year, the competition has a prize fund worth £20,000, of which £10,000 goes to our overall adult winner. There are cash prizes for category winners and runners-up plus a number of special awards.

But I believe the publicity that our winners get is also a really positive thing. Most of the national newspapers have online galleries to supplement their print coverage and this means that many of our commended entrants have their work widely seen, as well as the main winners. The Awards book, Landscape Photographer of the Year – Collection 8

by AA Publishing will be available from 3 November 2014. Winning entries will be exhibited in London at the end of the year.

Can you give an insight into the judging process?

The judging process is a lengthy one. Each of our pre-judges looks at all of the images, so no image is removed at an early stage on the decision of one person. Our first two judging stages are done online, with our interim judges meeting up to make their decisions. When we reach the final judging stage, our judging panel all get together and view the final shortlist in print form to determine the winners.

In the past you have called the winners personally to tell them that they’ve won, what’s the best reaction you’ve had from a winner?

I was leading a photography tour in Italy when I called a winner. He really didn’t believe that it was me on the phone and thought one of his friends

Are you seeing any imaging trends in particular?

We have all seen photographic trends that have become very popular at particular times; the use of the Big Stopper and the use of HDR being but two.

Judicious use is critical. I have seen some images where the use of HDR just sends the image beyond the believable; when the inside of a shadowed arch is brighter than the view through it.

Any advice for future entrants?

I think the most important thing to do is to seek opinions from people who have no vested interest in pleasing you. You can become too close to your own imagery. You may sometimes have experienced emotional or even physical pain in reaching the result. You may have had six abortive round trips to the Highlands, you may have been up to your knees in an icy lake – but that doesn’t mean that the result is necessarily good. Ask your viewer what emotions they perceive in the picture – do they have parity with yours?

How are the judges selected?

There is always a lot of discussion and debate about the judging panel for a competition such as ours.

We believe that balance is the key. We like to have some continuity, together with fresh faces and we like a mix of photographers, editors, researchers and others experienced in the photographic industry.

What do you think makes a winning image?

The judging panel is different every year and each judge has their own view, so it is impossible to generalise. For me, it does come down to emotion. Technique is obviously very important but a technically perfect image can still be cold and lacking in soul. When an image ‘works’, it becomes the medium through which you can converse with its creator.

was winding him up. All my tour guests gave him a cheer.

When an image ‘works’, it becomes the medium through which you can converse with its creator

Are there any plans to expand the competition?

We are always looking at ideas. We started off having a separate category for phone images but, as phone cameras have improved in quality so much, they can now hold their own within the main competition. There is something to be said about familiarity; many enter the competition more than once and spend time considering and creating their entry over the intervening year and so it can be helpful for them to have some continuity. That said, changes in technology and social media mean that the competition will definitely evolve as time passes.

nE ddie Ephraums, photographer and fine art photographic book publisher nR upert Grey, photographer and practising copyright lawyer n J asmine Teer, photographic manager at VisitBritain nD avid Watchus, Head of AA Media nN igel Atherton, group editor, IPC Photo nS teve Watkins, editor of Outdoor Photography nC harlie Waite (head judge), landscape photographer and founder of the Take a View awards nA representative of The Sunday Times Magazine Entry fees n£ 10 for a single image n£ 25 for up to seven images n£ 30 for up to 15 images n£ 35 for up to 25 images Entrants are permitted to pay for a number of images and can then log in to their profile to upload images at any time up until the closing date.

Prizes nL andscape Photographer of the Year 2014 and £10,000 nB est in category and £1000

π To find out more about Landscape Photographer of the Year, go to www.take-a-view.co.uk www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 9 | Photography News

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Competitions

INTERVIEW

Exhibiting in the East

As East Anglia’s first national print exhibition, the Beyond Group National Exhibition, enters its seventh year, we catch up with one of the organisers, Barbie Lindsay, to find out more Interview by Megan Croft What’s your photographic background?

I have been a member of various camera clubs for 23 years and everything that I have learnt has come from being a member of a club. Listening to judge’s comments, analysing the winning images as well as seeking help from more experienced members.

Going to see photographic exhibitions was another way I gleaned inspiration and motivation.

Can you tell us about your role in the Group’s National Exhibition?

I have been involved with the running of the exhibition from the beginning but I am only one of a very dedicated hard-working team: we share the various jobs equally. One of my main jobs is to produce a PicturesToExe slide show sequence for the exhibition which can be downloaded for free. Back in the beginning though, I also had the arduous task of writing and printing over 450 CDs. That was before we produced a printed catalogue too.

The Beyond Group National Exhibition is now in its seventh year; how did the exhibition come about in the first place?

I was a founding member of the Beyond Group and it was always my dream to run a national exhibition within East Anglia. There has never been a national exhibition held in Suffolk as far as I am aware and no Photography News | Issue 9

PN09-22-23 (BEYOND GROUP) MChbwc.indd 22

national print exhibition has been held in East Anglia.

We thought it was time that this was addressed.

However, seven years ago, we didn’t have the funds to hold a national print exhibition with all the expenses involved, nor the expertise, so we opted instead for a digital-only exhibition to see if it was feasible. We successfully applied for a lottery grant to purchase a projector and laptop etc. We had lots of help from various British Photographic Exhibition’s member clubs, answering all our questions when we encountered problems. Solihull Photographic Society helped us by including our entry forms with their own to get us off the ground regarding advertising it. 1st Graphic Computers in Ipswich sponsored us and donated a printer for us to produce CD labels.

What makes the Beyond Group National Exhibition unique?

Apart from the fact that there is no other exhibition currently of its kind in East Anglia, we are aiming to produce the best exhibition on the circuit in terms of value. We do not charge people to come and see the exhibition. The exhibition images are on our website for nine months and the sequences can also be downloaded for free. We produce a free catalogue containing images of the award-winning pictures and list the acceptances. Our intention is not to make money out of it but to give the entrants value for money. Beyond Group members also sponsor special theme awards which vary from year to year and some are unique in their design – well worth going for. There

ABOVE LEFT Gentoo Losing Balance in Sandstorm, Gold Medal, Graham Jones EFIAPg DPAGB BPE4 TOP RIGHT Ice Dawn, Gold Medal, Jon Martin BPE5 EFIAPb ABOVE RIGHT Sweeping, Gold Medal, Justin Minns

will be an extra award this year for the best print as voted for by the visitors during the exhibition.

What are some of the challenges and rewards of running an exhibition?

Ironically our biggest challenge is to get more East Anglian members to enter and to physically come and see the exhibition. We even have a special award for the best East Anglian club to try encourage a group entry and perhaps a group visit too. The rewards are enormous, it is such fun to organise and we have all made so many new friends through the exhibition.

The Beyond Group is well known and well respected, and this is partly down to the exhibition. It is hard work, and takes up the whole year and not just a few weeks as most people would think. As soon as the exhibition is over we start to organise the next year’s.

How many entries does the exhibition receive on average each year?

We have an average overall entry of 3400 images including prints and digital with acceptances at around 700. We normally aim for around 500 digital in total and 200 prints. We are limited by how many digital images can comfortably be viewed during an evening at a camera club and limited to the display area of our exhibition venue regarding the prints.

How are the judges for the Beyond Group National Exhibition selected?

We always choose two well-qualified judges from the www.photography-news.co.uk

13/06/2014 11:28

Competitions

PAGB handbook outside the region, alongside one Beyond Group member. There can be no conflict here, as no Beyond Group member can win any award except one designated solely for the best Beyond Group member in print and another in digital.

This year we have Adrian Lines MPAGB, FBPE, EFIAP, ARPS, and Jane Lines DPAGB, LRPS from the Lancashire and Cheshire region alongside Liz Cutting ARPS, DPAGB, BPE4*.

23

ABOVE Water Phoenix Common Kingfisher, Special Theme, Jamie Macarthur RIGHT The Prize Fighter, Special Theme, Reginald Clark LRPS BPE2

How does the judging process work?

We have a silent scoring system using electronic keypads linked to a PC. Scores are from two to five. A score of two means that the judge doesn’t consider it up to the standard for a national exhibition whilst a score of four means that they think it should be in the exhibition. A five means that the judge will personally be considering it for an award. A three however means they are undecided and basically leaves it up to the other two judges to decide. Normally an overall score of 11 or 12 is the acceptance level. Awards are chosen from the highest scores and only then are any of the images discussed between the three selectors.

If there is only one image scoring maximum marks then it automatically gets the gold medal.

Can you tell us about the exhibition’s awards?

There are six PAGB gold medals for best in each section and 18 PAGB silver medals awarded by the selectors for their own personal awards. There are then numerous commended and highly commended ribbons awarded in each section too. There is the Hexagonal Award for the best author over all sections in the exhibition and the Visitors’ Vote in prints, both sponsored by Van Cols School Photography, as well as six special theme awards sponsored by Beyond Group members: • Best Live Performance in Digital Colour • Best Landscape in Digital Monochrome • Best UK Wildlife in Digital Nature • Best Creative in Colour Print • Best Portrait in Monochrome Print • Best Flora/Fungi in Nature Print www.photography-news.co.uk

Are you seeing any imaging trends in particular at the moment in the exhibition?

Every year there seems to be a trend but they rarely continue year on year. Currently though I would say that kingfishers are in vogue, along with dogs, horses and dancers. But who knows what this year’s exhibition will bring.

Composite images seem to be a point of contention in the camera club scene, what is the exhibition’s stance on them?

It is an open exhibition and so they are more than welcome. The judges however may become fed up with seeing too many obvious composites, so one should be careful not to follow trends but to start their own. I do feel though that sometimes people get a bee in their bonnet and think that there are more composites than there are in reality. Last year for example, many of the top awards went to exquisite landscapes. So the best will always stand out no matter what they’re up against.

What do you think a good exhibition image is?

Quality first for me, then impact and originality. Nobody wants to see an open exhibition full of similar images or styles. I would be hoping for a balanced exhibition so that you will please all of the people some of the time. It can be inspirational to others when you have a variety within the acceptances.

Everyone has at least one photograph they are proud of. I would love them to share it with us and possibly the rest of Britain

Are there any common pitfalls that you see across the entries?

Over-sharpened images have been overtaken to some degree by the overuse or inappropriate use of HDR. Best to get that image sharp at the taking stage.

What advice would you give to someone entering the exhibition?

Read the rules and then go for it!

How do you foresee the Beyond Group exhibition growing in the future?

We are constantly listening to our entrants and visitors

alike and hope to continue to be innovative and to be the best exhibition on the circuit.

Are there any plans to move the competition over entirely to digital format?

We hope never to go back to digital only, as it is always nicer to see a print in its original form hanging on a wall. But it does depend on exhibition gallery space which increasingly seems to be getting more and more difficult to acquire at affordable prices. Council cutbacks always seem to affect the arts first. Closing venues, rising prices or limiting opening hours. But as long as we can find a suitable venue we will continue with a print exhibition.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Everyone has at least one photograph they are proud of. I would love for them to share it with us and possibly the rest of Britain. If you don’t enter, we’ll never know what talent is out there.

Exhibition entry The Beyond Group National Exhibition has BPE status and as such welcomes entrants exclusively from the UK. There are three categories to enter in both print and digital formats: colour, monochrome and nature.

Entries can be submitted by post or online up until the closing date of 20 July. Entrants are charged £1.50 for each image entered, with a minimum entry fee of £6 and a maximum of four images can be entered into each section.

The exhibition will be held in Ipswich Town Hall from 16 September ending after the awards ceremony on 20 September.

π To find out more, go to www.beyondgroup.org.uk.

Issue 9 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 9

www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review

25

ON TEST

Panasonic GH4

Panasonic has gone all out when it comes to video on its new flagship CSC, but what about if you just want to take pictures?

For an even more detailed report on the Panasonic GH4, see issue 46 of Advanced Photographer, on sale 3 July.

SPECS PRICE £1299 body only CONTACT www.panasonic.co.uk SENSOR 16.05 megapixels with Venus Engine VIII IMAGE DIMENSIONS 4608x3456 pixels ISO RANGE 100-25,600 (expanded) AUTOFOCUS MODES 1-Area, pinpoint, custom multi, 49-area, tracking, face detection EXPOSURE COMPENSATION +/- 5 EV in 1/3 EV steps SHUTTER 60secs-1/8000sec METERING PATTERNS 1728-zone multi, centreweighted, spot SHOOTING SPEEDS Single, continuous 12fps, self-timer LCD SCREEN 3in articulated touch screen, 1036k dots STORAGE MEDIA SD, SDHC, SDXC DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 132.9x93.4x83.9mm WEIGHT 480g (body only)

Words by Ian Fyfe As headline camera features go, the Panasonic GH4 goes against the grain. Where most would be shouting about megapixels, sensor size, shooting speed or ISO sensitivity, with the GH4, it’s video. This is fair enough, since it’s the first compact system camera (CSC) to feature 4K video recording, which is four times better than Full HD and the latest standard for cinema. At this price, it’s a huge attraction to amateur and professional videographers, but for us stills photographers without Hollywood tendencies, the 4K appeal is limited. That’s not to say that the GH4 has nothing to offer us though.

Technological benefit While 4K is mainly about video, the technology that’s included in the GH4 to support it brings benefits for photographers. They start with the newly developed 16.05-megapixel sensor – this gives no increase in resolution over the GH3, and is the same as most current Micro Four Thirds cameras, but the dynamic range has been expanded. This combines with the excellent 1728-zone metering system (the GH3 used just 144 zones) to produce well-exposed images with plenty of detail in the highlights and shadows. In fact, I struggled to find conditions in which the iDynamic and HDR features were necessary to deal with high contrast, and in well over 1000 frames, I never touched the exposure compensation button.

Data comes thick and fast with 4K recording, so the new sensor has a 50% higher speed signal read-out, and there’s a brand new Venus Engine quad-core image processor. For stills photography, this translates into an impressive top shooting rate

In well over 1000 frames, I never touched the exposure compensation button www.photography-news.co.uk

of 12 frames-per-second, or 7.5 with continuous focusing. Shooting Raw and JPEG with a 16GB PNY Performance UHS-I SDHC card, these top speeds were maintained for bursts of 35-40 before slowing, and with just JPEGs, this increased to over 130. This is all with the physical shutter though, and burst speeds can be higher with an all-electronic shutter – up to 40 frames-per-second. This is fantastic for capturing a precise moment, but there’s a heavy penalty in resolution since images are just four megapixels. The alternative for achieving the equivalent of such high frame rates is to pull stills from 4K video clips, since these are 8.8 megapixels, enough for prints slightly bigger than A4 at 300ppi.

Focusing in the GH4 is based on contrast detection, but incorporates Depth from Defocus (DFD) technology. According to Panasonic, this compares two images with different sharpness to calculate the distance to the subject, and in practice it works well. In 1-Area AF, the lens snaps into position almost the instant you press the shutter button – it’s at least on a par with Olympus’s Fast AF, and very close to DSLR performance. Low light slows it down, but that’s to be expected.

There are plenty more focusing options too.

Custom Multi mode allows you to tailor the active focusing areas to the shape of a subject, or to have two separated areas active. Pinpoint AF is a neat option – on half pressing the shutter release, the AF area is magnified so you can see precisely where the central cross falls. It’s slower than 1-Area AF, so not an option all the time, but great when accuracy is paramount such as when working close up.

Continuous AF combined with burst shooting coped well with moving traffic, and only the odd shot was completely out of focus, with recovery within a couple of frames. A sterner test with Second World War and modern fighter planes at an air show was generally more than it could cope with, but on switching to manual focus for this, the excellent focus peaking function was invaluable.

This highlights sharp edges with fluorescent blue, green or yellow, and it’s very accurate, even when using a shallow depth-of-field – you don’t get

ABOVE The layout may have come across as untidy, but it soon became second nature, allowing quick control. BELOW Focus peaking in manual focus was a great help when shooting at an air show.

widespread highlighting of edges across the frame as with some systems. It does need quite highcontrast edges to be useful though – the edges of a flower petal were highlighted easily, but the less distinct edges of water drops on the same petals didn’t register.

Professional body With the professional-level video capabilities comes a professional-level body – it has a magnesium alloy frame, and the texturing, grip and weight feel good in the hand. It’s big though, not far off the size of a DSLR like the Nikon D5300, which Issue 9 | Photography News

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Camera review

negates the usual size advantage of the Micro Four Thirds system, although there’s still an advantage because of the more compact lenses.

At first, the GH4 control layout didn’t seem very logical, and the number of custom buttons was a little daunting, but it wasn’t long before everything became second nature. The top-plate is particularly good, with white-balance, ISO and exposure compensation buttons within easy reach of your shutter finger. But what I thought initially was disarray across the rest of the body soon became intuitive, and provides excellent quick control. Ten programmable buttons with at least 50 options each means there’s huge flexibility – it’s almost too much, and I didn’t feel the need to change anything from default, but if you want to pull settings out of menus, then the option is there. The only thing I didn’t really like was the control wheel on the back, which turns too easily and can be fiddly.

The LCD is a touch panel, which you may consider a blessing or a curse. I used it very little because the other controls felt so natural, but it’s very well implemented. It’s not a case of having it on or off; different functions can be deactivated independently. For example, when using the viewfinder, the touch screen can still be used to Photography News | Issue 9

move the AF point – unless you flip the screen out, your nose can operate it unintentionally, but what’s clever is that you can turn this Track Pad function off without sacrificing touch AF functions altogether.

The viewfinder too is very impressive. It has 2359k dots, the same as the best electronic viewfinders around, and a decent magnification of 0.67x for a bright and clear image, but what really impressed me was its speed. Even tracking Spitfires and modern fighter jets, movement was smooth, and there was no lag whatsoever, so I had no trouble with timing shots. The only complaint was once I started burst shooting, because then you get no live view of the subject between frames, so it’s tricky to keep your focus point in the right spot – this is a fundamental difference between electronic and optical viewfinders, but it seems more acute with faster shooting rates.

ABOVE Dynamic range is excellent, giving plenty of detail in highlights and shadows. BELOW Optical image stabilisation is included in the 14140mm kit lens, helping to take shots with slower shutter speeds.

I used the touch screen very little because the other controls felt so natural, but it’s well implemented www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review RAW

JPEG

27 IRESOLUTION EXTENDED

IRESOLUTION LOW

IRESOLUTION STANDARD

IRESOLUTION HIGH

Image quality and iResolution At base ISO levels of 100 or 200, detail in GH4 images is largely very good. That said, there were images where some detail was a little blocky, and occasionally fine detail appeared smudgy and indistinct.

Unusually, JPEG files from the GH4 generally appeared better than Raw files converted with default settings in

Panasonic’s Silkypix software supplied with the camera.

The most recent update to Adobe software didn’t include compatibility with GH4 Raw files, so this supplied software is currently your only choice.

Designed to improve resolution in JPEGs is the iResolution function, which seems to effectively be in-

camera sharpening that can be set to several different levels. The effect of this was hard to see in these images, even when they were viewed at full size.

Only the highest setting seemed to make any significant difference, and at this level it also introduced some artefacts.

The verdict

ISO 100

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

All in all, there’s very little about the GH4 to criticise. It feels like a big step up for Panasonic, with the very impressive focusing system, topquality viewfinder and fast shooting capabilities.

What’s more, with Panasonic, Olympus and some third-party manufacturers in the Micro Four Thirds frame, the system is well established and includes some exceptional optics.

But there’s a niggle. For a Micro Four Thirds camera, it’s big. So big in fact, that the main advantage of a CSC, namely the size, is almost negated. It’s true that the lenses are more compact, so there’s a saving there, but the body itself is barely smaller than some DSLRs and with them you’re likely to get better image quality and ISO performance from the bigger sensor, and better focusing capabilities when it comes to moving subjects. What’s more, all APS-C DSLRs are cheaper than the GH4, so the balance is a fine one.

PANASONIC GH4 FEATURES

24/25

HANDLING

24/25

PERFORMANCE

22/25

VALUE FOR MONEY

22/25

It’s packed with impressive specs

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

ISO performance To look at noise performance, Raw files were processed in Panasonic’s Silkypix editor with all noise reduction parameters set to zero. Up to ISO 400, image quality remains largely unchanged, although at 400 some grain starts to appear. From ISO 800, noise becomes obvious as coarse www.photography-news.co.uk

ISO 25,600

High quality, intuitive, flexible Very good all round

grain, and I’d avoid anything above ISO 1600. In JPEG files, the grain is smoothed out, at the expense of a large amount of detail and unusually there’s no control over the level of noise reduction. Noise reduction in the Silkypix software has a similar effect, although you have finer control.

More than a DSLR with an APS-C sensor

OVERALL 92/100 Impressive, but quite an investment PROS Handling, AF speed, shooting rate, viewfinder, 4K video CONS Image quality and ISO performance could be improved, expensive

Issue 9 | Photography News

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Kit reviews

Mini tests

Our new, regular look at some of the latest photographic kit to land on dealers’ shelves Words by Will Cheung

SPECS PRICE £310 CONTACT www.intro2020.co.uk LIGHT MEASURING METHOD Reflected, flat incident, dome incident SYNC SPEEDS 1sec-1/1000sec APERTURES (Flash) f/1-90 RADIO MODULE Elinchrom Skyport speed, Phottix Strato II POWER Dedicated rechargeable Li-ion DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 139x66x15mm WEIGHT 100g

SPECS PRICE £1799 CONTACT www.chillblast.com CONNECTIVITY USB 3.0 & 2.0, Ethernet, DVI, HDMI, eSATA MEMORY 16GB, 2x 2000GB SATA hard disks in RAID 1 COMPATIBILITY LG Blu-ray rewriter, internal card reader

Photography News | Issue 9

Gossen DigiSky

£310

For many, light meters belong in the dark ages, but they still have their place – achieving precision in multihead set-ups or accurate lighting ratios. Which is why units like the Gossen DigiSky are still in production.

This highly advanced light meter works for ambient light and flash; I tried it out mainly for flash.

The only time I charged the Li-ion battery was before use, and there was power left after my test.

The DigiSky is comfortable enough to wear around the neck, but I’m not convinced it’s that robust. Its front is dominated by a monitor, which is packed with information. There’s no on/off button; simply turn the meter diffuser to the desired mode and the meter springs to life. After 60 seconds (or whichever time you choose), it powers down, indicated by a blinking orange LED, and pushing the M button wakes it up.

You find everything you’d expect on the display – metering mode, aperture, shutter speed, ISO and battery condition – as well as extra details, such as exposure difference. You can also customise the display from the menu.

Metering accuracy is down to 1/10EV when you take a reading; you get an f/stop and sometimes a fraction, ie. f/6.3 and +0.1EV so you know it’s 1/10EV greater than f/6.3. You can also use the meter to

The verdict trigger flash units with Elinchrom’s Skyport or Phottix’s Strato II system, without the need for an extra unit.

Triggering via cable is also possible.

Switched on and with the appropriate metering mode selected, push the M button and the display shows Waiting. Fire the flash and you get a reading.

Untouched for 30 seconds, the meter displays Break; push M to reactivate it. If Range appears, you’re out of range. All very simple, and the meter consistently gave accurate results throughout my test.

Easy to use and accurate, the DigiSky is a joy to use. Although handling is generally sound, I’m not convinced by the on/off switch. Ultimately though that shouldn’t be enough to put you off what is a fine piece of kit – nor should the price deter you, it’s worth it.

PROS Integral radio module, versatile, accurate, great display CONS Lacks solidity, feel of the on/off switch

Chillblast Fusion Photo OC V £1799 When you’ve a stack of images to process, speed can be of the essence – something a common PC might not offer you. If speed is crucial, then you need the right computer, nay, a dedicated photo editing workstation. Enter the Chillblast Fusion Photo OC V. Chillblast has been quietly doing its thing, ie. producing highly specified PCs, for more than a decade. Numerous pro shooters, as well as media artists, are already amongst its customers. This model is designed with photographers and their file sizes in mind, with the emphasis on speed and ease of use.

The Chillblast will handle huge files from DSLRs like the Nikon D800 without batting a digital eyelid.

Currently, the Fusion claims to be one of the fastest PCs on the market. Its spec list is truly eye-popping, with a powerful six-core Intel Core i7 processor driving the whole thing and 16GB of RAM that makes easy weather of editing high-resolution, multilayered images. If it’s not enough, you can upgrade the RAM to 64GB. For speedy reading and writing, the Fusion uses a 250GB Samsung 840 EVO solid-state drive, which uses little power and is virtually silent. The Asus

The verdict X79 Deluxe Motherboard, Dual Intelligent Processors 4 with 4-Way Optimisation, Corsair Hydro Series H100 Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB graphics card complete the picture – of a lean, mean editing machine. Oh, and squeezed in there too is built-in RAID storage to keep your images safe.

Putting the Fusion together was a breeze, as was uploading 33.5GB of images from a 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro 90MB/s CF. Using the latest PNY USB 3.0 card reader, the images uploaded in just under six minutes and flicking through them was swift.

Working with images is the Fusion’s raison d’être.

While it will, of course, also handle the mundane, like writing your opinion piece for PN, it’s really there to make your photographic life stress free.

It’s not a cheap piece of kit, but if you need a powerful machine for your big image files, take a closer look.

PROS Processing speed, versatility CONS Price

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Kit reviews SPECS PRICES 100mm filter holder £65, adaptor ring £18, ND8 £85, ND64 £90, ND3.0 £95, ND0.9 soft-edged £90, ND0.9 hard-edged £95, 100mm square circular polariser £90, 150mm filter holder £95 CONTACT www.ukphotodistro. co.uk

SPECS PRICES MKSTRO1 NanoPole Stand and Snap Tilthead kit £92; MS0490A NanoPole stand £64; MLH1HS Snap Tilthead £33 CONTACT www.manfrotto.co.uk NANOPOLE Maximum extension 184mm; minimum length 50cm; weight 517g NANOPOLE STAND Maximum height (at max stability setting) 194cm; minimum height (at max stability setting) 60cm; folded length 51cm; weight 1052g SNAP TILTHEAD Weight 193g

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NiSi Filter System from £65 A new kid on the UK block, Chinese brand NiSi has been around since 2007, and has now arrived on our shores courtesy of UKphotodistro. NiSi makes high-quality screw-in and slot-in filters, and it’s the latter I’m looking at here.

The system is based around a slotted filter holder, which attaches to an adaptor ring that in turn screws into the lens’s filter thread. I tried the 100x100mm system, with the ND1000 (an extreme long exposure filter, 1000x or 10EV) and a GND 0.9 (a soft-edged neutral density graduate filter).

The aluminium holder is very well machined from aviation grade aluminium and nicely finished in matte black. It has two slots, and in the box are components to add a third. The supplied 77mm adaptor ring is made from copper with black nickel coating. The holder is held in place by two lugs towards its base and a spring-loaded retaining pin.

The GND 0.9 is a 2mm optical glass filter, measuring 100x150mm. Obviously, as it’s glass there is one immediate worry: dropping it. The filter has a nano coating and claims low colour cast, high definition and ultra-low reflections. It’s certainly a quality product – you can see the nano coating when viewing it at an angle, and holding it obliquely, only minimal distortion is visible.

The ND1000 is also made from glass, with a foam gasket on one side to prevent light leakage during

long exposures, and it measures 100x100mm. The asymmetric foam gasket means there’s a wrong way and a right way to use it; if you’re having trouble slotting it into the holder, rotate it and try again. It features a waterproof coating and the same optical qualities as the grad.

I tested the long exposure filter on a Nikon D800, first shooting using AWB and then using the camera’s manual Kelvin settings to determine which value gave the most neutral results. AWB did a capable job, if a little warm. To avoid the warmth, I suggest 5500K as a starting point. I also tested its filter factor, which was just about spot on at 10EV.

The verdict

Quality is high – I was certainly impressed optically. My one concern is not dropping them!

And the extreme long exposure filter produced fine results, even using AWB, and its filter factor is pretty much spot on.

PROS Build quality, optical quality, coated filters CONS Limited filter range currently, expensive glass ND grads

Manfrotto NanoPole and Snap Tilthead £92 The NanoPole Stand can be used as a lighting stand or a lighting pole. As a pole, it has four sections and extends to 184cm, and is topped with a standard lighting spigot. Lighting poles are available, so the NanoPole is not unique in that regard, but it can be fitted into a three-legged base giving a perfectly capable lighting stand with a twist. One of the legs has an extension so that if you need the flash to be leaning forward, the extension gives a lean of a couple of inches. The pole becomes a stand by sliding it into position and clicking it into place, and it’s marked to indicate maximum stability. There is also a ballast hook for a weight to aid stability.

You get ultimate flexibility with the Snap Tilthead, and this can be used on any standard lighting stand with a spigot. It just pushes into position and it clicks onto the retaining spigot automatically so the flash won’t fall off. Locking the head into position to stop it rotating is done by pressing the thumb catch.

The head itself has a standard cold shoe and it is sprung so its default position is straight up. Should you want to alter the angle of the head – it flexes down to 90° – use the big locking knob to securely hold it in position. The head itself is finished with a

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The verdict

hold and locking screw to take a brolly stem.

The cold shoe does not have a ‘stop’ so a flashgun can be attached from either side. The potential downside is that the flashgun’s own locking mechanism might not be secure enough to keep the unit in place. But there is a twist lock to ensure the flashgun can’t go anywhere once secured.

I tried the heaviest hotshoe gun I have, a Lencarta Atom 360 with a brolly, and the locking mechanism provided completely secure. It’s a really simple idea but very effective too.

In use, the set-up is a delight and the option of two functions of the NanoPole Stand is brilliant. Add the Tilthead and you have tremendous versatility too.

Simple. If you enjoy strobism, the NanoPole Stand and Snap Tilthead combination is a definite musthave and a bargain at the £92 kit price. The pair provide a degree of flexibility that will make your life easier whether you’re shooting with or without an assistant.

There are plenty of flashgun to lighting stand adaptors around but I can’t think of any that are as good as the Snap Tilthead in use. It is so solid, resonates of Manfrotto build quality and the locking mechanism is excellent.

Both come highly recommended.

PROS Very versatile, good stability, extension length, well made, great handling CONS Nothing

Issue 9 | Photography News

30

Technique PHOTO SCHOOL

Camera class

Everyone has to start somewhere, even top pros, and in our regular Photo School feature we’re taking a close look at core techniques that every beginner needs to know. This month, in Camera class we look at how to take control of white-balance in-camera, while in Software skills we see how to selectively adjust white-balance in post-processing Words by Ian Fyfe Last time we looked at what white-balance is and the effect it has on your images. For perfect images, you need to get this right, and there are various ways to take control and make sure this happens – the one you choose may depend on personal preference, and the specific situation. n Can I just leave my camera in auto white-balance?

Auto white-balance (AWB) certainly makes things simple, and with most modern cameras, it does a good job, especially when using natural light. But AWB isn’t foolproof and can get confused, particularly with artificial light or when light sources are mixed.

If shooting Raw, you can adjust it after the event, as we saw last time. With mixed light sources, this might be necessary anyway to balance different areas, and you can see how to deal with this in Software skills below. But you can get white-balance more accurate in-camera by using presets or custom settings. n What are presets and how do I use them?

Your camera’s white-balance menu includes preset options designed to suit specific lighting situations.

Typically, these include Tungsten/Incandescent, Fluorescent, Daylight, Overcast, Shade and Flash.

They simply allow one-touch adjustment of the colour temperature setting to a value that’s most likely to suit the corresponding lighting conditions. If AWB is struggling, one of these presets might do a better job, and they can usually also be fine-tuned to get them spot on. n How do I use custom white-balance?

Sometimes getting the best results means telling the camera exactly what to do when it comes to whitebalance, and there are usually two ways of doing this.

The first is to use the Kelvin or Colour Temperature mode, which lets you dial in an exact colour temperature value. This is particularly useful when using lights or filters that have colour temperatures specified by the manufacturers.

The second is by using the Custom white-balance mode. This allows you to set the white-balance by telling the camera how a neutral subject appears under given lighting conditions. To set it up, you usually press the shutter while the frame is filled with the neutral subject, and the camera calculates the colour temperature of the light. For the neutral subject, you can use something as simple as a white piece of paper, but for maximum accuracy, you can buy specially made grey cards. This tailors the whitebalance setting exactly to the lighting conditions for very accurate results.

ADOBE LIGHTROOM

Part 9: Make mixed lighting consistent

Mixed lighting situations can be troublesome but editing software like Adobe Lightroom 5 can help you out of a hole. Take this image of Stef taken on a recent Photography Workshops training course. There’s daylight coming in from the left as we look and to the right there is tungsten lighting that’s dominating the scene. Using Lightroom’s editing features, we can create a more uniform lighting effect across the scene. I worked on a different section of the image in each step and it still only took three steps and a few minutes work to straighten things out.

Photography News | Issue 9

One scene, five different white-balance approaches (from left to right): Auto, Custom, Fluorescent, Shade and Tungsten.

NEXT MONTH: Raw or JPEG? What are the pro and cons of both file types, and what should you use? We have the answers next issue

STEP 1 Under the Basics menu I chose the Radial Filter (shortcut keys M + Shift) and drew the filter over Stef in the bottom left corner. Unticking Invert Mask makes the image outside the mask active and by moving the filter’s Temp slider to the left, the orange cast can be neutralised.

I went all the way to -100.

Software skills Words by Will Cheung

Using white-balance presets

BEFORE Shot with AWB in mixed lighting.

STEP 2 There is a little orange cast to the left of the model caused by Step 1. Using the Radial tool again, I clicked New and drew a small ellipse to cover the area I wanted to alter and this time Invert Mask is left ticked so the area inside the mask is altered. The filter’s Temp slider was moved to -58 to take out the orange cast.

STEP 3 The image is now more neutral but the door jamb has a cool cast. A Graduated filter can resolve this, again using the filter’s Temp slider (moved to 56) to neutralise the coolness. The result is a more balanced image compared with the starting file.

AFTER Uniform lighting across the scene.

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Issue 9 | Photography News

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

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Photography News | Issue 9

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Issue 9 | Photography News

34

Advertisement feature COMPETITION

Win your own print Photogifts is giving you the exciting opportunity to win your very own handcrafted print A beautiful photograph deserves to be displayed beautifully, which is why at Photogifts our decades worth of photographic experience informs everything we do. From the selection of raw materials, media and even packaging, we work hard to ensure that we offer high-quality products at very attractive prices.

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CLOSING DATE IS 21 JULY 2014 All the correct entries will go into a prize draw and the four winners will be picked at random. PN will publish the winner’s details in a future issue.

Terms & Conditions n Entrants must submit their answer to win@photography-news.co.uk using the subject line Photogifts. n All four winners will be selected at random. n The winners will be notified by email/phone and the results may be published in PN. n This competition is open to UK residents only. n All entrants must be at least 18 years old. Employees of Bright Publishing and Photogifts and their immediate families and agents may not enter. n Entries must be received by 21 July 2014. n Entries not in accordance with these rules will be disqualified: by entering the competition, competitors will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by these rules. n The prize must be taken as offered with no alternative. n In the event that the prize cannot be supplied no liability will be attached to Bright Publishing. n If you do not wish your data to be shared with Photogifts, please state NO DATA in the email’s subject line. n For full terms and conditions, please visit www.bright-publishing.com.

Photography News | Issue 9

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Issue 9 | Photography News

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tailored workshops for camera clubs Sit back, close your eyes, relax and envisage your ideal photography workshop.

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Photography News | Issue 9

skill set such as multiple exposures, intentional camera movement, high key imagery, or slow shutter speed panning.

You’ve can also choose how much ‘in the field’ and how much post processing you want to do, and whether that’s ‘straight’ processing or HDR. Cheryl Hamer Photography will work with you to create exactly this opportunity. Courses run in Anglesey and Snowdonia which provide such a varied landscape that you can choose any kind of experience you want and practice any set of skills.

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Photography News | Issue 9

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To advertise in classifieds Please call Maria on 01223 499457

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Issue 9 | Photography News

40

Prize wordsearch

Win Samsung memory cards Only 19 of the 20 words in the list below appear in the wordsearch. Complete the puzzle and find the missing word. Email us with it in the subject line, and your name will go into the prize draw hat. Send your entries to: puzzle@photography-news.co.uk.

The winner will be picked at random from all correct entries received before the closing date of 21 July 2014.

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Photography News | Issue 9

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