NZ Photographer - Issue 42

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Issue 42 : May 2015

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Welcome Allan

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ongratulations to Ashley Ross, the winner of this month’s competition, for his wonderful abstract image. Well done. One of the things I’d like to do as the new editor is to increase the numbers of people entering in our monthly competition.

ABOUT Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free! EDITOR Allan Cox, allan@nzphotographer.co.nz GROUP EDITOR Richard Liew ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Phone Jennifer Liew on 09 522 7257 or email jenniferl@espiremedia.com WEBSITE www.nzphotographer.co.nz

NZ Photographer is an Espire Media publication

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If you’re tempted by the prizes on offer, yet still are not entering, then that says to me that there must be something blocking you. I’d like to try and remove as many barriers as possible. The rules about being 100 dpi and in the colour space of Adobe RGB have now been removed. Another common barrier to entering a competition is the psychological one of “I can’t win!”. If you have ever said this to yourself (and I know that I have!) remember that there is a difference between “I can’t win!” and “I might not win!”. If you don’t enter then, the first one applies. If you do enter, then the second applies. Yes, you might not win, but then again, you might!

Allan Cox Allan Cox Resident Judge NZ Photographer


GET SHOOTING AND WIN! The theme for next month’s competition is ‘water’. From a single drop to a vast ocean, it’s everywhere, and the creative possibilities are endless. Show us what you can do!

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hotographers - This is a great opportunity to improve your photography skills and get some feedback from professional photography judges in a safe and friendly environment. Here's what's up for grabs: • The winning image on the cover of the next issue • A high quality print of your image and cover to immortalise your achievement for your grandchildren, courtesy of PCL Imaging •

$50 cash

• And of course, bragging rights and the envy of your fellow NZ Photographer fans! Check out next month’s theme and enter at www.nzphotographer.co.nz!

✸ WIN!

Next Month's Competition:

Abstract

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FEATURE ARTIST

Craig McKenzie T

his Months feature artist is Craig McKenzie. Craig takes amazing bird photos and has been kind enough to shared some of his photos and tell us a bit about his photography.

NZP: What is your favourite photography accessories? CRAIG: Does a gimbal head (Wimberley) count as an accessory or is it more of an essential item?

NZP: How did you first get into photography? CRAIG: Recording trips into the mountains in my youth.

NZP: And were would the dream location to shoot be? CRAIG: I went to New Zealand’s sub-antarctic islands a few years ago. I would love to go back with the knowledge gained on that trip and subsequently, especially if I could spend longer to really get to know it.

NZP: What or who inspires you? CRAIG: Wilderness and the natural world. I look at photographs and find inspiration from numerous photographers but cannot really single any out. NZP: How would you describe your photographic style? CRAIG: A difficult question probably best left to others to answer.

NZP: Aside from birds, what are your other favourite photography styles? CRAIG: Other nature subjects and uncultivated landscapes. NZP: When someone looks at your photos, what do you want them to take away from them? CRAIG: Pleasure, curiosity, awe. I do not take photographs to disturb, shock or sadden people.

NZP: What would be in your camera bag on a typical day shooting birds? CRAIG: A camera with the big long lens and a tripod is usually enough to carry so not much more than spare batteries, cards and a few tools just in case, lunch and NZP: What is it that you love about photography? maybe a short lens in the hope of good landscape light CRAIG: An excuse to get out and about. While out, looking for photographs helps you see more. on the way home. 4 www.nzphotographer.co.nz


NZP: What are your three tips for others who want to become better photographers? CRAIG: Look at other photographer’s photographs that you would like to emulate and take the time to try and work out what they have done to make them work for you and then try yourself. If you cannot, hopefully, you can find someone to help you. You will have definite questions to ask so you will get more satisfactory answers. It is all too easy to take photographs these days so take time to think about each one more and decide if there is a better way to take it.

NZP: What is your goal with your photography? CRAIG: May sound selfish but to enjoy myself and forget about the worries of day to day life. Others enjoying seeing them is a welcome bonus. NZP: Do different birds require different approaches? CRAIG: Definitely. Some birds let you approach them and for others you have to anticipate where they might move and let them come to you. There is a book in answering this question.

NZP: For those of us who don’t want to take out a second mortgage to buy a big lens, what other ways are NZP: Raw vs. jpg and why? there to get close to birds? CRAIG: Raw. Better ability to tweak exposure and white CRAIG: Some birds, e.g., small forest birds and whitebalance. I fully process relatively few photographs, so the fronted terns will allow you to get close enough to them extra time required to extract the maximum from the file with modest lenses. It is a matter of getting to know the doesn’t bother me. various species. There are some suitable lenses that do not break the bank. The Canon 400/5.6 has a very good NZP: What is the most common mistake you see people reputation and very recently Tamron and Sigma have making when shooting these days? brought out a zoom lens that goes to 600mm for a very CRAIG: A chance for me to get on my hobby horse. In nature modest price. A photograph with the bird small in the frame photography, I see far too many photographs that are not but in interesting surroundings can be very effective. sharp enough. I suspect it is to do with not taking enough care to keep the camera still or overcropping to get the NZP: Where can we see more of your work? subject large enough in the frame. www.flickr.com/photos/craigmckenzie ■ www.nzphotographer.co.nz 5


Macro Number Four By Allan Cox

www.nzphotoworkshops.com

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talked last time about the fact that as you focus closer the depth of field gets smaller. Because of this, when doing macro photography, we have to be a bit more careful with our focus. In normal photography—unless we are shooting wide open e.g. f2.8—any small focus errors are taken care of by our depth of field. With Macro, you have no room for focus errors. For critical focusing, I use the cameras ‘live view’ function. When live view is switched on, instead of looking through the viewfinder, we see the scene on the back of the viewing screen. This is of little value by itself. However, something 6 www.nzphotographer.co.nz

that you can do that makes it useful, is to magnify a part of the scene. This magnified view lets us check and correct focus. Turn live view on and what the camera is ‘seeing’ will appear on the back screen. There should be a button with a symbol of a plus inside a magnifying glass, that when pushed, magnifies the scene. Often pushing this button multiple times increases the magnification. You can move this magnified point around, with the four way directional controller - ‘multi-controller’ for Canon, ‘multi-selector’ for Nikon.


The tweaking of the focus, so it is perfectly sharp can be done with the focus ring on the lens. However, I am inclined to use a focus rail. A focus rail goes between the camera and tripod and allows you to make small adjustments to the position of the camera with the turning of a knob. We’ll also use the focus rail later on for a technique called ‘focus stacking’. If you’ve started to get the feeling that macro photography involves lots of little accessories (toys) like this, then you are right. For the more specialised accessories like a focusing rail, eBay is probably the best place I would normally decide which part of the scene I want to be to go to get them. If, while, in eBay, you search for ‘Macro pin sharp. I will focus on that by eye while looking through focusing rail’ you will find enough to sink the Titanic. Prices the viewfinder. Then I’ll switch to live view, magnify the start from about $15. part that I want to be sharp to the maximum and tweak the If you haven’t discovered eBay yet, then you should try it. focus until it is perfect. Finally, I will switch from live view Friday night, a credit card, a bottle of wine and eBay: you mode to mirror lock-up mode and take the photograph. can have a whole lot of fun! And two weeks later, when the Obviously, this technique only works when shooting off of a parcels start turning up on your doorstep, it’s going to feel tripod and will not work with anything that is moving, like like Xmas all over again (especially if, like me, you can’t remember what you bought). ■ an insect on the go or a plant blowing in the wind.

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PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND INC.

COMPOSITION

THE THINKING PERSON’S GUIDE TO COMPOSITION

By Bob McCree FPSNZ

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What is composition

a) Principle of thirds If the 35mm frame is mentally divided into third’s, both Composition could be described as the arrangement of vertically and horizontally, experience has shown, that any the elements within an image to give a balanced and subject lined up along these lines, or any intersections interesting picture. thereof, will often result in a harmonious balance among How is good composition achieved? the various elements. It is not a rigid rule but rather • By having a good “photographic eye”. a guide that will usually give a pleasing balance and • By applying the basic photographic principles learned. harmonious composition. • By control of lighting, exposure and by good camera b) Diagonals technique. Diagonal lines in an image can be used to lead the eye through to a centre of interest or can be used to give a What are the basic tenants of composition? more dynamic balance to the image. They can be straight 1. Balance. lines, curved lines, parallel lines or converging lines. Their 2. Creation of a centre of interest. application should strengthen the composition and add 3. The use of shape and form. interest to the basic image. Diagonal lines are stronger 4. The use of perspective. than horizontal or vertical lines and when used as a lead 5. Simplicity. in lines can give a strong, balanced composition. c) Horizons Avoid placing the horizon through the centre of the Above all else, the image must be ‘balanced’ - it must look right. It must ‘read’ correctly with a lead in taking image. Raise or lower it away from the centre to strengthen the image and give a better balance. Learn to the eye from the edge of the frame into the ‘centre make a feature of either the landscape or the sky - not of interest’ where the mind can dwell, evaluate, and appreciate the image. It should not be unbalanced to the both at one time. It’s called making decisions, which is what good composition is all about. Get to the heart of point that the eye roams around the image seeking a the image and remove the dross - a bit of each of two point upon which to alight. separate elements in one image rarely works. Better to It should not be over-burdened with too much isolate one element and build a composition around it information so that the eye cannot comfortably land at the heart of the composition. It must fit the frame and be rather than introduce too many elements into it (KISS correctly positioned within it. It should fill the frame - not principle). If you must have a horizon in the image make sure it is straight and level! be but a part of it with useless, peripheral information surrounding the essential image. d) Backgrounds

1. Balance

Balance does not mean symmetrical balance - i.e., everything dead centre or all elements of equal size and shape or equidistant from each other, as this is generally uninteresting. It is better to opt for ‘dynamic balance’ where the elements are of unequal size or varying distance from each other. Think of a fulcrum - a heavy weight at one end, close to the centre of balance counterbalanced by a lighter weight at the other end, further away from the centre point. The two are uneven yet are in balance - so it is with composition.

I consider the selection of the background to an image to be of equal, or even more importance than the subject itself. It must not compete with, or overrule the subject - for good balance it should be subsidiary to, yet complement the main subject matter. Choose your backgrounds with equal care to that of your subject, as the background is the base on which your composition sits. It should complement and enhance your subject - not overwhelm it. This can be achieved by lighting ratios, points of view, selective focus, colour and lighting contrasts, etc. www.nzphotographer.co.nz 9


Most photographers try to put too much information into their images

2. Centres of Interest Most images need a centre of interest or a point that is the heart of the composition. The logical point to which the eye leads is usually best placed on the strong portion of the image, for example on the thirds line. It is often counterbalanced by one or more subsidiary elements in the composition, as explained above in ‘dynamic balance’. The centre of interest should be the strongest element in the image around which all else revolves. It can be achieved by making it the largest apparent element in the frame, or by highlighting it with stronger lighting, or by using strong lead in lines to bring the eye logically to that point. Alternatively, you can use a

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muted background to project your subject matter as the strongest element in the composition, or you can use a combination of all these artifices. As a photographer, you need to cultivate an ability to correctly select the centre of interest in your image and build an interesting composition around it by using all the artifices of your craft. You need to be selective. You need to have a thorough knowledge of exposure and lighting and your camera’s capabilities and, above all, you need to indulge in a little creative and lateral thinking to achieve your ends. You need to create the image in the mind first then set about translating it into practice through the application of sound photographic practices.


3. Shape and Form Shape infers the organisation of lines into cohesive, twodimensional outlines while form implies that in addition to the subject outline its three-dimensional volume is apparent, also. Because photography is inherently twodimensional, shape and form are essentially graphic characteristics of the medium. They suggest the real world but belong to the graphic world.

good compositional and creative effect. The inspired use of perspective and camera angle are two of the most effective compositional tools available to the creative photographer.

5. Simplicity

KISS - keep it so simple! As with most things in life, simplicity in composition is the most effective. Most photographers try to put too much information into their images. Try to ruthlessly eliminate all extraneous information from the Shape and form can be enhanced by light and shade, by composition and endeavour to concentrate on the heart of the camera angle or by colour contrast. The extent to which shape issue - the essential elements only. and form should be emphasised in the image should result Spend time looking through the viewfinder and from conscious decisions on the part of the photographer. visualising the final image. Try to find an angle that By a change of camera position, or a lighting alteration, or allows the subject to be displayed in isolation from a change of lens or perspective, a photographer may alter any extraneous and peripheral information. Use all the the shape and form of any given subject. He must be ever artifices of your craft, for example, careful lens selection, conscious of the image’s frame and how it relates to the objects within it. The emphasis may lean towards the graphic precise point of view, selective focus, balanced lighting world, or, alternatively, towards the real world. But whichever ratios, selective exposure. You can use whatever other way the pendulum swings, the emphasis should result from tactic you can conjure up to keep the composition concise and strong. Within reason, the simpler the composition, choice, not chance. the more effective it will be.

4. Perspective The perspective of an image will vary depending on the distance from which an object is viewed and by the angle of view. Thus, an object when viewed from close-up with a wide-angle lens may appear unusually large and distorted. The same object, when viewed from a middle distance, may appear very normal yet when viewed from a distance with a telephoto lens it may appear compressed. The presence of both very near and very distant objects in the same image may give the impression of expansiveness. Conversely, the shallow field of view of a telephoto lens causes distant objects to seem unusually close together. Pointing a wide-angle lens upwards may cause distortion and converging lines. All these characteristics can and should be used to

As a photographer, you must learn to use all these principles to create an interesting and vibrant image. You should cultivate your eyes to see the subject matter and your mind to create the final image. The best images are seen with the eyes but are created in the mind. It matters not that the final image may be somewhat divorced from reality - in fact; this may be an advantage. It is more important that it be compositionally and creatively effective - this is the photographer’s licence. Of all the aspects of photography, the art of composition is an exercise of the creative mind. It involves much creative input, a fine measure of lateral thinking and an ability to apply creatively, some basic principles of the art. Do not be afraid to experiment, or to break the so-called rules, but always, endeavour to be creative and allow the mind full reign. â–

Brought to you by the Photographic Society of New Zealand. Find out more at www.photography.org.nz

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WISE WORDS.

“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe GermanWriter&Philosopher,1749-1832

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Ashley Ross This is the interior ceiling of Knox Church in Dunedin. Makes for a very symmetrical abstract!

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Gail Orgias Spotted on an early morning walk where the light made interesting converging and directional lines to form an abstract pattern on the footpath. Fuji EX-1, 35mm, 1/200 @ f5/6

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Gail Orgias It was late afternoon on Lake Taupo - this was ideal for the reflections and layers of colour in the clear water. Canon 6D, 70-200 f4, 1/15@f/18

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Juliet C. Hopkins Taken at home - laid the forks on a mirror - Canon 600d - sh 1/200 ap 5.6 manual setting. I just love having fun.

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“I feel that if my photograph leaves an image on [your] mind–something has been accomplished” - Robert Frank

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