free gift! FANTASTIC HDR PROJECT 2 SOFTWARe WORTH £80 Issue 47 • July 2015 www.digitalcameraworld.com
NIKON 1 J5
Full Review CORE NIKON KIT
148
DISCOVER the FIVE classic Lenses THE PROS SWEAR BY INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
GET STARTED IN THE STOCK mARKET Make money from your shots this weekend!
PAGES OF NIKON SKILLS AND TIPS! BIG TEST!
WIDE ZOOMS
We sort the best from the rest
MY BIG BREAK
MINI FEATURE
HOW To SHOOT FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Legendary US photographer Joel Sartore reveals all...
YOUR FIRST
WEDDING
Don't miss our beginner's guide!
APPRENTICE
Art is an ever-evolving process. You don’t make progress without mistakes. Although there was the one time I drove my car over my camera bag... Marc Adamus, landscape photographer p100
VARIABLE NDs We put six fab filters to the test p120
LIVE VIEW
Discover how to use it properly! p82
MASTER DRAMATIC
LANDSCAPES
Head behind the scenes of a stormy photoshoot on Skye
POSing GUIDE Keep it natural with our expert tips p44
5
ways to GET even more OUT OF N-PHOTO
Welcome to issue 47 of…
1 Online… Catch up with Nikon news, get inspired & learn new skills
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ABOUT THE COVER
Title Sunset at O Quy Ho Pass Photographer Le Hong Ha Home Vietnam Camera Nikon D800 Lens Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR (see page 122 for a full review of this and other wide-angle lenses) Exposure 1/200 sec, f/16, ISO100 Description O Quy Ho is a mountain pass between the provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau in Vietnam. The area is home to the Hoang Lien range, which includes Mount Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina at 3,414 metres. Website www.flickr.com/ photos/liptonmilktea/
■ Back in the days when film was king, the wisdom was that – all things being equal – the lens was more important than the camera. Sure, fast autofocus was important, and maybe a super-speedy motordrive for those shooting wildlife or sport, but what made the biggest difference to the quality of your images was the quality of your optics, pure and simple. Today, of course, the quality of the sensor, and how an image is processed in-camera, is just as important, but with even the most affordable Nikon D-SLRs now boasting sensors that offer staggering image quality, the lens you use is arguably what matters most – which is where this issue’s feature comes in. We wanted to know which five Nikon lenses were considered to be utterly indispensable by some of the best pros in the business; you can find out what they said, and why, on page 26. For many photographers, of course, there’s as much fun to be had playing with images as taking them, which is why we’re also giving away a free copy of HDR Projects 2 below – if you’ve never tried your hand at HDR processing, now’s your chance! All that, plus an insider’s guide to selling your images as stock, shooting your very first wedding, making the most of Live View, and much more. Enjoy the issue, and happy shooting!
Paul Grogan, Editor paul.grogan@futurenet.com
Get HDR Projects 2 for FREE!
■ Love it or loathe it, it’s safe to say that to do HDR properly, you need dedicated HDR
software, so if you’ve only ever tried it in Photoshop (or worse, in camera) now’s your chance to give a go. Just go to bit.ly/HDRProjects2, download the .exe file onto your PC’s desktop, double-click on it, follow the on-screen instructions, and enjoy!* * Windows PCs only
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Issue 47
July 2015
54
26
Cover feature
Cover feature
Five must-have lenses
Discover the five lenses the pros swear by, and just why they’re worth every penny
Nikon Skills Strike a pose 44 47 Blaze a trail 48 Enter the Library 50 Look, no wires! 52 Play with shadows 54 Make the cut 56 Flood scenes with light Cover feature
From the hair to the feet, here’s how to pose a model with confidence
Use your phone as a light source for stunning indoor light trails Discover how Lightroom’s Library module can help you sort your photos
Use Nikon’s WMU app to control a Wi-Fi-enabled D-SLR using a smartphone Have fun creating shadows for your subjects to interact with
Make a portrait look like it’s been constructed from overlapping strips
Learn how to creating stunning light-trail images with a Pixelstick
4
Essentials The Apprentice 08 18 Lightbox 24 On Assignment 40 Subscriptions offers Your first wedding 61 66 Over to You Cash from your Nikon 94 My Big Break 98 Interview 100 111 Next issue
July 2015
Nikopedia Nikon Know-how 82 Cover feature
Michael Freeman digs deep into Live View, looking at how it works, and when it’s best to step away from your viewfinder and use the LCD instead
86 Nikon software 88 Ask Matt
Discover Nikon View NX-i, Nikon’s new tool for managing your images
Our Nikon expert is here to solve all your camera-related problems and help with those important buying decisions
90 Nikon Toolkit 91 Head-to-head
We help a reader find a lens that delivers beautifully creamy bokeh
Two three-way tripod heads are pitted against each other – do you really need a geared head, or will a standard head do?
92 Nikon by Numbers
The statistics that are setting our photographic world alight this month
One lucky reader gets a masterclass in landscape photography on the Isle of Skye The latest inspirational images from Nikon photographers around the world
Darragh Mason Field shares his experience of shooting a unique Sufi ritual
Save money! Subscribe to N-Photo in print or digital format, or both together
Cover feature
Marcus Hawkins helps you say ‘I do’ to photographing your first wedding Brilliant photo stories, Portfolio Review, your letters and our competition
Cover feature
Got a large archive of top-notch photos? Put it to work as stock!
Cover feature
The picture that got Joel Sartore started – straight from the horse’s mouth
Cover feature
Landscape ace Marc Adamus reveals the secrets of his meteoric rise
The good stuff doesn’t end with this issue – here’s something to look forward to
www.digitalcameraworld.com
expert HANDS-ON video guideS Whenever you see this button, simply use this web link… bit.ly/NPhoto47 to view our online video tutorials
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61 Test Team Nikon 1 J5 114 118 New Gear Mini Test 120 Big Test 122 134 Buyer’s Guide 148 Pro Picks
01
Discover posing tips that will improve every portrait you take
02
03
Access all images with Lightroom’s Library module
04
Control your D-SLR via your phone with Nikon’s WMU app
05
Create shadow silhouettes for a model to interact with
06
07
08
Go for a spin with a mobile phone and a long exposure
Cover feature
It’s small, but packed with features
114
All the latest Nikon-fit kit
Give a plain portrait the look of a colourful collage
Cover feature
Six variable ND filters compared
Cover feature
Eight wide-angle zoom lenses for FX and DX Nikons – but which is best?
118
All the stats you need on cameras and lenses, so you can buy with confidence
Commercial photographer Adam Duckworth shows us the tools of his trade
www.digitalcameraworld.com
122
Use a Pixelstick to Discover Nikon’s new create stunning archiving software, THE VIDEOS AND INFORMATION ARE 100% INDEPENDENT artistic light trails PROVIDED ON THIS DISCNikon View NX-i AND NOT ENDORSED OR SPONSORED BY NIKON CORPORATION OR ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
July 2015
5
Matt had fun with an art installation this issue (p56). Which artworks would the team shoot?
Print 22,708 Digital 7,184 The ABC combined print, digital and digital publication circulation for Jan-Dec 2014 is
29,892
A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations
Paul Grogan Editor | D800
paul.grogan@futurenet.com
Antony Gormley has installed a sculpture on Lundy Island, gazing out to sea. It’s only temporary, so I’d like to capture it while it’s in place.
Andrew Leung Art Editor | D5100
andrew.leung@futurenet.com
I’d head off to Yorkshire Sculpture Park. All those Henry Moore sculptures would make great subjects, and I could pop home for tea!
Ali Jennings Lab Manager | D800 ali.jennings@futurenet.com
Ai Weiwei’s Sunflower Seeds would present a fun challenge – all those tiny monochrome pieces would make a great black-and-white abstract.
Miriam McDonald Operations Editor | D3100 miriam.mcdonald@futurenet.com
Bristol is covered in Shaun the Sheep sculptures this summer – it’d be great to photograph a number and then turn them into a Photoshop collage.
Matt Tuffin Staff Writer | D700 matt.tuffin@futurenet.com
As I’ve shot a static installation, I’d love the chance to photograph a piece of performance art – without getting in the way or distracting the artist!
Angela Nicholson Head of Testing | D7100 angela.nicholson@futurenet.com
Go big or go home, I say – I’d like to photograph the Angel of the North with an amazing sunset or sunrise behind it. It’d catch the light brilliantly.
This issue’s special contributors… Amy Davies
■ If you’re looking for a backup camera to go with your D-SLR, Amy might just have what you need on page 114
Michael Freeman
■ With Live View, what you see is what you get – plus more. Michael explores its intricacies in Nikopedia. Page 82
George Cairns
■ Nikon has just released View NX-i, and George is here to take you through the new software’s major features. Page 86
Tom Welsh
■ Who’s that in the shadows? It’s Tom, finding creative ways to use silhouettes cast by everyday objects. Page 52
Chris Rutter
■ Chris gave this issue’s Apprentice a masterclass in capturing the ever-changing beauty of the Isle of Skye. Page 8
Marc Adamus
■ Discover the challenges Marc faces to capture his breathtakingly beautiful landscape images of wild places. Page 100
James Paterson
■ If you work with models – professional or amateur – you’ll find plenty to love in James’s guide to posing. Page 44
Matthew Richards
■ This issue, Matthew’s fitting more into every frame as he puts eight wide-angle zoom s to the test. Page 122
Special thanks to… Luke Jerram, Bath & North-East Somerset Council, Society of German Nature Photographers (Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen)
July 2015
Paul Grogan Editor Andrew Leung Art Editor Miriam McDonald Operations Editor Matt Tuffin Staff Writer Angela Nicholson Head of Testing Ali Jennings Imaging Lab Manager Video production Pete Gray Producer Adam Lee Videographer Advertising Matt Bailey Senior Sales Executive matt.bailey@futurenet.com, 01225 687511 Claire Harris Account Manager Marketing & circulation Charlotte Lloyd-Williams Direct Marketing Executive Michelle Brock Trade Marketing Manager 0207 429 3683 Print & production Vivienne Calvert Production Controller Mark Constance Production Manager International & licensing Regina Erak International Director regina.erak@futurenet.com, +44 (0)1225 442244 Management Nial Ferguson Content and Marketing Director Matthew Pierce Head of Content & Marketing: Photography, Creative & Design Chris George Group Editor-in-Chief Rodney Dive Group Art Director
Chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick Non-executive chairman Peter Allen Chief financial officer Richard Haley
Our contributors Alan Aitchison, Ben Andrews, Steve Andrews, Katharina Becker, David Clark, Andy Cottle, Adam Duckworth, Mark Ferguson, Matthew Fleming, Ed Godden, Le Hong Ha, Geoff Harris, Marcus Hawkins, Simon Lees, Jolanta Macionczyk, Andy McGregor, Mike McNally, Jean-christophe Coutand Méheut, Philippe Moroux, Juliana Nan, Ken Neal, Jonathan Neale, Graham Parker, Panjaj Patel, James Paterson, Sara Proebsting, Max Rive, Joby Sessions, Anastassia Volkova, Andreas Volz, Jean Walley, Graham Western, Keith Wilson, Neil Wilson, Sigi Zang
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N-Photo Magazine, Future Publishing Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, UK, BA1 1UA Editorial mail@nphotomag.com +44 (0)1225 442244 Subscriptions and back issues (UK) 0844 848 2852 (overseas) +44 (0)1604 251045 Subscriptions nphoto@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Or go to www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/nphoto
Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath) Printed in the UK by William Gibbons and Sons Ltd, on behalf of Future. Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT. Tel 020 7429 4000. Overseas distribution by Seymour International.
N-Photo is an independent publication and is not in any way authorised, affiliated, nor sponsored by Nikon. All the opinions expressed herein are those of the magazine and not that of Nikon. Nikon, NIKKOR and all associated trademarks are the property of Nikon Corporation. © Future Publishing Limited 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other details of products or services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any changes or updates to them. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage.
We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
www.digitalcameraworld.com
THE
Name Jean Walley Camera D5200 ■ Hailing from the Scottish Borders, Jean joined her local camera club when she retired 18 months ago “to meet new people and make new friends”. She’s been interested in photography for years and until recently only ever shot slide film on her old Minolta Dynax SLR. Last year, however, she was persuaded by her new friends at the camera club to invest in a new D5200, and she hasn’t looked back. She loves to shoot landscapes, and as she’s a resident of Scotland, where better to hone her skills than the majestic mountains of Skye…
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July 2015
Name Chris Rutter Cameras D800, D600 ■ As a magazine photographer with more than 15 years’ experience, Chris has shot pretty much every subject going, but in early 2015 he relocated to Skye to pursue his passion for landscape photography. He’s been a Nikon user his whole career, having started with an FM2 film camera. His first digital SLR was a D70, which he initially used alongside his film cameras, but in 2005 he went fully digital with the D2x and later the D3. To see more of his amazing portfolio, and for more details of his tailor-made photography workshops, visit chrisrutterphotography.com
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Landscape masterclass
Faced with gale-force winds, driving rain and even flurries of snow, this month’s Apprentice discovered why dramatic weather can be an advantage when shooting landscapes‌
www.digitalcameraworld.com
July 2015
9
THE
APPRENTICE
Hot Shot #01
expert insight Cloud your judgement Chris says… In any mountainous environment the weather can change very fast, so it pays to keep a close eye on the sky. On the morning of our shoot, we could literally see the clouds forming over the hills and being blown towards us, so timing was everything; minutes after Hot Shot #01 was taken the sky was all but empty. Cloud-gazing enables you to read the weather, and predict when the light will be at its best.
10
July 2015
Expose for the foreground
“The key with any sunrise shot,” says Chris, “is to expose for the landscape part of the scene first. For Jean’s first shot, we set ISO100 and an aperture of f/11 in Manual mode and then pointed her camera at the loch and adjusted the shutter speed until the exposure level indicator lined up with the zero. A quick test shot revealed the loch was a touch over-exposed so we increased the shutter speed from 1/2 sec to 1/5 sec to let in less light and darken the loch a touch. When we recomposed the image, the sky was now completely blown out, but this was easy enough to fix with a graduated neutral density filter.” (See Pro’s Killer Kit #01, right.)
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Landscape masterclass
OUR APPRENTICE says… For my first Hot Shot Chris took me up to Loch Na Dal, just before sunrise. He showed me how to try out different compositions by shooting handheld first, as it’s so much quicker. He also encouraged me to think about which was of more interest, the sky or foreground, and then to base my composition around that. Because of the reflection, the answer in this case was ‘Both’, so we decided to position the horizon just below the midpoint. We then set the exposure for the loch, and used a two-stop ND grad to darken the sky, as it was much brighter than the landscape.” (See tips on this page for more details and Pro’s Killer Kit #01, below.)
TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT
Was Jean ready to reach for the Skye?
Chris took a look at Jean’s settings and kit to see if there was anything he’d advise from the outset
Trust in RAW
Chris says… No doubt because of her film pedigree, Jean ‘distrusts’ Photoshop, so doesn’t shoot in RAW – in part because she wouldn’t know what to do with a RAW file even if she did. Because of the extremes of contrast that are inevitable in the fast-changing conditions on Skye, however, shooting in RAW is pretty much essential for teasing out every last tone and detail.
Hidden histogram
Assess your exposure
EXPOSURE 1/5 sec, f/11, ISO100 LENS Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC HSM
Once Jean had exposed for the foreground part of her scene, Chris suggested using her D5200’s Histogram view to double-check the exposure. The graph went all the way to the left without being cut off (indicating wellexposed shadows), but it was ‘clipped’ at the right, indicating that the highlights in the sky were blown. After attaching the ND grad, she then took another test shot, and this time the histogram was no longer clipped at the right, indicating that the sky was no longer blown.
Pro’s Killer kit #01 Hard ND grads Chris says… For sunrise and sunset shots, when the sky is almost always much brighter than the foreground, ND grads are essential. They have dark glass at the top and clear glass at the bottom. A bracket enables you to slide them up and down, so you can position the dark part over the sky very precisely, and they come in different strengths, enabling you to adjust the brightness of the sky as required. They also feature hard or soft transitions, with the former meant for straight, ‘hard’ horizons, and the latter for more uneven horizons. In practice, I find the transition a little too gradual on soft ND grads, so I tend to prefer hard transitions, and adjust the positioning as needed.
www.digitalcameraworld.com
Chris says… Jean doesn’t even know her D5200 offers a histogram view. Getting to grips with this fundamental feature of a digital camera, and understanding how to adjust her exposure based on what it’s showing, will give her much more confidence when it comes to nailing exposure in tricky lighting – and the lighting is almost always tricky in Skye! (See Assess your exposure, left.)
Three-legged friend
Chris says… Jean confesses to being a ‘lapsed’ tripod user, but for anything more involved than handheld snapshots in sunny conditions, a sturdy tripod is crucial, especially somewhere like Skye, where strong winds can also be a factor. For this reason, hanging your camera bag off the tripod or centre column can pay dividends when it comes to ensuring pin-sharp shots.
the pro’s kit bag
■ Nikon D800 ■ Nikon D600 ■ Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8 (main landscape lens) ■ Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 ■ Sigma 70200mm f/2.8 ■ Nikon 24mm f/2.8 ■ Lee filter holder, 0.6 hard grad, 0.75 hard grad, polariser ■ Manfrotto 190L tripod/Manfrotto 804RC2 head ■ Lowepro ProRunner 300AW
July 2015
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Hot Shot #02
EXPOSURE 0.3 sec, f/16, ISO100 LENS Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC HSM
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July 2015
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