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Awards special

Gear of the year

Revealed the absolute finest cameras, lenses & accessories ● The AP testing team’s best buys ● Your favourite camera retailer ● Reader awards and photo legends

Perfect portfolios Build a serious body of work for competitions, distinctions and more

Travel photo masterclass

Meet our unsung hero A new award for shooters who are helping others

Top images and insights from Travel Photographer of the Year winners

Find out who won our £5,000 MPB Rising Star bursary

V E R S AT I L I T Y M E E T S A G I L I T Y

From fast-moving action to rich 4K HDR video, the new Nikon D780 helps your vision take flight. Its unique combination of autofocus systems offers the best of both worlds. Optical viewfinder shooting gives you fast and accurate AF with flagship tracking capabilities. Whilst live view shooting brings all the advantages of focal-plane phase-detection AF technology, including eye-detection AF and 273 focus points. Combined with shutter speeds from 1/8000 to 900 seconds, and advanced video and time-lapse features, the D780 embodies true versatility. 24 . 5 M P | I S O 10 0 - 51 20 0 | 51 - P O I N T A F | 27 3 - P O I N T H Y B R I D A F | 4 K U H D, H D R ( H LG) V I D E O For more information visit www.nikon.co.uk

7days

A week in photography

COVER PICTURE © ANDREW SYDENHAM

The AP Awards is the biggest annual event in our calendar and the most important such event in the UK. Last week, to a packed audience in London, we revealed our pick of 2019’s best gear, so if you’re researching your next purchase this is the place to start. All the shortlisted products are exceptional, so do consider them all to determine which ones best suit your needs.

Also in this issue we offer advice in putting together a portfolio. So many of us spend our time capturing single, unrelated images, but if you focus on creating a body of work that hangs together as a set you may find a sense of purpose that will bring you more pleasure, and boost your productivity to boot. Then you can enter our Maestro Photo Contest (page 43) where the best portfolio could win you a big cash prize. Nigel Atherton, Editor

Contribute to Amateur Photographer If you’d like to see your words or pictures published in Amateur Photographer, here’s how:

This week’s cover image

Something to say? Write to us at ap@ti-media.com with your letters, opinion columns (max 500 words) or article suggestions. Pictures Send us a link to your website or gallery, or attach a set of low-res sample images (up to a total of 5MB) to appicturedesk@ti-media.com. Join our online communities Post your pictures into our Flickr, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram communities or the gallery on our website.

This week’s cover image is by our studio manager Andrew Sydenham and depicts some of the gear highlighted in our 16-page AP Awards feature

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This week in 1926

TREASURES FROM THE HULTON ARCHIVE

In this issue 3 7 days: this week’s news

12 It’s good to share: readers’ pictures 14 Holding it together: creating a successful portfolio 20 Inbox 21 Free Aurora HDR software on offer 22 Well travelled: Travel Photographer of the Year 28 A day out with Zeiss Batis lenses 35 Amateur Photographer Awards 2020 43 Enter the EISA Maestro contest 66 Legends of photography

32 Join the club

Pancake Day by Fox Photos THIS jolly photo shows women taking part in ancient Pancake Day customs at Olney in Buckinghamshire in 1926. Pancake Day – or Shrove Tuesday - takes place this week, and is celebrated in different ways across the world. In the UK, the Pancake Day race is a popular tradition, with this one at Olney being world-famous. The tradition is thought to date back to 1445 when a

woman from the town heard the church bells tolling for Shrove Tuesday while she was making pancakes and ran to the church in her apron, still holding her frying pan. During the race, each contestant has a frying pan which contains a hot pancake which must be tossed three times. The winner is the person who arrives at the church and serves the pancake to the bellringer first.

The Getty Images Hulton Archive is one of the world’s great cultural resources. Tracing its origins to the founding of the London Stereoscopic Company in 1854, today it houses over 80 million images spanning the birth of photography to the digital age. Explore it at www.gettyimages.com.

NEWS ROUND-UP

By Geoff Harris and Andy Westlake

Mouse-sive attack

An image of a dispute between two mice on a London Tube station platform has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Lumix People’s Choice award for 2019. The picture, named ‘Station squabble’, was taken by Bristol-based photographer Sam Rowley. The image will be displayed in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum until 31 May.

New Canon photo cloud service

Canon is launching a new cloud service for storing images and syncing them with mobile devices. The service, which replaces the recently closed irista.com, is called image.canon and offers 10GB of long-term storage and full social media connectivity; from the EOS R5 onwards, Canon cameras will also automatically upload images to the service via Wi-Fi. Full details at image.canon/st/en/.

Versatile Vanguard VEO 2X tripod range

Mixed bag of results for Fujiﬁlm

Fujifilm’s latest financial report for October to December 2019 reveals tough trading conditions, with operating income from its Imaging Solutions division falling by 42.8%. Sales of the Instax range of hybrid instant cameras also declined, but sales were ‘solid’ for the high-end Fujfilm GFX100 and X-Pro3, according to the company report. You can read it at bit.ly/fujiresults.

New Sony development kit

Sony is releasing a camera software development kit, Camera Remote SDK, which enables third-party developers to develop apps and other software tools. Camera Remote SDK will only support the Sony Alpha 7R IV and Sony Alpha 9 II to begin with, but will eventually work with more models in the range. 4

Vanguard has released a new ‘4-in-1’ VEO 2X range, designed for photography, vlogging, video and sports scoping. The tripods feature a ball head with an Arca Swiss compatible quick release clamp, with the option to add a pan handle. Three sizes are available, ranging from 134cm to 151cm in height, with each coming in a choice of aluminium or carbon fibre. A low level adapter is included, and one leg can be used as a monopod. Prices start at £149. See www. vanguardworld. co.uk.

BIG

picture

British Army Photographer of the Year Award revealed CORPORAL Rebecca Brown, a 29-year-old from Yorkshire, has become the ﬁrst female soldier to win the top title of British Army Photographer of the Year in the Army Film and Photographic Competition. This image is from the Professional Portfolio category, where she was also the runner-up. She also

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Words & numbers

I do not claim to have perfected an art but to have commenced one, the limits of which it is not possible at present exactly to ascertain William Fox Talbot

Photography pioneer (1800-1877) subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

10,000 years

SOURCE: MICROSOFT

placed as runner-up for Best Online Image and in the Professional Sport and Adventure Training category. The image shows soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corps deployed on a ‘Fighting in Built Up Area’ (FIBUA) training scenario and was taken in Lithuania. Rebecca is a former combat medical technician with 4 Armoured Medical Regiment and is based with the combat camera team at Army Headquarters in Andover. Visit army.mod.uk.

How long images can be stored on glass – according to a new storage technology Microsoft is working on called Project Silica

International Landscape POTY winners revealed RUSSIAN photographer Oleg Ershov has won ﬁrst place in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2019 competition, with a set of four vertical images taken in the UK and Iceland. His portfolio beat more than 3,400 rival entries by 840 photographers from all over the world. ‘My interest for photography began in 2007 when I bought my ﬁrst DSLR camera and signed up for a photo tour to the Southwest USA,’ Ershov explained. ‘I was struck by the tremendous variety of landscapes, colours and textures found in nature. Since then, I spend all my free time improving my skills and knowledge in landscape photography. I usually

Sigma’s CEO says plans are on hold for sensor

Sigma axes full-frame Foveon camera for 2020

SIGMA has scrapped plans to release a full-frame camera with a Foveon sensor this year. The idea of a full-frame, L-mount model based on the Foveon chip was originally ﬂoated at Photokina 2018, with further details coming out at last year’s CP+ show in Japan. ‘We have worked diligently on the development to meet our commitment,’ said CEO Kazuto Yamaki. ‘As a result of careful and rigorous testing based on the latest development information, however, it has become clear that the launch of such a camera would be infeasible within this year. Still at this point, we cannot say for certain when the full-frame Foveon X3 sensor will be put into mass production... We have therefore decided that we should start over the project with a clean slate, putting the production plan for this new camera back to the drawing board and going back to the development of sensor technologies.’ AP will pass on any updates about this as soon as we get them.

spend six weeks a year on photo trips, sometimes in groups, often on my own.’ The award for best single photograph went to French photographer Magali Chesnel for an overhead shot of a salt marsh being harvested, and Sander Grefte of the Netherlands won second-placed single image for a view of salt piles and condenser ponds in Bonaire in the Dutch Carribean. The main winners share a $10,000 prize purse and all the category ﬁnalists and highly commended images will be featured in a commemorative book. See www. internationallandscapephotographer.com for details of all the winners and how to enter the next International Landscape POTY contest.

Two winning images from International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2019

Major Japan camera show cancelled

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THIS year’s CP+, the biggest camera show in Japan, has been cancelled by the organisers because of continuing fears about the spread of coronavirus. ‘The main feature of this show is that visitors can actually handle the newest cameras and related equipment… the event attracts around 70,000 unspeciﬁed visitors and therefore we cannot completely eliminate all risk of infection,’ the organisers explained in a statement. Although there are still relatively few cases of coronavirus in Japan, previous CP+ shows have attracted a sizeable number of exhibitors from China. Moreover, a cruise ship with many conﬁrmed cases was still being held off the port of Yokohama – where the show is held – at the time of writing. The mobile phone show, Mobile World Congress, had also been canned this year

The CP+ 2020 show will not go ahead this year

because of fears about coronavirus. The Photography Show, taking place at the Birmingham NEC from 14-17 March was still going ahead at the time of AP going to press.

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You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t buy iconic new. A true icon earns its status. A powerhouse when launched, the M9 was the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest, fullframe digital system camera - proving that small can truly pack a big punch. See our current stock of this Icon at www.mpb.com

Buy. Sell. Trade. Change gear.

London Underground

by Mike Goldwater Nostalgia abounds in the latest Vintage Britain book from the inimitable Hoxton Mini Press, says Amy Davies

BOOK

Hoxton Mini Press, hardback, £16.95, ISBN 978-1-910566-61-9 ★★★★★

here’s something about underground transport networks that seem to create little microcosms of human activity. It’s true of London, but I’ve also witnessed it in Paris, Tokyo, Toronto and New York – a whole world underneath the rest of civilisation, with no natural light and people in a hurry. All of life’s characters are at once different yet equal. I’m always pleased to see pictures and projects shot in these spaces. The latest book from Hoxton Mini Press, the sixth in its Vintage Britain series, contains pictures from 1970-1980 by the photographer Mike Goldwater. Back in the 1970s, it was still acceptable to talk, kiss and even smoke on the London Underground. I’m not entirely sure you’d get the same kind of imagery if you were to embark on the project today, and it’s for that reason that the images are wonderfully dated and nostalgic (even for somebody who wasn’t even born when these photographs were shot). An essay at the start of the book by Lucy Davies explains more about the genesis of the project. Mike grew up in a north London suburb,

Oxford Circus, 1978 8

he would catch the Northern line to school in Hampstead. He began taking his photographs for this series in 1970. With some stations lit only by individual hanging bulbs, the images were hard to capture, with the film pushed to its absolute limits. The result, albeit out of necessity, is sometimes brooding and mysterious, alluding again to the otherworldliness of the underground. It’s amusing to note that he had to hide his camera from underground staff, who would stop him from taking photos if caught. Thank goodness he was never stopped completely – in fact he now has the privilege of travelling on the network for free, a fitting reward for his beautiful work. This is a wonderful set of images and a fine example for documentary and social photographers, as well as a lesson in how to tightly edit a cohesive set of shots that work together well. Hoxton Mini Press is on a roll with this collection, which are always beautifully presented and available at a reasonable price. London natives or otherwise would do well to add this one to their shelves – I love it.

Wembley Park. Arsenal v Manchester United Cup Final, May1979

Oxford Circus, 1979

1970-1980

Also out now The latest books and exhibitions from the world of photography © HENRY N CHOLLS

ALL PICTURES © MIKE GOLDWATER

EXHIBITION

Assignments 2019

Runs until 19 April 2020, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford. Tuesday-Sunday, entrance free THE British Press Photographers Association Assignments exhibitions, which are held in galleries across the country each year, have always proved to be extremely popular since their launch. Every image in the show was captured in the course of a year, with members covering a multitude of assignments at home and worldwide. There’s subjects you’d expect to see in the press – wars, world cups, red carpets, country fairs, and everything in between. Most of us are bombarded with news images every day yet we probably only get to see them through the prism of a newspaper or a mobile phone screen. Curated by some of the most highly respected leaders within the industry, the show highlights the best in British press photography, and is well worth a visit. Amy Davies

BOOK

Can’t Smile Without You by Martin Andersen 248 pages, hardback, AMS, £45, ISBN 978-1-5272-4955-4

AS FOOTBALL becomes a glossier, more sanitised, PR-friendly product, teams have become brands and the match day experience has changed greatly. That is why books like Can’t Smile Without You are important. From pre and post-match beers and the walk to the stadium, Martin has documented the match-day experience of Tottenham Hotspur supporters for over ﬁve years, coinciding with them playing at their ageing White Hart Lane Stadium for the ﬁnal time. The gritty black & white images have echoes of the notorious 1978 book Tottenham Boys We Are Here by Paul Wombell. Scattered amongst the youthful exuberance are older faces, perhaps the last of a dying breed. The subject matter may not be to everyone’s taste, but as a body of work documenting a facet of British culture it shouts in your face as much as any of the characters in the book. ★★★★★ Richard Sibley 9

In next week’s issue

Viewpoint

On sale Tuesday 3 March © ROSS HODDINOTT

Boyd Wild

The manageable stress of studying for a degree in photography in later life has its merits © BOYD WILD

I started in September and was instantly swamped with a deluge of information. Projects, theory, technical tasks, studio lighting and ratios, Photoshop and much, much more. If this sounds intimidating, it was frankly terrifying! I was pitched headlong out of my comfort zone and into a place I had not inhabited for many years. But gradually I was aware that all my accumulated life-skills were being re-booted back to life. I found I could organise my schedule, tasks were done when they needed to be done, hitherto dormant research and study skills were re-awakened.

There’s still comfort to be had but Boyd heartily recommends further education

And the stress levels were slowly reduced, becoming manageable and controllable. At times my brain feels that it can take no more but somehow it does. I found myself enjoying the company of my young fellow learners, relishing their enthusiasm and zest. And I’m loving it all. So here’s my point. No matter what your age, don’t be afraid of giving further education a go. And I don’t mean a quiet evening class or an afternoon pottering along a favourite river bank taking pictures of ducks. I mean do it full on and full time. A life lived and a real passion for photography will give you all the skills you need. There’s a wealth of research that highlights the beneﬁts of learning whatever your age. Meeting new people, making new friends, relishing new experiences, these are all grist to the mill of life. Just do it, after all what have you got to lose? But I’m still going to hang on to my comfortable shoes.

Amateur Photographer reader Boyd Wild is a retired geologist and a new student. He is currently undertaking a HND in Professional Photography at Edinburgh College.

Do you have something you’d like to get off your chest? Send us your thoughts in around 500 words to the address on page 20 and win a year’s digital subscription to AP, worth £79.99 10

Tips to help you get tacksharp focusing in your bird, animal and insect images

PolarPro filter system

CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS COLUMN ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE OR TI MEDIA LIMITED

Skills re-awakened

Focus on wildlife © MICHAEL TOPHAM

’m 65 and I have increasingly found myself seeking out comfort. My favourite comfy chair in front of a warm woodburner. Nice, comfortable walks through friendly and familiar woods. A little gentle sudoku after breakfast (in my favourite chair) to keep the old brain ticking over. A cruise perhaps. And shoes – oh God, how much will I pay for genuinely comfortable shoes? But there’s a downside to all this. Comfort is not the same as wellbeing, indeed I think in some senses they are inimical. Human beings need some stress. Not overwhelming stress, not the type of stress over which you have no control. But stress that keeps you on your toes, gives you a reason to embrace getting up in the morning. I was conscious of all these thoughts whilst waiting for my interview, trying to convince myself that what I was embarking on was a ‘good idea’. Having been a keen but impecunious photographer for most of my life, a generous bequest from a favourite uncle had allowed me to buy some decent kit and in a moment of madness I applied to study full time for a degree in professional photography. Amazingly the interview panel kindly accepted my fumbling portfolio efforts as evidence of a sufﬁcient, if deeply hidden, talent and I was in!

Michael Topham tests the PolarPro Summit landscape ﬁlter system

Nick Ut

The man who shot ‘Napalm Girl’ tells Geoff Harris about his storied career

Canon T-series

Canon’s T-series was a big inﬂuence on future camera design, ﬁnds John Wade

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The best pictures on social media this week

#appicoftheweek 8 Broomstick by Paul Cronin Canon EOS 5DS, 100mm, 1/1200sec at f/6.3, ISO 100

*PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY

‘I’m a keen amateur photographer who works away from home on shifts, so don’t have much spare time. But I always watch the weather forecast for my days off, with a chance for a day out with my camera. A misty morning was forecast, so I popped over to the Windsor area to shoot some trees. I had been once before so I envisaged some black & white symmetry and isolation. The thick fog really helped out.’ Paul used a telephoto lens for a clean composition with a shallow depth of field. Chosen by Nigel Atherton, Editor, as our #appicoftheweek

Each week we choose our favourite picture on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Twitter or the reader gallery using #appicoftheweek. PermaJet proudly Win! supports the online picture of the week winner, who will receive a top-quality print of their image on the finest PermaJet paper*. It is important to bring images to life outside the digital sphere, so we encourage everyone to get printing today! Visit www.permajet.com to learn more.

We also likedÉ London Underground by Adam Johnson Canon EOS 800D, 13mm, 1/15sec at f/6.3, ISO 1600 Birmingham-based Adam uploaded this picture to Flickr using #appicoftheweek. He says, ‘I think of myself as a very amateurish photographer, I love taking pictures but hate sitting on a laptop afterwards. This was taken in London, at Southwark Underground Station on the Jubilee Line, and is part of a project I decided to do on the London Underground, as I have fallen in love with its architecture. One challenge is to get people-free shots, and with no tripods or flash allowed it can make it even more difficult for me to get sharp shots.’ See more of Adam’s images at www.flickr.com/ photos/ap_johnson. Chosen by Michael Topham, Reviews Editor 12

Dilapidation by Shaun Mills Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 200mm, 1/500 sec at f/11, ISO 100

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Shaun is based on Mersea Island on the North Essex coast. ‘I find photography is the perfect stress reliever for my hectic day job and spend as much time as I can out and about with my camera, usually taking seascapes but trying to also branch out into city and street photography, as and when I get the chance. This little dinghy has been abandoned for many years on the salt marsh off the coast of Mersea Island. The reeds behind provide a lovely textured background.’ Chosen by Geoff Harris, Deputy Editor subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

Autumn Wonderland by Matthew Everett

Nikon Z 6, 24mm, 1/30sec at f/6.3, ISO 100 This image was taken by Matthew in the South Weald Country Park in Brentwood, Essex. He describes himself as a ‘hobbyist outdoors photographer’. As he explains, ‘Decreasing the clarity in post added to the mystery of the fog, while gently lifting the saturation of the oranges and yellows allowed me to portray the explosion of colour I wanted to capture.’ He uploaded this image to Instagram @mj.everett_ using the hashtag #appicoftheweek. Chosen by Amy Davies, Features Editor

Want to see your pictures here? Post them into our Instagram, Twitter, Flickr or Facebook communities or the gallery on our website. See p3. 13

Technique

PORTFOLIO TIPS

Holding it together Stefan Christmann

such an impact on me,’ he explains. ‘In time I realised I didn’t want to tell a story Award-winning nature about survival or the lifecycle; I wanted to photographer tell a story about aspects of love, such as Professional nature courage, dedication and trust.’ photographer Stefan With his story decided Stefan set out Christmann likes to to create a coherent set of images. ‘Once immerse himself in a you have your story you need to produce subject. In 2011 he began a portfolio that is coherent in style a 15-month stint at the and quality, he urges. ‘Sometimes, it German Antarctic even helps to use the same colour palette.’ research station Neumayer III, and in His Antarctica images tick all the right 2017 he returned to the frozen continent boxes, displaying technical mastery, as to spend a year documenting the lives of well as emotion. The colour palette uniﬁes emperor penguins for the BBC Series the set, while helping to convey a sense of Dynasties. Unsurprisingly, his portfolio the cold. Editing down the selection impressed the judges in last year’s Wildlife required focus. ‘When I’m creating a Photographer of the Year (WPOTY) portfolio I select images capable of competition. Creating a coherent set of carrying the storyline, and then I images is challenging, but Stefan believes choose my favourites from these,’ that much of it comes down to storytelling. explains Stefan. ‘These pictures serve as ‘A standalone image has a lot of value, but anchor points around which I select the it can always be just one “lucky” shot,’ he rest of the images.’ says. ‘When you create a portfolio you have Maintain the narrative to work much more as an artist – nothing Stefan admits that not all of the images he is left to chance.’ selects will work as standalone pictures. Working out what kind of story to tell is ‘Some images serve to connect the anchor tricky, even for Stefan. ‘Most of the time images together, and keep the ﬂow of the aspects of the story change and develop story going,’ he suggests. If he still has once you start working on an idea,’ he multiple images for aspects of the story he admits. ‘Often, right in the middle of the then looks for variety. ‘A body of work will process you realise that your initial idea be much more engaging if you can include doesn’t go far enough and you resolve to a mixture of close-ups, wide shots, tell something more meaningful.’ This is portraits and images that provide precisely what happened when he context,’ he reveals. ‘I want to draw the embarked on his penguin portfolio. ‘Each day I was connecting more closely observer into my story and not let him or with my inner emotions and beginning to her go until they have reached the last understand why the penguins were having image of the set.’ 14

ALL PICTURES © STEFAN CHRISTMANN/ WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (WPOTY)

Producing a coherent set of images for a successful portfolio or panel can be challenging. To demystify the process, Tracy Calder persuaded five experts to share their insider secrets

Stefan Christmann, Winner, Wildlife Photographer Portfolio Award, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019

Stefan’s top tip Choose a topic that you have a strong connection to – even if you don’t understand why at ﬁrst – and immerse yourself in it. When you become involved and start to understand why it engages your senses and drives your passion you will be halfway to telling the story already. If you then enrich the story with the appropriate facts and message, you’ll ﬁnd yourself with the right ingredients for a successful body of work.

Technique

PORTFOLIO TIPS

Tyrone McGlinchey Attracting more than 20,000 entries annually, International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) specialises in garden, plant, flower and botanical photography. Aside from regular categories there is also a section for Portfolios. Photographers must submit six images that hang together as a set. ‘Portfolios need to show clear original intent, whilst at all times keeping to the theme of the category and the competition at large,’ says Tyrone McGlinchey, co-owner of IGPOTY. ‘We’re looking for a homogenous set of original images that show clear creative construct.’ But producing a portfolio that hits all the right notes is tough, and Tyrone sees the same errors time after time. ‘Many of the portfolios are created in home studios, where controlling the light can be challenging,’ he says. ‘Photographers who choose to shoot outside, on the other hand, often struggle to keep things consistent across the portfolio, due to factors such as the weather and wildlife.’ Other frequent blunders include incomplete portfolios (submitting five images when six are required), disparate orientation/sizing (without good reason), and losing the ‘flow’ of a set by including an image that has no obvious link to the rest.

Tyrone’s top tips 1 Consider the order. Help your portfolio ‘ﬂow’ by ensuring that each image complements the next. Think about the visual impact they’ll have once collectively framed. 2 Explore ideas. Be original with your creative styling. 3 Stay on brief. Stick to the theme of the competition.

ALL PICTURES © DAVID MAITLAND/ INTERNATIONAL GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (IGPOTY)

Co-owner of International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY)

Peter Hayes FRPS Chair RPS Distinctions Committee

Peter and his colleagues need to see15 images at Associate level, and each one of them needs to be of a high standard

For many photographers, a Royal Photographic Society (RPS) Distinction is the culmination of months, even years, of hard work. Part of the attraction lies in the fact that a successful panel can lead to more than just letters after your name, as Peter Hayes FRPS, Chair RPS Distinctions Committee explains. ‘Our Distinctions take you on a personal journey, exploring not just technical competence but how you want to develop as a photographer.’ Peter has seen a fair few panels in his time, and has a clear idea of what the assessors are hoping to see. ‘We look for a series of images that communicate a photographer’s vision and understanding,’ he advises. ‘There needs to be a theme so each image tells a story that adds to the overall narrative (this applies to Associate and Fellowship levels only).’ Naturally, photographers need to demonstrate a high level of technical ability, but they also need to use processes that are appropriate to

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Plant Medicine, David Maitland, Finalist, Portfolio, International Photographer of the Year Competition 12

(ARPS) or Fellowship (FRPS) Distinction, then the way your work is ordered and presented is even more important. ‘The order helps us to read the work,’ stresses Peter. ‘A chaotic order that interrupts the narrative is likely to confuse the message you’re trying to convey. Above all, the assessors are looking for cohesion, not a collection of random images.’ But it takes more than technical competence and thoughtful presentation to earn your stripes. ‘Communication is vital,’ says Seeing how other photographers prepare and Peter. ‘A sk yourself if the work conveys one present their panels is a great way to learn main intent and aim. Does it draw an emotional response from the viewer? Is the subject. ‘Blown-out highlights would there a story within each image that’s be unacceptable in, say, a natural history relevant to the overall message?’ panel,’ Peter warns, ‘but acceptable in a Prior to submitting a panel, many contemporary panel if it was deliberate photographers attend a Distinctions and ﬁtted the context of the work.’ Advisory Day, where they can receive While the ﬁrst level of Distinction, feedback on their work. Just sitting in the Licentiate, doesn’t require the images to audience gives you a good idea of the follow a theme, the assessors still want to pitfalls. ‘We’re looking for consistency,’ see a coherent set of prints. ‘It’s possible to says Peter. ‘If you have one image that’s have ten images showing different subjects head and shoulders above the rest the but the way they are presented needs to be assessors might ask why they aren’t all thought through,’ says Peter. ‘A ny like that. Weed out anything that doesn’t distractions, such as different-coloured meet the criteria or add to the narrative. mounts or an uneven colour palette, can If in doubt, seek advice, but don’t be take the viewer’s attention away from the swayed by people who don’t know the content.’ If you’re applying for an Associate RPS guidelines.’ subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

Many rejections are caused by technical faults such as over-sharpening, but often it’s a lack of commitment that disappoints the assessors. ‘We sometimes hear assessors say that a body of work is a great idea, but they want more. This means the photographer has not achieved their full potential, even though the subject matter might be powerful.’

Peter’s top tips 1 Stay focused. Decide on your aims and objectives, and remember to keep them in mind when shooting. 2 Don’t rush. Don’t force a submission by rushing to meet a deadline. Be patient and apply only when you are 100% happy with your images. 3 Keep it fresh. Trawling through your archive and selecting images for a panel is unlikely to work. 4 Seek advice. Go to an RPS Advisory Day so panel members can see your prints. If this isn’t possible, use the advice online. 5 Believe in yourself. If you don’t, why should anyone else? When you have an idea that really grabs you, translate that into images and the passion will be obvious. 17

PORTFOLIO TIPS

Chris Coe

Founder, Travel Photographer of the Year Founded by professional photographer Chris Coe and his partner, Karen, in 2003, Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) is an annual competition that places great emphasis on portfolios. There are a number of categories for single images, but to win the overall title photographers must submit eight exceptional shots (two portfolios of four, or one portfolio of eight). ‘Portfolios test and challenge a photographer’s skill and reveal their true ability,’ says Chris. ‘A nyone can get a good single image, whether by luck, skill or judgement, but to show consistency over a number of images demonstrates talent and vision. It also reveals a photographer’s ability to edit and present their work.’ Judges of the 2019 competition included Timothy Allen (BBC Human Planet photographer), Michael Pritchard (director of education and public affairs at the Royal Photographic Society), and Daria Bonera (National Geographic Italy). ‘The portfolios are themed, so ﬁrst the judges are looking to see imagery that meets the brief,’ explains Chris. ‘Next, the images need to be consistent in quality – so no weak ones thrown in to make up the numbers. Interestingly it’s often the fourth image that lets a photographer down!’

Keep it consistent With this criterion met, the judges turn their attention to a photographer’s style, and the way they present their work. ‘A portfolio is judged as a set, so photographers need to put thought into how their images ﬁt together both in content and in orientation,’ says Chris. ‘A portfolio of three colour images and one black & white one will rarely have the same impact as a selection that is more consistent, for example. It’s surprising how the order of images in a portfolio can alter its perception too. It’s much harder to

make a portfolio of, say, three landscapeformat images and one portrait-format image flow in the same way as a set of four images of the same orientation.’ Having to sift through more than 20,000 images every year, Chris is aware of the common errors entrants make. ‘Photographers often submit their favourite images, which are not always their best,’ he reveals. ‘What’s more, if you have a great image it’s tempting to enter it regardless of whether or not it suits the theme, but the best image in the world won’t win if you’ve entered it into the wrong category, so keep your powder dry until there’s a theme that really works for your pictures – even if that means waiting until the following year!’ Other common errors include a lack of ‘wow’ factor, which can be hard to define. ‘Usually this comes down to good composition or capturing a defining moment,’ says Chris. ‘It’s not about having the best camera; it’s about having a good eye.’ So, having familiarised yourself with the common pitfalls, is there anything you can do to ensure that your portfolio stands out? ‘A good portfolio will usually tell a story, with each image adding to the overall message,’ explains Chris, ‘It’s interesting that many of the young photographers in the awards (those aged 18 and under) shoot new material to fit the theme, whereas adult entrants tend to cobble together a portfolio from their archive, so it’s hard to link the images effectively.’

Chris’s top tips 1 Be consistent. Each image in your portfolio should be of a consistent standard and presentation. Exclude any weaker images; choose between black & white or colour (don’t mix both); and try not to mix different image formats. 2 Edit thoughtfully. Your favourite images are not always your best, so choose wisely, and follow the brief. Most photographers are poor at editing their own work, so before entering ask someone what they think of your selection, particularly when it comes to portfolios, and listen to what they say.

ALL PICTURES © PAUL SANSOME/ TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (TPOTY)

Technique

ALL PICTURES © STUART REDLER/ TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (TPOTY)

Below: Stuart Redler, Commended, Faces, People, Encounters, Travel Photographer of the Year 2015

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Christopher Morris ARPS Panels group leader, Winchester Photographic Society For Christopher Morris, leader of the Winchester Photographic Society (WPS) Panels Group, working with multiple images offers an opportunity to express complex ideas. ‘It provides the framework for showing multiple aspects of a subject, idea or event,’ he argues. ‘For the majority of amateur photographers embroiled in the camera club/photographic society world the epitome of “good photography” is the successful single image. There is no doubt that effectively conveying an idea or an implied narrative within a single image is a challenge and, when done well, worthy of merit, but such work often fails to engage the intellect of the viewer and becomes mere eye candy.’ For Christopher, there is a clear distinction between panels and portfolios. ‘The former is a set of images on a single theme, whereas the latter is a representative collection of pictures designed to illustrate a photographer’s expertise,’ he says. ‘The RPS [and many major photographic competitions] have rather blurred this understanding in their use of “panels” as portfolios.’ When it comes to planning and executing a panel, the most important consideration for Christopher is concept. ‘What is it trying to say?’ he asks. ‘Is it documentary work exploring aspects of a place, event, person or group? Is it relating a story that has a distinct narrative arc? Is it an exploration of an abstract idea or a personal expression of an emotion?’ If the style and content of the pictures are inconsistent with the concept then, more than likely, the panel will fail. ‘Standout single images can be a distraction and spoil a panel,’ he says. ‘A good panel is always greater than the sum of its parts.’ Above: Paul Sansome, Winner, Celebration of Humanity Portfolio, Travel Photographer of the Year 2017

Christopher’s top tips 1 Have purpose. Be clear in your mind about the purpose of your piece of work. Write it down and refer to your notes regularly, but don’t be afraid to rethink and start again. 2 Edit carefully. You may need to discard your best images if they’re not consistent with the overall piece of work. 3 Consider presentation. Would your panel be improved by mixing different shapes and scale of image? Would your images work better in book form? Experiment. subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

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TRAVEL POTY

Well travelled Many of the winning images from Travel Photographer of the Year are awe-inspiring. Here we present some of our favourites Nicola Young, Stuart Price, Benson Spiers, James Lindsay, Kaim Ladak all had runner-up or commended images, too. Across the categories, photographers won prizes including cash bursaries, Fujifilm X-T3 cameras with lenses, Swarovski Optik binoculars, various travel experiences, books, tuition, prints and membership of the Royal Photographic Society – all worth keeping in mind as a competition to enter this year.

Exhibition From 7 April to 12 May, the winning images will go on display in Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, which is a brand new location for the London exhibition. They will also be displayed at Chester Cathedral in June. For more information, and to see even more winning and shortlisted images, visit tpoty.com.

ow entering its 18th year, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019 attracted more than 20,000 entries from 144 different countries. The overall winner, Katy Gómez Catalina, is an amateur photographer and doctor of veterinary science from Spain. She’s the first Spanish winner of the competition, and only the second female to take home the overall prize. Eleven-year-old Indigo Larmour from Ireland won the Young Travel Photographer of the Year category, while British photographers Paul Sansome and Geoff Shoults won the Art of Travel portfolio category and the Single Image in an Art of Travel portfolio award, respectively. Other British winners included Will Burrard-Lucas, Sumit Dua and Kiran Ridley, while Glynis Shaw, Paul McKenzie, David Alpert,

Alain Schroeder, Belgium Winner, Endangered Planet Portfolio Belgian photojournalist Alain Schroeder founded Reporters, a well-known photo agency in Belgium. He has illustrated more than 30 books, and has been published in titles such as National Geographic and Paris Match. This photograph shows Fahzren the orangutan undergoing a routine medical check at a quarantine centre in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Fahzren is 30 years old and comes from a zoo in Malaysia where he has lived since he was small. His medical condition is fine, but he does not have the skills to survive in the wild. Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, 1/140sec at f/3.2, ISO 1600

Katy Gómez Catalina, Spain Overall Winner, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019

Born in Derry, Ireland, Trevor Cole has spent most of his life living outside his native country, but returned to live in Donegal in 2012. His portfolio of images were shot in Mundari, Terekeka County in South Sudan. This image shows a young Mundari boy with his blanket in the morning when it is colder. They sleep with their cattle to protect them against rustling and cover themselves in ash to protect against mosquitoes and other insects. Speaking about his photography, Trevor says, ‘I endeavour to use my photographic acumen to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Capturing inimitable moments today to reflect upon tomorrow. My own take as a geographer photographer!’ Nikon D850, 200mm, 1/200sec at f/2.8, ISO 640

Trevor Cole, Ireland Winner, People & Cultures Portfolio

This image, taken in Jaén in Spain, shows an ante-mortem (before death) inspection of live animals prior to slaughter. As a doctor of veterinary medicine, Katy’s job is related to official control in public health, with focus on the interaction between human and animal health. Her portfolio for the competition was varied in subject matter, but the images were all monochrome. She says, ‘I do not take pictures for others, but for me, for the pure pleasure of photographing. But, if I can also evoke an emotion in those who view them, my satisfaction is multiplied.’ Sony RX100 Mark IV, 15.5mm, 180sec at f/11, ISO 125

An amateur photographer based in Los Angeles, Sumit Dua is a doctor by profession. He says, ‘Photography helps me observe the world and find moments I would otherwise miss.’ This photograph was taken in Havana, Cuba, after sunset. It shows two neighbours chatting, with the lighting and colours reminding Sumit of an Old Master painting. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 80mm, 1/100sec at f/2.8, ISO 3200

The judges pick out single images from some portfolios that are particularly strong on their own. The overall winner from this category this year, shows a walker silhouetted against the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. Fujifilm X-T1, 44mm, 1/2700sec at f/8, ISO 400

Glynis Shaw, UK Highly Commended, One Shot, Dusk to Dawn category Taken in Mkuze, KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, this shot shows a scrub hare drinking from a watering hole during the dry winter season. Glynis says, ‘I was struck by the almost perfect reflection in the water, which looked like a black mirror.’ Fujifilm X-T2, 110mm, 1/40sec at f/4, ISO 400

Geoff Shoults, UK Winner, Best Single Image in an Art of Travel Portfolio

Sumit Dua, USA/UK Winner (joint), One Shot, Dusk to Dawn category

TRAVEL POTY

Paul Sansome, UK Winner, Art of Travel Portfolio A professional fine-art and travel photographer based in the south of England and in Vietnam, Paul Sansome’s work is released in strictly limited editions. This image from his varied portfolio of the obviously familiar Taj Mahal has been given an unusual treatment which makes it really stand out from other similar shots. It comprises nine exposures over ten minutes, using the multi-exposure function of his camera. Canon EOS 6D Mark II, 70-300mm, f/7.1, ISO 400

Indigo Larmour, Ireland (aged 11) Overall Winner, Young Travel Photographer of the Year Indigo’s story is an interesting one. She is Irish, but was born in Abu Dhabi and has been travelling since she was just three weeks old. After living in India for the past two years, she currently lives in a van with her family, presently driving from India to the UK. This image is from her portfolio taken in Kolkata, India. She says, ‘Chai is always part of any journey in India. We drink it everywhere and people are always offering you chai, so of course we have to have some on the streets of Kolkata.’ The judges were impressed by Indigo’s insight and timing, especially for one so young.

Alexey Nikitin, Russia (aged 18) Runner-up, Young Travel Photographer of the Year, 15-18 category An aerial view of Dubrovnik old city, from the impressive portfolio of Alexey Nikitin, which shows how beautiful and powerful drone photography can be.

Nikon D600, 32mm, 1/1000sec at f/4, ISO 1250

DJI Mavic 2 Pro/Hasselblad L1D-120c, 1/50sec at f/3.5, ISO 100

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David Alpert, UK Runner-up, Single Shot, Oceans, Seas, Rivers & Lakes category

David Alpert’s image was taken in the Aegean Sea in Greece. ‘My son and two of his friends decided to do a bit of free diving. I set them a task and enjoyed the youthful banter as they set about trying to co-ordinate their efforts. It was amazing the good time we had doing something so simple – no gadgets, electronics or high-value spend. Just fun.’ Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 15mm fisheye, 1/1600sec at f/8, ISO 1600

Kiran Ridley (UK) Winner, TAPSA For the first time this year, Travel POTY joined forces with former overall winner Timothy Allen to present a place on the Timothy Allen Photography Scholarship Award (TAPSA) to one TPOTY entrant. Kiran Ridley took home the prize for his ten images documenting democracy protestors in Hong Kong in the summer of 2019. This particular image from the portfolio shows a protester holding a white flower, the Cantonese symbol of death. She walks among an estimated two million people. The scholarship prize runs in conjunction with Xposure Photography Festival and the Sharjah Government Media Bureau. Canon EOS 1-D X Mark II, 30mm, 1/400sec at f/3.2, ISO 250

James Lindsay, UK Highly Commended, One Shot, Street Life category A man pushes a loaded handcart of sail-fish through Sassoon Dock, one of the largest fish markets in India. The docks were founded in 1875, and currently around 1,500 trawlers operate from here bringing in around 20 tonnes of fish each day. Behind are the brightly coloured ice trucks that ensure the fish reach Mumbai’s homes and restaurants fresh. Sony Alpha 7, 32mm, 1/250sec at f/7.1, ISO 100

Taken in Oranjestad, Aruba, this vibrant image was shot on a Samsung Galaxy S10+. Benjamin is an American photographer with a passion for travelling the world – his goal is to travel to at least one new country a year. Samsung Galaxy S10+, 1.8mm, 1/1100sec at f/2.2, ISO 50

Benjamin Shaul, USA Overall Winner, SmartShot iTravelled category

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A trader at the South Bank Christmas Market Sony A7 lll, Zeiss Batis 40mm, 1/160sec at f/2.8, ISO 400

A day out with the

ZEISS Batis AP teamed up with leading travel photographer and ZEISS Ambassador Ed Norton to take a group of AP readers on a photo walk around London

hen we asked for Sony full-frame camera users to join us on a photo walk around London, a few days before Christmas, to try out the stunning Zeiss Batis 40mm f/2 we knew it might rain but weren’t prepared for just how much. The rain was torrential all day but luckily the Batis is weather-resistant, and nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of our intrepid group as we made our way from the London Eye to Oxford Street, photographing the Christmas lights and markets as we went. Our readers all brought their own Sony Alpha bodies and were able to try a variety of Batis lenses during

the walk to make the most of the photo opportunities, but it was the 40mm that they had come to experience. AP has just named this as our Standard Prime Lens of the Year (see page 47) and it’s ideal for street photography. Ed Norton, who now uses the 40mm as his ‘everyday lens’, and AP Editor Nigel Atherton were on hand to offer help and advice when required. The walk finished at Park Cameras’ London shop on Rathbone Place, where the party were given the opportunity to dry out and warm up with light refreshments, and download their images. Here is a selection of comments from our users, and pictures taken on the day.

Thanks to ZEISS for the loan of their lovely lenses, and Park Cameras for their hospitality. 28

Colourful reflections on the wet paving at the South Bank with the London Eye beyond. Taken by Margaret Preston. Sony A7R, Zeiss Batis 40mm lens, 1/45sec at f/4, ISO 800 29 February 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Tony Exall Sony A7R III

I don’t normally use prime lenses, which is why I was interested in joining the walk. The lens was very light and well balanced with my body. I was trying to shoot quickly because of the heavy rain and it had no trouble focusing at all.

Andy Semple Sony A7R III

The lenses were really well made and complemented my camera with their size and weight. Balance was very nice. Image quality was great – sharp where needed, with pleasing bokeh in the out-of-focus areas. Autofocus was responsive and accurate. Overall, I was impressed enough that I’ll consider Zeiss for my next lens purchase.

Wai Liu Sony A7R III

Our participants braved a rainy day in London Sony A7R lV, Zeiss Batis 40mm lens, 1/160sec at f/4.5, ISO 3200 Mike Farley chose to shoot moody black & white Sony A7 ll, Zeiss Batis 40mm lens

I tried the 85mm and 40mm. I found the face and eye detection worked so much better with the Batis lenses than with my usual lens. I was taking a lot of portraits and it nailed the focus almost every time. I liked the LED display on the lens too. The 40mm was great to use. It’s close to 35mm, which is my favourite focal length. I also loved the bokeh I got with the 85mm.

Tudor Prisacariu Sony A7R II

One of the things I wanted to see was whether it was a bit chunky, for the focal length, but it was fine. The perspective is a little more compressed compared with my 35mm lens, which I thought was good. Tudor photographed the ice rink at Somerset House Sony A7R ll, Zeiss Batis 40mm lens, 1/60sec at f/4, ISO 800

The ZEISS Batis 2/40 CF Mike Farley Sony A7 II

I really enjoyed it, despite the weather. I was impressed by the Batis lenses I tried: the 18mm and 40mm. In one shot there’s a distant taxi that only occupies about 15% of the scene, but it’s possible to make out individual raindrops on the roof. While sharp, the lens renders smoothly to give a pleasing result. subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

ZEISS Batis is a range of compact, fixed focal length lenses developed to offer fast, quiet autofocus and outstanding optical performance on Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras. The 2/40 CF offers a slightly wider-than-standard focal length that’s ideal for street photography. Its close focusing distance of just 24cm is useful for detail shots, while the high micro contrast max aperture of f/2 is great for shallow depth of field shots. An innovative OLED display screen shows the distance and depth of field information, while the legendary ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating and revamped optical design ensure unparalleled image quality. The all-weather protection ensures you can keep shooting in the most hostile conditions. 29

Readers of Amateur Photographer

40 Churton Street, London SW1V 2LP, England Tel: 020-7828 4925 Mon-Fri 10am - 5:30pm, Sat 10am - 1pm info@graysofwestminster.co.uk Visit our website: www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

...receive 10% off second-hand bodies & lenses!

Up to £150 discount per item. Quote ‘Amateur Photographer’ when placing your order by telephone or in store. Payment made by ﬁnance is not included in this oﬀer. Valid until 30th April 2020.

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Join

Club the

This thriving Cornwall club offers lots of workshops and advice for its members 32

1 Derelict by Peter Newbery The dynamic cloudscape contrasts so well with the abandoned combine harvester.

2 Roads by Paul Hockaday Light trails using a long exposure are a great way to conjure up movement in a still image.

5 Brighton West Pier by Robert Dawson This is an interesting take on an oft-photographed scene. Robert has used the rusty pillars as foreground interest to great effect.

6 Ropes by Rose Cross It’s all in the detail. The various textures and features of this mono image are fascinating.

When was the club founded? Originally formed in 1997, the club reinvented itself two years ago because of dwindling membership, to become a thriving hub in the community. In 2018 we began to contribute locally by offering the club’s services as voluntary official photographers. This was the start of something fantastic for the club and its members in a win-win exchange – we get to experience new photographic challenges while local community groups and charities receive images of their special days. Members’ photographs from these events are included in local press articles and uploaded to our Facebook page, which has had an increase from 60 to 534 followers over the last 18 months. What does your club offer to new members? New members can attend their first two meetings free of charge before committing to join. We hold a lot of workshops throughout

the year giving practical advice on various photography topics. We offer one-to-one support to help members get to grips with basic camera skills or any photography requirements they may have. Members also receive a discount from the local camera shop. The club has some equipment that members can borrow, free of charge, to support their photography. Members can join our private Facebook group, where they can share photos, ask questions and chit-chat. It’s also a chance for the club to keep everyone updated on upcoming events and news. Describe a typical club meeting We hold a wide range of interactive workshops where everyone can get involved to receive the help and advice they need to improve. The evenings are usually split into two halves, with a tea/coffee break in-between allowing members extra time to mingle. Our more

29 February 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

YOUR PICTURES IN PRINT

3 Port Isaac by Karen Shelsher The wonderful jumble of roofs and chimneys provides a great visual feast.

3 7

4 Light Painting by Paul Kenealey This bright image taken outdoors at night has been expertly captured. 7 WaideatMawgan PorthbyTomThorpe A gloriously subtle palette that wouldn’t look out of place in a glossy mag.

8 Surfers by Debbie Murrell A really evocative shot, the silhouettes of the surfers complete the picture.

Club essentials

New Methodist Church, 74 Fore Street, Bodmin, Cornwall PL31 2JB Meets Fortnightly on Monday evenings starting at 7.30pm. See the website for the full programme Membership £25 per year and £2 per club meeting Contact info@bodmincameraclub.org.uk Website www.bodmincameraclub.org.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/bodmincameraclub

Bodmin and District Camera Club

experienced members are happy to spend time giving one-to-one guidance during the evening, which we aim to make rewarding and enjoyable in a friendly atmosphere. Do you invite guest speakers? Over the years we have had a mixed reaction to guest speakers so now we prefer the workshops where we get hands-on and have pictures to take away from the session. Maybe this will be something we look at in the future. Do members compete in regional or national competitions? As competitions are not the main focus of our club, we do not enter into regional or national competitions. We decided to be a little different and offer something more unique – we only have ﬁve in-house competitions this year where we actively encourage composites and the use of post-processing software. Club

members vote for their favourite images based on image quality, originality, artistic merit, exposure and colour, as well as composition and focus. Club ofﬁcials critique these competitions but also use this as an opportunity to encourage random members to have a go at critiquing. Our annual competition however is always judged and critiqued by an external judge. The club also holds local exhibitions twice a year in the Bodmin Shire Hall. Our next exhibition is from 27 June to 10 July. There will be a further exhibition in October, giving a chance for a member of the public to win their favourite print. Are any residential trips or outings planned? During the summer we have weekly outings. Living in beautiful Cornwall we don’t have to travel far for some of the most stunning locations in the UK. Bodmin Moor has ofﬁcially

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

been designated as an International Dark Sky Landscape by the International Dark-Sky Association, giving access for our members to go out regularly to shoot astrophotography in one of the best locations in the UK. How many members do you have? We have 35 members in the club of different levels, with around 30 attending our meetings. What are the club’s goals for the future? Our next main goal for the club is to invest in new equipment to further help with the teaching and support to our members. This will also help us develop our interaction with the local community. We are carrying out fundraising events and will shortly be making a lottery application for the balance of funds.

Want to see your club featured on these pages? Drop us a line for more information at ap@ti-media.com 33

WINNERS OF THIS YEARS GOOD SERVICE AWARD IN BOTH AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER & PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY Guaranteed Great Service.

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Amateur Photographer

AWARDS 2020 Our pick of the best cameras, lenses and accessories of the past year

he Amateur Photographer Awards is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier awards event for the photographic trade. Now in its 43rd year, the most important figures in the industry gathered at our glittering event in London last week as we revealed our favourite cameras and kit tested during the previous year. As a weekly, AP tests more cameras, lenses and accessories than any other UK magazine and our ruthlessly independent testing team has an industry-wide reputation for the most in-depth and scientific kit reviews in print. So an award from APâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s testers really means

something. While you can argue that few really bad cameras or lenses are released these days, not every camera is right for every user. Our tests help identify who a product might best suit. So read on to discover our top gear of the past12 months. And why buy something good when you can get something great for the same money? Also featured here are the winners of our Good Service Awards, as well as some particularly noteworthy photographers who won our photography awards, and two new awards open to AP readers. Great photography, after all, is what AP is all about.

Rising Star

Graeme Chesters

Dr Graeme Chesters is a senior lecturer/associate professor in Peace Studies and International Development at the University of Bradford. In his spare time he is an amateur photographer – see more of his work at streetphoto.online

BACK in November, we launched our brand new Rising Star Bursary. This unique chance for amateur photographers to win an incredible opportunity of a lifetime garnered an extraordinary response. We received many fantastic entries from some supremely gifted photographers, making it very difﬁcult for the judges to pick an overall winner. The bursary prize consists of up to £5,000 towards expenses, along with technique, motivational support and mentoring from a professional photographer, as well as the editorial team here at Amateur Photographer. As partners, MPB will also be providing the winning photographer with an ongoing photography-kit loan from its extensive supply of used gear. This year, the theme of the bursary was ‘Change’ and we received many different interpretations of this theme from a range of different types of photographer.

Sponsored by

Unsung Hero

Simon Wiffen Simon is a Leeds-based photographer specialising in family, lifestyle, portrait, commercial and event photography. He started a major book project on people living with cystic fibrosis after his son was diagnosed, and it’s for this sterling work he gets our Unsung Hero Award in partnership with Ripe Insurance

‘Dave’ Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 50mm, 1/200sec at f/2.8, ISO 100

BACK IN December we announced our Unsung Hero Award, in partnership with Ripe Insurance. The award is designed to celebrate the hard work and community spirit of people who are using photography for the benefit of others or to help make the world a better place, with the winner getting £1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice (they also received the accolade at the glittering AP Awards on 21 February). After much deliberation, we are pleased to announce the winner is Simon Wiffen, a portrait and events photographer from Yorkshire. Simon’s son, Ellis, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at three weeks old, which prompted him to do a documentary photography book on people living with it. The book is called 47/A Life with Cystic Fibrosis, and features portraits of 47 individuals – 47 being the median lifespan of people with the condition. For each book sold, £5 is donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, of which Simon is a passionate supporter, and it has raised £2,120. We met up with him to find out more.

A lightbulb moment Sponsored by

‘Kyle’ Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 50mm, 1/200sec at f/2.8, ISO 100

ALL PICTURES © SIMON WIFFIN

www.ripeinsurance.co.uk/ photography

‘I was really surprised to be named the AP and Ripe Insurance Unsung Hero, I wasn’t expecting it at all,’ Simon explains from his home in Leeds. ‘I’ve had a passion for photography since I was a kid and like a lot of people, I got into it by discovering my dad’s old gear. When I became a dad, I channelled this photographic interest into documenting my kids growing up.’ Simon works as a freelance web developer, and does some commercial work on the side to keep his hand in. Portraits and people shots have

Simon with his son Ellis, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at three weeks old 40

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‘Iris’ Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 50mm, 1/200sec at f/2.8, ISO 100

‘The book was not only physically demanding, but emotionally arduous too’ always been a passion, hence the decision – following his son’s diagnosis – to do a project on people living with cystic fibrosis. As Simon explains, it was a ‘lightbulb moment’. ‘I had been toying with idea of documenting Ellis’s everyday life, as it involves a lot of medication, treatment, and clinic visits, and at the time I was looking to shoot more meaningful and emotional portraits. Another big goal was to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis. It’s not that common and people are not always aware of the reality of the condition – a lot of times you wouldn’t know somebody has it, and it’s not always clear how challenging every single day is. So I felt this project could be a powerful piece of work and decided to fund it via Kickstarter.’

Hard work but worth it

‘Luke’ Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 50mm, 1/200sec at f/2.8, ISO 100

Deciding to start the book project was the easy part, however, as it proved to be a huge commitment in terms of time and energy. ‘The book took a year of my life. As well as the photography, I had to raise money on Kickstarter, design it, everything, while also working full time. It was not only physically demanding, but emotionally arduous too. As a dad of a young boy with cystic fibrosis, I know it’s a life-limiting condition, and when you meet people further along that journey you become very aware of this. Two people have subsequently died after taking their portraits. So I had some very tough days doing the project, but I always knew it was worth it for the end result.’

As Simon explains, it wasn’t just a matter of getting all 47 subjects together in a big hotel room or similar public space and doing a group shot. ‘People with cystic fibrosis can’t mix with each other owing to the risk of cross-infection so I had to go and visit each one individually. I also had to do this in a specific order, visiting people who were at a higher risk of infection first. I had to clean all my camera gear in between visits, to make sure I didn’t contaminate anyone’s house, and carefully work out the routes to make the most of very limited time.’ Simon got a huge response when he initially asked for volunteers to be photographed for the book, so he decided to focus on three areas: Yorkshire, Lancashire/Liverpool, and the Midlands. He ended up covering about 1,500 miles, with the minimum of overnight stays Fortunately, this herculean task was well worth it, as the response to the book has been overwhelming. ‘I sent books all over the world, and got a great response from Europe, Asia, the US and Australia. It’s been great for spreading awareness.’ Simon was also featured in the Daily Express, as part of its campaign to increase access to cystic fibrosis medication here in the UK, and appeared on the BBC regional news show, Look North. Following this exposure, he received a photographic commission from the NHS to promote awareness of the need for organ donation volunteers. We’re sure more commissions will follow.

See www.simonwiffenphotography.co.uk

Portraits with power ‘I wanted the images in 47/A Life with Cystic Fibrosis to be consistent, with the same lighting, and everything in black & white,’ Simon explains. ‘There was to be no distraction with colour, I just wanted to focus on the individual and their story.’ He also knew he would be shooting people in a wide range of very different environments, so he tried to travel light when it came to gear. ‘I took all the portraits in the book on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, using a 50mm f/1.4 lens. The background was provided by a black pop-up reflector, and the lighting set-up was very simple – just one speedlight, through an umbrella. This was enough to give me dramatic and emotive portraits, without weighing me down with gear or taking ages to get everything set up.’ Following the travel and the shoot, the subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

biggest challenge was choosing which images to use in the book. ‘I tended to choose the image very soon after the shoot, something which best represented the person I had just met. They’d entrusted their story to me; it is a very personal thing to have your portrait taken and also to talk to a stranger about your illness and reduced life expectancy.’ 41

Nikon Marketing Manager Jeremy Gilbert is a deserving winner

Good Service Awards

THE RETAIL industry is reported to have their worst year on record in 2019. The UK’s independent photo retailers play a vitally important role in helping our hobby to survive and thrive, yet they face multiple threats from a ‘challenging’ economy, the continuing rise of online shopping and the ever-improving cameras on smartphones. At AP we recognise that photo retailers offer a level of customer service and product knowledge unavailable anywhere else, so we try to support them as best we can. One of the ways that we do this is through the Good Service Awards. Voted for by you, the reader – their customers – a Good Service Award logo is a signpost to existing and potential customers saying, ‘This is a business that offers a high quality of customer service.’ But we only grant this vote of approval to retailers whose customers vote for them in sufﬁcient numbers. This year a total of 11 Good Service Awards have been given to UK retailers. We also give a single Platinum Award for the retailer who received the most votes of conﬁdence from their customers. For the fourth year in a row this accolade has been won by Grays of Westminster.

2020 Awards

CameraWorld Cambrian Photo Video Clifton Cameras Ffordes Photographic Hireacamera London Camera Exchange MPB Mr Cad Park Cameras SRB Photographic Wex Photo Video

Platinum Award Grays of Westminster

Chris Cheesman Memorial Award

Jeremy Gilbert THE CHRIS CHEESMAN Memorial Award was inaugurated in 2017 in memory of AP’s former News Editor, who died in 2016. It is given to someone in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the UK photo industry. This year’s recipient is Jeremy Gilbert, who has been the Marketing Manager for Nikon UK since 1999. He began his photographic career in retail, first at Photo Markets, then Fox Talbot and City Camera Exchange. In 1986 he joined Nikon’s sales team as Sales Manager for London and the South East, and was named Salesman of the year in 1989, 1991 and 1992. In 1996 he became Product Manager for Professional Products in time to oversee the launch of the flagship F5. Since becoming Marketing Manager he has managed the UK launch for every Nikon camera of the past 20 years. He was responsible for Nikon’s acclaimed and much parodied I AM advertising campaign, which appeared in print and on TV, as well as high-profile sponsorships including Hollyoaks, London Fashion Week, Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Reading Festival and the NME Awards. He retires from Nikon next month after 34 years with the company. Former AP News Editor Chris Cheesman, who died in 2016 42

Once again Grays of Westminster received the most votes of confidence from its customers 29 February 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

THE EISA PHOTOGRAPHY MAESTRO CONTEST 2020 1ST PRIZE

This Year’s Theme:

e1500 & EISA Maestro Trophy

Movement

2ND PRIZE

e1000 & EISA Maestro Trophy

3RD PRIZE

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/TOM EVERSLEY

e750 & EISA Maestro Trophy

HOW TO ENTER Provide 5-8 photographs on the theme of ‘Movement’. All entries must be in digital format (camera or scanned ﬁlm originals) and must be taken by you for the purposes of this competition. Existing portfolios are excluded. inners will also All National Maestro w ok in June for be published on Facebo mpetition. co the EISA Public’s Choice is h1,000 r The prize for the winne

UK DEADLINE: 1 MAY 2020 AP has teamed up with Photocrowd to host the contest. To enter, go to: www.photocrowd.com/maestrouk The top three will be chosen by the AP team and published in a July issue of AP. The winner will receive a one-year subscription to AP and go forward to the international round of the contest.

INTERNATIONAL JUDGING: JUNE 2020 The winning entries from each of the 16 participating countries will be judged at EISA’s AGM in June. The overall International Maestro Contest results will be revealed at the EISA Awards Gala in Berlin on 4 September 2020, attended by the top three winners, and published in a September issue of AP.

Results will be published in the September or October issues of all 16 EISA photo magazines/websites. All three winners will be invited to Berlin for the ofﬁcial EISA Awards ceremony on 4 September 2020

For further details, and terms and conditions visit www.eisa.eu/maestro

Accessory of the Year

Datacolor SpyderX Why we like it

● Super-fast profiling ● Reliable and accurate

results ● Straightforward, easy-touse software

Nominees ■ Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 ■ Datacolor SpyderX ■ Fujifilm instax mini Link ■ Manfrotto BeFree GT XPRO Carbon ■ Rode Wireless GO ■ Vallerret Markhof Pro 2.0 ■ Vanguard VEO Select 49

COLOUR management can be something of a minefield for photographers. The crucial first step to getting the colours right in your photos is monitor profiling, and Datacolor has made this quicker and easier than ever with the SpyderX. With a completely redesigned spectrophotometer housed within its sleek white plastic shell, it’s capable of completing the process in two minutes flat. Successive calibration checks to ensure continued colour accuracy can take as little as 30 seconds. Datacolor’s software guides you step-by-step through the process, showing useful contextsensitive help on the right-hand side of the window when you hover your mouse over any of the various options. It’s a model of clarity, and goes about as far as realistically possible to ensure that you don’t overlook any detail. Four different kits are available, with the most affordable SpyderX Pro option (£159) being ideal for photographers who just want to calibrate their screens, and get their laptop and desktop monitors to match each other. For £399, the Studio kit adds the ability to create paper profiles for more reliable colour printing at home. If you’ve ever struggled getting colours to look right onscreen and in print, this is a fine solution.

AWARD WINNER 2020 C AC

RY SO S E

Accessory of the Year AWARD WINNER 2020

S CE AC

RY SO

Why we like it

● Easy to use ● Excellent print quality ● Simple, reliable Bluetooth

connection

‘It delivers gorgeous little prints with fine detail and vivid colour’ 44

Fujifilm instax mini Link WHILE we now predominantly view our images on phone or computer screens, nothing matches real, physical prints. Producing large prints for display can be very satisfying, but there’s also a lot to be said for making small prints to carry in your wallet or give away. This is where Fujifilm’s instax mini Link excels. This smart little device is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery and connects to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. Compared to the firm’s older Wi-Fi based models, this makes it both less powerhungry and simpler to use. There’s just a single external control, in the shape of a large power button. Simply turn the printer on and it’ll connect to your phone and be ready to go. The sleek, curvy, attractive design is available in a choice of three colours, and at 12.5x9x3.5cm and 209g in weight, it’ll slip easily into a coat pocket or bag. Everything is controlled through a dedicated free app for Android or iOS devices. It’s attractively designed and offers a good range of functions that are all made intuitive and accessible. Most importantly, the device consistently delivers gorgeous little prints with fine detail and vivid colour.

I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Innovation of the Year

Fujifilm GFX100

Accessory of the Year

Vanguard VEO Select 49 Why we like it

● Converts easily between

shoulder bag and backpack ● Choice of top or side access ● High-quality construction ● Carry-on compatible

AWARD WINNER 2020

S CE AC

RY SO

WE’VE seen a lot of camera bags over the past year that aim to combine the carrying comfort of a backpack with the convenient access of a shoulder bag, with varying degrees of success. But we were most impressed by Vanguard’s VEO Select 49, an incognito backpack that lets you easily tuck away the harness and attach a shoulder strap for use as a messenger bag instead. Its spacious interior provides room for a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached, plus two to three lenses, a flash and accessories. It comes configured as a daypack, with the top third being a handy place to store clothes when travelling with just hand luggage. Alternatively the dividers can be rearranged to free up this space for a large lens such as a 150-600mm telezoom. Meanwhile those who want to work or edit on the go will be grateful for the 15in laptop sleeve. If you pack sensibly you can cram a surprising amount of kit inside, and it’s comfortable to carry in both backpack and shoulder bag configurations. When you consider its versatility and how well it’s made and put together, it offers sensational value for money. It’s by far the best hybrid bag we’ve tested.

THIS award recognises a product or technology that brings something new to the photographic market. With the GFX100, Fujifilm has made the world’s first truly practical super-high resolution camera that can be readily taken out of the studio and used handheld. To achieve this impressive feat, Fujifilm has combined a series of key technologies that have never previously been used together in a medium-format camera. Firstly, it’s employed a 102-million-pixel backilluminated sensor measuring 44x33mm, giving 11648 x 8736 pixel image files that can be printed a metre wide at a critically sharp output resolution of 300 pixels per inch. The sensor also features on-chip phase detection, allowing fast and accurate autofocus across almost the entire image area. It’s mounted onto a 5-axis in-body image stabilisation system rated to provide up to 5.5 stops of shake reduction, allowing the camera to be used with confidence handheld. Finally the shutter mechanism is isolated from the camera body to minimise any chance of image blurring from mechanical shock, and automatically selects the appropriate mode to minimise vibration. All this technology is housed in a robust body that’s no bigger than a professional DSLR. For photographers who need to shoot in the wild without compromising on image quality, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

‘A truly practical super-high resolution camera that can be readily taken out of the studio’

subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

AWARD WINNER 2020 IN

TIO VA O N

Why we like it

● Absolutely superb image

quality in both raw and JPEG ● In-body stabilisation allows practical handheld shooting ● Superb viewfinder and screen ● Excellent build quality ● Works with superlative GF lenses

Nominees ■ Epson FastFoto FF-680W ■ Fujifilm GFX100 ■ Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR 45

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Why we like it

● Robust build quality ● Rapid, quiet autofocus ● High-quality optics ● Full-time manual focus ● Available in a wide range of

DSLR and mirrorless mounts

Nominees ■ Fujifilm XF 16mm F2.8 R WR ■ Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art ■ Sony FE 35mm F1.8

‘A classic focal length that street, travel, wedding and reportage photographers love to use’

Wideangle Prime Lens of the Year

Sigma 28mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art

THE LATEST in Sigma’s series of Art primes offers a classic focal length that street, travel, wedding and reportage photographers love to use. It combines all of the features that we’ve come to expect in this highly regarded range, with a large aperture, robust build, and ﬁne optics. It’s available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma DSLR mounts, along with Sony E and Leica L mounts for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor performs autofocus duties, giving quiet, decisive AF and supporting full-time manual override. The aperture diaphragm employs nine curved blades to create attractive blur in the out-of-focus areas. Photographers who ﬁnd themselves shooting in wet or damp conditions will be pleased with its dust- and splash-proof construction. A water-and-oilrepellent coating is applied to the front and rear elements too. Most importantly, this lens gives attractive images that will stand apart from those taken with a zoom when you want to isolate the subject from the background. Nail the focus at f/1.4 and you’ll get really satisfying results.

AWARD WINNER E 2020 GL AN NS E LE ID W RI M E P

Standard Prime Lens of the Year

Why we like it

QUITE simply, the Zeiss Batis 40mm f/2 CF is a wonderful standard lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless users. The image quality it delivers is about as close to flawless as you could hope, with superb detail rendition and minimal aberrations. It offers a handy close-up shooting ability that gives one-third life-size magnification, although it’s not a substitute for a true macro lens. Build quality is superb, autofocus is quick, silent and accurate, and its OLED distance and depth-offield display is a bonus for manual-focus shooting. There’s a whole lot to like here, and barely anything to complain about. For many, the unfamiliar-looking focal length may be a barrier to considering this lens, but really it shouldn’t be. In fact there’s a hard core of photographers who’ll swear that this is the ideal standard focal length on full-frame, bringing an extremely natural perspective to your images. The £1,149 price tag is a more understandable sticking point, but if you’ve bought into a AWARD high-end full-frame mirrorless WINNER D system, it makes sense to invest in 2020 AR S ND LEN A top-notch lenses that’ll realise its full ST I M E PR potential. Few will deliver better results than the Batis 40mm f/2.

build ● Useful OLED distance scale

Zeiss Batis 2/40 CF

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● Superlative image quality ● Fast, decisive AF ● Handy close-focus facility ● Robust, weather-sealed

Nominees ■ Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE ■ Sigma 40mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art ■ Zeiss Batis 2/40 CF 47

Telephoto Prime Lens of the Year

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary Why we like it ● Fine optics ● Rapid, quiet autofocus ● Compact size ● Robust build ● Very competitive price

Nominees ■ Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 S ■ Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary ■ Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

LE LE TE IME PR

USUALLY, it’s the large, expensive lenses that end up winning awards, as they have the sharpest, best-corrected optics. But in this category, we chose a different option. Sigma’s 56mm F1.4 DC DN is a lovely short-telephoto portrait prime for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, but a price tag of just £349 gives it real mass-market appeal. Relatively small and light for a f/1.4 prime, the lens provides an 85mm equivalent view on Canon EF-M and Sony E-mount cameras with APS-C sensors, while Micro Four Thirds users benefit from a slightly longer 112mm view. Despite its affordable price, it includes one SLD glass element and two aspherical elements in its 10-element, 6-group design. A nine-blade diaphragm provides a circular aperture for attractive bokeh, while the autofocus stepper motor goes about its business quickly and quietly. Shooting wide open delivers satisfying results, with sharply defined subjects standing out against smooth blurred backgrounds. The aesthetic of out-of-focus highlights is pleasing too, and there’s just a little vignetting that’s often complimentary to the subject. Indeed for the size and price, you really can’t argue with the lens’s overall performance. It’s a fine compact prime that should attract the attention of many mirrorless users.

Why we like it

Wideangle Zoom Lens of the Year

Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD SURELY the smallest and lightest f/2.8 full-frame wideangle zoom on the market, this fine lens achieves its compact size by employing a relatively modest focal-length range. It features moisture-resistant construction for shooting outdoors in challenging conditions, with fluorine coating on the front element to repel raindrops and fingerprints alike. Autofocus works well for both stills and video shooting, being super-fast and essentially silent. Where the lens really excels though, is with regard to image quality. This kind of ultra-wide zoom is liable to be used for subjects such as landscapes and architecture, so needs to deliver high resolution right across the frame, low distortion, and strong resistance to flare. Thankfully it scores strongly on all these counts, outperforming most DSLR equivalents. It describes excellent levels of detail even at f/2.8, and stopped down to f/8 to f/16 it produces images that are super-sharp from corner to corner, with 18-point sun-stars thanks to the 9-blade aperture diaphragm. Overall, this is a very likeable lens that combines impressive sharpness with a fast maximum aperture in a compact, lightweight design. It really hits a sweet spot for Sony full-frame mirrorless users. 48

AWARD WINNER O 2020 OT S PH N

● Impressively sharp,

even wide open ● Large maximum aperture ● Compact size and light weight ● Weather-sealed construction ● Super-fast and silent autofocus

Nominees AWARD WINNER E 2020 GL AN NS E LE ID W OO M Z

■ Nikon Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4 S ■ Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 Di III RXD ■ Tokina opera 16-28mm F2.8 FF

ary 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Why we like it

● Stunningly sharp optics ● Pro-level weather-sealed

build ● Rapid, silent autofocus ● Useful customisable control ring ● Handy information display

Nominees ■ Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S ■ Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3

‘It employs advanced optics to meet the demands of high-resolution sensors’

Standard Zoom Lens of the Year

Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

NIKON’S premium standard zoom for its full-frame mirrorless cameras is a top-quality professional workhorse. It takes advantage of the Z mount to reduce size and weight without compromising optical quality, being 25% lighter and 18% shorter than Nikon’s equivalent for F-mount DSLRs. The build and overall ﬁnish is deserving of the demanding photographers that it’s designed for, with extensive weather sealing. A control ring positioned close to the camera body allows adjustment of the aperture, exposure compensation or ISO, while a display panel on top of the barrel toggles through focal length, aperture and focus distance. Just as we’d expect from a pro-spec lens, the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S employs advanced optics to meet the demands of high-resolution sensors. It puts in a mighty ﬁne performance, with truly excellent levels of detail delivered between f/5.6 and f/8 at all focal lengths. Adopt the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S and you’ll reap the reward of the size and weight advantages it offers. It’s a lens that produces excellent sharpness, is built to the demands of professional use and balances beautifully on full-frame Z-series cameras. It’s not cheap, but it’s the best Z-mount zoom we’ve tested so far.

Telephoto Zoom Lens of the Year

Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM THE ADVENT of full-frame mirrorless has allowed manufacturers to rethink all aspects of camera and lens design, and this superb fast telezoom is a great example. By using an extending barrel design, Canon has made it considerably smaller and lighter than other 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, without any concessions in terms build quality or optics. In keeping with the distinctive look of many Canon professional L-series EF lenses, this is the ﬁrst RF lens to be given a white heat-shield coating to help keep the optics cool in hot temperatures. Canon has incorporated an electronic ﬂoating focus-control mechanism with dual nano ultrasonic motors, making focusing smoother and quieter for stills and video shooting. The latest optical image stabilisation does a fa t ti j b of combating blur from camera shake. Optically this lens is a seriously impressive performer delivering the kind of image quality you’d expect from an L-series lens that sets you back a pretty penny. The results from our tests are very impressive indeed, with AWARD quite astonishing sharpness right across the frame WINNER O from corner to corner. Overall Canon has good reason 2020 OT S PH LEN E L to be proud of this large-aperture, high-performance TE OM O Z RF lens. It’s a quite brilliant telezoom! subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 29 February 2020

AWARD WINNER RD 2020 DA NS AN LE ST O M ZO

Why we like it

● Compact design ● Incredibly sharp optics ● Effective stabilisation ● Fast, smooth focusing for

both stills and video ● Dust and water-resistant construction

Nominees ■ Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM ■ Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports

‘Canon has made it smaller and lighter than other 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses’ 49

Why we like it

Compact Camera of the Year

Sony RX100 VII

● Impressive lens gives

WITH the latest model in its RX100 series, Sony has done what it does best, and crammed an astonishing amount of technology into a tiny package. Somehow it’s fitted a 24-200mm equivalent zoom, pop-up electronic viewfinder, tilting screen, 20fps shooting and 4K video recording into a body that you can slip into a jacket pocket. Compared to the previous model it adds AI-based subject-tracking autofocus that’s unmatched by any of its competitors, and is especially useful if you regularly shoot erratically moving subjects such as sports or children. If there’s a flaw, it’s that Sony has struggled to make all of these sophisticated features accessible and easy to use. This is a camera you need to spend a bit of time understanding, tweaking and setting up, and then using essentially as a point-and-shoot. But its automated systems are so reliable that you rarely have to intervene manually to get high-quality pictures. While many will understandably balk at the street price of £1,049, this is, without a doubt, the most technically accomplished compact camera on the market. It’s a fantastic pocket-friendly travel companion for those occasions when you don’t want to carry a DSLR.

Why we like it

● Verstatile three-lens

camera system ● Well-featured, easy-to-use camera app ● Fantastic image quality ● Useful remote control via stylus

Nominees ■ Apple iPhone 11 Pro ■ Google Pixel 4 ■ Huawei P30 Pro ■ Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 50

sharp images ● Really useful 24-200mm equivalent range ● Reliable exposure and auto white balance ● Sophisticated autofocus and rapid shooting ● Pop-up viewfinder and tilting screen

Nominees AWARD WINNER CT 2020 PA A M R CO AME C

■ Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II ■ Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II ■ Ricoh GR III ■ Sony RX100 VII

Smartphone Camera of the Year

Samsung Galaxy Note10+

AWARD WINNER E N 2020 HO TP A R AR ME SM CA

COMPETITION between smartphones to boast the best camera tech has intensified in recent years, with high-end models boasting multiple camera modules, full manual control, and DNG raw recording. You’ll find all of these in Samsung’s top-of-the-range Note10+. Three camera modules are on board, with an ultra-wideangle 13mm equivalent f/2.2 lens, a telephoto 52mm f/2.1 lens, plus a standard 26mm lens with a variable f/1.5-2.4 aperture. There’s also a fourth DepthVision camera, which is used for creating shallow depth of field effects. The native camera app offers a wealth of different shooting options, including a straightforward Photo mode that works as a point-and-shoot, a Night mode for low-light shooting, and a well-featured Pro mode. Unusually the Note10+ comes with a stylus that can be used as a remote release – ideal for shooting long exposures, selfies or group shots. Crucially, image quality is fantastic, with a good degree of uniformity between images captured on the three different lenses. Detail is also good, with nicely saturated colours. Photographers who want their phone to double up as a high-quality pocket camera need look no further. 29 February 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Consumer Camera of the Year

Canon EOS 250D Why we like it

● Excellent image quality ● Generously featured ● Small and lightweight ● Capable of 4K video capture ● Fully articulated

touchscreen

Nominees ■ Canon EOS 250D ■ Nikon D3500

THE MOST advanced model of Canon’s trio of entry-level DSLRs, and one of the smallest DSLRs on the market, the EOD 250D places technology borrowed from the mirrorless EOS M50 into a compact yet well-featured body. As a result it strikes a great balance between usability and portability, both when shooting stills through the viewfinder and 4K video using the articulated LCD. Indeed this generously featured, easy-to-use entry-level model has a lot going for it. It’s equipped with a range of novice-friendly features including its built-in Guided Mode and Creative Filters, and there’s plenty for more advanced photography too. It’s capable of shooting at five frames per second, while Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS sensor provides excellent AF performance and subject tracking when used in live view. Overall image quality is very good, delivering vibrant colours and enough fine detail to make large prints. A generous set of in-camera

processing tools allow you to N ER CO AM edit your images without the C need for a computer, while builtBluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity them to be easily transferred to your smartphone for easy sharing. The result is a really well rounded overall package that’s great for those just getting started in photography.

Enthusiast Camera of the Year

Why we like it

Fujifilm X-T30

FUJIFILM’S so-called ‘little giant’ is a smaller, lighter and more affordable alternative to the fabulous X-T3. It employs the same 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor, includes a sophisticated 425-point autofocus system with reliable face and eye detection, and is capable of shooting as fast as 30 frames per second. For those interested in video, 4K recording is on offer at up to 30fps. Despite its diminutive size, the X-T30 handles exceptionally well. Its intuitive user interface is based around traditional analogue dials, with the welcome addition of a joystick controller for fast and intuitive repositioning of the autofocus point. Image quality is superb in both raw and JPEG, aided by Fujiﬁlm’s peerless Film Simulation modes, which allow you to apply a wide range of attractive colour and monochrome looks to your pictures. All things considered, the X-T30 is a marvellous mirrorless camera. It provides an excellent spec and performance, while preserving the charm and charisma of the X-series. It’s highly versatile, proving itself to be 52

AWARD WINNER R 2020 ME SU A

● Intuitive analogue controls ● AF control joystick ● Sophisticated autofocus ● In-camera USB-C

battery charging ● Superb JPEG colour output

AWARD WINNER T S 2020 IA US A TH ER EN CAM

Nominees

just as capable shooting static subjects such as landscapes as it is portraiture and high-speed action, sport or wildlife. Its petite size means it takes up very little space in a camera bag. Those who do choose it will fall in love instantly and won’t want to stop using it.

■ Fujifilm X-T30 ■ Nikon Z 50 ■ Panasonic Lumix G90

29 February 2020 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Professional Camera of the Year and Product of the Year

Sony Alpha 7R IV

AWARD WINNER 2020 UM MI A E R PR AME C

Premium Camera of the Year

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III Nominees ■ Canon EOS 90D ■ Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III ■ Sony Alpha 6600

Why we like it

● Small size and lightweight ● Well-designed control layout ● Incredibly effective

in-body stabilisation ● Comprehensive weather-sealing ● Excellent JPEG output

WITH the third generation of its E-M5 range, Olympus has once again proved that highly speciﬁed and capable cameras don’t have to be large and heavy, or use a full-frame sensor. Instead it’s taken full advantage of the Micro Four Thirds format to produce a small, fully featured and weather-sealed mirrorless camera that’s both enjoyable to use, and capable of great results. This latest model retains the core characteristics that have made the E-M5 range so appealing. Its petite body ﬁnds space for an extensive complement of external controls, along with Olympus’s class-leading 5-axis in-body image stabilisation, yet weighs in at a featherweight 414g. Its 20MP sensor includes on-chip phase detection for fast, decisive autofocus. The result is an extremely likeable little camera with a rare combination of portability and ruggedness. Of course, this doesn’t come for free, and the smaller sensor inevitably means increased noise at high ISOs compared to its peers. But in return, you get access to arguably the best range of small, high-quality lenses for any camera system, plenty of which are weather-sealed. If you like the sound of a camera that’s small, handles well and gives attractive images, and value usability above staring at pixels onscreen, it’s a great choice.

AWARD WINNER AL N 2020 IO SS A R E OF M E PR CA

‘An incredibly powerful camera that crams a huge amount into its relatively compact body’ SONY’S Alpha 7R IV is the new master of resolution in the full-frame market. Indeed by developing the world’s first 61MP full-frame sensor, the firm has taken image quality to new heights, without compromising on speed or dynamic range. As a result, it’s made a camera that’s equally accomplished when shooting sport, action or wildlife as it is for landscape or portrait work, which hasn’t usually been the case with high-resolution models in the past. Sony has also made over 50 improvements compared to its already outstanding predecessor, in response to feedback from its users. These include a larger handgrip, improved weather seals and subtle changes to buttons and dials that further improve the camera’s handling. Other highlights include an excellent electronic viewfinder and effective in-body stabilisation. For those who regularly shoot portraits or fast-moving action, Sony’s industry-leading AI-based Real Time Eye AF and Real-Time Tracking is a revelation, delivering sharp results shot after shot, no matter how the subject moves around the frame. Overall the Alpha 7R IV is an incredibly powerful mirrorless camera that crams a huge amount into its relatively compact body. Without doubt it’s the best all-rounder you can currently buy. Serious enthusiasts, professionals and commercial photographers after super high-resolution images will surely be tempted by its remarkable abilities.

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AWARD WINNER F 2020 TO UC AR O D YE PR THE

Why we like it ● Mind-blowing detail

resolution ● Incredibly fast and responsive AF ● Superb viewfinder ● Highly refined design ● Effective in-body stabilisation

Nominees ■ Fujifilm GFX100 ■ Panasonic Lumix S1R ■ Sony Alpha 7R IV 53

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TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF CLEANING YOUR SENSOR WITH FIND THE PROBLEM

n Lights and Loupes.

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If you can’t see the dust and dirt - you can’t clean away the dust and dirt. Our products are designed to enable you to identify where and how to clean. We also advise that if you feel your sensor does not need attention after inspection, do nothing!

Luxury Pure Silk Camera Straps

LIGHT CLEANING NEEDED

A range of hand made straps made from pure silk by Japanese artisans, to give your camera a distinctive yet functional appearance. Various lengths and colours available. ACAM-312N shown.

n Dry cleaning.

Brushes and blowers with properties that lift dust and other non-oily materials away easily. Versions available for every sensor size regardless of camera brand. A range of blowers from a simple version to fully filtered, anti-static with dust free air ejection measures are available to suit your needs.

HEAVIER CLEANING NEEDED n Wet cleaning.

Liquids specifically designed and manufactured to remove greas oil, pollen, fingerprints etc whilst still being safe for your precious sensor. When used in conjunction with the correct swab they make light work of removing matter that would otherwise degrade your image. With the current popularity of mirrorless cameras and their potential for the ingress of dirt and foreign bodies due to lack of a mirror, keep these products in your gadget bag ready for use.

Vanity Pouches With Top Handles GUARANTEED safe to use with mirrorless cameras

OUT & ABOUT? TAKE VISIBLE DUST WITH YOU n Convenient kits.

The range of EZ kits bring together everything you need to ensure complete cleaning of your cameras sensor. Kits are available to tackle all of the various cleaning jobs you may have to carry out. They are colour coded BLUE for light cleaning, GREEN for everyday cleaning and RED for heavy cleaning. Kits available in all popular sensor sizes, and as with all VisibleDust products, they are suitable for all camera brands and sensors, with or without anti-aliasing filters.

See the entire range in detail at

www.visibledust.co.uk

For details of your nearest stockist please contact...

Tel: (Frazer Allen) 07725 081436 Tel: (Denys Nelson) 07909 227517

Store and protect your mirrorless camera, lens or accessory from dirt scratches. They can be placed within a larger camera or casual bag, providing protection and quick access to the equipment at all times. Available in 3 different sizes they can be configured to carry two bodies, three lenses or a combination of body and lens. ACAM-60N shown, ACAM-61N & ACAM-63N are alternatives.

Protective Camera Or Lens Wrap Store and protect your camera or lens from dirt and scratches. This wrap folds neatly around your equipment, the seamless rubber ring then slips over to hold the wrap securely in place. Ideal for carrying equipment in rucksacks or other bags not specifically designed for photo equipment. ACAM-80.

Casual Cord Camera Straps Made by traditional methods with the same care and precision of our silk straps, this new range offers photographers a colourful and comfortable way to carry their cameras. Available in the colourways shown, they are also available in 2 different lengths. ACAM-701 shown, ACAM-706 also available.

Further details and your nearest stockist can be obtained from... Alpha Optical Distribution Limited Tel: (Frazer Allen) 07725 081436 (Denys Nelson) 07909 227517 Email: info@alphaodl.co.uk Product website: www.artisan-n-artist.com

To advertise here, call Samuel Shaw : 07970 615618 Email samuel.shaw@ti-media.com Accessories

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Legends

Picnic on the Esplanade, Boston, 1973

of photography

themes in the photographer’s images, but what underlies each exhibition, book and photograph is a concern with the vitality and wonder of human connection. Ultimately, Goldin’s work is about the unity and power of love. When Goldin was just 11 years old, her sister, Barbara, took her own life. At such a young age, it was a defining moment in Goldin’s life. She knew that her sister’s repression of her sexuality had played a large part in her suicide, so at the age gather dust in a shoebox beneath of 15 Goldin began to shoot t seems like the obvious place to an unmade bed wrapped in images in order to begin, as it so often nicotine-stained sheets. commemorate her relationships is with controversial While the method of these and use the images to highlight photographers, but Nan Goldin images can alienate swathes of issues that may otherwise is a photographer who can the audience, it’s fair to say that remain unseen. She fell in with inspire strict dichotomies of there are many still who take the drag queen scene and response. On the one hand, moral umbrage with the began a stringent process of some embrace Goldin’s naked subjects they depict. Goldin’s documentation that carried displays of diaristic autowork is a raw exploration of through to the rest of her career. journalism and recognise the gender fluidity, transgender Photographing groups such as heartfelt pleas to recognise issues, drug use, sexuality and drag queens wasn’t necessarily not just the visibility of her AIDs. That’s not to mention new, but Goldin’s images subjects, but also their viability her confrontation of the harder eschewed the standard as members of society. Then side of human relationships, anthropological process of there is the other hand, fist such as heartbreak and abuse. analysis and instead showed her clenched and white-knuckled, But perhaps here we’ve friends as she saw them: utterly that decries the amateur form, immediately fallen into a trap human, all of them full of dismissing it as superficial when discussing Goldin’s work. dreams, sorrows and life. snapshot fodder, a collection These aforementioned issues Goldin’s big impact on the of images that should be left to are certainly present and big world of photography came

Nan Goldin

Goldin’s work is a testament to the heartbreaking power of photography, says Oliver Atwell

with the publication of The Ballad of Sexual Dependency in 1986. The images’ depiction of hard-drug use and sex, all presented in an unpolished aesthetic, is still fairly unequalled. Again, it was her way of highlighting and preserving a group of friends she loved dearly. By the 1990s, a majority of the people featured within the pages had died. There’s an idea that people write diaries with the expectation that one day they will be read. Goldin’s publications, such as The Ballad of Sexual Dependency and The Other Side, function much with this idea in mind. By opening up her life to the public, Goldin not only reveals herself to the world, but also does much to ensure that the people she encounters are made visible, are understood and, in the end, know they were loved.

An expanded and updated version of Nan Goldin’s seminal book The Other Side, published by Steidl and including a revised introduction from Goldin, is available to buy now.

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