10 YEARS AUSTRALIA’S LEADING PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE
PhotoReview
A U S T R A L I A
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MAR-MAY 2012
Lands before Time DAVID LAZAR
Tony Hewitt: A Photographic Journey Deb Bonney: Staying in the Moment REVIEWS
HOW TO:
Canon EOS-1D X vs Nikon D4 Canon G1X, Panasonic GX1 Pentax Q, Nikon 1 V1 Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 PLUS 7 Lenses
Shoot superb coastal scenes Get great results from a compact Print big for a quality finish Add artistic filter effects
ISSUE 51 I S S N 1839-5899
contents Display your images on Photo Review’s gallery at www.photoreview.com.au.
10 YEARS AUSTRALIA’S LEADING PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE
For magazine submissions, send Don a link to your images dnorris@photoreview.com.au
PhotoReview
A U S T R A L I A
$9.95 Incl. GST
www.photoreview.com.au
MAR-MAY 2012
INSIDE
Cover image by David Lazar See page 12.
20 Lands before Time
01
Editorial
05
Products & Trends
DAVID LAZAR
Tony Hewitt: A Photographic Journey Deb Bonney: Staying in the Moment REVIEWS
HOW TO:
Canon EOS-1D X vs Nikon D4 Canon G1X, Panasonic GX1 Pentax Q, Nikon 1 V1 Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 PLUS 7 Lenses
Shoot superb coastal scenes Get great results from a compact Print big for a quality finish Add artistic filter effects
ISSUE 51
A look at some of the more interesting new releases from the 2012 CES show in Las Vegas, and other notable recent events in the world of imaging.
I S S N 1839-5899
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Photo Challenge In this issue we challenge readers to tell a story involving doorways and thresholds.
INSPIRATION 12
DAVID LAZAR: LANDS BEFORE TIME In his travel and portrait photography, David Lazar is drawn to subjects that don’t reflect the modern world.
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TONY HEWITT: A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY AIPP Grand Master Tony Hewitt explains how the ‘journey of capture’ starts the minute one thinks about a picture, and doesn’t end until post-production and media choice.
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DEB BONNEY: STAYING IN THE MOMENT Street photographer Deb Bonney is living proof that it’s possible to unlock your creativity very quickly indeed.
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contents
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TOKINA AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 PRO FX
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TOKINA AT-X 17-35mm f/4 PRO FX
MIRRORLESS INTERCHANGEABLES 56
CANON POWERSHOT G1X A new G-series camera with a large, 14.3-megapixel high-sensitivity CMOS Sensor, 4x optical zoom lens, 14bit RAW shooting and Full HD movie recording.
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A feature-rich, customisable, G-Micro series camera designed for photo enthusiasts.
INSIDER 38
HOW LARGE SHOULD YOU PRINT?
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An overview of the factors influencing the maximum output size for your images.
TECHNIQUE 41
PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-GX1
PENTAX Q The smallest, lightest interchangeable-lens camera system currently available.
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NIKON 1 V1
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OLYMPUS PEN MINI E-PM1
SHOOTING WITH COMPACT CAMERAS
SHOOTING: COASTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
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LENSES 54
SIGMA 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 II DG HSM
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PENTAX DA 35mm f/2.8 Limited Macro
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PANASONIC LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH/POWER OIS
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PANASONIC LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 45175mm f/4-5.6 ASPH/POWER OIS
Publisher David O’Sullivan dosullivan@photoreview.com.au Publication Manager Pauline Shuttleworth pshuttleworth@photoreview.com.au Accounts Manager Heather Hampson mpaccounts@photoreview.com.au
ADVANCED COMPACTS
Design by itechne [www.itechne.com] Impressive Print Solutions aaron@impressiveprint.com.au phone (03) 9421 8833
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CANON POWERSHOT S100
Distributed by NDD Network Services Photo Review website by itechne
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FUJIFILM X10
PRINTERS
All content in Photo Review Australia is protected under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher.
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Photo Review Australia is published by
CANON EOS-1D X & NIKON D4 COMPARED We compare the latest ‘full frame’ Pro DSLR cameras from Canon and Nikon.
Creative Director DarrenRiches Waldren Aaron
Photo Review Australia is printed on Monza SatinSatin Recycled Pacesetter PaperPaper with with ISO 14001 Environmental Accreditation Printed by Pegasus Print Group
How to use filter effects in editing software to add artistic effects to your photos.
DSLRS
Contributor Steve Packer
Subscriptions One year (4 issues) $29.00 $36.00 including GST and delivery in Australia. See page 33 35 this issue or phone: (02) 9948 8600 or online: www.photoreview.com.au
EDITING: ONE IMAGE, MANY MOODS
BUYERS GUIDE
Trade News Editor Keith Shipton keiths@photoreview.com.au
Advertising Phone (02) 9948 8600 pshuttleworth@photoreview.com.au
How to make the most of photo opportunities when you’re close to water.
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Technical Editor Margaret Brown mbrown@photoreview.com.au
Media Releases edmail@photoreview.com.au
Not all compact cameras are created equal – we look at the features and functions which deliver superior images and photographer control.
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Editor Don Norris dnorris@photoreview.com.au
CANON PIXMA PRO-1 Canon’s latest A3+ printer is more economical to run and produces better-looking prints, particularly on glossy papers.
NET EFFECT 64
OUR WEBSITE FINDS Our editor was ‘just browsing, thank you’ when he came across this basket-full of gems!
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Media Publishing Pty Limited ABN 86 099 172 577 Office 4 Clontarf Marina Sandy Bay Road, Clontarf NSW 2093 Australia Ph: (02) 9948 8600 Fx: (02) 9948 0144 Em: edmail@mediapublishing.com.au Photo Review website: www.photoreview.com.au
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Inspiration
‘I remove shades of colours in unimportant parts of the photo and boost colours in parts where I want the eye to look.’
Our World Girls from a hill tribe in Sapa, north Vietnam.
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Inspiration
Lands before time BRISBANE PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID LAZAR TALKS TO STEVE PACKER ABOUT HIS STUNNING, AWARD-WINNING TRAVEL WORK. By Steve Packer
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Inspiration
‘I like to capture scenes that could have been taken 100 years ago…’ Burmese Elegance In a fish market in Sittwe, Myanmar.
We think your travel photography is among the best we’ve ever seen. What pushes your buttons in terms of subject matter? When I look back over my work, I realise I’m drawn to subjects that don’t reflect the modern world. I like to capture scenes that could have been taken 100 years ago – landscape and people shots that have no bearing on the modern, civilised western world. Subjects like Buddhist monks or scenes from rural Bangladesh. They have a ‘land before time’ feel to them. This type of subject is very different from my usual life in Australia, and I enjoy capturing and sharing these scenes that most people don’t get to see. All of your work is extraordinarily rich in colour and tone. Although you’re using digital cameras,
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Myanmar Light Late one afternoon in Sagaing, Myanmar.
it’s as though you’re a master of the old Fuji Velvia film. How do you achieve such gorgeous exposures? I suppose the answer is careful Photoshop work on the images to achieve this look. My goal with Photoshop is to never have the photo look obviously edited, but rather just perfectly exposed, like a painting would have been created. The camera generally takes the photo in a way that is not quite what’s in my mind’s eye, so I need to work with the colours and lighting in post-production. I remove shades of colours in unimportant parts of the photo and boost colours in parts where I want the eye to look. The same applies to brightness. I darken parts of the photo that are less important and add brightness to subjects as if a studio light was in place,
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illuminating where I want the viewer to look. A good example is the ‘Monk Eyes’ photo. I’ve de-saturated certain tones and darkened the background. The face and eyes have been brightened, and shadows on the face and robes have been darkened to give nice contrast and definition. I usually just enhance the natural light that was already captured by carefully making the brighter parts brighter and the shadows darker. Do you tend to take a lot of photos while travelling or are you very selective? I know you sometimes go to some trouble to capture people on location at their very best, sometimes setting up situations. I shoot as many frames as I can to get the perfect shot. I try different angles and poses as long as the
Inspiration
subject is keen and willing. I choose faces that have character and are aesthetically interesting. As for set-ups, it’s true that nearly all of my people photos are posed. In close-up portraits, I like to show deeper emotions than just ‘smiling for the camera’ type poses. Since it’s quite a western concept to do this, it’s not hard for most of my subjects to give these serious, introspective looks – even though they’ll probably burst out laughing after the photos are taken. I also like the idea of being an invisible spectator, as if we are viewing the person in their personal space, so I often ask the subject to look away from the camera. I find that people generally like being given a little direction, which is fortunate because it’s beneficial to move people into the right light or
against a better background. How important is establishing a personal relationship with the people in your travel photos? It’s very important. I think it’s the key to getting successful portrait photos. How do you do it? Smile, engage and be interested in the people you want to photograph and what they are doing. It’s all about your demeanor and attitude. If I interact with people and try to use phrases in their language, or comment on what they are doing through gesture and just be open and sincere, it can go a long way to gaining trust and eventually a photograph. It’s all about making the process fun and lighthearted so people can relax and enjoy being a part of it. I often hand my camera to people I’m photographing so they
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can have a play with it and take some photos of their own. You obviously like travelling. Is it mainly to take photos, and where have you travelled to? I know you’re in South Africa as we speak. Even if I was denied taking my camera for some reason, I would still keep travelling. I enjoy being around people of different cultures and seeing how people live in circumstances different to what I’m familiar with. I generally find people to be happier, warmer and more welcoming in countries that are not as wealthy as the western world. I’ve been privileged to be invited into people’s homes in developing countries more times than I could count. I’ve been to a lot of places in South and SouthEast Asia, including three times to India and twice to
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tips: shooting
shooting tips:
Shooting with Compact Cameras SOME THOUGHTS ON TAKING INTERESTING PHOTOS WITH A POCKETABLE CAMERA. By Margaret Brown any snapshooters feel they need a sophisticated, interchangeable-lens DSLR to take good pictures. Yet most photographers have proved over time that equipment plays a relatively minor role in creating successful shots. As long as the lens is sharp and the camera has adequate resolution you can produce great shots with a compact camera and even print some of them at A2 size. Compact cameras have plenty of advantages. They’re easier to carry than DSLRs and more manoeuvrable. They are also much less conspicuous, allowing you to take pictures without being noticed – or intimidating subjects. Smaller, simpler cameras are particularly good when you’re travelling. They take up less space, are easier to carry and are less likely to be stolen because it’s easier to find somewhere to store them out of view. Photojournalists use compact cameras in difficult and dangerous environments for all these reasons. Small, unobtrusive cameras allow them to move in close to the action and they’re easy to slip into a pocket if the going gets tough.
M
This shot comes from a raw file taken with a Canon PowerShot G10 at ISO 80, 8mm focal length, 1/640 second at f/3.2. To prevent under-exposure and emphasise the misty conditions, +0.3EV exposure compensation was applied.
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tips: shooting
What to look for in a compact camera
Digicams with retracting, extended-range zoom lenses are great for travel photography and enable you to shoot close-ups of people without attracting attention. Sony DSC-HX5 with 39mm focal length, ISO 320, 1/60 second at f/3.5.
Combining a large sensor with a small, fixed-lens camera body, the Fujifilm FinePix X100 is ideal for street photography because it’s quiet and inconspicuous to use. Taken with ISO 250, 23mm focal length, 1/90 second at f/3.5.
For the purposes of this feature, we’ve defined a compact camera as being small enough to fit into a jacket pocket. This stricture excludes ‘super-zoom’ digicams but includes some mirrorless cameras when fitted with a ‘pancake’ lens. Cameras with larger sensors but non-interchangeable lenses like the Fujifilm FinePix X100 and Canon’s new G1X are also included. Key features to consider when choosing a compact camera are: 1. The size of the sensor. The smaller the sensor, the less light it can capture, which means there’s less light signal and more systems noise. Dynamic range is also reduced but depth of fi eld increases, making it more diffi cult to blur backgrounds. Although larger sensors deliver better image quality and provide greater control over depth of fi eld, they also require larger camera bodies and larger lenses. Your task is to balance performance against portability. 2. The zoom range. Unless the lens retracts, you can’t expect much more than 5x optical zoom, even with a tiny sensor. Cameras with larger sensors usually have short zooms – or no zoom at all. 3. The control suite. Many compact cameras are designed for point-and-press operation. Make sure the camera you choose has all the controls you need – and they’re readily accessible. 4. File formats. While it’s OK to shoot JPEGs for everyday snapshots, when you’re after optimal image quality you must shoot raw fi les wherever possible, particularly when using a small-sensor digicam. RAW+JPEG capture provides you with
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the best options for photographing subjects in challenging light conditions. You have a JPEG fi le for easy sharing, plus a raw fi le to edit. 5. The monitor. The higher the resolution of the monitor the better; avoid monitors with less than 460,000 dots. Brightness adjustability is an asset but can’t overcome the diffi culty of using a monitor in bright outdoor lighting. Adjustable monitors are convenient in many situations.
in challenging lighting conditions. Because light falls off with the square of the distance, a subject twice as far from the camera will receive half the light intensity from the flash. By about six metres, the additional light from the flash will have no effect whatsoever on the exposure.
6. A decent viewfi nder. Ideally, it should be built into the camera but a clip-on fi nder is acceptable as long as it doesn’t compromise the camera’s portability and functionality. The best fi nders show 100% of the sensor’s fi eld of view and are bright enough to use in low light levels. Unfortunately, this combination is relatively rare. 7. Stabilisation. Smaller cameras can be diffi cult to keep steady when shooting hand-held. Even with wide-angle lenses, sensor-shift or lens-shift stabilisation is advantageous when shooting in dim lighting. It’s particularly important in smallsensor digicams as it allows you to keep ISO settings low. 8. Flash. You may seldom use it, but a built-in flash with adjustable output levels can save shots
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The larger (17.3 x 13mm) sensor in the Olympus E-P1 provided a wide enough dynamic range in this shot to capture details in both highlights and shadows without visible noise. Shot at ISO 640 with 28mm focal length at f/6.3 and a shutter speed of 1/125 second.
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