7 days: this week’s news

7 days

A week in photography

This week’s cover image This striking light painting was photographed by Katrina Brown, who contributes to this week’s cover feature, on page 14.

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

42 It’s good to share: readers’ pictures

The light brigade

Inbox

Playing to win

When Harry Met... Bob Monkhouse

Canon Camera Connect

Behind the print

© GETTY IMAGES Amateur Photographer of the Year 2020: enter Round one now Light up the room Sigma fp: full review

49 Canon RF 24- 240mm F4-6.3 IS USM: lens test

53 Tech talk

66 Legends of photography

Light painting is a very simple technique –all you need is a tripod, a torch, and a camera capable of long exposures. But the results can be spectacular. It’s unlikely that your first attempts will produce anything as beautiful as that achieved by masters like Eric Paré but follow our expert tips (page 14), give it a go and you never know. This week we also launch the 2020 season of our long-running Amateur Photographer of the Year contest (page 36) in which we give away £10,000 worth of amazing kit courtesy of our friends at Sigma Imaging. To get you inspired we asked the insanely talented Caron Steele, the winner of APOY 2019, for the inside story on how she did it (page 22). She only bought her first proper camera five years ago, so if she can do it, so can you! Nigel Atherton, Editor

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

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This week in 1971

TREASURES FROM THE HULTON ARCHIVE

Tiger Lady by Central Press

AIR STEWARDESS Cynthia Robertson models the new uniform for the American-based National Airlines. A synthetic-tiger number, the new uniform was rolled out for more than 1,000 stewardesses to wear. Cynthia is holding an eight-week-old Bengal tiger cub called Indira. National Airlines was founded in 1934 and ran until 1980 when it was acquired by Pan Am, which itself ceased operation in 1991. Our research was not able to uncover the fate of the tiger-skin uniforms, nor indeed of Indira the tiger.

NEWS ROUND-UP

By Geoff Harris and Andy Westlake

Billingham going grey Premium English bag maker Billingham has introduced a version of its Hadley Small Pro in grey canvas and black leather. Sized to take a rangefinder, mirrorless camera or small DSLR outfit, it’s constructed from triple-layer waterproof canvas and features a removable shoulder strap. It’s available for preorder now for £200 from billingham.co.uk.

Sigma MC-31 on sale Sigma has declared that its Mount Converter MC-31 is now starting to ship. The MC-31 allows PL-Mount Cine lenses to be used on L-mount camera bodies such as the Sigma fp (see our in-depth review of the fp on pages 42-47). Featuring all-metal construction for durability and a detachable tripod mounting foot, the converter costs £649.99.

Folding grip for E-M1 Mark II and III STC has announced that it’s making a version of its Fogrip folding grip to fit the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and III. It features an Arca-Swiss type tripod plate, and a fold-down handgrip extension to provide more stable and comfortable handling with large lenses. It’ll cost £99.99. See bit.ly/olyfogrip.

© SAM ROWLEY/W LDL FE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Updated Fujifi lm Instax Mini 11 Fujifilm has refreshed its entry-level instant camera, with the Instax Mini 11 now boasting autoexposure, along with a selfie mode that’s activated by pulling out the front of the lens. It comes in a choice of five pastel colours for £69.99. New Instax Mini Blue Marble film and Instax Square White Marble film packs are also available.

BIG picture

Wildlife POTY People’s Choice winner announced

AN IMAGE of mice fi ghting on a London Underground station platform has scooped the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. Taken by Bristol-based Sam Rowley, the photograph received 28,000 votes from a

shortlist of 25 images put to the public to vote on. According to Sam, the mice were fi ghting over a few leftover crumbs, with the encounter lasting just a few seconds. Sam visited multiple platforms over several nights, getting many curious looks from passengers while he lay in wait for the perfect shot. This image, along with the other winning pictures from the WPOTY contest, will be on display until 31 May before touring around the UK.

SOURCE: PAGESIX.COM

Words & numbers

At this time, there is no reason to halt a large-scale event like Photokina Christoph Werner Vice president of the Cologne convention centre which hosts the camera show.

$258,000

© M GUEL CLARO

An upcoming camera may lose some features

Flash memory squeeze may aff ect Sony plans

ACCORDING to a report on Bloomberg. com, Sony has cancelled some previously planned features for a new mirrorless camera due this year owing to constrained supply of DRAM fl ash memory. The article refers to Sony’s efforts to develop its forthcoming PS5 games console and release it at a competitive price –the PlayStation being a major cash cow for the company. ‘Sony’s biggest headache is ensuring a reliable supply of DRAM and NAND fl ash memory, with both in high demand as smartphone makers gear up for fi fth-generation devices,’ the article claims. At the same time as demand for DRAM from smartphone manufacturers pushes up Sony’s production costs, rival games console manufacturer Microsoft is bringing out its Xbox Series X this year, further piling on the pressure. The Bloomberg article doesn’t say which mirrorless camera appears to have missed out, but the Sony Alpha 7S II is certainly due for an update.

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* ‘A Titanium Moon’ by Miguel Claro, was the public’s favourite image

People’s choice is out

of this world

THE WINNER of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year: People’s Choice Award 2019 has been announced as ‘A Titanium Moon’ by Miguel Claro. The image is a high-resolution mosaic composed of four panels, each one made from 30 images, combined to reveal a sharp and detailed surface. The colour has been slightly increased to reveal differences in the chemical constitution of the lunar surface and changes in mineral content that produce subtle colour variations in refl ected light. Miguel’s winning image was chosen out of 25 selected by the National Maritime Museum, with the public casting over 22,000 votes online and in the exhibition gallery, between 12 September 2019 and 23 February 2020. Second place went to Marcin Zajac for ‘Ageless’ and third went to Masoud Ghadiri for ‘Sharafkhane Port and Lake Urmia’. The winners of the Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 will be announced at the museum on 10 September. See www.rmg.co.uk/peopleschoice.

Nik Collection updated by DxO

Nik Collection 2.5 By DxO has now been released, with the headline improvement being the inclusion of ten new black & white fi lm stocks to Silver Efex Pro 2.0. This black and white editing tool is one of the most popular parts of the Nik Collection, but its colour equivalent, Color Efex Pro, also gets fi ve new simulations. The new fi lm stocks simulate fi lm from Fujifi lm, Agfa and Lomography, and were designed by Dan Hughes, a lecturer in photography science and a former Nik Software trainer. In addition, the software is now compatible with Serif’s Affi nity Photo 1.8 image editing program. You can buy Nik Collection 2.5 By DxO from shop.dxo.com/en for £125, or just £69 for existing DxO users.

Create your art with cutting-edge science.

ZEISS Batis Lenses

Discover the science behind the ZEISS Look. zeiss.com/ zeisslook

ZEISS engineering for Sony E-Mount 1 cameras.

Photography is the art of capturing time and space –the creation of breathtaking pictures, with the perfect look. With ZEISS Batis Lenses, everything comes together: Vivid colours, sharpness down to the last detail and state-ofthe-art optical design that ensures an outstanding bokeh. Art and science in unison – that´s what we call the ZEISS Look.

‘Rift’, 2018 by Cody Cobb from his series Strange Land

International Photography

The world’s longest-running photography exhibition is a great opportunity to see some of today’s best photographers, says Amy Davies

The 162nd edition of the Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition –the world’s longest-running photography exhibition –kicked off at the RPS Headquarters in Bristol in mid-February. There’s still some time left to see it at RPS House, after which it will then embark on a nationwide tour for the remainder of the year. Forty-three different photographers have been selected to appear in the exhibition, which come from the annual competition run by the RPS. Each year, an open call is made to photographers and image-makers of all ages. It has been held almost every year since 1854, the year after the RPS was founded. In the early years, the exhibition included work from some of the world’s most eminent photographers including Julia Margaret Cameron, Roger Fenton, Edward Steichen and Paul Strand. It’s therefore always a fantastic opportunity to see work from current photographers who one day might be held in the same kind of regard. Autumn 2020 will see the next open call for IPE 163, so a visit to the show

© CODY COBB © ALAIN GIGNOUX

© JOHN DAVIES

‘Give Jesus a try’ by Alain Gignoux

© CATHERINE HYLAND

From Catherine Hyland’s series –lithium mining in the Atacama Desert

Exhibition 162

might also give you some inspiration to submit your own photographs and projects for consideration.

The overall winner this year is the American photographer Cody Cobb, for images from his series Strange Land (above left). The images in this series were made during periods of extended solitude, during which Cobb immerses himself in the American West for weeks at a time, stripped of basic human comforts and isolated within unfamiliar terrain.

Speaking of his win, Cobb said, ‘The support of the RPS has encouraged me to continue pushing myself and my work in ways that weren’t possible before. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to share my interpretation of what it means to be human on this strange and fantastic planet.’

Meanwhile, the under-30s award winner Chirag Jindal, from New Zealand, won for his series Into the Underworld – Ng ā Mahi Rarowhenua , which reveals a network of lava caves hidden beneath Auckland.

A series of talks and workshops from exhibiting photographers will be bookable throughout the tour. Visit rps.org/ ipe162 for more information.

Also out now

The latest books and exhibitions from the world of photography

BOOK

Retraced 81/19 by John Davies £45, hardback, ISBN 978-1-910401-34-7, GOST Books

FOR THIS book, photographer John Davies has revisited the locations in his early images (taken in the 1980s) to map changes in the landscape.

Taken from the same vantage point, they show the alterations made by human activity and highlight cultural and social change over almost four decades. It features a good spread of locations across the UK – and beyond. Even if you know nothing of each of the destinations, it’s still an interesting look at how you can build a project on a set idea, revisiting imagery from time gone by. As Martin Barnes points out in an essay at the back of the book, sometimes the differences are subtle, sometimes they’re much more obvious – and dramatic –and it can be fun, and often poignant, to compare and contrast the scenes. ★★★ ★★ Amy Davies

EXHIBITION

A Decade of Moments Focus on… Mark Littlejohn Runs until 16 May, Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm. Joe Cornish Galleries, Northallerton, North Yorkshire THE 2014 winner of the prestigious Take-a-View UK Landscape Photographer of the Year contest, Mark Littlejohn is one of the best photographers of the genre currently working in Britain. Working with the Joe Cornish Galleries for its fi rst ‘Focus on…’ exhibition of the year, this is a fantastic opportunity to see some stunning work on display. A former police offi cer, Mark retired in 2011 having completed 30 years’ service with the Cumbria Constabulary. He has spoken in the past about how his photography has helped him to relax after what at times was a diffi cult career. He fi rmly believes that beautiful images can be found without the need for travel – but in fairness, his local area is Penrith in Cumbria, located between the Eden Valley and Ullswater, so perhaps he is a little biased. Amy Davies

© JOHN HEYWOOD © JAMES ABBOTT

Viewpoint

John Heywood

An Amateur Photographer reader ponders whether a subscription to AP could be a better education than a degree

In next week’s issue

On sale Tuesday 17 March

Over the years I have gathered many stories on how university and college courses are wasting students’ money. In the late 1990s, just before I retired, I took on a student who had been studying photography for two years. After the fi rst fi ve minutes I realised she hadn’t a clue about photography. She felt she had wasted a fortune and was going to fail the degree. I set about giving her simple instructions on portrait lighting using her father as a model, only using the window and room light as light sources, showing the lighting effects on her father’s face depending on his position in relation to the light source. She stated that I had taught her more in two hours than she had been taught at university for two years. A while ago I was in a photographic store observing one of the young assistants taking a passport photograph. He showed the result to the client who insisted it was not her on the screen (what she actually meant that he had made her look ugly). He was using an APS-C digital camera with the kit lens set at 18mm focal length, with the fl ash aimed straight at the subject. In order to fi ll the frame he had to be very close to the subject’s face, resulting in gross distortion. No wonder the subject objected to the awful mess he was presenting her with. I asked him if he had any tuition in taking passport photographs. He informed me that his university degree course did not cover portraiture. I quietly told him to set the focal length to 55mm, which made him stand further back, and to bounce the fl ash off the wall behind him. Bingo! She loved the next shot he took. The basics of photography I used to subscribe to a monthly photographic magazine. Every month it had a certain mature photographer give his four-penneth. One month he described how he had studied for three years for a photography degree at a prestigious London college. He then set about searching for a photographer’s assistant position. He gained an interview with a successful London photographer who asked him if he knew how to process black & white fi lm. He lied that he did. How can a student from a top London college come away not knowing such basics? As recently as November, on Remembrance Sunday, I was taking photographs of the ceremony. I noticed a teenager with an old Nikon FM2 taking photographs. I told her that before I retired I had a couple of FM2s. Soon, she came to the end of the fi lm and admitted she was a student at the local college and had been told to use the FM2, but had no idea how to use it and asked me to unload the fi lm. I asked if she knew what the aperture numbers and shutter speed numbers were and how to set the ISO. She hadn’t a clue! Teaching methods When I enlisted in the RAF as a photographer, over 50 years ago, within the fi rst week we were taught what the aperture numbers and shutter speed numbers meant and how the ASA (now ISO) numbers stated the sensitivity of a fi lm. We were let loose with a camera, light meter and fi lm, then were taught how to load the fi lm into a processing tank and process the fi lm. From my experiences and horror stories I have been told, universities and colleges are taking the mickey out of photography students. It seems obvious to me, that a subscription to Amateur Photographer magazine will save you a fortune and teach you a hell of a lot more. John Heywood was a professional photographer until he retired in 2009. He remains an enthusiastic amateur and his favourite subjects are portraits and documentary. 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 A portrait by John Heywood, who was taught the basics of photography while in the RAF CONTENT FOR NEXT WEEK S SSUE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

MONEY-SAVING SPECIAL

© ANDREW SYDENHAM Used & approved

Top photographers tell us

how they got on with a range of used cameras and lenses

Cheap full-frame cameras Audley Jarvis picks out some of the best second-hand full-frame camera bargains

Meike MK 50mm F1.7 test Andy Westlake tries out an inexpensive manual focus lens for full-frame mirrorless

You can’t buy iconic new.

A true icon earns its status. A powerhouse

when launched, the M9 was the world’s smallest, full

frame digital system camera - proving that small can