Viewfinders Newsletter - Oct 2018 by Philippe Clabots

Photography Club of Brussels Since 1994

Newsletter nº 252, October 2018

Next Meeting 17.10.2018

Reading the printed version? You’re missing out on lots of links and photos! Download the extended pdf version at www.viewfinders.be Next newsletter submission deadline 27.10.2018

newsletter@viewfinders.be

www.viewfinders.be

Club Meetings Let’s get started.. We had an excellent first meeting of the season (even if the technology did try our patience somewhat, it worked out in the end…). Truly inspiring images has made me – and I suspect also others - re-think on special post-processing in general, and HDR in particular. And as we rush headlong into the Dark Months, I can feel challenging light conditions approaching from all directions. (Challenging? Well, except for a total absence of light there is no such thing as bad lighting conditions. Is there? …). At our first meeting, we also gave impetus to the Special Interest Group on macro photography, set up by Richard and Bob (Taylor). I’m am watching how this develops with great interest, as it is a model for other specialist activities that the club can support (someone mentioned wildlife photography to me. Now there’s an idea…). We have our first trip of the season behind us already, too– a delightful afternoon (with sun!) at the Antwerp International Photography Festival. From the overwhelmingly numerous masterpieces of B&W nostalgia that is Anton Corbijn, through other masterful works in the “Iconobelge” (including Stephan Vanfleteren, Harry Gruyaert, Marie-Jo Lafontaine, Carl De Keyzer and many others) via the sometimes horrific photo-journalism in the “Prix Carmignac” section (though some – and I agree – found it a little too confrontational as the first thing to see in the exhibition tour) up to the amazingly constructed sky-scraper world of Michael Wolf. His photoshopped “building-scapes” (my word) combine the fascinating detail of a Pollock painting and the haunting repetition (but not quite) of a piece by Steve Reich. Great stuff! And of course it had to end with the traditional knees-under-the-table, but this time on a terrace, by the yacht harbour, under a clear-blue sky in the late afternoon sun… Life can be so beautiful… Alun

“I work using the Brian Eno school of thinking: limit your tools, focus on one thing and just make it work… You become very inventive with the restrictions you give yourself ” Anton Corbijn

October Meeting After Alun’s announcements, Robert Paridaens will present, based on the experience he gained in preparing his recent exhibition, a practical checklist for organizing exhibitions. After Robert’s presentation, 4 to 5 members will present photos from their portfolio of images. Looking forward to seeing you at the club meeting on the evening of Wednesday, 17 October. Richard

Friendly reminder to pay your annual membership subscription, if you haven’t already. For all existing members and for all new members, the membership year starts in September. The annual fee is the same as last year: 30€. You may pay, in preference, to the Viewfinders Bank Account: BE13 3101 2440 7539, BIC: BBRUBEBB, please mention your full name and "Membership" in the communication/reference. Or you can pay in cash at one of our club meetings. Please don't delay, join the best photo club in town and take part in all our events!

September Meeting Report The first club meeting of the new 2018-2019 season starts, as usual, with the announcements made by Alun, welcoming our new guests to the meeting. We learn about the International Photo Festival in Antwerp, as a proposal for the club members to organize a trip to Antwerp, then Photokina (26-29 September) is announced, plus the special interest group in macro photography, who has the chance to register to the Macro Workshop, on November 17, organized by Richard Sylvester. Afterwards, Alun reminds us of the participation of Helene Cook and Philippe Clabots to the “Schieven Regards” Photography Exhibition, organized by “Bruxelles Pixels” After the announcements, Richard starts his TTT on Macro Photography. This is a specific photographic genre that requires special equipment; we could mention macro lenses, close-up filters, single/double reverse macro lens, extension tubes, bellows, focus rails and lighting. Richard also explain the difference between close-up and macro photography. Regarding the cameras, both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras can be successfully used for macro photography. As Richard is using Fujifilm cameras for macro, he explains us some of the advantages of using a mirrorless camera. Here are a few: the electronic viewfinder (EVF – WYSIWYG, plus magnification mode) that makes unnecessary to switch to live view; no mirror vibrations – also

the electronic shutter makes the photography process 100% vibration-free; the focusing and exposure (light measurement) are done directly at sensor level. However, DSLR could provide a more mature technology (more lenses, flashes and long-time tested tethering solutions). After the TTT, our guest, Trish Hamilton is invited to present her portfolio on real estate photography. During her presentation, we see both real estate professional work and personal work, while using HDR (high dynamic range) techniques with the help of Photomatix Pro 6. Most of the presented photographs are made in United States for Real Estate companies and she explains that the essence of HDR photography is made of the use of a tripod, capturing bracketed exposures (between 5 and 9 different exposures) and a dedicated software for blending all exposures and make further adjustments. Her choice was Photomatix, but Photoshop is also capable of blending several exposures into an HDR composition. If you are interested in HDR photography and want to learn more about her work, please visit her website at www.trishhamilton.com Sebi

VIEWFINDERS exhibition 2018

This exhibition by 9 Viewfinders members will take place in our usual meeting location, the Swedish Church and cultural centre. Inspired by Andrew Holm (the previous pastor) as a commemoration of the 100 years anniversary of the armistice of the Great War and developed further by the participants, the exhibition comprises 18 images from 9 participating photographers (with other images in reserve for later publication). It investigates “war” more generally, its impact and aftermath, and what can and is being done to protect future generations from this mechanised horror. The exhibition opens with a vernissage at 16:00 on October 28th and finishes on November 18th.

– commemorating the armistice of WW1

Interview with Mr. Richard Sylvester 1. For how long have you had this passion for photography? I have been interested in photography for as long as I can remember. I took my first photography course at Florida State University in early 1974 at which time I also learned how to develop black and white film and make my own prints. When I came to Belgium in late 1974, my father in-law had a dark room which maintained my interest in photography for a number of years. Although I did some occasional color tourist style photography when travelling, my interest in photography was renewed again in 1999 when I bought my first digital camera, the Sony Digital Mavica MVC-FD83, which saved images on 3.5-inch 1.44 MB floppy disks. I started taking online photography courses in 2008 and joined Viewfinders in 2009 so that I could enter a photo in their Challenge. After having used Canon compact digital cameras and Nikon DSLR cameras for many years, the purchase of a Fuji mirrorless camera in early 2013, the X-E1, ignited my current passion for Fuji cameras. Goodbye Nikon, hello Fuji.

AE-1 and was sad when it was stolen. Once you understand the basics of photography and have tried your hand at digital photography, then I believe that most people would find it to be an interesting learning experience to use a film camera, especially if you have access to a darkroom.

3. Landscape, Street, Travel, Portrait – what type of photography do you enjoy and in what order? I believe that you shouldn’t originally limit yourself to just one or two types of photography, but rather try several different types to gain experience with your camera and find out what really interests you. I enjoy most types of photography. Landscape and travel photography have always held my interest during trips, however I wouldn’t want to be a wedding or a portrait photographer due to the stress that is involved. But I had to try them to find this out. My main passion is macro and closeup photography, especially of my wife’s minerals and gem stones. With macro photography, you can bring out amazing details that aren’t always visible to the naked eye. It is very challenging, especially due to the very small depth of field, but the rewards can be worth it.

2. Digital vs Analog: did you use film cameras? Would you recommend a film camera to someone passionate about photography? I used several different film cameras before I switched to digital, however with film I always felt somewhat frustrated because I had to wait, sometimes several weeks, to see the results. I especially enjoyed using the Canon

More recently I have become interested in action photography due to my daughter’s synchronized swimming activities and street photography where I am still learning how to look for light, patterns and reflections. 4.

What are your favorite lenses?

With my Fuji X-T2, the choice of lens depends on the subject matter: closeups and macros: XF 80mm F2.8 macro lens

sports photography: XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 lens

general all-purpose travel photography: the XF 1855mm F2.8-4.0 or the XF 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 lenses

hanced by changes related to the composition (cropping), exposure or contrast. I find that Capture One Pro does a good job on Fuji RAW files and after an initial steep learning curve, it has replaced Lightroom as my software of choice.

If I had to pick just one lens, my overall favorite and most used lens is the Fuji XF 23mm F2.0.

8. Could you tell us 3 great photographers who inspire you?

street photography: XF 23mm F2.0 lens

Black & White or Color, for you and why?

They both have their places in my photography, from colorful macros of minerals to high contrast black and white street scenes. It really depends on what I am shooting, but I can have the best of both worlds by shooting RAW + JPG where the JPG is in black and white and the contrast and color filter are set to taste in camera.

The photographer that I have the most respect for is Sebastiao Salgado, a Brazilian photographer with a deep love and respect for nature and humanity. His absolutely stunning black and white photos in the Genesis project show the beauty of our planet in its natural state across various animal species and tribes. Learning and education inspires me as much as or even more than seeing the works of great photographers. One lesser known photographer who I admire is Michael Erlewine, whose photos, videos and ebooks at http://spiritgrooves.net/Photography.aspx and http:// spiritgrooves.net/e-Books.aspx have taught me the intricacies of shooting macros, focus bracketing and focus stacking. Another is Olaf Sztaba, an educator who describes himself as a visual poet and creative street photographer, and whose emphasis is on teaching us how to see, as exemplified in his new book Seeing Simplified: how to see and craft great imagery. His work can be found at www.olafphoto.com , w w w . o l a f p h o t o b l o g . c o m , a n d www.simplicityinseeing.com . 9. Where do you find your inspiration?

By converting my Fuji X-E1 to infrared, I have also been experimenting with super color infrared landscape photography which can provide completely different looks to the colors in your photos based on your postprocessing. 6. What would be the difficulties / challenges in your photography? My main challenge is to find the time that I would like to devote to photography and when I do have the time, to find new and interesting ways to approach my subject. It is important to learn by varying your photography and not to fall into the trap of always shooting the same scenes in the same way. 7. How much do you value post-processing for your work? Post processing is quite important even though I do try to get it right in the camera. Often a photo can be en-

Inspiration comes through continuous learning and setting for yourself new challenges, projects, activities and goals. 10. Based on your experience, could you tell us some of your essential tips for a growing photographer? There are several aspects in photography, including both the technical and the creative/artistic sides, and you need to learn them both. For the technical, you need to be familiar with all the different settings on your camera and learn how to quickly change them so that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lose time and shots while changing the settings. As a training exercise, force yourself to shoot in manual exposure mode. Experiment with the different options for focusing. While it might be boring, read the instruction manual that came with the camera! On the creative/artistic side, spend time learning the elements of effective composition and the creative use of natural light. I have found Andrew Gibson and his Creative Photographer website to be an excellent source of educational material that I can highly recommend:

www.creative-photographer.com You will also need to choose and learn how to use a program to organize and edit your photos on computer. Read reviews that have been published, download and try freeware and 30-day demos. At the beginning, don’t choose a complicated program with a steep learning curve that can do (almost) everything, but rather start with a simpler program and learn how to use this one program really well. If, after you have more experience, you find that it doesn’t meet your needs, then you have the knowledge that you need to look elsewhere. And finally, join your local photography club, in my case Viewfinders, in order to learn from and interact with likeminded people with an interest in photography.

richard.sylvester@skynet.be , @rsyphoto Photos by Richard Sylvester

Never stop learning and never stop seeking the light.

Interview by Sebastian Boatca

Tutorial on Macro and Close-up Photography Introduction In true macro photography, a 1:1 magnification ratio is achieved, the subject is the same size as what is captured on the camera’s sensor, whereas in close-up photography, the subject is larger than what is captured on the sensor. The degree of enlargement that a lens provides depends on its focal length and closest focusing distance, i.e. the distance between the camera’s sensor and the subject. Longer focal length lenses also provide a greater working distance between the front element of the lens and the subject. They are thus less likely to block light and cast a shadow on the subject. For these reasons, a 105mm macro lens is generally to be preferred to a 60mm macro lens. Equipment Macro lenses provide a 1:1 magnification at the minimum focusing distance and provide the highest optical quality. They can also be used for non macro work such as portraits. A disadvantage is their cost. Close-up lenses are a cheaper and practical alternative to macro lenses. They are “filters” (magnifying glasses) that screw onto the front of a lens and provide the greatest degree of magnification at longer focal lengths. There is no light loss and auto-exposure and focus work as expected. Their disadvantages are that you can’t get as close as with a macro lens, the filter thread size must match that of the lens and there is some decrease in optical quality.

Extension tubes provide another relatively inexpensive alternative that can be used with any lens. They are hollow light tight cylinders that fit between the camera and the lens. They retain the optical quality of the lens and are best used with lenses with a focal length less than 120mm, however there is also some light loss. Finally, normal flashes cannot be used for macro photography. Specially designed ring flashes have been developed. These are either circular rings or two or more small flash units that are attached to the lens itself. Technique Macro photography is characterized by a very shallow depth of field. For this reason, manual focusing using a small aperture and slow shutter speed is generally required. A tripod with a horizontal central column is an absolute necessity. All efforts should be made to eliminate motion blur due to camera shake. In addition to mirror lock-up and the camera’s self timer, a wired or wireless shutter release should be used. Or better yet, tethered shooting with the camera connected to a computer provides an optimal shooting experience: manual focusing using live view (mirror lock-up) on a large computer screen and a remote shutter release, all of which are controlled by the computer. Macro photography takes some patience to learn and practice to perfect, but its rewards can be tremendous when you see the photos that can be achieved. Richard

Set the controls (to the heart of LR ) Over the last few months I’ve been experimenting with the use of hardware consoles in conjunction with Lightroom, a solution that can boost your productivity and improve your workflow. It is helpful, specially if you have a high number of pictures to work with regularly. Perhaps, it is not for the occasional editor; still, I find the process much more comfortable and efficient than editing parameters with a mouse, one slider at a time. Instead, you get both hands to task to be bale to make detailed modifications to each photo, modify several parameters at a time, and move through an entire series of photos much faster.

These consoles I’m talking about are in fact MIDI controllers, hardware devices traditionally designed for music production, but so versatile that they can be configured to work with Lightroom, using free software available on the internet. There are several software solutions available for LR, and I’ve read about similar options available for at least CaptureOne. There is also one company that offers a device already customized and pre-programmed to use with LR. but I can only share my experience with a particular plugin that I have tried, it is simple to setup and it seems to be more popular, called MIDI2LR. MIDI2LR is a free LR plugin that allows the MIDI controller and the application to communicate and translate commands from the hardware device into software actions, just as if they were executed from your computer keyboard or mouse. Every control in the device can then be assigned to any particular function in LR. It works with LR version 6+ and LR CC Classic, Windows 7/8/10 and OSX 10.9+. I use it in Windows 10. The steps to getting everything configured shouldn’t be too challenging for the average computer user. MIDI2LR is installed as a Lightroom plugin like any other. The MIDI controller requires a first-time installation of USB drivers, although in some cases the operating system takes care

of the task for you. Once both pieces are ready, the plugin will detect the MIDI controller and connect the next time LR is launched. During your first session you will have to configure each command control (usually a series of rotary pots, faders and push buttons) to handle a specific function in LR (i.e.: Exposure, Contrast, Highs, Shadows…), in any way you like to better fit your workflow. It’s a repetitive task, but fairly easy: first move one of the controls and the plugin interface will recognize it. Then from a dropdown list you can select the LR function of choice that you want to assign to it. Any function in Library, Develop or any module in the application can be assigned to any MIDI control, including your own macros. Save the configuration in a file, and every time you open LR the plugin will open with this as the default configuration and connect to the controller.

At that point, you are set to start with your images. Eventually, the use of the controller becomes second nature and you will not want to go back to moving sliders with the mouse. While technically any MIDI controller should work, there seems to be some devices that fit better the purpose and have become more popular between photographers. As I have a modest home studio with several controllers for music production, I’ve had a chance to try devices from different manufacturers ( Korg, Akai and Behringer).The one I prefer is the Behringer BCR2000, with 32 pots and 20 push buttons offering up to 72 programmable functions in one preset. There is also a similar model BCF2000 with 8 faders. There are more recent models like the Behringer XTouch Mini (<60€) and the X-Touch Compact (375€). The X -Touch Mini is perhaps the most popular these days, for its low price. The big plus with Behringer devices compared to others in the same price range is the continuous feedback between the application and the controller:

the controls will sync to display the current values of each picture as you move from one picture to the next in LR, so you can continue where you left off.

Closeup/Macro Photography Workshop

BCR2000 controller with my current configuration By now, this controller is permanently part of my LR setup. I have only configured a few rows to start with, but I am always adding more functions to eventually use all the controls. Imagine, you can also create one preset to handle Library and another preset for the Develop module, for example.

Saturday, 17 November 2018, 9:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17:00 Organized by Richard Sylvester and Bob Taylor Add macro and close-up techniques to your repertoire of photographic skills. It will open the open the opportunity to a new range of compelling images in a variety of fields. Find all details and sign up here

Further information and download available at rsjaffe.github.io/MIDI2LR/. Feel free to contact me if you want to know more. Fair disclaimer: I mention particular brands and models based on personal experiences and those shared by others in related forums but I have no affiliation with or interest to endorse any particular brand. Miguel Angel Vilar

Photos in this announcement are created by Richard Sylvester using some of the techniques you wil learn in the workshop

Calendar 2018-2019

17 October

Club Meeting

Member Portfolios + TTT Checklist for Exhibitions

28 October-18 November

Club Exhibition

World War I Commemoration Exhibition

14 November

Club Meeting

External Speaker + TTT Low Light Photography

17 November

Club Workshop

Closeup/macro Photography

5 December

Club Meeting

Challenge: Emotions + TTT Brenizer Photography

16 January 2019

Club Meeting

External Speaker + TTT Smartphone Photography

20 February

Club Meeting

Assignment: Cinquantenaire + TTT Portfolios

20 March

Club Meeting

Janet Haines + TTT

17 April

Club Meeting

Challenge: As/symmetry + TTT

15 May

Club Meeting

External Speaker + TTT

12 June

Club Meeting

AGM + Member Portfolios

We look forward to seeing you all, old photographers and new, at the Swedish Church and Cultural Centre 35 Avenue des Gaulois, 1040 Brussels, next to the Merode metro station (metro lines 1& 5, tram 81 & 83, buses 22, 27, 61, 80)

Committee 2018-2019

President

Alun Foster

0496 572 402

alun@dafos.be

Vice President

Sebastian Boatca

duncansebastian@yahoo.com

Secretary

Richard Sylvester

0474 300 086

richard.sylvester@skynet.be

Treasurer

Caroline Hendry

0494 089 098

caroline.hendry@mecar.be

0472 073 775

hcuisinier@hotmail.com

Membership Coordinator

Dagmara Jakubowska

Programme Coordinator

Hélène (Cook) Cuisinier

Newsletter Editor Newsletter Publisher

Looking for a volunteer, Join the committee Miguel Angel Vilar

0477 942 743

mavg30@gmail.com

Martin Schmid

0498 945 083

martin.schmid@hp.com

Associate Committee Member

Robert Paridaens

0475 203 524

paridaensrobert@hotmail.com

Associate Committee Member

Philippe Clabots

0477 264 681

pclabots@gmail.com

Associate Committee Member

Hector Epelbaum

& IT Support Coordinator Publicity Coordinator

Alun

Sebastian

Richard

Caroline

Miguel Angel

Hélène

Martin

Robert

Philippe

If you are on Facebook, connect to the Viewfinders Group! It’s an informal group for sharing news on events, ‘for sale’ items, interesting websites and news stories, or just to share some of your recent photos. Club Equipment: Viewfinders has the following equipment available to members for monthly loans: Canon 300D camera, Canon negative scanner, HP flatbed scanner, ColorMunki screen and printer colour calibrator. Requests for the loans should be made to the Club President in advance of the meetings to be collected and they should be returned at the following meeting. newsletter@viewfinders.be

Bank account: BE13 3101 2440 7539

Any items from members for publication are welcome. Images are particularly welcome, please send them in as separate attachments (not embedded in emails or documents), in JPEG format, with no less than 1400 px on the long side, and minimal compression. Please be aware that, in accordance with the layout, some cropping may occur. Please send submissions to the newsletter to: newsletter@viewfinders.be

Members’ Pictures of the Month Digital Edition only

Do you want to see your images in print? Then feel free to send them in to newsletter@viewfinders.be. Images should be of a size suitable for publication, usually anything over 1Mb is fine. Requirement on filenames: Please use a name that helps us identify you. Include your name, and if possible something to distinguish the image or its location. Eg. FredSmith01_flowers.jpg, FredSmith02_Venice.jpg