// inspiring images
Digital Photo 7
exciting iDeas & exPert aDvice
Digital Photo 21
1
top tips
for better composition
Master the art oF FraMing with our easy ideas and make every shot you take a winner words by jon adaMs
26 Digital photo
raming up is the most important skill in photography. No matter what else you do, the way you compose your shots is the thing that’ll make them succeed or fail. It’s a shame, but a camera phone in the right hands will take better pictures than an all-singing D-SLR in the wrong ones, and it’s all down to the way the photographer arranges the elements within the scene. Most enthusiasts spend their creative energy seeking out new subjects to
F
shoot, but by refreshing your composition skills, you can devote more efort to nailing the perfect shot, rather than shooting new subjects in your old, default manner. Here we’ve assembled the best tips that’ll help you improve or even reinvent the way you frame up, so next time you go out, try some of our ideas. They’ll challenge your thinking and stop you reverting to your ‘autopilot’ way of composing, so read on and discover some new ways to capture fantastic pictures...
camera academy // take better Pictures creative camera
sPlit-seconD timing capture an exciting view of any fast-moving subject by shooting a dramatic action sequence ow do you show movement and convey all the excitement of a fast-moving subject in a still image? It’s an age-old conundrum for photographers looking to capture action, but thankfully there are a few ways to get a sense of speed and motion in your shots and creating an amazing action sequence is one of them – and with digital it’s surprisingly simple. By locking of your camera on a tripod you can take multiple images of the same scene in one long burst using your camera’s high frame rate or burst mode, and then in Photoshop you can combine the Layers together to produce a sequence shot. The trick is keeping the background the same for each shot as if you do, you can simply import the pics into the same Photoshop document and then use the Eraser tool or Layer Masks to reveal the Layers below. Once layered together, the sense of movement comes from seeing the path taken by the subject as they move through the frame. So while each individual image itself has been frozen in time and will look stationary, the action and drama is added when you see them all together. To illustrate the technique we’ve photographed a motorbike as it hurtles around a bend, but this technique will work on any moving subject from pet dogs through to runners or even cars and aircraft.
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48 Digital Photo
gear focus // reviews & buying aDvice SoNy aLpha 37 £379 D-SLT cameRa
NikoN D3200 £443 D-SLR cameRa
paNaSoNic Lumix GF5 £495 cSc cameRa
caNoN eoS 1100D £345 D-SLR cameRa
how we DiD The TeST All six cameras were put through a series of thorough test scenarios, both in the lab and out in the field. Results were then compared, with each camera receiving a score out of five based on Features & Build, Performance, Image Quality and – of course – Value for Money.
110 Digital Photo
oLympuS e-pm2 £499 cSc cameRa
camera grouP test // gear focus
SamSuNG Nx1000 £349 cSc cameRa
creative cameras for unDer £500
we put six affordable entry-level cameras to the test & find out which is the best test by tom calton
ith a huge amount of choice available, buying your first ‘serious’ camera can be a tricky job. Ensuring that you invest your hard-earned cash in a model that ofers impressive build, great image quality and top performance, as well as being good value for money, are all factors that should be taken into careful consideration. What’s more, it’s important to remember that when you’re investing in a camera that ofers the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, you’re not only buying a camera, but
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you’re also buying into a camera ‘system’. This means ensuring the choice you make not only suits your current needs, but can also support them for the future. In an attempt to add some clarity to your decision-making, we selected six afordable creative cameras to determine which is the best overall choice. The criteria for the test was simple; each camera must ofer the option of interchangeable lenses, a full choice of creative shooting modes (M, A, S, P), as well as falling under the £500 price barrier. Read on to see how they fared...
GuiDe which STyLe oF cameRa To buy?
D-SLR cameRa
D-SLT cameRa
Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras, or D-SLRs, are the traditional step-up choice from a compact or bridge camera. They not only ofer a robust build and superior image quality, but they also grant access to a wide choice of lenses and accessories.
In 2011, Sony launched its pioneering Digital Single Lens Translucent (D-SLT) system. Instead of a moving mirror inside it has a fixed semi-translucent mirror that splits the optical pathway between the image and AF sensors, allowing uninterrupted autofocus.
cSc cameRa Compact System Cameras are designed to ofer the versatility of interchangeable lenses and the control of a D-SLR but in a more streamlined body. Without a conventional D-SLR mirror box, the lens sits directly in front of the image sensor and employs an electronic viewfinder or Live View to compose shots.
Digital Photo 111
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