Digital Photo - February 2016

DIGITAL PHOTO FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE 203

Improve every shot you take

56

PROJECTS TIPS & IDEAS TRY THEM NOW!

MASTER YOUR

ISSUE 203 FEBRUARY 2016 £4.99

MASTER YOUR DSLR IN A DAY WINTER SHOOTING TIPS

DSLR ADAY IN

Learn all the core shooting skills & capture striking images – fast!

FLASHGUN BUYERS’ GUIDE

CREATE YOUR OWN AURORA Add the Northern Lights to

SHOOT THE PERFECT WINTER Get your best-ever results from nature’s most epic season

night skies in Photoshop

Use RAW like a pro

Get clever with colour in Lightroom

Flashgun guide

WWW.PHOTOANSWERS.CO.UK

FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE 203 £4.99

Upgrade your lighting from £110

INSPIRING TECHNIQUES FOR STUNNING IMAGES!

TURN SHOTS INTO FINE ART

SEE THE WORLD IN A NEW WAY LEARN TO PAINT WITH LIGHT

Control colour for pro-quality results Add a new twist to an everyday object Make magical pics using a torch!

GIVE PORTRAITS A DIGITAL MAKEOVER Change hair colour for a funky new look!

PLANET PHOTO Your fresh fix of inspiration from the world’s best photographers

THE BIG PICTURE

A trip to the falls Iceland is fast becoming the number one travel destination for landscape photographers and it was a location Daniel Reuber was determined to see. The 21-year-old German student and photography enthusiast headed north to capture the Aurora Borealis, but was met by night after night of cloud cover. Luckily, while on location at the Svartifoss waterfall, the lighting turned dramatic and moody, allowing him to capture this intense, atmospheric scene. In Lightroom, Daniel boosted the yellows in the foliage to make it contrast more strongly with the dark rock. He then switched to Photoshop and used the Clone Stamp tool to remove water droplets that had hit the lens from the force of the waterfall.

DANIEL REUBEN

What was used Camera Nikon D810 & 14-24mm lens Exposure 1/160sec @ f/4, ISO 200 Software Lightroom & Photoshop Visit 500px.com/danielmachtfotos

8 DIGITAL PHOTO

GET THIS SHOT As Daniel found out, getting close to water will result in spray landing on your lens or filter. A lens hood will help keep some of the droplets away, but to be safe, pack a microfibre cloth. This will allow you to wipe off any spray in between images, cutting down on cloning time.

Daniel’s image proves that poor weather conditions can still serve up amazing images.

DIGITAL PHOTO 9

PLANET PHOTO Your fresh fix of inspiration from the world’s best photographers

THE BIG PICTURE

A trip to the falls Iceland is fast becoming the number one travel destination for landscape photographers and it was a location Daniel Reuber was determined to see. The 21-year-old German student and photography enthusiast headed north to capture the Aurora Borealis, but was met by night after night of cloud cover. Luckily, while on location at the Svartifoss waterfall, the lighting turned dramatic and moody, allowing him to capture this intense, atmospheric scene. In Lightroom, Daniel boosted the yellows in the foliage to make it contrast more strongly with the dark rock. He then switched to Photoshop and used the Clone Stamp tool to remove water droplets that had hit the lens from the force of the waterfall.

DANIEL REUBEN

What was used Camera Nikon D810 & 14-24mm lens Exposure 1/160sec @ f/4, ISO 200 Software Lightroom & Photoshop Visit 500px.com/danielmachtfotos

8 DIGITAL PHOTO

GET THIS SHOT As Daniel found out, getting close to water will result in spray landing on your lens or filter. A lens hood will help keep some of the droplets away, but to be safe, pack a microfibre cloth. This will allow you to wipe off any spray in between images, cutting down on cloning time.

Daniel’s image proves that poor weather conditions can still serve up amazing images.

DIGITAL PHOTO 9

AMAZING READER OFFER CHOOSE ONE OF THESE GREAT VALUE PACKAGES

GET 3 ISSUES

PRINT EDITION DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR

FOR£3

3 issues for only £3 Your subscription will then continue at £26.50 every 7 issues 12 issues for £53 when you pay by credit/debit card

iPAD EDITION FOR INSTANT ACCESS 3 issues for only £3 Your subscription will then continue at £20 every 7 issues 12 issues for £40 when you pay by credit/debit card

BEST OFFER!

LEARN NEW SKILLS THE SMART WAY

FREE UK DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR OR INSTANT DOWNLOAD TO YOUR DIGITAL DEVICE

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3 issues of Print and Digital issues for £3 Your subscription will then continue at £29 every 7 issues

SAVE MONEY ON SHOP PRICES

12 issues of Print and Digital issues for £58 when you pay by credit/debit card

MATTY GRAHAM

DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LATEST TECHNIQUES!

PRINT & iPAD EDITION FOR INSTANT ACCESS

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. After your first 3 issues your subscription will be continue at this offer price, every 7 issues thereafter unless you are notified otherwise. You will not receive a renewal reminder and the Direct Debit payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. This offer closes on 27th January 2016. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the geographical location in the UK. You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Please phone +44 1858 438828 for further details. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

For full terms and conditions please visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions

01858 43 8884

Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat)

AMAZING READER OFFER CHOOSE ONE OF THESE GREAT VALUE PACKAGES

GET 3 ISSUES

PRINT EDITION DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR

FOR£3

3 issues for only £3 Your subscription will then continue at £26.50 every 7 issues 12 issues for £53 when you pay by credit/debit card

iPAD EDITION FOR INSTANT ACCESS 3 issues for only £3 Your subscription will then continue at £20 every 7 issues 12 issues for £40 when you pay by credit/debit card

BEST OFFER!

LEARN NEW SKILLS THE SMART WAY

FREE UK DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR OR INSTANT DOWNLOAD TO YOUR DIGITAL DEVICE

SUBSCRIBE BY PHONE OR ONLINE QUOTE REF: ACAA

w w w.greatmagazines.co.uk /dp

3 issues of Print and Digital issues for £3 Your subscription will then continue at £29 every 7 issues

SAVE MONEY ON SHOP PRICES

12 issues of Print and Digital issues for £58 when you pay by credit/debit card

MATTY GRAHAM

DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LATEST TECHNIQUES!

PRINT & iPAD EDITION FOR INSTANT ACCESS

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. After your first 3 issues your subscription will be continue at this offer price, every 7 issues thereafter unless you are notified otherwise. You will not receive a renewal reminder and the Direct Debit payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. This offer closes on 27th January 2016. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the geographical location in the UK. You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Please phone +44 1858 438828 for further details. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

For full terms and conditions please visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions

01858 43 8884

Lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat)

MASTER

YOUR DSLR

IN A DAY

TRY THESE

PROJECTS RIGHT NOW!

FREEZE FRAME BREAKFAST

A WALK IN THE PARK

GO PANNING FOR DUCKS

CAPTURE WOODLAND PORTRAITS

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT

Want to learn the basics of photography in record time? Our five fun projects will arm you with vital skills and bag you some brilliant images – all in the space of a day WORDS BY MATTY GRAHAM

B

ecoming a better photographer requires two things – creative vision and technical know-how. They are often seen as separate elements, but spend a little quality time with your camera, and you’ll find they’re intertwined. In five fun projects, we’ve combined the pair so you can take great pictures while refreshing your shooting knowledge. Over the course of a single day, you’ll learn all the important skills needed to capture creative shots, from controlling shutter speed and aperture, to shooting in full Manual mode. What’s more, each project will result in a pic worth framing, so you’ll build your portfolio as you go. There’s no fancy kit required – just a DSLR and a tripod – and all the subjects and locations can be found very close to home, so you can get started immediately. Ready to expand your skills and master your DSLR? Let’s gets started...

26 DIGITAL PHOTO

16

PAGES OF TIPS & PROJECTS

DIGITAL PHOTO 27

MASTER

YOUR DSLR

IN A DAY

TRY THESE

PROJECTS RIGHT NOW!

FREEZE FRAME BREAKFAST

A WALK IN THE PARK

GO PANNING FOR DUCKS

CAPTURE WOODLAND PORTRAITS

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT

Want to learn the basics of photography in record time? Our five fun projects will arm you with vital skills and bag you some brilliant images – all in the space of a day WORDS BY MATTY GRAHAM

B

ecoming a better photographer requires two things – creative vision and technical know-how. They are often seen as separate elements, but spend a little quality time with your camera, and you’ll find they’re intertwined. In five fun projects, we’ve combined the pair so you can take great pictures while refreshing your shooting knowledge. Over the course of a single day, you’ll learn all the important skills needed to capture creative shots, from controlling shutter speed and aperture, to shooting in full Manual mode. What’s more, each project will result in a pic worth framing, so you’ll build your portfolio as you go. There’s no fancy kit required – just a DSLR and a tripod – and all the subjects and locations can be found very close to home, so you can get started immediately. Ready to expand your skills and master your DSLR? Let’s gets started...

26 DIGITAL PHOTO

16

PAGES OF TIPS & PROJECTS

DIGITAL PHOTO 27

INTERVIEW

“ IT’S HARD NOT TO GET A BUZZ SEEING YOUR IMAGE ON A 30FT BILLBOARD”

THE

DREAMMAKER Meet Colin Anderson, a pro photographer and Photoshop expert whose fantasy composites prove image-editing can be out of this world...

I

“

have been bitten by dogs, stung by a jellyfish, and hung out of helicopters with just the model holding me at the waist. I’ve done shoots with a broken foot and a dislocated shoulder, been hospitalised by suspected altitude sickness, and the only time I didn’t take two cameras on a shoot, I smashed the dial on my camera and couldn’t change the settings. I had a model open a $500 bottle of champagne only intended as a prop.

I also got stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat tyre, no tools, and no petrol. But other than that I’ve been very lucky!”

WORDS BY MATTY GRAHAM 62 DIGITAL PHOTO

DIGITAL PHOTO 63

INTERVIEW

“ IT’S HARD NOT TO GET A BUZZ SEEING YOUR IMAGE ON A 30FT BILLBOARD”

THE

DREAMMAKER Meet Colin Anderson, a pro photographer and Photoshop expert whose fantasy composites prove image-editing can be out of this world...

I

“

have been bitten by dogs, stung by a jellyfish, and hung out of helicopters with just the model holding me at the waist. I’ve done shoots with a broken foot and a dislocated shoulder, been hospitalised by suspected altitude sickness, and the only time I didn’t take two cameras on a shoot, I smashed the dial on my camera and couldn’t change the settings. I had a model open a $500 bottle of champagne only intended as a prop.

I also got stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat tyre, no tools, and no petrol. But other than that I’ve been very lucky!”

WORDS BY MATTY GRAHAM 62 DIGITAL PHOTO

DIGITAL PHOTO 63

CREATE AN AURORA EFFECT

PHOTOSHOP GENIUS

ADD YOUR OWN AURORA TO ANY PICTURE

Use Photoshop to add a colourful Northern Lights effect to any photograph of the sky at night TECHNIQUE & PICS BY ANDY HEATHER

At a glance You’ll learn How to recreate the Northern Lights in software and place them into a night shot You’ll need Photoshop or Elements Time required 15 minutes Difficulty level Medium

On the disc Video lessons Watch as Andy runs through this innovative Photoshop technique on your computer screen.

Start images Try out the project using the Night.jpg which can be found in the Start Images folder.

D

igitally inject some vibrant celestial colour to your winter landscapes that’s worthy of anything you’ll find for real in the Northern Hemisphere! With our technique, you’ll be able to create your own swirling aurora above any night scene. You’ll discover how a simple brush stroke can be transformed into a curtain of mystical light in a few simple steps in Photoshop. It’s a great way to add impact to your night shots, whether they’re classic landscapes or simple snaps of your home town.

The important thing is to include a good swathe of sky in your picture, as this is the area that will dominate the image. Include a little interest in the bottom third, and then devote the rest of the scene to a cloudless night sky.

Before

This shot was taken with a CSC attached to a tripod on a winter night. For the best effects, the sky should be relatively free of cloud and unobstructed by trees and cables.

84 DIGITAL PHOTO

ANDY HEATHER

After After some simple brushwork, a few filters and some pixel pushing, a colourful aurora effect has been added.

DIGITAL PHOTO 85

CREATE AN AURORA EFFECT

PHOTOSHOP GENIUS

ADD YOUR OWN AURORA TO ANY PICTURE

Use Photoshop to add a colourful Northern Lights effect to any photograph of the sky at night TECHNIQUE & PICS BY ANDY HEATHER

At a glance You’ll learn How to recreate the Northern Lights in software and place them into a night shot You’ll need Photoshop or Elements Time required 15 minutes Difficulty level Medium

On the disc Video lessons Watch as Andy runs through this innovative Photoshop technique on your computer screen.

Start images Try out the project using the Night.jpg which can be found in the Start Images folder.

D

igitally inject some vibrant celestial colour to your winter landscapes that’s worthy of anything you’ll find for real in the Northern Hemisphere! With our technique, you’ll be able to create your own swirling aurora above any night scene. You’ll discover how a simple brush stroke can be transformed into a curtain of mystical light in a few simple steps in Photoshop. It’s a great way to add impact to your night shots, whether they’re classic landscapes or simple snaps of your home town.

The important thing is to include a good swathe of sky in your picture, as this is the area that will dominate the image. Include a little interest in the bottom third, and then devote the rest of the scene to a cloudless night sky.

Before

This shot was taken with a CSC attached to a tripod on a winter night. For the best effects, the sky should be relatively free of cloud and unobstructed by trees and cables.

84 DIGITAL PHOTO

ANDY HEATHER

After After some simple brushwork, a few filters and some pixel pushing, a colourful aurora effect has been added.

DIGITAL PHOTO 85

FLASHGUN BUYERS’ GUIDE

TOP GUN GUIDE

SIGMA

A portable flashgun is the photographer’s lighting tool of choice, so we’ve lined up six top models. Decide on your budget, and pick your ’gun!

WORDS BY DAN MOLD

You can even take the flashgun off-camera and position it to the side or behind your subject for more dramatic lighting effects.

You can fire your flash off-camera with a set of radio triggers, and some ’guns can be set to a ‘slave’ mode which will fire the unit when it detects another flash, such as a pop-up.

Whatever you like to shoot, from wildlife to sport, and from painting with light to weddings, a flashgun is a kitbag essential.

This month we assess six top models priced to suit any pocket.

“ WHATEVER YOU LIKE TO SHOOT, A FLASHGUN IS A KITBAG ESSENTIAL”

An AF-assist lamp on the front throws out a powerful beam to help your camera focus in dim conditions.

Many flashes have a metering sensor to expose correctly in TTL mode. A flash sensor lets you use your flash as a ‘slave’ – this is a mode that makes the flash fire when it detects another flash.

116 DIGITAL PHOTO

NISSIN

METZ

Some flashguns have retractable panels to control the flash light. A white reflector card helps you fill in shadows when the flash head is tilted upwards. A wide-angle diffuser can be pulled out to broaden the spread of the flash so it covers a wider area.

Power output

Sensors & AF-assist lamp

Whether your flash is a top-of-the-range model or a tiny pop-up, it’ll have a Guide Number (GN) to denote its power. GNs aren’t easy to compare though, as some makers state the power at a longer zoom setting where the beam is magnified, some measure distance in feet rather than metres and others use different ISO settings as a base for the measurement. To get comparable results, we carried out our own power test with a flashmeter. Each flash was set to its full power and a zoom of 35mm, and we noted down the aperture recorded on a flashmeter at ISO 100 from a distance of 1m. The higher the f/ number, the more powerful the output.

Fresh batteries were used for each model, so we could compare recycle times, too.

Built-in panels

WHAT TO LOOK FOR The power of a flash is based on its Guide Number (GN), and the higher the number – the brighter the light.

Some models allow you to set the power in small increments to fine-tune the exposure, while more basic models just have a high and low option.

How we assessed the flashguns

Bounce and swivel head

Flashgun heads can be tilted and twisted to help you direct and bounce the flash off different surfaces. More basic models lack this feature.

Back panel

This is where you change settings such as power, frequency and the mode of the flash. It’s likely you’ll be using your flash in dim lighting, so a clear display that lights up makes it easier to set up.

JAKE HICKS PHOTOGRAPHY

F

iring an extremely brief, but very bright blip of light into the frame, a flashgun makes it possible to freeze action and eliminate camera-shake.

It also lets you shoot at low ISO values and this means image quality will be better, with less digital Noise.

In essence, a flashgun is a mature version of your DSLR’s pop-up flash. They’re larger and require an additional source of power such as 4x AA batteries, but they can throw their beam a longer distance to illuminate subjects further away. Pop-up flash is also fixed in a straight-on position, but the heads on most flashguns can be tilted and rotated to help you bounce the light off a ceiling or wall into the desired position. This also softens the light and makes the shadows less harsh.

“ FLASHGUNS ARE VERSATILE LIGHTING TOOLS THAT EVERY PHOTOGRAPHER SHOULD OWN – THEY ALLOW YOU TO GET CREATIVE EFFECTS AS WELL AS KEEP SHOOTING SFTER SUNDOWN”

CANON

DIGITAL PHOTO 117

FLASHGUN BUYERS’ GUIDE

TOP GUN GUIDE

SIGMA

A portable flashgun is the photographer’s lighting tool of choice, so we’ve lined up six top models. Decide on your budget, and pick your ’gun!

WORDS BY DAN MOLD

You can even take the flashgun off-camera and position it to the side or behind your subject for more dramatic lighting effects.

You can fire your flash off-camera with a set of radio triggers, and some ’guns can be set to a ‘slave’ mode which will fire the unit when it detects another flash, such as a pop-up.

Whatever you like to shoot, from wildlife to sport, and from painting with light to weddings, a flashgun is a kitbag essential.

This month we assess six top models priced to suit any pocket.

“ WHATEVER YOU LIKE TO SHOOT, A FLASHGUN IS A KITBAG ESSENTIAL”

An AF-assist lamp on the front throws out a powerful beam to help your camera focus in dim conditions.

Many flashes have a metering sensor to expose correctly in TTL mode. A flash sensor lets you use your flash as a ‘slave’ – this is a mode that makes the flash fire when it detects another flash.

116 DIGITAL PHOTO

NISSIN

METZ

Some flashguns have retractable panels to control the flash light. A white reflector card helps you fill in shadows when the flash head is tilted upwards. A wide-angle diffuser can be pulled out to broaden the spread of the flash so it covers a wider area.

Power output

Sensors & AF-assist lamp

Whether your flash is a top-of-the-range model or a tiny pop-up, it’ll have a Guide Number (GN) to denote its power. GNs aren’t easy to compare though, as some makers state the power at a longer zoom setting where the beam is magnified, some measure distance in feet rather than metres and others use different ISO settings as a base for the measurement. To get comparable results, we carried out our own power test with a flashmeter. Each flash was set to its full power and a zoom of 35mm, and we noted down the aperture recorded on a flashmeter at ISO 100 from a distance of 1m. The higher the f/ number, the more powerful the output.

Fresh batteries were used for each model, so we could compare recycle times, too.

Built-in panels

WHAT TO LOOK FOR The power of a flash is based on its Guide Number (GN), and the higher the number – the brighter the light.

Some models allow you to set the power in small increments to fine-tune the exposure, while more basic models just have a high and low option.

How we assessed the flashguns

Bounce and swivel head

Flashgun heads can be tilted and twisted to help you direct and bounce the flash off different surfaces. More basic models lack this feature.

Back panel

This is where you change settings such as power, frequency and the mode of the flash. It’s likely you’ll be using your flash in dim lighting, so a clear display that lights up makes it easier to set up.

JAKE HICKS PHOTOGRAPHY

F

iring an extremely brief, but very bright blip of light into the frame, a flashgun makes it possible to freeze action and eliminate camera-shake.

It also lets you shoot at low ISO values and this means image quality will be better, with less digital Noise.

In essence, a flashgun is a mature version of your DSLR’s pop-up flash. They’re larger and require an additional source of power such as 4x AA batteries, but they can throw their beam a longer distance to illuminate subjects further away. Pop-up flash is also fixed in a straight-on position, but the heads on most flashguns can be tilted and rotated to help you bounce the light off a ceiling or wall into the desired position. This also softens the light and makes the shadows less harsh.

“ FLASHGUNS ARE VERSATILE LIGHTING TOOLS THAT EVERY PHOTOGRAPHER SHOULD OWN – THEY ALLOW YOU TO GET CREATIVE EFFECTS AS WELL AS KEEP SHOOTING SFTER SUNDOWN”

CANON

DIGITAL PHOTO 117