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12 BONUS GIFTS! 9 PHOTO TIPS CARDS • 31 TEXTURE EFFECTS • 53 MINUTES OF VIDEO • & MORE!

The world’s favorite photography magazine

Issue 244 July 2021 • www.digitalcameraworld.com

LANDSCAPE SKILLS

CAPTURE THE COAST

WIN!

ASTRO BOOK WORTH $29.99

Shoot superb seascapes this summer!

Technique Settings Essential kit GROUP TEST

INTERVIEW

Toptravel tripods for all budgets

Marsel van Oosten on his book ‘Mother’ Portraits

Wildlife

Abstracts

Astro

Creative

PHOTO ACTIVE

10 fun projects to shoot now

FREE! WITH THIS ISSUE 53 MINS OF VIDEO!

9 all-new tips cards

Photoshop& Affinity video training

256-page Buyer’s Guide

31 free texture effects

PLUS! STAY AT HOME CAMERA COLLEGE HOTSHOTS PHOTO ANSWERS

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Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA Editorial+44 (0)1225 442244• www.digitalcameraworld.com Subscriptions and Customer Services +44 (0)330 333 1113 Editorial EditorNiall Hamptonniall.hampton@futurenet.com Contributingeditors Marcus Hawkins & Claire Gillo Technique editor Alistair Campbell alistair.campbell@futurenet.com Art editor Roddy Llewellyn richard.llewellyn@futurenet.com Operations editorRichard Hillrichard.hill@futurenet.com Group reviews editor Rod Lawton rod.lawton@futurenet.com Imaging labs manager Ben Andrews ben.andrews@futurenet.com Senior art editor Warren Brown warren.brown@futurenet.com Contributors James Abbott, Jon Adams, Benedict Brain, Niamh Cottle, Dave Kai Piper, Steve Fairclough, Graeme Green, Jon Devo, Andrew James, Matthew Richards, James Paterson,SeanMcCormack Cover image Getty Photography Bath Photo Studio All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected Advertising Commercial director Clare Dove clare.dove@futurenet.com Advertising sales manager Michael Pyatt michael.pyatt@futurenet.com Account director Matt Baileymatt.bailey@futurenet.com Account director George Lucasgeorge.lucas@futurenet.com Media packs are available on request Licensing & Syndication Digital Camera is available for licensing and syndication. To find out more, contact us at licensing@futurenet.com or view our available content at www.futurecontenthub.com Head of print licensing Rachel Shawlicensing@futurenet.com Subscriptions New orders: www.magazinesdirect.com Phone: 0330 333 1113. Email: help@magazinesdirect.com Renewals/queries: www.mymagazine.co.uk Phone: 0330 333 4333. Email: help@mymagazine.co.uk Overseas new orders: help@magazinesdirect.com Overseas renewals/queries: help@mymagazine.co.uk Magazines marketing director Sharon Todd Circulation Head of newstrade Tim Mathers Production Head of production US & UK Mark Constance Productionproject manager Clare Scott Senior advertising productionmanager Jo Crosby Digital editions controller Jason Hudson Productionmanager Vivienne Calvert Management Brand director Matt Pierce ContentdirectorChris George chris.george@futurenet.com Head of art & design Rodney Dive Chief revenue officer Zack Sullivan Printed by William Gibbons on behalf of Future Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 020 3787 9001

Welcome

ith a busy summer staycation on the horizon, why not make 2021 the year you take your bestever seascape shots? Turn to page 56 for an in-depth masterclass on capturing the coast, and ride the wave of hints, tips and expert advice. If you’d rather stay local, though, then another raft of projects awaits in Photo Active (p16) and Stay at Home (p43), while Camera College offers an introduction to still-life photography (p68). On other pages, you’ll find plenty of inspiration: Hotshots showcases the Portrait of Humanity Awards 3 (p78), and in our interview (p134), leading wildlife photographer Marsel van Oosten discusses his new book Mother. Plus, if you enjoyed BBC4’s The Great British Photography Challenge, we chat to the contestants, from page 10. For fans of camera kit, this month’s reviews lead on the Sigma fp L (p118) and we also round up the best travel tripods in our group test (p126) – every model will be ideal for a trip to the coast. Enjoy the issue.

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Niall Hampton, editor niall.hampton@futurenet.com

Follow us or get in touch… www.facebook.com/ Digitalcameraworld Keep up to date on socialmedia

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Contents SHOOT SEASCAPES LIKE A PRO! We chat to the six contestants of The Great British Photography Challenge Fresh inspiration in abundance – choose from 10 all-new projects

More photo fun to enjoy indoors, plus the best reader images of the month James Abbott teaches you how to take your best-ever coastal captures Master the basics of still-life, then enter your creations in our challenge Sharpen your image-editing skills in Photoshop, Lightroom and more Our expert answers your questions, plus Tech Check and Image Rescue

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See page 6

ISSUE 244 JULY 2021

126

HOW TO

Photo skills 10 In Focus special 16 Photo Active 44 Stay at Home 56 Seascapes special 68 Camera College 87 Practical Photoshop 100 Photo Answers

31 FREE TEXTURE EFFECTS

Regulars 39 The Art of Seeing 78 Hotshots 106 In Focus 110 Behind the Lens 112 The New Big 5 116 Jon Devo column 134 Interview

56 87

Ben Brain dives into the world of macro with a new mirrorless camera Our selected highlights from the Portrait of Humanity Awards 3 The latest camera kit and photography accessories to hit the global market Documentary photographer Carl De Keyzer on his God Inc. 1 & II book How photographers are protecting the world’s most endangered species What the widespread adoption of livestreaming means for you Celebrated wildlife photographer Marsel van Oosten is in our hot seat

Group Test _ A mini-forest of travel tripods for various budgets go head to head in our eight-way shootout

Practical Photoshop _ More top tutorials for getting the most from Lightroom and Photoshop

Gear & tests 118 Sigma fp L

We put the second iteration of this modular mirrorless through our battery of lab and real-world tests

XF 27mm 122 Fujinon f/2.8 R WR

Updated slimline prime for Fujifilm’s X-mount camera system

123 Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL Photoshop 124 Adobe Elements 2021

Small and light for an ultra-wide lens, but how does this all-mechanical optic fare?

Machine learning and Guided Edits figure in the latest version of this popular editor

126 Group Test

Have tripod, will travel – our sticks of the best models to take on your next photo holiday and achieve super-sharpness

148 What the f-stop!

Test your photo knowledge – pit your brains against our quizmaster

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Subscribe and get a great camera bag!

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This month’s contributors Sujata Setia

Family photographer The founder of But Natural Photography takes us behind the scenes of one of her shoots, and explains how to capture special personal connections. Page 38

Carl De Keyzer

Documentary photographer

134

Having traversed the US in 1990 to document the state of religion, De Keyzer returned to shoot a follow-up in 2020. He explains all about the project on page 110

Interview _ ‘The Golden Couple’ won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 title for Marsel van Oosten. With his new book having just hit the shelves, we discover more about Marsel and how he shoots his incredible images

PLUS

Graeme Green

Win a copy of Affinity Photo in our monthly challenge!

Wildlife photographer Learn about Graeme’s new project, conceived to show how photography can help combat the threat to endangered wildlife species, on page 112

Michelle Szpak

Automotive photographer

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Camera College _ Explore the basics of photography and understand them from every angle. This issue: how to get started in still-life photography.

Then enter our challenge, and you could win a copy of Affinity Photo!

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Photo Active _ 10 things to shoot, edit or create this month, including timeslice photography, shooting motorbikes and how to capture tender portraits. Plus, you could win a copy of the Night Sky Photography book.

Having swapped weddings and portraits for motorbikes and cars, Michelle has never needed to look in the rear-view mirror. She shares some shooting tips from page 34

Jon Devo

Photographer and writer Live video streaming has been widely adopted in recent times.

But could it be a benefit for photographers, asks our techsavvy columist on page 116

Marsel van Oosten Nature photographer

The creator of so many iconic images, van Oosten looks back over his 15-year career to date and brings us up to speed on his latest photo book, on page 134

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Your gifts

Download your gifts via digitalcameraworld.com/dc244

9 ALL-NEW TIPS CARDS

NEW-LOOK TIPS CARDS! 9 subjects Techniques Settings Kit list

Our collectable shooting tips cards enable you to carry handy settings and suggestions around in your kit bag, ready for when you need them. This issue, get wallet-sized advice on capturing lighthouses, slow-sync portraits and making the most of the golden hour.

31 texture effects for Photoshop CC

Buyer’s Guide ebook

Create a distinctive visual style for your photos by applying textures as overlays. Look in the Gifts folder in your download for the 31 texture effects, then turn to page 88 for Jon Adams’ guide to applying the textures over your images using Photoshop CC.

256 pages of the latest camera and lens reviews, plus buying advice for accessories!

See the Gifts folder in your download.

31 FREE TEXTURE EFFECTS digitalcameraworld .com/dc244

MIN5U3TE OF VIDE S O

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TAKE CONTROL OF DETAIL

CREATE FOCUS

FOUR WAYS WITH CONTRAST

GET THE VINTAG OOK

Download 53 minutes of video training for Photoshop, Lightroom and Affinity Photo.

POLISH SKIN

TURN PHOTOS INTO PAINTINGS

STITCH A PANORAMIC PHOTO

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HOW TO GET YOUR DIGITAL GIFTS STEP 1

ENTER THIS URL www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc244

Enter the URL above into the destination bar of your internet browser – we’re using Google Chrome, but other browsers work in a similar way. Please do not enter it in any search field or search bar (see the examples above). This will take you to a page on our website.

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In your Downloads folder, or wherever you chose to download your files to, double-click the dc244-disc.zip file icon. Then when it expands, double-click DCM_244. iso. The download content will display like this (right), all clearly arranged in sub-folders. Keep DCM_244.iso and delete dc244-disc.zip. Enjoy your digital gifts!

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In Focus Special

Rankin

Photographer, filmmaker and publisher and the GBPC taskmaster Initially best-known for his fashion photography and innovativemagazines, Rankin has branched out into film-making and television. www.rankinphoto.co.uk

The Great British Photography Challenge

If you didn’t catch BBC4’s prime-time photography series, you can still watch it on streaming. Niall Hampton catches up with the six contestants who battled it out for top spot

ello photographers…”

Rankin’s regular greeting on The Great British Photography Challenge may well endure as a catchphrase in the photographic community long after the BBC series concluded on 14 June.

As the fourth and final episode had still to air as we went to press, we can’t discuss the final outcome of the show, but wasn’t it good to see a programme celebrating all that’s wonderful about photography on terrestrial TV? (For anyone who didn’t manage to tune in to BBC4, you can catch the series on BBC iPlayer until June 2022.)

The Great British Photography Challenge saw six amateur photographers selected to showcase their skills on prime-time television; the images they produced in response to the weekly assignments and briefs contributed to a set of 15 that were exhibited in a gallery to close the series.

Setting the challenges, mentoring and guiding the six shooters was the portrait photographer Rankin and members of his creative team; other experts to guide the participants included wildlife and nature photographer Chris Packham, portrait photographer Maryam Wahid, landscape

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photographer Thomas Joshua Cooper and photographer Lamarr Golding.

While the series was being aired, Digital Camera caught up with the six participants to discover what it was like to take part in the show and the impact it had – and will continue to have – on their photography.

Ali Lewis

By her own admission, Ali is not the most technically minded photographer. She mainly enjoys shooting landscape and nature photography; her ability during the series to draw stylistic elements from those fields and use them in assignments that were well outside her comfort zone made for some compelling images.

“I learnt that I could incorporate some of the things that I love about nature into completely different genres of photography,” she says. “I love the light that beams through the trees in the forest and the amazing shapes and textures of leaves, ferns, branches and many more things. I could see these things in people or in a city, and when I had to plan an assignment, I used this to help me.

“I used nature influences during my band shoot, and soft gentle light in my portrait photos. So even though I

wasn’t doing what I normally do, I could still put my style into them.”

When asked how she developed over the course of the series, Ali says: “I’m a more confident photographer now than I was!

I’ve always shied away from taking photos in public or of people, as I was too nervous or just thought I couldn’t do it. This whole process has pushed me to do things I would never have done in my everyday life – for example approaching random people and asking to take their photo – and that has had such a positive effect on my photography and on me as a person.”

Chelsea Nawanga

The fashion portraiture enthusiast of the group, Chelsea didn’t have to wait very long to find herself working with a model – the first episode featured the six

This process pushed me to do things I would never have done www.digitalcameraworld.com

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In Focus Special

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Meet The Great British Photography Challenge contestants Six photographers, all with very different styles – over four weeks, they were tested on how they performed across a wide variety of briefs

Lewis 1 Ali From Shrewsbury, England. One of the

Williams 5 Paul From Dorchester, England. Experienced

two contestants who mainly shoot landscapes

in shooting street photography

wildlife photographer

as a fashion portraiture photographer

contestant who mostly shoots landscapes

Specialises in abstract photography

Nawanga 2 Chelsea From Luton, England. Describes herself

(Previous page) Tyrone: Flower seller, Birmingham Wholesale Market; Documentary assignment, episode 2.

(Opposite page) Clockwise from top left Paul: Urban Cool fashion assignment in Rankin’s studio, episode 2.

Chelsea: Urban Cool fashion assignment in Rankin’s studio, episode 2.

Georgie: Actor Anna Friel in London’s Troxy music venue; Celebrity Portrait assignment, episode 1.

contestants on a portrait shoot with the actress Anna Friel, a good friend of Rankin.

Having studied Rankin’s work as a photography student, Chelsea must have pinched herself when she found herself being mentored by him.

“His photographs were part of my photography project at university, she says. “Understanding his art form for portraiture just blew my mind.”

So how did Chelsea respond to Rankin’s feedback on her work – was it all constructive, or were there some things she didn’t agree with?

“I did receive some criticism. I didn’t take it in a negative way because they’re professionals: they know exactly 12

Peel 3 Georgie From London, England. Specialises

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Moyles 4 Jackson From Dunfermline, Scotland. The other

Williams 6 Tyrone From Northampton, England.

what you have to deliver and how to execute it in a more logical way.”

Although she is an experienced photographer, Chelsea felt that the hardest aspect of the show was trying to execute some of the challenges and get them right. The highlight, though, was the camaraderie between the participants.

“Although it was a competition, we all helped each other out if we were stuck, and that was amazing,” she recalls. “Even though we were competing against each other, we never allowed another one of us to fail. We just got together and helped each other out.”

Self-taught and with much still to learn, she says, Georgie’s experiences on the show have definitely made her a better photographer: “It has been an invaluable experience, and I cannot express how much it has done for me and how I approach my work.

“I have more focus on what it is that I am trying to say. The continuity of my work is more streamlined. My camera knowledge is 10 times better. My understanding of myself is more precise, and I feel very comfortable talking about my work and expressing why it is that I do what I do.”

having to shoot other styles on The Great British Photography Challenge pushed Georgie out of her comfort zone . But whether shooting a beach challenge, a brand campaign or some freerunning, she never took images just to please Rankin.

“I have learnt over the last couple of years that it’s not the way forward,” she says. “You just can’t please everyone, but I feel that if you shoot with emotion, empathy and conviction and stay true to oneself, that is how you thrive. If Rankin liked the work, that was a beautiful bonus.”

Challenge as “the ultimate photography taster session”, and says the show has pieced together a lot of gaps within his photography: “Getting thrown into the deep end with a lot of genres of photography I had never experienced before has really improved my skill.”

When asked if he felt that people can be mentored into becoming a better photographer, Jackson says: “Obviously, everybody could study the camera manual – but ultimately, like any other craft, I believe you’ll

Jackson Moyles Landscape photographer Jackson Georgie Peel Street photography is her main focus, but describes The Great British Photography

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In Focus Special The big questions Rankin gives his verdict on the series

Did you enjoy making the show?

“I have a bit of a mixed relationship with being in front of the camera. I’ve been doing more TV projects lately, and being ‘the personality’ has definitely been a learning curve. But the team behind The Great British Photography Challenge was incredible, as were the participants, and I got to work with people I know well.”

What was your highlight of the series?

“That’s difficult to say, because there were so many highs… I think the highlight was seeing all the photographers throughout the process, and getting to know them.

This show was slightly different to a lot of other competition programmes, as we didn’t eliminate anyone each week – all of the photographers got to stay the full run. This meant I spent a lot of time with them, and really became invested in their process and what they were doing. That’s such a rare treat for me.”

This page, above right: Portrait photographer Maryam Wahid was the mentor during episode 2’s Documentary assignment in Birmingham.

(Opposite page, from top) Ali: Motion blur shot of a bike in Piccadilly Circus, London; Branding assignment, episode 3.

Jackson: Urban Cool fashion assignment in Rankin’s studio, episode 2.

only improve so much, no matter the tutor. You cannot buy the eye.”

Jackson’s biggest takeaway from the show was not to doubt himself. “Some of the greatest moments during the process came when I stuck with my gut and refused to let negative ideas creep into my head,” he says. “The ability to balance that alongside taking in valuable information from my fellow photographers, Rankin and his team, or whoever, is something I have improved on drastically as well.”

PaulWilliams

An experienced wildlife photographer, Paul was one of the most technically accomplished members of the group, 14

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having honed his technique over many years of waiting in hides in all weathers for fleeting moments of animal behaviour.

But many of the assigments and briefs on the show – photographing portraits, creating a brand campaign and shooting a band, for example – took Paul a long way from what he was most comfortable with.

And it must have been quite challenging to receive regular feedback on untried styles of photography. “I see feedback as a gift,” he says. “You can choose to accept all of it, part of it or none of it. If you continue to make the same mistakes, maybe it’s time to scrub the last part.”

Paul had a personal mission during the show. He has post-traumatic stress disorder, which he addresses in part by spending time amongst and photographing nature. “Because I saw this series as an opportunity to get my message out about the power of photography to help our physical and emotional well-being, I dug deep and came through the process with a greater understanding of myself, my photography, and the direction I want to take. That’s my highlight from the programme.”

critiques from Rankin and his team took a bit of getting used to. “The hardest stages of the show were trying to explain the ideologies and reasons for why I have a set style and interest in certain subjects,” he says. “I’ve always stayed away a little from explaining my work, as I usually let the photos do all the talking, but the challenge on this show was to give it all a reason.”

Was there any criticism Tyrone didn’t agree with, or was it all constructive?

“There were a few times I disagreed with their opinion, but with photography, I think you’re always going to get challenged on your perspective. It’s how you respond and hold on to your vision that counts.

“I used the words as fuel for the next shoot; good or bad criticism would only make me more sure of a particular direction. I didn’t want it to stop my drive for getting the photo!”

Watch the show!

Tyrone Williams

Abstract photography is Tyrone’s specialisation, and his work has been showcased in Digital Camera (issue 236, page 32). From the very start of the show, Tyrone’s distinctive take on image creation was always in evidence – even when shooting Anna Friel’s celebrity portrait, he wasn’t afraid to go against convention.

Given his preferred style of photography, Tyrone prefers to express himself through his images, and having to respond to

The Great British Photography Challenge was produced by Storyboard Studios for BBC Arts. #GBPC • You can catch all four episodes on the BBC iPlayer until June 2022: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/ m000wfcy/great-british-photographychallenge www.digitalcameraworld.com

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10 things to shoot, edit or create this month, including starry nights, floor-based fashion and everlasting love

1 | WILDLIFE

Garden visitors Steve Gemmellreveals how he captured and editedthis blue tit in his garden

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completely unaware of the high-speed flashes and continued to feed happily.

This is my favourite shot from the session. So if you have often considered giving garden bird photography a try, my advice is to have a go. This was my first attempt, and I learned a few key points worth remembering.

Think about the background when you place the camera.

Once the equipment is set up, find somewhere to hide yourself – and above all, be patient. Trial and error will lead to success in the end. www.gfxmagazine.com Instagram:@steve_gemmell _photography

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arden birds are great to see at any time of the year.

A common visitor to our gardens is the blue tit; they enjoy a wide range of natural food, but appreciatebeing offered something extra – so we always hang some food from our magnolia tree for them.

I decided to try to capture these busy little birds with my Fujifilm GFX 50R and GF 110mm f/2 lens, plus a Godox V860II flashgun. I waited for a solitary arrival to alight on my target area. The blue tit took up several poses, and I snapped away until it decided to depart. It seemed

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Off-camera lighting

My flashgun was fired remotely from the camera with a Godox X1 trigger. The head of the flashgun was covered with a small softbox to soften the light output. I angled the flash through the boughs of the tree on the right. The idea was to get as close as possible without disturbing the birds – using a flash as a complement to natural light, not as a replacement.

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Set up your scene

This picture shows the setting.

The camera was placed on a tripod to the left of the flashgun. I prefocused on the bird feeder, then set the focus to manual using the peaking highlight. A cable release with an extension was also used, allowing me to sit in my car on the drive, letting me keep a careful eye on the feeder without bothering any avian visitors.

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Fast shutter speeds

I had set the camera to use highspeed sync so that I could choose a faster shutter speed, to reduce the possibility of any motion blur in the images. The bird images shown here were shot at 1/250 sec at f/4, with an ISO of 250.

After a few minutes’ wait, a solitary blue tit entered my careful setup to feed, and I was able to start shooting.

IN LIGHTROOM Darken the feeder

Lighten the bird

Select the branch and use Content Aware to remove and replace the background

IN PHOTOSHOP

Visualising the final image from raw files After importing all of the captures into Lightroom, I got to work selecting the best images to work on. Here is the main image in its original raw state. I have highlighted the areas on the image that needed work in order to produce the finished photograph shown on the previous page.

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Enhance key areas of the image

My objective during editing was to place more emphasis on the blue tit, by darkening the bird feeder slightly and increasing the detail and lighting on the bird. I used the brushes in Lightroom to dodge and burn selected areas. The Radial Filter is another very useful tool.

I used this to select the bird in ‘invert’ mode. This allowed me to slightly lighten the blue tit with the Exposure slider and enhance it with the Clarity slider, without the changes affecting the rest of the image. I removed the branch in Photoshop with a Content-Aware selection. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Andy’s four favourite images 1

2 | LANDSCAPES

Get high Andy Alcock loves to find high

elevations for creating stronger images t has been just over two years since I first picked up a camera.

I have always enjoyed nature and being surrounded by beautiful landscapes, and wanted a new way to experience being out in the countryside. So for my 30th birthday I asked for my first-ever DSLR camera (a Canon EOS 1300D) to start capturing the places I visited, hoping to share their beauty and teach myself some new skills.

I began going out locally to understand the fundamentals of photography – but it was after a visit to the Peak District, where I experienced my first cloud inversion and felt the peace of an early-morning sunrise, that I realised this was going to be more than a hobby. It had almost instantly become my lifelong passion.

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I recently upgraded from my standard camera kit to a Canon EOS R and a 24-70mm L-series lens. Although you can take decent images on almost any camera these days, I have really seen an big improvement in the quality of my images since making the upgrade. I enjoy trekking up to beautiful elevated areas; the journey alone is worth it, and now there’s a huge payoff at the end by having the chance to capture images that I’ll be able to keep forever.

I enjoy looking back from where I started just a short time ago, and understanding how far I have come. By keeping the images simple, but perfecting the location you chose to shoot from, you can get some great results.

I can’t wait to see where the next few years will take me.

Instagram: @ alshot_images JULY 2021

Stanage, Peak District I shot this wide at 10mm, taking it low enough to ensure that the millstones in the foreground were pulled through, to make sure the image linked to the purple skyline. 1/15 sec at f/11, ISO 100.

Tor, Peak District 2 Mam I saw a ewe and lamb grazing, overlooking the cloud inversion that was forming with the diffused golden sunrise. This was shot at 35mm with my EF 24-70mm lens, at 1/25 sec, f/11, ISO 100.

Pass, 3 Winnats Peak District This image was taken using my drone. I like to use my drone to get a different perspective of a landscape that cannot be seen with a camera on foot. 1/1,900 sec at f/2.4, ISO 120.

Snowdonia 4 Tryfan, I set up this composition by the stream to give a leading line, and chose a slow shutter speed to blur the water. I’m hoping to go back in the near future to explore more of Wales.

1/20 sec at f/11, ISO 100. www.digitalcameraworld.com

3 | CREATIVE

Fragments of time Matt Kenneally reveals the secrets of shooting timeslice photography iscovering MC Escher’s ‘Day and Night’ piece, many years before I even picked up a camera, put me on the path to becoming a timeslice photographer. Most shoots I do involve a lot of planning and patience. I may have to stand at a location for up to three hours, capturing all the frames I need to show the passing of time. For my London Eye piece, I used frames from the full three hours of shooting.

The shot took seven attempts before getting a version I was happy with.

You really need the weather to cooperate when youshoot timeslice: you can be an hour into a shoot, and suddenly the weather can change for the worse and just make the scene flat! However, sometimes the clouds rolling into a shot can make the frames more interesting. For all the planning, it’s the elements that can make or break an image.

Instagram: @matt_kenneally

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1/4 sec

ISO 100

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f/16

Day to night

Technique tips

Have fun with editing

When shooting timeslice, I’m essentially capturing a day-to-night timelapse – a ‘Holy Grail timelapse’.

Finding the right subject is key: it’s important to know how it will look during both the day and night. Some subjects look amazing during the day, but may not have the same impact at night.

As the light keeps changing in the scene, I have to adjust the settings. The scene becomes darker, so I slow the shutter down to capture more light; this is where a strong tripod is needed.

You want no movement between frames, so you can slice them all together easily in post-production.

In Lightroom, I get all the images that I need ready and begin editing to ensure a smooth transition of colour. I then move into Photoshop to slice and combine all the images. I like to play around with different slice shapes before committing to the final image: this is where the true creativity can take over. Just experiment and have fun!

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4 | EDITING

Vintage flare Alistair Campbell

creates a nostalgic edit with light leaks

After

n the most basic terms, DxO’s Nik Collection (www.dxo. com) is a set of post-processing filters that can be highly customised after application. They can be opened from your default editing software, such as Photoshop or Lightroom. Once you’ve finished with your edit within your chosen Nik filter, you can click Save to return to your originalediting software with the new style applied. You can also open images directly, then save them directly as new JPEGs onto your computer for posting on the web or printing out.

Some people hate the idea of using pre-made filters, but if you’re keen to experiment, Nik Collection gives you a great platform to start from, and still end up with a final image that reflects your own taste and input. You can even combine styles if you wish to create something truly distinctive.

You can often spend ages creating effects such as light leaks or flares from scratch, which end up looking very similar to the pre-made offerings from Nik. So why not save yourself a little time staring at the screen and create end results more quickly, leaving you more time to go out and shoot more images?

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How to refine a light-leak effect in Nik Collection Once you’ve opened up your image in a Nik Collection filter (here, I’ve chosen Analog Efex Pro), the first thing to decide is which style you’d like to start with. In the top left you’ll be presented with a choice of ‘camera types’, such as Vintage, Toy, Classic and Wetplate.

I’m going to choose Vintage, then Vintage Camera 1; click to see see the basic preset applied.

On the right-hand side you now have a series of panels to customise your look. From Basic

Adjustments, I have set Detail Extraction to 30%, Brightness to -15%, Contrast to 10% and Saturation to 35%. Bokeh is unticked. Under Light Leaks, I chose Crisp and then the third down on the left (inset below).

You may need to drag the light leak around on your image for the correct placement. Lens Vignette is unticked. For Film Type I selected Subtle, then chose the one in the bottom-left, and set Strength to 50%.

I unticked Frames, then clicked Save to finish.

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5 | ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

Shoot the Milky Way Just one of many projects tofeature in a new guide to astrophotography by Adam Woodworth

of a horse. The Galactic Core is sort of loosely used to mean the bright thick ‘bulge’ around the centre. It is this area that features in most Milky Way photos.

Even when the big, bright Galactic Core is not visible, the part of the Milky Way that is visible can still be used as an interesting subject.

It’s fainter and has less dramatic punch, but it’s still beautiful.

The Milky Way works well with most focal lengths, from ultra-wide fisheye lenses to 24mm, 50mm, and even beyond. A longer focal length will isolate more of the Milky Way against your foreground subject, making the Milky Way appear very large.

Night Sky Photography by Adam Woodworth, £24.99/$29.99. www.ilexinstant.com

he Milky Way is by far the most common night sky subject used in landscape astrophotography, and for good reason. The Galactic Core of the Milky Way is very big and bright.

It will show up quite prominently, even in ultra-wide-angle lenses.

The rest of the Milky Way that arcs through the sky is also quite bright and makes a great subject for panoramas.

There’s quite a bit of colour in the Milky Way from the stars and nebulae scattered throughout it, and the Galactic Core has an interesting texture caused by dust clouds that block light, creating dark areas – including the ‘Dark Horse’, so named because if you look at it from the right angle, it looks like the silhouette

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KEY 1. The Eagle Nebula 2. The Omega Nebula 3. Thin passing cloud 4. Faint band of green airglow 5. The Dark Horse 6. The Lagoon Nebula

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The Milky Way over lobster boats on the coast of Maine, USA. Shot at 58mm, making the Galactic Core appear huge above the boats.

Great techniques for low-light astrophotography 1

Exposure blending

This is a method of combining multiple photographs taken at different settings together in software to create a perfectly exposed final image. Photographs captured with the settings needed for pinpoint stars often result in a very dark and out-of-focus foreground. Separate shots with settings appropriate for the foreground can be captured then blended with the sky shots, to make a final image that has plenty of detail in both the sky and the foreground.

Sky

Foreground

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When I use this term, I am referring to the photographs taken that capture the stars as pinpoints or with very small trails (as opposed to full star trails). The foreground is still in the frame, but it will often be very dark depending on the ambient light of your shooting location.

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Sky exposures

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Night Sky Photography Enter our exclusive reader giveaway to bag a copy of Adam Woodworth’s new book, worth £24.99/$29.99! www.bit.ly/dcwastro

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Focus stacking

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Star stacking

This combines multiple shots taken at different focus distances together in software to create an image with more depth of field (more in focus) than a single photograph. This is often necessary to get the entire foreground in focus, particularly when, at night, we are using apertures such as f/2.8 to let in a lot of light, but at the cost of less depth of field.

3

Foreground exposures

This term refers to images taken with settings to capture a brighter foreground. These usually include a much longer shutter speed than would be possible for the stars. www.digitalcameraworld.com

This is a technique that involves capturing multiple photographs, with settings appropriate for the sky to capture sharp stars and reasonably small star trails, then blending them later using dedicated star stacking software, to give you an image with much less noise than would otherwise be present in a single shot.

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6 | STREET

Through the shop window Jules Carr creates fineart street images by using shop windows

f you feel like you’d like to add a new dimension to your street photography, it could be the perfect time to consider adding window images to your repertoire. Now that hospitality and retail are re-opening their doors, the streets are coming back to life and opening up a wealth of opportunity for creative imagery.

Shops, bars, restaurants and public transport are ideal places to start, particularly after dark.At night, interior lights reveal unfolding stories that spring to life with a cinematic quality, revealing human interactions and emotions. By day, shooting through a window out to the street can bring a whole new angle to your street photography. Candid moments, beautiful still-lifes, stunning abstracts, interesting reflections… the possibilities are endless!

Shooting through glass will always pose a couple of technical and physical problems, but with some practise and experience you’ll be able to get around these in no time. Be aware of your own reflection. Shoot at an angle or, if you are shooting straight-on, position yourself behind a handy door frame or similar to avoid putting yourself in the picture.

Keep it simple. Try to avoid too much clutter, and be aware of busy reflections that could spoil your image.

Get creative! Condensation, raindrops and smeary windows can help create an atmospheric, almost painterly effect when combined with interesting light.

Use these to frame your composition, or take a more abstract approach and focus on interesting textures and shapes. This works well after dark. www.julescarrphotography.com

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Jules Carr

Street wise Be respectful of people’s privacy: the last thing someone enjoying a meal needs is a camera in their face! If you spot an interesting tableau, think about your shot and get your camera set up and ready toshoot beforehand, then you can move into position and take your photo quickly. The true skill to street art is that no-one ever knows you were there.

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See page 40

After here are plenty of great some small imperfections. It’s just as handy for removing dust sensor opportunities to catch spots from landscapes, for example. beautiful portraits this The Spot Removal Tool replaces summer, but if you want to enhance your images, any area that you brush over with a different part of the picture that has one of the best skills you can learn been automatically selected by is how to retouch the skin. the software, although you Luckily, there’s a method can reposition this I’m going to show you in source area if it doesn’t Lightroom Classic CC look quite right. that is fast, effective Lightroom offers two and surprisingly Follow the steps in this tutorial main options: Clone straightforward. with the video and start image and Heal, which helps The Spot Removal in this issue’s download. you control the type Tool is a really easy www.digitalcamera of selection made. You way to edit out flaws. world.com/dc244 can also further refine Whether your model the effect by adjusting the happened to have a bad size, feathering and opacity. breakout on the day of the shoot, In this tutorial, I’ll run through how or you simply want to remove some you can how you can enhance any flyaway hairs, the Spot Removal portrait by removing small flaws Tool can be a life-saver whenever and imperfections. an otherwise amazing portrait has

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Before 7 | LIGHTROOM

Tidy up portraits Louise Carey shows you how to use Lightroom’s Spot Removal Tool to polish skin to perfection

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WATCH THE VIDEO

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Photo Active Perfect your portraits Use the Spot Removal Tool to erase imperfections from your images

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Select the Spot Removal Tool

You can find the Spot Removal Tool just below the Histogram dropdown menu in the toolstrip. It’s the second tool from the left, just after the Crop Tool.

Alternatively, you can simply press Q on your keyboard to make the tool active.

Make tool adjustments

You can adjust the Size slider (or use the [ and ] keys) to control how large you want the brush to be. Meanwhile, the Feather slider will dictate whether you’ll have soft or blunt edges to your selections. The Opacity slider controls how strong the tool’s effect will be.

Adjust the selection if needed

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Choose Clone or Heal

The Spot Removal Tool’s Clone option will exactly replicate an automatically selected area of your photo onto the area you want to fix. Meanwhile, the Heal option will give a more subtle, blended option that matches the colour and tone of the surrounding area.

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Remove imperfections

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Check your progress

Adjust the Spot Removal Tool’s size so that it can comfortably cover the size of the imperfection you want to remove. Once you’ve clicked on that imperfection, the tool automatically selects a replacement texture from a different area.

Use the On/Off toggle button on the Spot Removal Tool box to check your progress. If you want to remove one of your Spot Removal Tool edits, just right-click that specific edit and choose Delete. This will get rid of it and return the area to its original state.

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If you’re unhappy with the automatic selection the Spot Removal Tool has made, you can drag the ‘source’ circle around to find a texture that works better. Avoid any prominent lines or features, such as the edge of a nose or the model’s hairline.

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8 | AUTOMOTIVE

On your bike!

Michelle Szpakexplains howshe has developed a passion into a career, and shares her tips

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assionate and artistic are just a couple of the words Michelle Szpak’s clients use to describe her motorcycle photography. Michelle has been a pro photographer since 2006, but says it has been a crazy journey to find her niche in the photography world.

Michelle’s career started in the same way as that of many photographers, with weddings and portrait work. She acquired her first family portrait studio in 2009 – but it took until 2013 for her to start photographing motorcycles.

Michelle is a keen motorcyclist herself, but until a fellow biker asked if she would photograph him and his bike, it had

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never crossed her mind to bring this love into her photography. That shoot sparked a creativity and passion for change and something new.

In 2014 Michelle found herself experiencingexhaustion and burnout.

(It can happen to us all.) The studio was not where her passion was; it was no longer the right thing for her. By the end of December, Michelle closed her studio and moved to the coast (her lifelong dream). Sometimes a breakdown can lead to the most amazing things.

Now Michelle gets to travel the UK and in 2020 was persuaded to add car photography to her work. She is an industry ambassador for The Flash www.digitalcameraworld.com

Photo Active Michelle’s top tips for dramatic motorbike photography the light 1 Soften If you are going to use flash, avoid hard light – bare bulbs or flashguns are going to leave highlight spots on the bike. You want the flash to be soft and create lines and shapes on the bike or car. A stripbox is a great tool for automotive photography, as it creates beautiful lines.

all about the bike 2 It’s Make sure the bike is the star of the image. It’s great finding amazing locations, but do not lose the point of the photo. Busy and distracting backgrounds will draw you away from the bike.

Watch out for bright spots or highlights in the background taking your eye off the bike.

great angles 3 Find Play with different angles while you’re shooting motorbikes. I often get low on the ground (many a time in puddles and mud). This can help you stay out of any reflections from the bike and will also make the bike more prominent in the image.

kapzS ellehciM

Centre and Elinchrom, and loves nothing more than taking everyday locations and turning them into the dramatic images she is known for (not forgetting lying in puddles or lakes, and doing anything and everything to get the shot).

“Lighting a motorcycle is like lighting a person,” she says. “You highlight the lines, the curves that make them unique.

If there is one thing I have learnt over the years, it’s that mindset, passion and energy are more important than business techniques. Being who you are as a photographer, being creative and passionate and believing in yourself form a big part of being successful.” www.szpak.co.uk www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Watch the reflections This may seem an obvious point, but I see it a lot. When you photograph any automotive subject, be aware of what is reflecting in the vehicle. Check everywhere, even headlights. Avoid seeing yourself or your light stands in the bike – otherwise this will mean there’s more editing to do.

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1

Stay safe

We’re often running around at a rate of knots on photoshoots, but always remember to stay as safe as possible. Here I was on a stepladder being held by an assistant; my camera was firmly tied around my neck in case I dropped it. Reassure everyone around you of what you’re doing – and if it feels wrong, don’t do it.

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Angles on faces

By shooting downwards you could effectively be creating an unflattering angle on your model. Here I asked my models to bring their heads up a little from the floor to compensate.

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Use your rear display

Chances are that you won’t be able to see down your viewfinder, so switch to your rear display for a better view. Ideally, you’ll have a screen with a tilting hinge. Make sure you check your focus and exposure before getting down.

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1/160 sec

Don’t jump in

These types of images only tend to come once all your other setups are done. Try not to dive straight in with crazy angles. It will also take some time for your model to have confidence in what you’re doing, so shoot some normal images first – then just go for it!

f/4

ISO 400

9 | PORTRAITS

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Change lighting angles

As your position has changed along with your models’ space, you will need to compensate with your lighting. If you want a flattering 45º angle, you’ll need to move your light to the top of your image (left or right accordingly) and angle it down much further.

Floortrait fashion Alistair Campbell explains howunusual angles

can bring a dynamic look toyour fashion photos

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want to impress people with a shot they feel they haven’t seen before – getting creative with angles, framing, depth of field and shutter speeds.

This will also help you keep yourself interested in your own photography, or may even get you out of a rut.

If you’re not quite confident shooting professional clothing, you could always grab a pal and experiment. Take it from me: not everything works, but you won’t know that until you try. Just make sure everyone feels comfortable, enjoy shooting and see what happens!

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hen you start shooting photos of any kind, you might look back later on and discover that they are often from a very conventional head-height angle with your subject dead centre. You might then start to experiment further with the rule of thirds, placing the subject to the left or right of the frame; but the shots may still be quite predictable.

Shooting fashion photos is a great way to get creative. You’ll always need to show off the clothing, but you’ll also

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10 | PORTRAITS

Lasting love Sujata Setia shows you’re never too old to capture some new memories in a family photoshoot

hotography came into my life at a very timely segue. I was battling clinical depression, and photography became my rescue. It is the only language I understand and I’ve spoken it for the past seven years now. And so, if I’m ever asked what inspires my art, I tell them: “Life does.”

I take simple narratives from life to ignite emotions and celebratelove. I really feel that if you are honest about your work, then it’s likely that others will appreciate it, too.

My Generations series has been a passion project for me. These sessions are very difficult: most of the beautiful people I have met at this juncture of their life have dementia orother debilitating ailments.

However, they are also the simplest. All you need to do is place these couples together in the perfect light. More often than not, I have seen them come close naturally to hold and support one another, without being told or given any directions on posing.

I guess when you have weathered so many storms together in life, you learn to be there for each other at all times. www.butnaturalphotography.com

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f/2

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Shoot fast

Style it up

Capture connection

At best, sessions like these don’t last more than 30 minutes. You have to keep your shutter speed above 1/400 sec because the moment comes andgoes in a heartbeat and you have to be prepared to capture it when it’s happening. Using a 135mm focal length at the widest aperture of the lens helps me get creamy bokeh, which really adds to the painterly look of the image.

Styling is key to making your images look like classic works of art and not a simple photo.

I style subjects very simply: chunky woollen knits and earthy or pastel colours for clothes. Ask your models to empty their trouser pockets of keys and phones and take off modern accessories like smart watches. Keep it simple – make sure there is always a vintage stool or rocking chair for your subjects to sit on.

Posing is key. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to keep things very simple. Ask your subjects to hold each other, to look at each other, to smile… and that’s about it. Make sure they don’t look at the camera because that detracts from the emotion of the image. Love speaks when two people look into each other’s eyes and give that reassuring smile.

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The art of seeing

Benedict Brain takes his new camera for a spin, and dives into the world of macro

ecently I became a Sigma Ambassador, and will be using the new Sigma fp L camera and a bunch of L-Mount lenses. Regular readers of this column no doubt will have picked up on the fact that I’m not a hardcore techhead. I value ideas, creativity and ‘seeing’ over drooling over the latest camera tech; that said, I believe passionately that choosing the right tools is a vital part of the creative process.

To that end, I will still be using my muchloved medium-format Fujifilm, but I will also use the Sigma fp L alongside it for projects where its unique characteristics are more appropriate. The camera’s small size, high

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Benedict Brain

www.benedictbrain.com Camera: Sigma fp L Lens: Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro | Art Exposure: 0.8 sec at f/16, ISO 125 www.digitalcameraworld.com

resolution and great range of lenses make an attractive proposition. I can see it fitting nicely into my creative toolbox; I’m also seduced by its unconventional styling and approach. I was genuinely taken by the values and ethics of the company when I visited the Sigma factory in Aizu, Japan, in 2016 and met with CEO Kazuto Yamaki.

I was editor of Digital Camera at the time, and wrote about the trip in issue 181.

One of my first shots with the fp L is this macro image of a moth, inspired by the wonderful drawings of talented graphite artist Kirstin Kunhardt. Her delicate, precise work has a glowing radiance; I challenged myself to see if I could get close to capturing this vibe using a camera.

The Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro | Art was perfect for the job; using this in conjunction with the focus bracketing feature on the fp L, I was able to shoot 10 images at different focus points. I merged these in Photoshop for an image with complete sharpness.

I photographed the moth against a lightbox but I wasn’t getting the pencil-like luminance I wanted until I inverted the whole image, effectively making it a negative. Suddenly it seemed to get close to the effect I was after. I’m now seduced by the aesthetic of photographing specimens this way, so I’ve ordered more insects (all ethically sourced, of course) to make a small collection…

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STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

Keep calm and camera on with our guide to projects you can complete indoors he lazy days of summer PROJECT 1 are here, which means more spare time to try a new photo project or two! This is where we suggest some ways in which you can while away an evening and develop your photo skills at the same time.

This issue, Niamh Cottle shows how you can try a fashionable food photography style at home by serving up her flat-lay food project. Next, Dave Kai Piper upcycles his archive to craft 44 Flat-lay food photography a brand-new fine-art montage. And Immortalise your next meal! Discover tips and techniques for setting the scene, lighting, Digital Camera readers share their landscapes, portraits and more! shooting and editing in this indoor project

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PROJECT 2 your photos 48 Upcycle Find out how photographer Dave Kai Piper searched

through his extensive archive, and used what he found to create a brand-new fine-art montage

Fun projects to try at home or in our local ayre a!

PROJECT 3 gallery 50 Reader Digital Camera readers share their best images,

including dramatic landscapes, touching portraits, abstract still-life and a cheeky squirrel

PLUS! Visit our website for more home-focused inspiration www.digitalcameraworld.com/tag/homephotography www.digitalcameraworld.com/tag/homeworking www.digitalcameraworld.com

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STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

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Shoot flat-lay food photography at home

Understand what elements go into creating a stylish food photograph as Niamh Cottle creates a series of bird’s eye view lifestyle images

e all enjoy cooking and eating food – so why not go a step further and photograph your culinary creations? A lot of detail and time can go into making just one food photograph, but I’ll show you how to style and position food, how to set up your camera and light the scene, and how to edit the images.

In this project I will explore different ways to photograph food while using inexpensive equipment. I will show you how to use everyday kitchen objects to manipulate the light produced by an external flash, and teach you how to style and position your food, for example by adding condiments to the image to create a narrative. I will also take you through some basic edits when it comes to processing your captures, including adjustments to contrast, brightness and colour balance.

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I’m using ‘flat lay’ setups to shoot the images from above, using a tripod with a centre column that converts to a horizontal boom to slide out and extend over the scene.

WHATYOU’LL NEED

Digital camera Standard lens External flashgun Tripod Remote shutter release (or camera’s self-timer) Reflector (I used the bottom of a baking tray) Flat surfaces (baking tray, chopping board or cake tin) Selection of food to photograph Time: One hour

STEP BY STEP SET THE SCENE

A great food photograph isn’t just about the subject: complement the star of the show by choosing the backdrop and accessories with care

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Choose a surface

This will be your background, so consider using a range of different objects and surfaces. For example, I tried using a cake tin, a baking tray, a marble slab and a frying pan.

Having a range of objects from light to dark will allow you to show different tones in each image. They will also highlight different colours in the food. Using different surfaces will help give you more variety in your images.

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Turn over a new leaf

I decided to turn some of the objects upside-down to reveal more texture and surface detail. For the main image, I used a baking tray – but instead of showing the food inside the clean tray, I turned the tray upside-down to reveal its scratches and burns. This complemented the bowl of soup, giving the image a bronze cast that enhanced the red in the soup. You don’t need to use objects in the normal way.

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Consider how to present the food

There are many factors to bear in mind while you set up the food to be photographed. First, think about how much food you are going to show in the frame. As you can see here, I mostly styled the food in pairs, but positioned them in several different ways, for example next to each other or on top of each other. It’s a good idea not to be too regimental about how you place the food in the scene.

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Add some extra interest

Sometimes you might not need to add anything to the food you’re shooting; with the sandwiches, for example, I felt I didn’t need anything else to appear in the image, as it would have overpowered the frame.

With other dishes, I added mayonnaise to create a swirl, or added a few crackers as some side interest. When you’re selecting accessories, think about what you would actually eat with the food, as it will create more of a narrative. This led to me adding cocoa powder and raspberries to some chocolate brownies in one image.

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STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

STEP BY STEP SET UP YOUR CAMERA AND LIGHTING

Use your tripod to position the camera over the food and to keep it steady

Set up your camera and lighting

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Placing my camera on a tripod, I used the central column to extend the camera over the food. I lit the scene with an external flash and experimented with settings. After starting at 1/80 sec at f/8, ISO 100, I slowed the shutter speed to 1/160 sec to get a darker image. One thing I found useful was to employ a metal baking tray as a reflector to bounce light in.

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Use manual focus for precision

Another thing to introduce is manual focus, so you can fix on key details you want to highlight in your photos. A remote trigger will enable you to multitask while shooting and adjusting your lighting. Experiment with different aspect ratios such as 1:1 or 16:9 – it’s pretty straightforward to the aspect ratio, and it will really help make your food the main feature of the photo.

STEP BY STEP EDIT YOUR CAPTURES

Focusing on this image of a tempting brownie, let’s explore some adjustments to brightness, contrast,thetonecurveandthecolourbalance

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Brightness and contrast

Having cropped and rotated the image, I changed Brightness to 56 to highlight the brownies and raspberries. (I didn’t want to make the brightness too high, otherwise the background would have been overexposed.) The level of contrast is higher than that of the brightness, as this allows for the dark shadows to be brought through from the brownie.

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Editing the tone curve

To avoid overexposure or underexposure, I didn’t make big changes in Curves. For brightness, the first point was changing Input to 163 and Output to 175, to elevate the colours. For the contrast, I used Input 84 and Output 76 to tease out the detail of the brownie’s creases. As the brownie is dark brown, I didn’t want to enhance the shadows too much.

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Colour tweaks

Next, I made some small adjustments across the Shadows, Midtones and Highlights sliders in Color Balance, boosting the blues slightly and reducing the reds. To get more accurate colours, use a screen calibration tool on your monitor: this will make balancing the colours throughout the image easier, and will help during the printing stage.

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STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

2

Rework old images to tell new stories

Dave Kai Piper shows how ‘upcycling’ old digital photos from your archive can lead to completelynewprojects,madewithoutleavingyourhome

f you’re anything like me, you’ll have hundreds, if not thousands of images, on your hard drives, yet will think little of them. Do photographers have to create new photographs to make new images, or can we find new ways to reimagine or repurpose images in our archives? Could there some hidden gems among your archives, ready for a whole new lease of life?

As a long-form project, I have been photographing old houses in Ireland. Each day, I would head out with this goal in mind. I didn’t care about the weather or locations; in fact, I didn’t pay attention to much else aside from the building.

The context of the images was pre-established before I even set off for the day. I would set up my camera and my mental approach to creating a certain type of image. But did I also end up taking images of things I didn’t notice at the time?

I

Where possible, each building had one close-up image and one wide image. Could I return to that body of work and come up with a new brief? Could I create, for example, a new set of prints around a different narrative, using the same images?

This could involve re-editing old images or going back through my archives and finding images that were unused in the project. Perhaps a short set of skylines could be cropped out?

Recently, I made a set of prints for a local display – it was a new body of work that was ‘upcycled’ from older images.

Here’s what I did, and how it could work for you…

WHATYOU’LL NEED

Computer and your image-editing software of choice Printer Photo frame Time: Two or three hours

STEP BY STEP TELL A NEW STORY WITH LIBRARY SHOTS Fromchoosingyourthemeandapproachtounifyingtheimages’lookandfeel, here’showtotakeare-inventionprojectfromscreentoprint

1

Define the theme of your story

Keep the story simple. Define and shape the story you wish to tell, and get it down to one simple line. For this project, which I was going to print out, my brief was ‘Images with great sky and colour plus flat water’. Using Lightroom’s Collections feature, I put all the images that could be used into a folder, then started removing ones that didn’t sit well together in terms of composition, tone, balance and, above all, story. Eventually, I finished up with 20 images for editing.

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2

Tidy up images if required

Since this project is about re-purposing existing images into a new context, you may have to do a little bit of editing work along the way. This could be cropping in to steal a portion you need – in the above examples, the section of sea and sky to the left of the lighthouse and the sea and sky to the left of the rocks, are ideal – or something a little more involved.

Another shot of a dog playing on a sandy beach made the final cut, but the dog had to be cloned out.

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Applying a unified structure to disparate photos enables you to craft a whole new project.

3

Apply a common edit across the selection

Having determined the look for this project at the outset, my final images all needed to have the horizon line in the same place and the same square crop applied. As my final selection consisted of a variety of un-processed and processed images, I decided to give them a more uniform look by applying a creative effect. In this example, I used the Motion Blur filter in Photoshop to replicate the feel of intentional camera movement photography.

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Print out and display your new story

Printing is a vital element of my photography world. This project was printed out at 10 x 10cm, and mounted as a collage in a frame. I knew at the outset of this project that I wanted to frame the images in this way; this helped shape the editing and selection phases, as I required images that would live together.

The frame and mounting boards that were cut out dictated that I needed 20 images that all worked together. This is one of many great ways to create wall art with real impact.

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4

Send us your shots and star in our photo gallery

Digital Camera readers show us how they’ve been getting creative at home

1

‘Tulips’ by Donald McIntosh

“I liked your example of ‘A trace of fine art’ (page 64, issue 241.) My take on the technique was to prop up an plastic poly pocket just in front of the tulip. The backlight was a foot away with a fabric diffuser on it. I added a warmer glow in the edit, and really enjoyed the whole process.”

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Digital Camera says: We always feel a warm glow

when readers feel inspired by past projects to get creative themselves. This image is beautiful, Donald: the simple use of three colours, the fine detail of texture on the poly pocket sleeve, a composition that leads the eye across the entire image, and a great exposure. You should be very pleased.

STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

2

‘Nuts about nuts’

by Steve Raven

“Busy enjoying a nut that was given to him by my toddler – just look at the happiness on his face!”

Digital Camera says:

What an incredible angle, Steve. He looks like he was very happy to see you.

3

‘Windows’ by Colin Gleeson

“The light only hits this side of the building first thing in the morning. The pattern of the windows balances well, and the blue tones from the sky reflection top it all off.”

Digital Camera says:

Clean, contemporary and well composed, this could do well in a photo competition.

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STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

4

‘Lockdown Views’ by Molly Kay

“My great-grandad Jim during the first lockdown – I entered this into the National Portrait Gallery’s ‘Hold Still’ competition. Jim loves having his picture taken, and was more than happy to flash a smile. He’s standing

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beneath the rainbow my sister drew for him, to keep his spirits up while he was isolating.”

Digital Camera says: The juxtaposition

of a happy subject in a sad situation speaks volumes. A true memory you’ll look back on.

5

‘Stepping Towards The Past’

by Mark Gilronan

“The views from the new footbridge at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall are stunning, but the bridge itself deserves some focus.”

Digital Camera says: This is a fabulous, dramatic

capture of the footbridge and its surroundings, Mark.

6

‘Full Spectrum’

by Claire Wallace

“One of the ‘hidden’ tulip fields in Norfolk.

This was the first major outing for my new Fujifilm X-T3; the colours were so vibrant straight out of the camera.”

Digital Camera says: Strong leading

lines always make for great images, Claire, and we love the natural and rich colours.

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STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

SEND US YOUR IMAGES Want to feature in this gallery?

Please email a high-res image (at least 2.5MB) marked ‘Reader Images’, and including a brief description, to:

digitalcamera@ futurenet.com

7

‘Men at Work’ by Marie Brook-Smith

“I really enjoyed the miniature photography tutorial in issue 241.

I love this type of photography and spend lots of time setting up different scenes.”

Digital Camera says: We’re

loving the different scenarios these little figures are starring in!

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www.digitalcameraworld.com

STAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY

8

‘Spring Storm’ by Melissa Richards

“A brisk stormy afternoon seemed like a good time to hit a local trail in Boulder, Colorado. The incoming snow squall brought up the winds and the birds, giving a rather ominous look to the cottonwood trees.”

Digital Camera says: This is a very dramatic landscape, Melissa – we’d love to see a black-and-white version.

9

‘Open for viewing: vacant possession’ by Bob Wilde

“I spotted this broken tulip in a churchyard. It looked like it was inviting you in – hence the title.”

Digital Camera says: It almost

has the feel of a reflection or mirrored image. A great spot, Bob.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

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HOW TO

SHOOT SEASCAPES LIKE A PRO!

Head to the coast and unleash your creative side this summer, with James Abbott’s expert guide to seascape photography

veryone enjoys a trip to the seaside, but for landscape photographers, it’s not just the idea of chips and ice cream on the promenade that whets their appetite. The coast is an exciting location that can provide a huge amount of scope for eye-catching photography.

So while you’re on holiday or having a day out at the coast, don’t forget to take your camera with you.

During the summer months, sunrise can be as early as 4.30am, with sunset as late as 9.30pm, which means you can be out shooting well before the day

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begins, with time for a nap before breakfast; or you could shoot after your evening meal. This makes seascapes the perfect subject on holiday, because the early and late golden hours won’t interfere with your day.

Seascape photography follows all of the same conventions of landscape photography, but with one key difference: most compositions feature water.

Seascapes rely on the ability to use exposure to capture water in a multitude of ways; from crashing waves. frozen in time by fast shutter speeds, to silky smooth water created by long exposures, and everything in-between.

So whether you’re an absolute beginner who needs solid guidance to get started, or an expert looking for inspiration, you’ll find everything you need on these pages.

CONTENTS Sky detail Dramatic light Exposure skills Cool compositions Perfect timing Go wide for impact Get creative

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ISO 64

2 min

Pastel sunset

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USE YOUR FREE TIPS CARDS!

Take this issue’s card on shooting lighthouses on location

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New Brighton Beach, Wallasey This long-exposure image was taken with the sun setting to the left of the lighthouse, which has resulted in soft side lighting and warm pastel hues being spread across the scene. This is a location that’s most commonly shot at low to mid tide, but shooting a long exposure at high tide allowed the sea defences to be used as a lead-in line.

Long-exposure images are often converted to black and white to avoid the difficulties of removing the colour casts created by ND filters. But it’s always worth trying to remove the colour cast using White Balance and Curves in Lightroom or other raw processing software: the results can be stunning.

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Capture awesome sky detail without filters Filters are a great way to get things right in-camera, but there are other ways to achieve the same results aintaining sky detail has been a challenge since the earliest days of sensitised glass plates, where emulsions were sensitive to blue light so skies naturally overexposed. Celluloid film was better, but thanks to the invention of ND grads decades ago, maintaining sky detail is easier than ever. But what can you do if you don’t own any ND grads?

The great thing about digital photography is that there are multiple ways to maintain sky detail in high-contrast scenes. The easiest, and one of the most effective, is the ‘split raw’ technique. Split raw requires that you shoot two images of a scene, with one exposed for the sky and the second exposed for the foreground. These can be seamlessly blended to mimic the effect of ND grads.

The advantage of the split raw technique is that you can set the sky exposure perfectly, down to one-third stop increments, so while you end up with more images and a little more editing work than when using ND grads, the result is arguably even more fine-tuned, because you ultimately have more control.

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f/11

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Sky exposure

f/11

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Foreground exposure

An image of two halves

Snettisham Beach, Norfolk This image is made up of two shots exposed at nearly three stops apart, with the two blended perfectly. This technique is ideal for both photographers who don’t have ND grads, but also those who don’t want to carry filters or use HDR at a particular location. Split raw is the closest you can get to ND grads without actually using them. If you’re working with an image that has an uneven horizon or elements of the scene protruding into the sky, you can use brush opacity and a large soft brush when you mask in the darker sky image, to mimic the graduation of an ND grad.

How to shoot split raw exposures For results with real impact, capture bracketed exposures for the sky and foreground

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Camera settings

Manually focus one third of the distance into the scene beyond the foreground interest, and set the camera to Aperture Priority mode at f/11 with ISO at 100. Use Evaluative metering and set White Balance to Daylight so that ‘golden hour’ colours are captured,rather than being neutralised

by Auto White Balance. Use a shutter release or the self-timer to release the shutter.

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2

Expose the foreground

View the image on the rear display in Live View mode, and adjust exposure compensation to lighten the foreground until it looks correct. The exact amount can vary due to several factors, so you’ll have to use your judgement when applying exposure compensation; but for the foreground, expect to use around one stop of overexposure.

3

Expose the sky

Once the foreground exposure has been taken, adjust exposure compensation until the sky looks correctly exposed and there is detail in the highlights. This may be anywhere between one and four stops less exposure than you set for the foreground image. You can use the histogram to assist with judging exposure to ensure highlights have been captured. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Seascapes make blending split raw images incredibly easy thanks to the often completely flat horizon.

PRO KIT WIRELESS SHUTTER REMOTE

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A shutter remote is essential for taking seascapes because of the need for precise timing. The two-second delay of the camera’s self-timer can work, but it’s much more difficult to get the timing right when you’re trying to anticipate the speed and power of the tide. A cable release is a perfectly worthwhile option, but a wireless remote is much more flexible because you’re not tethered to the camera.

How to edit split raw exposures

Blend your shots in three easy steps to maximise detail in your image

1

Edit and sync

Edit the raw foreground image in Lightroom, then hold down Shift and click on the sky exposure so both are selected. Next, click the Sync button, choose Check All and click OK. Make any individual adjustments to exposure in either shot before selecting both again. Right-click on the highlight images and select Edit In > Open As Layers In Photoshop. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Align the images

When the images load as layers in Photoshop, the top layer will be active, so hold down Shift and click on the bottom image so that both are selected. Next, go to Edit > Auto-Align Layers, leave Projection set to Auto and click OK. There may be space around one or both images, so you’ll need to crop the edges of the image, with the Crop Tool set to Original Ratio.

3

Mask together

Select only the top layer, which will be the foreground image if this was shot first, then click on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers Panel. Set the foreground and background colours to black and white by pressing D; toggle between the two by pressing X. Use a soft-edged brush with black in the foreground to reveal the sky layer. Paint white to hide it.

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Use light to sculpt the scene and add drama Light is the most important tool in photography – and learning how natural light behaves is essential for shooting seascapes ome photographers insist that seascapes, and indeed landscapes, must be shot just after sunrise or just before sunset, when the sun is close to the horizon, with the camera facing the direction of the sun. This is indeed fairly sound advice, but it’s not the only option, and may not always produce the best images.

You can also position yourself so that the sun is to the side or even behind you, rather than shooting towards it. You can also shoot before sunrise or after sunset, to take advantage of more colour in the sky or to capture the cool hues of the ‘blue hour’.

Light and the position of the sun will of course be governed by the time of year, the time of day and the weather, so apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris can be a great way to plan shoots based on sunrise and sunset position.

Don’t forget to check the weather and tide times for your chosen location as well.

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Light coming from the side

Light from the side just after sunrise or before sunset, when the sun is low, produces strong dramatic light; it’s a great way to emphasise texture in the scene while providing the ability to shoot for longer.

Light from behind you

With the sun behind you, the subject will often be evenly lit. The sky opposite the setting sun can still catch colourful scattered light from the sun. This helps if you want detail in your subject.

Shoot at the perfect time There’s much more to the golden hour than the sun meeting the horizon

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Peak colour

The peak colour of sunset often occurs before the sun rises above the horizon, or after the sun has set, when the longer and most colourful wavelengths of light are scattered into the sky. It’s best to be on location up to an hour before sunrise or an hour after sunset to ensure that you can shoot the whole of the golden hour, and be prepared for peak colour.

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2

Colour fading

Soon after peak colour, the colour will begin to fade; in summer this is typically slower than in winter, when the sun seems to move more quickly from east to west, since it doesn’t appear as high in the sky. When the colour fades, you can still capture interesting images that feature the cool hues of the oncoming blue hour, but still shows subtle colour in the clouds.

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Blue hour

Blue hour is the period after the colour of sunset has left the sky, but the sky still has luminosity before it becomes dark after sunset or before sunrise. The cool hues can create a sense of calm. Exposure times can be naturally long, which makes blurring water incredibly easy, with exposures typically ranging from 30 seconds to several minutes. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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A polariser, rotated to capture a reflection in the water, helped to record more detail in the sky.

Candyfloss sky

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New Brighton Beach, Wallasey This image was taken roughly 20 minutes after sunset, when the sky was filled with the most colour. Despite being quite hazy, there was no cloud on the horizon, which meant that the light could scatter into the sky to create the sunset colours. From this point onwards, the colour quickly reduced and began to fade to blue.

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Exposure skills

Filters are an important tool for shooting seascapes, and choosing the right options is essential

henever you look at a seascape image and wonder, “How did they do that?” chances are the effect was the result of shutter speed control and the use of filters. Sure, you can shoot HDR or split raw to maintain sky detail rather than using ND grads, and the results look great if that’s the approach you decide to take. But if you want to extend exposure time to blur water, or to remove reflections from the surface of water, you have to use filters.

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Medium

Hard

Reverse

PRO KIT REVERSE ND GRAD FILTERS ND grads come in several graduation types. Hard grads, with a short transition from full to no effect, are commonly used for seascape photography, because they’re ideal for flat horizons. Reverse grads, which have a hard graduation moving up from the middle of the filter to full effect, with a soft graduation to a reduced effect at the top, are designed for shooting when the sun is close to the horizon.

Take control of shutter speed The right shutter speed is key to achieving the desired effect 1/15 sec

4 sec

2 min

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Polarising filter

Polarising filters are perfect for shooting water, because they can be used to remove reflections from water if you wish, to deepen blue skies and to generally enhance sky detail. They can also reduce light entering the lens by up to 1.5 stops. Exposures of around 1/15 sec with a polariser fitted will practically freeze movement, but with a tiny hint of blur.

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ND filter

Exposures between one and four seconds, depending on the speed of the tide, produce the most interesting results, since texture is still visible in the water and a greater sense of movement is captured. This four-second exposure was achievable thanks to the use of a three-stop ND filter and a polarising filter, which together reduced exposure by 3.5-4.5 stops.

10-stop ND filter

This shot was taken with a 10-stop ND filter attached to the lens to capture a long exposure. The result is completely smooth water and clouds streaking through the sky. In this situation, a exposure of longer than one minute doesn’t add much more blur to the water, but it does increase the blurring of the clouds, so it pays to experiment with the exposure time. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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With cloud obscuring the sun just above the horizon, the result was an incredibly dramatic summer sky.

Dramatic summer Bamburgh Beach, Northumberland

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This image was taken at low tide, when there were still puddles of water in the mud reflecting the sky. It was taken just after shooting with the sun behind the photographer for an evenly lit scene looking the other way. You should always look behind yourself regardless of whether you’re shooting towards or away from the sun: it’s all too easy to miss a great shot because you’re so focused on what’s in front of you.

How to shoot with ND grads

Shooting in Manual mode makes using ND grads easier and helps produce stunning results

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Expose the foreground

Set the mode dial to Manual. Set ISO to 100, with the aperture between f/11 and f/16.

Use the histogram or the on-screen light meter to set the exposure for the foreground by adjusting the shutter speed. This will make the sky bleach out, but when you insert the correct ND grad into the filter holder on the front of the lens, the sky detail will return. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Use the histogram

A histogram is a graph that shows peaks representing shadows and darker tones on the left, midtones in the centre and lighter tones and highlights on the right. The aim of using the histogram is to avoid the highlights on the right touching the edge of the box, which means that they’ve blown and can’t be recovered. If the left side touches, it means shadows have clipped.

3

Tweak the exposure

Once the foreground exposure has been set in manual mode, and the desired ND grad has been dropped into place, you can adjust the shutter speed to lighten or darken the image as required. Shooting in Manual mode while using ND grads locks the foreground exposure so that when the filter is inserted into the holder, the overall exposure doesn’t change.

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Cool compositions Take advantage of compositional devices to add visual balance and a sense of dynamism to your seascape shots

he way you organise the elements in a scene is incredibly important for images that exhibit visual balance and draw the viewer into the image.

Simply lifting the camera to your eye and shooting without care or attention is definitely out of the question.

Try composing handheld with the camera at different heights, and move around the subject to find the best angle before attaching the camera to the tripod. Next, start thinking about composition and how the different elements within the scene balance with each other.

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It’s often said that you should never compose a seascape or landscape with the horizon or subject in the centre of the frame – but with some seascapes, it provides more balance than the rule of thirds. The reflection of the sunset on the sand helps balance the image.

Foreground interest

Foreground interest is simply an interesting object, positioned in the bottom third of the image, that relates to the scene and provides a visual stepping stone into the scene to avoid empty space in the foreground. Paired with the rule of thirds, this is a powerful but simple device for seascapes.

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Centrally composed

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Leading lines

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Negative space

Less is often more. Lots of empty space with a distinctive focal point can create exceptionally strong images. The two boats here are the lynchpins of the composition, while the sky and water work together in harmony and create lots of negative space.

Leading lines are linear elements within the scene, such as groynes, lines in the sand or even a row of rocks, that create a line leading from the front of the image to the middle or background. Successful leading lines are never horizontal. This is a great technique to really draw the viewer into the subject.

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Rule of thirds

Imagine the frame is divided equally by two horizontal and two vertical lines. For visual balance, the focal point is placed at one of the four points where these lines intersect, and the horizon is positioned along a dividing line. This can be used in all genres of photography where there is a standout subject in your image. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Most dramatic f/16

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The perfect moment Timing is everything! See how your shutter speed affects your shot s Henri Cartier-Bresson’s ‘decisive moment’ suggests, taking the shot or releasing the shutter at the perfect moment is key to capturing images that show something interesting that intrigues and excites the viewer – and seascapes are no exception.

When you shoot the tide, the point at which you release the shutter can produce hugely different results. You can capture the most dramatic results as the water is rushing in; the calmest as the incoming tide stops before receding; and the most dynamic when the tide is receding.

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Use timing for different effects 0.3 sec

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AHopetouch of drama Cove, Devon

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Slow water

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A combination of a moody summer sky and releasing the shutter as the tide was moving towards the camera captured the water rushing onto the beach. A 2.5-second exposure allowed texture to be captured in the water.

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Go wide for impact

Get close, shoot wide and play with perspective in your seascapes

very seascape photographer needs a wide-angle lens, but not all wide-angles allow you to capture dramatic images.

Any focal length below and including 35mm is considered to be wide-angle – but for the most eye-catching results, a 16mm lens full-frame or 10mm APS-C is ideal, due to their ability to get close to the subject and exaggerate perspective. For the ultimate in flexibility, however, a 16-35mm zoom for full-frame or an 10-20mm APS-C are excellent lens options.

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Exaggerated perspective (Top) Saltwick Bay, North Yorkshire

Getting up close to the wreck and shooting at 16mm has made it appear larger in the frame. The camera was less than a metre away, which makes depth-of-field tricky, but focusing at a third of the depth of the scene beyond the foreground at f/13 keeps everything sharp.

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Shot at 16mm

Shot at 35mm

PRO KIT WIDE-ANGLE LENSES Your lens choice for any subject is key to achieving the desired result.

The shots above were taken with a Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 lens. The image on the left was taken at 16mm, while the image on the right was taken at 35mm from the same position. The wider focal length results in a much more dramatic image than moving back and shooting at 35mm could ever produce. To achieve a similar composition at 35mm, you’d have to move back quite a bit, so while the shot would be less distorted, it would also be less dramatic. www.digitalcameraworld.com

f/11

ISO 100

10 sec

One of a kind Bamburgh Beach, Northumberland

This image was captured in two halves to create an ‘intentional camera movement’ effect. While exposing for 10 seconds, the first part of the exposure was taken with the camera on a tripod to capture sharpness in the scene; then the tripod was moved during the second half of the exposure to create the impressionistic blur.

Get creative

Capture beautifully impressionistic images ntentional camera movement is How to shoot ICM I a technique where you move the Combine the use of a tripod with intentional camera movement camera on purpose during a long exposure, for distinctive blur effects that create more abstract impressions of the coast. The most popular approach is to pan the horizon horizontally, but the ICM technique we’ll cover here produces more artistic results.

Standard exposure Camera settings

Shoot in Aperture Priority and aim for an exposure of 2-10 seconds, so set ISO to 100 and the aperture to f/11-f/16. Release the shutter and lift the camera and tripod halfway through.

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Compose and shoot

Compose the image as if it were a ‘standard’ shot, making sure that the horizon is level. Also, attach any filters that are required to control exposure, such as NDs and ND grads.

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SPONSORED BY

Camera College

Marcus Hawkins Photographer and writer Marcus is a former editor of Digital Camera

Photo e! chYoalu coleuldngwin The complete guide to modern photography a copy of Affinity Phe 75oto See pag

You can shoot a still-life anywhere.

Here, the battered back of a roasting tray placed near a kitchen window makes for an easy ‘home studio’.

How to get started in still-life photography

Interesting, arresting, thought-provoking, fun… the still-life genre offers plenty of scope for exploring the art and craft of photography Still-life photography is the great leveller. While other genres of photography may require specific kit (you won’t get too far in wildlife photography without a telephoto lens, for example), you can essentially use any equipment to shoot a still-life.

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the form of time in terms of how long it takes to come up with a concept in the first place, and the time required to refine the composition and lighting.

Modern still-life photography has become a broad church, encompassing everything from classic Renaissance paintingstyle arrangements of fruit and JULY 2021

flowers to contemporary minimalism and quirky, humorous set-pieces. And the range of visual styles employed in the genre is just as rich and varied, with black-and-white and vintage treatments rubbing shoulders with vibrantly coloured works and glossy product photography.

Where things can get really interesting is when still-life photography gets conceptual and symbolic and thoughtprovoking. Being able to illustrate an idea or a point of view through inanimate objects, and in turn make viewers dig a bit deeper, is quite a skill. Take a look at the ‘Last Meal on Death Row’ photographs by Mat Collishaw, for example, or the (also food-themed) work of Henry Hargreaves.

While finding a theme can provide a solid foundation for a still-life body of work, being able to pull it together www.digitalcameraworld.com

CAMERA COLLEGE

What kit do you need?

A standard zoom or macro lens will give you lots of options The beauty of still-life photography is that you don’t need much kit at all: any camera and almost any lens can be put to good work. You don’t need a great deal of space either. Having room to set up a tripod is going to help, as it will allow you to frame your still-life set-up with precision, as well as enable you to use the optimum camera settings.

A different selection of backgrounds will prove useful. For tabletop set-ups,

a sheet of white card and some black velvet are going to be well-used assets, but backdrops with more vibrant colours and those with interesting textures can also come in handy.

A reflector or two is good to have around – you don’t need anything fancy, as a couple of sheets of white card or foamboard will be fine – and a flashgun or affordable LED light will allow you to carry on shooting into the evening.

Set-up A small table (or piece of MDF on a cardboard box!) allows you to set up anywhere.

Subjects Food, flowers, forks,

toys, antiques… prepare a variety of objects for a still-life session.

Background Some backdrops are ready-made. Here, a slate floor tile on a bathroom floor, shot from above and lit from a slight angle to bring out the ridges, adds a visual contrast with the organic shapes of the beetroot.

Which settings work best for still-life?

The relatively slow-paced nature of still-life photography means that you have time to make adjustments to the exposure. For that reason, you’ll have more control and consistency by working in Manual mode. For the best image quality, keep the sensitivity low at around ISO 100-200, then choose an aperture that suits the subject.

Some set-ups benefit from more front-to-back sharpness, in which case

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you’ll need to use a narrow aperture, such as f/16 or f/22. This may pull the background into sharp focus, too, which is something you may wish to avoid (in which case, use a larger aperture setting). You may end up having to use a slow shutter speed setting to produce a good exposure, which is why a tripod is essential.

Keeping the camera locked in position will also give you the freedom to focus Shallow depths Using an aperture of f/5.6 threw this kitchen the lens manually on a specific detail. foil backdrop out of focus, creating an atmospheric effect.

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Controlling the light

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There’s plenty of time to tighten up your lighting when you’re shooting a still-life Light from a window can be all you need to illuminate a still-life set-up.

Tape tracing paper to the glass to diffuse the light, and use white card or scrunched-up kitchen foil to reflect light into the shadows. Alternatively, use a piece of black card to make the shadows darker for added contrast.

Artificial light, whether it’s an angle-poise lamp, an LED panel or a flashgun, will extend your shooting opportunities. Flashguns give you the most powerper-buck, and if you use a radio-triggered wireless flash system, you’ll have

lots of freedom when it comes to positioning them.

The trick is to diffuse the harsh flash light, whether that’s through a softbox, an umbrella or a similar accessory, or by bouncing the flash off a large sheet of white card. The latter is a good choice for shooting transparent and translucent objects, which tend to look their best when backlit.

The set-up A sheet of white Perspex and two flashguns fired at a piece of background card. Light spill is avoided using table mats!

photographically is key. The good news is that the relatively slow-paced nature of still-life photography means there’s plenty of time to work on framing, composition and exposure.

Setting your camera to Manual exposure and the lens to manual focus will ensure that you have consistency from shot to shot. You can use the histogram as a guide to setting the optimum exposure. Choose a low ISO setting to ensure high image quality, then set an aperture to give you the depth of field that suits the subject.

To assess this, take advantage of your camera’s depth-of-field preview to check 70

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A glass act By preventing the light from hitting the glass directly, there are no reflections. Top tip: make sure the glass and Perspex are very clean, to avoid lengthy retouching later (Marcus didn’t here, to his regret…)

which parts of the image will be sharp, or simply take a shot and magnify the image to check the details, then make adjustments for subsequent shots.

After this, you can set the other part of the exposure triangle: the shutter speed.

Adjust this setting until the histogram gives you the right exposure for the subject. The key is to avoid overexposing the brighter areas of the image, with the histogram clipped on the right.

If you’re working indoors in fairly low light, your shutter speed may be too slow to get a sharp shot while holding the camera.

Still-life images invariably work best when

they are pin-sharp in all the right places.

After spending time setting up your objects and slowly tweaking their position until the image comes together, the last

The relatively slowpaced nature of still-life allows plenty of time to work on your framing www.digitalcameraworld.com

CAMERA COLLEGE

DIY in-camera treatments

Start with a ‘dreamy’ blur effect created with the aid of a kitchen cupboard staple You can apply effects such as texture, grain and a vintage colour palette in editing software, but it can be rewarding to experiment and take an in-camera DIY approach. For example, you can achieve a soft, hazy look by simply breathing on the front element of the lens and taking shots as the moisture evaporates.

To create selective areas of blur and sharpness, try dabbing Vaseline onto part of a clear filter. A less messy option, as shown here, is to simply wrap some clingfilm over the front of the lens. You can tailor the effect by leaving a gap where you want elements of the picture to be sharp, and by feathering the film around the edge to provide the blur.

After

Before Use a relatively wide aperture (Marcus used f/5.6 here) to avoid too much definition in the film. To increase the density of the blur in specific areas, fold the film over itself and leave it loose rather than pulling it taut.

Camera skills Improve flash exposures

Simple steps to take when you’re using a flashgun to illuminate your still-life set-up

Wireless control

Flashguns with tilt-and-swivel heads allow you to bounce the light off a nearby wall, but taking the flashgun off-camera gives you more creative options.

You may even be able to control the flashgun directly on your camera’s rear display. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Soften the light

Use an umbrella to spread and soften the light from an off-camera flashgun, either by bouncing the light from its interior, or firing the flash through it. A softbox will give the light more of a directional quality, as well as softening it.

Make your own

You don’t necessarily have to splash out on a purpose-built light modifier, as there are plenty of household objects that can help you soften and shape the light. I often reach for this piece of laptop packaging, as it’s so quick to use.

Zoom out

Another technique for softening the light is to zoom the head of the flashgun out to a wider setting, which spreads the flash illumination over a wider area.

Alternatively, zoom to a narrower setting to highlight specific areas of your still-life.

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Convert to black and white

Strip away colour to add a refined, timeless quality that can lift everyday subjects

Although turning a colour image to black and white doesn’t automatically tick the ‘fine art’ photography box, it does place greater emphasis on your lighting, and on the contrast, shape, form and texture of a subject, all of which can allow viewers to take in details of your still-life that they may not have done with the distraction of colour intact.

Rather than shooting in black and white, it’s usually better to capture a colour original and carry out the mono conversion in editing software. This way, you’ll be able to fine-tune the result and separate the tones.

Save your images as raw files so you can preview the mono image in-camera, while still retaining the colour information you can use to create a stronger black-and-white conversion.

Contrast Look for colour contrasts that you can enhance later.

This red onion was originally shot against a vivid yellow backdrop. thing you want is for the final result to be soft. That’s why a tripod is the single most important accessory for one of these shoots. Just be sure to double-check all the locks are tightly done up before you take the shot. You can then use the self-timer to trip the shutter, or fire a Wi-Fi-enabled camera with a compatible smartphone app.

Alternatively, tether your camera to a computer and trigger your camera via software instead.

Another advantage of using a tripod is that it allows you to stand back and properly assess the composition on the rear screen.

(If you’re shooting tethered to a computer, you can use the even-larger monitor).

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Tone up By recording an RGB image, you can adjust the underlying colours, such as lightening greens and darkening reds for more contrast.

Arguably, you have a different relationship with an image when your eye isn’t pressed up to the viewfinder. It gives you the space to check the small details and fine-tune the arrangement as appropriate. For example, there might be a crease in the background material, or a mark on a drinking glass you’re shooting – very easy to miss when you’re squinting into the viewfinder.

Then there’s the arrangement of the object(s) you’re shooting. The composition will be dictated by the subject and the look you’re after, of course. Some subjects look better when shot from a raised perspective, or even from directly above in the case of a flat-lay mandala or exploded view-style

still-life. Getting down to the object’s level for an eye-to-eye viewpoint can produce a more intimate image, but you need to take into account how much of the background will be pulled into view. If you’ve got

It gives you the space to check the small details and fine-tune the arrangement as appropriate www.digitalcameraworld.com

CAMERA COLLEGE

Camera skills Circular polarisers

Remove reflections and ‘glossiness’ A polarising filter isn’t just for outdoor photography: it’s a useful tool for reducing reflections in a still-life, too.

With the filter attached to the front of the lens, rotate its front ring while you look at the image until you get the right result. For the

strongest effect, shoot at a 90-degree angle from the light source.

On reflection This shot was taken at full polarisation, helping to remove distracting hotspots on the figs.

Camera skills Raw preview

Work up an image without affecting the original

Your camera is unable to display a raw file, so the preview image is displayed as a JPEG, processed according to the camera settings used to take the

raw file. The underlying file on the memory card is never affected, so you can freely experiment with any picture processing settings to see what works.

Add textures

Use photos of paper, fabric, wood and other textures to give a still-life an interesting twist…

Last issue, we looked at how you can create a multiple exposure by combining images as layers. Using the same technique, you can also blend textures with still-life images to enhance the latter’s mood. Place the texture layer above your main image in the layer stack, then use the dropdown Blending Mode menu to change how the texture is applied to the still-life. As well as adjusting the opacity of the texture layer, you can also apply a mask to hide the layer, then paint in where you want the effect to be visible.

Keep your eyes peeled for textures when you’re out and about on other shoots, and you’ll soon build up a texture library that you can take advantage of the next time you process a still-life.

Blending

New shoots As well as changing parameters in-camera, you may be able to upload your own presets via computer. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Marcus used the Multiply blending mode for the main shot, reducing the opacity of the texture layer for a more subtle effect.

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Fine-art still-life tips You won’t go wrong if you…

Watch the light: If you’re planning on shooting still-life images at home, spend some time watching how the light moves around the rooms of your house throughout the day. You’ll then know where to set up when you want soft illumination, long shadows or a more spotlit effect, for example.

1

No flashgun? No problem. A small torch was used to create this chiaroscuro lighting.

Use light modifiers: White card enables you to lift details in shadows in a subtle way, whereas mirrors and kitchen foil give you a ‘sharper’ quality.

Alternatively, hold black card or foamboard on the shadow side to increase the contrast further. Triggering a camera’s self-timer gives you a free hand to hold the modifiers!

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Have a concept: It doesn’t have to be a deep idea with layers of hidden meaning – just something that will bring some focus to your photos.

Still-life photography is so broad that it can easy to get overwhelmed with options, so start with a simple structure and refine it.

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Pay attention to the small stuff: The position of everything in a still-life needs to be set with precision. Would a small twist of an object help to separate it from other features? Are there any distracting bright spots? Are there dust or hairs that should be removed?

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Have fun in the edit: From converting to black and white to applying presets, filters and textures, there’s plenty that you can do to make the most mundane of objects look moody and terrific in editing software.

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the working room, shooting from slightly farther away with a longer focal length gives you more control over how much of the backdrop is visible.

The small stuff really does matter when you’re putting together a still-life scene.

If you’re shooting a fruit, are you getting its good side? Would rotating it position the stalk at a better angle? Is there an unwanted sheen on its glossy skin? The way your set-up is lit is another area where a small change can have a big impact. To emphasise relief and texture, for instance, you’ll need to light your set-up from an angle. Daylight 74

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is often the preferred choice for still life photographers, but using a flashgun or LED light to pick out one element and allow the rest of the set-up to fade into darkness is a great way to add Old Masters-style mood.

Post-production adds the finishing touch, whether you want to keep a natural look or apply a more artistic treatment. In fact, it’s a good idea to have the end product in mind when you plan your shoot, as that can have a bearing on how you stage and light your still-life, as well as the subjects you shoot.

There’s a wealth of fantastic still-life photography out there from which you

can draw inspiration. And with every aspect of the image firmly under your control, you really can spend the time to realise something creatively rewarding.

The small stuff really does matter when you’re putting together a still-life www.digitalcameraworld.com

CAMERA COLLEGE

Reader challenge Still-life photography

Enter your best shot to win a copy of Affinity Photo for Windows or macOS worth £49/$50 This month, we want to see your best still-life shot. There are really no restrictions when it comes to the camera equipment you use – the only real restriction is how creative you want to be.

There is a variety of different subjects that can form the raw ingredients for your picture. You might choose to shoot food, flowers, everyday items from around your house, for example; or junk, antiques, found objects, toys; or something completely unexpected. Or perhaps any combination of the above!

How to enter To enter your best still-life image (one per reader please), either email your entry to digitalcamera@futurenet.com, putting ‘Still-Life Challenge’ in the subject line; or go to our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/digitalcameraworld, look for the ‘Still-Life Challenge’ post, and upload your entry into the feed. By entering your image into this competition, you confirm that you own the copyright to the image, and agree that Digital Camera can publish your image in relation to this

competition. You retain full copyright of your image, and will be credited if published.

The closing date is 22 July 2021. The winner will receive a copy of Serif Affinity Photo for Windows or macOS. Good luck!

Find out more about Affinity Photo at affinity.serif.com/photo

PHOTO CHALLENGE Closing date: 22 July 2021

And the winner of the Motion Blur challenge is…

Tom Ballard

In issue 242 of Digital Camera, we challenged our readers to shoot their best motion blur image.

Well done to Tom, for ‘Bluebell Wood’.

This is a fine example of motion blur by Tom. He has created a very pleasing artistic interpretation of a sea of bluebells, and wins a copy of Affinity Photo worth £49/$50.

2nd place: Christopher Taylor

A great panning technique on the motorcycle has created an atmospheric image, with the bike and rider standing out against the background blur.

3rd place: Marie Brook-Smith

Hats off to Marie for spotting the photo potential in this weathervane. It shows that even the most simple things can be used to create creative shots.

Join us on Facebook!

We’ll reveal the winner of issue 243’s Multiple Exposures reader challenge in a live stream on 22 July at 5.30pm

GMT. www.facebook.com/digitalcameraworld

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2nd

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FILE & VIDEO www.digital cameraworld .com/dc244

SPECIAL OFFER! 90-day free trial

After

Before

Try Affinity Photo and get 50% off if you purchase affin.co/ WeWantToHelp

Get the vintage look in Affinity Photo Learn how to age your photos with a range of classic looks, tonal treatments and filter effects n an age when even the most basic camera is capable of producing highresolution images of crystal-clear digital clarity, there’s a certain charm to old photos and faded prints with their skewed colours, blurry details and imperfections.

Thanks to Instagram and the like, vintage effects and filters can be added with ease in a matter of seconds.

But if you want greater control and more individuality to your retro image, then it’s worth spending the time to create your own bespoke treatments.

Affinity Photo offers a host of useful tools for custom retro effects. In this project we’ll look at six different techniques. You can choose either to add them all, or pick the effects that will work for your own images.

Each of these effects sits on its own layer in the Layers Panel, so you have complete control to tone it down (by adjusting layer opacity) or edit whenever you choose. Affinity Photo gives you a degree of control over the vintage look that goes way beyond what can be done with one-click filters and phone effects. You can mimic the look of classic film stocks, degraded prints or scratched old slides with ease…

Find out more at affinity.serif.com/photo

I

James Paterson With over a decade’s experience as a writer and photographer, James is also an accomplished image editor – and an expert in Affinity Photo.

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Rough up your photos with textures

One way to make your photos look like damaged old prints is to blend textures with them. It’s worth building up your own library of textures to use on your photos.

Simply head out with your camera and capture any surface that catches the eye. This is a photo of an old metal baking tray, blended with our portrait using the Overlay Blending Mode, plus a black-and-white layer below to desaturate the portrait. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Light leaks

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Blurred edges

Old cheap cameras often had gaps around the body that could let light fog parts of the film, resulting in bright orange shifts. We can replicate the light leak look with a Curves Adjustment Layer. Go to the Red channel and drag the curve line up, then drag down on the Blue channel. Press Ctrl/ Cmd+I to invert the Curves Layer Mask, then paint white to reveal the effect around the frame.

Old lenses would often be very soft around the corners of the frame. We can get a similar look with ease by using the Depth Of Field filter. This adds a circular blur effect, with sharpness in the centre and fall-off around the edges. Highlight the image layer, then go to Layer > Live Filter Layer > Blur > Depth of Field. Adjust the blur area to cover the image, then experiment with Radius to control the strength of the blur effect.

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Film borders

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Retro colour shifts

We’ve supplied an oldschool border amongst the project files for you to use. Alternatively, if you have some old film then why not take a photo of it and make your own borders? Simply select the black areas with the Magic Wand tool, then copy (Cmd/Ctrl+C) and Paste (Cmd/Ctrl+V) the border onto your image. Once done, use the Move tool to position and resize it to fit over the frame.

Make a new pixel layer, then go to the Blending Mode dropdown at the top of the Layers Panel and change it from Normal to Exclusion. Next, go to Edit > Fill. Choose a light blue colour (we used R 76, G 72, B 244) then drag the layer Opacity slider down to around 25%. This will create a matte look, shifting the colours towards blue in the image shadows and yellow in the highlights.

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Dust and scratches

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Grain filter

We’d normally spend time removing bits of dust, but these little details add an extra dimension to our vintage effect. We’ve supplied a dust image for you to use, or you could make one of your own with ease by photographing a sheet of white paper. Copy the image of the dust into your own image then go to the Layers Panel and change the Blending Mode to Multiply.

Live Filters are ideal for adding effects as you can fine-tune the strength afterwards to suit your image. A noise filter will evoke memories of old film stocks with their distinctive grain characteristics. Highlight the image layer, then go to Layer > New Live Filter Layer > Noise > Add Noise. Zoom in close to judge the strength of the effect, then increase the Intensity slider to control the noise.

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Hotshots

Our highlights from the Portrait of Humanity Awards 3

‘Wanda’ Suzanna Szamocka “This photograph was taken just as Poland’s lockdown restrictions were easing.

It was the first time I had visited my grandparents in two months, and they had been in isolation for several weeks. My grandmother seemed concerned about the world but calm; happy to see me, but sad to be closed off from the world.”

‘Lhabhum and Arte’ Phoebe Theodora “Lhabhum is a Tibetan refugee who works in a London care home for people with special needs. He had recently lost one of the residents to Covid-19. It was a huge blow. Here he sits with one of his four daughters.”

‘Protesters’ Virginia Hines “I encountered this young man at a Black Lives Matter demonstration, less than two weeks after the tragic death of George Floyd and during the height of the pandemic. I live near the station, and wanted to document the confluence of historic events as they played out in my neighbourhood. This being San Francisco, protesters were passionate but socially responsible:everyone wore a mask.”

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‘Abdullah’ Rhombie Sandoval “Abdullah repairs lots of different things, but he specialises in teapots.One teapot has hung in his storefront for two years; the owner has yet to come back for it. He has refused to sell it multiple times, waiting for the owner’sreturn.”

‘Untitled’ Dave Imms “In February 2020, I was commissioned by a travel magazine to go to Senegal and shoot Dakar’s growing surf scene. Dekumba was one of a number of youngpeople being taught by Rhonda Harper, founder of Black Girls Surf. I was only supposed to be at the surf school for an hour or so, meeting the studentsand photographing them, but I ended up spending my whole morning there. It was amazing to see so many happy, confident kids take to the water.”

‘Tattooed Grandfather’ Noah Shahar “I met this man while visiting an old-style neighbourhood in Bangkok. I was amazed at the number of tattoos on every inch of his body. He was very proud of them, and immediately took off his shirt to let me take his picture. While we were shooting, his little grandson appeared, and he lifted him into his arms.”

‘The Best Day of My Life’ Davide Bertuccio “My friends Marta and Alessio sign the documents that will make them husband and wife.

Between March and April 2020, 17,000 ceremonies were cancelled in Italy. This was one of the first post-lockdown weddings to takeplace. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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‘Birth of Milena’ Oliver and Ania Ready “Our daughter Milena was born during the pandemic, on one of the hottest days of the year. She arrived calmly and gently, under the attentive care of all-female staff. There were two photographers present, one giving birth and the other one taking this picture: an act of perfect collaboration.”

‘Lilly andWaltraud’ Mirja Maria Thiel “In July 2020, coronavirus infection rates were very low in Germany, so I took the opportunity to visit Lilly, 85, and Waltraud, 76, in their holiday residence on the Baltic coast. Lilly (right) is a poet. She and Waltraudmet whenLilly attended acreativewriting class Waltraud was teaching, 12 years ago, and fell in love.”

Distributed worldwide, the Portrait of Humanity book vol 3 brings together 200 portraits and accompanying stories from photographers all over the world — celebrating the restorative power of community in a year of immense struggle. www.1854.photography www.digitalcameraworld.com

‘Pristine’ Costa Corbas “A girl climbs down from the coalface at the Jharia coalfield, carrying 35kg of rock on her head, but keeping her dress pristine. Over 70 per cent of India’s electricity comes from coal, and its production is increasing. Open-pit mining has had a devastating effect on the environment and local communities. A black market overseen by the coal mafia runs parallel to the official mines; every day before sunrise, women and children scavenge for coal to sell on. For many, it’s their only livelihood.” www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Paul Martin shines a spotlight on the tales behind homeless people in Birmingham

aul Martin has completed a passion project that has taken many years to come to fruition. A Seat at the Fireside showcases some of the homeless and vulnerable people he met while volunteering at a drop-in centre in Birmingham. “I wanted to photograph the people before me in a dignified and respectful way – unburdened of their present circumstances and situation,” he says. “This would allow me to challenge the stereotypes and preconceptions that surround them; to capture them with honesty and compassion – no judgement, cliché or hint of exploitation.

“I created a studio environment in one of the rooms at Sifa Fireside, a charity for the homeless and vulnerably housed. Every person I photographed for the book had many

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Paul Martin

Photographer Title: Les Location: Birmingham Date: 2021

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nitraM luaP

Shot of the month

Paul Martin says: “Les was confused about his past, and struggled to tell me where he was born. But he did tell me how much he loved boxing.” stories to tell. They all had a reason for being there, and every reason was different. Just as no two people were the same, then no two reasons for needing help were the same.

“There were people suffering with mental health issues who became homeless – but equally, there were people who had mental illness as a result of being homeless. The task I was undertaking sounded simple, but the challenge turned out to be enormous.”

Actor Michael Sheen contributes a foreword in the book in which he talks about meeting the people behind the issue through Paul’s photos. “For these moments, where they met the open gaze of Paul’s camera, they were very much here – present and playful, and unencumbered by anyone else’s assumptions or expectations.”

A Seat at the Fireside is available in a limited run of 300, price £50. All proceeds go to three homeless charities in Birmingham. twonamesphotography.com www.digitalcameraworld.com

FILE & VIDEO www.digital cameraworld .com/dc244

9 PAGES OF EXPERT ADVICE!

31 FREE TEXTURE EFFECTS digitalcameraworld. com/dc244

This month

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Step by Step: Texture effects Add an artistic edgeto your shots by blending texturelayers in Photoshop

Fundamentals: Create focus Change the feel of your photo with local filters in Lightroom orCamera Raw

www.digitalcameraworld.com

90 Tool School: Take controlof detail Get to grips with oneof the best tools for boosting details andenhancing portraits

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Get the Look: Contrast Explore four different ways to increase contrast, for a controlled result

This month’s video tutorials and start files The issue 244download includes 53 minutes of video lessons to take you further intothe techniques in the tutorials – see page 6 for details.

Also in this issue…

Light leaks in Nik Collection Perfect skin in Lightroom Vintage looks in Affinity Photo JULY 2021

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STEP BY STEP

31 FREE TEXTURE EFFECTS digitalcameraworld. com/dc244

Before

After

Use textures to enhance your visual style About your free Textured Add an artistic edge to your shots by applying and blending texture layers in Photoshop CC extures have long been in the creative arsenal of photographers seeking to add an extra veneer of artistry to a photo.

Whether you ‘sandwich’ a negative with a texture screen in a traditional darkroom, or produce a print on a textured substrate like rough canvas, the option to combine a picture with something that changes its appearance is as old as photography itself. The digital form of this approach gives an unparalleled level of control; although there are options under Photoshop’s Filter menu, the fun really starts when you combine a regular photo with one or more shots taken of a textured surface.

In this issue’s download, there are 31 different textures to choose from. These can be used singly or in combination to create a huge array of arty effects – from a subtle wash to a pronounced degradation. The joy is in the exploration, but this tutorial covers the basics you need to know to take your images in a new direction.

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Jon Adams Jon is a professional photographer and writer. He also provides one-to-one and smallgroup tuition in both digital SLR and Photoshop image-editing skills.

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FILE & VIDEO www.digital cameraworld .com/dc244

Screen Pack

The texture layers are all regular images sized to A4, but they can be enlarged using Free Transform to work with any picture size. They are all black and white – to prevent colour casts being introduced to the base image – but you can always add colour to any texture if needed. (See step 4.)

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STEP BY STEP

1

Blend in a texture

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Add another texture into the mix

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Selectively reduce the effect

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Change the feel of the textures

After you’ve copied the Textured Screen Pack to your computer, open your image in Photoshop CC (or try the technique with Tree.jpg in the Start Files folder). Go to File > Open and choose the first texture you want to use (such as Texture 07.jpg). When it’s on-screen, press Ctrl/Cmd+A, then Ctrl/Cmd+C, Ctrl/Cmd+W and Ctrl/Cmd+V to select, copy, close and paste it into the main image. If your texture needs rotating, press Ctrl/Cmd+T to enter Free Transform, and drag the cursor outside the bounding box to rotate it through 90º. Drag out the corner handles so the texture covers the whole image, then press Return to confirm. In the Layers Panel (Window > Layers), click where it says Normal and choose a Blending Mode you like. I opted for Overlay here.

To hold back the textured effect in particular areas within your image, select the texture layer you want to amend, then click on the Add Layer Mask icon. Select the Brush Tool and, after choosing a brush, reduce the Brush Opacity to around 40% in the Options bar. Set black as the colour (press D then X), adjust the brush size with the square bracket keys, and paint over the area where you want to tone down the effect. If you make a mistake, press X to swap to white and paint again.

Do this masking process on all the texture layers you have, and you can control how heavy or light you want the texture to be across your entire image with great precision.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

With the first texture in place, you may well have all you need, but if you want to further enhance it, open another texture (such as Texture 12.jpg) via File > Open and run through the same sequence of shortcuts as before to select, copy, close and paste it in. Browse through the choice of Blending Modes in the Layers Panel to assess the effects generated by the different options, and click on the one you want to use. (Here I chose Overlay again.)

With two different textures working within the image, you can refine the intensity of each effect by clicking on that texture’s layer to make it active, and then adjusting the Opacity slider in the Layers Panel.

To make a texture more or less ‘gritty’, select the layer concerned, then click the Adjustment Layer icon at the foot of the Layers Panel. Choose Curves from the resulting pop-up menu; in the Curves palette, clip the effect by clicking the left-most icon at the bottom of the palette. This makes the change only apply to that layer. Now change the shape of the curve by dragging the line to make the texture more or less intense.

To add a colour cast to the texture, make a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer, clip it (as you did with Curves above) and tick the Colorize box. Now move the Hue and Saturation sliders to create the colour wash you require.

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TOOL SCHOOL

FILE & VIDEO www.digital cameraworld .com/dc244

Before

Take control of detail

After

Get to grips with one of the best tools for boosting details and enhancing portraits

he Texture control is one of the best tools in Camera Raw and Lightroom for controlling details in your images. On the face of it, the slider is very simple – drag one way to increase detail, drag the other way to decrease it. But used in combination with other excellent Camera Raw or Lightroom tools like the Adjustment Brush and Range Masking, the Texture command becomes even more powerful.

While the name may imply that this tool is best at enhancing textures, in fact it’s often at its best when doing precisely the opposite. A negative texture value can result in a wonderful softening effect – useful for de-emphasising overly busy parts of your frame, or for speedy skin softening in portraits.

In this project we’ll look at how to get the most out of the setting by applying it locally. This can be done in either Camera Raw or Lightroom, which have almost identical controls. We’ve used the Texture command here to soften the skin over the face and enhance the details in the fur hood, but you’ll find it useful for all kinds of editing tasks, no matter what your subject or scene…

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James Paterson With over a decade as a writer and photographer behind him, James knows exactly which Photoshop and Lightroom tools and techniques matter most.

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High- and lowfrequency details

Each individual pixel in a photo has a specific brightness value, and these values change as parts of the image become brighter or darker.Frequency measures the rate of change between one pixel and the next. In the man’s shirt here, the rate of change is very low, so this is a low-frequency area.

But in the wonderful wrinkled face, the rate of change is much higher, so this is a high-frequency area. The Texture slider works on a specific range of frequency, nearer to the high end. It targets fine details, but doesn’t amplify image noise. www.digitalcameraworld.com

TOOL SCHOOL

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Brush overlay

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Negative texture on faces

When we paint texture with the Adjustment Brush we can toggle on a mask overlay that shows where we’ve painted. Press Y to turn it on or off, and use the colour box in the settings on the right to choose an overlay colour. (Green is good for portraits, because it contrasts with skin tones.) The mask overlay is very useful when adjusting the Range Mask controls, as it shows exactly which areas are targeted.

A negative texture setting can be fantastic for skin tones. In fact, using negative texture is often more useful than positive texture. Not only is it good for applying a swift skin-softening effect, it’s also handy for softening overly sharp details or rough, patchy tones.

Simply paint over the area with the Adjustment Brush then lower the Texture slider to a negative value to soften the details.

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The Texture slider

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Clarity vs Texture

The Texture slider is available in Camera Raw and Lightroom, as well as within the Camera Raw Filter in Photoshop. You’ll find the slider both in the Basic Panel and also within the settings for the three local adjustment tools (the Adjustment Brush, Radial Filter and Graduated Filter). It works by targeting the high-frequency details in your scene.

Clarity is similar to Texture in that it can also be used to enhance or soften details. But Clarity has more of an effect on smooth details, whereas Texture leaves smooth areas alone and works more on the fine details. As such, Clarity is often a better choice for selectively boosting surfaces like rocks or trees. Texture, on the other hand, is better for pulling detail out of finer surfaces, like the fur hood.

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Adjustment Brush

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Range Masking for skin

The Texture effect rarely works when applied universally over an image.

It’s much more effective applied locally, using the Adjustment Brush. This way, we can paint the texture into areas that need it and leave everything else untouched.

Simply grab the brush, load it with positive or negative texture, then start painting. Hold Alt and paint to subtract areas.

Range Masking is one of Adobe’s best selective editing tools. It works by targeting areas based on colour or luminosity. Here it means we can paint loosely and quickly over the skin with the Adjustment Brush, then turn on the Range Masking colour setting and sample the colours in the skin. Everything apart from the sampled colours will be excluded, giving us a precise local adjustment.

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FUNDAMENTALS

Before

FILE & VIDEO www.digital cameraworld .com/dc244

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Create focus in your landscapes

Change the look and feel of your photos with localised filters in Lightroom or Camera Raw ightroom’s local correction tools have come a long way. They allow you a lot of creative control to change a photo from the scene you see before you to the scene you see in your head. Sometimes reality leaves a lot to be desired, and you’re better off leaving it behind.

Take this scene. It’s a cold, damp, foggy morning, reflected in the bluer tones of the photo. But just because your camera captures those tones, that doesn’t mean you’re limited to using them. What can you do about it? Well, you could add mystery with a warm glow down the path. To bring further attention, you could darken the surrounding scene, creating a tunnel. The cold hues could be made warmer, and you could highlight the fallen leaves to create a path of leading lines.

You’d only need two tools for this: the Radial FIlter and the Graduated Filter (which are also in Camera Raw). For the experts out there, you could even refine the path more by using the Range Mask option in these filters.

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Sean McCormack Sean McCormack is a photographer and writer, based in Galway.

He’s the author of The Indispensable Guide to Lightroom CC.

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How to refine the mask You can refine the mask even more. Hold down the Alt/ Option Key for macOS or the Alt key for Windows, then move the Amount slider.

The affected colours show as white, so reduce Amount until only the areas you want are white. www.digitalcameraworld.com

FUNDAMENTALS

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Add a glow

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Selective warming up

Warm up the image

There are various ways to warm the hues in a photo. You could choose the complex route of Color Grading, but in this case that would be overkill. The White Balance tool is more than enough.

Shifting Temperature up to over 5,000K (5,133 to be precise) works. Your settings might be different to get this look.

Add a vignette

Click the New label in Mask for a new Radial Filter.

Again draw out from roughly the same location as the first, but larger. This is to darken the exterior of your photo, so set Exposure to -0.57, and lower the Highlights (-28 here). If you want, you could also make Temp more blue for contrast.

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Next, click the Radial Filter on the toolstrip below the Histogram (or press Shift+M). Drag out from the end of the path for your glow area. This is subtle, so l use ‘the Magic 15s’. (Well not magic, but subtle.) In the Filter settings, use Temp 15, Exposure 0.15, Highlights 15, Shadows 15, Clarity -15 and Dehaze -15. Make sure Invert is on.

On to the Graduated Filter.

Draw up from the bottom until the filter is over the path’s top edge. Set Exposure to 0.46 to lighten the bottom, and Temp to 14 to warm the hues. To restrict the settings to the path, from Range Mask at the bottom, select Color.

Grab the Eyedropper and drag it across some leaves so that only the leaf colour is affected.

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GET THE LOOK

FILE & VIDEO www.digital cameraworld .com/dc244

WATCH THE VIDEO!

Before

Work with contrast Go beyond basic adjustments and explore four different ways to achieve more creative and controlled results

ven when you process your raw files in Lightroom or Camera Raw, there can be times where you find that more contrast is needed once the image is open in Photoshop. But rather than taking a one-dimensional approach to contrast, there are surprisingly many ways that you can apply it alongside other effects.

At the most fundamental level, adding contrast is about increasing the proportion of black and white points in images – but there’s so much more that you can do with something so seemingly simple.

We’re going to look at how Curves allow you to take more control over contrast, with the ability to apply different levels of contrast to lighter and darker tones; how to add warm contrast using Filters and Blending Modes; how to apply natural-looking contrast with Levels; and how to use Curves to create a high-contrast effect that’s great for black-and-white images.

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James Abbott James is a professional photographer who specialises in landscape and portraits. He’s an advanced Photoshop user and has created hundreds of tutorials.

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Natural contrast with Levels

Click on the Create New Fill Or Adjustment Layer icon (a half-black half-white circle) at the bottom of the Layers Panel, and select Levels. When the dialog box opens, drag the black point below the histogram to 25 and the white point to 220. Holding down Alt while dragging shows clipping. Saturation will have increased, so click on the Blending Modes dropdown menu, set to Normal by default, and select Luminosity. www.digitalcameraworld.com

GET THE LOOK

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Add contrast and colour

With this technique, we’re going to add contrast with a hint of subtle warmth. Click on the Create New Fill Or Adjustment Layer icon and select Photo Filter from the list of options. When the dialog box opens, click on the Filter dropdown menu set to Warming Filter (85) and select Sepia, before increasing Density to 85. Close the dialog box, set the layer’s Blending Mode to Soft Light and change the Opacity to 50%. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Ultimate control with Curves

Create a Curves Adjustment Layer; when the dialog box opens, we need to create an S-curve. Click a third of the way up the curve and drag down and to the right, then click two thirds of the way up, and drag up and to the left. If you accidentally place a point, click on it and drag it away. To darken the darker tones further, click on the lower point and drag down more. Finally, change the Blending Mode for this layer to Luminosity.

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High-contrast mono

Set the foreground and background colours to black and white by pressing D. If black is the background colour, press X to make it the foreground colour. Next, create a Gradient Map Adjustment Layer and immediately close the dialog box before creating a Curves Adjustment Layer. Below the curve box there are black and white points that increase these tones, so drag the black point to Input 20 and the white point to Input 240.

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any photographers have pre-defined workflows where they edit their images according to their own style and creative vision. While this is a great way of defining yourself as a photographer in a world bursting with photos, it remains beneficial to approach some images with a healthy dose of experimentation and discover new creative approaches.

Luminar AI takes all the hard work out of editing images, by focusing on results instead of complicated tools and processes that make many advanced editing techniques unachievable to the masses. Luminar AI makes light work of professional editing techniques, and this includes access to many creative effects that will help your images stand out from the crowd.

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How to get your copy of Skylum Luminar AI

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The creative tools and controls in Luminar AI range from simple one-click edits, using Templates to applying LUTs, to adding textures to create colour, haze and blur effects. Suffice to say, despite Luminar AI providing a friendly and helpful hand to guide you during editing, it’s still possible to create distinctive and creative results.

All editing in Luminar AI is non-destructive, which means the effects you apply are saved within the software, but the underlying image pixels are left untouched; it’s only when you export an image that your edits are permanently applied to that exported file, which means that you should dive deep into the software and experiment to your heart’s content. You’ll quickly see how Luminar AI can be both a hugely creative tool and easy to use. www.digitalcameraworld.com

ULPS M NILAICE A R S IASEIRE

Use Local Masking to apply textures to your shots Add a sense of grittiness and depth using your own textures

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Apply a Template

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Set the blend, and position

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Control the mask

Select an image you would like to apply a texture to, then apply a Template to achieve an instant look. We used the Cozy Den Template from the Influencer Collection. Apply any further adjustments as required in the Edit tab, and process the underlying image until it looks just right. For this image, only the Light and Matte Tools were applied.

Click on the Blend dropdown menu that’s set to Normal, and select a Blending Mode to add transparency. Multiply, Screen, Lighten and Soft Light are great starting points. We used Lighten. Click the Place Texture button and you can reposition, rotate and resize the texture to make it fit better with the underlying image.

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Add a Local Mask

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Refine the blend

Click on the brush icon to the right; when the Edit Tools vanish, click Add and select Texture from the two options to open the Local Masking/Texture controls. Click the Load Texture button, locate a texture image you have saved on your computer (or download 31 textures free via digitalcameraworld. com/dc244), and increase Opacity to 100.

We can refine the blend of the texture. The first control is Opacity, which has been reduced to 75 here. In the Advanced Settings, Brightness was increased to 30 and Contrast to 15. There are also sliders to control Hue and Saturation, but these weren’t required here. Texture controls are only applied to the texture layer, so the underlying layer is untouched.

Go to skylum.com to find out more

Click the Erase button showing an eraser symbol and set Brush Softness to 100 and Opacity to 100, or a lower setting if required. Use the Radius slider to change the brush size; when you click on the image to erase, a red mask will appear as a guide. You can now remove the texture in different parts of the image, or paint it back by clicking on the Paint button.

Luminar AI is constantly being updated, so the user interface may change with future updates.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Add interest and a sense of wonder to the skies on your shots using Luminar AI’s powerful Augmented Sky, which seamlessly blends visual elements into the sky area of your photo.

1

Object Selection

The Object Selection dropdown menu is where you can choose the visual element that will be seamlessly inserted into the sky area of the image.

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Adjustments

The Amount slider controls the opacity/strength of the object.

Warmth allows you to warm or cool

the object colour, while the Relight slider matches the object to the lighting and colour of the sky.

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Place Object

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Mask Refinement

By clicking on the Place Object button, a bounding box appears. It allows you to move, rotate and resize the object to achieve a better fit within the scene.

Luminar AI does an excellent job of blending the object with other elements in the image that protrude into the sky, but it’s not always perfect.

This slider refines the blend.

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Defocus

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The object

If you’re working with an image that has a shallow depth of field and, as a result, a blurred sky, the Defocus slider allows you to match the object to the background blur.

This is the object in the sky, showing a Place Object bounding box that allows the object to be resized to fit, moved or rotated. Click on the Place Object button when you’ve finished.

Five great tips for creative results

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Despite offering simple control over what would traditionally be complicated editing techniques, Luminar AI provides a host of opportunities for creative and indeed unique results that help to make your photography stand out from the crowd.

From simple black-and-white conversions, using Templates for an instant look or the Black & White controls for manual editing, to colour grading using LUTs in the Mood controls, to adding texture and much more, maximum creativity and professional editing results are just a few mouse clicks away with Luminar AI.

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Mono conversion

Black-and-white conversions are quick and easy to apply using Monochrome Templates, individual black-and-white Templates in other collections, or by using the Black & White controls in the Edit tab.

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Add textures

Adding textures to images is a creative technique that can produce multiple results using a single texture image. The Local Masking controls make light work of loading and blending textures.

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LS U IMICEP N A S LA R IASEIRE

Three creative effects you can try in Luminar AI Experiment with easy-to-apply effects for unexpected results Change the sky

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There’s no need to reject an image when it has a clear blue or a dull grey sky: Sky AI allows you to perform expert blends of new skies, where images with water will pick up the colours and even a reflection of the new sky. Sky AI will also relight the scene itself to help with the overall blending of two images. You can add your own sky images to the catalo ue of available skies

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Split-toning

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Pushing and pulling colours in images is a great way to achieve unique results, not to mention some colour effects that can enhance the overall mood of an image. In this shot, a strong cinematic Template has been applied, and then Vibrance has been increased while overall saturation has been decreased, to focus the desaturation on all but the skin tones to deliver a one-of-a-kind finish.

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A split-tone is a colouring effect where one colour is targeted towards the shadows, while a second is targeted to the highlights. This can be applied using the Toning Tools within the Edit tab. While split-toning is traditionally a technique used with black-and-white images processed in a darkroom, it works perfectly with both colour and black-andwhite digital images.

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Manipulate colour

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Experiment with LUTs

LUTs, or lookup tables, are files that apply colour and tonal changes that add a cinematic quality to images. Luminar AI provides many LUTs to choose from in the Mood controls on the Edit tab.

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Apply creative looks

Toning allows you to split-tone images; Matte provides the ability to create a matte effect; Mystical adds a diffuse glow with colour options; and Glow allows you to add four blur effects, including the Orton effect.

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Film Grain

Adding grain to images is a great way to create a sense of atmosphere in your photographs, and with the Film Grain controls you can create realistic grain in a matter of seconds.

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Photo Answers Maddened by Manual mode? Got the goat over gimbals? Send your technique and camera questions to digitalcamera@futurenet.com

Andrew James

Andrew is a highly experienced writer and photographer – if you have a problem, he is here to help.

Black-and-white convert

Should I shoot black-and-white in-camera or convert it afterwards?

Q

Murray Hall

I’ve been asked this question a lot over the years. There are two answers, which depend on how keen you are to create the perfect black-and-white image.

All digital cameras have a shooting option that will allow you to capture a black-and-white JPEG, which you may not need to do anything with in post-processing. I say “may not” because I find that most images will benefit from some post-capture work, even if it’s just an increase in contrast.

To me, however, a lot of the quality in a final black-and-white image is created in the post-capture stage, just as it was in the film days in the darkroom. That’s why I shoot raw files that capture all the information I want, then convert the colour raw file into black and white, playing around with colour channels to get the result I want. I do this in Lightroom, but Camera Raw and other raw conversion programs give you similar options; and there are lots of plug-ins that allow you to play around with your black-and-white image.

As I said at the start, you can enhance the look of a black-and-white JPEG, but your options are limited when compared to working on a raw file, and it’s all too easy to reduce the image quality while you’re editing a JPEG.

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There’s more to creating a compelling black-and-white photo than simply removing the colour information.

Original raw file

B&W from raw conversion

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Tech Check Metering modes

Help your camera find the most accurate exposure for the scene you’re shooting

Spot

Centre-Weighted

Matrix

Average

The small area around the AF point gives an indication of the region covered by Spot metering.

The light across the whole frame is The exposure is based mainly on the Your current focus point is one of the criteria used by Matrix metering measured as a single value. It’s a central part of the image, but the crude method but can be useful. outer parts have an influence, too. to work out the best exposure.

How does a camera’s meter work?

The built-in light meter reads the amount of light that’s reflecting off the subject as it is shown in the viewfinder; the metering mode you select determines where this reflected light is being read from within that scene.

may be called something different, depending on the manufacturer of the camera. For example, Matrix mode is variously referred to as Evaluative or Multi-Pattern, and some camera models offer additional metering modes.

What different metering modes are there?

The main modes present in most cameras are Matrix, Spot and Centre-Weighted, although they

a useful option for precision metering, for example when you’re taking portraits, but also in other situations where you want to be creative with your exposure.

What’s the difference between Average and Spot metering?

In your camera’s Average metering So which mode should I use? mode, the light meter takes a Cameras usually come with their reading from lots of different areas Matrix metering mode set as the default and this is certainly the most within the frame, then averages useful for everyday scenes in normal them all out to give you the required exposure. Spot metering takes a conditions. Spot metering is also

reading from one small area and typically meters just 3% of the whole scene. Traditionally this small area is at the centre but, on some cameras, it can be moved around with the focus point.

Will the camera’s metering always get the exposure correct?

No. It can be tricked by extremes; that’s why looking at the Histogram can help, as well as using exposure compensation to either brighten or darken your image as you prefer.

Going wild

You’ll increase your chances of capturing moments like this with time spent in the field.

I want to do more photography.

Q wildlife Other than a long lens, what’s going to help me the most?

Reece Penny

You are right that a long lens is going to help – but the next best things are observation and time out in the field. There are lots of ways to reduce the time spent trying to find your subject, like hiring hides where animals are already known to visit. Using a few commercial hides will get you close to your subject and allow you to observe them at close quarters, getting some great shots at the same time.

If you don’t want to try the commercial hide option, you could look to something closer to home, such as setting up feeders for birds in the garden and using them as your subject. I’d also suggest visiting nature reserves and other places where wildlife is known to congregate for breeding at certain times of the year.

Don’t always expect to get amazing images on every trip out. There’s no substitute for time spent watching and observing your subjects, as you’ll learn more about their behaviour, and this will

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help you to be ready to fire the shutter when some interesting activity happens.

I personally think one shot of an animal engaged in natural and interesting behaviour is worth 10 of a subject just sitting or standing around doing nothing.

Of course, the last thing that will really help you when it comes to wildlife is plain old luck, but the more you are out in the field – whether that’s sitting in a hide or wandering around a nature reserve – the luckier you are likely to be!

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Shooting from an area of shade directly into the sunlight meant HDR was necessary to capture this shot.

Essential HDR

How do I know when I should (or shouldn’t) shoot an HDR sequence?

Q

Trevor Newlands

HDR (high dynamic range) is a useful technique, but it’s not always essential. Its point is to help gather all the dynamic range within a scene, but when that tonal range is within the boundaries of what the camera’s sensor can capture anyway, then shooting a series of images at different exposures and merging them in software does seem over the top.

On a high-contrast scene, where you have deep shadows as well as very strong highlights, then HDR is justified. Bracketing your shots to ensure you have frames that are exposed for the highlights, midtones and shadows will allow you to merge the frames into a single natural-looking image.

That said, I’ve frequently shot a bracketed sequence in a high-contrast scene, then discovered that one frame within that sequence, with a little bit of tweaking to the raw file, will give me the same result as an HDR merge anyway.

However, I don’t want to take the risk of messing up in a high-contrast situation, so

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a series of bracketed shots – usually either three or five – seems like a sensible option to me. Sure, it means I might end up with four additional frames I don’t need, but that’s a small price to pay for the knowledge that within the group, I have all the information I need to get a good result.

Equally, I don’t want to shoot every single time by bracketing both under and over the metered exposure, because I would end up with loads more raw files than I need or want.

For me, it’s those high-contrast situations, where the sun is in the frame or the difference between the shadows and highlights are really pronounced, that really call for HDR.

Catalogue it

Q

Should I use multiple Catalogs in Lightroom Classic?

cataloguing, since there is no limit to the number of photos you can have in a single Catalog.

It’s also important to make the distinction here between the Catalog and the original raw files. The raws are not stored directly in the Catalog: they’re stored elsewhere, such as on your computer’s hard disk or on external storage devices. The Catalog itself is purely a virtual library that keeps a record of any changes you make to an image, before allowing you to save and output those changes in whichever file format you choose. The raw file itself remains untouched, exactly as you shot it in your storage device. If you suffer from issues with speed when you review or edit your images, it’s easy to blame the size of your Catalog, but it probably has more to do with other factors – such as the performance of your computer.

Laurie Moody

Everyone has their own way or organising and planning how they access their images through Lightroom, and that may well include having multiple Catalogs.

However, I prefer the much simpler option of having just one large Catalog, so that I can access all my entire image database through it. (This is also what Adobe itself recommends.) There is no specific reason to over-complicate your Lightroom

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Lightroom offers a choice of filing images in one big Catalog and splitting them over several.

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Image Rescue

This shot suffers from the classic landscape situation of bright sky and dark land below from the top of the sky to the sea 2 .

This time, we’ll bring the Exposure slider back to -40 and add +20 to the Contrast slider. We can now go to the Curve Panel, select the Point Curve and create a gentle S-curve to increase contrast globally 3 .

Make sure not to darken the land again too much, though.

Finally, we can warm it up 4 using the Temperature slider in the Basic Panel, and boost Vibrance by +20.

Zooming in, we’ve managed to pull out plenty of detail from the shadows without causing any issues with image degradation.

Some work on exposure and contrast gives us a epic landscape scene.

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We have a well-exposed sky here, but because a filter hasn’t been used, the result is an underexposed area of land. However, the highlights have been preserved, so it’s possible to rescue it. We need to lighten the land and darken the sky slightly, so that everything balances.

In Lightroom or Camera Raw, we’ll run a Graduated Filter from the base of the image up to just above the distant land 1 , then carefully lift the shadows with both the Shadows and Exposure sliders. Let the Shadows slider do most of the work with +60, but a more subtle +0.50 on Exposure will help, too.

Now repeat the process with the Graduated Filter, but bring it down

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To get the most from off-camera flash, should I control the flash manually?

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Flash facts

Will Ransen

Honestly, yes! If you can get to grips with manual flash control, your results will be consistently better. I tend to set the flash to 1/4 power, then change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO or the distance of the flash from the subject to fine-tune the results. Which settings I alter depends on the subject and situation, but none of it is difficult and it’s all in my control. I’d suggest you play around with a still-life subject while you get used to it, but it’s easy once you have it mastered.

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Teleconverters extend your focal length, but reduce your maximum aperture as well.

Doubling up

I tried a Canon 2x extender with my telephoto lens, but found that autofocus didn’t work. Why not?

Q

Cathy Cookson

When you add a 2x extender to double the focal length, you also halve the maximum aperture. If that ‘new’ maximum aperture is narrower than f/5.6, autofocus is not always possible. On several DSLRs, AF is still enabled when the maximum aperture is f/8, but it’s always worth checking before you purchase that your telephoto and camera combo will allow AF when an extender is attached.

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You’ll get much better results with a flashgun if you spend some time practising with it.

Small insects are best photographed at either end of the day, when they’re less active.

Damsel times

This summer I want get photos of Q todamselflies – when’s the best time to photograph them?

Craig Witney

Morning and evening are the best times – either before they have become too active or as they slow down as temperatures drop. That said, you can still get shots in the middle of the day, when they are most active, if you look out for regular perches and lie in wait with a macro lens or telephoto.

When they’re active, you’ll find shooting handheld is best, but when shooting them early in the morning you may be able to set up on a tripod without disturbing them.

Damselflies will be hatching from spring through to late summer.

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Alistair’s kit has been chosen for shooting out on the streets.

Members of the Digital Camera team share what’s in their kit bag – and what they wish was in it!

TEAM MEMBER…

Alistair Campbell Technique editor, Digital Camera or the first few years of my photography career, I shot with Canon DSLRs. There was really nothing I could fault about the EOS 5D Mark II and Mark III:

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both produced wonderful images and were 100% reliable. In more recent years, however, I photographed a lot of weddings, and carrying around two or three DSLRs all day wasn’t my definition of fun.

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Concentrating on more personal projects during the past couple of years, shooting street photography and sometimes having to cover many miles in a day, meant that I needed to downsize my gear. I now own three Fujifilm mirrorless cameras: the X-E1, the X-T2 and the X-T3.

The X-T3 is my main ‘work’ camera; it has Fujifilm’s 4th-generation X-Trans 4 CMOS image proccessor, plus the built-in colour profiles that come with all of Fujifilm’s other models. For me, these cameras cannot be beaten for colour rendition.

For street photography, I lean towards my X-T2. When I’m out and about, I need something I can throw in my bag without worrying too much. I often find myself in the middle of events where I can’t be concerned if I’m getting

bumped around here and there. I also like the fact that my X-T2 is black: it means I stand out less than when I’m using my silver X-T3.

I also love the X-T2’s built-in Wi-Fi for transferring images.

This camera is so good that I tend to shoot JPEGs only, using the great in-camera image styles, stop for a coffee and use the Wi-Fi to transfer the images to my phone, then upload them to the web with little to no post-processing.

For lenses, if I need to rush out of the door, I just grab my Fujinon XF 35mm f/2. It’s incredibly fast to focus on any subject, offers a field of view much like the human eye, and allows me to shoot pretty much anything from close-up portraits to wider street scenes. It’s also my smallest lens – and for me, the lighter the setup is, the better. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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1Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 Fujinon 2 XF 27mm f/2.8 3Fujinon XF 18mm f/2

TIME TO TRADE IT IN?

Samyang 12mm f/2 NCS CS MPB trade-in price: £165 (Excellent condition)

I picked this lens up because it was cheap and I was visiting New York. It’s a lot of fun, and you can get some cool wide-angle images – but other than that, I barely use it for anything any more.

It’s not a focal length I own, but I love the idea of having a reasonably wide fastaperture prime in my bag for street photography.

I once owned this lens, but barely used it. At the time it didn’t suit my style, but now its small size alone would be perfect for me.

I’d still love to keep a wide prime, and the small weight and compact size of this lens would be perfect for my kit bag or my pocket.

New: £829 MPB price*: £554 (Excellent condition)

New: £419 MPB price*: £219 (Excellent condition)

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1 2 4

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DIVE INTO ALISTAIR’S KIT BAG New price: £329 MPB price*: £244 (Excellent condition)

New price: £N/A MPB price*: £514 (Excellent condition) Sometimes it’s not about the technical aspects, but the feeling you get from using something.

This highly customisable camera feels like a best friend that’s always helping you out: you can pretty much ask it to do anything youwant, and it will deliver. Combined with the fabulous Fujifilm colour rendition, the X-T2 is compactand light, with modern tech inside its vintage-style casing.

3 Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR

4 Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R

When I moved to Fujifilm, this was the first lens I bought. I tend to use primes most of the time, but while I could shoot any professional job on a mid-ranged zoom, I couldn’t on a fixed prime.

I’ll use this workhorse lens for a full day of shooting fashion. It’s weather-sealed, reliable, sharp and versatile.

You’d be pushed to find better build quailty in any other camera system.

Extremely sharp – even wide-open, which is where it stays most of the time – this lens is small butsolidly built, and feels like a great weight balance on an X-Series camera.

Producing beautiful bokeh, it gives you a decent reach for street shooting. I originally bought this lens for a trip to Asia, and just couldn’t give it up afterwards. It’s now a key item.

New price: £999 MPB price*: £689 (Good condition)

FOR STREET PORTRAITS

New price: £879 MPB price*: £649 (Excellent condition)

5 Fujifilm X-T2 VerticalPower Booster Grip

6 Fujinon XF 35mm f/2

I really like this grip; if anything, it just makes the camera feel better in the hand. It gives you two extra batteries (plus the one in the chamber), meaning you can pretty much shoot all day without worrying you’ll run out of juice. When you’re not out in the field shooting, it’ll also charge up both batteries at once in a much faster time.

Other great features include Boost mode.

My favourite lens of all.

You can barely feel it on the camera, and it’s so small that it will fit in a decent- sized pocket.

The autofocus is lightning-fastand rarely misses a beat. If there was such a thing as an ideal travel lens, thisis it.

If you’ve only ever used a zoom lens, I’d recommend picking up this prime, as it could completely transform the way you shoot.

New price: £389 MPB price*: £334 (Excellent condition)

New price: £319 MPB price*: £52 (Good condition)

Trade in and upgrade at: www.mpb.com/sell

www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Is this the best wideangle lens you can buy?

Probably not. Yet you would be hard pushed to find anything better for less than £250.

With size and weight being a key factor for me, this lens is a perfect example that great things come in small packages. Sharp and durable, with a fast aperture, this lens is a lot of fun. If you don’t own a wide-angle, buy this one.

2 Fujifilm X-T2

Although I love my 35mm, this 56mm not only provides me with a little more reach for street scenes, but it’s also an incredible portrait lens. Reasonably small, it still packs a strong punch.

New: £879 MPB price*: £649 (Excellent condition)

5 1 Samyang 12mm f/2 NCS CS

Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R GREAT

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In Focus

The latest photography news from around the globe

Focal point Rounding up what’s new and exciting

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TOP OF THE TIPAs Some of the 2021 winners include (clockwise from top left): Canon RF 600mm f/11, Sony Alpha 1, Sony FE 50mm, Fujifilm GFX 100S, Sigma 85mm and Nikon Z 6II. Discover all the winners at www.tipa.com

Tipa 2021 winners revealed

Epson International Pano Awards open now The 12th iteration of these prestigious awards is calling for entries.

Enter before 16 August to be in with a chance of winning a share of the $40,000 prize pool.

For full details, visit: thepanoawards.com

Last chance for Nikon UK summer discount British consumers have until 19 July to benefit from Instant Savings deals on a variety of Nikon camera kit. The savings are deducted at the point of sale – no registration or proof of purchase is required. www.bit.ly/dc244nikon

Sony, Fujifilm and Nikon lead the league table of gongs for new cameras at the Technical Image Press Association’s awards, while Sigma grabs the most lens wins

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onducted online due to Covid-19, the Tipa World Awards recognise excellence in 40 categories of imaging products, rewarding achievements in the fields of design, technical innovation, capabilities and performance.

Sony racked up three gongs for new cameras, including Best Full-Frame Professional Camera for the Alpha 1, and Best Photo/Video Camera Expert for the Alpha 7S III. There was also recognition for a new Sony lens, as the Best Prime Standard Lens went to the FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. Sigma aced the lens standings, meanwhile, with awards for the 106

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100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS | C (Best UltraTelephoto Zoom), the 85mm f/1.4 DG DN | A (Best Portrait Lens) and the 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro | A (Best Macro Lens).

Nikon collected awards for its Z 6II (Best FullFrame Camera Advanced) and Z 7II (Best FullFrame Camera Expert), while Fujifilm’s GFX 100S (Best Medium-Format) and X-S10 (Best APS-C Camera Advanced) were also recognised. Canon took three awards, including Best APS-C Camera Entry-Level for its EOS M50 Mark II, and Best Prime Telephoto for the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM.

Potato Photographer of the Year 2021 open now Support the Trussell Trust network of UK food banks by entering your best shot of a potato.

Prizes worth over £2,000 include a Fujifilm X-T200 mirrorless camera kit. photocrowd.com/ potato; £5 per image www.digitalcameraworld.com

Go to www.digitalcameraworld.com for the latest news, reviews & techniques

Native macro for Nikon Z

Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 & 40mm f/2

Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S and Z MC 50mm f/2.8 are the first two macro lenses for mirrorless camera system

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the Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S, a constantaperture mid-telephoto macro lens, features S-Line optical design, with a smooth and silent multi-focusing system. Nikon’s anti-reflective Arneo and Nano Crystal coatings will combat ghosting and flare, while in-lens Vibration Reduction (VR) will enable handheld shots at slower shutter speeds.

The Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8 is billed as “a compact and versatile lens that’s ideal for starting macro photographers”. Its rounded nine-blade constant aperture will be ideal for bokeh, and an AF focus limit switch will enable the lens to focus more quickly on subjects within the 0.16m-0.30m range. www.nikon.com; Z MC 105mm, £999/$999; Z MC 50mm, £649/$649

Lumix S 50mm f/1.8

It’s the second in a series of four light and affordable primes for L-Mount bodies

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ighter and much less expensive than its S Pro 50mm f/1.4 sibling, Panasonic’s new optic is designed for both stills and video, with microstep aperture control for smooth exposure shifts, suppressed focus breathing, and a weather-resistant construction. It’s light for a full-frame f/1.8 prime, at just 300g. Optical construction consists of nine elements in eight groups, with three aspherical lenses, one ED lens and one UHR (Ultra-High Refractive Index) lens. High “descriptive performance” is promised by Panasonic, plus beautiful bokeh boosted by a nine-bladed diaphragm. www.panasonic.com; £429/$449 www.digitalcameraworld.com

Pair of full-frame primes to arrive at some point in 2021, says Nikon

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wo new compact primes have been revealed in a development announcement, but there isn’t much else to go on. The Z 28mm f/2.8 is being developed as a wide-angle prime lens for everyday shooting, while the Z 40mm f/2 is being designed as a standard prime lens.

Both lenses are full-frame optics, but their slim form factors will fit well on the Z 50 APS-C body. Neither lens carries the premium ‘S’ designation, so it’s expected they will both have an affordable price tag. www.nikon.com; £TBC/$TBC

DxO Nik Collection 4

Two key plug-ins get updated, and there are workflow tweaks for Lightroom and Photoshop

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he latest version of this hugely popular suite of eight plug-ins brings major updates to two of them: Silver Efex Pro and Viveza. Silver Efex Pro is a dedicated black-and-white plug-in that replicates the look of classic films, while Viveza offers global and colour adjustments. Elsewhere, Nik Collection 4 brings better integration with Lightroom and Photoshop and a new Meta Presets feature in the Photoshop Nik palette, which combines adjustments from different plug-ins.

Buy Nik Collection 4 outright before 30 June to get it for £88.99 instead of £133 ($99.99 instead of $149); or upgrade it for £54.99 instead of £69 ($59.99 instead of $79). www.dxo.com JULY 2021

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Go to www.digitalcameraworld.com for the latest news, reviews & techniques

Focal point Rounding up what’s new and exciting

SAVE THE DATE! Sat 18-Tues 21 September 2021, NEC halls 2 & 3

18-21 September 2021, The NEC Birmingham

niknaR

The Photography Show 2021

Rankin and Brooke Shaden to speak on Super Stage as event returns to the NEC

Update 3 available for Skylum’s Luminar AI Simple but important enhancements to this AI-driven software and its Sky AI tool feature in this update, alongside support for the Apple M1 chip and the brand’s image formats. skylum.com; from £59/$59; free (upgrade)

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he Photography Show and The Video Show 2021 will officially reopen its doors from 18 to 21 September 2021, welcoming back visitors to the NEC in Birmingham. There’s a full roster of exciting guest speakers, brands and masterclasses ready and raring to go.

Fresh from his front-and-centre role on BBC4’s The Great British Photography Challenge (see page 10), leading portrait photographer Rankin will be speaking on the Super Stage, as part of the popular education programme. He’ll be joined by the fine-art photographer Brooke Shaden.

The Photography Show will also feature the new Shutter Street stages, the Photo Live and Video Live stages and the Editing & Post-Production, Behind the Lens and The Studio theatres.

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Open call for young photography talent Aged under 36? Enter a thematic portfolio of 10 images in Unpublished Photo 2021 before 28 June for the chance to win CHF 5,000 ($5,550) and have your work exhibited in Lugano, Switzerland. www.bit.ly/dc244up21

Joby Beamo Ring Light 12”

Compact lighting solution for creators

Canon RF primes RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 600mm f/4L IS USM on sale now

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New remote shooting system for Nikon pros NX Field will allow multiple Nikon cameras to be linked together via cable or wireless LAN, with shutter releases controlled via the main camera. And although it targets news and sports pros, the NX Field app will work with the Z 6II and Z 7II models. www.nikon.com 108

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If you’re looking for a shiny new bit of kit, you’ll be excited to explore the stands of the hundreds of brands that are currently signed up for the show. These include Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Epson, Cewe, Pixapro, nPhoto, Vanguard, Lee Filters, and Loupedeck, plus retailers Wex Photo Video, London Camera Exchange and CameraWorld.

The Photography Show & The Video Show will run between Saturday 18 and Tuesday 21 September in Halls 2 and 3 of the NEC Birmingham.

Ticket holders from the postponed 2020 event will automatically have their tickets transferred to these dates, and will receive communications from the show’s events team in the lead-up to the event. photographyshow.com

esigned for professional sports and news photographers, the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 600mm f/4L IS USM will bring out the best in the forthcoming EOS R3 – the pro mirrorless body with 30fps continuous shooting and eye-controlled autofocus. While the optical construction of the two RF lenses is largely indistinguishable from their DSLR counterparts, the cutting-edge RF mount delivers an extra half-stop of image stabilisation. The new primes are also the first RF-mount lenses to feature a double power drive mechanism, enabling super-fast autofocus performance says Canon. www.canon.com; RF 400mm f.2.8L, £12,450/$11,999; RF 400mm f/4L, £13,410/$12,999 JULY 2021

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owered by a simple USB cable, this superportable ring light delivers 10 different brightness levels and three different colour temperatures, all at the press of a button. Ideal for shooting stills, filming video and videoconferencing, the Beamo can be used with a variety of Joby supports, including GorillaPod. Compact (30.6 x 30.6cm) and light, at just 330g, the Beamo can be taken anywhere you need to go, or just left set up at home, ready to be used. www.joby.com; £25/$30

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Behind the lens B

elgium-born documentary photographer Carl De Keyzer has been a member of the Magnum Photos agency since 1994. In 1990, during the first Gulf War, he spent a year travelling across the US with his family in a campervan, documenting the state of religion in the country at that time. Shot in black and white, that became his God Inc project.

30 years later, he returned to the US to shoot in colour, to examine how

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CARL DE KEYZER Documentary photographer

religious groups have embraced modern life and the latest digital technologies in their search for new followers. Both projects have come together in his new book, God Inc I & II.

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What motivated you to start shooting the God Inc project?

Religion was a very important element in my life. I was brought up a Catholic; my mother was very religious, and two or three times a week we had to go to mass – it was kind of an indoctrination.

When I was 12 or 13 I couldn’t believe there was a God; 20 years later, I still checked if there was a God and I couldn’t find him anywhere, so that’s why I used religion as the subject.

I had an exhibition at the American Embassy in Brussels, and someone said to me, “There’s a book here in the embassy where all the religions in America are listed, and all the companies that don’t pay taxes because they are listed as a religion.”

There were 3,700 different churches listed in that book. Their AGM was listed, the telephone number, an address and then five lines on what they believed in. I read it and made a selection of 600 churches that I found interesting, surreal or weird enough

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Top: Bike Week, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Above: International Healing Cathedral, Franklin & Helen Hall, Phoenix, Arizona.

Below left: Second anniversary of the Christian Unity Baptist Church, New Orleans, Louisiana.

to contact. This was pre-internet, pre-mobile phone, pre-GPS; so I wrote 600 letters to all these churches, and after a few weeks I got hundreds of bibles and video cassettes, catalogues, posters, flyers, whatever… my mail man thought I was starting a church!

So you drove across the US in a campervan in 1990?

Yes. Religion mostly only happens on Sundays, and while a year is very long for a project, I only had 52 days to make the pictures. I towed a car behind the RV because it wasn’t possible to go to all of these Ku Klux Klan meetings or whatever with my family. We started in Los Angeles and did around 60,000 miles in one year. While doing the project, I was fortunate to get the Eugene Smith Award, which made sure that I was able to cover the whole project. God Inc II was easily €50,000, and there was no Eugene Smith Award. www.digitalcameraworld.com

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www.digitalcameraworld.com

became very ardent supporters of their religion, so I tried to focus on that.

How did you approach taking photographs in the churches?

You always have to ask permission, at least from the pastor. Not everyone in the church knew I was there, and often that was the deal with the pastor. I don’t know how I did it, because I always use big, medium-format cameras, but in a way I can make myself ‘invisible’ while still being very present.

For God Inc I, I had two huge Metz C60 flashes; when the flash goes off, it’s like a lightning bolt. With digital, high-res Fujifilm cameras like the GFX 100 and the GFX 50S allow you to shoot up to ISO 6,000, so I didn’t need flash and could work more intuitively.

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Did you find yourself approaching God Inc II in a different way?

I wanted to give God Inc I a 1960s atmosphere, when the first fireball preachers and big evangelists like Billy Graham started their careers; this was a really extreme time for religion.

I looked carefully at the work of Robert Capa from the 1950s and the 1960s, so tried to get into that period style-wise.

The pictures look like they were taken in the 1950s and 1960s – although it was 30 years later – so it was like going back in time to make it even more conservative, more scary and surreal.

God Inc II had to be completely different. I was lucky, because Donald Trump was president when I started it.

The evangelists and more fundamental strains of religion all supported him – it was like one big camp, so easier to react to. I decided to photograph the work in colour to make it look more like election-style propaganda – bright colours with a contemporary feel.

During my research, I found out that the old religion from the 1950s and the 1960s had gone away. All the big evangelists had died or had become bankrupt. Most young people had become atheists in America, but the ones who remained religious really

Top: King’s Trail Cowboy Church, Whitewright, Texas.

Above: Jesus Movement tent, Clermont, Florida.

Are you pleased with the work?

I decided to make a new edit of God Inc I, taking all the nationalistic pictures out and [keeping] only the religious • Carl De Keyzer’s ones – I think it’s more robust as a book God Inc I result. With Covid, there were problems & II is published finishing God Inc II, and it’s not perfect.

by Lannoo (ISBN But no photo book is perfect – that’s 9-789401why you keep on working, because 470049), €55. you never make the perfect book.

Find out more at www.carldekeyzer.com www.lannoo.com

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‘New Big 5’ of wildlife photography revealed NEW WILDLIFE PROJECT

Photographer and project founder Graeme Green reveals results of global poll to find the most popular endangered wild animals to photograph

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ideas and solutions to protect wildlife, from cutting-edge tech to community projects to rewilding. And the results are now in.

The five animals chosen for the New Big 5 of wildlife photography are elephants, polar bears, tigers, gorillas and lions, all of which face serious threats to their existence. All five species are listed

by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as endangered or vulnerable.

More than 120 international photographers have come forward to support the New Big 5 project, including Marsel van Oosten (see interview on page 134), Ami Vitale, Steve Winter, Brent Stirton, Shaaz Jung, Daisy Gilardini and Clement Kiragu, as well as wildlife charities and conservationists – Jane Goodall, Save The Elephants, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, WWF, and more.

“We’re currently experiencing the worst spate of species die-offs since the loss of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago,” says Marsel van Oosten. “But unlike those past mass extinctions, the current crisis is almost entirely caused by us: humans.”

• Get involved with New Big 5 – see page 115

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n old hunting term for the five most-prized and dangerous animals for trophy hunters in Africa to shoot and kill, ‘The Big 5’ comprises elephant, rhino, leopard, Cape buffalo and lion. As both a photographer and a wildlife lover, I think photography is a far better way to celebrate animals than killing them. That’s why I launched a global initiative in April 2020 to create a ‘New Big 5’ of wildlife photography For more information, and – shooting with a camera, not with a gun. to access photo galleries, Wildlife lovers around the world were invited articles and a fun pack to vote on the New Big 5 website for their five for children, go to: favourite animals to photograph or to see in www.newbig5.com photos. The idea behind the project was to get people thinking and talking about wildlife, and to focus attention on the global wildlife crisis.

THIS PAGE(Clockwise from top left) More than a million species of animals and Elephant David Lloyd plants are currently at risk of extinction, according Polar bear AnetteMossbacher to the United Nations. We made the New Big 5 Lion Graeme Green website a hub to highlight issues like habitat Gorilla Gaël Ruboneka Vande Weghe loss, poaching and climate change, and also Tiger Steve Winter

FIND OUT MORE!

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Introducing the New Big 5 1 ELEPHANTS

Global population: 447,500 (in the wild). Endangered

he largest living land mammals on Earth, elephants are intelligent and emotional, often working together to help teach and look after their young. There are an estimated 447,500 elephants left on the planet, including 415,000 African elephants (down from 1.2 million in the 1970s) and 30,000-35,000 Asian elephants.

For the first time, IUCN recently listed the African forest elephant as Critically Endangered and the African bush elephant as Endangered, following dramatic population declines over several decades. An estimated 55 African elephants per day are still being killed by poachers – one every 26 minutes – with habitat loss the other threat facing them.

The total number of Sumatran elephants is estimated to be around 1,400, with potentially only 10 years to save this subspecies.

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Photo tip Take your time, says Gurcharan Roopra

“The surest way to get the best out of elephants is to spend time with them.

Depending on the family, after 30 minutes to an hour, you will often start to notice that the herd will ease off around you, starting to act very naturally. While the adults concentrate on feeding, the youngsters will start playing with each other, so keep your camera ready.”

2 POLAR BEARS

Global population: 23,315 (in the wild). Vulnerable

he world’s largest carnivores, polar bears are technically marine mammals and cover vast ranges of more than 600,000 km2 across territories including Canada, Norway, Greenland and Russia.

Scientists estimate the global polar bear population is around 23,315. IUCN lists the polar bear as Vulnerable, with an estimated decline of 40 per cent in some polar bear populations, such as the Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear.

Sea ice loss from climate change is the greatest threat to the survival of polar bears, because they rely on the ice to hunt, travel, breed and raise their young.

Other threats include human-polar bear conflict, which has become a growing concern as the Arctic region warms and more polar bears spend more time ashore; industrial activity, including disturbance to dens caused by oil drilling, which reduces the cubs’ chances of survival; and pollution.

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Photo tip Be prepared for the cold, says Daisy Gilardini

“Depending on the season and the location, be prepared to photograph polar bears in extremely cold conditions (minus 40°C or lower). Dress properly. If you’re cold, you won’t be able to focus. Bring plenty of batteries and keep them warm in your pockets with hand-warmers. Also, watch your exposures. White-on-white photography can be challenging. When photographing white, you have to overexpose or you’ll end up with grey images.” www.digitalcameraworld.com

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3 LIONS

Global population: 20,000 (in the wild). Vulnerable

ions are apex predators at the top of the food chain, and help to maintain a natural balance with prey species in an ecosystem. African lion numbers have declined by about half in the last 25 years; lions currently occupy just eight per cent of their historic range.

Recent estimates suggest there are around 20,000-25,000 lions remaining in the wild, though there could be fewer than 20,000.

Bushmeat hunting (which reduces lions’ prey), habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict are the main threats to lions, with expanding human populations, agriculture and development moving into lion habitats. The poaching of lions for body parts, for traditional practices in Africa or the Asian medicine market, has also emerged as a threat.

Outside of Africa, lions are only found in Gir National Park in India, where there are around 670.

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Photo tip Be out at dawn and dusk, says Marco Gaiotti

“Lions are predominantly nocturnal animals, and usually spend the hottest hours sleeping. To photograph some action, you need to move very early in the morning or wait for the evening hours. These are also the times when you often have warm golden light, which brings out the golden hues of the lions and the vibrant colours of the landscape.”

TIGERS 4Global population: 3,900

(in the wild). Endangered

igers are listed globally as Endangered on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. Of all the big cats, tigers are the closest to extinction. There are only around 3,900 left in the wild globally, but an estimated 20,000 tigers in captivity globally, many of them in Tiger Kingstyle zoos and ‘sanctuaries’ in the United States, or kept as pets.

The illegal wildlife trade in tiger bones, skins and other products used for traditional Chinese ‘medicine’ or decorations continues to fuel the rapid decline. Habitat destruction and fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict, have also added to the crisis.

Only seven per cent of the historical range of tigers is intact today.

In India, tiger numbers are stable, but wild tigers have been largely wiped out in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and China. The Malayan (150-200 left) and Sumatran (300-370) sub-species are listed as Critically Endangered.

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Photo tip Get creative, says Shivang Mehta

“Tigers are the most photographed cats in India. What differentiates a good tiger image and a great one is creativity. Understanding the behaviour definitely helps, but using light, experimenting with exposures and showcasing the grand habitats of Indian forests also helps. Tigers look the same across India. It’s the environment they live in that differs from forest to forest in this spectacular country, so as photographers creating images of tigers, we need to respect and utilise that fact.”

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Nelis Wolmarans

5 GORILLAS

Global population: 4,863 (in the wild). Endangered-Critically Endangered

he world’s largest primate, gorillas share more than 98 per cent of their DNA with humans. Gorillas are vital to the health of forest habitats, as their activities maintain plant growth and distribute seeds.

Mountain gorillas are found in just three countries: Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their two ranges across these countries total less than 300 square miles, around one tenth the size of Yellowstone National Park in the US. Effective conservation

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work means that their populations are slowly recovering; they’ve been reclassified from Critically Endangered to Endangered.

The last census of mountain gorillas put their number at 1,063.

Grauer’s gorillas, found only in the DRC, face a bleaker prospect. Listed as Critically Endangered, there are an estimated 3,800 Grauer’s gorillas remaining, a drop of 80 per cent in just two decades.

Gorilla populations are losing their habitat due to human encroachment, mining and climate change. They

sometimes suffer accidental injury or death from snares left by poachers hunting for bushmeat.

Photo tip Think about depth of field, says Nelis Wolmarans

“Always be aware of your depth of field when photographing gorillas up close. The distance between the eyes and the nose is quite deceiving, so you can lose focus on parts of the face. For close-up head shots and portraits, use more depth of field to keep everything sharp, so you get all the detail and expression.”

GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEW BIG FIVE

Visit newbig5.com for articles, interviews, galleries, podcasts and a free Fun Pack As seen on these pages, and despite their popularity in our vote, the New Big 5 each face serious threats to their existence – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The New Big 5 should also stand for all the world’s wildlife, including many little-known species around the world.

The message of the New Big 5 project is that all wildlife deserves

www.digitalcameraworld.com

to exist, and that every single species needs to be protected.

“The New Big 5 consists of some of the most iconic animals on our planet,” says photographer Marsel van Oosten.

“They’re a stark reminder of what’s at stake if humankind doesn’t change its ways. That’s how I will look at each of the five animals – as beautiful representatives of the many thousands

of other, often lesser-known species, who desperately need our help.”

Photographic tourism is booming, and the New Big 5 project offers a new ‘bucket list’ for wildlife photographers and travellers to aspire to experiencing.

Visiting places where the five animals live will help to support local people, and the vital conservation work that protects these and other species.

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Jon Devo

instagram.com/gadgetsjon Jon is a professional photographer, videographer and technology journalist.

LEFT: With some constant lighting and a video-friendly camera, you can quickly get ready to broadcast to the world via livestreaming.

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Scanning ahead..

Jon Devo explores what livestreaming tech could offer people on this side of the lens treaming has changed the way we create and experience content.

From music, theatre and work through to education, TV and film, streaming has completely taken over.

Crucially, the pandemic has had a huge hand in accelerating the adoption of live streaming. Based on current trends, video streaming is projected to make up as much as 82% of all internet traffic by 2022 (according to a 2020 Interdigital report).

With many of us having to conduct meetings remotely or find alternative creative outlets, the technology world has responded by bringing products to market designed to help us get more out of live streaming situations.

Whether it’s speaking with colleagues and clients or streaming content for our own audiences, there’s a rapidly expanding list of lights, mics, cameras and other gadgets aimed at raising the production quality of live streams.

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With the release of the Lumix GH5 II and the Xperia Pro smart device, Panasonic and Sony are putting their flags in the sand. Blackmagic and Camlink, with products like the Atem Mini Pro and the Camlink 4K, are two brands in the video world that were well ahead of the curve in this area, too.

As a reluctant streamer, I wanted to consider a number of ways live streaming could impact photography and video creatives.

The revolution will be streamed

I have to admit, my reticence over live streaming is fuelled by a desire to avoid being called a YouTuber or getting associated with the gamingobsessed on Twitch. The idea of spending large portions of my time being watched live by random people on the internet makes me uncomfortable. However, I realise I may be missing out on some great opportunities to build my audience and client base.

More than 4.5 billion people were using the internet at the beginning of 2020, with over 60 per cent of the world’s population online (DataReportal, 2020). Improvements in internet speeds and accessibility are only going to boost the popularity of live-streamed content.

I suppose you are wondering, “What would I do on a live stream?” There’s an obvious answer: you could conduct workshops, sharing your composition and lighting techniques. You could also host Q&As and discussions with other creatives in your area of interest or expertise. I also like the idea of having a livestream during shoots, provided your client and models are OK with that. It could be beneficial for others to see your process while taking photos or shooting video content.

Then there’s the opportunity of becoming a livestream producer, if you have the cameras and the gear to put together a quality livestream. (If you don’t, perhaps now is the time to begin investing.) All you have to do is set it up, and you could become the go-to livestream shooter in your local area or network. As someone who prefers to be behind the camera, this option is definitely more appealing to me.

But I accept I may have to bite the bullet and get comfortable with livestreaming myself, in order to build and improve that skillset.

Livestreaming is here to stay – and early adopters, as always, will be the ones who reap the greatest benefits.

The kit to produce high-quality streamed content with little fuss is here: all we have to do is get out of our own way and make the most of it!

“Early adopters will be the ones who reap the greatest benefits” www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Sigma fp L _ A pint-sized powerhouse, packing 61MP

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Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL _ An ultrawide you can keep in your pocket

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Photoshop Elements 2021 _ The easy way to edit your photos

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Travel tripods _ Keep your camera steady without the bulk

igma’s fp has been one of the most distinctive cameras on the market in the past couple of years. The new fp L maintains everything that made its predecessor stand out: it’s tiny, yet offers the joint-highest resolution of any full-frame camera, equalling the 61 megapixels of Sony’s Alpha 7R IV. It’s also the heart of a modular system, where you buy and add only the parts you need, swapping them in and out depending on the project you’re shooting (a concept with a particular appeal to videographers).

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Plus, with Sigma as its manufacturer and it being built around the L-Mount, the fp L can access a wide variety of high-quality lenses.

Despite everything it had going for it, though, the fp never quite took with us: it wasn’t quite the sum of its parts. Find out to what extent the fp L improves on the fp in our definitive review, over the page.

Just in time for the peak season of outdoor shooting, we also take a look at travel tripods, which aim to deliver the solidity you require for super-sharpness, Plus without weighing you down. Discover which 122 Fujinon XF 27mm ones fit the bill, on page 126. Rod Lawton f/2.8 R WR

The awards bestowed by the Digital Camera lab…

Given to the top product in a group test

www.digitalcameraworld.com

For products that receive five stars overall

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Given to products that offer superb value for money

Ratings explained Best in class Excellent Good So-so Poor

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All products reviewed in KitZone are tested independently by photographers with years of experience, using lab and real-world testing

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Mirrorless Sigma fp L

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The Sigma fp L is minimal in the extreme.

It’s certainly small, but that means there’s also no grip.

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This is a tiny camera with a big sensor!

Believe it or not, that’s a 61MP full-frame sensor in there.

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The Sigma fp L uses the new L-Mount, developed with Leica and Panasonic.

Sigma fp L £1,999/$2,499

Dazzling 61MP stills, 4K video capture and full-on cine features w w w . sigma-imaging-uk.com

Specifications Sensor: 61MP full-frame back-illuminatedBayer CMOS Lens type: L-Mount Image processor: Not quoted AF points: 49 selectable AF points ISO range: 100-25,600 (exp 6-102,400) Max image size: 9,520 x 6,328px Video: 4K UHD up to 30p Viewfinder: Optional EVF-11, 0.5in, 3.68m dots Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II) LCD: 3.15in fixed touchscreen, 2.1m dots Shutter speeds:30-1/8,000 sec, Bulb up to 300 sec Max burst: 10fpsfor 12frames Connectivity: Wi-Fi/Bluetooth not supported Size: 113 x 70 x 45mm Weight: 427gbody only,including battery and memory card 118

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he Sigma fp L is a 61-megapixel version of the original Sigma fp, launched in 2019. From the outside, the two cameras are identical: the Sigma fp L has the same compact, rectangular shape, with a fixed rear screen and a switch on the top for swapping between Cine and Still modes.

The Sigma fp concept is odd, but intriguing. Sigma wanted to make a modular camera that could be adapted to all sorts of uses. The fp L is basic in the extreme: there’s no built-in viewfinder (although you can clip on an optional EVF unit sold separately or as part of a kit), and the rear screen doesn’t even tilt. The idea is that you get accessories for particular kinds of work, and ‘build’ your working rig accordingly. The fp L body might be basic, but it has standard threaded attachment points on either side of the

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body for lights, microphones, external monitors or the optional EVF. You can use the fp L as is, as a fully functioning camera in its own right, but it’s also designed to fit neatly into the heart of a video/cinema camera shooting rig.

The principal differences between the Sigma fp and the Sigma fp L are that the new model has a 61-megapixel sensor and a hybrid contrast/phase detect autofocus system.

Key features

Its 61MP sensor makes the fp L the joint highest-resolution full-frame camera you can buy, alongside the Sony Alpha 7R IV. Sigma has decided to buck the trend and include a low-pass filter. In theory, this may lead to a slight softening of fine detail, but should prevent any moiré interference effects.

The 61MP resolution has no direct impact on the video specifications. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Sigma fp L Mirrorless 7

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The fixed rear screen is a little limiting, but the optional EVF-11 does rotate by up to 90 degrees.

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The back of the fp L looks simple, but Sigma has sneaked in a row of buttons below the screen.

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There is a big control dial on the top and this second control dial on the back.

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The fp L works as either a stills-oriented camera or a cinemaoriented camera via this simple switch.

Even the screen interface style can change in an instant.

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This narrow slatted grille behind the LCD display is part of the Sigma fp L’s cooling system, helping excess heat escape.

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Both the fp and the fp L capture full-width 4K video at up to 30p, although the extra resolution of the fp L ushers in a new concept: a Digital Crop Zoom feature.

Essentially, you can zoom digitally without losing resolution, because you’re already starting with a surplus of megapixels. If you shoot 4K, you can get a zoom ratio of up to 2.5x, and in Full HD it can go to 5x.

There’s no in-body stabilisation, and many L-Mount lenses don’t have optical stabilisers – but the fp L does have electronic image stabilisation, which brings a 1.24x crop factor.

The contrast-based autofocus in the original Sigma fp proved pretty plodding, so the new hybrid phase-detect capability in the fp L is very welcome, and comes with automatic face and eye detection and subject tracking modes.

There is a new EVF-11 electronic viewfinder to use with this camera, which you can buy separately or save money by buying it with the camera as a kit. The EVF-11 has a 2.68m dot 0.5-inch screen and tilts upwards www.digitalcameraworld.com

by up to 90 degrees. You’ll be able to use the EVF-11 with the older Sigma fp, too, but only via a firmware update which is yet to come.

Sigma is keen that the fp L is seen equally as a stills and a cine camera.

The video capture may top out at 4K 30p, but it can capture 8-bit CinemaDNG format internally, and up to 12-bit CinemaDNG to an external SSD connected by USB. Or you will be able to hook up a Ninja V for ProRes Raw or a Blackmagic Video Assist 12G for Blackmagic Raw capture.

Build and handling

Sigma has done a remarkable job of designing the smallest full-frame digital camera ever, but that’s not quite the end of the story. It’s also created a camera with no built in viewfinder, no in-body stabilisation, no grip and a fixed rear screen.

The fp L is tiny, but Sigma’s L-Mount lenses are not. We tried the fp L with the Sigma 65mm f/2 DG DN | Contemporary prime lens, which is as big as we would probably like to go with this camera handheld.

The video autofocus system is pretty poor, but the fp L’s phase-detect AF delivers snappy AF for stills, with easy focus point selection, too.

“Sigma wanted to make a modular camera that could be adapted to all sorts of uses” JULY 2021

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Mirrorless Sigma fp L

The fp L does have a 10fps burst mode, but it has an electronic shutter only, so it’s not cut out for fast-moving subjects.

This tame squirrel stayed still for long enough to get a sharp shot, but any fast movement can cause blur.

If you want to use the fp L as a regular handheld camera, smaller Sigma Contemporary primes like the 45mm f/2.8 DG DN | C seem to fit it best.

There are ways around this. Sigma is selling two optional grips for the fp L to make it a bit more manageable with bigger lenses: the Hand Grip HG-11, which screws to the side, and the Large Hand Grip HG-21, which fixes to the base.

The fp L has three standard screwthread attachment points – one in the

base, which is a regular tripod socket, and one in either side of the body for fixing on accessories. You can use these for detachable camera strap eyelets, but the one on the left side is also used for attaching the EVF-11 electronic viewfinder.

Fixing this on to the camera is a little like fixing a battery grip to the base of a camera – but here you have to remove the HDMI port cover, fold back the USB port cover and line up two connectors and the attachment screw. It’s not

Rival cameras Leica SL2 £5,300/$6,595 The SL2 is another L-Mount camera, but more conventional.

Pricey, but classy.

Reviewed: www.bit.ly/ dcleicasl2

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Nikon Z 7II £2,819/$2,999 Nikon’s flagship mirrorless camera is easier to handle than the Sigma fp L, with a better autofocus system.

Reviewed: issue 239

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Sony Alpha 7R IV £2,899/$2,999 Amazingly, the A7R IV is the only camera to match the Sigma fp L’s resolution. It’s pricier, but better.

Reviewed: issue 223

You can use the fp L with the rear screen alone, but it is handy to have the clip-on EVF – if only it clipped on a bit more easily!

difficult once you’ve got the knack, but it’s not something you’d want to do too many times during a shoot.

And you might have to, though.

One issue is that although the EVF has a pass-through USB port, it’s not clear that this supports charging. One reason it’s not clear is that the EVF unit covers up the charging lamp at the side of the camera, so we’d be inclined to think not. Having to detach the EVF to charge or power the camera could be a real nuisance.

The fp L’s user interface is a masterpiece of simplicity and clarity.

It’s a bit to easy to confuse the power switch with the Cine/Still switch initially, but the quick and simple separation of these two functions is brilliant. The Cine mode even has www.digitalcameraworld.com

Sigma fp L Mirrorless Lab tests

Resolution (line widths/picture height)

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400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 Sigma fp L Leica SL2 Nikon Z 7II Sony Alpha 7R IV

Although the Sigma fp L matches the Sony A7R IV in terms of sensor megapixels, the latter manages to resolve slightly more fine detail than the Sigma.

Signal to noise ratio (decibels)

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400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 Sigma fp L Leica SL2 Nikon Z 7II Sony Alpha 7R IV

All four comparison cameras are closely matched.

The fp L is marginally noisier at lower sensitivities, but noise is very hard to see at low ISOs. The fp L’s metering system is good at preserving highlights, and its wide dynamic range is obvious even in its JPEGs, which have a rich, film-like quality.

a choice of interfaces: ‘still-style’ menu options for crossover content creators still learning the ropes, and a cine display for pro film-makers.

The fixed rear screen puts the Sigma fp L at a disadvantage compared to nearly all its rivals, but the design does include a passive heat-dissipation system sandwiched between the screen and the camera body.

Performance

Getting still image files this big from a camera that is so physically small is quite something. Images are sharp, clear and detailed. Thanks to the new hybrid phase-AF technology, the autofocus feels as snappy, positive and reliable as the systems in rival cameras. The face/eye detection and subject tracking work well.

The shutter is electronic, however – there is no mechanical shutter – and the slow maximum flash sync speed of 1/15 sec (1/10 sec for 14-bit raw files) is a clue that this sensor’s readout speed is not that fast. So while it does offer fast shutter speeds, its overall ‘scan time’ www.digitalcameraworld.com

is a lot longer, increasing the risk of distortion with fast-moving subjects.

Its internal CinemaDNG capture and the option to output 12-bit CinemaDNG to an SSD or ProRes RAW or Blackmagic RAW to a compatible HDMI recorder means that the video quality you get from this camera can be as good as you want to make it.

But we have to talk about autofocus.

For stills photography, the phasedetect AF works just fine, but in our tests, the fp L’s continuous video AF proved slow and unreliable. One problem is that in Cine mode you have no AF indicators to give you any confidence that the camera is focusing in the right place – all you have is focus peaking, if you enable it. Technically it offers face/eye EF and automatic multi-zone AF point selection; in use, it was hard to see any evidence these were working properly.

What we found most effective was to use a single AF point, and get into the rhythm of the camera’s refocusing speed and not rush it – though it’s not ideal to have to adapt your filming technique to the camera. Rod Lawton

Dynamic range (EV)

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400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 Sigma fp L Leica SL2 Nikon Z 7II Sony Alpha 7R IV

The fp L captures class-leading dynamic range throughout its sensitivity range, and it’s particularly good when shooting at higher ISOs.

Digital Camera verdict

4.0

Excellent

4.0

3.5

4.0

5.0

Features

Build & handling

Performance

Value

The Sigma fp L’s tiny body brings some handling issues and places a lot of reliance on external accessories – not least its optional clip-on EVF – and while the new phase-detect AF system is great for stills, the video AF remains slow and unreliable. But what this camera can do, with both stills and video, is remarkable at this price.

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Prime lens Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR Specifications

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Mount: Fujifilm X Full-frame: No Lens construction: Seven elements in five groups Angle of view: 55.5° Autofocus: Yes Image stabilisation: No Minimum aperture: f/16 Max magnification: 0.1x Minimum object distance: 34cm Filter size: 39mm Dimensions (L x D): 62 x 23mm Weight: 84g

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Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR £419/$399

w w w .fujifilm .co.uk

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Performance

Unless you’re shooting wide open at f/2.8, you can expect cornerto-corner sharpness. The lab tests reveal some fall-off, but not enough to be obvious in real-world shots.

Fujifilm cameras don’t just apply digital lens corrections to in-camera JPEGs: they embed them in the raw files, too. Most raw conversion software loads these embedded correction profiles automatically, so that if there is any distortion it will be cancelled out. This lens does show some barrel distortion when uncorrected, but you would have to be using software that does not apply correction profiles. Rod Lawton 122

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3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000

An update of Fujifilm’s 27mm pancake prime he new Fujifilm X-E4 is a slim rangefinder-style mirrorless camera with a classic external shutter speed dial, and really needs a slim lens with an aperture ring to set it off. The XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR is that lens, and is sold with the X-E4 as a kit, although you can buy it separately if you own a different X-mount camera.

This is an update of the original Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8, with the same optical configuration we’re told, but with the addition of weatherproofing and that all-important aperture ring. Fujifilm’s X-mount cameras use the APS-C format, so although this is a 27mm lens, its angle of view is actually equivalent to a 41mm lens on a full-frame camera.

There’s also no optical stabilisation – only selected Fujifilm zoom lenses offer that. The X-E4 likewise does not have in-body stabilisation, but there are other Fujifilm cameras that do, including the X-S10, the X-T4 and the older X-H1.

Our only complaint on this updated optic would be the autofocus motor. The original Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 was pretty choppy and noisy by modern standards; while this one is quick enough on the X-E4, it doesn’t seem so very different.

Sharpness

3,500

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The focus ring is fairly narrow, but still pretty generous given the very short barrel, and it’s easy to find with your fingertips without having to look.

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The aperture ring is good and positive, with clear 1/3 EV detents between the full aperture markings.

If you choose the ‘A’ position, the aperture will be controlled automatically by the camera body in Program AE or Shutter Priority mode.

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The lens hood angles inwards, not outwards.

It does the job, though, and even offers some of the protection of a lens cap.

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f/4

Centre

f/5.6

Sharpness

f/8 Middle

f/11 Edge

f/16

Sharpness is superb for such a diminutive lens.

Even wide-open, centre and mid-frame sharpness is excellent, and gets even better at f/4 and f/5.6.

Fringing

0.14

Distortion

-2.46

For this lens to score under 0.5 throughout its aperture range is truly exceptional and puts it on par with the very best – and priciest – lenses we’ve ever tested.

The XF 27mm f/2.8 R generates noticeable barrel distortion, though this is with digital distortion correction disabled.

Verdict

4.5

Outstanding

4.0

5.0

4.5

4.0

Features

Build & handling

Performance

Value

We’re big fans of the original Fujinon XF 27mm lens, which was extremely slim and yet delivered terrific edge-to-edge sharpness. This new one meets the same high standards but adds weather proofing and, even better, an aperture ring. It’s a great lens in its own right and even better as a kit lens for the X-E4. Fujifilm’s promise of a fast and silent AF motor didn’t seem borne out by our lens, though. www.digitalcameraworld.com

Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL Prime lens Specifications Mount: L-Mount, Leica M, Sony FE, Nikon Z Full-frame: Yes Lens construction: 14 elements in 10 groups Angle of view: 126° Autofocus: No Image stabilisation: No Minimum aperture: f/22 Diaphragm blades: Five Minimum focusing distance: 0.19m Maximum magnification ratio: 0.1x Filter size: 62mm Dimensions (L x D): 64 x 58mm Weight: 254g

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Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL £769/$699

A super-small, crazily compact ultra-wide w w w .ukdigital.co.uk

Sharpness

3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 f/4.5

he Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL is the latest in Venus Optics’ line of exotic lenses. This ultra wide-angle offers an impressive 126° angle of view for full-frame mirrorless cameras, giving full-frame shooters the kind of extreme focal length that’s typically reserved for crop-sensor systems. It doesn’t boast the manufacturer’s Zero-D designation, however, meaning that distortion isn’t as well-controlled as in something like the Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D. Like all Laowa lenses it’s also fully mechanical, with no electrical contacts to communicate Exif data or facilitate aperture or autofocus control, so this is a completely manual optic.

If you’ve ever used full-frame ultra-wides before, you’ll know that they are typically big, bulky, awkward things. Not so the Laowa 11mm, and this is undoubtedly the biggest selling point: this lens is positively diminutive. The Laowa 11mm literally fits in your pocket, or in the corner of your camera bag, so you can always have an ultra-wide with you.

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Performance

We were impressed by how sharp the Laowa 11mm is in the centre. With precise focus, subjects in the middle of the frame can be captured with pin-sharpness, even wide open.

Unsurprisingly, though, that sharpness drops off the further you get from the centre, with corners becoming soft and smeary.

Speaking of that f/4.5 aperture, you’re obviously going to have to push either your ISO or your shutter speed. Of course, for tripod shooting – arguably where this lens is designed to be used – this isn’t an issue.

The Laowa 11mm exhibits heavy vignetting at all apertures, and this is amplified if you add filters to the equation. Likewise, there is significant ghosting and fringing, and enough distortion to be noticeable, if not too problematic. James Artaius www.digitalcameraworld.com

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This isn’t a weathersealed lens, but it does feature an integral lens hood – one that accepts lens filters, enabling you to screw in 62mm filters.

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While the aperture ring only has six stops, they’re spaced awkwardly apart (with f/16 disguised as a ‘•’ just before f/22), but they’re all clicked, so you know when you’ve stopped up or down.

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The focus ring is just the right amount of smooth, with about 90° of throw and enough resistance to give you the granular control you need. It also boasts a Leica-like focus tab, which is useful for manual focus.

f/5.6

Centre

f/8

Sharpness

f/11 Middle

f/16 Edge

f/22

Centre sharpness is superb from wide open at f/4.5, right through to f/16, but it is somewhat disappointing that sharpness falls off as much as it does.

Fringing

1.11

Distortion

-3.12

Fringing tends to be more pronounced in a wide-angle lens, as the angle of light entering the lens relative to the camera’s sensor plane is so extreme.

Barrel distortion isn’t as pronounced as you might expect from a full-frame lens that’s this wide, but it is easily noticeable nonetheless.

Verdict

3.5

Very good

3.0

4.0

3.0

4.0

Features

Build & handling

Performance

Value

The Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL is small and light for an ultra-wide lens, although there are compromises to achieve this. Heavy vignetting, along with distortion and fringing, can be fixed in editing, but the slow aperture and the drop-off in corner sharpness are not so easily addressed. For some photographers, though, this Laowa’s portability – unusual in a wide-angle optic – will be a worthy trade-off.

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Software Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021

Get creative with colour with help from the new Duotone Effect Guided Edit.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 £74/$99

Enhance your photos with machine learning and Guided Edits w w w . adobe.com

Windows Requires: Intel sixthgeneration or newer processor, or AMD equivalent; 8GB RAM; Windows 10 v1093 64-bit or later macOS Requires: Intel sixthgeneration or newer processor; 8GB RAM; macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later

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he full version of Adobe Photoshop can appear daunting to a photography novice.

Photoshop Elements cuts to the chase by focusing on overcoming common photo problems, such as removing colour casts or straightening tilted horizons.

As Elements contains only essential photo-fixing tools, it is far easier to master than the ‘full-fat’ version.

Elements’ useful Guided Edit modes give you easy access to the key tools required to help fix picture problems. Thanks to features such as Adobe Sensei AI, they enable you to give your shots a creative

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makeover without needing years of experience to master the full version of Photoshop. Elements also boasts distinct tools of its own, such as the new social-media pleasing Moving Photos effect.

You can buy Photoshop Elements 2021 on its own, or in an attractively priced twin-pack with its sister Premiere Elements 2021 videoediting software.

Key features

When you shoot multiple subjects – such as a family portrait – it can be a challenge to get everyone looking at the lens at the same time. The Adjust Facial Features command now has www.digitalcameraworld.com

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 Software

The Create menu now provides social mediafriendly Quote Graphic templates.

The Camera Raw workspace enables you to adjust colour and composition in uncompressed raw files, leading to better-looking results.

a handy Face Tilt tool that enables you to tilt an individual’s head up a little, and also make them look more to the left or right. The results are subtle, but they can help fine-tune family portraits in which one person is looking at the lens while the other is looking at a different focal point.

An effective way to make your stills stand out from the crowd is to add motion to them. Moving Photos takes 2D static images and gives them an eye-catching animated 3D look, similar to zooming in or out with a camcorder. The results are fast, effective and can give a still image the ‘wow!’ factor.

Ease of use

We tend to shoot video and stills on the same device, which leads to the problem of organising and editing all our clips and images. The Elements Organizer helps you manage clips and stills in the same workspace by enabling you to tag them with keywords or pop them into albums.

You can then launch Elements from within the Organizer to work on your images, or summon Premiere Elements 2021 to edit clips together.

Unlike the dark-grey panels of most contemporary photo apps (including

“Guided Edit modes give you easy access to key tools” www.digitalcameraworld.com

Photoshop), Elements 2021 has the same light-grey interface it has sported for many years, giving it a dated appearance. The large icons look like they’d adorn an app aimed at children rather than grown-ups.

The workspace is divided into three sections. The Quick workspace features an adjustments panel that lets you tackle Exposure, Color and Sharpen issues in a few clicks. The Guided Edit workspace helps you perform a range of photo fixes by taking them step-by-step through tools and techniques. You can then take the photo into Photoshop Element’s Expert workspace, where you can continue to work on the image using a more comprehensive collection of tools, and adjust properties such as layers and masks created during the Guided Edit.

The Guided Edit workspace is a springboard to producing a range of creative results.

Raw files open in an additional workspace. Camera Raw places all of the most useful photo-fixing tools close to hand, enabling you to selectively boost weaker colours and lighten under-exposed shadows, for example. It also displays a handy histogram graph that enables you to understand (and correct) the spread of tones in your shot.

Element’s Camera Raw doesn’t have the more advanced geometrycorrecting tools found in the full version of Photoshop, but it still enables you to produce high-quality results compared with editing JPEG files in the Quick, Guided or Expert workspaces. George Cairns

Add 3D camera moves to static shots, then share them as an animated GIF on social media sites.

Quality of results

The Face Tilt slider enables you to tweak the direction that your subject is looking in.

3.5

Very good

3.5

3.0

4.0

4.0

Features

Design & interface

Performance

Value

Photoshop Elements 2021 provides all the photo organising and fixing tools the average photographer will require, plus it gives you in-app guidance on how to develop a more creative image-adjusting skills.

Thanks to the Elements Organizer, Photoshop Elements 2021 works in tandem with Premiere Elements 2021 so that you can organise your video footage and still photos from under one roof.

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Travel tripods Find the perfect balance between lightness, strength, operating height and price

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ost of us like to travel light. Any outing is likely to be more pleasurable without a heavy tripod in tow. Conventional tripods can be unwieldy, so we often leave them at home, where they’re of no use. By contrast, travel tripods are made to be compact and light. Traditionally, though, they’ve often been relatively unstable and too small to enable a comfortable operating height.

The new breed of travel tripods aims to give you the best of both

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worlds. Many have legs that swing upwards for stowage, so that the head is encircled by the feet. This reduces the folded height by around 8cm to 10cm. Some models also include as many as five sections in each leg and a two-section extending centre column, reducing the folded height even further, while still enabling a useful maximum operating height.

All of the tripods we’ve chosen for this test are sold as kits, complete with heads. Ball heads are the most common, as there’s a further spacesaving advantage. Matthew Richards

Benro Rhino 05C VX20 Benro Slim Travel FSL09CN00 Kenro Ultimate Travel Manfrotto Befree 2N1 Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced MeFoto GlobeTrotter Novo Explora T10 Peak Design Travel Tripod

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£199/$215 £125/$156 £139/$210 £149/$219 £187/$279 £180/$219 £249/$320 £315/$350

Travel tripods Group Test

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Group Test Travel tripods

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Benro Rhino 05C VX20 £199/$215

Benro Slim Travel £125/$156

2

3

A compact but sturdy and dependable kit

This tripod is slim by name, slim by nature

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Specifications

ne of Benro’s newest tripod designs, the Rhino is available in a range of sizes, with a folded size of 35-49cm, a maximum operating height of around 170cm and varying load ratings ranging from 16kg to 20kg.

They’re labelled as Series 1 through to Series 3 in the USA. The 05C (Series 0 in the States) is a rather more compact and travel-friendly affair. It folds down to just 35cm – 3cm longer than the other Benro tripod on test – yet stretches 10cm higher, with a maximum operating height of 140cm.

The load rating is 10kg, compared with just 4kg for the Slim Travel.

Construction material: Carbon-fibre Alternative material: None Weight: 1.24kg Folded height: 35cm Max/min operating height: 140cm/35cm Max monopod height: 141 cm Load rating: 10kg Head: Benro VX20 ball head Quick-release plate: Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments: Lock, pan, friction 1

The VX20 ball head has two panning mechanisms.

Performance

Although it’s small, the carbon-fibre kit is beautifully built. Despite featuring five-section legs and a two-section extending centre column, the Rhino is remarkably rigid and resistant to flexing and vibrations. It’s noticeably more solid than the older Benro Slim Travel, although it’s also about 25 per cent heavier.

2

The compact folded size is enabled by 5-section legs and a 2-section centre column.

3

There’s a spring-loaded weight hook on the bottom of the centre column.

Digital Camera verdict Very good value for a classy carbon-fibre tripod, the Rhino is extremely compact and very light, but still manages to be impressively rigid and robust.

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4.5

lthough it predates the new Rhino, Bat and Tortoise series of Benro tripods, the Slim Travel is ultracompact and excellent value for a carbon-fibre kit. The tripod is based on five-section legs and a two-section centre column, with swing-up legs for reduced folded height, and the ability to use one of the legs and the centre column as a monopod.

The tripod folds down to just 32cm, although the maximum operating height is a little restrictive at 130cm.

The monopod is similarly short at 133cm, but least a monopod configuration is available. The compact ball head performs well, but lacks an adjustable friction damper and an independent panning lock.

Specifications

Rigidity is good for such an ultra-light tripod, but not as impressive as in the heavier tripods on test. There also tends to be a little more sag in the tripod head, after tightening the clamp and releasing your grip on the camera.

You can’t see the bubble level when a camera is fitted.

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Construction material: Carbon-fibre Alternative material: Aluminium, 1.2kg,£99/$99 Weight: 1.07kg Folded height: 32cm Max/min operating height: 130cm/31cm Max monopod height: 133cm Load rating: 4kg Head: Benro N00 ball head Quick-release plate: Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments:Lock 1

The ball head takes an industry-standard ArcaSwiss quick-release plate.

2

Performance

3

There are only two available locking leg angles instead of the more usual three.

Digital Camera verdict Outstanding

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The Benro Slim Travel isn’t particularly new, yet it’s the outright smallest and lightest tripod in the group, and offers outstanding value for a carbonfibre based kit.

4.0

Excellent

4.0

4.0

4.0

5.0

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Travel tripods Group Test 1

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Kenro Ultimate Travel £139/$210

Manfrotto Befree 2N1 £149/$219

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Discover a leaning tower of a tripod

A two-in-one Manfrotto kit offers plenty Specifications

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ivoting centre columns are usually off-limits for lightweight travel tripods.

That makes the Kenro unique in present company, although it’s also about a third heavier than most competing tripods on test, and twice as heavy as some.

The Kenro has chunky four-section legs and was an early adopter of the two-section extending centre column design. In this case, however, the combination does more than just enabling an uncommonly tall maximum operating height of 190cm.

At the centre column’s maximum extension, you can pivot it through 90 degrees and feed it back through the retaining bracket to enable the horizontal boom feature.

Construction material: Aluminium Alternative material: Carbon, 1.93kg, £199/$270 Weight: 2.16kg Folded height: 48cm Max/min operating height: 190cm/20.5cm (LAA) Max monopod height: 177cm Load rating: 8kg Head: Kenro BB2 ball head Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments Lock, pan 1

The ball head has an independent panning lock and an Arca-Swiss quick-release plate.

2

Performance

Not just telescopic, the centre column converts to a horizontal boom.

The controls operate with smooth precision throughout, from the twist clamps on the leg sections, through the spring-loaded leg angle locks, to the main clamp and pan-release on the ball head. Overall, it’s a solid tripod.

3

The horizontal boom mode is good for low-level shooting.

Digital Camera verdict Particularly versatile, this tripod stretches to a towering maximum operating height and its pivoting centre column is unique in this group, although it’s relatively heavy.

4.5

Specifications

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anfrotto’s Befree series of travel tripods has earned a good reputation for practicality and performance. There’s a wide range of basic aluminium and carbon-fibre options to choose from, and an even greater selection in the ‘advanced’ category. Unlike some, the advanced 2N1 kit is only available in aluminium, but you can choose between clip locks and twist locks for the four-section legs. We prefer the M-Lock clamps of the twist-action edition, which have a simple and speedy action.

The 2N1 gets its name from converting into a monopod. It has good build quality and an appealing finish, along with a smart ball head that features an adjustable friction damper.

Construction material: Aluminium Alternative material:None Weight: 1.6kg Folded height: 41cm Max/min operating height: 150cm/40cm Max monopod height: 156cm Load rating: 8kg Head: Manfrotto 494 ball head Quick-release plate: 200PL Pro Head adjustments: Lock, pan, friction 1

An independent friction adjuster is built into the main clamping knob.

2

Performance

The quick-release plate is Arca-Swiss compatible; the ball head’s platform isn’t.

It’s a well-finished and stylish tripod, and the overall performance and rigidity are pretty good. The twist locks are quick and easy to use, with fairly minimal rotation, and lock very firmly.

It’s well worth the asking price.

3

The centre-column doesn’t have a two-section telescopic design.

Digital Camera verdict Outstanding

5.0

4.0

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3

Manfrotto’s only Befree travel tripod to feature a monopod configuration, this is a neat kit, although there’s no carbon-fibre edition, which would have added strength.

4.0

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Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced £187/$279

MeFoto GlobeTrotter £180/$219

And now for something (almost) completely different

The biggest tripod in the MeFoto Classic range Specifications

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ractically unique amongst modern travel tripods, this recently launched Befree Advanced kit comes complete with a three-way head rather than a ball head. The locking handles cleverly fold in good and tight, so you can still swing the legs up to encircle the head for compact stowage.

Equally useful for photographers and videographers, the three-way head features Manfrotto’s ‘fluid drag system’, which aims to deliver smooth control for both panning and tilt movements.

Flip locks are fitted for the extending leg sections, rather than the more usual twist-action locks, but they’re quick and easy to use. None of the legs can be removed for use as a monopod.

They’re made from aluminium; there’s no carbon-fibre edition.

Construction material: Aluminium Alternative material:None Weight: 2.0kg Folded height: 40cm Max/min operating height: 151cm/42cm Max monopod height: N/A Load rating: 6kg Head: Manfrotto 3-Way Live Advanced Quick-release plate: Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments: Three-way 1

The three-way head features a ‘fluid drag system’ for smooth movement.

2

The longer of the head’s two locking handles hinges down for compact stowage.

Performance

Resistance to flexing and vibration is pretty good. The three-way head provides precise adjustments and smooth panning and tilt movements.

3

An Easy Link socket is fitted, for attaching accessories like an LED lamp.

Digital Camera verdict There are precious few modern travel tripod kits that have a three-way head, making this Manfrotto a standout design.

Despite bucking the trend, it performs well.

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3

Specifications

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he GlobeTrotter is the biggest and most heavyduty model in MeFoto’s Classic range of tripods.

It’s available in a range of bright colours (as well as black). The aluminium kit tips the scales at a moderate 2.1kg, yet has a particularly hefty maximum load rating of 12kg, only losing out to the Novo Explora T10. There’s also a carbon-fibre option that sheds 400g in weight.

Despite having five-section legs, the bottom leg sections have a diameter of 15mm, which isn’t overly thin, and the tripod remains impressively rigid even at its maximum height of 165cm.

One of the legs can be removed and used in conjunction with the centre column as a monopod.

Construction material: Aluminium Alternative material:Carbon, 1.59kg,£249/$369 Weight: 2.10kg Folded height: 41cm Max/min operating height: 165cm/41cm Max monopod height: 170cm Load rating: 12kg Head: MeFoto Q2 ball head Quick-release plate: Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments: Lock, pan, friction 1

The head has independent friction adjustment.

2

Performance

Despite the five-section legs, the bottom section diameter is a decent 15mm.

The ball head has an independent adjustable friction damper and pan-only release, which performs well.

The twist-action leg section clamps are quick to release and tighten, which is just as well when there are 12 of them.

3

Interchangeable rubber pads and metal spikes are supplied, along with a padded soft case.

Digital Camera verdict Outstanding

4.5

4.5

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The GlobeTrotter is relatively hefty at just over 2kg, but has a generous maximum load rating and is very sturdily built. The head and leg clamps are comfortable to use.

4.0

Excellent

4.5

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Novo Explora T10 £249/$320

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Peak Design Travel Tripod £315/$350

2

Specifications

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ike other Novo Explora tripods, this one is only available in carbon-fibre, so there’s no cut-price aluminium edition. The leg sections are similar in diameter to those of the Kenro tripod on test, and are relatively chunky compared with most in the group. The Novo has a generous maximum operating height of 174cm.

A low-angle adapter enables a short minimum operating height. The maximum load rating is beefy, too, at 15kg for both the legs and ball head.

The ball head features an adjustable friction damper built into the main locking knob and two pan release locks, one at the base and the other in the camera platform, both with scales marked in degrees.

Construction material: Carbon-fibre Alternative material: None Weight: 1.8kg Folded height: 48cm Max/min operating height: 174cm/26cm (LAA) Max monopod height: 179cm Load rating: 15kg Head: Novo CBH-40 ballhead Quick-release plate: Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments: Lock, pan, friction 1

There are two separate panning lock/release mechanisms in the ball head.

2

Performance

The maximum operating height is generous for a travel tripod, at 174cm.

Compared with most other tripods on test, the extra height is good to have, especially as the Novo remains impressively rigid even at full extension. All movements are smooth, with a pleasingly fluid feel.

3

A detachable leg can be unscrewed and used as a monopod.

Digital Camera verdict

4.5

3

his tripod is available in aluminium and carbonfibre editions, both of which positively scream innovation. The legs are specially shaped to fit around the centre column to save space, and don’t need to swing up over the head. Another space-saver is that the head is an integral part of the tripod; if you’d rather use a different head, there’s an optional Universal Head Adapter (£28/$30), which you can use with or without the centre column. The centre column splits in two for low-level shooting.

You can quickly remove all but the top section of the five-section legs, and fit stubby feet from the Ultralight Conversion Kit (£21/$30), making an even smaller, lighter kit.

Specifications

The rigidity and stability of our aluminium test sample proved excellent. According to Peak Design, the carbon-fibre edition is 20 per cent more stable, but it’s considerably pricier at around £530/$600.

This handy clip holds a hex key for the camera plate.

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Construction material: Aluminium Alternative material: Carbon, 1.27kg, £530/$600 Weight: 1.56kg Folded height: 39cm Max/min operating height: 152cm/14cm Max monopod height: N/A Load rating: 9kg Head: Integral Quick-release plate: Peak Design PL-S-3 Head adjustments: Single locking knob 1

The integral head comes complete with a quickrelease plate.

Performance

2

3

A mobile phone mount folds away for stowage.

Digital Camera verdict Outstanding

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5

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2

A highly innovative travel tripod

This carbon contender is high and mighty

Great value for a tough and sturdy carbonfibre travel tripod, the Novo is impeccably turned out, and has a lofty maximum operating height and good load rating.

GOLD AWARD

Full of clever tricks without neglecting the basics, the Peak Design Travel Tripod has plenty of innovative design flourishes and is a delight to use.

5.0

Excellent

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Group Test Travel tripods

Travel tripods find a new Peak

GOLD AWARD

The Peak Design Travel Tripod sets lofty standards to aspire to

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ravel tripods have been steadily evolving over the last few years, and the Peak Design Travel Tripod feels very much the next step in the process. It packs down to a particularly slimline form factor, yet stretches to a useful maximum operating height, and boasts plenty of innovative extras.

The Manfrotto Befree 2N1 is another solid performer and includes a monopod configuration, which is missing in the Peak Design tripod.

However, the Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced is a better fit for videography and the only tripod in the group to feature a three-way head. The Kenro is another attractive proposition, especially if you want a pivoting centre column, but it’s rather larger and more weighty.

The Novo Explora T10 also has a relatively large build, but both these

tripods rule the roost when it comes to maximum operating height.

The Novo is particularly good value for a sturdy carbon tripod. The aluminium MeFoto GlobeTrotter is well-built and has a good range of features, and a carbon-fibre edition is also available.

For a really downsized travel tripod, both of the Benro kits on test have a lot to offer. The Rhino is the more advanced and has a heftier 10kg maximum load rating, while the Slim Travel is remarkably light, and great value for a carbon-fibre kit.

How the tripods compare Name

Benro Rhino 05C VX20

Benro Slim Travel FSL09CN00 www.benro.com

Website

Kenro Ultimate Travel www.kenro.co.uk

Product reference code

FRHN05CVX20

FSL09CN00

KENTR401

Street price Construction material Folded height Max/min operating height Max monopod height Weight Load rating Sections per leg/centre column Leg section diameters

£199/$215 Carbon-fibre 35cm 140cm/35cm

£125/$156 Carbon-fibre 32cm 130cm/31cm

141 cm 1.24kg 10kg 5/2 sections

133cm 1.07kg 4kg 5/2 sections

£139/$210 Aluminium 48cm 190cm/20.5cm (LAA) 177cm 2.16kg 8kg 4/2 sections

Locking leg angles Leg extension locks Pivoting centre column

22, 18, 15, 12, 9mm 3 angles Twist No (invert only)

22, 18, 15, 12, 9mm 2 angles Twist No (invert only)

Levels (legs, head) Feet

0, 1 bubble Pads

0, 1 bubble Pads

Case/bag included

Padded soft case Unpadded bag

Manfrotto Befree 2N1

Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced www.manfrotto.co.uk

MeFoto GlobeTrotter

Novo Explora T10

Peak Design Travel Tripod

www.mefoto. com A2350Q2

www.ukdigital. co.uk NV-EXT10

www.peak design.com TT-CB-5-150-AL-1

MKBFRTA4B -BHM £149/$219 Aluminium 41cm 150cm/40cm

MKBFRLA4BK -3W £187/$279 Aluminium 40cm 151cm/42cm

£180/$219 Aluminium 41cm 165cm/41cm

£249/$320 Carbon-fibre 48cm 174cm/26cm

£315/$350 Aluminium 39cm 152cm/14cm

156cm 1.6kg 8kg 4/1 sections

N/A 2.0kg 6kg 4/1 sections

170cm 2.1kg 12kg 5/1 sections

179cm 1.8kg 15kg 4/1 sections

N/A 1.56kg 9kg 5/1 sections

28, 25, 22, 19mm 23, 19, 16, 12mm 23, 19, 16, 12mm 29, 25, 22, 19, 15mm 3 angles 3 angles 3 angles 2 angles Twist Twist Flip Twist 0/90 degrees No (invert only) No (invert only) No (invert only) (LAA, invert) 0, 2 spirit None 0, 3 spirit 0, 1 bubble Pads (retractable Pads Pads Pads + spikes spikes) Padded soft case Padded soft case Padded soft case Padded soft case

28, 25, 21, 18mm 24, 20, 17, 14, 10mm 3 angles 2 angles Twist Flip No (invert only) No (invert only) 0, 1 bubble Pads + spikes

0, 1 bubble Pads (optional spikes) Padded soft case Padded soft case

Features Build & handling Performance Value Overall

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www.digitalcameraworld.com

INTERVIEW

Marsel van Oosten Nature photographer Marsel van Oosten is a Dutch nature photographer. He currently lives in South Africa, with producer and videographer Daniella Sibbing. Together they run Squiver (www.squiver.com), which offers specialised wildlife and landscape photography tours.

Marsel won the grand title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 for his shot ‘The Golden Couple’. Other awards include International Nature Photographer of the Year (twice),Travel Photographer of the Year and WildlifePhotographer of the Year.

Marsel van Oosten The award-winning nature photographer tells Graeme Green about simplicity, Snoop Dogg, death metal, and the dire state of Mother Earth

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arsel van Oosten’s 15-year photographic career has been filled with many highlights, with expeditions from Namibia to Norway to Yemen, creatively capturing the natural world, from golden snub-nosed monkeys, lions and polar bears to rock formations and dragon blood trees.

Along the way, he’s become the world’s only nature photographer to win the ‘Grand Slam’: the grand titles for Wildlife Photographer of the Year, International Nature Photographer of the Year and Travel Photographer of the Year. “It flew by,” he reflects.

Many of Marsel’s greatest images from the past 15 years – from classic, famous photos to previously unseen work – are collected together in his new book Mother, described as a tribute to Mother Earth. But talking to the Dutch photographer, now 52, there’s a hint of regret that he didn’t start working as a photographer earlier. Marsel initially graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts in Rotterdam with a BA in art direction and graphic design, and worked for 15 years as an art director for international ad agencies, winning

Marsel’s images are exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide, and have appeared in National Geographic, Audubon and Geo. He is a Nikon Ambassador and one of the nature photographers supporting the New Big 5 project (see page 112). He recently released a short documentary, Dragon Blood: A Photographer’s Journey to Socotra,Yemen,on YouTube.

Instagram: @marselvanoosten www.mother-book.com 134

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awards including Gold Lions at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes. His art and design background comes through in his photos, which draw on the motto (often, questionably, credited to Leonardo da Vinci) “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.

What was it like to look back on 15 years of expeditions and photos?

It’s been like a rollercoaster. Also, when I look back, I think, “Oh man, I should have started way earlier.”

At the same time, I think all the experiences I’ve had led eventually to me making this decision to become a nature photographer. If I hadn’t had that experience in my previous career, I may never have decided to do this in the first place.

Right: ‘Sleepy’, China. Marsel says: “When a panda cub is born, it is pink, blind and toothless, weighing only 90-130g — proportionally the smallest baby of any placental mammal.

One to two weeks after birth, the cub’s skin turns grey where its hair will eventually become black. One month after birth, the colour pattern of the cub’s fur is fully developed.” www.digitalcameraworld.com

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“I like adding hierarchy to the chaos inside the frame. I get great pleasure from moving shapes around” Given what you’ve achieved in photography, some people might find it odd to hear you sounding regretful.

Yes. But it’s not about the achievements: it’s much more about the experiences. The kind of life I live now is so much more valuable than the life I led. Before, I was working in advertising, and it was fast-paced – and, for me, it was the world of make-believe. The life I lead now is the opposite. It’s not make-believe.

Nature is real. It’s truth. I think what I do now is a reaction to what I did before.

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Your new book Mother is a tribute to the planet.

How do you think Mother Earth is doing currently?

It’s not doing well at all, and it hasn’t been doing well for a very long time. That’s the frustrating part. We’ve seen this happening for decades on end: the pollution, climate change, deforestation, population growth…

What impact do you think photography can have?

I see positive results in terms of awareness, which is the first step in conservation. That’s always something that I aim for, because it’s the most important thing to happen. If people don’t know a certain species is threatened with extinction, or doesn’t even know that the species exists, you can’t expect a lot of conservation work to be done for that species. That’s my primary goal.

Your picture of a Japanese macaque with an iPhone went viral, and was even shared

by Snoop Dogg. Did you ever meet or hear from ‘The Doggfather’?

Snoop Dogg used it, which was fine. But another celebrity also shared that image, removed my credit line and put his own credit line on.

That was… interesting.

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You weren’t happy?

No. But I was happy that the image won the People’s Choice award (at WPOTY), because it’s such a massive jury and so many different people who pick it. A normal jury is your colleagues and photographers, so it’s completely different.

Above: ‘Facebook Update’, Japan. “When a tourist got too close to a macaque to get some close-ups with her iPhone, the macaque snatched it from her hands and played with it in the hot spring.”

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Is it a strange feeling when a photo goes viral or you win a major award, and you become the focus of global attention?

I’m not bothered by the attention, and I’m not seeking it either. I basically couldn’t care less. I participated www.digitalcameraworld.com

What’s the most challenging place you’ve worked in to date?

I spent two weeks in Costa Rica in the rainforest at the start of my career, and there’s not a single image that I kept. I was really eager to go to the rainforests, but I was underprepared. I knew so little then, and now I know so much.

I hate clutter with a vengeance – and in forests there’s nothing but clutter. That explains why there are no forests or rainforests in the photos from the first 11 or 1 2 years of my career. There are trees, but they’re either dead or there are just a few of them.

I really like that because I focus very much on shapes, separate shapes. In a forest, everything is connected and cluttered. On that trip in Costa Rica, I struggled.

I was totally not inspired. I only saw distractions.

I thought, “What am I going to do here?”

You’ve talked about the idea that ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’. Do you think simplicity makes for more effective images?

I don’t necessarily think it makes images more effective – but I’m certain it makes me enjoy my images more. I’m very focused on the graphic www.digitalcameraworld.com

design part of photography. I like adding hierarchy to the chaos inside the frame. I get great pleasure from moving shapes around within the frame.

I’m very organised as a person. In my house, everything is super-graphic and organised, and there’s no visual clutter anywhere. That’s just who I am. That’s how I like to work. From a visual point of view, that’s what I appreciate the most. Whether it’s a car I buy or a photo I make, it’s always the same criteria that I use.

You describe yourself as “a death metal connoisseur”. What role does death metal play in your creative process?

It’s very important. It’s something that sparks my brain. I’m actually quite an introverted person.

I’m quiet and not very expressive in my body language. I don’t like to dance. But up in my head, everything is really wild. If I’m working on my images, the processing itself doesn’t require any higher thought. I’m just working on colours, and things like that. I find it good to have

Opposite top: ‘The Tower’, Botswana. “I shot this photograph on a very windy morning when there was a lot of dust in the air, which can create very colourful sunrises and sunsets. This giraffe was annoyed by the red-billed oxpeckers that were harassing it.”

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in competitions at first to see if I was good enough to make it as a photographer. After that, I decided to use it as a way to get seen more by publishers, to get noticed – and then for my CV, public relations and promotion for my tours.

Above: ‘International Tiger Day’, South Africa. “Tigers are like humans — they all have different characters, and different behaviour. Over the years, I have spent a lot of time with this particular female, as she was not only very pretty, but also very relaxed.”

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© 2021 Marsel van Oosten

Above: ‘Nightcap’, Botswana.“After spending a long afternoon in a hide next to a waterhole in the remote eastern corner of Botswana, it was getting too dark to photograph. As I was packing up, a leopard came down to drink, and I quickly got my camera out again.”

Left: ‘Distracted’, Finland. “I like photographing young mammals, because they’re often full of energy, playful, and inquisitive – especially when temperatures are low. As this young brown bear cub walked past my hide, it started playing with that little tree. Then it suddenly got up on its hind legs to check out a gull, lost its balance, and fell backwards.”

something going on that keeps my brain occupied on other stuff, and death metal is one of those things.

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I’ve seen you discussing post-production online, including the ‘natural history versus art’ debate, and the rules people apply to nature photography.

Where do you stand on the debate?

I find the debate extremely frustrating. The first thing you have to decide is whether you think that nature photography is in the ‘art’ section or the ‘news’ section. If you think nature photography should be like documentary photography, news photography, scientific research or evidence, then I understand why you’d be extremely conservative with postprocessing. But the moment that you put nature photography in the same category as all other forms of photography, you should be a lot more lenient, and more open to processing. That doesn’t mean I’m www.digitalcameraworld.com

Right: ‘Portal to Winter’, Iceland. “Glacial caves are among the most inspiring places to photograph. Each year they’re different, but always fascinating and mindblowingly beautiful – it’s hard to beat nature’s architecture.”

Below right: ‘The golden couple’, China. “Male golden snub-nosed monkeys have long, golden guard hairs on their backs, and I wanted to create an environmental portrait showing how amazing that looks.”

not bound by any rules: I actually have a ton of rules I work with. But those rules are self-imposed. I’ve decided this is how far I go, and not further.

What rules do you apply to your work?

If you look at my work, it’s very natural-looking, very realistic. That’s just the style I like. I’m not going to go completely overboard with processing. But at the same time, I think people should be absolutely free to do that, because it’s an artform.

I don’t feel any artist should feel the need to explain how or why they’ve done something. That shouldn’t be an issue. No-one asks when they see a car photo, “Did the car really look like that?”

We should ask why this issue constantly comes up in nature photography.

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Your photo of a pair of endangered golden snubnosed monkeys in China’s Qinling mountains (‘The Golden Couple’) won the grand prize at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018. How difficult was that photo to get?

The most important thing for me is always to research before I go, finding out exactly where this species lives, and then determining what will give me the best opportunities.

I managed to get in touch with local researchers, and I was able to venture deep into the nature reserve. These monkeys aren’t necessarily difficult to find, because they’ve been researched for some time. They’re almost like a tourist attraction. But I was focused on getting a certain shot.

In my photography, I’m focused on habitat. If I see a species, my first instinct is to ask, “What’s the habitat like?” Often, I don’t like the habitat. So my primary goal is “How can I photograph this species in a better habitat?” In this case, it was a matter of following them. They live high up in the mountains, which are super-steep. They move fast, jumping from tree to tree, whereas I was just walking.

It was challenging to keep up with them.

The biggest challenge was to get a shot like ‘The Golden Couple’. The male in the foreground has really beautiful long guard hairs on the back. That’s something I wanted to photograph. But the problem is that if you photograph an animal from the back, you don’t get to see the face because it’s looking away from you. I was trying to get a three-quarters angle, where I could see the hairs on the back and see the face, so I was just hoping it would look sideways.

All this is happening in a beautiful setting. I’m always hoping for the impossible, because animals don’t really listen. But eventually they sat there and looked in the right direction, and I got that shot.

“I don’t feel any artist should feel the need to explain how or why they’ve done something” JULY 2021 DIGITA L CAMERA

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© 2021 Marsel van Oosten

How did it feel to look on the back of the camera and see what you’d got?

I don’t even need to look at the back of the camera. As I’m looking through the viewfinder, I already know this is going to be really good.

Is there a species or place you’ve never photographed that you’d like to work on?

Yes, I have a long list. I’ll never be able to visit them all.

What tops the list?

I knew you’d ask. I’m actually not going to say. The moment I say I’d really like to go somewhere, that’s when I tell a lot of people that this place might be a super-interesting location to go to. A lot of people might be tempted to go there, and that isn’t in my best interests, and might not be in the best interest of the location.

What I can say is that there are a lot of places I’ve been to before that I’d very much like to go back to. I’d like to go back to the Sahara in northern Africa, so Algeria, Libya, Chad… I’ve only been there once, and there’s so much I’d like to do there. I’m just waiting for things to return to normal there.

In your documentary Dragon Blood you visit Yemen. Are you more interested now in locations like Yemen that aren’t so welldocumented by photographers?

Yes, there are quite a few species and locations I’d like to work on that are very far off the beaten track. With wildlife, it’s hard. There are a lot of countries with no interesting wildlife to photograph. But landscapes are everywhere.

For a landscape photographer, it’s easy to find a place that nobody has really been to.

The only thing you need to do is climb a few mountains and you’re very quickly in undiscovered territory. With animals, it’s much more difficult, especially the moreknown animals. There are only so many places you can visit to photograph them.

You’re 15 years into your photography career. What are your plans for the next 15?

I’d like to continue what I’ve been doing so far, not necessarily with a certain goal in mind.

Although now I’ve spent so much time working on this book, I have an idea for a second book.

In three or four years I’ll probably do another one, so I might do more photography to fit within that concept.

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Above: ‘Eternal adversaries’, Japan.

“On average, the Steller’s sea eagle is the heaviest eagle in the world, at about 5-9kg.

They mainly feed on fish, but they occasionally prey on red foxes and even small domestic dogs.”

Below left: Marsel van Oosten on location.

Photograph by Awi Rabelista.

Mother: A Tribute To Mother Earth

by Marsel van Oosten, with a foreword by biologist and evolutionary theorist Bret Weinstein, is published by teNeues (ISBN: 9783961713349), £50/$75. www.teneues.com www.digitalcameraworld.com

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What the f-stop? with Chris George

How much do you really know about photography? Test yourself to the max every issue with our tricky trivia quiz!

artist did renowned war 1 Which photographer Lee Miller work

former England football 4 Which manager is holding the camera

said: “You don’t take a 2 Who photograph, you make it.”

is the crop factor on a Canon 5 What M-series mirrorless camera?

with as a muse and model?

A Pablo Picasso B Man Ray C Salvador Dali D Joan Miró Gordon Parks Ansel Adams Bill Brandt Annie Liebowitz

company now owns 3 Which the Pentax brand?

A B C D

Ricoh Yashica Lomography Mamiya

A B C D

1.3x 1.5x 1.6x 2x

is this style of still-life 7 What photography called?

A B C D

is another name 6 What for colour fringing?

A B C D

Chromatic astigmatism Chromatic coma Chromatic distortion Chromatic aberration

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A B C D

in the picture below?

A Bobby Robson B Don Revie C Ron Greenwood D Alf Ramsey

Deconstuctionalism Flat-lay Abstract Cubist

which Japanese city are Panasonic’s 8 Inglobal headquarters?

A B C D

Kobe Tokyo Kyoto Osaka

is the effect of a diffusion filter?

9 What A Softening wrinkles B C D

Diffusing highlights Giving a cinematic look All of the above

of these light sources has 10 Which the highest colour temperature?

A B C D

A tungsten bulb A fluorescent tube A heavily clouded sky A setting sun

How did you do?

10 points You’re a photo mastermind!

8-9 points Fantastic, you’re a brainiac 6-7 points Really good score 4-5 points Respectable, but no cigar 2-3 points We’ll keep your score secret 0-1 points Epic fail

C 01 ,D 9 ,D 8 ,B 7 ,D 6 ,C 5 ,B 4 ,A 3 ,B 2 ,B 1 SREWSNA

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ISSUE 244 COLLECT YOUR EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL CAMERA TIP CARDS EVERY MONTH LANDSCAPES

GOLDEN HOUR

ACTION

STEAM TRAINS

MACRO

GET CREATIVE

BLACK AND WHITE

SHOOT SHADOWS

WILDLIFE

PORTRAITS

LANDSCAPES

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

STILL-LIFE

SLOW-SYNC

LIGHTHOUSES

FINE-ART MACRO

GONE FISHING

STARRY SAILORS

Head to www.digitalcameraworld.com for more photography tips

COLLECT YOUR EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL CAMERA TIP CARDS EVERY MONTH HOW TO SHOOT… MACRO

HOW TO SHOOT… ACTION

HOW TO SHOOT… LANDSCAPES

FINE-ART MACRO

STEAM TRAINS

KIT CHECKLIST… Macro lens FOR YOUR FIRST SHOT, TRY...

KIT CHECKLIST… Kit lens, tripod FOR YOUR FIRST SHOT, TRY...

ISO 200

f/8

1/4 sec

Around sunrise and sunset, the sun reaches a low point that illuminatesthe landscape.

Dramatic shadows Lighting can make or break a picture: flat, dull lighting produces flat, dull images.

This is why the golden hour is so popular.

Have time to spare If you’re travelling to a beautiful outdoors spot, make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes before the golden hour starts.

Shoot quickly You’ve got a short window to work in, so get busy and take as many shots as you can within the hour.

Don’t get too close, or you may end up with a bright white image where you can barely see the train

HOW TO SHOOT… WILDLIFE

Use Cloudy mode for your white balance to retain the beautiful golden glow

HOW TO SHOOT… BLACK AND WHITE

GONE FISHING

HOW TO SHOOT… CREATIVE

SHOOT SHADOWS

STILL-LIFE

KIT CHECKLIST… Kit lens FOR YOUR FIRST SHOT, TRY...

ISO 320

f/4

1/250 sec

Still‑life is a great genre of photography to shoot in your own home.

Experiment with anything The best thing about still‑life is that you can get creative and test your photography skills using anything you have lying around.

Understand whatyou’re creating Often confused with product photography, still‑life photography is a more arty or conceptual form of photography.

Use any lighting For still‑life photography, you can use natural light, you can use studio lights; you can even use desk lamps if you want to!

If you shoot against a white wall or grey floor, you can capture a black-and-white image in-camera

If you know there are kingfishers breeding or in a nest nearby, then move somewhere else right away

It might look simple at first, but still-life requires a great eye and attention to detail throughout

HOW TO SHOOT… LANDSCAPES

HOW TO SHOOT… ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

HOW TO SHOOT… PORTRAITS

LIGHTHOUSES

STARRY SAILORS

SLOW-SYNC KIT CHECKLIST… White or black backdrop or wall, flashgun FOR YOUR SHOTS, TRY... f/10

Try using an ND filter of between two and 10 stops. We find that around 8 stops works best APERTURE

ISO

SHUTTER SPEED

ISO 60

2 sec

TIPS FOR GETTING A GREAT SHOT… Check your framing before you shoot, and make sure you’ve left enough room for your subject to move around in.

Angle your flashgun to 45 degrees if possible. (If you have a fixed pop‑up flash, the technique will still work.)

Leave some ambient light in the room so that your subject’s movement can be seen

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Smoothed motion from a longer exposure will elevate your image from good to great.

Seeing thecurrent Look for beaches with piers, rocks or anything else that can help funnel or facilitate that epic water movement.

Shoot on an overcast day This helps ensure that your photo isn’t overexposed, but capturing the movement of clouds makes for a truly epic shot.

Use sand for stability Chances are there will be some wind – to make sure that the tripod is stabilised, bury its legs in the sand a little.

Don’t consider the night sky as negative space when composing astrophotography images

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TIPS FOR GETTING A GREAT SHOT… You’ll always be shooting against a solid backdrop, so stop your aperture down a tad for more depth and sharpness.

Try to seek out a variety of abstract and more obvious objects. Contrast is a key element of black‑and‑white imagery.

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Kingfishers are extremely vulnerable birds and are given legal protection in the UK. Where to find kingfishers They love to sit on low‑hanging perches above slow‑moving bodies of water. This is where they tend to fish, eat and preen.

Try using a hide Kingfishers are small birds: even with a long telephoto lens, you’ll still need to get relatively near to get a good close‑up.

Be patient Once you’ve found a perch, bear in mind that kingfishers are creatures of habit: they are likely to return to it frequently.

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TIPS FOR GETTING A GREAT SHOT… Watch the camera’s metering mode: if it is evaluating the steam in Spot mode, your image may be underexposed.

Even in strong winds, the train’s speed will mean the steam falls behind it as it moves through the image, so give yourself enough room with your framing.

A fine-art look can be elevated by shooting a reasonably flat-looking image, so even light is required

Careful planning will help make your astro photography instantly mesmerising.

Planning is key... ...but conditions can change in a blink of an eye, so try some super‑useful apps like Clear Sky and Photo Pills.

Arrive early You can do some test shots, move about and focus on possible issues like potential light pollution.

Low-light capabilities Get to know exactly how your camera copes in low light. Experiment with ISO levels to see what you’re happy with.

1/160 sec

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TIPS FOR GETTING A GREAT SHOT… Using a slow shutter speed, shoot your image handheld. Turn off any lens or image stabilisation to help the effect.

Macro lenses exaggerate movement, so using a shutter speed of around 1/4 sec should achieve a pleasing natural motion‑blur effect.

ISO 200

f/5.6

GOLDEN HOUR