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Ebook edition • See page 4 for details

HOW TO SHOOT…

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Master metering in Nikon Academy NX Studio’s Control Points explained Photoshop Elements 21 full review

Pro advice for capturing goldstandard shots of everything from football to track and field!

FREE VIDEOS 7 PHOTO PROJECTS TO TRY AT HOME TODAY!

NikonSkills PRO TIPS!

3LFWXUHVTXH SXȫQV Join our Apprentice as he learns the tricks of the trade to take stunning shots of seabirds

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“In Antarctica, seals are easy to approach” p62

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Winning Nikon Bird POTY images p16

Places & faces Documentary shots that tell stories p74

FROM THE EDITOR

Our NPOTY Urban comp winners revealed – from street photography to cityscapes! See page 92.

This issue’s special contributors…

Andrew Mason PAGE 6

Joel Marklund PAGE 26

Sports pro Joel shares his amazing catalogue of action images and his top tips for how you can capture similar shots.

Daisy Gilardini PAGE 62

Arctic and Antarctic animal photographer Daisy comes out from the cold to sit in this month’s interview hotseat.

Pawel Zygmunt PAGE 70

Keen landscape photographer Pawel tells his tale of two very different trips to the magical Faroe Islands.

Neil Freeman PAGE 80

This issue Neil tackles metering – what it is, how it works, and why you’re better off sticking to Matrix most of the time…

Matthew Richards PAGE 104

Matthew puts a selection of eight light-but-sturdy tripods that are ideal for travel through their paces in our Big Test.

Image: © Muhammad Al-Qatam

Wildlife photographer extraordinaire Andrew takes a lucky N-Photo reader on a oneon-one seabird workshop.

Welcome to issue 126 By the time you read this, the Euro football championships will be approaching the quarterĽqdov/#Zlpeohgrq#zloo#kdyh#vhuyhg#lwv#rshqlqj# matches and the Olympics will be on the horizon – so with that in mind, this issue’s lead feature comes from a photographer who’s shot all three.

Nikon Ambassador Joel Marklund helps you apply klv#sur#vsruwv#nqrz0krz#wr#vkrrwlqj#|rxu#rzq#orzhu0ohdjxh#hyhqwv1# Our Apprentice, meanwhile, heads out on a quest to photograph zkdw#pxvw#eh#Eulwdlqġv#ehvw0oryhg#elug/#wkh#slfwxuhvtxh#sxĿq1 Zh#sxw#wudyho#wulsrgv#wr#wkh#whvw#lq#rxu#Elj#Whvw/#exw#li#hyhq#wkhvh# vyhowh#wkuhh0ohjjhg#vxssruwv#duh#wrr#xqzlhog|#iru#|rxu#olnlqj/#zh#dovr# explain the pros and cons of no less then 10 monopods.

In Nikopedia, we demystify metering, and explain just how your Qlnrq#Ġvhhvġ#dqg#lqwhusuhwv#wkh#zruog#wr#vhw#lwv#h{srvxuhv1#Zh#dovr# explore the powerful control points functionality of free-todownload software NX Studio, while in our Skills section we’ll show you how to best capture sunsets, create a time-slice, shoot through sulvpv/#wdnh#ľdvk0olw#rxwgrru#sruwudlwv/#dqg##orwv#pruh#ehvlghv1# Adam Waring, Editor adam.waring@futurenet.com

SUBSCRIBE AND GET A FREE VANGUARD VEO RANGE BAG! Subscribe from just £54 and get N-Photo delivered direct to your door, plus we’ll send you a fabulous Vanguard messenger bag worth £70 for carrying your Nikon gear… SEE PAGE 24

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3

WIN! A NIKON Z 6 II SEE PAGE 9

Contents 26

0

Winning sports shots!

If it moves, shoot it! Award-winning Nikon Ambassador Joel Marklund shares the secrets behind his stunning sporty images

62

70 06 Lightbox 16 26 Winning Sports Shots!

Go Pro 38 Nikon Skills 41

Apprentice Join our Apprentice on

a day out stalking puffins and gannets

High-flying Nikon images from Bird Photographer of the Year Go for gold with tips from a top-of-their-game pro Why you should bother processing pics you may not even sell

Our latest selection of photo and editing projects to try!

4

60 Interview 62 70 On Assignment Letters 72 Your Stories 74

On Location Tom Mackie gets an eyeful of New Zealand’s mightiest peaks

Polar photographer Daisy Gilardini on her beloved bears

A tale of two very different trips to the ferocious Faroes Scribble your thoughts, send them to us, and you might win a prize

Readers share shots of people and places, and insect closeups

80 Wild Life 88 90 NPOTY Next Issue 96 Parting Shot 114

control of control points in NX Studio

Tom Mason’s latest shots came out all blurry, but he likes it…

Take a trip to see the top 10 winners of our urban photo comp

Thought this issue was good? Wait till you see what’s coming…

SUBSCRIBE! Massive subscription savings!

Get to grips with this powerful program! We explore Elements’ workspaces, work through classic editing steps, advanced edits, essential tricks and guides on Camera Raw, then suggest a handful of fun photo projects to try. Download your free copy from: www.bit.ly/tyelements

Plus get a free Vanguard messenger bag!

24

Documenting the dramatic scenery of the Faroe Islands

Nikopedia Master metering plus take

Free ebook! Teach Yourself Photoshop Elements

SEE PAGE

Introducing Arctic and Antarctic photographer Daisy Gilardini

Our Mike won’t allow lack of access to stop him shooting…

CONTENTS

NikonSkills Master your Nikon today!

38

Polish off your shots before you present them to help them sell

90

46 Dazzling prism portraits

42 Shoot a dramatic landscape

Add creative flare to outdoor portraits

Shoot an atmospheric seaside landscape BEFORE

AFTER

See our top 10 city and street shots

44 Time-slice composites

50 Master exposure blending

Convey the passage of time via a still

Blend naturally balanced landscapes

BEFORE

Gear Zone New Gear 98 Help Me Buy 100 Photoshop Elements 2021 102 104 Travel Tripods

AFTER

News on no less than four spanking Z-series lenses coming your way 10 monopods to help better balance heavy loads

52 Turn photos into artworks

54 Balance sunset portraits

Make mesmerizing mandala patterns

Shoot flashlit outdoor portraits at sunset

How does Adobe’s latest budget editor fare?

Eight easy-to-carry camera supports reviewed and rated

VIEW THE PROJECT VIDEOS ONLINE www.bit.ly/NPhoto126

Whenever you see this logo you’ll know there’s an accompanying video that you can watch online. To access the videos, just go to www.bit.ly/NPhoto126

The videos and information provided on this disc are 100% independent and not endorsed or sponsored by Nikon Corporation or Adobe Systems Incorporated

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5

APPRENTICE

THE PRO

NAME: Andrew Mason CAMERA: Nikon D850 Andrew developed a penchant for the great outdoors at a young age, but a successful career as a lawyer stifled his connection with nature. A move to the countryside rekindled his passion. He started to photograph local wildlife and within a few years turned pro. He’s since supplied images for clients including the RSPB and a wide range of publications.

He also leads photo tours and teaches one-to-one workshops. See more of his work: www.andrewmasonphoto.com

THE APPRENTICE NAME: 7DP£V 0H]Ē CAMERA: Nikon D850

Self-employed masseur Tom moved to England from his native Hungary to start a new life in London, but has since settled for a quieter life in Yorkshire – where he’s much closer to nature. He took up photography when he received his first film camera at the age of 10, and five years ago he bought his first DSLR (a Nikon D3300). Last year he decided to invest in a D850 and is now hoping Andrew can help him immortalize fleeting wildlife moments that are seldom seen.

6

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Flight path

Our Apprentice flocks to England’s largest seabird colony with wildlife pro Andrew Mason

B

etween March and October every year something incredible happens on the East Yorkshire coast; more than half a million seabirds visit Bempton Cliffs to breed. The chalk cliffs provide a temporary home to a variety of species

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including razorbills, kittiwakes, guillemots and gannets, in what is the largest gathering of seabirds in England. But most visitors are on the lookout for one bird in particular and it’s probably the most beloved seabird of all, puffins. The aptly nicknamed clown of the sea’s colourful beak and blundering charm

7

APPRENTICE Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

300mm f/4

Exposure:

1/1600 sec, f/8, ISO1000

SUPER SHOT #1 makes it a real crowd-pleaser. But as Andrew and Tom sheltered beneath the visitor centre’s awning during a heavy storm, the pro made it clear these charismatic little birds aren’t all the RSPB reserve has to offer photographers.

“I’m hoping we’ll get the chance to photograph some puffins. Bempton isn’t really the best place to see them but it is, in my opinion, one of the best places to photograph gannets.”

The gannet colony at Bempton Cliffs is the largest on the UK mainland, but unless the weather picked up Andrew and Tom weren’t going anywhere. A thick haze of cloud covered the sky and rain lashed

8

sideways onto the glass-covered gift shop – full of plush-toy puffins. Andrew didn’t seem fazed. He produced a map of the reserve from his pocket and pointed.

“I think we’ll head to Jubilee Corner first,” he said, “before making our way along the coastline to the Scale Nab. According to the Met Office, it should stop raining soon – and light rain we can deal with.”

“What would be the ideal conditions for us?” asked Tom. “Overcast,” mused the pro, “clouds diffuse light, which is more flattering than harsh sunlight, and it’s more difficult to balance exposures in high-contrast situations too.” As the photographers chatted a small patch of

light began to force its way through the thick clouds and the visitor centre had become notably busier.

The rain had finally stopped. Andrew and Tom headed outside and followed the reserve’s cliff-top walk. “You’ll notice the sound and smell before you see them,” chuckled Andrew as they approached the first viewing platform.

FLIGHT OF THE GANNET Tom set to work with his Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR amidst a dissonant chorus of screams and squawks. “Try resting the foot of the tripod collar on the wooden fence for stability,”

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TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT 1

HALF AND HALF

Strong winds had pushed the gannets closer to the cliffs, providing Tom with the perfect opportunity to practise capturing birds in flight.

PRO KIT GET A GRIP Andrew says… The Nikon D5 is one of the best wildlife cameras available, but I’ll opt for the D850 when I want to make use of that big 45.7Mp sensor.

While the D850 can’t match the D5’s 14fps burst speed, Tom boosted it from 7fps to 9fps by attaching my Nikon MB-D18 battery grip and inserting a EN-EL18B battery. The grip also features an additional shutter button, thumbstick, AF-ON button and command dials to make shooting in portrait orientation more ergonomic.

said the pro. “The rule of thumb is to match your focal length with the shutter speed, but I like to aim for double the shutter speed when I’m working with the D850.”

“So I’d choose 1/1000 sec if I’m shooting at 500mm?” pondered the Apprentice as Andrew nodded. Tom was busy photographing a nearby pair of razorbills when Andrew suggested they move further along the cliffs.

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“Notice those gannets soaring almost parallel to the cliff edge? That’s perfect for capturing birds in flight.” Andrew handed Tom his Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR. “The strong winds are pushing the birds closer to the cliffs, so a 300mm focal length is more than enough,” he said.

“Wow, it’s much smaller and lighter than my 200-500mm,” said Tom. The Apprentice was already using AF-C, but under Andrew’s instruction he started with Dynamic-area AF. “Single-point AF is more accurate,” said the pro. “But D9 is great when you’re learning. I go back to it now and again if I haven’t photographed birds in flight for a while.”

He then suggested using a narrower aperture of f/8 to make it easier for Tom to focus. It worked and the Apprentice managed to capture an incredible three gannets all lined up in the same shot.

Super Shot #1 was done.

OH, BEHAVE! Tom had soon racked up enough flight time to move onto something different.

Andrew chuckled: “They’ve made it easy for us today. This is why you shouldn’t give up on a shoot just because of the weather.

They’d be flying further out to sea if it was a calmer day, so we’ve been very lucky.”

Beneath the airborne ruckus the large birds were landing directly in front of the photographers to perch on the edge of the cliff, right in front of some attractive pink flowers. “That’s red campion,” said the pro. “It’s perfect for adding foreground interest and a dash of colour.” He asked Tom to switch to single-point AF so he could precisely focus on the seabirds through the vegetation.

Andrew says… I shoot in Manual mode but use Auto ISO. This provides a halfway house between Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority because I have full control over my aperture and shutter speed, while my ISO is left to automatically compensate for changing lighting conditions.

2

AUTOFOCUS Andrew says… I use AF-C with either Single-point AF or Dynamic-area AF (D9, with nine AF points). The latter is easier to use as the increased number of focus points allows you more room for error. But the more you practise the more you will gravitate towards Single-point AF as it’s more accurate.

3

FIRE A BURST Andrew says… I use Continuous-high (CH) drive mode so I can capture as many frames as possible when photographing birds in flight. This is because the position of the wings can have a dramatic effect on the image and with multiple shots you can pick your preferred moment.

9

APPRENTICE

SUPER SHOT #2 Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

300mm f/4

Exposure:

1/1000 sec, f/10, ISO1800

PRO KIT GIMBAL HEAD Andrew says… I use a Wimberley Head Version II gimbal head atop a Gitzo tripod to support my heavy AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR. This setup combines the fluidity of a monopod with the stability of a tripod. It allows me to shoot at slower shutter speeds without having to worry about camera shake and takes the weight off of what is close to a 4kg lens. I will still use a monopod on challenging hikes for its small and light form factor, though.

It’s particularly useful if I’m shooting on uneven terrain where its small footprint is helpful in a pinch.

10

A gimbal head takes the weight of a heavy setup so you can tilt and pivot with ease.

“One tip when starting out photographing birds in flight with the high-resolution D850 is to use the central AF point – as it’s the most accurate – and then adjust the composition in post. As you progress, you can move to nailing the composition in-camera.”

Tom had a bit of trouble focusing on the gannets through the vegetation. Andrew fixed the issue by asking him to change his focus mode to AF-S. He was then able to lock focus by half-pressing the shutter button, keeping it held down as he recomposed and then pushing it all the way down to fire the shutter.

“On my cameras I remove the shutter button’s ability to focus, so it’s only assigned to the AF-ON button,” explained the pro. “This allows me to continuously focus when I hold the button down and lock focus when I release it. Since the shutter button doesn’t engage focus any more,

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SEABIRDS

Andrew and Tom visited Bempton during an ideal time to witness the cliffs dressed in a vibrant blanket of red campion.

I can recompose and take the shot.”

“So it lets you use AF-C and AF-S without having to switch modes?” said Tom. “Correct,” replied Andrew. “It’s called back-button focusing, but it will take a couple months to get used to it. So for today, continue switching between AF-C and AF-S, although it’s something I recommend thinking about in the future.”

With the right focus mode selected Tom was consistently locking onto the birds and framing great compositions. The next step was to find a photogenic subject. “Look for interesting actions or behaviours,” said Andrew. “There’s plenty going on here.

You’ve got gannets taking off and landing, some carrying nesting materials, others courting...”

EXPERT INSIGHT KNOW YOUR SUBJECT Andrew says… Research and observation is crucial. You’ll need to research suitable locations. Birdwatchers, hikers and other photographers are a great resource, but don’t be offended if they won’t disclose anything useful. Sometimes it’s necessary to withhold information to protect the wildlife or prevent onlookers from hampering a project – I will never disclose a location when I’ve obtained permission to operate on private land. Observation helps you learn about your subject and develop a sixth sense for behaviours that make great photos.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Tom noted it was difficult to expose for the gannets’ white plumage, especially with the pale sky in the background.

Andrew showed him how to access the histogram in the Playback screen and explained that if the graph was severely weighted to the left or right it indicated an underexposed or overexposed image respectively. “A touch of Dehaze in Camera Raw will help add a little definition to the sea and sky in the background,” he added.

Tom noticed a pair of gannets courting and, with all the knowledge Andrew had imparted, reacted quickly enough to capture Super Shot #2. “That’s a great shot,” said the pro with a beaming smile.

“Gannet pairs are known for locking beaks and craning their necks. And you’ve got one gannet looking directly into the camera – perfectly in focus – and the red campion in the foreground.”

NUFFIN’ LIKE A PUFFIN The photographers decided to make their way back along the cliffs to the other side of the reserve to visit the beautiful rock formations at the Scale Nab. But on the way Andrew noticed several other photographers who were busy photographing the same spot.

“Down there,” he said to Tom. “See the bright orange feet? That’s when you know you’ve spotted a…”

“Puffin,” said the Apprentice as he raised his eye to the viewfinder. The cliff edge had created a lip, making it impossible to see where the little birds were perched, but every few seconds a flying puffin would dart between a cutaway directly in front of the photographers. “They’re a bit like clumsy hummingbirds,” laughed Tom

11

APPRENTICE

SUPER SHOT #3

The cloud-covered sky acted like a giant diffuser, causing soft, flattering light to illuminate the seabirds.

EXPERT INSIGHT FLOWERY FOREGROUNDS Andrew says… The cliff edge and fields surrounding RSPB Bempton were clad in a vibrant pink flower called red campion (Silene dioica). This presented Tom with a fantastic opportunity to add a splash of colour to his images on what was a rather drab day.

I suggested he used the flowers as foreground interest and even encouraged him to shoot through the foliage to create frames within frames.

This is where the advantages of Single-point AF over Dynamic-area AF really become apparent. Single-point AF allows you to precisely target your subject through the foliage much more accurately, whereas busy foregrounds are more likely to confuse the camera’s Dynamic-area AF modes.

as he struggled to keep up with each fleeting appearance.

Earlier in the day Andrew had attached his MB-D18 battery grip to Tom’s camera, allowing for a faster frame rate when burst shooting. “This is all about timing, so that battery grip is going to prove useful,” said the pro. “I’d also set ‘Focus tracking with lock-on’ to ‘Erratic’. You’ll find it a little easier to maintain focus on the puffins’ irregular movements then.”

Tom dialled in an aperture of f/8 and allowed his ISO to reach 2200, so he could hit shutter speeds of 1/1250 sec. “Good,” said Andrew. “You can live with a bit of noise, but an unintentionally blurry image is never any use.” Tom took a few shots and noted the puffin was relatively small in the frame, but Andrew told him not to worry.

“The beauty of large sensors is that you can crop into images. Purists will tell you not to – and if you can fill the frame with your subject that is better – but as long as the quality is suitable, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with cropping into shots.”

The little seabirds appeared time and again, so much so Andrew remarked it was the best puffin display he’d witnessed at Bempton. Tom walked away with a lovely four-shot burst sequence of the same puffin, allowing him to choose the image with the best wing placement. Super Shot #3 boasted outstretched wings and a tack-sharp view of the bird’s brightly coloured beak.

HEAD IN THE GAME When the photographers finally reached the viewing platform overlooking the impressive arched rock formation of the Scale Nab they were greeted with

12

Andrew shows Tom how to access the histogram in the Playback screen to determine an image’s exposure.

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SEABIRDS

HOW TO:

CAPTURE FLIGHT 1

STAY ON TRACK Andrew says… In the Custom Setting Menu select Autofocus>Focus tracking with lock-on. I use the Erratic setting for puffins and Default for everything else. Blocked shot AF response delays the AF from shifting focus; useful if the subject you’re tracking briefly passes behind an object.

2

thousands of screaming gannets, lined up equidistantly along the cliffs. “They nest in such a uniformed way so they’re just out of pecking distance from their neighbours,” chuckled the pro.

Tom noted how far away the birds were in comparison to the previous locations, but Andrew had a plan. He removed from his kitbag the monstrous AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR. “This one’s a little heavy to handhold, so let’s set it up on the tripod.”

Tom watched the pro attach the lens to a rather strange looking head. “This is a gimbal head,” said Andrew. “Not only does it take the weight off, but it balances the lens and camera, so you can freely move it around to sight subjects.”

As Tom stepped up to look through the viewfinder, he was hooked: “I want a gimbal head now...” He captured a few group shots of the nesting gannets before noticing a pair of webbed orange feet.

This puffin wasn’t as challenging to photograph as the ones earlier, but Tom was excited to capture a classic puffin

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

300mm f/4

Exposure:

1/1250 sec, f/8, ISO2200

CAMERA SETTINGS Andrew says… Use continuous autofocus with Single-point AF or D9 and a shutter speed that’s over 1/1000 sec. An aperture of f/8 will give you a little more leeway when focusing, thanks to the greater depth of field, and Auto ISO will ensure that your exposure remains consistent.

3

PRO KIT GO LONG Andrew says… My go-to lenses are the Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR and 600mm f/4E FL ED VR. The former is very sharp and very light, making it easy to hand-hold. The latter is phenomenal. It’s sharp, it’s fast focusing and it costs a fortune! Even with the AF-S TC-14E III teleconverter there’s no noticeable drop in quality.

DON’T WING IT Andrew says… There’s more to capturing a bird in flight than focusing correctly and freezing your subject in mid-air. The placement of the wings has a huge impact too. That’s why it’s best to shoot a burst sequence so you can select your preferred exposure.

13

APPRENTICE

SUPER SHOT #4 Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

600mm f/4

Exposure:

1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO900

The mighty AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR weighs nearly 4kg, so some form of additional support is crucial.

14

portrait nonetheless. Andrew repositioned the gimbal so Tom could photograph the bird side on. He noted how a combination of the wide f/4 aperture (for a supertelephoto lens), long focal length and sizeable distance between the subject and the cliffs in the background would produce a suitably shallow depth of field.

The Apprentice waited patiently for the puffin to look in the right direction and captured a quick burst just before the bird dived off the cliff. Super Shot #4’s shallow depth of field pulled the subject from the background and the overcast conditions provided perfect portrait lighting.

As the photographers returned to the car park the reserve had one more surprise in store. “Look, a barn owl,” said Andrew.

“It’s a shame it’s so far away,” said Tom as Andrew nodded with a smile: “I think it’s our final lesson of the day though. Keep your ear to the ground and don’t be afraid

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SEABIRDS

PRO PORTFOLIO ANDREW MASON

BADGER CUB

Kneeling allowed Tom to photograph the seabirds directly through the vibrant red campion.

BE OUR NEXT APPRENTICE! We’re looking for future Apprentices!

So if you would like to appear on these pages and get top one-to-one professional tuition into the bargain, send an email headed ‘Apprentice’ to mail@nphotomag.com and make sure that you include the following information: your name, address, a contact phone number, the camera and kit you use, and the subject that you’re interested in shooting.

to chat to volunteers, visitors and other photographers. I’ve been on the lookout for a barn owl all day – their breeding pair was the talk of the visitor centre.”

I have a real soft spot for badgers – they are one of my favourite animals to photograph. Lying concealed in the grass with the sun setting behind me, I was able to make this intimate photo of a young cub.

Badgers are secretive, crepuscular animals and the key to photographing them is to be patient and careful not to cause any disturbance to them.

ROE DEER IN BRACKEN This female roe deer was photographed on an overcast day in autumn amongst the yellowing bracken in an old cemetery.

I used my car as a mobile hide so I could get into position and sit comfortably while I waited for the deer to occupy the perfect spot. The overcast conditions worked perfectly, reducing the contrast and saturating the autumnal colours.

Every moment was worth it!

Andrew’s advice was excellent and I really enjoyed visiting Bempton Cliffs. Switching between Single-point and Dynamic-area AF was a revelation and I had no idea that a prime lens could prove so versatile.

ANDREW’S VERDICT Photographing birds in flight isn’t easy – let alone the erratic movements of a puffin!

Tom did a great job today and took on board everything I told him. And better yet, he seems more enthusiastic about wildlife photography than ever.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Image: © Brian Johns

TOM’S COMMENT

Next issue’s Apprentice captures the Milky Way on an astro shoot among ancient standing stones

PUFFIN SILHOUETTE I spent a week off the Welsh coast on Skokholm Island, photographing the seabirds that breed there in summer. One evening, as the sun started to set, I spotted a group of puffins standing on rocks. I positioned myself so they were silhouetted against the sun. Using my 600mm lens, I was able to isolate a solitary puffin.

15

Our favourite Nikon images from the Bird Photographer of the Year competition

Mallard Duck © Zdeněk Jakl / Bird Photographer of the Year

ZDENĚK JAKL

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Zdeněk took this shot on a pond in a park in Prague. As a family of Mallard ducklings swam past, one of them began to chase a flying fly.

It highlighted the fact that the instinct to feed is a powerful force, even in the young.

Camera:

Nikon Z 6

Lens:

Sigma 500mm f/4 Sport

Exposure:

1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO500

www.digitalcameraworld.com

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

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17

LIGHTBOX

© James Wilcox / Bird Photographer of the Year

American Oystercatcher JAMES WILCOX James’s favourite time of year is when the American oystercatcher chicks hatch. This young oystercatcher is old enough to forage, but still relies on its parents for food because its beak hasn’t developed the strength to open the shells of molluscs and crustaceans.

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Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

Nikon 600mm f/4 + 1.7x teleconverter

Exposure:

1/1250 sec, f/8, ISO400

www.digitalcameraworld.com

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

© Brad James / Bird Photographer of the Year

Tufted Duck BRAD JAMES It’s always a pleasure when you are able to capture both a male and female of the same species in one image. Brad often finds it tricky with waterfowl, as they tend to overlap in some way. Consequently, he was pleased when this scene lined up perfectly, with the drake framed and referenced by the out-offocus hen in the background.

Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

Nikon 500mm f/4

Exposure:

1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO720

www.digitalcameraworld.com

19

LIGHTBOX

© Diana Schmies / Bird Photographer of the Year

Mute Swan DIANA SCHMIES Mute swans typically don’t breed until they are at least three years old. But it is not uncommon for elements of courtship behaviour to be seen earlier… Apparently not fazed by the age difference, this adult male was intent on wooing an immature female, and his interest appears to be reciprocated.

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Camera:

Nikon D500

Lens:

Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6

Exposure:

1/800 sec, f/6.3, ISO400

www.digitalcameraworld.com

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

© Øyvind Pedersen / Bird Photographer of the Year

Atlantic Puffin ØYVIND PEDERSEN This photo was taken on the bird cliffs of Hornøya Island in Norway, back in April 2018.

It shows two puffins, which started a brawl that continued down the snowy slope right in front of Øyvind. He was lucky and his patience and persistence paid off. The seabirds battled for several minutes, with feathers and snow flying everywhere.

Camera:

Nikon D500

Lens:

Nikon 500mm f/4

Exposure:

1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO800

www.digitalcameraworld.com

21

LIGHTBOX

Emperor Penguins THOMAS VIJAYAN The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of its kind and is endemic to Antarctica. Thomas lay flat on the ground for this shot because the penguins find objects lower than them to be less intimidating.

Camera:

Nikon D5

Lens:

Nikon 400mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/5000 sec, f/3.5, ISO280

© Thomas Vijayan / Bird Photographer of the Year

More than 22,000 images were entered into Bird Photographer of the Year 2021, the world’s most prestigious bird photography competition, and this selection is a sneak preview of what is still to come, with the winners being announced on 1 September 2021. Collection 6 is a coffee-table hardback book, published by William Collins, featuring the best images from the 2021 competition. The book will be filled with stunning images across 256 pages to inspire any keen bird photographer. For more information, and to pre-order the book, visit www.birdpoty.com

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All images: © Joel Marklund

Joel Marklund

Joel Marklund is chief photographer for Bildbyrån, Sweden’s leading sports photo agency. He’s shot several Olympic Games, Euro Championships and World Cups, as well as being a regular at Wimbledon and major sporting events the world over. www.joelmarklund.com

H ow to sh oo t..

Winning sports shots!

From tennis to track-and-field and swimming to soccer, sports supremo and Nikon Ambassador Joel Marklund shares his secrets for gold-worthy images

T 26

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How to shoo t… WINNING SPORTS SHOTS!

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27

Previous page: Joel had to lie low down to get this shot of the Cuban pole vaulter. You often need to put yourself in an uncomfortable position to get those prized angles.

Above: Black and white is sometimes more powerful. For this shot of Michael Phelps, Joel shot from the diving board above the pool.

Top right: Getting all the key athletes in this panning shot taken at the London 2017 World Championships was challenging.

Bottom right: During Joel’s first Olympics in Beijing 2008, a Swedish athlete fell in the hurdles semi-final.

The shot captures her emotion as she realizes the consequences of her mistake, while including the other athletes as they continue to run from her tells the wider story.

28

neither of which come cheap. And getting accreditation to shoot at professional games is a chicken-and-egg situation where you need a proven track record to get access to shoot and, realistically, you need to work for a sports photo agency or a

Ǖ Ǖ ű \ + Ǖ ļ Ǖǔ Ǖ Ĩ Ǖ Ű ǔ Ŗ

Ǖ

ǔ ǔ Ŗ lead to bigger and better things. Hopefully this advice will stand you in good stead, no matter what level or discipline of sport want you shoot.

Start with what you are most comfortable with and where you can get close, and if that’s your kid’s school team, then you will be close to the action and where there’s lots of emotion. Don’t just stand at the side of the pitch to shoot at head height; get down

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and wide-angle lens, equip it with a remote trigger

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Ǖ ŕ ŕ Ǖ \ Contrary to common belief, a lot of the best shots aren’t taken at big events, as access is harder. Lowlevel events are better with access and you can get

It’s important to be able to compose scenes in-camera, as there’s less leeway for cropping than you might have with more megapixels

much more from your time there. Start with a sport you are familiar with and let the action unfold!

SPORTS KIT There’s no getting away from the fact that good gear is of the utmost importance in sports photography.

You need to capture split-second moments with Ǖ ŕ Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ

ļǔ Ǖ -Ǖ ļ ŕŲǕ ǔ Ǖ

lenses. But, of course, these lenses come with a price ǔ ǔ Ǖų Ǖ Ǖ

ļ make your living using them.

However, while these are vital for shooting events on the world stage such as the Euros or Olympics, you won’t need as exotic kit to shoot your local pub team or kids’ sports day. And you don’t need the longest telephoto lenses, especially when you’re able

ǔ \ 1 Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ

Ǖ that you invest in lenses with wide apertures and build up that collection over time. And you can always hire expensive lenses for unmissable events…

Multiple bodies With many sports, you’ll need to be able to capture everything from the far side of the pitch to close-up Ǖ Ĩ

ǔ Ǖ

Ǖ Ǖ Ŗ ļ obviously no opportunity to change lenses in the heat of the action! $ ǔ Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ

-Ǖ *Ō ǔ Ĩ equipped with a range of lenses, depending on the sport, whether it’s football, swimming or athletics.

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SPORTS KIT

it’s important to be able to compose scenes incamera, as there’s less leeway for cropping than you might have with more megapixels at your disposal.

This is more than made up for with its 14fps shooting rate, highly accurate AF, advanced subject tracking and customization features. The smaller ű Ǖ ǔ Ǖǔ

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to news outlets within seconds of them happening.

Mirrorless for sports

Uploading images When shooting sports professionally, you need to get the images uploaded and processed during the game. I have an editor that does the editing and captioning, but I still need to select the images to give them on the fly as the majority of shots are used during or straight after the event. I do this every other minute during a game, whenever there is a lull in the action. You get a feel for when you’ve managed to get a really good shot or action sequence. I will look through my shots quickly and find the best one to send to the editor.

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SPORTS SETTINGS

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in many sports, such as tennis or golf, when the noise of the shutter would be a distraction and mean you’re not able to shoot during the serve or swing with a regular DSLR. And as facial tracking continues to improve, this will be a game-changer.

JPEG or Raw? Many sports photographers traditionally shoot JPEG due to the camera processing the images so they’re instantly ready to upload, but for the past 10 years I have exclusively shot Raw so that the images can be fine-tuned to show the picture in the best way possible. I would only shoot JPEG if we have a very bad internet connection.

Lens choice With sports normally you’re far away from the athletes, so telephoto lenses are a must. You’re

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ǎ Ǖ low light, but that’s not the only reason you need a wide aperture. You must also separate the subject from the background, and most of the time you want to get rid of banners and adverts, hence the Ůň\ŏ Ǖ

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Ŏņŕňņņǔǔ Ůň\ŏĨ ŊņņǔǔĨ Ňņŋǔǔ ŮŇ\Ŋ Ǖ an amazing sports lens, if you can get close enough.

But it’s not all about long lenses, especially when it

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background, so wide apertures will help blur them and also allow you to shoot at fast shutter

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One colleague had 7000 shots from the game and I’d only shot 700 yet I’d wired more. I’m very much trying to time the perfect shot www.digitalcameraworld.com

Above right: High diving was introduced to the Budapest World Championships a few years ago. Deliberately not framing the diving board makes the image more interesting. It makes the viewer stop and think.

Top left: Andy Murray celebrates – it looks like he’s shouting at his fist!

Below left: Novak Djokovic really stretches for the ball.

Joel shot with the 105mm f/1.4 to really separate the player from the background.

function, which is very helpful if you have a ǔ Ĩ Ǖ ǕŰ Ǖ Ǖ conditions as the day goes on.

Quick-change settings While the fast shutter speed, wide aperture and Ǖ ŕ 0& ǔ Ǖ

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action, you won’t necessarily want to use these

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switch between settings quickly with one press of

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half is illuminated by the sun.

High-speed shooting ǔ ǔ

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autofocus and high-speed shooting, but experience has taught me to go easy and only

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31

How to shoo t… WINNING SPORTS SHOTS! Dealing with contrast Often you’ll have to constantly switch between shooting in both very bright and very dark conditions – think of a football match where one side of the pitch is in bright sunlight and the other is in deep shade due to the shadow cast by the stadium. In years gone, I would have to manually change my settings and that could make me lose the moment. Now I use the Recall Shooting setting.

However, if you have a player running into the shadow with a bit of light on the face I will then continue to use the settings I’d reserved for the lighter half of the pitch as this creates a dramatic effect.

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worth uploading, but at some point you’ll probably miss the best shot because you’re ű Ǖ

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ǔ display you can’t always see the detail.

CAPTURING THE ACTION You need to be at the right place at the right time

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halves. Some arenas have LED boards that are

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Ĩ than having to shoot above the advertising hoardings; this allows me to get closer to the ǔ Ǖ \ ǔ ǔ

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It’s more like a lottery if you get a good position or not. When you know where the good spots are, this can be a bit frustrating 32

Above left: These figures are roller skating. Joel took advantage of the sunlight hitting the athletes as they moved in from the shadows to highlight the foremost skaters.

Above right: Joel used a teleconverter to make a tight shot of this Sweden fan and isolate him from the rest of the crowd, because he was so expressive with his animalistic contact lenses. It wouldn’t have as much impact if it had other fans around with different expressions.

Ǖ ǔ

Ǖ Ǖǔ

ļǔ

Ǖ \ ǔǕ choose a position depending on where the light Ǖ ǔ Ǖ ǎ

\ Bag your spot To claim your favoured spots, sometimes you just have to show up early. At other times, like the Euros or World Cup, you have priority groups.

The biggest agencies have the best positions and ǎ ő

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ŇŌ pitch-side positions available, and you only have

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like a lottery if you get a good position or not.

When you know where the good spots are, this can be a bit frustrating. Yet everyone thinks

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how people choose spots, but they might have a Ǖű Ǖ

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around the pitch and those are really the best for football photography, but they are not common Ǖ

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ǔ Ǖ ǔļ ǎ Ǖ and celebrate towards their side. You try to predict this, but, again, sometimes it’s a lottery!

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CAPTURING THE ACTION

Another option is to see where the fans are. Ǔ ļǔ Ǖ 0

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they’ll head towards those fans as they celebrate.

Autofocus 3 Ǖ ǔ

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Ǖ on the sport. The 3D tracking is helpful with

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Ǖǔ ōŕ Ǖ Ĩ ňŇŕ Ǖ ŋŇŕ Ǖ * ǔǕ % %! modes; this selects a cluster of AF points and prioritizes the central point, but the surrounding points will serve as backup, should the action

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Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ but, of course, it depends on how fast-paced the

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compared to the athlete; are you at ground level or above? For instance, with shooting football

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Above: This shot is from the Swedish premier league with clouds of smoke wafting from the stands from spectators’ smoke grenades, which helped make the image visually interesting.

ļ Ǖ ǔ

Ĩ will position the focus point higher in the frame.

Sighting through the viewfinder With telephoto lenses you only see a small area,

Ǖ ű Ǖ ǔ Ǖ

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what’s happening. For games like tennis, it’s easier to keep track of what’s going on, as there are just two players, but you still want to know what’s happening on the other side of the court.

Ǖ

Ǖ order to sense when something’s going to happen. Once you’ve got used to it, your mind is really good at putting those two visions together.

REMOTE SHOOTING - ǔ ǔ ǔ

Ĩ you can only be in one place at a time, and so using remote cameras enables you to capture

ǔ Ǖ ǕŰ

ǕŰ \ For a national football game, for example,

33

How to shoo t… WINNING SPORTS SHOTS!

Above: In this shot of a Sweden vs Austria international you don’t need to know the end score to tell what’s happening. The dejection of the player in red and the powerful celebration of Zlatan Ibrahimović says it all.

It’s storytelling.

Top right: Captured with a remote camera, the gasps on the players’ faces make the shot. Joel placed a pair of cameras behind the goal – one at each corner. You never know which side the ball will hit the back of the net.

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four remotes. One in the ceiling pointing straight down, one in the stands and two behind the goal, one at each end.

Setting up remotes

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Ǖ \ ļ overhead remotes around three hours prior to the game, and the goal remotes less than an hour

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can put them out just a couple of minutes before.

At equestrian events you can walk out just before the event starts and set up your cameras. + & ǔ Ǖ Ǖ ǔǕ have to set my remote cameras up in the ǔ Ǖ ǎ

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restrictions you have to work with.

Firing remotely

Ǖ ǔǕ ǔ

Ǖǔ ű the camera shutters, but sometimes have to hardwire them, because at big events, like the

34

Euros, there’s a higher probability of interference with so many other photographers also trying to ű ǔ ǔ \ Ǖ Ǖ

ű ǔ ǔ ǔ Ǖǔ ļǔ

Ǖ with the camera in my hand. To stop capturing

Ǖǔ ǔ Ĩ ǎ Ǖ

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in this way, but it is one more thing to think

Ĩ Ǖ

would suggest you don’t keep turning remotes on

Ű Ǖ

Ǖ ǔ ǔ ő Underwater cameras 2 ǔ

Ǖ

Sometimes remotes will be left for the whole event. It depends on the event and the restrictions you have to work with www.digitalcameraworld.com

REMOTE SHOOTING

Reuse your old cameras My older cameras become my remotes. Most of my remote cameras are currently D5s. Previously I’d been using D4s, but for Tokyo the underwater cameras will have to be D6 cameras, as the system only works with the D6, this is because it’s moulded to that specific camera – the housing is made specifically for the D6.

The housing is expensive; when we invest in underwater cameras it can be £10-15,000 for the setup – and on top of that you have the scuba gear…

triggered by cable as radio waves don’t work

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Ǖ Ǖ with scuba gear to set up the cameras.

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Ĩ see the images straight away in Live View, and change settings and focus. But even so, this isn’t a

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ǔ Ǖ ǔ Ǖ Ǖ \ ǔ know where the athletes will be, where they dive in, and where they break the surface.

CAPTURING DECISIVE MOMENTS Every sports photographer needs to capture the key points or moments of the event. Getting

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Above: This was the moment that Sweden lost the ice hockey final against Canada in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Joel placed cameras above each net because you can’t know at which side the game-winning goal will be. While he had planned to capture the game-winning shot, you still need to be lucky; other photographers had cameras in the same position, but they didn’t capture the puck crossing the goal line.

Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ

ļ

Ǖ

ǔ

ǕŰ Ĩ ǔ Ǖ \ A lot of times the game-winning goal is the decisive moment, and that’s a shot you can’t Ű

ǔǕ ő + Ǖ ǔ happening that tells the story of a game, such as interactions between players, someone saying something to the referee. For me sports photography is like news photography, and Ǔ Ǖ Ǖ

Ǖ ǔ\ Do your research $ Ǖǔ

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\ ǔ Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ athletes to look for? Take swimming, for ǔ \

athletes break the water and which arm they use ű Ĩ

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Ǖ 5 1 old races, just to see how far out they are

35

How to shoo t… WINNING SPORTS SHOTS!

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Ǖ

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Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ predictable and weather isn’t as much of a hurdle, but maybe not as fun. Outdoors you have all the ǔ ǔ Ǖǔ Ŗ but also can screw up your day if you’re unlucky.

Know your sports!

You need to know the sport to be able to anticipate the moment and get the best pictures.

1

Ĩ

ű Ǖ shutter before it happens; there’s no point shooting when you see something, by then the ǔ ǔ Ǖ ő ļ Ǖ when something is about to happen, and that comes from knowing the sport inside and out.

Pay attention! !

ǔ Ĩ ōņ ǔǕ

A wide shot that shows the entire playing area and beyond can really help put everything into perspective 36

Above: This classic head-on angle lets the viewer see just how close it was between Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt at the World Championships in Beijing. Joel used the lines of the lanes to frame the runners.

action to capture, but for a sport like tennis,

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hard way by missing shots; it’s inevitable that the time when your mind wanders, or you’re distracted by something like a message on your phone, is when they make the killer shot!

Do not disturb!

As a photographer you’re there solely to record the event, and it’s crucial that you don’t distract the athletes. Of course, in a rowdy football match

ű Ǖ Ǖ completely drowned out by the noise of the crowd, but in other sports there are times when you can and cannot shoot. ) Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ \

camera with sounds from the shutter you absolutely must not take shots during the swing,

Ǖ Ǖ ǎ Ĩ Ǖ Ǖ mirrorless cameras are particularly useful, Ǔ

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Ǖǔ ǔ Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ take bursts; it’s frowned upon to shoot long bursts ǎ \ ǔ Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ

Ǖ Ǖ ǎ Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ ǔ \

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CAPTURING DECISIVE MOMENTS

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ǔ

disturb the players. Hearing constant bursts, even during the course of a rally, is distracting.

Match-winning moments There are times when you have to be even more ready to capture the decisive moment; such as match-point in tennis. You have to be super

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Ǖ ļ Ǖ \ 0 ǔ Ǖǔ

Ǖ ű Ĩ ļǔ

Ǖ Ĩ feel in my body when something is going to \ ļ ǔ Ǖ ǔ Ǖ ļ

the time to take the shot, if they’re building and readying to smash, then that’s the time.

ǔ Ǖ Ǖ ǔ Ǖ

the world record that’s big news. Or it might be an Ǖ ǎ Ǖ

^

2 Ǖ +

$ ! Ǖ Ǔ ő Wide stadium shots A wide shot that shows the entire playing area and beyond can really help put everything into perspective. With the volleyball image (above), Ǔ

Ǖ

Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ right in the centre of London. We have all these ǔ Ǖű

Ǖ Ǖ

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\ 3 Ǖ ǔ Ǖű Ǖ

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ǔ out and show the scenery as well.

The Olympics, in particular, are about more than each event, they are about telling the story

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Above: This shot of the volleyball at the London 2012 Olympics was taken from high up in the stands with a wide lens at sunset, and the beautiful clouds really add something to this scene-setting image.

Right: Joel explains that you can feel when the emotion will erupt from certain competitors.

Here, Serena Williams had been building it up during the game until it finally overflowed.

She won the match, of course.

Tempers and personality There are favourites in all sports. You know in tennis that Serena Williams will build up temper during the game and finally there will be a burst of emotion. You never know what’s going to happen, but with some players you know that something is going to happen.

of where it is happening. These moments are so historical. They are more than average world championships, they are only held every four years, and most of the time they are the pinnacle for the athletes who have trained for years to get to that exact moment.

37

Paul Wilkinson Go Pro

Paul Wilkinson FMPA FBIPP FSWPP is a multiaward-winning international photographer and co-author of the best-selling book Mastering Portrait Photography, and shares his skills through the free companion site MasteringPortraitPhotography.com. In this monthly series he shares his experiences and stories as he talks about the trials and tribulations of becoming a pro photographer.

Converting time into sales Knowing when to invest extra time and effort into a shoot – and post-production – will save both time and money in the long run…

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GO PRO – PAUL WILKINSON

Photography: © Paul Wilkinson

Putting in the extra effort to finish the images before the client sees them can make all the difference to the sale.

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39

Ingenious recipes for stunning shots

42 Shoot a dramatic landscape How to photograph and edit a seaside landscape with an atmospheric twist

44 Craft a time-slice composite Convey the passage of time via a single still image by slicing and stitching a sequence

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Create dazzling portraits with a prism

Master exposure blending

Use an inexpensive glass prism and a budget lens to add creative flare to outdoor portraits

Blend exposures in Affinity Photo for superbly balanced landscapes that still look natural

VIEW THE PROJECT VIDEOS ONLINE www.bit.ly/NPhoto126

52

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Turn photos into works of art

Balance sunset portraits

Make mesmerizing mandala patterns using Symmetry Painting in Photoshop CC

Learn a simple flash setup to balance outdoor portraits during high-contrast sunsets

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Whenever you see this logo, it means there’s a video to accompany the tutorial, taking you through things step-by-step. You can watch all of our photography tutorial videos online – just go to www.bit.ly/NPhoto126

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SECTION HEAD

CORE SKILLS

The Mission – Shoot cloudy skies at sunset to add atmosphere to your landscapes

Time

P roje c t one: Core skill s

A little bit of drama Mike Harris photographs a seaside sunset with a moody twist on the rugged East Yorkshire coastline

– Two hours

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – ND filter – Tripod – Editing software

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42

Heading out to shoot a sunset on a cloudy evening is always a bit of a gamble, because if the clouds completely obscure the sun you might miss the big event altogether. But if the light is right a cloudy sky can present a dramatic backdrop as the sunset illuminates the cloud cover.

An effective way to add even more drama to the sky is to shoot through a neutral density filter, so you can dial in a long exposure and capture a sense of movement in the clouds.

Another element to consider

when photographing a moody landscape is your subject.

Gnarled trees, craggy rocks and crashing waves look particularly intense against a dark and brooding backdrop.

We decided to photograph Flamborough Lighthouse in East Yorkshire. Not only are lighthouses synonymous with stormy weather, but the bright white structure would stand out effortlessly against the darker sky. We used The Photographer’s Ephemeris app to quickly work out where the sun – setting in the

northwest – would be in relation to our subject. This allowed us to work out the angle we’d need to photograph the lighthouse in order to capture the best light.

It certainly paid off because not only was there plenty of definition in the clouds, but the subject itself was framed via an attractive strip of side lighting, further pulling it from the dark background. As with most landscapes we underexposed our image so we had plenty of detail to work with in post. The final step was a bit of colour grading.

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MOODY LANDSCAPES 2 1

3 Subjects matter Choosing a subject that complements your dramatic sky will help to elevate your image to the next level. Once you’ve selected your location, a companion app such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris will allow you to pinpoint where the sun will set in relation to your subject. This allows you to work out the optimum angle in which to shoot from.

Test shot Fix the camera on a tripod and frame your image. If you’re using a filter holder make sure it’s attached to the lens, but refrain from attaching a filter. Set the camera up for a slightly underexposed image and take a test shot. Once happy, attach your filter.

We used a 10-stop ND from NiSi Filters.

Set for success Switch to MF if you’re using AF to prevent your camera from refocusing when you press the shutter button. If you don’t have a remote shutter release, set a two-second self-timer to help prevent camera shake and if (like us) your maths isn’t up to scratch, use an exposure calculator app to work out your required exposure settings.

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Just keep shooting We suggest apertures between f/8 and f/11 when shooting landscapes for the best image quality, but ended up using f/14 with ISO100 to allow for a longer exposure of 25 secs. When you’ve bagged a keeper don’t stop! The light and clouds will continue to change, so shoot the whole sunset so you have lots of images to choose from.

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Quick Tip Boost the colours Post is where you can make your sunset come alive. Camera Raw’s Colour Mixer panel allows you to control the saturation and luminance of colours, while the Colour Grading panel controls the hue, saturation and luminance of midtones, shadows and highlights. We focused our attention on warm colours to add plenty of punch.

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Plot points Another neat colour grading trick is to enter the Curves panel and select the Blue Channel.

By dragging the top anchor point down slightly you can add a touch of yellow to the highlights, to really enhance the golden light.

Colour grading is a difficult editing skill to master, and if you’ve been working on an image for a while it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Once you’ve graded an image, save it and return to it the following day. You’ll find it easier to recognize whether or not you’ve pushed the colours too far with a clear mind and fresh eyes.

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CREATIVE TECHNIQUES

The Mission – Photograph and edit a time-slice composite

Time – Two hours

P roje c t two: Crea ti ve tech ni que s

Slicin’ and dicin’

Mike Harris shoots and edits a time-slice, to convey the passage of time in a single still image

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – Nikon camera (or remote release) with interval timer mode – Adobe CC – Tripod

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44

Time-lapse photography is used in a variety of productions, from big Hollywood blockbusters to documentaries, as a way to concisely convey the passage of time. It works by taking photographs at regular intervals for an extended period and quickly cycling through those stills to create a video.

We’re going to use a similar technique, but combine the images to create a single still.

This is called a time-slice, because you slice your images up and stitch them together,

revealing gradual changes in lighting as time passes. We shot our scene of Happisburgh Lighthouse in Norfolk from sunset all the way through to blue hour and then astronomical twilight. This allowed us to capture warm golden tones fading into blues, pinks, purples and finally the night sky.

As with a time-lapse, you’ll need to take pictures at regular intervals, but while a time-lapse requires roughly 24 shots for one second of video, a time-slice only requires around 10 images to get

good results. However, feel free to use more photos if you’d prefer – the choice is yours.

You can use your Nikon’s built-in intervalometer to automatically fire the shutter after a predetermined amount of time and for a predetermined number of shots. If your Nikon doesn’t have this feature, some remote shutter releases have in-built intervalometers. To divide the compositions into equal sections in Adobe Photoshop you can download a grid template via our online video link (left).

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CREATE A TIME-SLICE

Lock it off Each shot in your time-slice requires an identical composition. Set up your Nikon on a sturdy tripod and turn off any image stabilization. It will take at least an hour of shooting to get a suitable range of tones.

We used a single autofocus point to focus on the subject before switching to manual focus to prevent hunting when firing the shutter thereafter.

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Camera settings

Set an interval

Switch to Aperture Priority mode; we used f/8 and ISO400. The shutter speed will now automatically adjust to correctly expose each image as the light changes, while aperture and ISO values stay the same.

Next, we selected ‘Interval timer shooting’ from the Shooting Menu.

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Set the start time to ‘Now’ and input one shot at an interval of one minute to happen 1000 times; this allows you to stop the camera when you’re ready rather than risk it stopping ahead of time. Alternatively, use a remote release with an intervalometer, or just manually fire the shutter periodically.

Mask and repeat While on the top layer, use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select the first section on the left of your image and click the Add Layer Mask icon to reveal the next layer in all subsequent sections. Select the next section and add another layer mask, repeat this process for all remaining sections to finish your time-slice.

Quick Tip The starting grid Find the image ‘Grid_template.jpg’ from our project files and open it in your Photoshop document. Next, go to View>Rulers.

Click-and-drag on the left ruler to pull out a guide and drop it on the first grid section.

Repeat this until you’ve positioned a guide on each grid section and then delete the template layer.

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Interval shooting requires very little input once your camera is set up, but this makes it all too easy to miss a drained battery or full memory card.

Ensure your battery is charged and there’s ample room on your memory card before heading out. We also recommend carrying spares – especially if you’re working in cold weather as batteries drain faster.

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Load your layers Open your images in Adobe Bridge.

Identify the best section of your sequence and highlight the images. Then go to Tools> Photoshop>Load files into Photoshop Layers. All of the images will be neatly stacked in the Layers panel on the right of the interface (Window>Layers).

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You can pick up a glass prism for less than a tenner

ESSENTIAL GEAR SKILLS

A fast prime, like a 50mm f/1.8 is ideal, but you could use a kit lens too

Shoot on a sunny day for a more pronounced effect from your prism

Use a microfibre cloth to keep your prism dirt and fingerprint free

Don’t own a prism? Try using a DVD or CD instead

The Mission – Learn how to add creative effects to portraits in-camera

Time – One hour

P roje c t th ree: Ess en tial ge ar skill s

Prism portraits

Mike Harris uses an inexpensive glass prism and budget lens to add creative flare to portraits

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – Glass prism – Standard lens – Cleaning cloth

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46

Super-high-resolution sensors and near-perfect lenses have gotten us so used to ‘pixel peeping’, you could argue we’ve become slightly obsessed with image quality. But razor-sharp imagery isn’t always the be-all and end-all. You can capture amazing images by introducing distortion and flare – optical anomalies we spend most of our time trying to avoid.

For a creative flare effect you’ll need some basic photographic kit, such as a Nikon DSLR, mirrorless or bridge camera with

manual and semi-automatic modes and a suitable lens.

A standard prime lens will work best, but you can still capture great results with a kit lens too.

Shooting towards the sun with the lens hood removed is one way to introduce flare into your shots.

This will create a diffused, washed out and dreamy quality, great for creating a soft and gentle aesthetic.

But for a more intense look, you can hold an inexpensive glass prism in front of your lens to create flair, diffusion, vibrant

distorted colours and reflections.

Glass prisms come in all different shapes and sizes and can be picked up online for a few pounds. You can also purchase specialized kits like the Lensbaby OMNI Creative Filter System.

We used a triangular prism for our shoot. These superaffordable accessories are well worth keeping in your kit bag as they open up a world of creative opportunities – particularly if you’re an avid portrait photographer. Here’s how to get the best out of yours!

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PRISM PORTRAITS

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Prime time Cheap glass Prisms can be found for just a few pounds on popular online stores, making them an affordable way to spice up your portraits. We used a triangular prism, but you can experiment with other shapes and sizes.

A 35mm focal length is a good choice for cameras with an APS-C sensor, while 50mm is better for tight portraits on a full-frame body. The wide apertures of these primes make it easy to blur out the prism and create a pleasing, ethereal look.

That said, if you only have a kit lens, don’t let that deter you from trying out this supercreative technique.

Settings Cleaning buff You’ll be holding the camera in one hand and the prism in your other, so it’s best to dial in the settings before you start shooting. Switch to Manual mode and input a wide aperture such as f/2. Set your shutter speed to 1/400 sec and start at ISO100 (make sure you’re shooting Raw too). We set our AF to single-point AF and AF-S. Give the prism one final buff with a microfibre cloth and then hold it in front of the lens to figure out roughly where you want the flare in the frame. You may need to move around to find the optimum position, as where you are in relation to the sun will alter the prism’s effect.

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PRISM PORTRAITS

Don’t lose focus Capture a test shot Capture a test shot once your model is in position, leaving space in the composition for the flare to be added from the prism. Review the shot on your Nikon’s Playback screen – the histogram will prove helpful here. If the image is too bright, increase the shutter speed and if it’s too dark boost your ISO. Repeat this process until you’re happy with your exposure.

A prism can confuse your camera’s autofocus when placed in front of the lens and,

unless you’re using a tripod, you’ll struggle to focus manually and hold the glass object at the same time.

If you’re having difficulty focusing by simply moving the single AF point over your model’s eye, we’d recommend using AF-S or back-button focusing to lock focus before introducing the prism and firing the shutter (made easier if your model stays still). This is a similar technique to the focus and recompose method.

Experiment Disc lights There are so many variables when shooting with flare that you’ll never get two photos that are exactly the same – and that’s all part of the fun!

You’ll achieve the best results on a sunny day as the soft light on an overcast day will make the reflections from your prism a little weaker.

Another variable is where the sun is positioned in relation to your prism – try to shoot towards the sun or side-on to get the strongest flare. If you don’t have a prism, shiny smartphone screens, mirrors and the super-reflective backs of DVDs and CDs can also be used to produce flare and add other interesting effects to your portrait photographs too.

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49

SECTION HEAD

AFFINITY PHOTO

BEFORE

AFTER

The Mission – Blend exposures of land and sky to produce a balanced landscape

Time – 15 minutes

P roje c t fou r: Aff in ity Ph oto

Blended to perfection

James Paterson shows how to use exposure blending in Affinity Photo for superbly balanced landscapes

Skill level – Beginner

Kit needed – Affinity Photo

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When it comes to landscape photography, sometimes a single exposure isn’t enough. In highcontrast scenes the difference in brightness between land and sky can make it near-impossible to capture fine detail in one frame – this could mean sacrificing shadow detail to preserve the highlights, or capturing shadow detail while blowing the sky.

It’s often a problem encountered at sunset, as when shooting towards the brightest and most vibrant part of the sky the land in front can come out

near-black. Thankfully, by varying our exposure across a couple of frames (taken using a tripod to keep them in alignment) we can capture the optimum amount of detail and then blend our images.

Here we’ll show you how to blend your exposures in Affinity for enhanced landscape photos.

Exposure blending is similar in principle to HDR photography in that the aim is to expand our dynamic range beyond the limits of our camera. But HDR is a blanket approach to the problem.

With exposure blending we can

control exactly which parts of each image to use in our composite image. As such, we have ultimate control over the final results. The technique is done by using a mix of layers and masks in Affinity Photo. We can paint the masks, or use selection tools to help us out by isolating areas of the frame. As well as combining exposures, these fundamental image-editing tools can be used for a huge array of other tasks, from practical jobs like focus stacking to creative montages and composites.

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BALANCE LANDSCAPES 1

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Copy and paste

3

Check the alignment

Open the two images into Affinity (if they’re Raw files, begin by processing them to enhance either land or sky), then go to the Photo Persona. Go to the lighter image, press Cmd/Ctrl+A then Cmd/Ctrl+C to copy it. Switch to the other image and hit Cmd/Ctrl+V to paste the frame over.

Improve the selection

We can use a blend mode to check that our frames line up perfectly. Go to the Layers panel, click the blend mode dropdown at the top and choose Difference. This makes it easier to see misalignment. Grab the Move tool, then use the arrow keys to nudge the layer until it looks right.

Select the sky Set the blend mode back to Normal. Next, grab the Selection Brush from the toolbar and check ‘Snap to Edges’ in the tool options at the top. Paint over the sky with the tool to select the area. If the tool picks up the wrong detail, hold Alt and paint to subtract from the initial selection.

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Go to Select>Invert Pixel Selection so that the land is selected. Hit the Refine button at the top. Increase the Border Width slider to expand the refinement along the selection edge, then paint with the Matte brush over any tricky areas where the land meets sky, like trees or foliage. Once done, set the Output to Mask and hit Apply.

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Perfect the horizon The transition between land and sky will initially be too abrupt, so we can fine-tune the mask. Highlight the mask thumbnail on the layer then grab the Brush tool. Set brush Hardness 0% and Opacity 20%, then paint with white to reveal more bright sky along the horizon, or black to hide it.

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Tweak the tones Our clouds look a bit dark, so Highlight the bottom layer, then click the Adjustment icon and choose Curves. Drag up on the bottom part of the line to lift the shadows, then pin back the rest of the line as shown.

Quick Tip For exposure blending, affix your camera to a tripod and enable bracketing, then set the number of exposures and the increments between each. Keep aperture and ISO consistent and vary the shutter speed to control the brightness. We combined two frames – one to expose for the sky at f/16, ISO100 and shutter speed 2.5 secs (with a 6-stop ND filter). The other for the land, with our shutter speed increased to 15 secs.

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SECTION HEAD

ADOBE CC

BEFORE

AFTER

The Mission – Paint a mandala pattern, then blend it with a photo in Photoshop

Time – 20 minutes

P roje c t five: A dobe CC

Magic mandala paintings James Paterson creates masterful mandala patterns with Symmetry Painting in Photoshop

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – Photoshop CC

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Photoshop’s Brush tool is full of hidden delights, and in this project we’ll explore one of our favourites to create an eye-catching effect. Simple yet ingenious, the Symmetry Painting feature lets you paint in several places at once. There are several types of symmetrical painting options to experiment with, but the most enjoyable is Mandala. Often found in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism, mandalas are geometric patterns organized around a single central point (in fact, ‘mandala’ is

Sanskrit for ‘circle’). The Mandala Brush setting in Photoshop lets you create these sorts of designs in seconds. You can also choose how many segments for your mandala design, which basically determines how many places you can paint at once. It’s simple to set up, wonderfully creative, and it’s easy to lose yourself for a couple of hours blissfully painting circular mandala patterns.

Of course, we don’t need to stop at painting, we can also call upon other tools in the Photoshop arsenal to take our

mandala painting further. We can experiment with blend modes or apply filters (we added a touch of zoom blur here). There’s also the myriad of other options in the Brush tool, like Scattering and Smoothing, that we can use in combination with the Symmetry setting. Once done, we can also go on to combine our paintings with images. This is easier than it looks, all we need to do is drop in a suitable photo, like the eye image here, then use a few simple blending tricks to combine it with the painting underneath.

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SYMMETRY PAINTING 2

1

Create the base

Paint with symmetry

Make a new document (File>New) or use a photo as a base (we used a blurred image). Make a new empty layer for your painting.

Grab the Brush tool and choose a colour. Click on the ‘butterfly’ icon in the tool options at the top to enable Symmetry Painting.

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Play with brush settings

Blend and filter

Click on the brush panel icon and tweak the brush settings. Check Scattering and increase Scatter. Go to Brush Dynamics and up Size Jitter. Check Brush Tip Shape and increase Spacing. Click Colour Dynamics and increase Hue Jitter. Paint to create scattered dots.

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Transform and repeat Choose a Profile in the Camera Raw settings to alter the colours (we used Artistic 01). Hit OK, then duplicate the layer with Cmd/Ctrl+J and set the blend mode to Lighten. Hit Cmd/ Ctrl+T to transform, then hold Shift and rotate the layer 45 degrees. Press Cmd/Ctrl +Shift+Alt+T twice to repeat the transform.

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Choose Mandala and set a number of segments for your painting.

Paint with the brush and you’ll see the strokes appear in several places at once. Try increasing Smoothing to 100% in the options for smoother lines. Experiment with different colours and brushes.

Set the layer blend mode to Color Dodge, then apply the Radial Blur filter (Filter>Blur>Radial Blur). Merge a copy of all layers with Cmd/ Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E. Go to Filter>Camera Raw Filter. Get the Radial Filter tool, double-click the image and lower Exposure to create a vignette.

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Blend an image Drag-and-drop the eye image in, hit Cmd/ Ctrl+T to transform and resize it to fit, then change the blend mode to Overlay. Duplicate the layer with Cmd/Ctrl+J, then double-click it. Drag the ‘This Layer’ white point halfway in, then hold Alt and drag the left half of the slider all the way across.

Expert Tip Symmetry Painting is a feature in the Photoshop Brush tool settings under the ‘butterfly’ icon. The Symmetry options include Vertical, Horizontal, Dual Axis, Diagonal, Wavy, Circle, Spiral, Parallel Lines and Radial.

It can also be useful for drawing symmetrical shapes like faces, flowers or cars. Once enabled, you’ll see a box appear over your image divided into segments. When we paint in one of these, our brush strokes appear symmetrically in all the others. The Mandala setting works similarly, but also mirrors your brush strokes within each segment.

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SECTION HEAD

THE BIG PROJECT

The Mission – Shoot portraits at sunset with a flash

Time – One hour

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – Flash – Wireless trigger – Softbox – Light stand

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54

P roje c t Si x: Th e big proje c t

Portraits at sunset

James Paterson shows how you can shoot vibrant photos of your friends and family at sundown even if the sun doesn’t appear The magic hour has long been known as the best time of day to capture gorgeous landscape photos, but it’s being increasingly used by portrait photographers too. As the sun goes down the vibrant colours can create a stunning backdrop for portraits.

And even if the sky doesn’t erupt into colour, it’s still a great time to head out for dramatic clouds.

The key challenge to overcome is the strong backlighting we get when shooting towards the

setting sun. This makes it tricky to get a balanced exposure, because the subject’s front will be in deep shade. If using the natural light alone we could expose for the shade, but this’ll blow out the sky, or we could expose for the bright sky, but then the subject will be in silhouette. Both can lead to great portraits, but if we want to record detail in the sky and the subject we must supplement the natural light with some of our own.

An off-camera flash is ideal.

A pop of light at the right moment will let us balance out the bold clouds with the light on our subject for a stunning sunset portrait. When it comes to choosing the right light you could use a Speedlight for this, but a standalone flash gives you more control and power over your frame. When we can manage to get the flash working in harmony with the setting sun, the results can be spectacular.

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THE BIG PROJECT

Stunning sundowners

SET UP AN OUTDOOR OFF-CAMERA FLASH TO LIGHT YOUR SUBJECT FOR DRAMATIC SUNSET PORTRAITS

sun 1 Setting The best angle for our sunset portrait

2 Location Think of a location near you that will

flash 3 Outdoor A standalone flash unit, like the Godox

will usually be shooting towards the sun.

The most vibrant colours will often form in this part of the sky as the sun reaches the horizon.

Even if the sun disappears behind low clouds like this, you’re still likely to see dramatic cloud formations and hints of orange or pink.

work for your sunset portrait, and consider the direction of the setting sun in advance.

The rapeseed field here offers vibrant colours that match those in the sky. The beach or a lake can be great choices too, as the sun will reflect off of the water.

AD300Pro here, is ideal, as the output is enough to balance with the sunlight even when firing though large modifiers like a softbox or umbrella. A unit like this will have an in-built rechargeable battery pack. If you don’t have an outdoor flash, a Speedlight can work too.

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& light stand 4 Modifier Light modifiers, like the softbox here,

trigger 5 Flash When shooting with an off-camera flash

balance 6 White Set the white balance to enhance the

let us transform the hard light from the flash, making it softer so that it spreads out and gently lifts our subject with flattering frontal light. Umbrellas or softboxes are best, but if you don’t have one you could simply fire it through the diffuse panel in a 5-in-1 reflector.

we need to be able to trigger it from the camera, either using a second Speedlight, a sync cable or a dedicated trigger like this. Alternatively, you can use the camera’s pop-up flash and set your off-camera flash to optical release so that it fires at the same moment.

sunset tones. Try using the Manual white balance setting and choose a kelvin value around 8400. Shoot in Raw if you can, as this gives you the option to alter white balance afterwards with the same results as if you’d done so beforehand.

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Get set up for sunset portraits Position the flash The great thing about off-camera flash is that we get to place it wherever we like. So we can put it to one side of the subject for dramatic directional light that complements the backlighting of the sun.

Try feathering the flash so it’s angled across the front of the subject. This gives more even light.

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Expose for the ambient Before turning on the flash we work out an exposure that best captures the sky. Set your camera to Manual mode with shutter speed at 1/200 sec and ISO100. Start off with an aperture around f/8, then take a test shot and vary it, if needed, until the sky looks right. Initially our aperture was f/5.6.

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Turn on the flash Next, turn on the flash and trigger, then take a few test shots to work out what the best angle is for the flash. We can adjust the strength of the light from the flash either by tweaking the power settings, or by moving the flash in closer or further from our subject.

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Lift the subject Leave the exposure settings as they are and adjust the strength of the flash until you find the right balance for your subject. You might want to position the subject so that they block the sun, or perhaps have it peeking around the edge of the subject to create atmospheric flare.

Subject distance The distance between the flash and subject has a bearing both on the softness and strength of the light.

Bringing the softbox in close will make for softer light over the face, as the light source will be larger in relation to the subject. Of course, a closer light will also require less power.

6 Balance the fading light As the sun eventually goes down the ambient light levels will begin to slowly drop.

As such, we may need to increase our ISO to account for the fading light and also drop the flash power to balance it out with the daylight. A compatible wireless trigger can be useful for tweaking the flash power on the fly.

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SECTION THE BIG PROJECT HEAD

Enhancing your sunset tones

colours 1 Target The Colour Mixer panel in Camera Raw and Lightroom is very useful for targeting and enhancing different colour ranges. Go to the panel, click the Saturation tab then drag left or right over colours in the image to change the saturation of the colours within. It’s useful for boosting oranges and yellows in sunsets.

WHETHER SHOOTING PORTRAITS OR LANDSCAPES, USE THESE TONAL TRICKS TO BOOST YOUR SUNSETS

the sky 2 Select You can boost the colours selectively

Channel Mixer 3 Use Here’s a quick tip for boosting sunset

in the sky using an adjustment layer. First go to Select>Sky. Then click the adjustment layer icon in the Layers panel and choose your adjustment – try Hue/Saturation to boost the colour intensity, or Curves to add contrast to the sky.

colours. Add a Channel Mixer adjustment layer.

Set Output Channel: Red then set Red +200, Green -50, Blue -50. Set Output Channel: Blue and set Blue +200, Red -50, Green -50. Adjust the strength by altering layer opacity.

Match the temperatures BALANCE OUT THE COLOUR TEMPERATURE BETWEEN THE FLASH AND THE SETTING SUN Flashes usually have a white balance around 50006000 kelvin, which is similar to the colour of daylight at noon. This makes them handy for shooting outside during the day, but at sunset the colour of the light is around 3000 kelvin – much warmer. This variation between the flash and the ambient light can make the subject look unnaturally cool. We could fix a Colour Temperature Orange (CTO) gel over the flash bulb (a weak 1/4 CTO gel will give a hint of warmth).

Some softboxes, like the Godox modifier here, allow you to fit a gold reflector inside the casing. Light takes on the colour of any surface it bounces off, so this gold disc can add a touch of warmth.

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18-21 SEPTEMBER 2021, THE NEC BIRMINGHAM

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Tom Mackie On Location

Tom is an awardwinning professional photographer, best known for his high-quality landscape work for advertising, editorial and design clients. More info at: www.tommackie.com

Tom used a Nikon 70-200mm f/4 with an exposure of 1/13 sec at f/8.

Along with a Lee polarizer, he used a 3-stop medium grad filter for punchy clouds and a deep blue sky.

There and back again Photographing the mountains of New Zealand from different perspectives came with a few surprises along the way…

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f you’ve been following along on my journey around New Zealand in previous issues, we’ve explored an Alpine lake, expansive beach and dramatic coastal sea stacks, so it’s

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capture the majestic mountains.

Let’s start at the top with the highest mountain in New Zealand, Mt. Cook. I was looking forward to shooting this famous mountain from various locations,

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take me above it to capture some unique angles. As we ascended from the base at Ĩ Ų Ǖ 3

temperate rainforest then over the turquoise glacier, the temperature

\ 3Ǖ Ǖ ǔǕ were circling the snow-covered Mt. (

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Ĩ ǔ quickly dropped below freezing. Even with thin gloves, I could hardly move my hands as they were frozen in a tight grip around the camera. It didn’t take away the excitement of soaring through the sky with an open view of Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman, though.

Even though this was so unforgettable, one of my favourite images of this mountain range was from the ground, and it will always be ingrained in my memory for other reasons… $ % Ǖ Ǖ % Ǖ Ǖ 3Ǖ

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ǔǕ below and above the mountain peaks that provided symmetrical framing.

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Ĩ lighting the trees in the foreground against the dark mountains in the ǔǕ ŕ

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the clouds and the deep blue sky. That single cloud straddling the mountain peaks made the shot.

Get to the chopper Out of the corner of my eye, I was distracted from the scene… I got Al’s Ǖ

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three young ladies stripped down to nothing but thongs. They motioned for

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Ǖ Ǖ their phones – it seems to be a thing for people to have a near-naked photo looking at scenery on their travels. I’ve heard of the naked landscape, but this takes it to a new level!

I couldn’t leave New Zealand without capturing one of the best mountain-top views, Roy’s Peak overlooking Lake 3 \ 3Ǖ Ǖ

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with a steep one-mile elevation gain and should take three to four hours. As we wanted to capture the sunrise we would have to start hiking at 3am.

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ǔǕ Ǖ seemed to go on forever, especially Ǖ ňŋŕ

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of hiking all this way and missing the peak colour raced through my mind.

Every step was a struggle, but I forced myself to the summit. I wasn’t going to let this mountain defeat me! As I crested over the top, I couldn’t believe what I saw once again – a helicopter! Nicely dressed, fresh-faced, smiling people got out of Ǔ Ǖ

photographer gasping for breath.

- Ǔ Ǖǔ Ĩ ļǔ Ǖ ő

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ON LOCATION – TOM MACKIE

The colour in the sky looked amazing

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path as a leading line that followed the ridge of the mountain to the lake. I didn’t like the merging peak with the islands, but there wasn’t any way to get higher without the use of a drone or helicopter. Ǔ ʼnŕ

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the sky to balance the exposure. I felt it was missing an important element so Ǔ %

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Photography: © Tom Mackie

Every step was a struggle, but I forced myself to the summit. I wasn’t going to let this mountain defeat me!

After a long and arduous hike in the dark, Tom was rewarded with this incredible view at sunrise. He had his friend stand in the shot to give it a sense of scale.

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THE N-PHOTO INTERVIEW

All images: Daisy Gilardini

Daisy Gilardini

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DAISY GILARDINI

Through her images of polar bears, seals and penguins, Daisy Gilardini has become one of the best-known photographers of wildlife in Antarctica and the Arctic. Keith Wilson hears why she believes photography is vital to saving the creatures that she loves…

Daisy Gilardini Profile ● Swiss-born Daisy Gilardini is a conservation photographer who specializes in the polar regions. ● In the past 20 years, she has made over 80 expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic, including skiing the final degree to the North Pole. ● Her shots have been published widely in leading magazines such as National Geographic, BBC Wildlife and Nature’s Best. ● Daisy is a photographer-in-residence with Canadian Geographic, and her images are used in campaigns by NGOs such as Greenpeace and WWF. ● Her work has been recognized by Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice International Awards and Travel Photographer of the Year. ● Daisy is a fellow of the New Yorkbased Explorers Club and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, as well as a Nikon Ambassador. www.daisygilardini.com

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THE N-PHOTO INTERVIEW

S

ay ‘Switzerland’ and most people think of banks, cuckoo clocks, chocolate and Roger Federer. These might be cliché images of the small alpine country, but when it comes to the hard realities of banks and banking, Switzerland is a global giant. So, perhaps it is unsurprising that the young, animal-loving Daisy Gilardini, from Lugano, should decide to pursue a career in finance, rather than follow her childhood dream of becoming a vet.

Maybe it was the right decision after all, because success in her accounting business meant Daisy could save enough money to fund her travels to photograph wildlife.

It was always going to be wildlife: when she was only four, Daisy’s godparents gave her a soft toy seal and her mother told stories about the seals living under the ice. “At that age it was totally mesmerizing,” she recalls. She grew up with a burning desire to see seals in their natural environment. “That’s where my polar bug started and what brought me to Antarctica, because I cultivated this

desire to see them without knowing what that would lead to.” Thankfully, it led her away from a career in accountancy to a life in the wild…

Growing up in Lugano, was it photography or nature that became a keen interest first?

It was nature, animals. We lived in a small farm town about 15km from Lugano, so I grew up picking up fresh milk in the farm, eggs from the chickens. We had dogs and rabbits and chickens and cows around us, and I grew up thinking I’d become a vet. But things didn’t go that way, I went into finance, but I always loved nature and animals.

Previous page: A rare spirit bear sleeps as night falls in the Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada. Spirit bears are actually black bears with a recessive gene that causes their fur to be creamy white in colour.

Below: The salmon-rich rivers running through the Great Bear Rainforest provide spirit bears with a plentiful supply of their staple food.

When did you start taking pictures?

Around 16 years old. It was my birthday and I got a beautiful bunch of roses and my sister had a little point-and-shoot, and I just wanted to take a picture of them. Later, my

I couldn’t even take DQ\ SLFWXUHV DW ȩUVW and the few I shot were all blurry because I was shaking so much

boyfriend at the time was into photography and, when he was 18, I bought him a camera and we went to Paris for the New Year, and on the Champs-Élysées he said, “Why don’t you take a picture?” That was it, from that moment I was hooked.

Everywhere I went I was taking a picture. From then on, I started planning all of my vacations with the goal of photographing nature.

Did you go to Antarctica first rather than the Arctic?

Yes, and I fell in love with it. I first visited Antarctica in 1997 to realize my childhood dream of seeing seals in their natural environment. I had no idea that experiencing the remoteness of this part of the world

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DAISY GILARDINI

would change my life. I can still recall my first landing on Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands. I was shaking from the emotion of being surrounded by chinstrap penguins.

I couldn’t even take any pictures at first, and the few I shot were all blurry because I was shaking so much.

After that trip, I felt a growing curiosity about the Arctic, and a couple of years later I was off to photograph my first polar bears, in Manitoba’s Wapusk National Park.

Today, after more than 80 expeditions, I’m still trying to understand this attraction I have.

You’re strongly associated with images of polar bears. Why do they mean so much to you?

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Above: Profile of a brown bear backlit against the setting sun at Kuril Lake, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.

THE POLAR BEAR LENS THERE IS ONE LENS THAT DAISY ALWAYS TURNS TO WHEN PHOTOGRAPHING POLAR BEARS… Is there a lens that you regard as your polar bear lens?

Yeah, the 800mm. My favourite combo is my 800mm lens combined with the Nikon D6, mounted on a Gitzo carbon fibre tripod and fluid gimbal head.

That’s my go-to lens in Svalbard, especially when photographing cubs emerging from the maternity den.

That’s quite a big beast, the 800mm?

It is. It’s heavy, but it’s a very sweet lens and I really love it. I say to people in my workshops, only carry what you can. For me, sometimes it means I only carry that lens. It’s the way to go because when I’m on a ship it allows me – if the bear is far away – to get beautiful environmental shots, but when the bear gets closer the same lens allows me to capture portraits.

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THE N-PHOTO INTERVIEW

As a kid, I grew up with a huge collection of teddy bears and other stuffed animals. I used to consider them my friends, creatures that will protect me during the dark nights.

During my early childhood, I knew very little about the polar regions.

At that time, scientists were still a bit confused about climate change, but in the 1990s, with a massive increase of studies and publications, the general public started to acknowledge the problem. While I grew up in the middle of this movement, the dream to able to see seals and polar bears in their natural environment before it melted away became increasingly pressing.

The polar bear is now one of the ‘New Big 5’. Do they deserve their place on this list?

Absolutely! I am delighted that people have voted for polar bears to be one of the New Big 5 of wildlife photography, not only because they are my favourite animals but because they need to be protected.

They’re critical to helping scientists understand changing environmental conditions in their habitat. Polar bears face huge challenges in their fight for survival. Habitat loss due to climate change is one of the main reasons, but not the only one. As apex predators, polar bears are affected by high concentrations of toxic pollutants, which they ingest through the food chain, affecting their health and having a negative effect on their cubs’ survival prospects. Polar bears may be at the top of their food chain, but they have one predator of their own: humans.

Every year, 3-4% of the estimated population of 26,000 – that’s the equivalent of 800 to 1000 individuals bears – are killed by humans. Half of these are in the Canadian Arctic.

Thanks to initiatives like the New Big 5, we have an opportunity to lend a voice to living beings that can’t speak for themselves. We’re ambassadors on their behalf, raising awareness of the serious issues they face.

What was it like to photograph a polar bear for the first time?

It was in 2000, and I was photographing in Churchill, Manitoba, in Wapusk National Park on a huge tundra buggy, a giant truck, so you’re actually looking down on them, but they come very

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close. They are curious and even put their paws on the vehicle and come to sniff you, so you can be 20cm face-to-face with the polar bear!

I photographed them in November, which is the time of the highest concentration of polar bears around Hudson Bay, because that is where the ice will form earliest, compared to the Arctic Ocean, and they need the ice to hunt for seals. That’s also when they are their most hungry because they’re just coming out of the fasting season, the summer, and they have used up all their fat reserves. So, you see these guys waiting for the ice to form, because they need to go hunt. It was a humbling experience.

How close can you get to polar bears in the high Arctic?

Obviously, not as close as shooting from a tundra buggy in Churchill…

Photographing them all around Russia, and in Svalbard where I spend quite a few months a year,

'RVWR\HYVN\ VDLG ‘beauty will save the world’. That’s why I try to focus on the beauty and not the ugly

Above: A baby harp seal on the pack ice near the Magdalen Islands on the Gulf of St Lawrence, Quebec, Canada.

Above right: This cub’s cute face probably explains why polar bears scored so highly to be included in the New Big 5 (see (www.newbig5. com) of subjects for wildlife photography.

Photographed at Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada.

Right: An aerial view of king penguins on the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic, photographed with a 28mm wideangle lens.

it’s a totally different approach. You usually shoot from a ship, so you’re on an elevated platform, which, for photography, is not always the best.

In April, when I go to see them hunt and mate on the pack ice, the tactic is to park the ship on the ice and just wait for them to come. Even if you don’t see them around, they’re going to smell and hear you, and if they’re interested they’re going to come.

That’s the beauty, it’s on their terms.

What about photographing cubs?

How close are you allowed to get?

My main photography with the polar bear cubs is in Wapusk, but we are on the land, we’re not in the buggies, so we have our own food and we can approach them to 100 metres, that’s the Parks Canada regulation. They usually stay near the den, so you just stop 100 metres from them, but we still need huge lenses.

With the big lenses, you can have such an intimate observation when they play with the cubs. Having photographed them so much, I can predict their next move, what they’re going to do, when they’re going to play, when she’s going to nurse.

Apart from your favourite lens, the 800mm, what else do you pack when you go to somewhere like Svalbard?

The lens I use the most if I’m not photographing polar bears is my

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DAISY GILARDINI

www.digitalcameraworld.com

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80-400mm. I love that lens, it’s very sharp. In Antarctica, I never take the 800mm because the seals and penguins are easy to approach, so my go-to lens is the 80-400mm and the 500mm, the small one, the f/5.6, which is lighter.

And cameras?

If I’m shooting fast-moving animals, it’d be the D6. Usually, 80 per cent of the time, I use a tripod, the Gitzo carbon fibre tripods, with the fluid gimbal head if I have my 800mm.

If not that lens, the usual ball-head.

But it’s the 80-400mm with the D6 for anything that moves fast, and for anything in low light it’s the D850.

Quite a few Nikon pros have switched to the Z series mirrorless range, are you tempted?

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I have a Z 7, I mostly use it for landscapes. For wildlife, not so much, but I’m looking forward to the Z 9, which looks like it will be the game-changer as far as mirrorless and wildlife photography are concerned. Also, I use the mirrorless for video quite often.

How important is video to you?

As soon as the quality was good

,Q $QWDUFWLFD , QHYHU take the 800mm because the seals and penguins are easy to approach

Above: What’s so funny? A Weddell seal appears to laugh for the camera in the spring sunshine, Antarctica.

enough to shoot with my DSLR, I started doing it. Before the pandemic I used to do a lot of presentations. It takes a presentation to the next level; you add another dimension hearing the noises of the penguins, or the wind, it makes you feel you’re there. For photography, these are powerful tools to reach people’s hearts, because only by touching the feelings of people can we predispose them to better welcome a message of hope, an environmental message, and they feel the connection with the subject you’re shooting. The sound allows you to better convey this and open someone’s spirits to the cause you are trying to promote.

How do you choose between stills and video when shooting?

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DAISY GILARDINI

CONSERVATION PHOTOGRAPHY INCREASINGLY, WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE DESCRIBING THEMSELVES AS CONSERVATION PHOTOGRAPHERS… What is the difference between a wildlife photographer and a conservation photographer?

We both take a picture the same way but the most important thing is what we do with the picture. Do we connect that image to a message? Do we want to raise awareness? How do we do that? The wildlife photographer is happy with a pretty image that they can put on a wall or sell as a print. I started like that. I realized there are many challenges facing these creatures, and that’s when the conservation message began. While science provides the data necessary to explain issues and propose solutions, photography symbolizes these issues. We need to reach people’s hearts and minds to move them to action.

move here. British Columbia has spirit bears and black bears right here in my backyard, so that was a big bonus. Alaska, with the grizzlies, is just a two-hour flight, Wapusk National Park is a few hours’ flight.

In the beginning, I was mad with myself because I was not disciplined enough to commit to my video, I would always switch to stills images in the middle. I wouldn’t get the shot or the video! So, when I committed to video I pushed the record button and then I would put my hands behind my back. That taught me that I need to get my still first, because deep inside I’m not a camerawoman, I’m a photographer. I have learned from experience in the field and a lot of frustration when to shoot stills and when to shoot video.

You moved to Canada a while ago; it’s a vast country, so what do you most like photographing there?

Bears! Love brought me to Canada because I married a Canadian, and it was not a big deal to convince me to

www.digitalcameraworld.com

What do you include in captions?

I like to feature a mix of biology, ecology and conservation messages.

I also try to liven things up with the occasional funny anecdote, personal feelings about the species and the locations I visit, as well as tips on techniques and equipment I use.

People enjoy positive and beautiful images, even if they come with a message that is not as bright, so I believe in the power of beauty.

Dostoyevsky said, ‘beauty will save the world’, and I think so too. That’s why I try to focus on the beauty and not the ugly.

What are your goals and ambitions for the next 10 years?

Well, climate change is not going away and my dream is to tell the story about how humans were able to save the world and the species and break this ugly cycle that we’re in. I will continue to document the changes in the polar regions. That will be my main goal, and to be a voice for these species and an ambassador for this region.

The spirit bear is extra special…

Yes, it’s magical. When I was in Switzerland I always heard about this spirit bear and all the legends around it, but it was so rare and elusive.

When I moved to British Columbia , I thought, ‘well, I have to give it a try,’ especially when there was the Enbridge pipeline going right through the great bear rainforest, their habitat. I went back five years in a row and had this amazing experience with this spirit bear that I would visit every year, to see her growing. I don’t go back every year now, but I follow the guides and last year there was the pandemic, so there weren’t that many people in the forest to look for them. Hopefully, she’s still alive.

How have you managed during the pandemic and lockdowns?

All my travel assignments and workshops have been cancelled during this time so I’ve put my time and energy into editing images that have been resting in my hard drives for far too long. I find it refreshing and creative, as I’ve found time to study new software and experiment with new editing techniques. I also created a new website, which

includes an online store to promote my limited edition fine art prints.

I’ve focused also on writing new captions for my followers on social media. Through various platforms – @NatgeoTravel, @NatgeoWild, @ Sealegacy, @cangeo, @cangeotravel, @the_explorers_club, and of course my own @daisygilardini – I can reach tens of millions of followers.

Next Month

Laurie Campbell natural history and landscape photographer

What’s your single best piece of advice to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

I believe that the key to success in photography – and in life – is doing what you love. Over the years, I have come up with what I call the ‘3P’ rule, which is passion, patience and perseverance.

Passion: the love and passion you put into your photography will shine through your images.

Patience: there is a lot of frustration in wildlife photography.

You can spend hours and hours – even days or weeks – at the mercy of the most challenging weather conditions, without getting the shot you’re looking for. Patience is crucial.

Perseverance: never give up!

You will succeed, if you continue to persevere enough!

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ON ASSIGNMENT

So near and yet so Faroe Photographer Pawel Zygmunt documents the epic scenery and wild weather of his visits to the Faroe Islands

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t was always my dream to visit the Faroe Islands. Their spectacular landscape and unpredictable weather is something that every landscape photographer aspires to shoot. I remember watching YouTube vlogs from photographers and I fell in love with this place. Some call it the last secret of Europe. Well, it’s not so secret anymore, as the popularity of this place grows every year, bringing tourists and photographers from all around the world.

The weather on the Faroe Islands is unpredictable. Often you’ll experience four seasons within one hour! It could be raining in one place and the sun shining 30 minutes’ drive away. For that reason it’s crucial to pack plenty of wet weather gear and spare clothes, plus hats and gloves.

When I visited the Faroes at the end of April 2019 I was surprised by colourful sunrises and sunsets, which are not typical

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for the islands. Thanks to long days I was able to cover all the most interesting spots.

Second time’s a charm My second visit, in January 2020, was different; I experienced the worst weather of my life. Rain and gusting wind was my companion for almost the whole week.

However, the rain and super-strong winds provided a moody atmosphere. I was forced to shoot mostly handheld due to the strength of the wind.

At times, the extreme weather was dangerous. I experienced gale-force winds of 120kph or more; try to imagine how it would be on the edges of cliffs or on top of mountains in such bad weather.

But despite the fact that I produced more photos during my spring 2019 visit, I enjoyed the winter 2020 trip more, mostly because the dramatic conditions and moodiness really reflect the character of the rugged islands. The only thing I would change about this visit would be postponing

my trip to the end of February, which would have given me more daylight and so more chances to shoot.

During both of the visits I was trying to cover as many islands as I could, but it is not really possible to do in only two weeks. Of the 18 islands I managed to photograph 10, and I barely scratched the surface. I was looking to capture everything the Faroes have to offer, including its cliffs, mountains, lakes and waterfalls. YouTube helped me to get to know the place to a degree and the rest I researched on Google Earth.

My shooting kit is a Nikon D810 with a Nikon 16-35mm f/4 lens for big vistas. I also have a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for generalpurpose shooting and Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 telephoto zoom. I used a LEE 0.9 graduated filter and, sometimes, a LEE Little Stopper, when the weather allowed.

Most of my shots were taken with the aid of a Manfrotto 055 X-Pro 3 tripod, except for my January 2020 journey when, due to the wind, I was forced to shoot handheld.

For more of Pawel’s outstanding images from his travels, as well as his blog about his visits to the Faroe Islands, visit www.breakinglightpictures.com

The extreme weather was dangerous. I experienced gale-force winds of 120kph or more; try to imagine how it ZRXOG EH RQ WKH HGJHV RI FOLȨV www.digitalcameraworld.com

PAWEL ZYGMUNT

Above: The conditions for this shot only lasted for a few minutes, but what Pawel managed to catch was terrific.

Top left: Pawel explains that to get to this spot in Suduroy, in the northwest of the island of Ásmundarstakkur, he had to cross a rope bridge over a massive cliff drop.

Top right: At the southwest end of Sørvágsvatn lake, there’s another lovely view of the dramatic coastline of Vágar.

Images: © Pawel Zygmunt

Far left: You can reach Kallur lighthouse after a 40-minute hike from Trøllanes village.

Pawel says it’s one of the most breathtaking places that he has ever been to.

Left: The walk to Dragarnir is probably the most arduous and, at the same time, rewarding hike in the Faroe Islands, according to Pawel.

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READERS’ LETTERS

Readers’ letters

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the mag and all things photographic! You can write to us, message us or share your images in the following ways: mail@nphotomag.com twitter.com/nphotomag facebook.com/nphotomag instagram.com/nphotomag

Call for backup

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n your June 2021 issue (N-Photo 124), Mike Harris had an article regarding the need for backing up pictures.

As an engineer with more than 45 years’ experience working in the backup and data security industry here in Norway, I fully endorse his message. And it should be extended: it is not just your pictures you need to backup, all data that you receive or generate yourself and is of value to you must be protected with adequate backup procedures.

Remember, there are only two types of data: the data that you already have lost and the data that you have not lost, yet.

Let’s make one thing very clear: all types of data storage devices, be it hard disk drives, solid state disks, optical disks and so on will eventually fail. It is just a matter of time: if you buy a new storage device for your pictures today, it may fail

tomorrow, or in three months or in 10 years – you just don’t know.

You should store all your data, including images, on more than one storage device, and you should make backups on a regular basis.

Any important pictures you take during a day should be backed up on at least one extra device. And then, as an extra protection, you should frequently backup all your pictures (and other data) on a storage device that you store in a place away from

WORTH

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where you live, be it with parents, a friend, or at your workplace. Then, if you should be so unlucky that you have a house fire, you can at least still enjoy your images and all your data.

Image: © Getty

Star Letter

Erik Solhjell

Eye of the beholder

A sobering and sensible assessment, Erik. You could also store images (and other important data!) on one of the many cloud services, which has the advantage that you can access your data wherever you are.

Having taken photographs most of my life (I am over 60 and use Nikon Cameras), I take exception to the word ‘grotesque’ as used by Klaus Lytzhoft in his letter in the March 2021 issue (N-Photo 121). He claims that heather is never as vivid as that pictured in the lead feature of N-Photo 116, and that he has never seen heather that colour.

I think it must be his eye/ brain interpretation, as I see the colour of the heather as per the photo in the magazine, and that is my eye/brain interpretation.

I cannot Photoshop my brain!

Having seen the Cumbrian fells ablaze with purple heather, it really does look that vivid. I’m sure that any ophthalmologist will say that everybody’s eyes/brains interpret colours differently.

WIN! A copy of Affinity Photo

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*Winners will need to create an Affinity user account to download the app. The prizes are issued in accordance with the standard Affinity EULA and there’s no cash alternative.

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READERS’ LETTERS

Social Club Your best photographs from our social media channels – be sure to get involved!

In fact, I have sometimes been told that my photos are over-saturated. Which is interesting, because I usually only adjust the levels.

Christine Lang There will always be a debate on how much you can get away with ‘enhancing’ tones when it comes to processing images. What are other reader’s thoughts? Is this image overdone or truly reflecting the vibrancy that nature is capable of?

No Joe woe No Joe? I always look forward to my N-Photo mag arriving at my local booksellers, particularly as I have to wait three months from the time of publishing for it to get here to New Zealand. By the time it arrives, I have been dying of anticipation, having been teased by your Facebook and Twitter announcements of the contents of each issue.

In recent years I have particularly looked forward to the Joe McNally article. Each month, as soon as I picked up the new issue, I would zoom straight to the Joe section as I quickly browsed the contents of the mag. I loved to share in Joe’s enlightenment around his lighting techniques and setups. But alas, in a flash, there was suddenly no Joe! Things have just not been the same since.

Before I seek the help of a grief counsellor, can you please just give it to me

www.digitalcameraworld.com

straight – is Joe just on a bit of a sabbatical from N-Photo, or will he be back? And I mean, really back – not just a mere flashback in my memory. #bringbackJoe

1. Fishing boat at sunset

Don Pearson

JIM BROKE

Every now and again we shake up the magazine to introduce new features or contributors, and this sometimes means that long-running articles have to give way to make space. You’re not the only one who’s written to say they miss Joe’s musings, but you can keep up with his adventures with photography, lighting and more besides at his blog: www.blog.joemcnally.com

There’s a lot to like about this image, but we’re particularly drawn to the painterly hues of the evening sky and simple composition.

2. Esplanade bridge EDDIE SEE

A cool-looking shot below an underpass in Singapore. But you could have told us that this was taken on an alien spacecraft and we might have believed you…

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3. Eye of the needle LING SHUFEN

This is the eye of an emden goose, photographed at Mill Pond in Banner Elk, North Carolina. We love how the eye draws the viewer into the picture.

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YOUR STORIES Camera:

Nikon D80

Lens:

18-200mm f/3.5-5.6

Exposure:

1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO1000

[1] The striking red and gold colour palette makes this photo from within the Shwedagon Pagoda really pop.

Places and faces People person Tamás Simonyi documents the many faces he meets on his travels both near and far from his native Hungary

MISSION: Document lives around the world and convey how we are all human at the core PHOTOGRAPHER: Tamás Simonyi LOCATION: Hungary KIT USED: Nikon D750, Nikon D80, Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5 -5.6, Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5, Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 WEBSITE: http://tomisimonyiphotography.com

started taking photos with my East German Praktica film camera when I was a teenager. I already preferred to capture photos of people – mostly my schoolmates. At university I was asked by the school newspaper to submit portraits of fellow students. This was 1970s Hungary, when commercialism

I

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was still unknown and we were surprised to find that such cover images lifted sales substantially. I travelled extensively on student trips around Europe and documented my journeys. Looking back on these images, I must admit they would hardly make the bottom half of any photo contest these days.

I made the switch to digital in 2007, when I realized the format could match the quality of traditional analogue cameras.

The additional possibilities ignited my imagination and, despite being always busy as a businessman, I restarted photography in a big way. A friend turned me onto Nikon cameras 15 years ago and since then I have invested heavily. I realize that kit is not all important, but it can certainly expand your possibilities. I do wish quality cameras and

lenses were lighter though, as I’d happily carry twice as much in my kit bag if I could!

Candid captures This monk [1] was photographed in Myanmar in front of Yangon’s famous Shwedagon Pagoda. He was sitting there motionless, ageless. The colour of his robe and his expression harmonized perfectly with his environment. What really grasped my attention was his sunglasses – the black plastic contrasted with his surroundings and the accessories obscured his eyes, adding a sense of mystery.

This desert photo [2] was taken in Wadi Rum, Jordan, a couple of hours’ drive from Petra. This is the most beautiful desert landscape I have ever seen, with fantastic rock formations. Our guide decided to make tea in the middle of nowhere, just as the sun was setting. I placed my camera an inch above the ground as I didn’t want to risk sand finding its way into the body. I didn’t realize the frame was slightly tilted, but the image came out even better this way.

The lady sitting beside the statue [3] was photographed in Quito, Ecuador. She was deep in thought and occasionally made faces, not realizing who she was sitting next to. I used the long end of my zoom and took one shot, causing her to look up at me in surprise. I bowed in thanks and she indicated it was no problem before sinking back into her own world.

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TRAVEL PORTRAITS Camera:

Nikon D7000

Lens:

10-24mm f/3.5-4.5

Exposure:

1/640 sec, f/10, ISO800

[2] Tamás tilted the camera by accident and ended up liking the composition more as a result.

Tamás’s Top Tips • Always look for the unusual.

Experiment with low and overhead angles and even tilts.

• A good photo is 70% composition, 20% light and 10% equipment.

• You won’t capture honest emotions on people’s faces with a posed shot.

• A friendly smile and an expression of thanks goes a long way.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Camera:

Nikon D750

Lens:

28-300mm f/3.5-5.6

Exposure:

1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO250

[3] This candid shot allowed Tamás to get a natural expression that wouldn’t have occurred if he’d asked the subject to pose.

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YOUR STORIES

[1] In cool temperatures this pair of chalkhill blue butterflies proved willing sitters.

The macro bug André Neves barely had to travel beyond his doorstep to find and photograph this incredibly detailed series of insect portraits

MISSION: Aspire to photograph fine art portraits of various insects in their natural habitats PHOTOGRAPHER: André Neves LOCATION: Foxton, Cambridgeshire KIT USED: Nikon D850, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro, Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR with AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II WEBSITE: www.aaneves.com INSTAGRAM: @andre_neves_photography

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have been fascinated by nature and photography since I was a child. I started my photography journey in Portugal some three

decades ago by borrowing my father’s reliable Nikon SLR. I enjoyed the simplicity of the mechanics – and sorely miss the light weight of the camera body!

I didn’t start taking my hobby seriously until about five years ago, when I joined the Melbourn & District Photographic Club, a very welcoming community that has been a great source of knowledge and inspiration.

Over time, I have developed a strong interest in nature and macro photography, and have photographed a variety of species including butterflies, foxes and puffins.

The Nikon D850’s high-resolution sensor and good performance in low light have allowed me to capture insect details with

Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

105mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/20 sec, f/22, ISO800

great precision. I find combining it with my 105mm prime or 70-200mm zoom to be particularly effective for static or dynamic insect photography respectively.

Miniature worlds I was very keen to leave the house with the camera after the long lockdowns of 2020.

I missed the gentle sounds and smells of nature and started to admire my local insect species. Waking up at first light (or before) on many misty mornings in early summer, I started to realize that an insect’s day starts at a slow pace, but rapidly catches up with the sun.

The differences in early morning temperatures, light quality and insect activity, between May and July, can be enormous. I was fortunate to find a reasonable variety of insects, not far from my doorstep. Given the smallest

As the key pollinators of most of our fruit and vegetable staples, we owe these little creatures… www.digitalcameraworld.com

MACRO MINIBEASTS [2] Fill flash was used to enhance this image, without making it appear unnatural.

Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

105mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/200 sec, f/16, ISO2500

[3] André used a monopod for additional stability when photographing these common blue damselflies in the early morning light.

Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

70-200mm f/2.8 + TC-17E II

Exposure:

1/125 sec, f/11, ISO500

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Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

105mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/13 sec, f/25 , ISO640

[4] This Essex skipper was captured 200 metres from André’s home and is proof you don’t have to travel far to find wildlife.

chance, insects will find a way to complete their life cycle – and indirectly enrich our lives. I’m particularly bewildered by butterflies and bees and their seemingly endless levels of energy and determination.

As the key pollinators of most of our fruit and vegetable staples, we owe these little creatures a great deal of gratitude.

Towards the end of last year I put together a panel of 15 local insect photos, having spent months playing with the layout. I submitted it for assessment in April and was delighted to be presented with an Associateship (ARPS) in Natural History Photography by the Royal Photographic Society. Having been inspired by other club members who, like me, are passionate about nature and conservation, I am very grateful for their time and support.

My first image [1] was captured just after sunset at Church Hill, Therfield Heath.

As it was a cool evening, they ‘posed’ calmly for me – framed by an attractive pink rim light 78

Camera:

Nikon D850

Lens:

105mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/100 sec, f/16, ISO640

[5] Rim lighting highlights the minute details on this male ghost moth and its perch beautifully.

I found this pair of chalkhill blue butterflies on a dried scabious head. As it was a cool evening, they ‘posed’ calmly for me – framed by an attractive pink rim light.

This image [2] was captured in my garden. I used fill flash (Nikon SB-800 in TTL mode) with a diffuser to subtly brighten the shadows and reveal details. Hoverflies are always on the move when nectaring so you need to practise a lot and be patient.

I was very pleased when this photograph [3] was awarded the RPS Gold Medal in the RPS East Anglian Region Members’ 2021 Projected Image Exhibition. It was captured early in the morning from the bank of the River Ouse in RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes.

I used a monopod for better stability, because when the damselflies weren’t mating they were on the move.

My final two images were captured along a hedgerow, some 200 metres from my home. Both photographs were taken very early in the day and on a tripod. I composed the first image [4] in front of a blurred background of knapweeds, which helped the subject (an Essex skipper) pop from the otherwise busy backdrop.

The sun was just coming up over the horizon when I captured the next image [5] and I used it to create a halo effect around the male ghost moth’s head.

SUBMIT YOUR IMAGES!

To see your images here, send a small portfolio to mail@nphotomag.com with ‘Your Stories’ as the subject

André’s Top Tips • Invest in a good-quality tripod and head. It’s essential for macro images.

• Use a small LED light source to subtly balance backlighting, and achieve better depth and contrast.

• Wake up early! Not only will the soft morning light flatter your photos, but insects are usually dormant before sunrise and below 13°C.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

The only camera manual you’ll ever need...

80 Nikon Academy We explore how

84 Nikon Software NX Studio’s

86 Ask Matthew Photography woes?

metering works and your available options

powerful Color Control Points explained

A problem shared is a problem solved…

Set metering modes 1

2

Neil Freeman Nikon Expert

Neil is Training Manager at Nikon School, the official tutoring programme operated by Nikon UK, and runs a range of online and on-location courses to help you master your DSLR or mirrorless Nikon: https://nikonschool.co.uk

3

[1] Metering controls: Some older cameras have a dial around the AE-L/ AF-L button, on others it’s assigned to a specific button. Or you may have to select it from the Setup or Custom Settings menu, On Z-series cameras, you’ll find it in the ‘i’ menu.

[2] Entry-level models: For 3xxx and 5xxx owners, press the ‘info’ button to activate the rear LCD screen, now use the ‘i’ button to launch the menu and navigate to select the metering mode.

Press the ‘OK’ button in the centre of the multi-selector to confirm your choice.

[3] Button it: More advanced models have a specific metering button on the top or rear of the camera. Hold in this button and then rotate the rear command dial to change the metering mode. Press OK to register your choice.

NIKON ACADEMY PART 5

Master metering modes

Neil Freeman explains how the metering technology in your Nikon works and when to use the different modes to achieve the best results…

Understanding when to use the various metering systems in your Nikon will help you achieve better exposures. The first step towards getting a good exposure is to ‘meter’ the light in the scene that you are photographing. To do this, the camera needs to measure the brightness of the light that enters the lens.

Last issue we looked at exposure and the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO. You combine these settings based on accurate metering to get the correct exposure for your image. Your Nikon

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DSLR or Z-series camera has a built-in light meter which incorporates some very advanced technology to calculate the ideal exposure, but there can still be challenges when metering the light in a scene as the brightness across different parts of the scene can vary enormously.

For example, the sky will usually be much lighter than the foreground. So how does the camera know which of these is more important? Perhaps they both have equal importance, in which case an average reading is needed. Arriving at a perfect

metering value isn’t made easier by the fact that the key area of your image will vary according to your composition. Depending on your camera, you can choose between up to four different metering modes to help you meter accurately in complex lighting.

The main metering mode, and the default that your Nikon is set to, is Matrix metering.

This is by far the most advanced of the metering modes. Its full title is ‘3D Colour Matrix Metering II’, and it works by creating a pattern across the scene which is then broken down into a number of zones

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NIKON ACADEMY

Metering Custom Settings

Delve a little deeper into the features you might not know about that affect the metering setup for your camera There are various settings in your camera relating to metering. Depending on your camera model you might not have all these features and some older cameras might have different features and terminology. Metering and exposure go hand in hand, so it’s important to set up your camera to give maximum control over both. To explore these settings go to the Custom Settings menu and navigate to ‘b Metering/exposure’

compensation. In Shutter Priority and Program mode you use the front command dial. On cameras with only a rear command dial, use this to control the exposure compensation settings. Exposure compensation is reset to zero when the camera is turned off or the standby timer expires.

[On] Exposure compensation is adjusted via the command dial(s) in the same way as above, but does not reset automatically.

[Off] The default setting for the camera. Exposure compensation is set by pressing the ‘+/-’ Exposure Compensation button and, at the same time, rotating the rear command dial to add either positive or negative compensation to the image

B1 EV STEPS FOR EXPOSURE CONTROL This sets the increments used for shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, bracketing and exposure and flash compensation. Your options are for 1/3 Step, which gives you finer control over the exposure, the downside is it can take longer to select the exact settings you require. The other option is 1/2 Step, which is faster to use but gives you less refined control over your exposure.

B3 CENTREWEIGHTED AREA If you use Centre-weighted metering, you can adjust the size of the area that the camera uses when metering and subsequently the amount of light in the centre of the frame that will be taken into consideration for the exposure calculations.

B2 EASY EXPOSURE COMPENSATION Allows you to choose whether the camera’s Exposure Compensation button is needed for activating exposure compensation. You have three settings to choose from: On (Auto Reset) If you use exposure compensation a lot, and keep forgetting to reset it to zero after you’ve used it, this can be very helpful.

In Aperture Priority mode, you use the rear dial to control exposure

B4 FINE-TUNE OPTIMAL EXPOSURE This is very advanced and it’s highly unlikely that you would need to change the values, but if you know what you are doing you can effectively create a custom metering setup specific to your exact requirements. This menu feature allows you to fine-tune the exposure value calculated for each metering mode. The exposure values can be adjusted up (positive) for brighter exposures and down (negative) for darker exposures in the range +1 to -1 EV in increments of 1/6 EV. The default setting is 0.

Metering modes What they do, how they work and when to use them Matrix

Spot

Measures the light across the whole scene, including focus and colour data. This is analysed while also referencing object distance, contrast, and the size and shape of highlights and shadows. These variables are used to build the metering calculations for your image.

Only takes into account the light around the active focus point.

Depending on your camera, you are only metering 1.5-2.5% of the overall frame, so you need to pay careful attention to the location of the focus point and the amount and type of light that is under this point.

Centre-weighted

Highlight-weighted

Heavily biases the resulting readings to only use the light around the centre of the frame.

On more advanced cameras you can change the size of the area used to calculate the exposure.

Centre-weighted metering has effectively been made redundant

by Matrix metering.

Available on selected cameras this mode meters the highlights to ensure that they are properly exposed and not blown out. It’s best used for subjects lit by spotlights or coloured lighting, or if you’re faced with uneven lighting and a background that is much darker than the subject.

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NIKOPEDIA

NIKON ACADEMY – CONTINUED (over 1000 in the most advanced cameras). A reading is taken from each zone and then analysed. Over many years, Nikon engineers have studied the colour, area of coverage, focus distance, contrast, shadows and highlight information and exposure characteristics of over 30,000 real-world photographic images. All of this data is used as a reference source to build the exposure calculations that underpin the technology behind Matrix metering.

Matrix is the only metering option in some auto shooting modes, and you would need

to select either Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority or Manual mode to use the other metering modes.

Centre-weighted metering biases the exposure toward the centre of the frame and doesn’t take focusing or the distribution of light into account, it just assumes that the main subject you want to photograph is in the middle of the frame. Historically this was the main way of metering, but it has been made redundant by Matrix metering.

Spot metering is a much simpler mode, it just takes a light reading from the area

5HȪHFWHG DQG LQFLGHQW OLJKW Understand reflected and incident light metering To get a more advanced understanding of how metering works in a camera we need to take a look at reflected and incident light metering. A reflected light meter measures the amount of light being reflected across the scene. This is how the built-in light meter within your DSLR or mirrorless camera works. An incident light meter reading is taken with a handheld light meter and means you are measuring the light falling on the subject. It’s a subtle change but in certain lighting situations it can have a big effect.

Reflected light metering reads the light from the entire scene and then uses an averaged reading based on 18% per cent grey. This is also known as mid or neutral grey, and is a standard in photography designed to produce a predictable exposures for most subjects. Reflected light meters assume that the subject is going to reflect 18% of the light that falls on it and calculates the exposure settings from this.

This is fine for a typical scene in daylight, but if you are faced with a high-contrast scene or one with a large area of dark or light areas, you might run into problems. For example, consider photographing someone in a dark suit or outfit. The reflected light meter in the camera sees very little light being reflected and will calculate a higher-than-needed exposure setting. This will overexpose the scene and produce an image with a much lighter suit.

Conversely, if the scene is extremely bright, such as a mountain covered in snow, the reflected light meter will see too much light and produce an exposure calculation that will underexpose the scene. This results in grey snow. Both of these situations are caused by the reflected light from the scene, instead of reading the incident light falling on the scene.

surrounding the active focus point and ignores everything else in the picture.

This makes it the most precise metering mode available on the camera but also the hardest to use as you have to be very careful with the spot in the frame that you choose to take the reading from.

Recent Nikon cameras also have the addition of a Highlighted-weighted metering mode, which further extends the accuracy of the spot metering mode to ensure that details are retained in the brightest parts of a photograph.

EN D I INC

T

HT G I L

REFLECTED LIGHT

Although the light meter in your Nikon reads the reflected light, the algorithms within the Matrix metering system are now so advanced that you can confidently rely on it to produce good exposures in most situations. But even if the light meter produces an over- or underexposed image, all you need to do is apply a small amount of exposure compensation.

Step by step Choosing the best metering mode

Matrix gives great results in most situations, but for tricky lighting try Spot or Highlight-weighted

1

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2

3

4

Enter the Matrix

Compensation

Change mode

Focus accurately

For most situations, start with Matrix metering. It’s most likely to produce an accurate metered result, especially if you have a scene that is evenly lit.

To refine the metered exposure, set positive/negative exposure compensation as required. If you are in Manual mode, just over- or underexpose the image.

If you still can’t achieve a good exposure, think about switching to Spot or Highlight-weighted metering, depending on the scene you are shooting.

Focus accurately on your subject using Spot metering to base the metering calculations only from the light on the area under the focus point.

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NIKON ACADEMY

6SRW WKH GLȨHUHQFH

Spot-metered subjects

Advanced feature: using Highlight-weighted metering Highlight-weighted metering is available on selected DSLRs and Z-series cameras. It is designed to ensure that, when the camera meters a scene, the highlights are properly exposed and not ‘blown out’. It can be used for both static and action shots and subjects lit by shafts of ambient light, spotlights or coloured lighting. To get the best from this metering mode, it’s best to use it with subjects such as performers on stage, a bride under spotlights in a wedding dress or wherever you have uneven lighting and your background is very dark compared to your subject or foreground.

As highlight-weighted metering is designed to detect and meter for highlights, you can also use it on moving subjects that may be difficult to target with Spot metering and without constantly adjusting the exposure compensation settings if you are using Matrix metering.

Highlight-weighted metering also takes into account the colour of the light source, again preventing overexposure in these situations, even if the lights have a strong colour cast.

5

What to expose The key to using spot metering effectively is down to your skill at deciding which part of the scene to take the reading from in the first place. Consider a high-contrast image that has a wide contrast difference between the shadows and highlights. The camera doesn’t know which area needs to be correctly exposed, only the photographer does.

6

Compare results

Or fix it in post…

Compare this with the Matrix metered shot. Use the metering mode that gives the best results and fine-tune with exposure compensation, if needed.

With the great dynamic range of Nikon sensors, if you shoot Raw files you can also bring back highlights and uncover shadows in post processing.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

To achieve the best results with Spot metering, you need to ensure that you focus accurately on your subject so you can pin-point the light from an area of the scene. Spot metering mode is great for precise exposure readings and can often come to the rescue when you are shooting in tricky light.

AF points or Live View?

You have two options to Spot meter accurately in a scene like this. The first is to move the AF point to an area of the scene that corresponds to the part of the picture you want to expose correctly. On a DSLR, sometimes there won’t be an AF point in the right position to do this. In this case switch to Live View and focus on the image via the LCD screen.

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NIKOPEDIA

BEFORE

AFTER

Ni kon NX St ud io Where to get Nikon NX Studio FREE DOWNLOAD! – NX Studio software offers a suite of tools for viewing, processing and editing. It combines the photo-andvideo-viewing features of ViewNX-i with the retouch tools of Capture NX-D. Download the software completely free from: http://bit.ly/nxstudio

VIEW THE PROJECT VIDEOS ONLINE www.bit.ly/NPhoto126

84

Take control of colour Neil Freeman shows you how to use NX Studio’s clever colour control points to make extremely precise edits…

With NX-Studio’s colour control points you have some very powerful local editing tools at your disposal. They allow you to perform localized tonal adjustments to areas of your images. You will find the Color Control Points sub-menu withing the Adjustments tab, nestled under the ‘Touch-up’ sub-menu.

Click on the arrow to the left of the Color Control Point option to expand the settings so you can add control points. You can also access Color Control Points by clicking the icon in the top-level

bar of the Adjustments menu. To start adding control points, click on the icon to the left of ‘Original Value’ and it will turn yellow. Then click anywhere on the image you wish to edit to add a control point overlay. This will also add a numbered Color Control Point within the sub-menu.

You can add multiple control points. To add another, click anywhere on the image and a new overlay and control point option in the sub-menu will appear. The previous control point overlay will now

automatically minimize, but leave a marker showing the location of that control point on the image.

Select this marker if you wish to make further adjustments to that particular control point.

There are some other settings to consider within the Color Control Point sub-menu; one of the most useful is ‘Show Affected Area’. Tick this to see an inverted greyscale display on your image showing the size of the control point. Remember to untick this setting when you start making changes to your image.

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NIKON NX STUDIO

How to use colour control points for localized edits

1

2

Alignment and sizing

Changing colours

Hover over the transparent circle at the top of the overlay. The cursor will change to a compass-style pointer, indicating you can click-and-drag the control point to move it. To set the size of the area affected, hover over the circle at the other end of the line to access a slider; drag it left or right to increase or decrease the size.

4

3 Brightness and contrast

Resetting and removing

Brightness will lighten or darken the area and can be used for dodging and burning. With an appropriately sized control point you can use it as a localized pseudo ‘fill flash’ effect, if you set the brightness scale to a positive number. Contrast can be used to add or remove emphasis from the area under the control point.

See the difference control points make Control points can make a huge difference to your editing, enabling you to make targeted adjustments with ease. To see how the various sliders have changed an area of an image, use the Color Control Point sub-menu to toggle between a before and after view.

Within the sub-menu, next to each individual control point, there is a tick box. When the box is ticked your slider changes are visible for that particular control point, and when unticked you do not see any changes you have made using that control point.

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Click the arrow icon below the overlay to open an extended menu.

Use the Hue slider to alter the shade of colour, and add extra depth using Saturation. Warmth can warm up or cool down the area under the control point, think of this as a localized ‘white balance’ effect.

The Red, Green and Blue colour channels can also be adjusted.

BEFORE

If your changes to the control points have not improved your shot, use the ‘Reset’ button to return all of the control point sliders back to their default values. To remove a control point, use the sub-menu and select the point you wish to remove. Move to the right of the tick box and a cross will appear; click on this to remove the control point.

AFTER

Expert Tip When you add a control point, by default you have access to the control point size and sliders to adjust Brightness (B), Contrast (C) and Saturation (S). Click the arrow under this list to reveal an extended feature set that includes adjustment controls for Hue (H), Red (R), Green (G), Blue (B) and Warmth (W). You can make changes to your image by manipulating any of the sliders.

To hide the extended controls, just click on the arrow again to minimize the list.

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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Ask Matthew...

Our resident Nikon expert Matthew Richards answers your questions and solves your problems. If you have a Nikon-related question, email it to mail@nphotomag.com

bought a Z 6 Q I24-70mm and FTZ mount adapter kit a while ago. What would you suggest as a compact and lightweight telephoto zoom?

Jane Worsley 70-300mm telephoto zooms have been popular since the days of 35mm film photography and it’d be great to see a Z-mount version of this lens.

In the meantime, my favoured option is to make use of the FTZ mount adapter and go with the excellent F-mount AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR, at around £535/$397. It’s a high-tech lens for a ‘humble’ 70-300mm variable-aperture zoom, with the same kind of fast and near-silent stepping motor AF system and electromagnetically controlled

A

aperture diaphragm that you find in Z-mount lenses. It’s also compact and lightweight at 81x146mm and 680g, so is easily manageable, even after adding the FTZ mount adapter.

If you’d rather stick with a native Z-mount lens and don’t mind a shorter 200mm max focal length, the Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR delivers excellent all-round performance, but is pricier at around £669/$797.

has given Q N-Photo ‘best buy’ awards to Z-mount lenses in several categories. Will Nikon produce an adapter that enables the use of these lenses on DSLRs? Brian Keenan

The FTZ mount adapter enables the use of F-mount lenses on Z-mount bodies, but there’s nothing available to go the other way around.

Good question! But an adaptor for using Z-mount lenses on F-mount bodies is impractical. With the mirrorless Z system, there’s no reflex mirror in the body. This enables the lens flange to be positioned much closer to the image sensor, at a distance of just 16mm compared with 46.5mm for F-mount DSLRs. The diameter of the flange in Z system cameras is also rather larger, with an inner diameter of 55mm compared with 47mm for the F mount.

With the smaller flange and greater flange distance needed for F-mount lenses, it’s easy to design the FTZ mount adapter for using them on Z system cameras. The adapter can take up the extra space required between the rear of an F-mount lens and the sensor inside a Z camera, while the smaller rear diameter of F-mount lenses also raises no problems in the design.

A

looking for a small Q I’m ‘throw in the pocket’

The AF-P 70-300mm works really well on mirrorless bodies via an FTZ mount adapter, delivering excellent all-round performance and image quality.

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wide-angle lens for my Z 7 and was thinking of the Laowa 14mm f/4 Zero D. Are there any other options?

John Cooper

www.digitalcameraworld.com

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Secondhand superstar want an advanced camera Q Iso I can learn photography, but am still at school and on a limited budget. What would you recommend?

Michael Peterson Matthew recommends…

I’d go for the Nikon D300S. It’s a high-end DSLR with pro-grade controls and is capable of superb image quality. Its age and relatively low megapixel count make it great value.

A

The little Laowa 14mm is currently the only really small, lightweight ultra-wide-angle prime for Z-mount full-frame bodies.

The Venus Optics/Laowa 14mm F4 FF RL Zero-D (£599/$549) sounds like the best option. It’s lightweight at just 58x59mm and 228g. The only real alternative (currently) is the Samyang MF 14mm f/2.8 in Z-mount (£359/$499), but that’s heftier at 87x124mm and 810g.

Both lenses are fully manual and have no CPU, so can’t communicate electronically with the camera. But you can still use the ‘focus peaking’ display in Z-series cameras to help with accurate focusing, and the EVF/ rear screen can automatically boost the preview image brightness when narrowing the aperture using the on-lens aperture ring. You can also enable the in-body stabilization of

A

full-frame Z-series bodies. Just select the ‘Non-CPU lens data’ option in the Setup menu and enter the focal length and max aperture of the lens.

using a Nikon Q I’m SB-700 flashgun with my D750 but shots usually come out a bit on the dark side. Am I doing something wrong?

Jake Martin The SB-700 defaults to iTTL-BL (Balanced Light) flash, which aims for a good balance between flash and ambient lighting. This produces a more natural look for close foreground objects illuminated by flash, set against a darker background. The trade-off is that the flash might not fire as powerfully as you’d like.

Switching to standard iTTL mode can yield punchier results with foreground areas looking brighter, but without such a good balance throughout the scene. Unlike some flashguns, however, the SB-700 has no physical switch or menu option for swapping to regular iTTL mode instead of iTTL-BL mode. To enable regular iTTL mode, you’ll need to select the Spot metering mode in your camera body, instead of Matrix or Centre-weighted metering.

An easier option is often to simply dial in some positive flash exposure compensation.

A

The Nikon SB-700 Speedlight is a full-featured flashgun, but there’s no switch or menu option for swapping between iTTL and iTTL-BL flash metering modes.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Nikon D300S WITH PRO-GRADE CONTROLS, THE D300S IS A GREAT TOOL FOR LEARNING ALL THE TIPS AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE RELEASED: 2009 PRICE NEW: £1500/$1800 SECONDHAND PRICE: ‘Excellent’ £219/$245 ‘Good’ £195/$220

Key points

Replacing the Nikon D300, the D300S was in production from 2009 to 2014. A DX-format DSLR with similarly pro-grade handling was then unavailable until the launch of the D500 in 2017. The D300S has a weathersealed magnesium alloy build, along with pro-style ergonomics and handling, including Nikon’s typical array of buttons on the top plate that replaces the shooting mode dial.

Other attractions include a speedy 7fps max drive rate, a top shutter speed of 1/8000 sec, dual CompactFlash and SecureDigital card slots, and a 51-point AF system.

2. Pro-style ergonomics The mode dial is replaced by an array of quick-access buttons for white balance, quality settings and ISO.

1. Pro-grade build There’s a pentaprism viewfinder and a high-res 920k 3-inch rear LCD.

3. Shutter life Nikon states a shutter life of 150,000 for the D300S. Sensor: 12.3Mp CMOS Raw colour depth: 12/14-bit Viewfinder: Pentaprism, 0.94x, 100% ISO range: (expanded) ISO200-3200 (100-6400) AF module: Multi-CAM 3500DX 51-point Shutter speeds: 1/8000 to 30 secs, Bulb Dimensions: 147x114x74mm, 840g Battery life: 950 shots

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Tom Mason Wild Life

Pro wildlife photographer and Nikon Europe Ambassador Tom has worked around the globe on assignments to capture photographs of all creatures great and small, from the Falkland Islands to the Amazon Rainforest. www.tommasonphoto.com

Blurred lines Sharpness, it’s overrated. But that’s not to say that you can throw caution out the window – there has to be some intention to shaky shots…

All images: © Tom Mason

I

88

n the modern world, sharpness seems to have become some mythical necessity. With the cramming of pixels into smartphones, TVs and cameras, sharpness gets rammed down our necks, and while it’s nice to see things in ultra-high

ű Ǖ Ǖ Ĩ

Ǖ ǔ anything better? I mean heading to the Tate or the V&A, looking at some of the wonderful art of the past, do you ever stand there and think, ‘Hmm I wish this was sharper,

ǓǕ ŏ#œļ 1 Ǖ \ When I started out in photography, Ǔ ű

ǔ Ǖ ǔ Ǖǔ were sharp. Hitting that standardized 1/1000 sec minimum was a bit of an obsession really, ensuring I could freeze my subjects and see every last detail.

That’s what all the pros talked about

Ǔ Ĩ

Ĩ Ǖ ļ ő % Ǔ Ǔ

ǔ

Ǔ ǔ Ǖ

Ǔ Ǖ Ǖ

Ĩ

myself keen on the blurry side. Yes I still

Ǖǔ Ĩ ǎ Ǖ ļ more abstract that really get me excited.

I’m going to go out on a limb here

Ǔ ǔ ǔ ǔ ǔ Ǖ Ĩ Ĩ ǔ

importantly, thank her. You see, my mum’s an artist, and throughout my Ǖ Ǔ ļ

onslaught of art; a brilliant upbringing

Ǖ

Ǖ

ő Holidays, for as long as I can remember, always had a number of artistic stops en route. Maybe it was Monet’s garden, Ǔ) ǕǔĨ ǎ

Henry Moore Foundation, or even six

weeks backpacking as a family round France and Spain, taking in heritage, art and landscapes. Sometimes, I’ll admit, Ǔ

Ǖ Ű Ĩ but it’s sunk into my subconscious, and now when I’m producing my own work, well, I’m always looking for something Ǔ Ǖ Õ One of the key concepts here, that Ǔ Ǖ Ǖǔ Ĩ Ǖ Ǖ ļ sharp. Constantly moving, blowing in Ǖ Ĩ Ǖ Ĩ Ǖ Ĩ Ų Ǖ Õ Ǖ never stops, and so when you freeze it, yes you get a chance to really see the detail, but do you feel it? I don’t know.

When I look back at my work that makes me happiest, it’s not always the rarest subjects or most perfect shots, but those that remind me of the feeling at the time. Rarely are these memories frozen or static thoughts in my head, but moving. Hence shooting blurry images has become something I love to do.

Once more, with feeling Now, it’s not just a case of dropping the shutter speed below 1/20 sec and waving the camera about, because as with any piece of art, it only works with intention.

It’s clear when a photographer has shot a frame with a shutter speed that wasn’t Ǖ Ǔ Ŗ Ǖ ǔ ǔ that makes a frame look out-of-focus, rather than artistically intentional. Sorry if you were hoping to palm a few of

Ű ő It’s all about harnessing a feeling, Ǔ ǔ Ǖ Ĩ Ǖ Ǖ Ǖ our imagery, using that lack of sharpness to allow our viewer to feel the shot, rather than see every last detail. An impressionistic view of the wonders Ǔ Ǖ Ĩ

Tom used a slower shutter speed here to convey a sense of graceful movement.

Ǖ Ǖű Ĩ Ǖ Ǖ \ 3 Ǖ with it to capture a sense of movement and life within our images can be something really refreshing, and certainly add some interest into our portfolios. That added risk is a real attraction, understanding that the frame could be ruined so easily, and yet as a photographer we have chosen the artistic merit of the movement to capture

ǔ Ǖ ǕŰ Ĩ Ǖ Ǖ

Ŗ

ŇŮŇņņņ

Ŗ Ǖ Ĩ Ǖ pursuit of something unique. &ǎ ļ ǔǕ \ + ǔ Ǖǔ you’ll make something you can look at ǎ Ĩ feel the photograph. Sharpness is overrated, ISO64 for the win.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

It’s all about harnessing a feeling, an emotion, and expressing that within our imagery

You can’t just decrease your shutter speed and hope for the best.

With blurry shots there still has to be intention and meaning.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Using a slower shutter speed to capture the flapping motion of this bird’s wings results in an arty and abstract interpretation.

89

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021

The search for the world’s best Nikon photographer of 2021 continues! Each issue the monthly N-Photo POTY 2021 photo contest’s top 10 images are selected by the N-Photo team. This issue’s competition has the theme of urban photography…

www.digitalcameraworld.com

URBAN PHOTOGRAPHY 2

3

1

1. City in the Fog

2. Rain

3. Night Riders

BY BORISOV EVGENY

BY SARA JAZBAR

BY HARRY OLIVER

This unusual cityscape has immortalized an incredible moment in time. On the morning it was photographed, Dubai Marina was blanketed in a thick layer of fog. But from a vantage point high up on the 86th floor of a skyscraper, Borisov was able to frame other tall buildings breaching the layers of mist below. The subtle editing and thick fog creates a brooding dystopian atmosphere.

It’s easy to forgo heading out with the camera when it rains, but this image is proof that wet weather is simply another opportunity to capture great photos. The composition, reflections, brooding sky and crisply captured pigeons all add plenty of interest, and the black-and-white conversion was a clever choice as it helps suppress unwanted distractions in this busy scene.

This cinematic image was captured in London’s South Bank. The lighting, positioned directly behind the subjects, has created a contre-jour effect and long shadows, which add to the moody film-noir aesthetic and lead the viewer’s eye.

Colourful graffiti in the background might have proved distracting, but this has been avoided via an attractive monochrome conversion.

Camera:

Nikon D850

Camera:

Nikon D500

Camera:

Nikon D3S

Lens:

14-24mm f/2.8

Lens:

11-20mm f/2.8

Lens:

24-70mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/1250 sec, f/8, ISO200

Exposure:

1/320 sec, f/9, ISO280

Exposure:

1/40 sec, f/2.8, ISO8000

WIN! A WhiteWall Photo Lab voucher Worth £100!

Witness your work as a glorious gallery-quality print from award-winning online photo laboratory WhiteWall. The winner of the N-Photo judges and crowd vote each receive a £100 WhiteWall voucher to have their entry printed in a range of stylish options including acrylic, aluminium, giclée and canvas in a huge array of sizes. See www.whitewall.com/uk

www.digitalcameraworld.com

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SECTION HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021

4

4. Urban Solitary 3

5

BY LEONARD LOH This image is dripping with atmosphere and its composition follows the golden ratio very closely.

The arching stairs lead the eye towards the lone figure and the sparse surroundings only enhance the feeling of isolation. We really like the subtle lighting and cool colour temperature, which gives the image a futuristic vibe.

Camera:

Nikon D800

Lens:

24-70mm f/2.8

Exposure:

1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO640

5. Guardian

BY MOHAMMAD DADSETAN This architectural image depicts a lone figure beneath Tehran’s Azadi Tower. Not only is the image perfectly symmetrical, but the guard is positioned right in the centre of the archway and facing at a perfect 90-degree angle. His uniform could also be considered a metaphor for the uniformity of the image’s composition.

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Camera:

Nikon D5300

Lens:

18-140mm f/3.5-5.6

Exposure:

1/800 sec, f/3.5, ISO100

www.digitalcameraworld.com

6. Solitude

BY JUSTINAWIND An isolated figure is a hallmark of urban photography and this image doesn’t disappoint.

The silhouetted figure pops against the bright light source and the inside of the tunnel is partially illuminated to reveal its swirling construction.

Camera:

Nikon D7100

Lens:

10-20mm f/3.5

Exposure:

1/10 sec, f/3.5, ISO100

7. Man on Bike

BY KIRST KING-JONES This panning shot of a man on a bicycle was taken in Hong Kong. Crucially, the subject’s face is tacksharp and surrounded by lashings of motion blur.

Camera:

Nikon D4S

Lens:

24-85mm f/3.5-4.5

Exposure:

1/15 sec, f/5.6, ISO800

8. Grid Plan

BY MUHAMMAD AL-QATAM When viewed from high up in the Willis Tower the city lights reveal Chicago’s grid layout. Remarkably, this image was handheld and shot through glass.

Camera:

Nikon D810

Lens:

16-35mm f/4

Exposure:

1/5 sec, f/4, ISO800

8

6 7

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021

9

9. Abandoned Structure

10. Vespa

BY MAURIZIO SANTONOCITO

BY FRITZ PRIMADYA

This urbex image is tack-sharp from front to back. Notice how the light slips through the window and door, adding to the decidedly eerie atmosphere.

In this documentary image a vignette centres the viewer’s attention on the mechanics before the eye drifts towards the giant Vespa sign.

Camera:

Nikon D750

Camera:

Nikon D80

Lens:

20mm f/1.8

Lens:

18-70mm f/3.5-4.5

Exposure:

3 secs, f/11, ISO100

Exposure:

1/60 sec, f/4.2, ISO500

10

How to enter HOW OUR COMPETITION WORKS

● Each issue, the N-Photo team sets a theme – we next want to see your best aviation photography. Enter at www.photocrowd.com/npoty21aviation ● The deadline for entries is 29 July and the top 10 gallery will appear in N-Photo 128, on-sale 26 August 2021. ● It goes without saying that all images must be shot on Nikon cameras! ● You can also vote for your favourite entries at the Photocrowd website – the image with the most votes is named the Crowd Vote Winner. ● Each issue, the Judges’ Vote winner and Crowd Vote winner will both receive a £100 WhiteWall voucher.

WIN A NIKON Z 6II THE NEXT-GEN FULL-FRAME MIRRORLESS! This second incarnation of the full-frame Z system boasts two EXPEED processors and dual slots for CFexpress/XQD plus SD UHS-II cards. It has a 24.5Mp sensor, can shoot 14fps bursts and produce 8-bit internal video. Add to that a future firmware update that will allow the camera to record 4K UHD video at 60fps, and the Z 6II is N-Photo’s top mirrorless pick.

WORTH

£1999!

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● 12 competitions will appear throughout 2021, and the overall N-Photo Photographer of the Year 2021 – and winner of the grand prize – will be crowned in the issue that goes on sale in January 2022. Good luck!

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Join our Apprentice on a dusk till dawn landscape shoot in the Brecon Beacons

Exposed!

Master exposure in Nikon Academy p82

Adam Oswell

Join our Apprentice on an urban adventure to capture portraits of people and places

Food for thought

“You’ve got to know your rights” p64

/RRN ȪDVK\

Scrumptious Nikon images from FPOTY p16

Master off-camera Speedlights p80

Interview

Tanya Habjouqa: “I try to surprise you” p62

7RS RI WKH ZRUOG

Best World Photography Award Nikon images p17

Issue 125

Issue 124

Issue 123

Issue 122

Issue 121

Issue 120

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Brecon Beacons shoot City shooting tricks ● Lenses made for streets

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Fancy floral photos Top portrait primes ● Street photography

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Find your photo mojo Nikon Z 7II reviewed ● Painterly landscapes

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Shoot lush spring photos Craft stunning selfies ● Eight ace astro lenses

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Shoot local wildlife Amazing Arctic imagery ● Nikon Z 9 first look

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EXCLUSIVE!

Is Nikon’s cut-price fullframe mirrorless our next camera?

BIG TEST

Tripods from £97!

8 affordable supports reviewed & rated

PROJECTS TO TRY AT HOME

k nS ill

NikonSkills

NikonSkills Join our Apprentice on the trails of an action-packed mountain bike shoot

Join our Apprentice as he learns to shoot mouth-watering images of Christmas treats Amazing landscapes from ILPOTY p16

Jon Lowenstein

“For me, a photograph is like poetry” p66

Spaced out

Deer oh deer

Astro images that are out of this world p16

Stories behind our readers’ shots p80

Issue 119

Issue 118

Fine art landscapes ● Festive food photography ● Nikon Z 6II reviewed

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PRO TIPS

Take a wild ride

Festive food photos!

Light & land

NikonSkills

PRO TIPS

PRO TIPS!

Ace aerial photography ● Top tele-zooms rated ● Marine photography

A dog’s life

Fab photos of fourlegged friends p66

Big in Japan

Issue 117

Issue 116

Nikon Z 6II & 7II preview ● Scenic filters feature ● Deer rut Apprentice

●

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Andrea Bruce

“There is beauty in everything” p54

Master Manual mode ● Nikon Z 5 full review ● Mountain bike shoot

“Going to a war zone doesn’t scare me” p56

%XV\ DV D EHH

Tom Mason on how he still gets the buzz p54

PRO TIPS

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Moors and tors!

Our Apprentice learns to shoot arty close-ups of pretty plants

Join our Apprentice on a magical landscape shoot in the wilds of Dartmoor

Less is more

Up in the air

Minimalism in Marrakesh p64

Fantastic shots of Ɯ JKWHU SODQHV S

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Nina Berman interviewed p56

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Control your focusing ● Fine art floral tricks ● Travel superzooms rated

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Next issue

NEW NIKON SKILLS

Image: © Tom Mackie

Best of British!

Travel pro Tom Mackie shares his 20 favourite landscape locations from every corner of the British Isles, along with top shooting tips

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ALSO NEXT ISSUE

Our Apprentice aims for the stars in our astro masterclass Eight gold-standard primes and zooms for shooting sports Depth of field explained – in depth!

New Nikon Z 105mm & 50mm macro lenses go head-to-head

ON SALE THURSDAY 29 JULY •Contents subject to change

GearZone

New gear, buying advice and the world’s toughest tests Lab tests explained Sharpness A chart with multiple sharp boundaries is photographed, the extent of blur at the centre, mid and edges showing how many line widths per picture height the lens can resolve. Simply put, the bigger the numbers the sharper the lens.

NEW GEAR

HELP ME BUY…

98 Cutting-edge kit

A whole new collection of Nikon-related gear to get stuck into

100 Monopods

Take the weight of the world (and your gear) with these monopods

Fringing Chromatic aberration is visible as purple or green fringing around high-contrast boundaries, caused by different wavelengths being focused on different areas of the sensor. The larger the number, the worse the score.

Distortion

REVIEW

A lens that bulges towards the edges of the frame produces barrel distortion, shown as a negative score. Pincushion distortion produces a positive score.

A score of zero indicates no distortion.

BIG TEST

102 Elements 2021

Can Photoshop Elements 2021 bring anything new to the table?

104 Travel tripods

No need for compromise with these terrific lightweight travel tripods

Our scoring system

Our awards in a nutshell

BEST ON TEST

The best performance, design and value

www.digitalcameraworld.com

GOLD AWARD

A product that gives you more for your money

GREAT VALUE

The very best kit that really sets the standard

1.0

Forget about it!

2.0

Below average

3.0

Good for the money

4.0

Excellent product

5.0

Best-in-class

97

GEAR ZONE

New gear

Here’s what caught our eye this month Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S £999/$997 www.nikon.co.uk

ou wait ages for a Z-mount macro lens and then two come along at once… Both the Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S and the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 (more on this one below) offer a 1:1 reproduction ratio to enable photographers to get a much closer look at their favourite subjects.

While third-party macro lenses have been available for the Z mount for quite some time now, these two brand-new pieces of glass are the first official Nikon macro lenses for the Z-mount line-up – and have been hotly anticipated.

The Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S is a constant f/2.8 aperture mid-telephoto macro lens that features S-Line next-dimension optical design with a smooth and silent multi-focusing system.

It also features Nikon’s antireflective ARNEO and Nano Crystal coatings to help combat ghosting and flare, while the in-lens Vibration

Y

Reduction (VR) helps photographers capture steady handheld shots – even when shooting at those slower shutter speeds.

It features a minimum focus distance of just 0.29m and the autofocus limiter switch enables rapid acquisition of subjects from 0.29m to 0.50m.

Nikon advises that focus breathing is “all but eliminated” on this lens, which will definitely please videographers looking to use macro lenses to capture their footage.

Rob Harmon, Senior Commercial Lead, Nikon Northern Europe, says: “The long-awaited 105mm macro lens brings astonishingly beautiful macro

performance to the Z system, and is a perfect choice for both pros and macro enthusiasts.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS We’re expecting big things from this ‘S-line’ lens, and confidently predict that image quality will be nothing short of spectacular when it finally hits.

We’ll be bringing you our full verdict on both these macro marvels as soon as we can get them into our lab.

Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8

£649/$647 www.nikon.co.uk

ikon’s second mirrorless macro lens, the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8, is billed as a “compact, lightweight and versatile lens that’s ideal for starting macro photographers who want to shoot

N

vibrant close-ups”. Photographers can use markings on the lens barrel to see whether they’re shooting at a 1:4, 1:2 or 1:1 magnification ratio, while the f/2.8 rounded nine-blade constant

aperture should be perfect for capturing stunning bokeh.

The lens features a minimum focus distance of just 0.16m, which means that photographers can capture sharp shots even when the front of the lens is just 5.6cm away from the subject.

Meanwhile, the AF focus limit switch enables the lens to focus more quickly on subjects within the 0.16m to 0.30m range.

Rob Harmon, Senior Commercial Lead, Nikon Northern Europe, says: “The new 50mm macro lens is ideal if you want to start shooting true

macro images. And if you simply want a versatile 50mm lens that will also let you capture incredible close-ups, then this is it.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS At two-thirds the price of the 105mm lens, this is a more affordable proposition, and a 50mm focal length translates to 75mm on a crop-sensor Nikon.

There’s no VR in this lens though, and we’re eager to see how this non-S-line lens performs when compared to its more upmarket bigger brother.

www.digitalcameraworld.com

GEAR ZONE

Nikon NX Field

£TBA/$TBA www.nikon.co.uk

ith the Tokyo Olympics due to start this month, Nikon has announced a new remote shooting system designed for professional sports shooters. Dubbed NX Field, the system will allow multiple Nikon cameras to link together for remote shooting, with shutter releases controlled via the main camera.

It will be released via Nikon Professional Services and will initially be compatible with the Nikon D6 and D5 pro-spec DSLRs, with support for the manufacturer’s mirrorless Z cameras, like the Z 6II, Z 7II and the eagerly anticipated Z 9.

A LAN cable or wireless LAN can be used to connect cameras and, with

W

Datacolor SpyderX Create Kit the NX Field app, shutter releases can be controlled via a smart device.

This will also allow photographers to change camera settings, view and upload photos, and check Live View.

The demands of sports and news photography requires increasingly speedy transfer from camera to remote editor, and NX Field is designed to immediately and automatically upload images from both the main and remote cameras to an FTP server.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS This is strictly for the pros and requires cameras to be updated via a paid firmware update, but it’s an exciting development nonetheless.

£239/$TBA www.datacolor.com

atacolor, the company behind the popular SpyderX colour calibrator, has launched a line of accessories to help get your monitor’s colours bang-on.

The Spyder Tripod (£12.99) stabilizes cameras for clear, sharp images in low light and long exposure situations. Its flexible legs, light weight and portability make it perfect for night-time photography, video and vlogging. It’s compatible with the SpyderX calibrator, Spyder Cube and Spyder LensCal. The Spyder Shelf (£12.99) allows you to attach a SpyderX to the top of

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your monitor to ensure the monitor light won’t affect the reading of the room’s ambient light while affording additional desk space. The Spyder USB-C (£9.99) connects a SpyderX monitor calibrator to computers that only have USB-C ports. The SpyderX Create Kit bundles all three accessories along with a SpyderX Pro and ColorReader EZ. FIRST IMPRESSIONS True-to-life colours are crucial, and the SpyderX Create Kit is now available exclusively on Datacolor’s website for a tempting limited-time introductory price of £175.

Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 & Z 40mm f/2 £TBA/$TBA www.nikon.co.uk

f two new macro lenses weren’t enough, Nikon has also announced the development of the Z 28mm f/2.8 and Z 40mm f/2. While both these have appeared on Nikon’s Z Lens Roadmap in its ‘compact primes’ section, this is the first time we’ve been given detail on the maximum aperture or seen images of them – though Nikon caveats these images with the disclaimer “The appearance of the lenses may differ from the photo shown.”

Other than that, details remain scant. The exact dimensions haven’t

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been released, although they are clearly much slimmer than the existing range of Z-mount lenses.

Thanks, in part, to the slower max apertures. That said, the 40mm f/2 is a mere 1/3-stop slower than the f/1.8 apertures typically seen in Nikon’s Z primes, while the 28mm f/2.8 isn’t exactly pedestrian.

The Z 28mm f/2.8 is being developed as a wide-angle prime lens for snapshots. In contrast, the Z 40mm f/2 is being designed as a standard prime, which Nikon says will allow “users to enjoy bokeh as part of their imaging expression”

– implying it will boast a rounded aperture that will give out-of-focus highlights an attractive quality. Nikon goes on to say “both lenses will be easy to use by a broad range of users, including those new to mirrorless cameras, in a wide variety of daily scenarios.”

Neither lens comes with the ‘S-line’ moniker, reserved for the most upmarket lenses, suggesting that they will come with a more affordable price tag.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS While these are full-frame lenses, they will be well suited to the APS-C sensor Z 50 (and rumoured Z 30), with their slimmer form factor being a good match for these more svelte bodies. The 28mm lens would then have an effective focal length of 42mm, while the 40mm lens would have a 60mm reach.

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HELP ME BUY…

Help me buy a… monopod

Take the weight of heavy kit and get sharper shots with a stick support he best monopods can provide photographers and videographers with a tremendous amount of shooting versatility compared to a tripod.

While these singlelegged supports don’t have the same rock-steady stability, they are far lighter and less cumbersome than tripods, and can easily be taken places that tripods cannot.

A monopod can be carried with you easily, even dangling by a simple wrist strap, it can also give you just that little bit of extra support that you need to nail a tricky shot. Having a monopod by your side can make the difference between a sharp shot and a blurry mess! They enable you to react much faster than tripods, which can take a decent amount of time to set up.

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Moving forward What’s even better is that manufacturers have certainly not rested on their laurels when it comes to monopods, and new models are coming out all the time that push the envelope when it comes to what monopods are capable of. Vanguard made a big splash a few years ago with its triple-footed monopods, a couple of which you’ll see on this list, but there have been more recent developments too. We’re big fans of the recent Benro MSDPL46C SupaDupa carbon fibre monopod, which adds several innovations – such as a free-spinning foot – into the mix.

Of course, which monopod is right for you will depend on your specific photographic needs… Different models have different maximum heights, which you may want to factor in if you are especially tall. You also want to consider how much a monopod weighs and how small it folds down, as it’s you that’s going to have to lug it around on your excursions! Maximum payload is a concern as well, especially if you’re using hefty telephoto lenses. Let’s get cracking with the best monopods you can buy for your Nikon!

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Material: Aluminium Sections: 4 Max load: 6kg Extended length: 163cm Packed length: 55cm Weight: 0.89kg

Material: &DUERQ ȨEUH Sections: 6 Max load: 32kg Extended length: 158cm Packed length: 48.5cm Weight: 0.9kg

Vanguard VEO 2S AM-264TR

Benro SupaDupa Pro MSDPL46C

he tripartite stabilizing foot is a Vanguard staple and, while it makes the monopod more bulky and gives it a bigger footprint, it also majorly improves stability and opens up the user’s options, especially in low light conditions or when shooting video. The VEO 2S AM-264TR is well engineered, with smooth twist locks and an ergonomic design. As well as the standard mounts for your camera, it also offers a universal smartphone connector.

he Benro SupaDupa Pro MSDPL46C proves there’s still innovation to be found in the humble monopod.

A rotating foot makes it easier than ever to produce smooth panning movements, while a levelling head offers 20-degree movement in all directions – useful if you can’t quite get the monopod itself on level ground. The leg locks are all twist-style… except the top one, which has a flip catch that makes it very easy to use the top section for quick height adjustments.

PROS Stable extra feet; ergonomic twist locks CONS Relatively heavy; longer packed length

PROS Blend of locks; six sections for flexibility CONS Cheaper options exist

£80/$90 www.vanguardworld.co.uk

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£190/$250 www.benroeu.com

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Material: Aluminium Sections: 5 Max load: 8kg Extended length: 159cm Packed length: 43cm Weight: 0.5kg

Material: Aluminium Sections: 5 Max load: 3kg Extended length: 155.6cm Packed length: 41.5cm Weight: 0.35kg

Manfrotto Element MII

Manfrotto Compact Photo Advanced

art of a new range, the Element MII aims to be lightweight and affordable, which it manages with aplomb.

Weighing in at a slender 0.5kg and still able to hold up to 8kg of kit, the Element MII will be more than up to the job for most roaming photographers. It’s a pretty simple design, without fancy bells and whistles like a tri-part foot or quick-release plate, but the price is attractive.

We rather like the stylish red finish, too, though you can get it in black if you’re a traditionalist.

ith a max payload capacity of 3kg, the Manfrotto Compact Photo Monopod Advanced isn’t going to be holding anything heavier than an entry-level mirrorless or DSLR with a lens no longer than 200mm. But it packs down well and is amazingly light, meaning it’s perfect for travel. It’s also fast to deploy, with a quick wheel under the tripod screw that allows you to attach your camera with one hand – perfect for a monopod designed to take setups light enough to be used one-handed.

PROS Light, ideal for travel; amazing value CONS Aluminium not carbon fibre; no QR plate

PROS Small and light; useful quick-attach wheel CONS Less payload strength; no QR plate

£45/$50 www.manfrotto.com

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£40/$40 www.manfrotto.com

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MONOPOD

Five things to look out for

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A monopod must be able to support the total combined weight of your camera/lens/ accessories setup.

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How high do you need your monopod to go?

This will depend on several factors, not least how tall you are!

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Monopod legs will be separated with twist- or flip-style locks. Twists tend to be more secure, but flips are faster.

Material: &DUERQ ȨEUH Sections: 6 Max load: 12kg Extended length: 142cm Packed length: 36cm Weight: 0.4kg

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Some monopods will have additional flip-out feet for a more stable support, or a fixed rounded foot.

Grips on cheaper monopods will likely be foam, while more expensive models will use textured rubber.

Material: Magnesium Sections: 8 Max load: 3kg Extended length: 156cm Packed length: 26cm Weight: 0.34kg

Material: &DUERQ ȨEUH Sections: 5 Max load: 60kg Extended length: 149cm Packed length: 45cm Weight: 0.6kg

Gitzo Series 2 Traveler GM2562T

Velbon Ultra Stick Super 8

3 Legged Thing Alan 2.0

he use of Gitzo’s carbon eXact fibre for the construction of this Traveler monopod is what makes it so light and easy to carry around. The six leg sections enables a maximum extended height of 142cm and a maximum payload of 12kg – more than enough to handle a pro-spec DSLR with a long lens. It also packs down to an impressively short 36cm, meaning it’ll easily fit even in hand luggage and is therefore perfect for taking on your travels, whether for work or pleasure.

he Velbon Ultra Stick Super 8 Monopod is so named for its impressive eight leg sections. When fully extended, these allow it to reach a maximum height of 156cm, and when fully retracted it allow it to compact itself down to just 26cm. It’s also light, weighing just 340g. Having a monopod with this kind of versatility is certainly a boon, though it’s worth noting that the leg locks themselves are quite stiff and take some practice to get the hang of using.

o, that isn’t a typo up there – 3 Legged Thing’s Alan monopod can really support a whopping 60kg. This is far more than even the most deranged of gear-heads could possible need. Like the Vanguard, it also has a retractable foot for extra stability, but it also weighs just 600g, making it easy to carry around on your travels.

Taller photographers may find themselves wishing for a little more height than 149cm, and it’s one of the pricier models in the round-up.

PROS Light, strong; generous payload; belt clip CONS The most expensive option here by far

PROS Eight leg sections; huge length range CONS Locks can be stiff; low payload capacity

PROS Massive payload capacity; premium build CONS Not the tallest; costlier than others

£269/$340 www.gitzo.com

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£39/$70 https://velbon.net

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Material: &DUERQ ȨEUH Sections: 4 Max load: 6kg Extended length: 160cm Packed length: 53cm Weight: 0.43kg

£130/$150 www.3leggedthing.com

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Material: Aluminium Sections: 4 Max load: 8kg Extended length: 180cm Packed length: 70.5cm Weight: 1.51kg

Material: Aluminium Sections: 3 Max load: 1kg Extended length: 69.8cm Packed length: 10.2cm Weight: 0.24kg

Vanguard VEO 2 CM-264

iFootage Cobra 2 A180

Joby GripTight PRO TelePod

t’s amazing that this Vanguard monopod is constructed from carbon fibre, given its affordable price.

Equipped with a spiked rubber foot for extra balance, as well as a hand strap and carabiner hook for easy transportation, the Vanguard VEO 2 CM-264 is also one of the most lightweight monopods of its class on the market, weighing just 436g. With a 6kg of capacity it’ll handle most DSLR and mirrorless setups, and its extension height of 160cm is more than adequate.

xtending the iFootage Cobra 2 to its enormous maximum height of 180cm and unfolding its ultra-secure adjustable feet will transform it into a perfect base for 360-degree footage – giving you all the height and stability you could need. It functions great as a monopod, with a solid aluminium construction, four leg sections and a max capacity of 8kg. But it’s very heavy at 1.5kg, and even when packed away still measures more than 70cm in length.

oby has had a reputation for thinking outside of the box, and the GripTight PRO TelePod is no exception. It can function not only as a monopod but also as a handgrip, a mini table-top tripod or a stationary stand for lights. If versatility is what you’re looking for then you’re spoilt for choice. It’s max payload capacity is just 1kg, so you won’t want to mount a big DSLR on there. If you’re happy that your setup meets these requirements, then the GripTight PRO Telepod is a flexible choice.

PROS Superb build quality; spiked rubber foot CONS Lower max capacity; long packed length

PROS Huge maximum height; adjustable feet CONS Very heavy; doesn’t pack down much

PROS Multiple functionality modes; portable CONS Low capacity; low maximum height

£110/$130 www.vanguardworld.co.uk

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£149/$159 www.ifootagegear.com

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£100/$100 https://joby.com

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101

REVIEW

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 £90/$100

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Platform: Windows/Mac Processor: Intel 6th Gen or newer or AMD equivalent (Windows) / Intel 6th Gen or newer (Mac)

Organize, fix and share your photos with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 s its name suggests, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 is a cut-down version of Adobe Photoshop. To a novice photographer the full version of Photoshop can appear daunting as it is packed full of potentially superfluous features, such as the ability to draw vector-based shapes using Bézier curves, for example.

Elements cuts to the chase by focusing on overcoming common photo problems (such as removing tints or colour casts, or straightening tilted horizons). As Elements contains only the essential photo-fixing tools it is far easier (and quicker) to master than the ‘full-fat’ version.

Elements’ useful Guided Edit modes give you access to the key tools required to help

Specifications

fix picture problems. Thanks to features, such as Adobe Sensei AI, it enables you to give your shots a creative makeover without needing years of photo-editing experience.

The interface We tend to shoot video and stills on the same device, which leads to the problem of organizing and editing our ever-growing collection of clips and images. The Adobe 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 Photoshop Elements from within the Organizer to work on your images or summon Premiere Elements 2021 to edit video clips together into a sequence.

The workspace is divided into three sections – Quick, Guided and Expert. The Quick workspace features an Adjustments panel that lets you tackle exposure, colour

RAM: 8GB HD space: 7.3GB (Windows) / 7.8GB (Mac) OS version: Windows 10 / macOS 10.14

and sharpness issues in a few clicks. In the Color section, for example, a grid of nine preview thumbnails display how the shot will look if you click on any of them. You can fine-tune the adjustments with a slider.

The Guided Edit workspace helps imageediting novices perform a range of practical or creative photo fixes by taking them step-by-step through a range of tools and techniques. Elements 2021’s new Perfect Landscape Guided Edit shows you how to wield all the key tools that will improve a landscape photo, such as straightening a tilted horizon, cutting through haze to reveal more distant detail and removing unwanted objects. It will also let you drop in a more interesting sky to overcome disappointing weather conditions.

Landscapes are a popular subject with photographers, so Perfect Landscape is a valuable addition to Element’s 2021 toolset.

You can then share your perfected

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ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 2021

Add 3D camera moves to static shots then share them as a GIF on social media.

The Perfect Landscape Guided Edit helps you reduce haze, improve composition and more!

The Create menu now provides social media friendly Quote Graphic templates.

The new Duotone Effect Guided Edit can give your images a striking two-tone look with ease. landscape to Twitter or Flickr directly from the Guided Edit workspace.

Another new Guided Edit is the Duotone Effect. This enables you to tint a shot’s highlights and shadows with separate colours to create a striking look.

Once you’ve completed the techniques demonstrated in a particular Guided Edit you can save the shot as a .PSD file and take it into Photoshop Elements’ Expert workspace. Here you can continue to work on the image using a more comprehensive collection of tools and adjust properties.

Photoshop Elements 2021’s new Moving Photos tool is designed to take 2D static images and give them an eye-catching animated 3D look. This 3D motion effect is different from the standard 2D Ken Burns zooms or pans produced by apps such as iMovie. The foreground subject (such as a pet or person) moves at a different speed to more distant objects in the photo’s background, giving the shot a sense of depth. You could create this moving photo effect in the full version of Photoshop, but it would be tricky and take a long time.

Element’s Camera Raw doesn’t have the more advanced geometry correcting tools found in the full version of Photoshop, but it will still enable you to produce high-quality results compared to editing the more compressed JPEG files in the Quick, Guided or Expert workspaces.

Elements 2021 provides quick-and-easy access to key photo-fixing and creative tools. Its one-off price makes it an attractive alternative to the full version’s subscription.

Novices can build their photo-fixing muscles with help from Guided Edits and then flex those muscles in the Expert workspace. However, it does feel somewhat underpowered compared to other low-cost editing software options on the market.

You can download a trial version, which gives you 30 days’ full access, enabling you to put it though its photo-fixing paces.

N-Photo verdict Key features

Quality of results

When shooting multiple subjects it can be a challenge to get everyone looking at the lens at the same time. The Adjust Facial Features command now has 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. This is a more useful tool than some of the older Adjust Facial Features commands.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 can also deal with high-quality Raw files. These files open in an additional workspace – Camera Raw. Camera Raw places all of the most useful photo-fixing tools close to hand, enabling you to selectively boost weaker colours and lighten underexposed shadows, for example. It also displays a handy histogram graph that enables you to understand (and correct) the spread of tones in your shot.

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Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 provides all the photo organizing and fixing tools that a beginner photographer will require at the start, plus gives you in-app guidance to develop more creative image-adjusting skills. Sure, the interface is a little dated and it is missing many of the more advanced features that are included in the full version of Photoshop, but for building up your photo-editing skills, it’s a good place to start.

3.5

Overall

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BIG TEST

Travel Tripods Travel tripods have been going from strength to strength. Some of the latest models are compact and lightweight, yet strong and sturdy

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ost of us like to travel light.

Any outing is likely to be more pleasurable without a cumbersome tripod in tow.

Indeed, conventional tripods tend to be big, heavy and unwieldy, so we often leave them at home, where they’re of no use whatsoever. By contrast, travel tripods are made to be compact and lightweight.

Traditionally, though, they’ve often been flimsy, relatively unstable and

too small to enable a comfortable operating height.

New travel tripods aim to give you the best of both worlds. The majority have legs that swing up for stowage, so that the head is encircled by the feet. This reduces the folded height by around 8cm to 10cm. Some also include as many as five sections in each leg and a two-section extending centre column, reducing the folded height further, while still enabling a useful max operating height.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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Benro Slim Travel FSL09CN00 Kenro Ultimate Travel Manfrotto Befree 2N1 MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced Benro Rhino 05C VX20 Novo Explora T10 Peak Design Travel Tripod

£125/$156 £139/$210 £149/$219 £180/$219 £187/$279 £199/$215 £249/$320 £315/$350

Image: © Getty

The contenders

N-Photo 1LNRQ ȨW OHQV buyers’ guide! http://bit.ly/npbuyers

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BIG TEST

The three-legged race

Travel tripods can take longer to set up, but can be very versatile ll of the tripods we’ve chosen for this Big Test are sold as kits, complete with heads that often feature Arca-Swiss type quick-release plates. Ball heads offer a space-saving advantage, as they don’t have multiple locking handles that stick out from the head, or need to be removed to pack the tripod away. Manfrotto offers an alternative solution in its Befree 3-Way Live Advanced kit on test, which features a slimline 3-way head with a folding handle. Even so, most ball heads aren’t short on sophistication.

Many feature independent panning locks and adjustable friction dampers, in addition to the main locking knob.

Up-market tripods are usually made from carbon fibre instead of aluminium.

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They have a more luxurious feel, a smarter looking finish, and can be more resistant to vibrations. Carbon fibre can also feel less cold to the touch but, then again, most tripods of either material tend to feature comfort padding on at least one leg.

The main advantage of carbon fibre is that it’s more lightweight than aluminium, giving it a clear advantage for ‘travel tripods.’ But that’s not the whole story…

Although the weight-saving can be substantial in full-sized tripods, it’s less noticeable in small travel tripods. For most kits available in both aluminium and carbon fibre options, the latter typically only saves around 200g in weight, little more than 10 per cent. Considering that the carbon fibre editions are usually about 50 per cent more

expensive to buy, aluminium travel tripods can be the more cost effective option.

A time-honoured tradition for carrying a tripod is to strap it to the outside of your photo bag or backpack. It’s a neat solution but can be awkward if the tripod catches on obstacles when you’re in confined spaces, and you might fall foul of carry-on restrictions when flying. Some of the latest designs are so small that you can fit them inside a bag, neatly solving the problem.

Another handy trick featured in some recent travel tripods is that you can detach one leg and the centre column, then join them two together to form a monopod, complete with ball head. It’s certainly a bonus being able to carry one piece of kit instead of two.

What to look for…

A few features are well worth considering when choosing a travel tripod

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MATERIAL GAINS Pricier tripods tend to be made from carbon fibre rather than aluminium, but the weight-saving for relatively small travel tripods can be minimal.

UP, UP AND AWAY Nearly all current travel tripods have space-saving legs that swing upwards, so that the feet encircle the head when folded, with the centre column extended.

IT’S IN THE BAG With 5-section legs and sometimes 2-section centre columns, some tripods fold down to less than 40cm, making them small enough to fit inside a travel bag.

PLAYING THE ANGLES Two or three alternative locking leg angles are usually available. This can be a bonus when shooting on tricky terrain or where there are obstacles.

THE LOWDOWN The Kenro and Novo kits include ‘low angle adaptors’ (LAA) which replace the centre column. The Peak Design has a splitable centre column.

HEADS UP Most of the kits on test are supplied with a ball head with an independent panning lock, and heavier-duty heads usually also have an adjustable friction damper.

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TRAVEL TRIPODS

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KEY FEATURES

KEY FEATURES

1. Although physically small, the ball head takes an industrystandard Arca-Swiss quick-release plate.

1. The ball head has an independent panning lock and Arca-Swiss quick-release plate.

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2. Lying beneath the quick-release plate, you can’t see the bubble level when the camera’s fitted.

2. The horizontal boom mode is good for low-level shooting, as well as for macro and ultra-wide shots.

3. There are only two available locking leg angles instead of the more usual three.

3. The foot pads have a screw-action to reveal the alternative of metal spikes.

Benro Slim Travel

Kenro Ultimate Travel

Slim by name and nature

A leaning tower of a travel tripod

£125/$156

his tripod is based on 5-section legs and a 2-section centre column, with the usual facilities of swing-up legs for reduced folded height and the ability to use one of the legs and the detachable centre column as a monopod.

The aluminium version of the kit sells for £99/$115 but, in the UK at least, this carbon fibre edition isn’t much more expensive, while shaving 130g off the weight. Even so, the max load rating is pretty respectable at 4kg. The tripod folds down to just 32cm, making it easy to pack inside a bag, 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 ball head performs well, but lacks an adjustable friction damper and an independent panning lock. A neat touch is that the blue accents of the head are also featured in twist grips for the centre column and

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N-Photo verdict It’s the smallest and most lightweight tripod in the group, and outstanding value for a carbon fibre kit.

leg sections, the latter being made from aluminium alloy.

Performance Rigidity is good for such a light tripod, but not as impressive as in the heavier tripods. There also tends to be more sag in the tripod head, after tightening the clamp and releasing your grip on the camera.

Specifications 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 Ball head Benro N00 Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments Lock

Build & handling Performance

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Value

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£139/$210

pivoting centre column is usually off-limits for travel tripods. Their lightweight build makes them more prone to toppling over when using the centre column as a horizontal boom. That makes the Kenro unique in present company, but it’s also about a third heavier than most competing tripods on test.

The Kenro has chunky 4-section legs and was an early adopter of 2-section extending centre column design. In this case, however, the combination does more than enabling an uncommonly tall max operating height of 190cm. At the centre column’s max extension, you can pivot it through 90 degrees and feed it back through the retaining bracket to enable the horizontal boom feature. A secondary panning lock screw is also fitted to the clamp. The ball head is chunky and features an independent panning lock and two spirit levels, but no adjustable friction damper.

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N-Photo verdict

Features

Overall

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It stretches to a massive max operating height and its pivoting centre column is unique in this group.

Performance The controls operate with smooth precision throughout, from the twist clamps on the leg sections, through the springloaded leg angle locks, to the main clamp and pan-release on the ball head. Overall, it’s a solid tripod that delivers good rigidity and performance, but is something of a heavyweight.

Specifications 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 Ball head Kenro BB2 Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments Lock, pan

Features Build & handling Performance Value

4.5

Overall

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BIG TEST

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KEY FEATURES

KEY FEATURES

1. An independent friction adjuster is built into the main clamping knob.

1. The high-quality head has an independent friction adjustment.

2. Although the quick-release plate is Arca-Swiss compatible, the ball head’s platform isn’t.

2. Despite having five-section legs, the diameter of the bottom section is respectable at 15mm.

3. The twist-action M-lock clamps for the extending leg sections work with smooth precision.

3. Interchangeable rubber pads and metal spikes are supplied, along with a padded soft case.

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Manfrotto Befree 2N1

MeFOTO GlobeTrotter

A two-in-one Manfrotto kit

The biggest in the MeFOTO Classic range

£149/$219

anfrotto’s Befree series of travel tripods has earned a good reputation for practicality and performance. Unlike some, the 2N1 kit is only available in aluminium, but you can choose between clip locks and twist locks for the 4-section legs.

Looking at the specs, there’s little height difference between this tripod and the pricier Manfrotto Befree 3-Way kit on test. This one folds down a couple of centimetres shorter and has a one centimetre shorter max operating height, at 150cm. The load rating is 8kg compared with 6kg for the pricier kit. The main differences are that the 2N1 converts to a monopod, and the 3-Way has a 3-way head.

The 2N1 has good build quality and an appealing finish, along with a smart ball head that features an adjustable friction damper. It also comes with an Easy Link socket for attaching accessories as well

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N-Photo verdict Manfrotto’s only Befree travel tripod to feature a monopod. It’s a neat kit, but there’s no carbon fibre option.

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as a refined locking mechanism for its multi-angle legs.

Performance It’s a well finished and stylish tripod and the performance and rigidity are good. The twist locks are quick and easy to use, with minimal rotation, and lock very firmly. It’s a neat tripod and worth the asking price.

Specifications 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 Ball head Manfrotto 494 Quick-release plate 200PL Pro Head adjustments Lock, pan, friction

he GlobeTrotter is the most heavyduty tripod in MeFOTO’s ‘Classic’ range. It’s comes in a range of colours. The aluminium kit tips the scales at a moderate 2.1kg, yet has a hefty maximum load rating of 12kg, while a carbon option sheds 400g in weight.

The tripod folds down to 41cm, making it small enough to stow in a bag, thanks to fivesection legs that swing upwards for stowage. 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 used in conjunction with the centre column as a monopod. There are only two lockable leg angles instead of the usual three and there’s no pivot function nor a secondary short centre column (or ‘low angle adapter’) supplied. On the plus side, you do get a set of interchangeable metal spikes and rubber pads.

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N-Photo verdict

Features Build & handling Performance Value

4

£180/$219

Overall

It’s relatively hefty at just over 2kg but has a generous maximum load rating and is very sturdily built.

Performance The ball head has an adjustable friction damper and pan-only release that performs well with heavy loads. The twist-action leg section clamps are quick to release and tighten, which is just as well because there are 12 of them. It’s a smart buy for anyone who wants a ‘full-sized’ tripod that packs really small.

Specifications Construction material Aluminium Alternative material Carbon, 1.59kg, £223/$265 Weight 2.10kg Folded height 41cm Max, min operating height 165cm, 41cm Max monopod height 170cm Load rating 12kg Ball head MeFOTO Q2 Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments Lock, pan, friction

Features Build & handling Performance Value

4

Overall

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TRAVEL TRIPODS 1 1 2

KEY FEATURES 1. The 3-way head is unique here, and has a ‘fluid drag system’ for smooth movement.

KEY FEATURES 1. The VX20 ball head has a bubble level and two separate panning mechanisms.

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2. The longer of the head’s two locking handles hinges downwards for compact stowage.

2. The compact folded size is enabled by 5-section legs and a 2-section centre column.

3. An Easy Link socket is fitted, for attaching accessories like an LED lamp.

3. One leg is removable, for monopod use when combined with the centre column.

Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced £187/$279

And now for something completely different his recently launched Befree Advanced kit comes with a 3-way head rather than a ball head.

As such, it has independent locking handles for both tilt and swivel functions, as well as a locking knob for panning. This would normally mean that extending handles would ruin the slimline form factor needed of a travel tripod but they fold in nice and tight, so you can still swing the legs up to encircle the head for compact stowage.

The kit is designed to be useful for photographers and videographers. As such, the 3-way head features Manfrotto’s ‘fluid drag system’, which aims to deliver smooth control for both panning and tilt movements. Three spirit levels are fitted to help keep everything on the level.

Below, the legs are a standard fare, with four sections in each leg and a single-section centre column. Flip locks are fitted for the extending leg sections,

T

N-Photo verdict There are precious few modern travel tripod kits that have a 3-way head, making this Manfrotto a standout.

rather than the more usual twist-action locks.

Performance Resistance to flexing and vibration is good, on a par with the other Manfrotto tripod here, which also has four leg sections.

The 3-way head enables precise adjustments and smooth panning and tilt movements.

Specifications Construction material Aluminium Alternative material None Weight 2kg Folded height 40cm Max, min operating height 151cm, 42cm Max monopod height N/A Load rating 6kg Ball head Manfrotto 3-way Live Advanced Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments 3-way

Build & handling Performance Value

4.5

www.digitalcameraworld.com

Overall

3

Benro Rhino 05C VX20 £199/$215

A compact but sturdy and dependable kit ne of Benro’s newest tripod designs, the Rhino is available in a range of sizes including the 14C, 24C and 34C, with a folded size of around 49cm, a max operating height of around 170cm and varying load ratings ranging from 16kg to 20kg. The 05C (Series 0 in the USA) is a 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 much higher at 10kg.

Although small, the carbon fibre kit is beautifully built. One of the legs can be unscrewed and combined with the centre column to form a monopod and, as usual, the legs are also reversible for compact stowage.

The VX20 ‘dual panoramic’ ball head has a similarly new design to the legs, and features two independent panning mechanisms, one at the base and one at the top, so you can

O

N-Photo verdict

Features

2

Good value for a carbon tripod, the Rhino is compact and lightweight, but also rigid and robust.

rotate just the camera platform, which has a Arca-Swiss type quick-release plate.

Performance The Rhino is rigid and resistant to flexing and vibrations, especially for such a light tripod. It’s more solid than the older Benro Slim Travel, but it’s also about 25 per cent heavier.

Specifications Construction material Carbon fibre Alternative material None Weight 1.24kg Folded height 35cm Max, min operating height 140cm, 35cm Max monopod height 141cm Load rating 10kg Ball head Benro VX20 Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments Lock, pan, friction

Features Build & handling Performance Value

4.5

Overall

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BIG TEST

2

1

KEY FEATURES

KEY FEATURES 1

1. There are two separate panning lock/release mechanisms in the ball head.

2. The maximum operating height is generous for a travel tripod, at 174cm.

2. A flip lock at the bottom or the uppermost leg enables you remove the lower sections.

3

3. A detachable leg can be unscrewed and used as a monopod if the need should arise.

3. There’s a mobile phone mount that folds away for stowage inside the centre column.

Novo Explora T10

Peak Design Travel Tripod

This carbon contender is high and mighty

A highly innovative travel tripod

£249/$320

ike other Novo Explora tripods, this one is only available in carbon fibre. The leg sections are very similar in diameter to those of the Kenro tripod on test, ranging from 18mm to 28mm.

These two tripods also both have a folded length of 48cm, and the Novo has generous maximum operating height of 174cm, and again there’s a low angle adapter that enables a short minimum operating height, this time of 26cm. The max load rating is beefy too, at 15kg for the legs and ball head.

Attractions also seen in some competitors include four sections for each leg, complete with twist-action clamps, three lockable leg angles, and one removable leg that can be used as a monopod. The tripod is supplied with interchangeable rubber feet and metal spikes.

The ball head features an adjustable friction damper built into the main locking knob and two pan release locks, one at

L

N-Photo verdict Great value for tough carbon fibre tripod, the Novo is well turned out and has a lofty max operating height.

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1. The integral head is quick and easy to set up and comes with a quick-release plate.

the base and the other in the camera platform, both with scales marked in degrees.

Performance The height is nice, especially as the Novo remains rigid even at full extension of the legs and centre column. All movements are smooth, with a fluid feel, and clamping actions are firm.

Specifications 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 Ball head Novo CBH-40 Quick-release plate Arca-Swiss type Head adjustments Lock, pan, friction

Build & handling Performance Value

4.5

Overall

3

£315/$350

he Travel Tripod is available in aluminium and carbon fibre editions, both of which scream innovation. There’s nothing new in swing-up legs, but those of the Peak Design tripod are specially shaped to fit snuggly around the centre column. As such, it saves a lot of empty space and folds down to a much smaller volume.

Another space-saver is that the head is an integral part of the tripod, but nevertheless gives a full range of movement with excellent speed and simplicity in setup. And 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.

You can also quickly and easily 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.

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N-Photo verdict

Features

2

The Peak Design Travel Tripod has plenty of innovative design flourishes and is a joy to use.

Performance In our tests of the aluminium version, rigidity and stability proved excellent, adding superb performance to the outstanding versatility of the tripod.

According to Peak, the carbon fibre edition is 20 per cent more stable, as well as being 290g lighter, but it’s much pricier, at around £530/$600.

Specifications Construction material Aluminium Alternative material Carbon, 1.27kg, £550/$600 Weight 1.56kg Folded height 39cm Max, min operating height 152cm, 14cm Max monopod height N/A Load rating 9kg Ball head Integral Quick-release plate Peak Design PL-S-3 Head adjustments Single locking knob

Features Build & handling Performance Value

5

Overall

www.digitalcameraworld.com

TRAVEL TRIPODS

The winner is…

Peak Design Travel Tripod Innovative design and excellent build quality make this a winner 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

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How the tripods compare

Befree 3-Way Live Advanced is a better fit for videography and the only tripod in the group to feature a 3-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 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 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 lightweight and great value for a carbon fibre kit.

Benro Slim Travel FSL09CN00

Kenro Ultimate Travel

Manfrotto Befree 2N1

MeFOTO GlobeTrotter

Manfrotto Befree 3-Way Live Advanced

Benro Rhino 05C VX20

Novo Explora T10

Peak Design Travel Tripod

Contact

www.benro.com

www.kenro.co.uk

www.manfrotto. co.uk

www.mefoto.com

www.manfrotto. co.uk

www.benro.com

www.novo-photo. com

www.peakdesign. com

Target price

£125/$156

£139/$210

£149/$219

£180/$219

£187/$279

£199/$215

£249/$320

£315/$350

Product reference code

FSL09CN00

KENTR401

MKBFRTA4B-BHM

A2350Q2

MKBFRLA4BK-3W

FRHN05CVX20

NV-EXT10

TT-CB-5-150-AL-1

Construction material

Carbon fibre

Aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium

Carbon fibre

Carbon fibre

Aluminium

Folded height

32cm

48cm

41cm

41cm

40cm

35cm

48cm

39cm

Max, min operating height

130cm, 31cm

190cm, 20.5cm (LAA)

150cm, 40cm

165cm, 41cm

151cm, 42cm

140cm, 35cm

174cm, 26cm (LAA)

152cm, 14cm

Max monopod height

133cm

177cm

156cm

170cm

N/A

141cm

179cm

N/A

Weight

1.07kg

2.16kg

1.6kg

2.10kg

2kg

1.24kg

1.8kg

1.56kg

Load rating

4kg

8kg

8kg

12kg

6kg

10kg

15kg

9kg

Sections per leg/centre column

5/2 sections

4/2 sections

4/1 sections

5/1 sections

4/1 sections

5/2 sections

4/1 sections

5/1 sections

Leg section diameters

22, 18, 15, 12, 9mm

28, 25, 22, 19mm

23, 19, 16, 12mm

29, 25, 22, 19, 15mm

23, 19, 16, 12mm

22, 18, 15, 12, 9mm

28, 25, 21, 18mm

24, 20, 17, 14, 10mm

Locking leg angles

2 angles

3 angles

3 angles

2 angles

3 angles

3 angles

3 angles

2 angles

Leg extension locks

Twist

Twist

Twist

Twist

Flip

Twist

Twist

Flip

Pivoting centre column

No (invert only)

0/90 degrees (LAA, invert)

No (invert only)

No (invert only)

No (invert only)

No (invert only)

No (invert only)

No (invert only)

Levels (legs, head)

0, 1 bubble

0, 2 spirit

None

0, 1 bubble

0, 3 spirit

0, 1 bubble

0, 1 bubble

0, 1 bubble

Feet

Pads

Pads (retractable spikes)

Pads

Pads + spikes

Pads

Pads

Pads + spikes

Pads (optional spikes)

Case/bag included

Unpadded bag

Padded soft case

Padded soft case

Padded soft case

Padded soft case

Padded soft case

Padded soft case

Padded soft case

Features Build & handling Performance Value Overall

www.digitalcameraworld.com

111

PARTING SHOT Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA

Illustration: Getty

Editorial Editor Adam Waring adam.waring@futurenet.com • 0330 390 6026 Group Art Director Warren Brown Technique Editor Mike Harris Production Editor Kyle Hearse Group Reviews Editor Rod Lawton Lab Manager Ben Andrews Content Director Chris George

Access denied Mike Harris reckons specialist access isn’t just for pros – ask nicely and you’d be surprised where your camera can end up

S

omething that often separates professional photographers from amateur photographers is access. I’m sure most of us have gazed longingly at the photographers’ pit at a music festival or the perfect vantage point near the touchline of a football pitch. Access is more important in some genres than others: sports and music photographers rely on it almost entirely, but it’s a large part of photojournalism, and documentary and wildlife photography too.

Ask and ye might receive But access plays a role in almost every genre of photography and it isn’t always about gaining written permission or wearing a lanyard. Portrait photographers work hard to access sitters’ raw emotions, and wildlife photographers spend hours/days/weeks and even months building a rapport with their subjects to gain better access.

Part of what makes our monthly Apprentice feature (page 6) so enticing is it affords enthusiast photographers the chance to gain unbridled access to experience various professional scenarios. Lucky readers have worked in a photo studio with a makeup artist and model, shot from a specially modified ‘photo plane’ and captured a Football League

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game pitchside. And while pro photographers who move in the right circles or have the backing of big photo agencies and news outlets, or boast millions of social media followers, are able to gain the best access, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be attempting to gain access too.

The key is managing expectations. It’s highly unlikely an unproven photographer – no matter their ability – will land a press pass to photograph a Premier League footy match. But with a little determination they might be able to wrangle access to some non-league games.

You’d be surprised just how far a politely written email can go, especially if you offer to donate a few of the photos to the establishment and tag it in a few social media posts afterwards. And most importantly, don’t get demoralised if your requests get rejected or ignored. In fact, expect them to!

Even seasoned professionals like the author of this issue’s sports lead feature Joel Marklund occasionally fight for access. If you’re really struggling to make headway, keep persevering or simply evaluate your expectations and pursue some more practical alternatives. We talk so often about pushing your equipment and technical abilities to their limits, maybe it’s time to push yours.

Contributors George Cairns, Neil Freeman, Daisy Gilardini, Tom Mackie, Joel Marklund, Andrew Mason, Tom Mason, André Neves, James Paterson, Matthew Richards, Rebecca Shaw, Tamás Simonyi, Paul Wilkinson, Keith Wilson, Pawel Zygmunt Cover image Getty Photography Future Photo Studio, Getty. All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected Advertising Media packs are available on request Account Director Matt Bailey matt.bailey@futurenet.com • 0330 390 6272 Advertising Manager Michael Pyatt michael.pyatt@futurenet.com • 0330 390 6290 Commercial Director Clare Dove clare.dove@futurenet.com International Licensing N-Photo is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com Subscriptions Email enquiries help@magazinesdirect.com UK orderline & enquiries 0330 333 1113 Overseas order line & enquiries +44(0)330 333 1113 Online enquiries www.magazinesdirect.com CRM Director Louise Dudfield Circulation Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers Production Head of Production Mark Constance Senior Production Manager Matthew Eglinton Senior Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson Production Manager Vivienne Calvert Management Chief Content Officer Angela O’Farrell Managing Director Matt Pierce Global Head of Design Rodney Dive Content Director Chris George Group Art Director Warren Brown Commercial Finance Director Dan Jotcham Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd 28 Planetary Rd, Willenhall WV13 3XT Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 0203 787 9060 ISSN 2048370 We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill and printer hold full FSC and PEFC certification and accreditation.

All contents © 2021 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

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by Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA, UK. The US annual subscription price is $181.87. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named World Container Inc, 150-15 183rd St, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Brooklyn NY 11256.

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