Shoot Photographic Magazine - October 2020 by MOC

OCTOBER 2020 ZAR - R35,00 | USD - $2.00

From the editor’s desk

Gadgets & Stuff

Meet the Team

Beginning - Fashion Photography

Letters from our readers

Tech Talk

David Goldblatt— The Indeterminate landscape

Charlene - Best of Zulu Land

Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro Lens review

Interview

Sam Cox - Raw Photographic - Wildlife

Emma Finch

Sophie - Raw Photographic Continue

How to use natural light with family photographs

How to use a reflector

Sony to Debut a New Line of ‘Compact’

with Award-Winning Photographer

Full-Frame Camera

Nikon Z5 Review

Nikon D850 Review

Sébastien Grosso - Pro Photographer (France)

News - Photographic News

Phone-ography - How to take a good photo With your

In the weird world of photographers

phone

Nikon D3500 Entry Level DSLR Review

Photographers Pro Gear - Part 1

A Quick Read - Short Stories / Interviews

Drone Photography - Become a Pro.......

7 Tips how to take gorgeous boudoir photos

Triggering remote speed lights

103

A Quick Read - Short Stories / Interviews

The shutter closes (Final word)

107

7 Tips how to take gorgeous boudoir photos

Cover Search

108

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Shoot Photography is a trademark and property of Shoot Photography Magazine. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shootâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; design, name and logo are trademark of Shoot Photography Magazine Copyright ÂŠ 2020. All rights are fully reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, duplicated, replicated, disseminated or distributed for commercial gain without the express consent of the owner. All articles and written submissions are the property of Shoot Photography Magazine The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are exactly that, and whilst every care is taken to accurately represent the fairest view of any product; Shoot Photography Magazine is not responsible for the results arising from any unfavourable product review. Test equipment, unless otherwise indicated, are sourced from either the manufacturer or their official agents and Shoot Photography Magazine can therefore not be held liable for any technical deficiencies as it is a reasonable expectation that all equipment made available to the media are in good working order and free of defects. Furthermore the entire content of this magazine, including all written reviews, articles, images, advertising, interviews and promotional material is published in good faith with bona fides and neither Shoot Photography Magazine, its publisher, agents, assignees, employees or contractors may be held liable for any errors or omissions howsoever arising. Any published material including images, advertising or promotional artwork is obtained inter alia from the public domain and therefore any issues, errors and such relating thereto rests entirely with the creator of such material and not with Shoot Photography Magazine Please direct any complaints or queries to editor@shootmag.co.za

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elcome to a new era in our lives, we have seen how this COVID-19

virus has changed the world. This year will never be the same again, we need to adapt, create opportunities and stand together in these difficult times. Now I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

comment on your personal lives, save that I hope they are great, but when it comes to all things business, personal development, system design and photography, I can say with complete confidence that 2020 is going to end well and we are right here to capture and report every coming and going for your reading pleasure and entertainment. I intend to create a photography magazine that will be fun, inspiring and just a pleasure to read. I am aware of the competitive nature in both industries, magazine and photography, but my team and I am net here to compete. We want to add to the variety of readers within the photography industries. I want to share and tell a story, create amazing opportunities and create a community that can be seen. This magazine is a blessing and it was inspired by friends who are facing a difficult time. I know that we can make a difference and I need you to join us and make that possible. The layout of this magazine will be; Reviews, Stories, Tech, History and Opportunities. It is a new magazine and I understand we will learn a lot from our readers, we will always listen to our contributors and do everything in our power to produce a stunning magazine. I hope and trust that you will all enjoy the rest of 2020 including the magazine as much as we all did compile it for you, which I can best describe as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;labour of loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. So strap yourselves

in tightly, kick off your shoes and enjoy what could be the most fulfilled fun magazine. The summer is here, get out those cameras and share your moments with us. Thank you for taking the time to read this amazing magazine. We value you as a reader and believe we will be together a long time, share amazing stories and learn from each other.

Stay Safe :)

Safe travels and best wishes.

Richard Soderblom

editor@shootmag.co.za

This is the SHOOT Magazine Team all of whom come from massively different backgrounds, which, as a result allows them to bring to the table a varied and completely fresh approach to journalism. The Johannesburg team is led by editor-in-chief, Richard and executive member Michael. Sam, Sophie, Charlene and Monya is from South Africa who will bring us fresh content from this beautiful country. Our European team, based all throughout the United Kingdom, comprises Eric, Pam, Brian and Daniel. Then all the way in Australia is Ella. Then all the way in the good â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ol US of A, we have our American pro photographer Liam bringing to us is expert and intriguing view on all thing photography. You will note that we do not have all the members photos updated yet, it will all be in the

next magazine and the team will be growing and more amazing photographers, photojournalists and other journalists will be added here. Enjoy

the

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editor@shootmag.co.za

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We invite our readers to e-mail us their letters, comments, questions or suggestions, and wherever possible we will try to publish all communication. Please send to info@shootmag.co.za

We would like our readers to write to us. If you have any stories, questions, comments or questions. Send them to editor@shootmag.co.za We would love to hear from you :)

Written by ELLA - He worked until the end on waste. Such scenes of the built environment the recent exhibitions. My reading of his long “a still developing photographic narrative” and its entropic residues resist easy interpre- engagement with “structure” is also promptboth visual and textual. In an episode of tation; his images are often ambiguous as to ed by studies of apartheid’s spatial design, the

Art21

documentary

series

ti- whether a given structure is being destroyed which have multiplied since the accession of

tled Johannesburg, made in the months prior or remade, and this indeterminacy speaks to Nelson Mandela to the presidency of South to his passing, we see him driving around his ways in which buildings are appropriated and Africa in 1994. Geographers and urban historihometown, reflecting candidly on his life and repurposed in response to socio-political ans have analyzed the relationship between practice. At one point, Goldblatt pulls over, shifts. His carefully worded, caption-like titles apartheid and town planning with path break-

climbs out of his white Land Cruiser, and sets are vital to conveying this intricate meaning.

ing works such as Jennifer Robinson’s The

up to photograph a sleek commercial tower

Power of Apartheid: State Power and Space in with a tinted glass façade. “It seems to me,” It is telling that Goldblatt preferred the word South African Cities (1996). More recently, the he remarks, “that the style of architecture “structures,” a far looser term than rise of memory and trauma studies has led to that is emerging to the north of Johannesburg “architecture,” to describe the forms he ex- critical analyses of public monuments and is a kind of aggressive materialism.”

amined. He produced one of the most com- museums that acknowledge apartheid’s histoprehensive photographic records of South ry. These projects include sites of cultural

The scene is a reminder that architecture Africa in his lifetime. But what he contemplat- tourism such as the Apartheid Museum in remained central across Goldblatt’s career, ed was the moral weight of everyday interac- Johannesburg and the Nelson Mandela Musewhich spanned more than 70 years and has tions, and it was through constructed and um in the Eastern Cape, as well as public comrecently been surveyed in major exhibitions in deconstructed landscapes, the values embed- memorations like Pretoria’s Freedom Park and Paris and Sydney. The latter show, at the Mu- ded in them and inhabitants’ loaded connec- community-led endeavors like the District Six seum of Contemporary Art, was realized in tions to these spaces, that his subtle condem- Museum in Cape Town. close collaboration with the artist, and be- nation of segregationist politics took shape. As came a tribute of sorts. I live in Sydney, and the curator Okwui Enwezor has observed, Running parallel to this concern with the inwas especially struck at the MCA by Gold- architecture as approached by Goldblatt was strumental role of architecture under apartblatt’s images of physical constructions — “as much about un-building as it was about heid, however, are questions regarding the houses and housing estates, farms, churches, building.”

interpretive fixation on segregated urban

shops, industrial sites, monuments, civic build-

design. For urban geographers Susan Parnell Whether shot in the midst of cities or in South ings — which fascinated him as reflections of and Alan Mabin, “the uncritical application of “the choices we and our forebears have tak- Africa’s remotest regions, Goldblatt’s images very general ideas dealing with race and segen.” These photographs encapsulate im- of the incomplete or abandoned invite consid- regation entrenches a narrow, unimaginative portant information about the spatial design eration for their censure of the injustice and framework.” 5Such preoccupations tend to complacency that he diagnoses in his society, fetishize aggression and dominance as intrinof apartheid. and the uneven social transformations still sic to what the authors term “the South AfriYet to parse Goldblatt’s art exclusively as evi- unfolding there. These photographs resonate, can city.” This narrowing, in turn, links to a dence of this architecture of division is to risk too, with the situations of other postcolonial still more profound tendency outlined by Saover determining a visual archive that is, in countries grappling with past and current rah Nuttall and Cheryl-Ann Michael in Senses fact, remarkably open-ended in its framing of inequities. Indeed, South Africa and Australia of Culture: South African Culture Studbuilt space in South Africa — and beyond. are frequently linked as two nations where ies (2000), in which the nation is “thought Goldblatt is well-known for picturing the con- heavy economic reliance on resource extrac- about and written about as separate from the crete constructions that made his country tion and complex histories of racial segrega- rest of the world.” A persistent focus on modern at mid-century, for instance, or the tion tie closely to territorial dispossession. “separation and stratification, obscuring other defensive designs for religious buildings that These commonalities undergirded Goldblatt’s co-existing configurations” has resulted, were material demonstrations of the mindset show in Sydney. of apartheid. Less frequently acknowledged is

Nuttall and Michael argue, in a “theoretical

closure that comes with seeing South Africa as his interest in incomplete or partially demol- Consider the critical power of the unfinished a closed space.” ished buildings, in razed fields, rubble, and in Goldblatt’s work is timely, then, in light of

9 Working collaboratively with the postcolo-

deed, there were moments during the

lars of a scene, allowing viewers to glimpse

nial scholar Achille Mbembe, Nuttall has

country’s turbulent 20th-century history

the backstory outside the frame and be-

sought to intervene in these stereotypes

when he drew criticism for adopting his

yond the instant of the shutter’s click.

by emphasizing the cosmopolitanism or

dispassionate and anti-spectacular mode.

“citiness” of African capitals and municipal-

He felt the tensions over political use of

Some captions point to a generalized con-

ities.

collec-

images most acutely during the liberation

dition of brutality — as in the photograph

tion Johannesburg: The Elusive Metropo-

struggles of the 1980s, when a younger

of wooden crosses that is titled Crosses

lis (2008), Mbembe and Nuttall consider

generation of photographers were encour-

erected by farmers in commemoration of

the aesthetic experience of the “unfinished

aged by the African National Congress to

those killed in farm murders and in protest

city” and its capacity to write modern-day

use the camera as a weapon. Goldblatt

against the frequency and violence of

Africa into the world, to challenge the per-

never joined Afrapix, the agency repre-

those crimes, Rietvlei, near Polokwane,

ceived alterity of the continent. “Aesthetic

senting these “struggle photographers,” as

Limpopo June 19, 2004 (2004). Others

experience” in this context encompasses

they called themselves, nor did he place

drive home the subjective impact of injus-

diverse accounts of Johannesburg’s sounds

himself at the centre of active conflict, as

tice. In the series Jo’burg Intersections:

and rhythms, nuances in its literary and

did the photographers of the Bang Bang

Suburbs (1972-1985), we see Margaret

artistic representations, and the evolution

Club in the 1990s.

Maroney, a non-white resident, pictured in

their

edited

her apartment with her young family

of its architecture from the townships to generic mega-malls. Non-African readers,

Nevertheless, the influence of photojour-

drawn close to her in bed. But the cozy

in particular, gain insights into Johannes-

nalism is evident in Goldblatt’s adoption of

domesticity is offset by the title’s cool dis-

burg’s everyday complexity, countering the

reportorial techniques, notably his use of

closure that she was sentenced to R100 or

preoccupation with extremes of poverty

long explanatory titles to add layers of

50 days imprisonment suspended for 3

and wealth, hyper-violence and crime, that

discursive information to his images. The

years for living in this flat in a White Group

all too frequently have characterized its

work of captioning was rarely finished for

Area, Orion Court Bree Street, December

coverage by western media.

Goldblatt, and each new exhibition or pub-

1981 (1981).

lication provided an opportunity to augWhile Goldblatt never aligned himself with

ment his titles with the clarity hindsight

From the intimacy of his early portraits of

any distinct theoretical approach to the

affords. These verbal supplements extend

working-class Afrikaners (1962-68) and his

analysis of cities, he was deeply interested

the basic facts of when and where a pic-

brooding monochromes of the Randfon-

in the aesthetics of cosmopolitan life. In-

ture was taken by explaining the particu-

tein gold mines (1966-72), to the banal

10 evidence of racism he captured in the white suburb of Boksburg (1979-1980), and the colour explorations of scarred lands

from 1999 onwards, Goldblatt’s photographs and their verbal frames are quietly damning rather than overtly confrontational. For the artist’s long-time collaborator and friend, Nadine Gordimer, the potency of this contemplative, quasi-narrative approach lies in the fact that Goldblatt “does not sum up and take possession of South Africa” but rather “leads us into it.”

The South African photographer produced a powerful visual record of the nation’s injustices during and after the apartheid era.

David Goldblatt HonFRPS (29 November 1930 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 25 June 2018) was a South African photographer noted for his portrayal of South Africa during the period of apartheid

14 Venus Optics has released an ultra-macro lens for Micro Four Thirds camera owners and MFT fan, David Thorpe, has been

putting the Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens to the test. "There's always been confusion between close-focus and macro lenses," says David. "This Laowa 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens causes no such confusion. 2:1, double life-size on the sensor is pretty uncompromising. So is its sharpness. It's unusual in that it has electrical contacts so that it communicates with the camera like any other Micro Four Thirds lens but is manual focus." The new 50mm lens is specially designed for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras and it is the first-ever 2X macro lens designed for this sensor size. The lens also features an apochromatic (APO) design to minimise the chromatic aberrations across the frame. Other features include a CPU chip and motor, a focus magnifier which is automatically triggered and the aperture can be controlled via the camera body.

Venus Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Other sample images — — — — — — — 

Venus Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Specifications

World’s first lens with 2:1 magnification ＆ APO design for M4/3 cameras Maximum 2x Magnification Unlike most of the MFT macro lenses in the market which can focus only up to 1X, the new Laowa 50mm macro lens offers a 2X maximum magnification ratio along with a minimum focusing distance of 5.3” (13.5cm). It is the first lens ever

designed with a 2X magnification for MFT cameras.

Automatic Aperture Being equipped with a CPU chip and motor, the aperture can be adjusted via the camera body. The focus magnifier would automatically be enabled, when rotating the focus ring, for easier focus control. The lens data can also be recorded on EXIF.

Apochromatic optical (APO) design An apochromatic (APO) design has been adopted and therefore the chromatic aberration at both in-focus and out-of-focus areas are controlled to the minimal in its class. It greatly improves the sharpness, clarity and colour accuracy of photos.

Compact & Light The 50mm lens is extremely compact and light in weight. It measures 3.1” (79mm) long and weighs only around 8.4oz (240g). It would be the perfect set up for outdoor shooting.

Optimised for Micro Four Thirds cameras With the success of the Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra macro APO launched earlier for APS-C cameras, the new 50mm lens is specially developed for MFT mirrorless camera users and it can be used on MFT cameras from Panasonic, Olympus, BMPCC 4K, etc.

RAW Photographic was set up as a hub for

professional

and

aspiring

photographers wanting to share their passion for photography and nature with others. Our core ideal is to support professional and creative development, whilst also providing fantastic, authentic

and ethically-minded experiences that will last a lifetime. Our experience started out with managing and leading photographic workshops and safaris in South Africa, but we've now brought our experience, knowledge and passion to a new level and want it to be as accessible to as many people as possible. Whilst working locally in the United Kingdom with workshops and seminars, our speciality is our African photographic safaris, working in some of our favourite game reserves where we hope to introduce the wonders of wild Africa to those looking to experience a truly memorable and memory-

card-filling experience.

Website:

www.raw-photographic.com

Facebook: Instagram:

Samuel Cox has been a professional photographer for over a decade, starting off locally in England with wedding and event photography. His lifelong love for Africa eventually had him move out and taking on the role of teaching and managing photography projects in the Greater Kruger region of South Africa. Sam's core belief is that great photography is not hard to come by, but meaningful photography is, and his aim is to teach photographers the potential importance and impact their images can have in aiding and assisting the health and growth of our natural biosphere. Aside from workshops and seminars in the UK, Sam also leads multiple photographic safaris in South Africa a year. He's seen his images and writing published in National Geographic, Africa Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Travel Africa and more. Most recently one of Sam’s images was awarded ‘highly commended’ in Africa Geographic’s Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2020 (image attached).

Website:

www.samuelcoxphoto.com

www.facebook.com/rawphotographicexperiences

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/samuelcoxphotography

www.instagram.com/raw.photographic

Instagram:

www.instagram.com/samuelcoxphotography

Continue...

Sophie Brown first found her passion for photography whilst studying for a Masters in Fine Art, and it was a trip to South Africa in 2014 that caused Sophie to fall in love with wildlife photography, finally turning it into a career in 2017. Since then, she's been published in various publications including Africa Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine and Klaserie Chronicle.

Sophie is captivated by the unique diversity that African wildlife has to offer and is passionate about using the art of photography to showcase this. She believes that meaningful photography has the power to change the world. Therefore, she also believes it is important that her photography is used to glorify her subjects and aid conservation initiatives for them and their habitats.

Website:

www.sophiebrownphotography.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/sophiebrownphotography

Instagram:

www.instagram.com/sophiebrownphotography

Observation from the Shoot Magazine Management Sam was the first photographer (Company) that partnered with us, his energy levels, passion and willingness to work with us was out of this world. We can say with confidence that Sam and Sophie are the kind of people you want to work with. They are professional and have so much love for photography. Thank you guys â&#x20AC;Ś Michael Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor (Founder of Shoot)

Sony might have some interesting gear in the works. According to the latest rumours, the company is planning to debut a new line-up of “super-compact” full-frame a7 and a9 cameras aimed at vlogging and travel. And the first one, dubbed the “Sony a7C”, will arrive this month. According to Sony Alpha Rumours, two reliable sources have “confirmed” speculation that Sony is planning to release a new entry-level full-frame camera this month… but they actually said a lot more than that. Apparently, the camera will be part of a new line of super-compact “C” cameras that will live alongside the regular a7 and a9 series. The first to arrive will be the Sony a7C—an entry-level model, on par with the Sony a7 III—but other “C” cameras are rumoured to follow, creating a whole line of compact cameras aimed at vloggers and travel shooters who prioritize portability and features like a flip screen. The first camera, the so-called Sony a7C, is rumoured to arrive sometime in “mid-September” as a sort of hybrid between a Sony a7 III and the a6600. According to SAR, the camera will combine the body of an a6600 with the sensor and performance of the a7 III, the fully-articulating screen of the a7S III, and a pop-up EVF like we’ve seen on several of the RX100 cameras. Other specs include a single SD card slot, USB Type-C, both a mic and a headphone jack, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. All of this for a little more than $2,000 MSRP at launch. Finally, the “C” line of cameras will allegedly be released alongside a new line of compact lenses to match. Assuming the rumours are true, this move is similar to what Sony just did with the compact Sony ZV1… which is essentially an RX100 with a flip screen, better mics, and some vlogging features built-in. That camera was a hit with the YouTube crowd, and we expect a Sony a7C would be as well… and if it frees up Sony to focus on stills features with the regular a7 and a9 cameras, then you won’t hear us complaining.

22 22

Sensor: Full-frame CMOS



19.4MP DX crop mode

Megapixels: 45.4MP



Epic battery life

Autofocus: 153-point AF, 99 cross-type

AGAINST

Screen type: 3.2-inch tilt-angle touchscreen, 2,359,000 dots



More expensive than D810

Maximum continuous shooting speed: 7fps



Live View focusing speed behind rivals

Movies: 4K



SnapBridge still clunky

User level: Expert

The Nikon D850 is finally here. After months of speculation, and Nikon itself teasing us back in July that the camera actually existed and was in development, the D850 has been officially announced – and boy, does it

OUR VERDICT Whether you're shooting weddings, landscapes, portraits, action or wildlife, the D850 won't leave you wanting. A much more versatile proposition than the D810 (and its closest rivals for that matter), the D850 is a brilliant DSLR, and perhaps the most well-rounded camera we've ever tested.

FOR 

Potential for large and detailed images



Sophisticated and proven AF system



Large and bright viewfinder

look like it's been worth the wait.

Superseding the brilliant 36.3MP D810 that's loved by both pros and enthusiasts alike, the D850 certainly has big shoes to fill. That said, while the D810 ticked a lot of boxes for photographers, its modest burst shooting speed of 5fps meant it wasn't the perfect all-round DSLR. Nikon doesn't appear to be holding back with the D850, though, boosting numerous areas of the camera's performance to make it appear (on paper at least), the most well-rounded DSLRs we've seen. Is the D850, then, the ultimate DSLR?

Features Full-frame CMOS sensor, 45.7MP Large and bright optical viewfinder 4K video capture

While the D810 retained the same 36.3MP resolution as the ground breaking Nikon D800/D800e, it's been eclipsed by both the 50.6MP Canon EOS 5DS and 42.2MP Sony Alpha A7R II. The D850, though, gets an all-new 45.7MP full-frame back-illuminated sensor (BSI), which is a hefty increase in pixels over the D810, and only marginally behind the 5DS. Thanks to the light-collecting elements being closer to the surface of the sensor, the BSI design should deliver better low-light performance than previous sensors. Just as we've seen with the D810 (and D800e), the D850 forgoes an anti-aliasing filter, which means even more detail can be eked out of the sensor, although there is the added risk of moirĂŠ patterning. On the occasions where you don't want (or need) to shoot at the D850's full resolution, there are two reduced size options, 25.6MP and 11.4MP, recording either raw or JPEG files. We can certainly see this feature appealing to news and sports shooters who'll want to transmit images as quickly as possible to picture desks, and might have otherwise passed up the D850 in favour of the 20.8MP Nikon D5. Another trick up the D850's sleeve is the camera's DX Crop mode, in which the perimeter of the viewfinder is masked to provide a view equivalent to that of an APS-C -format DSLR. The resolution drops, as you're only using a portion of the sensor, but thanks to the D850's huge resolution you'll still be able to capture 19.4MP files â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that's impressive stuff, and not far off the 20.9MP resolution of both the D500 or D7500. There's also a new 1:1 aspect ratio at 30.2MP.

Compared to the D500 (and, for that matter, the D5), the Nikon D850 has quite a modest ISO ceiling of 25,600, with a native base sensitivity of ISO64. This is no surprise really when you consider how densely populated the sensor is, but there is an extended sensitivity range up to an ISO equivalent of 108,400 (Hi2), while landscape photographers will be happy to learn that the D850 also has a Lo1 setting equivalent to ISO32. The D850 sports a new 0.75x optical viewfinder â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that's the largest magnification factor ever on an FX Nikon DSLR, and also a touch bigger than the 0.71x viewfinder on the 5DS. Unlike the D810, the D850 also features a tilt-angle, 3.2-inch 2,359,000-dot touchscreen. It's similar in spec to the one on the D500, but offers greater touch control, enabling you to navigate the menus as well as touch to focus, trigger the shutter and review images. The D850 can shoot 4K UHD video in FX format with no sensor cropping at up to 30p, allowing you to take full advantage of the field of view of your lenses. Lowerresolution video modes are also available, including Full HD footage in 60p, while 4K UHD time-lapse movies can be created in-camera.

If 4K time-lapse footage isn't quite enough for you, the D850 can also create a full resolution time-lapse videos in third-party software thanks to the camera's built-in intervalometer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you can now create a new folder and reset the file numbering for each time-lapse sequence, and avoid the rigmarole of stripping out the desired files yourself. There's also an electronic Vibration Reduction system to reduce the impact of camera shake when shooting movies handheld, and there are ports for an external microphone and audio monitoring. The D850 drops the CompactFlash card slot that was on the D810 in favour of an XQD slot and the performance advantages that brings (although at the moment Nikon is the only manufacturer to take up this storage format on its cameras), while the SD card slot supports cards up to UHS-II. The D850 gets Nikon's SnapBridge connectivity for wireless transfer of images, which establishes a lowenergy Bluetooth connection between the camera and your smart device. Images can then be transferred from camera to device via as you shoot at either 2MP or full resolution (though we'd avoid this with 45.4MP files), or individually if you select images on the camera. For speedier Wi-Fi transfers you can use the app to browse and select the images you desire

Fujifilm’s new nifty 50 f/1 lens can autofocus in near darkness Hillary K. Grigonis Fujifilm just unveiled its brightest aperture lens yet — and unlike most ultra-bright lenses, it doesn’t ditch the autofocus. Announced on Thursday, September 3, the Fujifilm Fujinon XF50 f/1.0 R WR is the first f/1.0 mirrorless lens with autofocus. Despite the bright aperture, Fujifilm didn’t eliminate the autofocus system. The company says that the lens even allows the X-T4 and X-Pro3 to focus as low as -7EV, neardarkness conditions that are a full stop better than pairing ment. “Not only is it the fastest interchangeable lens Fujifilm has ever produced, but it’s also an incredible tool for visual storytellers to use in telling their stories because its autofocus can achieve critical focus at very shallow depth of fields.” The lens is built from 12 elements in nine groups. An aspherical element and two extra-low dispersion elements are included to help minimize spherical aberration. Weather sealing in 11 locations helps keep out dust and moisture, while it is rated for shooting down to 14 degrees.

Despite the high-end construction, the Fujinon XF50 f/1.0 R WR weighs 1.86 pounds and measures just over four inches long. Fujifilm had originally teased the development of a 33mm f/1.0 lens, but in a later announcement said that the lens would be too heavy, promising a 50mm instead.

those same bodies with a different lens. The lens works with the camera’s on-sensor Phase Detection system, including While the lens is the first f/1 autofocus for mirrorless, it’s not the brightest glass out there. Nikon’s Noct lens for fullface and eye AF. frame cameras is a f/.95 lens and Leica offers the Noctilux But, nailing the focus on a lens with such shallow depth of series at f/.95, but both lack an autofocus motor. The fast field, when shot wide open, will likely be a challenge. Fuji- f/1.2 aperture is more common, and f/1.8 is even easier to film designed the lens with a 120-degree focus ring that, in access still. manual focus mode, the company says is more accurate than any existing XF lens. The lens, Fujifilm says, is also de- Unsurprisingly, the f/1.0 lens will come at a price — but at one that’s less than options like the Noct and Noctilux. The signed to minimize focus shift. Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0 R WR lens is expected to retail at “We’re really excited about the XF50mmF1.0 R WR,” Victor about $1,500, with availability sometime in the fall of 2020. Ha, Fujifilm’s electronics division senior director of marketing and product management, said in the announce-

The Earth hasn’t really been the best place to live on for the past year or so. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been fantasizing about moving to some other planet. Stunning photos from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest definitely make these fantasies even more vivid, and I’m happy to share with you this year’s winning photos.



People and Space



Our Sun



Our Moon



Planets, Comets and Asteroids



Stars and Nebulae

There also were two special prizes: The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer and The Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation Photos produced using publicly available images. Dark River by Julie F. Hill (UK) has been named as the inaugural winner of the Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation, and Waves by Bence Toth was selected as the Best Newcomer. © Julie F Hill – The Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation Photos Winner

The contest shared 2020 shortlists earlier this year, and I couldn’t wait to see the winners. French photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux has won the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s title of Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020. He has beaten over 5,000 entries from photographers across six continents, and his image was also a category winner of the Galaxies category. Taken in Forges-les-Bains, Île-de-France, the photo shows the Andromeda Galaxy shot in a very unusual way. It looks as if it was an object taken in the photographer’s own room. It’s almost like something a few inches away from your lens, instead of 2.537 million light-years. I think it’s just incredible and I spent a while staring at the photo. The judges, apparently, had the same impression. Competition judge Ed Robinson said: “To most of us, our closest neighboring galaxy Andromeda can also feel so distanced and out of reach, yet to create a photograph that gives us the impression that it is just within our physical reach is truly magical and somewhat appropriate as we adjust after such socially distanced times.”

The Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 has selected winners in nine categories:



Skyscapes



Aurorae

28 As for young astrophotographers, 10-year-old Alice Fock Hang (Réunion) takes home the top prize for her incredible image The Four Planets and the Moon, showing our moon, Venus, Mercury, the star Antares, Jupiter, and Saturn over the Indian Ocean.

Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year is run by Royal Observatory Greenwich in association with Insight Investment and BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Now in its twelfth year, the competition received The best of these exceptional photographs – winners, runners-up, highly commended and shortlisted – are showcased in the Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition at the National Maritime Museum, opening to the public from 23 October 2020 with tickets on sale from 14 September 2020.

This year’s overall winner has won a £10,000 top prize. Along with other category winners, his photos will take place in the exhibition opening at the National Maritime Museum on 23 October 2020. In addition, this year’s winners, shortlists and a selection of previous winners will be published by Collins in the competition’s official book. You’ll be able to get it at Royal Museums Greenwich shops and online from 11 September, and it will hit all bookstores from 17 September for £25. Take a look at the remaining category winners below, and make sure to visit the contest’s website for more details or if you’d like to submit images.

Skyscapes

Aurorae

People and Space

Our Sun

Our Moon

Planets, Comets and Asteroids

Stars and Nebulae

33 33

The ‘Helicron’ submitted by Jessica (UK) February 2019

If we skip the centuries that “Camera Obscura” has existed, we can narrow the history of photography down to nearly 200 years. In all this time, a lot of curious things have happened to our beloved pastime. This time we'll relax a bit and get into some weird facts about photography that will probably surprise you. Enjoy!

purpose. They were used to film Barry Lyndon, some scenes of which were lit only by candlelight.

1. Canon and Nikon were friends

Post-mortem photography is the practice of photographing recently deceased people. This was a popular practice in America and Europe in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It became popular because, in most cases, for their loved ones, this was the only visual remembrance of the deceased.

Before reflex technology, rangefinder cameras were pretty much the standard. For some years, Canon used lenses from the “Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha” company, which later became Nikon Corporation, like the Canon S from 1938. Print it out and keep it for when you really need it - when you're out shooting! This will be sent to your email straight away!

2. There are 12 Hasselblad Cameras on the Surface of the Moon Hasselblad was a great NASA favorited in the early space missions due to their interchangeable lenses and magazines, as well as the build quality of the gear. The cameras that shot the surface of the moon during the Apollo Program were sacrificed in the name of science to allow 25 kg of lunar rock samples a seat in the back travel to Earth. Thankfully, the film magazines were brought back as well.

3. The Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/0.7 Have you ever wondered what the fastest lens around is? Well, the answer to that has a name and a history as well. The Carl Zeiss Plannar 50mm f0.7 was crafted thanks to the blueprints of the Zeiss Jena UR-Objektive 70mm f/1,0, which landed in U.S. hands as a result of Operation Paperclip. Ten lenses were made, 6 for NASA, 1 for Zeiss, and the other 3 were acquired by Stanley Kubrick for a pretty curious

4. Post-Mortem popular thing

Photography

was

5. Mothers hidden as furniture Early photography was slow, and therefore staying still was a little bit difficult to achieve, but still doable if you were an adult. But kids were a different matter. Mothers managed to keep children still by transforming themselves into furniture, as you can see in these images.

6. A camera was created just to capture the first nuclear explosions The Rapatronic Camera, invented by Harold Edgerton, was capable of capturing the first instant of a nuclear explosion. These cameras were single-use and able to snap a photo one ten-millionth of a second after a detonation from about seven miles away, and with an exposure time of as short as ten nanoseconds. Image By U.S. Air Force 1352nd Photographic Group

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO EDITOR@SHOOTMAG.CO.ZA WITH A BRIEF INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION

7. We're equalling the number of 12. Some guy turned a truck into a photographs made in the 1800s every camera two minutes

Purists will hate this, but I'm sure Ansel Adams would love to at least give it a try. Kurt Moser got an old Russian military truck and turned it into a camera. Simple as that. You can see the thing at work here.

This one doesn't need much of an explanation, and really could make us think about why we’re generating so many images these days (See Erik Kessels’s exhibition for a good illustration about this phenomenon)

13. Early portraits lacked smiles

Image by Kaique Rocha

No, people weren't that serious back in the nineteenth century. Early photographic capabilities were low in terms of speed, and keeping a smile is hard to do for an extended period of time. So people posed in front of cameras for long times, but with a grim face. It was just easier to keep it still. As soon as the technology allowed faster exposures, people had the liberty to smile without ending up with a facial cramp.

8. The first ever digital camera created 14. Windows XP’s default wallpaper is the was made in December 1975 most-viewed photograph in history And it was also pretty huge. It weighed around 8 pounds and was capable of producing images of 0.01 Megapixels. It was invented by Steven Sasson, and it looked like a gadget made for a high-school science project.

9. There is a non-military use lens that weighs 564 pounds

Seen by over a billion people, the default wallpaper from Windows XP is considered to be the most-viewed image in history. Charles O'Rear took a photograph officially titled as “Bliss” in 1996. The image consisted of a green hill with a cloud and a blue sky in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area of Sonoma County, California. After selling it to Corbis, Microsoft bought it years later.

The Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 1700 mm f/4 lens is the largest and heaviest non-military use lens on the planet. It has been designed to work with a Hasselblad 6×6 medium format camera, and is made-toorder only.

10. A Leica was the most expensive camera ever sold In 2012, a 1923 Prototype Leica O-series was sold for £1.75 million, the world record for the most expensive camera ever sold. Here is the auction.

11. Andreas Gursky holds two world records for the most expensive photos ever sold Personally, I see Gursky's work as an acquired taste. At first I didn't really get his images, but with time and sometime actually reading the images, I find his work completely amazing. It is like Pollock, but – unlike Pollock's – I really understand his work. He holds two records for the highest price paid at an auction for a single image.

15. There are ~80 genres of Photography At least, that is what Wikipedia says, so now we can be sure we all have plenty of options for finding our own voice in the vast and generous world of photography

Image By Sotheby's

Image by Unsplash

36 Sensor: APS CMOS

Megapixels: 24.2MP Autofocus: 11-point AF, 1 cross-type Screen type: 3.0-inch, 921,000 dots Maximum continuous shooting speed: 5fps Movies: 1080p User level: Beginner

OUR VERDICT If you're looking to take your first steps into the world of creative, manual photography, then the Nikon D3500 is the best DSLR you can buy right now. It has intuitive menus, a superb battery life and great image quality. It's worth considering mirrorless alternatives too, but the D3500 combines all of the traditional advantages of DSLRs, including great handling and value.

FOR 

Excellent image quality



Remarkable 1,550-shot battery life



Handy Guide mode



Compact for a DSLR



Easy to use

AGAINST 

No 4K video



No touchscreen control



Bluetooth, but no Wi-Fi

TWO-MINUTE REVIEW It may now be two years old, but the Nikon D3500 remains the best entry-level DSLR for beginners who are looking to step up from point-and-shoot photography. The D3500's age means it now represents great value at current prices, and it has all of the traditional DSLR strengths, including an incredible battery life and great handling. Of course, it isn't perfect, as you'd expect at this price. The main drawbacks are the lack of 4K video capture, some cost-cutting with the external controls, and the absence of touchscreen functionality. If you need the

latter, it's worth considering alternatives like the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D, or a mirrorless camera like the Fujifilm X-T200. Neither of those cameras come close to the D3500's 1,550-shot battery life, though, and it does compensate for the lack of a touchscreen with a handy 'Guide' mode for beginners, which takes you through the process of creating effects like a blurred background. It's a great way for inexperienced shooters to understand manual settings and start building their knowledge. The D3500's 24.2MP sensor produces impressive results, although you'll want to invest in some additional lenses to really see its potential. Fortunately, Nikon's DX system has a vast range of lenses to suit pretty much every shooting style and budget. Still, we'd recommend buying the D3500 with the 'VR' version of its kit lens –the AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.55.6G VR – as this brings handy vibration reduction for very little extra cost. Some more AF points would have been nice, but the 11-point AF system works fine for general shooting, and does the job for some moving subjects too.

If you're looking for a smaller camera for travel shooting, then mirrorless alternatives like the Fujifilm X-T200, Canon EOS M50 or Panasonic G100 are worth considering. But as an affordable, beginnerfriendly camera that'll teach you the nuts and bolts of creative photography, then the Nikon D3500 is a fine choice.

NIKON D3500 REVIEW: FEATURES 

New sensor, but effective resolution stays the same



No touchscreen or 4K video



Bluetooth connectivity

The D3500 retains the same effective 24.2MP pixel count as the old D3400, but this is a newer sensor, and closer inspection of the specs shows that the total count on the D3500's sensor stands at 24.78MP, compared to 24.72MP on the D3400. The APS-C sized sensor (typical for an entry-level DSLR, and much larger than the sensors used in most compact cameras) in the D3500 also does away with an optical low-pass filter to help improve image

quality.

The D3500's ISO sensitivity range of 10025,600 is also pretty wide, but doesn't improve on the D3400's range. Given that most mirrorless cameras (and even smartphones) offer 4K video, it's a bit disappointing to only see Full HD capture on the D3500. It's not all bad news though, as the D3500 can shoot at a smooth 60/50p, as well as 30/25p and 24p, while there are lower-resolution recording options as well. There's also no microphone port, so you'll need to rely on the D3500's built-in monaural microphones. If you're looking to shoot video regularly, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. Nikon has also opted to carry over the same 3.0inch display, with a modest 921,000-dot resolution, from the D3400. The screen is fixed, and sits flush with the body â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you want a DSLR with a vari-angle display then you'll need to look further up the range to the Nikon D5600or at the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D. It's also slightly disappointing to see no touchscreen functionality, a feature that would really lend itself to a entry-level DSLR, with touchscreens having become second nature for anyone using a smartphone. Complementing the rear display is an optical viewfinder. This is perhaps the most obvious feature that that distinguishes DSLRs from mirrorless cameras, with many similarly priced mirrorless cameras either relying solely on the rear screen for shooting, while others will feature electronic viewfinders (EVF) with pretty modest resolutions (at this price point). EVFs certainly have their advantages, especially as you can see the exposure 'live', meaning you don't get any nasty surprises when you fire the shutter, although many photographers prefer the cleaner, lag-free view offered by an optical viewfinder. The optical viewfinder on the D3500 offers a coverage of 95%, which is typical for an entry-level DSLR, so you may need to be a bit careful when framing some shots to avoid unwanted elements creeping into the edges of the frame. As on the D3400 there's no Wi-Fi connectivity, but you do get Bluetooth, so it's possible to transfer images via Nikon's SnapBridge feature. Here, an always-on Bluetooth Low Energy connection is made between the camera and your smart device, and you can configure SnapBridge so that images are automatically transferred as you shoot, or later, so you can select particular images to transfer.

Covid19 Precautions for Photographers ..………. 41

A Day In The Life Of a Wedding Photographer .… 43

How To Take a Good Portrait Photo …………... 45

Flash Exposure Meters at wedding ……....…. 62

Charlene - The Best of Zululand …….………. 63

How To Use A Reflector ……………... 78

Covid19 Precautions Photographers

for

Throughout the past several months, many photographers have expressed that they are struggling to stay inspired and find new subjects to photograph, as they are trying to adhere to the lockdown restrictions guidelines regarding social distancing, sheltering in place and staying safe and healthy during the Covid19 Pandemic. Although staying home and keeping our distance from others does

limit us in some ways when it comes to the photography exercises we might have worked on in the past compared to what we can safely work on now, that doesn’t mean that we need to hang up our cameras and put creativity on hold altogether. We have searched the internet to find ways to make it work, so we found

simple tips for staying as safe as possible as you practice your photography during a time when cleanliness is especially important.

Keeping Your Gear Clean It goes without saying that first and foremost, in order to stay as safe as possible you need to adhere to the latest COVID 19 safety guidelines. Beyond that, however, you might be interested in tips on keeping your photography gear clean after each session when you’ve been touching your device and making adjustments with bare hands. Getting started, you can wipe down the body of your camera

you see any stains on your camera body, try to gently use a toothbrush to scrub off stubborn spots. Make sure that you are especially careful around any leather surfaces- you don’t want to scrub away the glue that holds the leather pieces in place. After you clean the body, you can clean the lens and the sensor as well. For this, you will

need a rubber bulb blower, non-abrasive lintfree wipes and lens cleaner. You should be able to order these items from any camera shop. Make sure you can work on a clean surface in a space with good lighting. Getting started, gently begin to dust dirt or small particles that might have collected on

42 44

your lens. Make sure to be as gentle as possible to avoid scratching the lens itself. This is a great time to use the bulb blower tool as well, so you can softly blow air onto the lens to remove dirt while avoiding touching the lens altogether. After you’ve done your best to gently clean any particles off, you can use a lens cleaner and your non-abrasive, lint-free wipes to gently cleanse the lens as well.

Work at Home Finally, remember that there are plenty of photography projects you can work on without leaving your yard, or even your home. While dirt and dust dirtying our cameras are inevitable no matter where we’re using them, if you’re worried about your gear getting contaminated with germs from other people, staying home is your best bet. Some fun options for at-home photography projects include:

Close-Up Photography: Practicing

your macro photography is a simple exercise you can try indoors or in your backyard. You could use a piece of fruit, a leaf, or a flower as a subject for this composition

Water Droplet Photography:

This is another exercise you can complete without needing to go in public or interact with other people. Staying inside your home, you could use a glass of water for this. If you’re headed out to your yard, you could work with water from a pool, sprinkler, or your garden hose. There are many tutorials on google!

Bird Photography: Whether

you’re in a city on the lookout for a flock of pigeons or in your backyard waiting on the perfect shot of a red cardinal, bird photography is another great genre you can explore while maintaining your distance from crowds of people. Sticking to projects you can complete while staying home or keeping a safe distance from crowds is a simple way to ensure your safety during these times. If you’re looking for a photography class, you can take online classes or courses without having to travel to a classroom or interact with other people. Not all these options might be the type of photography you would like to do, or even use to generate Income, but see It as a guide to use your creative mind to apply new Ideas how you can still work and be safe. Remember this, you might not worry about you, but do consider other people. Remember your mask, sanitisers and It Is your responsibility to remind your clients to be safe too.

“A wedding photographer doesn’t just show up for a few hours

“There is so much

then

wedding

joy in what I do. I

photographer Simon James about how critical it is to hire a

still enjoy that 26

professional wedding photographer for your wedding day, and how

years later. There’s

much passion goes into every single day in the life of a wedding

a couple. They’re in

photographer.

love and they’re getting married. The most important part is the

home.”

spoke

professional

ceremony, and then the party afterward. I always say to my “Some couples can’t see initially that there is so much value

couples, what I do on the day is so insignificant. But the day after,

there” (in the photographer’s service).” The artistic ability to

what I have done is super critical. I’m invisible on your wedding day

capture, to see and feel things before they happen and to know

unless necessary. I dress as a guest. I blend in, I don’t impact the

exactly what to capture comes with experience and passion. A

couples wedding day unless I need to. But I capture those critical

piece of paper may be $2.50, but if you want art to put into an

moments, and it’s beautiful. The amount of work that goes into a

album page, that’s more like $125.” But once you see that magic

wedding begins from the enquiry. Whether it’s from a referral or

and the quality, it’s well worth it.

from the Easy Weddings website, they have invested some time, so

Simon has more than 25 years experience shooting weddings all over the world, as well as doing seminars for other photographers all over Australia. “Great wedding photographs don’t just miraculously occur. The photographs you see in portfolios take skill, preparation, artistic flair and meticulous attention to detail.” “I started in fashion photography, but there were so many people involved in the taking of a single photograph. There was just no

creative outlet there. One of the models asked if I could shoot their wedding, and I said yes, but I never had before. I got halfway through that wedding and realised how much fun it was. (I thought) ‘I get to tell the story!’. And ever since then I’ve seen myself as a storyteller.”

then you’re probably spending half an hour in that communication before you are booking a time in my diary. Then you’re spending an hour or so with the couple, showing them finished works, the

album, learning about their day, taking notes. ” “The amount of work that goes into a wedding begins from the enquiry. Whether it’s from a referral or from the Easy Weddings website, they have invested some time, so then you’re probably spending half an hour in that communication before you are booking a time in my diary. Then you’re spending another hour or so with the couple (before they have booked your service)” “The question I always ask my couples is to describe their perfect wedding day in three words. An ‘elegant, graceful and beautiful’ wedding is very different from a ‘minimalistic, edgy, crazy’ wedding. So that gives me some hints about the dress, the car and the day. Then I follow up with a thank you and provide the couple a written quote. I follow up again a week later and either they book me or not. If they do, we fill out a contract and catch up with them again, learn even more about their day, take notes and then I touch base with them periodically leading up to the wedding. Some book me three months out, some book 12-18 months out.”

The booking period used to be really consistent. Now you can look forward to your diary and it’s very different to what it used to be. Couples will come to me with three months to go and ask to book me. I’ll say, haven’t you booked anyone yet? And they will respond ‘we haven’t got anything booked yet!’. Things are changing. A wedding used to be the start of a relationship. Now the wedding is: ‘we already live together, we’ve got a fur baby and we’re renovating a house’ so it’s all together. It’s less for everyone else and more for the couple now. ” Things are changing. A wedding used to be the start of a relationship. Now the wedding is: ‘we already live together, we’ve got a fur baby and we’re renovating a house’ so it’s all together. (A wedding is) less for everyone else and more for the couple now. “ “If the wedding is on the Saturday, by the Saturday night, I’ve sent 5-10 images straight through to their phone. I love that level of service. By the Wednesday after their wedding, the images are online for the couple to view, and by Friday, I’ve already designed the album, while the story is still fresh in my mind. From a timing perspective, a wedding day is now a lot shorter for a photographer. Generally, I don’t stay for the entire reception, as people tend to be eating and drinking and don’t look their best. I get a feel for it, get the best shots at the start of the reception. After I go home, even if I am going out or busy that night, I go home, I upload the images and they are backed up onto a hard drive, and then they are uploaded to the cloud.”

Portraits are one of the most powerful kinds of photographs. A great portrait can last for decades, memorializing a person’s entire life, or just a single instant. The difference between a snapshot and a good portrait is more narrow than you’d think. It just requires a little bit of thought.

What Makes a Good Portrait Portraits are about one thing: the person in them. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shooting a tight head shot or an environmental portrait; it’s all about the subject. So with that in mind, what makes a good portrait? First, a good portrait draws attention to the subject. This is normally achieved through some combination of a shallow depth of field, composition, color, and lighting. When it’s done right, as soon as a viewer looks at the portrait, their eyes instantly settle on the subject. Second, a good portrait tells you something about the subject. It shows some element of their personality or their life. You should be able to look at a good portrait and know something about them. The best portrait artists can tell a whole story in a single image. Outside of these two things, there is very little rhyme or reason to what makes a good portrait—you have a lot of room to be creative

The Technical Stuff RELATED: Get Out of Auto: How to Use Your Camera's Shooting Modes for Better Photos You don’t need a dedicated lens for portrait photos, but there are dedicated portrait lenses which take flattering images of people. They have a wide aperture of at least f/2.0 and tend to have a focal length between 50mm and 100mm. The wide aperture gives you a

really shallow depth of field which makes it easy to pull attention to the subject, while the focal length is long enough to minimize distortion without being so long that you have to stand 50 metres away to keep the person in frame. A perfect portrait lens is the 50mm f/1.8 “Nifty Fifty”. Canon’s version is available for $125 while Nikon’s costs a little more at $215. If you have a DSLR and want to take great portraits, they’re well worth picking up. I shot the image below with one. When it comes time to shoot the photo, you want to put your camera in aperture priority mode. Set the aperture to a value of between f/1.8 and f/2.8. If your lens doesn’t go that wide, just use its widest aperture. You need a shutter speed of around 1/100th of a second. Faster is okay, but it’s better to have a lower ISO.

If you get the technical details right, you’re a long way towards capturing a good portrait. When you have a shallow depth of field, it’s hard to look anywhere but the subject.

Other Tips and Tricks RELATED: How to Remove Acne and Other Blemishes in Photoshop A portrait should flatter the subject. You want to reflect the best version of them. This rule should guide every decision, from the framing of your shot to the removal of acne and blemishes when you edit. For portraits, you want the camera to be level, or slightly above, the model’s eyeline. No one looks good when shot from a low angle!

The two easiest portrait compositions to get right are the head shot (a close up of the model’s head and shoulders) and a waist-up shot. If you stand so that the subject fills the frame in either of these compositions, your portraits will look good. When you’re framing your shot, be careful not to cut off any of the model’s limbs. You want to crop at major joints like the waist, rather than at their fingers. One way to take your portraits to the next level is to use really good lighting. Don’t just shoot a portrait anywhere. Instead, find somewhere with nice, flat, even lighting. A great place to shoot a portrait is somewhere shady, like under a tree or in an alley, on a sunny day or in a room lit by a single large window. I used a window for the photos below. Portraits, more than any other kind of photography, require you to engage with your subject. If you step back and just take photos while your subject stares at the camera with a fake grin on their face, you’re going to end up with very cold, uninteresting portraits. Instead, you need to be constantly chatting to them, making them laugh, and getting them to just act like themselves.

For every good portrait I take, I get about 50 shots where the model is laughing, smiling, talking, sticking her tongue out at me, or making ridiculous expressions. The best portraits happen at the in-between moments. When the model poses, you say something, and their pose cracks into a smile. Press the shutter button then, and you’ll have a great shot. I love shooting portraits. They’re really social and lots of fun. To shoot a great landscape you need lots of gear, an amazing location, and patience. But to shoot a great portrait you just need someone who’ll stand in front of your camera and somewhere shady on a sunny day. A little technical know-how is all you need, because again: it’s all about the person in the photo.

Photo By: cmaedesign.com

About

the

Author

Chris

Are there any props you’d like to

Due to the intimacy of the setup, it’s vital

Chris Hoefner is a landscape and portrait/ photography



incorporate?

Hoefner (Germany) street

1. Communicate With the Client

enthusiast

from

Germany. He has a keen interest in photo

that you connect with clients to help them



feel more comfortable. This is crucial both

Who are you doing this session for (yourself, significant other, etc)?

before and during the session!

Here are questions you can ask during the shoot:

editing and technology. When he's not out

Proper communication prior to the shoot

in the wild with his camera, he can be

can allow you to get to know the client

found trying to master the art of making

better and be aware of any insecurities

flavorful coffee.

they might have going into the session.

will play a big role in how you pose

During the shoot, the last thing you want is

them, which we talk about below)

Boudoir photography is a fun way to capture sexy yet classy images. To produce pictures that reflect a client’s intimate and sensual sides, here are tips for nailing boudoir photos that you and your clients will love. Capturing boudoir photos involves using lighting,

composition,

and

poses

someone that’s half naked in front of you,



really helpful here.

Here are some questions to ask prior to the session: 

What do you love most about your body?



What type of outfits are you planning on bringing?

photos to make your client feel like a



What’s your favourite type of music that gets you pumped up?

What piece of lingerie are you most looking forward to wearing?

so having some easy questions to ask is

facial expressions, and angles.

million bucks.

Do you have a preferred side? (This

awkward silence as you’re taking photos of

highlight the subject’s features, mood,

Here are 7 tips to use when taking boudoir



What are you planning on doing with these photos?

Find the balance between the client’s needs and limitations. Knowing these

50 details let you think of the right

you can tailor the poses to

strategy to move forward.

highlight that side.

2. Guide the Posing

3. Play Music

Some people can pose naturally,

Before the shoot, ask your client

while others need assistance. This

what their favourite type of music

for

is (along with a few favourite

photographers to know how to

songs), and create a personalized

instruct the subject of what to do

playlist for them based on their

with specific parts of the body.

preferences. Music can give you

why

it’s

crucial

You can assist clients in achieving

attractive poses by using the subject’s arms and legs to create

shapes or symmetry. Remember that posing doesn’t have to be

an array of feelings, and playing tunes your client loves is a great way

make

them

feel

comfortable and relaxed during the session.

over the top; what’s important is

It’s also really easy to ask your

that the client feels natural and

client to dance as certain songs

confident.

play, allowing you to capture some

Make sure to check for distortions

fun candids.

as body parts closer to the camera

Here’s the key, though – if you’re

may appear more prominent.

not familiar with their favourite

One of the best ways to help your client feel amazing is by asking them this question before you

even start shooting: “Do you have a preferred side of yours that you love?” Oftentimes, women will have a side of their face and body that they like more than the other. By finding this out immediately,

type of music, take time and listen to some of the songs! This way, as the music is playing, you can sing along and your client won’t feel like

they’re

the

only

person

jamming out to the tunes.

4. Fix Hair and Wardrobe Malfunctions If you’re used to shooting other

51 types of sessions like weddings or even family shoots, then you’ve likely heard clients request to have you Photoshop fly hairs or a random bra strap that was showing.

also allows you to practice different poses and find flattering angles.

When it comes to boudoir shoots, those types of requests are generally asked much more. This is typically because there is only one main subject to look at, and when you’re not wearing much clothing, it’s easier to point out perceived imperfections.

Conclusion

Because of this, don’t be afraid to actively tell your client to fix part of their lingerie or move a piece of hair out of the way. Be hypercritical when it comes to these items, because if you don’t point it out, there’s a chance your client will! This will help you save time, especially when it comes to editing.

5. Use the Right Lenses Your lens choices can make or break the boudoir photoshoot. As a rule of thumb, when in doubt, go with a 50mm or 85mm lens. These will have minimal distortion and will produce a beautiful photo, especially when you shoot at f/1.4 or f/1.8. If you go with something wider than a 50mm (such as a 35mm or you’re using a wider range on a zoom lens like a 24-70mm), you need to pay close attention to where you’re positioning your client in the frame. Distortion starts to happen on the edges of the frame with lenses like this, which can work to both your advantage and disadvantage, depending on how you position your subject. A wide angle can help give the illusion that your subject has long, flattering legs, but it can also completely distort her face and make her look awkward.

6. Start with Clothing On For a majority of clients, this will be their first boudoir session. If you start the shoot by asking them to strip down to their underwear, they could be extremely nervous! Your goal is to make them feel comfortable and confident, so try starting the shoot by having them wear their least revealing piece of lingerie. This gives them time to warm up, get to know you a little bit, and become comfortable showing some skin. Use this time to teach them some basic poses that might be used throughout the session, rather than trying to explain complex poses while they have little to nothing on.

7. Get Details While capturing full-body photos of women is great when taking boudoir photos, take time to capture the details. If your client ordered an album, having these detail shots can help tell a more robust and complete story. From intricate lace detailing, to a bra strap falling off her shoulder, to her peeling off a piece of clothing, these are all photos that can place the focus on something other than her face. Taking detail photos is another way to get your client feeling more comfortable in front of the camera because they don’t have to worry about their face in the frame.

Bonus Tip: Take Your Own Boudoir Photos To nail boudoir photos of your clients, practice by taking boudoir photos of yourself! If you’re a male, you can adjust slightly by practicing self-portraiture. This helps you experience what your client might feel when they’re in front of the camera, and it

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasonal boudoir photographer, go into a boudoir session with a positive attitude, open mind, and creativity to make your clients feel and look their best.

54 47

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57 Fashion photographers are able to fulfil many different types of work, from photographing ads

to taking portraits to shooting magazine covers. Many aspects of fashion photography are prevalent in many more photographic situations such as in shooting weddings and in commercial and product photography, so developing more experience in fashion photography will benefit many other possible areas of interests too. However, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working as a fashion photographer, you must be incredibly meticulous in your work, and you need to plan and be properly prepared before you can start taking any

photos.

Making Connections Models and Stylists

with

Working in fashion photography means working with people, and in a very personal and engaged manner at that. The model in a fashion shoot plays just as big of a role as the photographer. The model you work with is the focal point of your picture, and above all else she or he is the one thing that can make or break your photo. The first step is sometimes the hardest step, and that

is actually acquiring a model to work with, or just someone who is willing to pose for you who then is basically a model in the same way anyone who uses a camera is a photographer. But again, finding someone who can work well with your style, your theme, and your schedule, which is the hardest aspect of most shoots to plan, can be difficult and time-consuming. To make things easier, photographers, models, and also even stylists, who also make up an extremely large component in a fashion shot, need to maintain their connections with each other,

especially if they do find other artists whose styles work well with their own. This is one of the reasons why ensuring that the person youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working with has a pleasant and

anxiety-free

experience

extremely

important, another being that your models need to be in an environment they can work comfortably in in order to look and perform at their best. Facebook is a good resource to start with in a search for a model or stylist. There are many groups on Facebook dedicated to this sort of thing where you could just post open-ended requests or statuses looking for certain persons to be featured in your work. But Facebook really shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the only thing you rely on, and it might get annoying for your Facebook friends or

58 “peers” to constantly have to see or get notifications from you.

Ensuring the Best Experience for Everyone Involved Once you’ve found your models and before you’ve started working with them, it would be best for both or all involved if you asked them to sign an agreed-upon contract that would include copyright,

sales,

and

release

and

publication details. You can find many templates and pre-made forms online

that you can either customize or directly print out and give them. As an example, have a look at 500px‘s simple but very effective and contract. Again, all this applies to finding and working with stylists too. You should agree upon compensation and credit details, and have proper documentation proving these agreements before beginning to work with them. As the photographer, you’ll probably be providing everyone with access to digital copies of the finished images, whether the files themselves or access to where they can view the

pictures, so since you need to contact your stylists and models again, you need to have a sure form of reliable communication with them. They may even be willing to work with you again if any opportunities come up in the future, and when you have a network of connections you’re familiar with, finding partners to help with your projects is easy, plus you already know you work well with them. While stylists, once given some direction, guidelines, or instructions, will for the most part be able to do their work on their own without much need for your input, the working relationship between a model and photographer is much more interdependent and involved. For models to be able to emote and express themselves properly, you need to ensure that both you and the environment you’re working in are professional but personable. Models that are more experienced may be

able

miscommunications

make

for

between

themselves and the photographer, but if you’re giving directions that are unclear and confusing or just in general being difficult to work with, you won’t end up with the best possible photos you can

59 have because it would be impossible for the models to work at their best.

Preparing Your Equipment and Studio Before being able to work with and direct a model in the studio, you should have and know how to use the appropriate accessories for your camera. Investing in a professional strobe flash is an absolute necessity; you will need to use the strobe flash so that subject in your photo can be highlighted and glamorized by the light, which will allow you to shoot photos that pop like you see in magazine covers. The flash built within your camera body isn’t powerful or functional enough to perform adequately in professional

photography, and with an external strobe flash, you will be able to bounce or reflect the flash off of different surfaces, such as the ceiling or wall, onto your subjects. If you don’t bounce the flash and it instead goes off directly onto your subjects, they will be put in a very harsh light, and it will be obvious that the flash was used, and your photos might look more like amateur candids rather than professional and refined. Some strobe flashes can be fired remotely off-camera, which provides you with a wide flexibility of lighting options and provides you with far more ways to bounce the flash than usual. Finding that perfect perspective and angle can definitely be

tricky in fashion photography, so in many situations it’s probably easier to shoot your camera handheld rather than with a tripod, but

tripods

are

still

necessary

products

invest

in. Tripods provide total stabilization and precision; they can make the compositions and perspectives of your photos consistent whereas if you were just holding your camera, every picture would be be slightly different in terms of perspective and placement, which can make your photos look amateurish if the compositions were supposed to look consistent. Tripods also allow for maximum depth-of-field and sharpness, as you can lower the shutter speed and increase the aperture of your camera with a tripod. But be careful not to make the shutter speed so slow that the camera won’t be able to capture and freeze your model’s movements or expressions. Capturing the right expression and movement from your model is just as important as the technical aspects of the photoshoot, so use your judgement when deciding to use a tripod or not as tripods will severely limit your range-of-motion and flexibility. On a final note, to be more specific, you should purchase a ballhead tripod, which will allow you to rotate your camera on the tripod much more quickly and accurately than a regular tripod, though they are a quite a bit more expensive. And if you have no access to an actual photo studio, you can

still pull off a lot of work in fashion photography. Outdoors and nature locations can offer gorgeous photoshoot opportunities, as well as different locations in the city and certain rooms and buildings too, all depending on the style and

60 theme you’re looking for. For example, hotel rooms can make for some very visually striking settings for boudoir and fashion photos, or you can go to a street downtown in the evening to find a location for some film noir shots.

inspiration from. These could be magazines or collages or collages made from magazines, or you could simply look online. There are myriads of fashion bloggers, photographers, and designers on Tumblr that you can follow and view and re-blog, but if you want a dedicated website just for fashion and being inspired by fashion, Even if you do require a white or plain coloured background for your you should go on Lookbook.nu, a community site where users can composition, there are plenty of ways of replicating a studio look submit their own outfits and designs whilst rating and providing without actually setting foot in a studio. You can purchase handfeedback on others’ posts. painted backdrops that come in a variety of textures and styles, or you can buy a Chroma-key backdrop which can act as a green On Lookbook, many of the users are very competent photographers screen. You can even just tape large pieces of white paper on the and fashionistas alike, making it a very valuable resource for the floors and walls in just your apartment or dorm, and with efficient fashion photographer needing inspiration. and proper lighting and technical skill, the photos will look like they were taken in a professional studio setting. Finding studio space or access can certainly be one of the most Conclusion expensive aspects in photography, but with some DIY work and Fashion photography is a very broad subject, and it covers a wide knowhow and creativity, it becomes much less of a hassle. range of different and sometimes complex photographic techniques. You’ve learned how to find and work with models and stylists, what Finding Inspiration equipment to purchase and how to prepare your studio setting, and The biggest and sometimes most difficult part to producing great how to work with a clear direction and focus in mind. Along with fashion photos is finding the right source of inspiration first. Unless this, proper lighting and staging techniques, along with the more technical aspects of using your camera are all extremely important you’re being directed during the shoot, you, as the photographer, in fashion photography, and these guides can be found in many will need to have some conceptual and aesthetic ideas in mind other articles online and on as well. before starting to take pictures. You should consult those articles after reading this post in order to garner a more comprehensive and technical understanding behind Maybe you’ve picked out some burlesque outfits you’d like the fashion photography. With all this information and guidelines in models to wear to end up with titillating and provocative photos, or mind, you will be able to venture into fashion photography, one of maybe you’d want to go shoot in a place in nature that’s on the the most elaborate and elegant arts, in a prepared, confident, and verge of ruination to achieve a visceral but organic feel. If you’re determined manner. inspired, you’ll have an end goal in mind when doing the shoot, and your photos will reflect this; without a clear focus or direction, your shots could end up all over the place. You should have some steady and constant resources to draw

Photography Ethics and Photoshop

What about when an interior photographer like myself moves items of

Are You a Photographer or a "Digital" Photographer?

Exciting times despite photography ethics being occasionally overlooked

Is using Photoshop really cheating when it comes to photography ethics?

For me, this is what makes photography so unique and exciting, especially in this new digital era. There are so many combinations, techniques and tools we have at our disposal. The bountiful supply of and possibilities for different and beautiful images is endless. If it weren’t for

I keep coming across people accusing and being accused of "cheating" an image by using the wonders of Adobe Photoshop. That their work isn’t really photography at all, but another form of art altogether. First of all, my opinion is "so what"? What does it really matter how the artist or photographer got to the finished image? As long as it is thought provoking and pleasing to the eye As long as it can be used in any necessary context for publication if so desired Do we really need to know how and/or why it was done? Sure, a hard-core, original style photographer would say that the true image should be made at the time of capture. As the event happens and that any later enhancements are misleading to the end viewer. To that I say "poppycock"! For me, the only true and real photography is that of photojournalism. As I am sure you will agree, photojournalism should not and must not be tampered with for monetary gain or to purposely mislead the viewer. Although it sometimes does right?!?!

True Photojournalism Some of the most thought provoking photo -journalistic images have stayed in my mind since I was at primary school. One image that springs to mind is that of a young, naked Vietnamese girl. Taken just after having been napalmed during the war, running down a road... There would be no reason and no point to further enhance this image. It tells its own horrific story as it is. When it comes to photographs as an art form, I guess photographers have been "misleading" people for decades. Since the first "Daguerreotypes" were being made perhaps. The famous photo of the Cottingley Fairies held true for years until being finally exposed as a fake. Does it matter that it was a fake? The authors have created one of the most famous images and talked about legends for nearly a century. I am sure that it will be discussed for centuries more no doubt!

"viewer" that sees these images, has their own interpretation of why they like or dislike the finished product.

furniture in a house. Or adds a bowl of fruit to a room to enhance the image? How about when we add make up to a model before a shoot or re-arrange a wedding dress? None of these images tell the story of a scene as it was when we arrived at it. All the alterations were made manually to make the image more pleasing.

Fake it 'til you make it! So what is the difference between doing it before the shoot at the scene, or after the shoot in Photoshop? What is the difference between pulling an obtrusive branch out of your way for that perfect landscape or simply removing it later on your PC? Why do wedding photographers carry clothes pegs to pin back the dress for some formal shots? Is that cheating?

I am sure also, that when Turner or Constable made their beautiful paintings, maybe Another ship was added here An annoying, unwanted bush was removed there We'll never know. Although, it has been suggested that the "Masters" used optics to project the model’s images onto their canvasses when painting "The Renaissance". This was highlighted when someone pointed out that everyone including the animals, were left-handed! Is this cheating? My whole point to this discussion is this. Each person who picks up and uses a camera, digital or film, has their own individual interpretation of what makes a good photograph. "Photoshopped" or not! In the same regard, each individual

the phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and if we all saw things in the same way, the world would be a very dull and boring place. When it comes to photography, or any other art form come to that, do what makes you happy and proud of what you have achieved, however you got there! Nick Stubbs

A flash exposure meter can give exposure reading in reflected light and incidental light and can detect a one-tenth of an F-stop difference in light levels. A digital sensor has less dynamic range than negative film. It resembles slide film-If you get the exposure just a little bit off, the resulting images are less than desirable. Software such as Photoshop etc, can correct exposure via curves and levels. However, by needing to redistribute tonal qualities in an image, valuable detail suffers in the process. If you look at the histogram of an image that has been manipulated in this manner, gaps will be apparent. This is to show that there are no pixels present in those tones. By using a hand-held meter, to gather exposure information, your image will need little or no tonal correction in Photoshop. When you need to measure flash exposure, you can either set meter to:



Flash, (lightning symbol) for use with pocket wizards



Corded flash, (lightning symbol with C) when using a PC cord which plugs into the meter itself.

Using a Flash Exposure Meter To use a hand-held flash exposure meter, first you set the ISO rating, by pressing a button. Then you set the mode (ambientjust a sun symbol) flash, or corded flash. These also from a button push or wheel spin, depending on the make of meter. Your meter will either have a sliding opaque semi-sphere, (Like Half a ping-pong ball) or one that can be attached. For reflected readings, detach, or retract this semi-sphere from the metering cell. Pointing the flash exposure meter slightly downwards, to avoid too much light from the sky, press the measurement button to get a reading. Readout will display shutter speed/aperture combination for correct exposure. You can then use either a wheel or up/ down buttons, to cycle through the different

combinations to suit speed of subject or aperture for desired depth of field, and transfer these settings to your DSLR. When you want to take an incident reading, use the semi-sphere over the metering cell, stand within the subject’s plane, and point meter to where photo is to be taken from, and adjust buttons accordingly.

Using Meters at Weddings Your camera uses reflected light readings for exposure-light reflected from different subjects, will result in a range of tones, which your camera’s meter will try to average to give an overall exposure. It may not matter sometimes, but because any little deflection of lighting will give a different reading, and if you are photographing a wedding, for instance, it could look as if photos were taken on different days!

You may have noticed, at weddings, the pro photographer will hold a meter at the bride’s face, pointing to where the camera will be-This is taking an incident light reading – which actually measures the light falling on the subject, not affected by the tonal differences of the subjects colouring- as the light falling on any subject in the frame will be constant, so the incident reading will ensure that there will be detail in the black tuxedo, and the white of the wedding dress will not be blown out.

Author = Kenneth William Caleno - NZ

My name is Charlene, and as I'm sure you’ve guessed…, I’m a Photographer. I’ve always enjoyed taking photograph, even as a little girl and the challenge of getting it perfect! I’m very hard on myself with my own criticism so I can’t say it started anywhere, I was born with it. I use my camera to capture and document moments in life through a visual story. Photography is my favorite way to express myself. My photos give people a chance to see the way I think and help bring attention to the little things that often get overlooked, almost like collaborating thoughts. Photography shows people new angles and perspectives on life. I love presenting my work to people so that they can see the magical moments I saw during the shoot. . My photos show my unique thought process and my interpretation of the world around me. The exploration of these small moments in time helps me to deeper indulge in the moment. My goal and ultimate feeling of success is drawing other people into that moment as well. My subject of choice is people. This comes from my true love and appreciation for the human experience of emotion and life. I really enjoy getting candid photos that personify pure feeling, enhanced by use of light and composition. I want my subject to feel beautiful and comfortable during the process of being photographed so they can show me who they really are. I want the subject to see the results and feel like they are being represented well. I love finding beauty in everyday spots that may be passed by without a second glance. Through landscapes I have learned that I would really love to travel and see more interesting parts of the world. Thanks to landscape photos, one photographer can take thousands of people to the featured spot and everyone can interpret it differently. Thanks to other’s photography, I have experienced a lot more than my own eyes have seen. I am inspired by the little moments that we so often lose to memory. The best photos are those that resurface with it whether it’s a feeling, an essence or an emotion..For those not involved behind the scenes do not know the appreciation editing.. I am inspired by emotion. And by personality. I’ve always been encouraged to think outside the box; I am inspired to find, with my lens, something different. Something beautiful. I tend to over think things, but with my camera, I don’t think. I just see. I imagine, and I experience. Photography made me an extrovert. I am not the best speech giver, and it’s often difficult for me to say exactly what I’m feeling. Good photography needs no words. Phone number: 063 421 0596 Website: www.charlsphotos.webs.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/charls.photographys Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/charlene-jones-88395b59 Twitter: www.twitter.com/charlene1437 Instagram: www.instagram.com/charl1437 Photography: Interpretation of Reality, Art or Sim0ply Entertainment? Photography is the whole world full of adventures, interesting events, stories, games of colors and light. As one of the most interesting and exciting forms of art, it appeared a long time ago, and to this time has been greatly influencing the human life. In the 19th century, for example, the adherents of positivism believed that photography is a science that allows to record reality. Photography, both art and science, has constantly

Photography: Interpretation of Reality, Art or Sim0ply Entertainment?

tainty. Such incidences have already happened more then once in the real world, and especially during the war’s periods. This is a warning to all people to be careful and unbiased when viewing Photography is the whole world full of adventures, interesting photos and videos in the media. events, stories, games of colors and light. As one of the most interesting and exciting forms of art, it appeared a long time ago, and to this time has been greatly influencing the human life. In the 19th century, for example, the adherents of positivism believed that photography is a science that allows to record reality. Photography, both art and science, has constantly been improved by different artist, inventors, scientists and engineers. We are all accustomed to believe by taking pictures we capture the best moments of our life, and photographs help recall the events of the past. However, there is much more to tell. A photographer is a painter who depicts his life on a canvas by conveying certain emotions or experiences, and who describes reality the way he or she sees it or wants it to be. So, we cannot always be sure whether a photography reflects reality with the highest accuracy or vice versa, hides it. Let’s consider a number of current arguments and facts about photography, and find out what reality is.

The actual Value of a Photograph In addition to representing reality, photography is also important in other areas of human life. For example; in the world of commerce, a photograph can play a key role in influencing consumers or clients or forming the reputation of a particular brand or company. Photographs have a huge emotional impact on people, making them experience particular sort of emotion, so that they have a certain desire to buy something, go somewhere, or look in a certain way. This can be especially observed in the case when woman want to be similar to models in advertising and buying hundreds of goods. Television and the internet have been using it for decade, and believe me, do not lose. The value of the image is determined by its color, its uniqueness, charm and also practical meaning. If the power of a photograph is so great, that it can make people think over something, or compare or connect themselves with the objects depicted on it, it is regarded as a very valuable thing. We need to remember, that every image has a story to tell, and it shouldn’t be neglected.

Photograph as a powerful weapon To take a good photograph, a person doesn’t need to put much effort. He or she only has to find the perfect light, background and a little creativity. But depending on a target audience, you will need to take into account some more aspects. For some people, the shooting time, locations would be enough to make a conclusion on the photograph. To sum up, different people see the photographs in different easy. Very often, a photograph is a powerful weapon to influence groups of people. As mentioned previously, you do not always know the truth behind a photograph. Therefore, many photographers take the use of it to control the vulnerable people. In addition, people with different ideologies interpret images in their own ways and sometimes may not understand the meaning well. For instance, if you want to grab attention from particular people, you can try make the image cause shock, aggression sadness, stress or uncer-

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About the Author: Jo Plumridge Jo Plumridge is a UK based photographer, writer and lecturer. She specializes in portrait, corporate and travel photography, and writes photography, travel and comedy pieces for magazines, websites and books. You can see some of her work at her website, or follow her on Twitter. Emma Finch is an award-winning photographer, based in Manchester, UK. As well as running Emma Finch Photography, she also runs Belle Privé Photography (specialising in female portraiture, boudoir, vintage and fashion) and Session Days (organising photography events and training). I spoke with Emma to find out more about her fascinating (and busy!) career.

How did you get into photography and what made you decide to become a photographer? I always felt like a creative person but I can’t draw or paint so I was very happy when I found photography! I started off doing travel photography as a hobby but quickly progressed to children when I had my two girls (as every mother does). I was a bilingual accountant at the time but the corporate world was killing me. I did a BTEC and achieved a double distinction, which encouraged me. I set up a website really to showcase some work but somehow a client found me, booked me and it’s been completely word of mouth since then. I absolutely love my job, the variety and the flexibility I have around my family. I started Emma Finch Photography in 2013 and then in 2016 I launched Belle Privé Photography which is more studio based and concentrated on Commercial Lingerie and Boudoir. I opened my studio in 2017 and also partnered up with Graham Currey to run Photography Session Days – we organise photographic events and training.

I know I’m very lucky to have a job that I am so passionate about which still allows me to pretty much be a full time mother too.

What kit do you shoot with and what would you say are your essentials to have on a shoot? I shoot with a Canon 5D IV and my go to lens is the 24-70 f/2.8. I also often use the 70-200 f/2.8 on family photo shoots outdoors. Both lenses and the 50mm f/1.4 are always with me. In the studio, I use Pixapro Pika 200 lights, which I thoroughly recommend to all my attendees on my portrait classes. They are so easy, so portable and so reliable. My go to modifier in the studio is the 47” Octobox – I do a lot of female portraiture and it gives a lovely soft light.

You have lots of strings to your bow in your photography business – do you find it a challenge balancing it all? My life is one huge juggling act but I kind of like it like that (most of the time!). I juggle the 3 businesses around my family, which means I never switch off and have completely lost the ability to relax, but that’s the trade off for running your own business. Fortunately I’m incredibly organised so that helps and I try not to schedule work in the school holidays.

Do you think your photography has a certain style and look, or do you enjoy experimenting with different techniques and styles?

images can be sexy, they are never salacious and I aim for every client and model to look strong in the images. I would describe my work as feminine and elegant with a vintage edge. My location work as Emma Finch Photography is usually family based. Where possible I will shoot f/2.8 to get lovely bokeh behind. I want children to look as natural as possible so I want all smiles to be genuine – no ‘cheeeese’ smiles here! I’m pretty good at predicting what children will do, which helps.

How do you get the inspiration for your photography? I find inspiration everywhere- from other photographers to art galleries to films. I use Pinterest way too much and have mood boards galore for shoots I would like to do when I find time! For Belle Privé, I am very much influenced by and drawn to the Golden Age of Hollywood – the glamour, the elegance, the style.

As a female photographer, do you feel that you face any particular challenges? Do you feel that the industry is favourable towards women, or would you like to see any particular changes?

I think my work does have a certain look and style – that said I’m always looking to experiment and learn new skills. As creatives we should always be looking to improve.

No one could dispute that it’s very much a male dominated industry. That said, I feel that because of the genres that I primarily shoot (children and boudoir) that I am very much at an advantage being a woman. I’m also happy to report that 50% of my workshop attendees are women too. I think women shoot in a slightly different way to men – quite often men are more interested in the technical side whereas many women prefer the creativity.

My studio work as Belle Privé Photography focuses on female portraiture, boudoir, commercial lingerie and vintage. Although the

I was on the committee for a local camera club for many years and that was also very much male dominated. Often male judges could

be quite sexist which really doesn’t help to encourage women in the industry. I’m very pleased that SheClicks is becoming a force to be reckoned with, along with the Photography Show making a much greater effort. I think things are changing in the industry for the better…

What are you working on at the moment and do you have any particular plans for the future? I’ve just returned from the Conference of Corsetry and so I have 15 shoots to edit from the corset designers who flew in from all over the world. It was held at Jesus College in Oxford so the backdrops were stunning. My autumn looks very busy and as well as my paid work and workshops, I’m going to be experimenting with light and shadow more. For two reasons; I’ve been asked to shoot a magazine cover in the Old Hollywood style and also we will be launching a Creative Portraiture class too this year so will need a strong portfolio of work as examples.

Are there any tips that you’d like to give to aspiring photographers? My advice would be to shoot, shoot, shoot! Get experience in every genre as it really helps you to understand every aspect of your

camera. Really know your camera and how to shoot in manual. Then specialise – for the first few years, I shot almost exclusively under 5s! Word of mouth within your chosen field will get you by. Don’t expect to get paid straight away – build your experience and create a strong portfolio and network! Often in this game, it’s who you know. It’s a fantastically varied, rewarding and fun career but competition is very tough – professionals are competing with hobbyists for the same work, plus as phone camera technology improves there will be less need for professional photographers. Get as much feedback as possible – from Facebook groups or camera clubs or professional associations such as The Guild of Photographers. Find your style and get known for it.

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How

Light

Use

for

Natural

Family

Photographs Author: Louise Downham

Louise Downham is a family photographer in the UK, specialised in natural yet striking portraits at home and outdoors. You can usually find her camera in hand, or dragging her daughter out for a walk.

Some photographers worry about the lack of certainty with natural

light – what if it’s a grey day? What if the family’s home is dark? Here are some simple tips that will help you make the most of natural light to take great family photographs

Find the best light first Look around the family’s home before you take any photographs. It’s easy to get drawn into what’s happening and start photographing there and then, but you might never see the rest of the house. Bear in mind that the higher up the house (if they have more than one storey), the better the light will be. Living spaces are often at

Ok, it’s generally not possible to start with the best lenses and a pro

ground level, but it’s worth venturing higher up the house for

-level camera. If you can’t invest in a better kit, don’t worry.

better light.

The tips in this article will help you make the most of the natural

Think about which side of the house the sun is currently at – it goes

light in a family’s home no matter what equipment you’re using.

without saying, but the sunny side of the house will have the best

But if you can, do yourself a favour by using a good camera and fast

light, and the opposite side will be gloomier. Choose the rooms

lenses.

you’re photographing in accordingly!

Cameras

If it’s a dark day and the rooms are dimly lit, this is an excellent opportunity for some moody and atmospheric shots. Include more

of the room in the composition to use this to your advantage. If possible, choose your equipment carefully

As far as possible, though, use a camera that operates well at high ISOs, as there may not be much available light inside the home. For individual portraits, with a wide aperture, you may not have to go much higher than ISO 1600 for which most cameras are fine. For a family group shot, with a narrower aperture of say f/4.0, you may need a much higher ISO – beyond ISO 2000 in many cases. Bear in mind that although photographs can look ok on your screen, and even on a small laptop screen, the digital noise can be quite extreme, and families may well be unimpressed by that. I found I needed the Canon 5D MK III for anything higher than ISO 1600, and even with the Canon 5D MK IV, I don’t use it beyond ISO

4000 unless I need to.

Lenses Be aware that certain lenses can be slow to focus in low light conditions. For example, the Canon 24-70mm might not be the

76 fastest.

I prefer to use prime lenses (fixed focal length) as I find they focus much better indoors and choose fast lenses (that allow you to use wide apertures), which are great for individual portraits but will also allow you to work in low light conditions.

Window light Direct window light For individual portraits, encourage children to come to the window. If you have them turn towards the window, and then look over to you, you’ll have daylight falling gently on their face, and some of

that should also illuminate their eyes.

Indirect window light Invite the family to stand a couple of metres away from the window for consistent, soft light across the image. This works well for fullbody shots of babies. If it’s a small room, the wall will bounce backlight towards you. If it’s a big enough window, you can stand (or more likely, crouch) between a child and the window without blocking too much light. Photographing a child with the window light falling straight on their

face creates a wonderful effect, and the catchlights in their eyes will sparkle.

You’ll need some light falling on the baby from the window, so position the baby carefully – a little tweaking of the angles will make a big difference

It can be difficult to photograph a baby lying on their back, with

Difficult lighting

catch lights in their eyes using only natural light. Roof lights or

Use a chair

skylights are a great solution for this. Lay the baby underneath the window, and the light will fall on their face even when the baby is looking straight up at the camera. As long as the ceiling is not particularly high, it can act as a reflector and bounce light back onto the baby.

Lay the baby on a bed, which brings them closer to the ceiling, so the effect of the ceiling as a reflector is increased.

77 Sometimes there’s a pretty spot in a house, but the lighting’s not ideal – using a chair can be a good solution here, as you can angle the chair just so to catch some workable light. It can also be a flattering angle for photographing a mother with her baby, as you’ll be shooting from above. In some homes, there may be a small corner available to photograph the whole family – if the light’s not great, it’s still doable. Think outside the box – for example, one parent could be on the edge of the bed and the other parent next to the bed. Or, if there’s room and the parents are amenable, move the furniture so everyone can be in the good light!

Natural light is incredibly beautiful, and I can’t imagine a time where I won’t be a natural light photographer. It’s soft, flattering, and slightly magical. For me, it’s natural light every time. Yes, it poses challenges, but photographers are creative people, and we can not only solve those problems but use them to our advantage! By thinking through the scenario, where the light is falling from and where it’s landing, it’s always possible to take beautiful family photographs using natural light.

79 79 79

Written by John Bosley In the world of photography, nothing

One of the first things you’ll want to decide

conditions you’re working with. Personally,

happens without light. In most cases, there

on is the size of reflector you’ll need. If

I prefer white or a white/silver mix. Unless

are two types of light that photographers

you’re mainly shooting individual portraits,

it’s an overcast day, I find the silver to be

work with: natural light and artificial light.

a smaller reflector might work better for

too reflective and specular and the gold to

Although I often find myself using artificial

you than a larger one. Of course, a larger

be too warm. Fortunately, most reflectors

light sources, I prefer using natural light

reflector will generally produce a larger

come with covers made from different

whenever possible and consider myself to

area of softer light, but larger reflectors are

materials that you can quickly change

be a natural light photographer. One of the

also more difficult to handle, so there is a

depending on your needs.

tools that has made the biggest difference

compromise to be made. A 42″ reflector is

to my natural light photography (and, for

a pretty common size that is a nice

2) Using a Reflector

that matter, studio photography) is a

combination of ease of use and nice light.

There are just about as many ways to use a reflector as there are reflector options. You

reflector. In this guide, I will show you how to use a reflector effectively to enhance

Once you know the general size you’re

can hold it yourself, have an assistant hold

your photographs by simply bouncing

looking for, you can start looking at

it, have your subject hold it, lean it on

natural light.

different brands and shapes. You’ll find

something or buy a stand made specifically

reflectors that have handles, brackets or

to hold it. You can even have your subject

1) Choosing a Reflector

frames. You’ll also find reflectors that don’t

sit on it!

If you have never purchased a reflector

have any fancy features. You’ll usually pay

before, the options that you find once you

a premium and have fewer options if you

As with any light source, the larger it is

start looking might be overwhelming.

choose a reflector that has a handle or a

relative to your subject, the softer the light

There are large and small reflectors. There

frame, but the added ease of use might

is going to be. I prefer to use reflectors to

are round, rectangular and triangular

just make it worth the extra money.

provide a soft fill light, so I usually use the

white or white/silver side and try to get

reflectors. There are white, gold and silver reflectors, as well as combinations of these

Finally, you’ll have to choose what material

them as close to my subject as possible. If

three colors with names like Sunfire,

you want your reflector to be. This is

there’s not a lot of light to work with and I

SoftSilver, Zebra and Sparkling Sun.

purely a personal preference, and it might

have to use the silver side, I’ll move the

change

reflector farther from my subject so the

depending

the

lighting

80 light doesn’t overpower the natural light

for my subject and background. For my

overexposing the

and still just acts as a fill.

backlit shots, whether it’s mid-day or the

image, I had his

golden hour, I typically hold a white

sister hold a large

A reflector does just what it says: it reflects

reflector right next to my face so it fills my

gold reflector so

light. If you’re using a silver or gold side, do

subject with light that’s coming from

that he was lit by

not let your subject look directly at it,

almost directly in front of them.

the reflected light

especially in full sun! The last thing you

and

the

want to do is temporarily blind them.

Sometimes the light I’m working in is

background and

Seeing where the light is landing when

beautiful, but my subject has something

rim light stayed

you’re using a gold or silver reflector is

the same (Bottom

easy. When you’re using a white reflector

image).

it’s a little bit harder. The best method I

Sometimes I know that I should use a

have found for using a white reflector is to

reflector but decide not to. In the images

move it back and forth and watch the light

on your subject. The change might be subtle, but you’ll be able to find the right angle for your reflector with a little practice.

NIKON D800 + 85mm f/1.4 @ 85mm, ISO 200, 1/1000, f/1.4

Although it sounds obvious, if you’re

dark underneath them that’s not reflecting

having a hard time finding the reflected

any light back into their face. This typically

light on your subject, make sure that light

happens with a black parking lot or grass.

is actually hitting the reflector. Many times

This can lead to dark shadows under their

a branch or even your subject will be

eyes. In this situation, I’ll put a large

casting a shadow on the reflector, greatly

of Claire below, I knew that putting a

reflector in front of them on the ground or

reducing how much light is being reflected.

reflector in the grass would ruin the effect I

at an angle and make sure it’s as close to

was going for. You can see in the top image

3) Natural Light

them as possible. In the first image of Mia,

how not a lot of light is being reflected into

I leaned the top of the reflector on my legs

her eyes. I had to trust that I’d be able to

and had the bottom touching her feet.

bring some fill light into her eyes in post.

Sometimes I’ll even have them sit on it, as

The difference is subtle, but I’m glad I

in the second photo of Mallory below.

chose to shoot through the grass instead of

Everyone will have their own preferences for how and when to use a reflector with natural light, I’m

NIKON D7000 + 85mm f/1.4 @ 85mm, ISO 200, 1/1250, f/2.8

but going

If the light is just

to tell you a

not very good,

few of the

such as on a very

situations

overcast

where

prefer

day,

you’ll see lots of dark

shadows

use one. I

around people’s

encourage

eyes.

everyone

situation I’ll put

experiment

directly

with

different

face, just out of the shot. In the image

reflector

below, I had Bri hold the reflector just

this

reflector under subject’s

materials and lighting situations to find out

beneath her chest so that it filled in

what works best for you.

underneath her chin and eyes.

The majority of my photos consist of

Sometimes I even use my reflector as a key

backlighting.

using

light. In the photos of Sunny below, he was

reflectors, I just blew out the background

standing in the shade with a nice rim light

and was happy. Once I started using

from the setting sun (the top image was

reflectors I discovered I could start bringing

my test image to get the correct

a bit of the background back into my shots

background exposure). I wanted to keep

by decreasing the difference in exposure

the background darker, so instead of

Before

started

NIKON D800 + 85mm f/1.4 @ 85mm, ISO 200, 1/4000, f/2.0

smashing it down with a reflector.

4) Artificial Light When I’m shooting in the studio, I almost always find myself using a reflector. For something as simple as a headshot, instead of using multiple lights and getting the ratios between the lights just right, I just place a reflector on the opposite side of my subject from the key light. This automatically gives me a ratio-correct fill light that I know will directly track with any adjustments I make to the power of my key light. In the image of Renee below, I had a large softbox on camera left and a large reflector on camera right.

Dear readers,

Nice, South of France is my place of birth and where I presently reside. Since I was a child, I was always fascinated by the light, azure blue sky and the lush vegetation contrasting with the Mediterranean Sea hence why we call this region “Côte d’Azur”

Nice and the region have always been a hub for many famous painters to name a few; Vincent Van Gogh, Chagall, Matisse, Paul Cézanne, Jean Renoir, Gauguin, Picasso. They all were inspired by the colors of South of France and being part of this immense art scene made my passion into photography take a new dimension. The small narrow streets of Old Nice, the mountains, the gastronomy the smell fits perfectly with my passion for photography. I essentially shoot with my smartphone (practical and always in my pocket), Huawei P20 Pro. I also use my Sony A7r III and my drone DJI Mavic2pro and my Gopro Hero7 (great for video and imagery passionate). Every day due to my movement to work 4 times a day, I get to see 4 different type of

light and occasions that with time become an obsession whereby I end up ignoring my friends walking next to me while I am trying to find the perfect angle, view and light to capture. My motto is that “we can never succeed if we stop trying”. My inspiration varies with the season, the time and what I am looking for and mainly the surprise; a drop of water, a pod, a broken wall, a smile, a monument… I just cannot help but find beauty in everything I look at. It’s a simple click that is registered for it to become part of my history. As much as I love black and white photos, colored images capture a moment that no matter how beautiful it may be in black and white… it simply will not show its beauty and the feeling that comes out of it. It is funny how the naked eye never captures the full details and accuracy, it is just a means to see the moment. Once developed or looked thoroughly through the screen I always get surprised by the shot and what I missed seeing without the click. I find photography the international non-spoken language that everyone understands and reflects an expression without saying a word. That makes my passion for photography more in depth with time. I am presently a waiter at one of the oldest restaurants in Old Town Nice. It’s a family owned Niçois cuisine restaurant that has been around for many generations dating back to 1927. I feel privileged working here although it is 11 hours per day yet my breaks make me go around the city at different timing and gives me the ability to capture images that I wouldn’t have thought I would. Am 33 years old and thinking thoroughly about changing my career although every time I think of it, it breaks my heart to leave this family I work for, for so many years yet my inner soul is kicking me and telling me to start this new adventure.

82 I did my first exposition in July, it was a very scary and humbling experience seeing more than 120 people come to see my work. It was very

encouraging getting such positive feedback and the number of sales that took place. It made me think that I should soon make my next move in life and focus on my passion and try to make it my new career somehow. Writing these few words now is like “a cherry on the cake” feeling that your magazine wants to feature my life and work… it is all a sign that my new life adventure must become reality sooner than I thought. I don't have the talent for writing or drawing, photography expresses my feelings and my moments in life that should be shared because I am blessed being born in this region surrounded by some of the most

amazing natural beauty of France and this part of Europe. I find being in this part of the world is like a treasure hunt. So many sites, spots and the multitude of people that cross over for a vacation or ultimately move here brings out so many different shades that never stop evolving. Having a camera on me at all times makes me capture the daily life and the changes of seasons and its respective footfall. It is quite amazing how different months bring out such different imagery and all just state the now and then now is my life and my history. Photography cannot be learned, it can only be felt and I am blessed to be living in those times where access to different types of equipment are accessible and at reasonable cost. Also, having access to many different photography software makes me try different filters and editing tools that brings out more of what I want you to focus on rather than keep it to the imagination. The frame, the lighting, the feeling that I need to bring out is done via the help of those editing software. Although imagination is as important, I leave raw footage when the need for elaboration is not required because my eyes, feelings and thoughts are simply present. The more shots I take the more I realize the beauty that surrounds us which by nature, human beings tend to lose the touch and feel of their surroundings. It becomes such a natural habit that we completely forget that we live in diverse and constant change… without the

CLICK we do not see it or simply ignore it not on purpose simply due to our busy lifestyle. By capturing photos on a daily basis makes me happy, opens my vision to the world and gets me excited to publish my work and get the feedback from my friends and followers. At the beginning I was shy to take shots of people on the streets but slowly I got the courage to push myself into that direction, although I still don’t feel comfortable enough yet but I am getting there slowly but surely. I feel like a superhero expressing and sharing my thoughts and work with you… as they say “the best is yet to come”

Instagram : @nissart.06 E-mail : sebastiengrosso.13@gmail.com What app : +33 64 62 51 495

THE advent of smart technology has changed our lives, including how we communicate. Now, no matter where we go, we've got our phones with us; along with its built-in high-tech digital camera that shoots like a DSLR. The cam-phone’s most distinct feature: it allows instantsharing in social media. Photo sharing patterns have also evolved through the years. We are no longer limited to personal albums and wallet photos. With the possibility of many people seeing our photographs in realtime, the elements of knowing good "phoneography" are important. I interviewed Marichi Tan of Tanchi photos to ask for basic tips. She took the newborn pictures of my youngest child and other party photos like baptism and birthdays. And since she is one of the few women photographers in action here in Cagayan De Oro, she has also done specialty pregnancy and boudoir shoots (sexy photos), aside from the usual wedding and family portraits. She narrated, “I started my photography business in 2010, but it was not full-time because my kids were still small. What helped me hone my skills was actually my iPhone. I practiced with it daily. My Canon was too bulky and heavy for everyday use.” Being an avid phone-ographer for many years, below are her tips on taking

quality phone pictures:

lighting.”

Take advantage of light

Keep it simple to make subjects stand out

“I always see to it that I have good lighting. Nothing beats warm natural light,” she shared. “Of course we also have to take advantage of ambient lighting.” She explained the latter pertains to light that is already present at the scene. It can refer to natural light coming from the outdoors, like thru a window; it can also refer to existing artificial lights, such as normal room lights. Even in the dark, there are still opportunities to play with shadows. She said, “A good picture will always have some sort of glow coming from good

Posed photos can be great for the sake of keeping track of memories. Focus on just the subjects to make them stand-out. All of us need to document happy moments with family and friends. Her advice: “Take as many photos as possible. Use the phone’s burst shot feature to ensure you won’t miss a single thing.”

When people travel, she noted that group

85 photos are common; also shots of landmarks. She said it is important to first enjoy the place, before snapping up a thousand pictures of the setting because: “Enjoying the place first will stir emotion in you. By the time you take that photo, those feelings will translate into your picture. Basta, always be sharp and be ready to shoot.”

Candid shots are great Don’t overlook the power of candid shots! Candids capture the real emotion and essence of a particular moment, making the viewers feel more for the photos. “Minsan, timing din yan. And pure luck!” Mai shared. “When you get that kind of shot, it feels good because you know you’ve succeeded in your mission.” Similar to capturing posed-photos, just take as many as possible. That way, there’s more to choose from.

Make use of space Be aware of the areas surrounding the subjects. “Sometimes, you can play with empty space to make your subject stand out more,” Mai said. “Space can also refer to a large expanse of area. Examples are a large wall, an empty field, or even the sky.” Use space to your advantage!

Find a good angle Play around with camera angles because the standard eye-level is not the only one. “Taking a shot from an unusual angle sometimes create a more impressive photograph. Example, shooting from a sitting position gives an illusion of height or depth. Shooting naman from the top, or what we call a bird’s eye view, also gives a different perspective. Basta, don’t be afraid to experiment because you can always delete,” she emphasized.

Focus on details Sometimes, it is all about the tiny little details. She explained, “In wedding photography, we have to get close to the rings to capture the sparkle of the tiny diamonds. Pro-cams have what you call macro. That is not built-in a camera phone. So you may have to get literally closer.” Close-up images mean capturing the intricate qualities. Keep an eye out for interesting textures, patterns, and reflections.

External accessories An enthusiast might want to invest in accessories. She assured, “It is okay to take advantage of external photo accessories such as a macro lens for details, a fish eye lens for taking depth, and a ring light for better lighting in the dark.” Technology really makes everything easy for people!

No shame in editing apps She mentioned there are so many apps to enhance photos these days like Beauty Plus, Snapseed, or even Instagram. She noted there is no shame in enhancing photos for personal use, especially those for FB and photobooks. She reminded, “But don’t go overboard ha. Minsan, if over-processed, the pic will already look fake or too grainy.” In summary, she noted that the most important quality is passion, confidence, and faith in your own self. Just keep on shooting! Mai emphasized, “Practice is the best teacher. Don’t be ashamed to take your own selfies either. When you are comfortable shooting yourself, that’s when you can take really good photos of other people.”

Nikon Z 5 “The Nikon Z 5 would be a great entry-level full-frame camera if not for its unreliable low light autofocus and slow burst speed.”

quite as rugged. The question is, does the Nikon Z 5 offer enough to drop $1,400 on? Dubbed as a camera for “more than just photographers,” who is the Z 5 best for?



Good image quality



Compact



Affordable



Dual SD Slots

I spent almost two weeks trying out the Z 5 to see where the entry-level full-frame stands. In that time, I believe that the Nikon Z 5 showed itself to be a good entrylevel full-frame camera unfortunately held back by subpar low-light autofocus and sluggish burst speeds.



Slow low light autofocus

Simple design



Inconsistent autofocus in mixed/low light

Slow 4.5 fps burst mode As the race for full-frame mirrorless settles from a sprinter’s pace to a marathon, camera lineups are getting more varied — and less expensive. The Nikon Z 5 is the company’s most affordable full-frame camera currently on the market, less expensive than even the aging D610 DSLR. The Nikon Z 5, priced at $1,400 or $1,700 with a kit lens, mixes the size, ergonomics, stabilization, and even most of the image quality of the company’s pricier Z 6. In fact, the Z 5 even offers an upgrade the Z 6 and Z 7 don’t offer — dual SD card slots. The entry-level designation, however, introduces a few significant cut features from the pricier models. Speed is significantly slashed, 4K video can only be captured with a crop, and the design isn’t

While the Z 6’s design is a near twin to the Z 7, the Z 5 strays a bit more from that family line in ways that are both good and

bad. On the positive side, the Z 5 manages to fit two UHS-II SD card slots, ideal for either creating in-camera backups so a card error doesn’t spell disaster or to create overflow for less card swapping. The Z 5 also doesn’t use XQD cards, a good move for an entry-level camera considering the card type retails in the triple digits, a lot when compared to the affordability king that is SD, where many high-capacity cards can be had for as little as $20. Despite adding an extra card slot, the Z5 is only a 10th of an inch wider than the Z 6 and Z 7 and doesn’t add any weight. At less than a pound and a half, the camera is light

enough for all-day shoots. (I can’t say the same for the rough texture of the included neck strap, however.) Paired with the kit lens, the Z 5 didn’t cause any major aches and pains while on a two-mile hike. Hillary K. Grigonis/Digital Trends The Z 5 uses a magnesium alloy frame but combines that with a plastic exterior that feels just like an entry-level Nikon DSLR. The body is weather-sealed, but it’s not as robust of a seal as the Z 6 and Z 7. As a result, I would still keep an inexpensive camera rain poncho in my bag for anything more than a drizzle. The camera’s control scheme is a nice hybrid blend between keeping controls accessible yet not overwhelming beginners. The top of the camera doesn’t house an extra LCD screen. I argue that a top-facing LCD isn’t terribly unusual for mirrorless, but its absence here strays from Nikon’s design choices in its entry-level full -frame DSLR, the D610, which kept the screen intact. The camera’s control scheme is a nice hybrid blend between keeping controls

accessible yet not overwhelming beginners. Instead, the mode dial sits on top within reach of the shutter button, dual control dials, and shortcuts for recording video, adjusting ISO, and tweaking exposure

compensation. With some practice, all those controls could be accessed without pulling the camera away from your face, though differentiating between the ISO and exposure compensation button is tough to do blind, unlike with the easily discernible raised record button. Despite being an entry to the full-frame category, the Z 5 keeps my all-time favorite camera control: The joystick. It’s a quick and ergonomic method to adjust where the autofocus point is. Swapping between autofocus modes, however, as well as a number of other controls that Nikon’s DSLRs leave plenty of room for, requires

jumping into the quick menu or assigning to the two custom buttons up front. Most beginners won’t mind, however, because the camera’s controls feel less daunting to learn. Shortcuts to adjust the burst mode and a back-button focus option, as well as playback, menu, and display options, take up a remainder of the camera’s rear controls. Ports were not stripped for the budget price either — opposite the dual SD card slots, the Z 5 still includes ports for mic, headphones, HDMI, USB, and a cable trigger. Like many full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Z 5 lacks a pop-up flash.

The lower price doesn’t terribly truncate the Z 5’s viewfinder, either. At 3.69 million dots, the electronic viewfinder shows sufficient detail and is denser than the also -new Panasonic Lumix S5. Importantly, the Z 5 shows a pretty accurate representation of what you are about to capture, unlike some budget cameras that I’ve tried that don’t quite show an accurate preview of the exposure or color balance. The 3.2-inch touchscreen tilts for shooting from high angles but doesn’t flip forward for vlogging or selfies.

Stuttering performance Budget cameras are notorious for being slow, and the Z 5 is no exception. Despite having the same processor as the 12 fps Z 6, the Z 5 offers less than half that speed. Some might argue that is because the Z 5 uses SD cards rather than the faster but more expensive XQD cards, but the transfer rates we are looking at here are well below the threshold for SD speeds. Curious. With a maximum burst speed of 4.5 frames per second, I’m not even sure why there’s both a low- and high-speed option since even high speed is rather slow. The shutter speed is thankfully still a max of 1/8,000 (entry-level cameras used to be capped at 1/4000 regularly), handy for bright situations. The Z 5’s 4.5 fps top speed will plug away for about 21 shots shooting RAW + JPEG.

The official buffer count listed on the back of the camera is 16, but the pace is slow enough that the camera writes a few of those shots while taking the rest. You’ll eke out a few more shots in JPEG mode, with the camera shooting for more than 20 seconds before stopping. The Z 5’s autofocus in limited light is consistently poor. What’s a bit harder to determine from a quick look at the camera’s tech specs, however, is the autofocus. With a 273point hybrid system, the Z 5’s system looks almost identical to the Z 6, until you dig a

little further into the specifics. And if you dig far enough, you’ll find the camera’s biggest flaw: An autofocus detection range down to only -2 EV, or -3 using the camera’s low-light autofocus. However, Nikon rated the AF in low light with an f/2 lens, so the kit lens and many other lenses available for the system won’t work as well as Nikon’s specifications claim, a claim which is already not great. It’s not lying outright, but it is misleading. That turns out to be the culprit of why the Z 5’s autofocus struggled indoors. Even in a room with windows on three of the walls, the Z 5 was slow to focus. In dim light, the

camera would often take two to even five seconds before locking onto the subject and occasionally failing to find the subject at all. While not an issue for still subjects, shooting any sort of movement in limited light becomes problematic with such a delay. The camera will automatically activate low-light autofocus mode, however — a plus considering the original Z 6 and Z 7 require activating the mode in the menu. Low-light autofocus is more accurate and allows for focusing in tough scenarios, but is slow. Because of how the autofocus system works, the camera will also struggle to focus on dark objects. But, as is true with any contrast detection system, that should be alleviated by the phase-detection points of a hybrid system. The Z 5 has a much easier time focusing on subjects with a lot of contrast, such as lights or a light-colored object on a dark background, but it shouldn’t struggle as much as it did on dark objects. It’s a hybrid autofocus system that’s acting like a contrast-only one in some cases, and that is disappointing.

Hillary K. Grigonis/Digital Trends Low-light autofocus was a complaint on the Z 6 and even Z 7, with a tendency to be hit or miss, but the Z 5’s autofocus in limited light is consistently poor. The Z 6, by comparison, is rated to hit -6 EV in lowlight mode, where the Z 5 is only at -3.5. What makes the low-light autofocus truly disappointing is that the Z 5 would otherwise be an excellent camera in the dark. The five-axis, in-body stabilization is solid. Doing everything I could to help the camera stay steady short of a tripod — holding my breath and bracing the camera with my elbows — I could shoot down to nearly a half-second at 24mm on the kit lens. That’s an excellent system for the price of the camera, but the slow low-light autofocus will make shots difficult before the camera even needs to go that low. Of course, stabilization isn’t just for low light — the stabilization will come in handy when working with telephoto lenses. The focus system detects eyes fairly easily and quickly.

91 Continuous autofocus gets sharp photos most of the time with slow How long will it last? action, though roughly half of the shots where the subject was coming directly at the camera ended up soft. It’s not designed for Camera bodies tend to last a few years, and the Z 5 is likely no action but will grab a few sharp shots in more general use, like exception. The weather sealing and materials aren’t as high-end as the Z 6 and Z 7, but with proper care, the camera body should serve photographing kids or people moving at a walking pace. you well into the future. The Z 5’s autofocus isn’t all bad, however. Eye detection AF worked well and even beats out the pricier Canon EOS R6 in focusing on Is there a better alternative? eyelashes when shooting from a high angle. The focus system detects eyes fairly easily and quickly. The system isn’t fast enough for say, If you want a full-frame Nikon and can’t spend more than $1,400, no. using while shooting sports, but as mentioned the Z 5 isn’t an action Even the aging Nikon D610 only focuses down to -1 EV and is $200 camera. Pet eye AF is included, but I couldn’t get it to work on my more at list price. Waiting to save up another $400 for the Z 6 is a cat. (To be fair, I couldn’t get the Canon version of this to work on my good idea, however, for any photographer regularly taking photos indoors or of moving subjects. cat either.) The Z 5 adds a new autofocus bracketing option that automatically adjusts the focal length between shots in a series in order to create a focus stack later on a computer. The new feature is easy to use for anyone who has worked with Nikon bracketing or time lapses before. But the shots are activated by pressing start in the menu — which means you see the menu in the viewfinder and can’t perfect the composition before hitting start. It’s a usability flaw that we hope to see improved in later firmware updates.

Excellent images and video The Z 5 makes fewer sacrifices when it comes to image quality. Sporting a 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor, the Z 5 has just a smidgen less resolution than the pricier Z 6. The larger sensor size makes bokeh easy to create even with the kit and offers a lot of flexibility in post. Detail is good, and, when perfectly focused, even the kit lens is quite sharp. ISO 12800 with noise reduction and crop Hillary K. Grigonis/Digital Trends Lower resolution bodes well for ISO and, under perfect conditions, I could edit out the noise of an ISO 12800 shot with only a slight loss of detail. Photos are best kept under ISO 6400, where there is some noticeable color noise, but the kind that’s easily corrected with software.

Yet, the full-frame mirrorless market is getting crowded for photographers not yet invested in a lens system or willing to make a switch. The Canon EOS RP has a better autofocus system thanks to Dual Pixel technology and is rated to focus as low as -5EV, but lacks in -body stabilization. Finding another $1,400 camera is difficult to do outside those two models and older generations. The Sony a7 IIIis a faster camera, but is $600 more. The very new Panasonic Lumix S5 offers better autofocus, more advanced video modes, and faster bursts, but again, sits at the $2,000 price range, not the under-$1,500 range. Moving into the crop sensor category will fix those performance issues, but sacrifices that larger sensor. Nikon’s own Z 50 is much faster with similar ergonomics and lens compatibility, yet the low light autofocus still isn’t ideal. The Fujifilm X-T30 has a faster burst, more video features, and excellent autofocus, but it lacks stabilization. The Sony a6600 offers a fast burst and autofocus while keeping the stabilization, but again, has that smaller sensor.

Should you buy it?

Buy the Nikon Z 5 if you want a full-frame Nikon, largely take pictures outdoors in good light, and can’t spend more than $1,400. If you plan on lots of shooting in less than ideal conditions, however, including in limited light or fast-moving subjects, avoid the Z 5. Wait until you can save up another $400 for the Z 6, or consider a crop sensor or the unColor was equivalent to what I would expect coming from a Nikon stabilized EOS RP. DSLR — on the whole accurate, with an occasional tendency to skew the white balance a tad green for my taste. Skin tones are rendered fairly well. RAW files are also consistent with what I would expect from an entrylevel, full-frame Nikon DSLR. I could recover a good amount of detail and even texture from the shadows, to the point of almost reversing a near silhouette. As with almost any camera, blown-out highlights are tougher to recover, and photographers are best to err on the side of too dark rather than too light. The Nikon Z 5 offers 4K video, but at a 1.7x crop and without all the bells and whistles of the Z 6 and Z 7, such as N-Log. The 1.7x crop means both a loss of light and lenses won’t be as wide, but it’s not unusual for an entry-level option. Colors and sharpness are consistently good, as with the images, and the Z 5 does less focus searching mid-recording than a Nikon DSLR.

Our Take The Nikon Z 5 is a good entry-level full-frame camera — but slow lowlight autofocus, inconsistent accuracy in mixed lighting, and a sluggish burst mode keep the camera from being a great entry-level full-frame option. The Nikon Z 5 is a good option for enthusiast photographers, influencers, and other creatives regularly taking photos in good light. Image quality and design are both excellent, while the slower performance is Nikon’s clear differentiator when it comes to the extra $400 for the Z 6. If the Z 5 was $1000 or even $1200, it would be an easy recommendation; but at just $400 less than a significantly better performing camera, it’s a hard sell.

Written By: Allan Weitz As a working photographer, the center of the universe is your

camera bag and its contents. Your cameras and lenses are the tools of your trade. As you may have noted, both are mentioned in plural because just as you wouldn’t jump out of an airplane without a backup parachute, you shouldn’t attempt to photograph an emotionally spiked, non-repeatable event armed with only one camera. The same applies to lenses, too. The many aspects that comprise shooting weddings—portraits, the ceremony, dimly lit environs, tight, crowded quarters and bright outdoor settings—can push both the creative and practical limitations of the most experienced photographers. Cameras and lenses aside, there are other items that should be part of all wedding photographers’ war chests. Having these items

on hand and knowing how to use them can make the difference between a great wedding album and one that’s mundane.

Tripods It is essential to have a sturdy tripod at your disposal when you are photographing a wedding, for situations in low light, or when you have to compose formal group shots. If you place a remotetriggered camera in the chapel balcony, you’ll need to mount it on a tripod, or perhaps use a Super clamp or similarly adjustable clamp, with 1/4"-20 or 3/8"-16 camera threads. It’s a great idea to have a small table top tripod with you, as well, which can help you steady a shot atop a table or other horizontal surface. One of these

can also help when you need to brace the camera vertically against

Oben TT-100 Table Top Tripod

a wall or other architectural element to obtain images free of the blur associated with operator movement.

Light Meters For ambient light readings, the meter in your camera can be quite sufficient. Flash metering is another story, especially if you are using flash to fill backlit subjects or darken background areas to place more emphasis on the subjects in the foreground. You can always shoot test exposures and review them on your camera’s LCD, but a more professional and certainly more precise method of establishing accurate flash exposures is by using a light meter.

One consistent characteristic of flash meters is that even the least expensive of them can establish ambient and flash exposures— reflective or incident—down to 1/10-stop in accuracy, wirelessly or tethered. When you are dealing with the broad contrast range presented by traditional western men’s and women’s wedding clothes, it is important to consider the benefits of taking incident readings with a handheld light meter. Incident readings measure the amount of light falling on the subject, rather than the amount of light reflected from the subject. In most cases, incident readings, which read the light in terms of neutral, 18% gray values, will provide you with accurate average exposures regardless of whether your subjects are wearing white gowns, black tuxedos, or brightly colored bridesmaid dresses. Sekonic

goes one step further by offering the option

of incorporating PocketWizard wireless triggers into many of its flash meters, which enables you to “walk the set” in order to

Sekonic C-700-U SpectroMaster Color Meter

establish flash and ambient exposure readings from any position within the frame. At B&H, we stock a variety of flash meters from companies including Sekonic, Gossen, Shepherd/Polaris, Interfit, Wein, and Kenko. Wedding-Friendly Straps and Camera Holsters If you find camera bags or conventional shoulder-worn camera straps an inconvenience when working a busy room, you should take a look at Cotton Carriers, a one-size-fits-all, holster-style camera support that takes the weight off your shoulder while making it easy to access up to two cameras. Available for light to medium use on standard DSLRs (Cotton Carrier Endeavor Belt System) as well as for extended use with full-size DSLRs (Cotton Carrier Camera Vest), Cotton Carriers are manufactured of 1680 denier polypropylene, and feature Lexan, stainless steel and high-density rubber components along with a quick and secure camera locking system, mounting plates included. Another holster system that has gained a large following among wedding photographers is Spider holsters. If, for whatever reason, you’re not too thrilled about the camera strap you’re currently using—for weddings or otherwise—you should most certainly check out BlackRapid’s lineup of camera straps.

Wireless Remote Triggers When it comes to taking pictures in crowded environments, the fewer cables you have strewn about the floor, the better. Every cable you can eliminate is one less worry about a guest tripping and falling. Wireless remotes can be used to trigger your main and fill flashes and your cameras. Many wireless remotes feature multiple channels or frequencies, which is a valuable feature if you’re shooting near other photographers using wireless triggers or when you need to trigger different groups of your own lights. By coordinating channel selections, everybody can perform their duties without interfering with the other photographers’ agenda.

For shooting in “photographer-rich” environments, such as catering halls hosting simultaneous weddings, each with its own photographer—or such as when you and your assistant are capturing alternate views of the same wedding with two cameras— the Vello Wireless Shutterboss Remote Timer offers 99 channels. You can also use the multiple-channel feature to trigger multiple sets of electronic flash units independently from each other, which is particularly handy when those setups are being used simultaneously. Available individually or in sets, radio transmitters, receivers,

and

transceivers

are

available

from PocketWizard, Quantum and Elinchrom. Keep in mind that a remote trigger can become almost as useful as an assistant when

used to trigger a tripod-mounted remote camera with a wide-angle lens in the church balcony, for example, capturing aerial views of the ceremony.

“MORE IN PART 2 NEXT MONTH”

BlackRapid YETI Slim Dual Camera Harness

98 98

Historically, photography has always been

All of the topics we’ll cover in this guide

a discipline under constant innovation.

include:

From the first pinhole camera to the



newest mirrorless sensors, our quest for

 

photographer’s feet remain on the ground. Drone photography has only been around

the

Shooting

modes

Drone camera filters

had



Post-processing

industry

large

unprecedented. Perspectives that used to require a ride via an airplane or helicopter can now be achieved using UAV’s (unmanned aerial vehicles, also called drones) that cost less than it would to rent a helicopter for an hour. If you are like the thousands of other photographers who cannot wait to take their lens to the skies, we have created this post as a guide to capturing images like a professional. Many are nervous at the thought of flying an expensive apparatus, and that’s why we want to begin with discussing what drone will be best for you.

and

general

exposure settings



the

aerial

From purchase to practicing safe

a few years, yet the gravitational pull it has

right

flying

been quite as revolutionary as the ability to capture images from the air, while the

 in

photography drone

visual perfection has ceased to slow down. Despite all the progress, no innovation has

Investing

photography Becoming a professional drone photographer

Start by Investing in the Right Drone As tempting as it may be to buy a drone capable of flying your professional DSLR, most remote pilots will begin by investing in a consumer-grade UAV with a built-in camera. Not only is it important to become

drone

skilled in flying a drone while attempting to

99 capture photographs, but it is also

drone immediately for professional quality

quality.

important to understand what you actually

images, investing in a raw-capable setup

need from a specific model.

might be the best choice.

It’s true that while drone technology has

used to seeing in consumer to professional

What Sensor Size and Megapixels Will You Require?

How Much Versatility Will You Need?

-grade camera bodies. Your intended

The next most common consideration for

become a large part of the discussion. The

application

quality

drone community tends to agree the best

come a long way, the built-in cameras are still slowly catching up to the specs we’re

should

the

primary

enthusiasts

how

By nature, drone photography can be very adventurous, and how much space the drone will consume in your pack has many

megapixels will the sensor produce, and

combination

currently available.

how well can the sensor handle low-light.

portability goes to the new Mavic 2 Pro.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as

Ranging from 30 MP in top models like

With a 20 MP sensor and a weight of only

you assess which is the right aerial

the Inspire 2’s Osmo camera, down to 2

5.51 pounds, it’s hard to beat the ease in

photography drone model for you.

MP in the Force1 Quadcopter, a drone’s

which you can deploy it in any situation.

consideration as you compare the models

Will You Need the Capability to Shoot in Raw? As a photographer, the ability to shoot in raw can be vital to the post-processing of an image. Those familiar with landscape photography will quickly learn taking images from the sky presents a similar challenge of high-contrast scenes and the necessity for flexible editing. Most newer drone models will have raw file formats built-in; however, some of the older and less expensive models may only shoot in jpeg. If you’re looking to use the

sensor can dramatically affect the price and quality of the image.

image

quality

and

That said, if your primary consideration is image quality, you will likely want to

For those interested in printing their

consider a model that is larger and more

images as fine art pieces, or capturing files

affordable, but can capture images of

for professional clients, it is smart to

equal quality.

consider a model permitting 20 MP stills. In conjunction with a larger file, most 20 MP drone cameras will also have a 1” CMOS sensor allowing you to boost the ISO in low light situations, which will greatly improve the accumulation of noise on the image.

From Purchase to Practicing Safe Flying The most intimidating day in a remote pilot’s career will be the first time the drone leaves the ground. It is imperative

If your priorities for drone photography are

that you execute every flight operation

limited

media

with the same sense of caution, but once

platforms, settling on a 12 MP model, or

you complete that first day of practice it is

smaller, will still allow you to capture

easy to understand just how incredible

sharing

social

stunning perspectives with respectable

100 these machines are at not falling from the sky. In fact, most people

Shooting Modes

who regularly fly drones will tell you it’s incredibly easy.

Just like a DSLR, a drone comes equipped with automatic, aperture, When it comes to flying while attempting to capture beautiful

shutter speed, and manual modes allowing you to operate based

imagery, you will want to consider the mantra of ‘fly first, capture

on your experience level and overall needs. For beginners, it is

second’, which places an important emphasis on not prioritizing the

always recommended to try out the automatic settings while you

shot you want over losing the drone or causing someone serious

get used to flying and gradually build in more control once you’re

injury.

comfortable.

Remote Pilot’s who have already gone through the associated Part

The Benefit of Manual Mode

107 testingwill know there are primary regulations you want to abide by during every flight to ensure safety while capturing

The best way to achieve a desired aesthetic for your drone images

images. These include:

is to have full control over the camera. Auto mode is impressive for



how often it will get the image right, but once you start Always retain a line of sight on your drone – It can be easy to

get lost in watching a scene unfold on your controller’s monitor and not notice your drone is heading dangerously close to a line of trees out of your sight. Position yourself in a location that maximizes your field of view before launching the UAV.



experiencing low-light or flight instability, you will better

understand which settings compliment aerial photography.

Shutter Speed Similar to taking handheld photos on the ground, your shutter

Pay attention to the weather, particularly wind – One of the

speed in the sky will be a primary factor in image clarity. On calm

main causes of drone accidents is bad weather. Every model has

days lacking wind, newer drones are capable of exposures several

variations when it comes to how much wind velocity it can handle

seconds in length, which can be achieved using the tripod-mode

while in flight. It is your responsibility to read the manual and know

found in certain models.

what constitutes an acceptable day to fly. Even if your drone can

Shutter speed may also be crucial to properly expose a scene, as

remain aloft, it can sometimes be impossible for the drone to

most drones are limited to an F/stop of 11, or less, and you may

return back to you if the winds are too strong and the battery runs

need to have a faster shutter to prevent too much light from hitting

out.

the sensor. Other options for limiting light include neutral density



Do not panic – It isn’t uncommon for a drone’s video signal to

filters, which we will touch on later.

be lost on the monitor mid-flight, and when it does happen many

A good rule of thumb when selecting your shutter speed is to take

pilots will immediately panic and assume their drone has crashed or

the focal length of your lens, double it, and then consider any other

has flown away. This is another emphasis on retaining line-of-sight,

factors; for instance, if your drone has a 24 mm equivalent, avoid

and fortunately, most models have a return-to-home button that

shooting less than 1/50th of a second unless the operation is in

will override a lost video signal.

stable air or you are using tripod mode.



Aperture

Do not exceed 400 ft AGL – One of the rules you will hear time

and time again is do not fly your drone higher than 400 ft above the

Drones capable of variable apertures is actually a new innovation.

highest elevation or structure on the ground. Flying above 400 ft

In the past, most had a fixed f/stop of 2.8, which even for a wide-

may also increase the UAV’s susceptibility to high wind speeds.

angle lens limited the depth of field and allowed in too much light

The nice aspect of capturing photos over a video with drones is that

to achieve long exposures.

the process eliminates the cinematic maneuvering necessary to

Today we’re seeing most new models built with lenses varying from

achieve specific shots. Ultimately you want to become a skilled

f/2.8 to f/11. In the Phantom and Mavic lines testing has shown

drone pilot before you become a skilled drone photographer. For

f/5.6 to be the sharpest, with narrower f/stops performing nearly

more important safety tips we recommend diving into our

as well.

guide, How to Fly a Quadcopter.

Shooting Modes and General Exposure Settings Now that you have the mindset of what is required to begin flying, let’s dive into the most important settings related to drone photography. Prior to the drone ever leaving the ground, it’s a good

idea to select your shooting mode, adjust the camera’s exposure settings, and ensure the gimbal has calibrated so the camera can capture level photos.

Since image sharpening is an easy task in post-processing, prioritize using the aperture as a tool of exposure first, and aim to hit f/5.6 whenever possible.

ISO The biggest potential downside to drone camera sensors is the ability to boost the ISO. Unlike top mirrorless models found in the

like of Sony and Canon bodies, drone sensors begin to strain beyond ISO 400. In shooting modes like Auto and Aperture/Shutter, you will notice the camera controls the ISO automatically. As you begin to perfect your aerial images it’s wise to experiment

101 with ISO and take note as to which value produces the cleanest

the highlights and shadows, popping the saturation, or simply

images.

cooling the white balance.

Most professionals will only increase the ISO beyond 200 when

Raw photos are much easier to color correct than video, and so

shutter speed and an open aperture are not enough.

unless you prefer capturing in a certain style, there’s no absolute

Shooting Bracketed Exposures in AEB Mode

need to stray away from the normal color given how much can be

AEB Mode, or Auto Exposure Bracketing, is a technique used across

Neutral Density, Polarizers, and UV filters are going to be the main

many photography niches, most notably landscape, real estate, or

accessories in your drone toolkit. As mentioned in the exposure

any scene that displays a high range of contrast.

settings, there will be situations when you’ll need extra support

Drone photography is no exception as flying outside will present mostly high contrast scenes.

blocking or enhancing the light hitting the sensor.

Auto Exposure Bracketing can be set to take up to five exposures

when it comes to getting the proper exposure. Since drones have

instantly, allowing the photographer to merge the exposures in an

begun normalizing minimum apertures of f/11, and can snap the

HDR software or manually mask and blend the images to achieve a

shutter at over 1/4000th of a second, the ND usually won’t be

much higher dynamic range.

necessary when trying to limit light unless your aperture is fixed at

achieved with bracketing raw files.

Drone Camera Filters

Neutral Density Filters The ND or Neutral Density filter will likely be your most useful filter

f/2.8, or you’re attempting to take a long exposure. Even when shooting in raw (.dng), the files are inherently less flexible than most DSLR files. For this reason, professionals will

ND’s are primarily a video tool as the camera’s shutter will usually

almost always bracket to ensure they have options later while

not exceed 1/120th of a second (While shooting at 60fps).

editing.

The best utilization of an ND for drone photography is using them

Colour Profiles

to create motion is long exposures. Many feel that depending on

One of the final considerations we find important to the look and

an image.

dynamic range of your images is the option to set a color profile while capturing.

the quality of the ND filter, using one can also degrade the clarity of

Polarizing Filters Polarizing filters require a bit more practice to be useful but when

DJI’s software gives you the option to select D-Cinelike, D-Log, Normal, TrueColor, Art, Film, B&W, or Cool. Each will apply an adjustment to the image’s histogram, whether that’s evening out

executed properly can greatly enhance the contrast and tones in your images.

102 These filters come into play when you’re trying to reduce the glare of applied towards a career, check out our interview with UAV Coach light off a reflective surface, like the sky or a large body of water. Training Instructor Cher Brown.

They need to be rotated correctly to match the glare in a scene, otherwise the glaring may actually be enhanced.

UV Filters

And remember, if you’re operating professionally/commercially, you’ll need to get your FAA Part 107 certificate. Here’s a step-by-step guide that walks through it. And here’s our guide to getting jobs in

Unless there’s a distinct need for either the ND or Polarizer, most the

drone industry. A lot of our email subscribers and students have found that one really helpful. professionals will keep the factory UV in place knowing the real importance relies on just getting good exposures. Since most drones have just the one built-in lens, make sure to always have this filter on when in transit as it would be very costly to replace the camera due to a scratch on the lens.

Post-Processing Drone Photography 

The exciting thing about post-processing an image from your drone is that it can be done right on your phone for quick sharing. Although, we recommend the traditional approach on a computer using popular software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom for the best results.



By taking the time to capture your images with the correct exposure, or in bracketed sets, you should have unlimited possibilities when it comes to the final look and creative style you wish to promote. This post is not for how to edit, but some important editing steps to consider when processing drone images include:



Applying an unsharp mask – Flying your drone several hun-

dred feet in the air means your subject will be significantly further away than most images shot on the ground. Sharpening is a common way to strengthen small details that are quickly lost with distance.



Clone stamp out unwanted objects and people – You will immediately notice capturing images from the sky will incorporate vast scenes, often with unexpected details. In Adobe Photoshop the clone stamp tool will allow you to quickly “clone” pixels around the object you wish to remove, which is a nice backup plan when you cannot avoid a person or thing while capturing.



Don’t forget to crop and straighten—Despite the camera capturing from a balanced gimbal, you’ll likely come across a batch of images that has a slight skew or crooked horizon.



Practice selective noise reduction – As mentioned in the ISO section, drones are notorious for noisy images, especially in the shadows. Selective noise reduction can be achieved by using a brush tool and ‘selectively’ brushing a noise reduction filter over areas that were subject to missing information.

Becoming a Professional Drone Photographer Many of you are probably looking to drones for photography because

you are already a professional or serious hobbyist and can no longer resist the lucrative or creative explosion of images you’re seeing online. If you’re looking for some fast insight into how your images can be

Blue skies and safe flying out there!

103 Dan Bailey

Light that comes into a scene off-axis from the camera view will ALWAYS look more dynamic, interesting and pleasing. It looks more threedimensional, and it creates shadows on textures, shapes and form that enhance the visual appeal of the image. And aside from that, using the flash off-camera prevents red eye and that horrible “deer in the headlights’ look that straighton flash usually gives. You probably already know all this, though. Of course, the main issue with using off-camera flashes is how to trigger them. Essentially, there are five different ways to

trigger a remote lighting unit:



Remote sync cord



The popup flash on your camera



Using another flash as a Master



Wireless Radio remote



A Dedicated Wireless Commander

So, which method works best? I’ve used each type, and they all have limitations. Here are the pros and cons of each type.

Sync Cord This is the easiest, cheapest, and most reliable way to get your flash off-camera. It will never fail unless you break it. You never have to worry about wireless signals being lost, or remotes not being able to see the master. Your main limitation is range, although you can daisy-chain up to three 9’ cords together and still retain full TTL capabilities. Sync cords work great for handholding the flash—I use one all the time. If you don’t have a spare hand, you can always put the flash on a light stand, or clamp it to something. You should have a sync cord. Period. If you don’t have one, get

one. They’re cheap. Nikon has the SC-28 (3’) and 29 (9’), while Canon has the OC-E3. Nikon users, you can still find SC-17’s on eBay. I recently found one for about $15.

Pop-Up Flash Some cameras allow you to control remote flashes with the onboard pop-up flash. This usually works pretty well, especially inside. I use mine on the Nikon D700, even outside. The limitations are distance and line of sight, although I’ve triggered flashes that are behind me while shooting inside. On most cameras, you can only control up to two groups of flashes, but often times, that’s all you need.

The pop-up flash doesn’t work well as a commander when you’re shooting close-ups or portraits. The monitor pre-flashes from the pop-up flash are still picked up by the camera, and they often make your subject blink, or else they show up in your

104 photo. Also, note that some high-end camera bodies like the Nikon D3 and the Canon 5D don’t have pop-up flashes.

Using Another Flash as a Master This method works even better because you can rotate the flash head to point directly to the sensor on your remote flash. In addition, range increases as you zoom the head. The disadvantage is that you obviously eat up one of your flashes by using it as a commander. You can still use the unit as an oncamera flash/commander combo, but this could be a problem if you don’t want a flash up front and center. And you still have the potential blinking problem. Outside, this is often my preferred method, but only if I have a flash to spare. and I'm not overly concerned about space and weight in my bag. Although I usually travel with at least two flashes, oftentimes I’m really only using one flash to light the scene.

Radio Triggers Radio Poppers and the new dedicated Pocket Wizard MiniTTL systems are becoming very popular with photographers these days, and for good reason. They don’t require line of sight, and they work up to a quarter mile or more. The only downside is that they’re much more expensive. After you buy the controller, you need a receiver for each unit,

and each one costs over $200. If you have three Speedlights, you could end up spending a grand to trigger them all. (Extra credit: How much does Dave Black’s 8 SB-900 Radio Popper rig cost?) As of right now, Pocket Wizard is testing their next generation of MiniTTL units, which should be out very soon. Pocket Wizard Plus transceivers are another great option. I’ve got three of them, and can thus control two external flashes. They’re a little less expensive than the newer models, but they don’t work in TTL mode, only Manual. You can’t combine wireless systems with the Pocket Wizard Plus. For example, you can’t trigger one flash with CLS and one

with a Pocket Wizard. However, this is rarely a problem. You just need to make sure that all your flashes are set to Manual mode. When using radio triggers, your creative boundaries are greatly expanded. Just imagine the possibilities. Essentially, you can light multiple subjects and background elements that are very far away from each other, or that are hidden from your line of sight.

Wireless Commanders Before I bought a wireless commander, I considered just getting another flash to use as a master. However, a commander is smaller, and costs less than a top-of-the-line flash like the SB900 or the 580EX II. Also, using a flash as an on-camera master

doesn’t allow you to take full creative advantage of its impressive capabilities.

My thought is this: If you shoot off-camera flash inside, then it’s

105 a no brainer. Definitely consider the SU-800 or the S2-E2. It will give you excellent versatility at a reasonable price, and it gets

rid of the blinking problem with models. For the same reason, it’s almost essential for macro flash photography. If you shoot primarily outside, then you should weigh your needs and your budget. A radio system might be in your future, however if you’re not ready to make that kind of investment yet, something like the SU-800 or the S2-E2 will certainly get the job done while you’re saving up for all those receivers. Nikon SU-800 The Nikon SU-800 will trigger an unlimited number of flashes in up to three groups. Inside, the SU-800 absolutely rocks. Its signal will bounce all over the place, and even travel around

corners; you can trigger flashes that are not line of sight, or that are even in the next room. Its capabilities are a little more subdued outside. Since there is nowhere for the signal to bounce, it has to be within sight of all the other units. If your flashes are off-axis from your commander, you might have to affix it via a sync cord to a light stand in order for the signal to point the right way. In really bright sunlight, you often need to shade the unit with your hand, or tape on a piece of cardboard to shield it from the direct sun. Canon ST-E2

Canon’s own wireless controller, the ST-E2 transmitter, will control an unlimited number of Speedlites, but only in two groups, A and B. It has similar functionality to the SU-800; it works great inside (better in smaller rooms) but has a limited line of sight range outside where the same issues apply. ———— This post above is an excerpt from Dan Bailey’s brand new eBook, Going Fast With Light, an 83 page off-camera flash manual that shows you how to get great light with minimal gear. As a pro outdoor photographer, Dan often carries everything on his back, and over the years he’s refined off-

camera flash fit with his highly active photography style of action, adventure and travel. Going Fast With Light explores strobist style tools, techniques and tips for using simple one-flash setups, and multiple flash options that won’t slow you down. Buy Going Fast With Light in the next two weeks at the special introductory price of $12.95, and you'll automatically be entered into a drawing to win a $500 Gift Card from B&H Photo. The winner will be announced on Thursday, November 10.

Check out Dan Bailey's work at www.danbaileyphoto.com and follow him

on Facebook.

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Shoot Photographic Magazine - October 2020

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Shoot Photographic Magazine - October 2020