DigitalCity - Feb 2014

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February 2014

Importance of Light In Photography Top 10 Tips and Tricks Top 5 Photo Editing Apps

How To: Take The Best Selfie!

editor’s look

Welcome to the first issue of the new year photography magazine ‘Digital City’. This February issue is the first of many to follow from us so hopefully you enjoy it. This month’s features beginner tips and tricks to get you started in the world of photography and some work submitted by local artists from Birmingham. We plan to continuously grow each issue to offer you the best service we can.

Creativity is key so we expect you to surprise us with your work!

contents

Brad Stanworth

The Importance of Lighting Page 4

The Gallery Page 9

How To: Selfies Page 13

Competition Page 13

Top 5: Photo Apps Page 14

Tips for Digital Photos Page 16

Review: Digital Cameras Page 19

Photo of Week Page 20

Facts: Camera Settings Page 21

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The importance of light in photography Brad Stanworth

brad.stanworth@pixelpublishing,co.uk

Lee Hinton

lee.hinton@pixelpublishing,co.uk

L

IGHT is an essential factor of photography that can mean the difference of offering amateur photos to creating professional masterpieces. Light reflecting off objects is what allows us to see objects, so the type of lighting will affect how the camera interprets the object. To use this to your advantage you should always consider what lighting method is going to be the most suitable for your photos.

Hard lighting can be naturally found midday when the sun is beaming down.

This will create harsh, sharp shadows and colours will stand out in a bold manner.

This will be more efficient if it is coming from an artificial source as the position and direction it is coming from can be controlled. When used to photograph a portrait it can help to create feelings of anxiousness with a generally more dramatic overall look.

Opposing to this is soft light, which appears naturally when the sun is hidden behind the clouds. This is when the light is most spread out, carefully blending out tones instead of leaving harsh shadows.

It can be recreated artificially through the use of a diffuser, this could either be a professional standard one or as simple as having a nearby lamp with a shade over it.

This form of light is more complimentary when taking portrait photos as they help provide a richer skin tone opposed to a washed out, more pale appearance.

Artificial light is lighting that isn’t sunlight, it is manmade such as fluorescent.

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A typical example of artificial light would be the lights that many people have in their living room.

There is some more advanced artificial lighting though such as infared light. When taking photos in artificial light it may be better to have the flash on, this way the subject of the image will turn out a lot clearer.

Low light photography is typically when the sun is setting or it is completely dark. In this mode it would be recommended to find the lights therefore you can position yourself to make the most of them. Another tip would be to shoot raw, if the image then needs editing then this can be done at a later date. This will maximise the opportunity of getting a great shot that doesn’t need editing. Another tip for low light photography would be to shoot in all weather; this is because sometimes the reflections of the lights onto the water look good.

Overall there are a lot of different lighting that can affect how photographs, it is important that as an up and coming photographer you can 8

adapt to deal with the different lighting styles. If you can adapt to the different conditions then there is a good chance that the photos that you will take will come out well.

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Chained

This is an image that I happened to create whilst out taking photographs and experimenting around the theme ‘lines’. I found the overall image fascinating due to the colour contrast of the red paint against the neutral background. Additional to this I found that by only having the padlock within focus provided the image with more depth.

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2 Palms

This is a photo I captured on a visit to Nice, France.

The main inspiration behind it was how the minimalistic feel of the dark tree looked against the bright summer sky. I feel that this composition also has a sense of symmetry about it, and the sports car to the right offers a sense of richness and power. The blue sky gives the viewer a relaxed feeling, almost as if they can feel the summer breeze.

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The guide to selfies 1. Apperance

This is important because as it ensures that you are looking your best, this includes hair and makeup if this is applicable. This enables the selfie to come out as you anticipate and not with your hair looking messy.

2. Lighting

Suitable lighting is important as it can affect how good your overall image will look. If the light is facing the camera it can cause distracting glares. However if the light is facing you, it will highlight your appearance.

3. Background

It is important to make sure that you have an appropriate background. It has been seen in the past where people have had a dirty bedroom in the background of their selfies, this wouldn’t work.

It would be better to have a clean bedroom or a plain background.

The 6 Steps 4. Confidence

It is important that you are confident whilst taking a selfie as it can lead to better outcomes. If you weren’t confident you could just pull a bland face however if you were confident then it could produce a better image which portrays you better.

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5. Multiples

It is important that you are confident whilst taking a selfie as it can lead to better outcomes. If you weren’t confident you could just pull a bland face however if you were confident then it could produce a better image which portrays you better.

6. Editing

Once you have picked your favourite selfie it is important to make sure that you edit it, this will make the final image look better and enhance the image.

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mobile photo apps our top five...

...for beginners

Snapseed

iOS/Android

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£FREE

Our Rating:

Snapseed is a photo editing application that enables you to add in different filters to the image. It can change the brightness, contrast and the colour of an image. Snapseed offers a lot of control over the effects and the filters with the user having the choice of how much they want the effect to show where they can drag a slider between 1 and 100. Also you can add shadows into the image which helps to bring out the greater details.

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Photoshop iOS/Android £FREE

Our Rating:

Adobe have created a cut down version of their successful computer application to be used for mobiles.

The app enables typical effects such as changes to the brightness, contrast and the ability to crop the image. The app doesn’t have a lot of features compared to the PC version however it does enable you to make images taken with your phone look that little bit better.

Pixlr

iOS/Android/ £FREE

Our Rating:

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Pixlr is an application which is available on Android and IOS, with the application you can add in retro effects which can transform you photo into cool looking retro images. The app allows the user to add in effects, overlays

and borders enabling them to enhance images. Also included in the application would be simpler effects such as crop, re-size and to remove red eye.

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Instagram

iOS/Android/Windows

mobile apps

£FREE

Our Rating:

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Instagram is a social media website which enables the user the ability to share photos whilst adding different filters and effects to enhance the image. Instagram has become more popular over time and has started to add more filters. As well as the different filters that can be added to the image there are different effects that can be used such as auto enhance and blur. Many celebrities have also used Instagram to share behind the scenes photos.

iPhoto iOS

£FREE/£2.99 Our Rating:

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iPhoto is an application that has been successful for Apple on their Mac devices. Due to this they have now released the application onto mobile platforms for iPhone and iPad. iPhoto enables users to add different filters onto the image,

whilst also being able to make smaller tweaks to the image such as the contrast and brightness. iPhoto is a very successful app and gives the users the opportunity to edit their images; this is suitable for beginners as it’s easy to use.

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tips & TRicks this weeks feature by: Laura Primmer

laura.primmer@pixelpublishing,co.uk

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T doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner, amateur or more experienced photographer, there are some tips and tricks that will greatly beneficial and allow you to produce better and more professional results. Here are top 10 tips that we recommend to you in order to overcome a mass of common issues that may have to deal with.

Choose the right ISO The ISO setting is main important setting to take into consideration when taking images within low light situations as it allows you to change how sensitive the camera is to light and also how fine the grain/noise becomes.

The ISO number used will ultimately depend on the each individual situation. The darker the location the more you are required to increase the ISO this can be anything from 400-3200, by doing this you have ensured that camera is more sensitive to light and less likely to produce

a blurred image. In comparison the lighter the location the 16

smaller the ISO needs to be, here I would recommend an ISO of 100 as it can cope with outdoor sunny conditions without having blown highlights within the image (areas that are so bright they are pure white).

Experiment with shutter speed When it comes to producing action/motion photography many beginners and amateur photographers will tend to use a fast shutter speed of 1/60 of a second or more in order to try and freeze the moving subject without the aid of a tripod. However don’t be afraid to experiment with the shutter speed and trying out a slower shutter speed as it can allow you to produce photographs with amazing and interesting effects from the movement being captured. During this process of shutter speed experimentation, ensure that you use a tripod during slow shutter to guarantee that the camera only captures the movement of the object without capturing the motion of camera shake which result in photographs being blurred.

When to use flash When it comes to taking photographs, flash is one of the most important things to know when to use. The reason for this is because a camera flash can either make or ruin a photo depending on the situation.

One of the situations that would require the flash being used is

outdoors, bright sunlight can create deep shadows on the subject resulting in the camera flash having to be used to lighten the face or object. In comparison one situation that doesn’t require the flash being used is indoors,

the flash can make the photo subject look harsh and unnatural, here I would change the ISO setting instead.

When to use a tripod/ Avoid camera shake When it comes to taking photographs camera shake or blur is one of the first things that need to be mastered. This can be done in one of two ways: learn how to hold the camera and use a tripod. When using your camera as a hand-held you need to learn what the best way is to hold the camera; using both hands is recommended, one around the main body of the camera and the other around the lens while holding the camera close to your body to ensure that the device is fully supported and motion shake is reduced. However it’s not always suitable to have the camera as digitalcity.co.uk

this week: MASTERING THE ART OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

a hand-held and tripods would be preferred, the reason for this is because the image produced could become blurred by slight hand movements. Some examples of these situations are when you are taking an image of the landscape, skyline or using a slow shutter speed.

Keep it simple During portrait photography a simple background and approach usually work best, a simple plain background helps to show off the image subject more effectively. One of the best ways to achieve and create a professional looking photograph is to look through the camera viewfinder and check the surrounding area. However the most popular option chosen by professional photographers is to ensure that the background consists of only neutral colours and simples patterns that digitalcity.co.uk

guarantee no distractions and keep the eye on the focal point within the image.

Be quick One of the most important techniques to practice during photography is being quick. The reason for this is because not all subjects will stay still as they may move or fly away, in these situation being quick will allow you the opportunity to capture the subject. Don’t wait until you know all the camera settings are correct and don’t be worried about taking too many images of one subject, you may end up producing you best photograph yet.

Get down to their level Getting down to your subjects eye level allow you to produce a photograph that can be an engaging as it was in real life.

During the process of taking an image of someone getting down

to their eye level will allow you, the photographer, to capture the power of their captivating gaze and hypnotic smile when looking directly at the camera. For the period of these situations the main subject of the photograph isn’t always required to look directly to the camera, this is due to the angle of the eye dominating the feel and mood of the image by giving it a personal feel that hint at the subjects inner thoughts.

Take vertical pictures When it comes to taking images sometimes the best thing to do is to experiment with different angles and composition. One of the easiest ways to do this is to turn the camera vertically before taking the image; this ensures that there is no wasted space and the final image makes that most of its subject. Some of the subjects that will benefit 17

and look better as a vertical photograph are: buildings, structures, world known monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and children.

Lock the focus When it comes to taking an image on a photograph you may experience the main subject of the image not being in focus if they are not centred, this is due to most auto-focus cameras focusing on whatever is within the centre. In these situations you will be required to change and lock the focus of the camera.

In order to do this you must first centre the subject and press the shutter button halfway down until the OK lamp in the viewfinder glows green steadily. Second you reposition the camera so that the subject is no longer within the centre of the image, while still holding the shutter button half way down.

Now you are able to press the

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shutter button all the way down to take a photographs where the main subject is in focus while not being centralised.

Rule of thirds The process of digital photography the rule of thirds

is known to many as the main guideline to follow as it applies to the alignment of the subject and the composition of the

image. This is done by imaging that an image is divided by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines that create nine equally divided sections. Here the ‘rule of thirds’ states that any important elements or subjects should be placed along one of these lines in order to produce an image with greater interest. The overall purpose of the rule of thirds is to discourage the centre placement of an object and allowing them to be more creative.

By trying and following these top 10 tips you will as a photographer learn more about what your camera is capable of as well as what settings work best in particular situations.

Overall by following these 10 simple tips you will be able to transform your photograph quality from beginner to professional.

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Digital Cameras

Fujifilm X20 Black/Silver

The X20 is a high performance 12 megapixel compact camera that comes complete with a Fujinon 4x optical zoom lense. The design has a classy retro feel that is very aesthetically pleasing.

Our Rating:

Nikon P520 Black

Panasonic DMC - G5

The P520 is an affordable 18 megapixel camera that comes complete with a lengthy 4.0 - 120mm zoom and rotable screen. However the main disadvantage is that this camera doesn’t support RAW files.

The DMC - G5 is a great all round camera to have as it produces both high quality images and video at 1080p. The touch screen proves useful when autofocus is required, however it doesn’t offer external audio input.

Our Rating:

Our Rating:

Samsung NX300 The NX300 is a great camera for the social photographer as it offers a responsive touch screen and wifi connectivity. It comes complete with a detachable 18 - 55mm lens. The only negative would be the battery life.

Our Rating:

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photo of the month

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about camera settings

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HEN it comes to taking photographs with a camera there are many things that need to be taken into consideration from camera setting to location and lighting; however the most important of them all is the camera settings as they provide the baseline and make or break any photograph.

Auto is the most basic and easiest mode available, it is used by the majority of people and amateur photographers, this is becasue it doesn’t require them to make any additional changes

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Close-up/macro is the mode that is used for used extreme close-up shots e.g. flowers as it allows the intricate detail to be captured that would have been otherwise lost with other camera modes.

Night is the mode that is and should be used in order to create a successful photograph at night; this is due to the night mode using flash to ensure that the subject is illuminated and a slower shutter speed to make sure more light enters the camera.

Action Aperture Manual Program Night Mode Auto

learn the icons

because the camera does it all for you.

Manual is the mode that allows the photographer to have complete control over the image created and used by professionals.

Aperture controls the amount of light that is allowed through the lens through the use of “f� numbers. Wide apertures such as f2.8 allow the photographer to create an image with the focal point in focus but the background blurred. Small apertures such as f22 allow the photographer to create an image with everything within the image in focus. Essentially a wider aperture = more blur and a smaller aperture

= less blur.

Shutter speed controls the amount of time that it takes the shutter to taken the image; in essence the shutter speed will affect the overall outcome and quality of an image. A fast shutter speed such as 1/200 of a second or more would produce a clearer picture with more detail. A slow shutter speed such as 1/30 of a second or slower would produce an image that would show any movement and produce a less focused image.

Landscape is the mode that is highly popular and recommended when taking an image of the landscape or wideangled shots. The mode will ensure that distant objects are more focused through the use of the small aperture settings.

Portrait is another mode that is often used by amateur photographers as it allows the main foreground subject to become focused, in many cases photographers will use a wide aperture setting to blur the background and keep the eye on the main subject.

Sport/Action is the mode that is used to capture any type of action e.g. moving cars and sport, this is becasue it often uses a fast shutter speed to capture

Landscape Portrait the movement that would have otherwise been unfocused and blurry.

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digitalcity. bringing photos to life.

Pixlel Publishing Ltd. 50 Fredrick Street, Birmingham, B1 3HR, UK +44 (0) 121 212 3626 www.pixel-publishing.co.uk www.digitalcity.co.uk

Magazine Team

Editor Brad Stanworth

brad.stanworth@pixel-publishing.co.uk

Art Editor Abbey Johnson News Editor Laura Primmer Photograper Lee Hinton Design Zak Hems Cover Image

Advertising

Digital or printed media available on request.

Head of Sales Abbey Johnson abbey.johnson@pixel-publishing.co.uk

Subscriptions

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Disclaimer

The publishers of Digital City take every care in the production of each issue of this title but we are not liable for any editorial error, omission, mistake or typographical error. In the case of advertising material supplied, we as publishers, make no representation and provide no warranty as to the accuracy of descriptions or offers within. As publishers we accept no liability for any loss, which any person may incur while relying on the accuracy or description of any statement or photograph herein. The views expressed by all contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Digital City reserves the right to decline any advertising for any reason.

(C) Pixel Publishing Ltd 2014

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