Amateur Photographer - January 3, 2015 UK.pdf

8/10/2019 Amateur Photographer - January 3, 2015 UK.pdf

1/84


2/84


3/84

7daysA week in photography

JOIN USONLINE

Follow uson Twitter@AP_Magazine

Join our Flickr groupat fl ickr.com/groups/amateurphotographeramateurphotographer.co.uk

Likeus onFacebook.com/Amateur.photographer.magazine

In this issue10 New Years

resolutionsGreat ideas for yourphotography this year

18 Beyond the sea

Matty Smiths imagesreveal a beautiful worldjust beneath the oceanssurface. Oliver Atwelltalks to him

24 VideomasterclassProfessional videographerVictoria Grech takes a lookat how to capture steadyvideo footage

26 APOY resultsround 9We reveal the winnersof our night photographyround of APOY

34 Film-makerson a rollBrandon and Brian Wrightof CineStill Film have high

hopes for a new film thatgets great effects undercontinuous artificial light

37 Evening classMartin Evening sorts outyour photo-editing andpost-processing problems

39 Competition

Win a Billingham 550bag worth 600

46 Pentax KS1

It may seem to be allflashing lights, but

underneath its modernskin the K-S1 is a seriouscamera. We test it out

55 Corel PaintShopPro X7

We reveal what PaintShopPro version 7 has to offer

Regulars3 7 days

16 Inbox40 Reader Portfolio44 Accessories59 Technical

Support82 Final Analysis

THIS time last year I sharedwith you, perhaps unwisely,my New Years resolution

for 2014. After more than adecade editing a purely digitalphotography magazine, I would shoot, processand print a roll of film for the first time sinceabout 2005. How did I get on? Well, not sowell. I did buy a roll of black & white film,and I did take a few pictures, but the film isstill in the camera. I did visit a darkroom,

though at the superbly equipped facilitiesof The Camera Club in Londons Kennington(thecameraclub.co.uk), just a short stroll from

the AP office and I reacquainted my nostrilsto the smell of fixer.This year I intend to complete my mission

and make some prints. Hopefully, Ill makesomething good enough to put on the wall.So whats your photographic resolution? Dowrite in and tell us.Nigel Atherton, Editor

Send us your picturesIf youd like to see your work published in Amateur Photographer, heres how to send us your images:EmailEmail a selection of low-res images (up to 5MB of attachments in total) to [email protected] .CD/DVDSend us a disc of high-resolution JPEG, TIFF or PSD images (at least 2480 pixels along its longest length), with a contact sheet, to the address on page 17.

Via our online communitiesPost your pictures into our Flickr group, Facebook page or the gallery on our website. See details above.Transparencies/prints Well-packaged prints or slides (without glass mounts) should be sent by Special Delivery, with a return SAE, to the address on page 17.

This picture of grass by Grant SimonRogers was uploaded to our Flickrpage. All my photographs aredaytime pictures, and this image wastaken in a London park near Brixton,says Grant. I find that taking images

helps me switch off from my day job.With the aperture ring set to f/8-11and the shutter speed between1/500sec and 1/2000sec, I get areally dark picture in all but thebrightest of sunlight.

My digital Leica cameras have asmall built-in flash above the lens,which I used to illuminate theforeground detail and createdefinition in the middle ground. Thiscreates the theatrical Day for Nightlook. The large aperture gives me awonderful depth of field to play with,so most of my subject is in focus.

Each weekwe will chooseour favouritepicture posted

on the AP Facebook and Flickrcommunities and the AP forum.The winner will receive a yearsdigital subscription to APworth 79.99.

ONLINE PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Win!

G

RANTSIMONROGERS

Terra Incognitaby Grant Simon RogersLeica Digilux 2, 28mm (equivalent), 1/500sec at f/8, ISO 100


4/844 3 January 2015 Iwww.amateurphotographer.co.uk Isubscribe 0844 848 0848

Walk in the woodsAs the colder weather starts to set in and wintertakes hold, many of the plants in a forest will die

down. However, until early January there is still

the chance to see, and photograph, a number of

woodland fungi, such as the one pictured right.

In addition to the species of fungi, there are

other interesting subjects to photograph in our

woodlands, from evergreen plants to dying

bracken and a variety of berries. Be sure to look

on the ground, around fallen trees, on tree trunks

and in dense areas of foliage to maximise your

chances of finding the right subject. Taking a long

walk around local woodland with a camera and a

spare lens can be very enjoyable at this time of

year particularly if the weather is cold andsunny. Dont forget to look out for wildlife, too.

1

If you have a macro lens,

make sure you rememberto take it with you whenout on a woodland walk. Thereare lots of small subjects tophotograph in a forest and amacro lens will allow you tocapture the intricate detail.

2It is important whengoing for a long walk towrap up warm. Being

cold while you are shooting isuncomfortable, and if your mindis thinking about how cold you

are then you wont be in themood to get decent shots.

NEWS ROUND-UP

WEEKEND PROJECT

IMAGEBYSCOTTOLSON2

014GETTYIMAGES

GMBAKASH

Theft alertPhotographers should be on thelookout for new cameras beingsold at suspiciously low prices

after thieves escaped with tensof thousands of pounds worthof gear from Castle Cameras.Contact 01202 526 606 for theBournemouth branch and 01722339 909 for the Salisbury one.

Drone threatDrone users may fallfoul of harassment,or even voyeurismlegislation. Chief Inspector NickAldworth, of the MetropolitanPolice, told a House of Lords

committee that, in the absenceof privacy legislation in the UK,users of the unmanned devices could fall foul of the 2003 SexualOffences Act, or harassment under the Public Order Act. Hewarned that drone technology has opened up opportunities fornegligent, reckless or malicious use.

Flickr under firePhotographers blastedFlickr after the websitebegan selling photographsavailable for use under aCreative Commonslicence. Flickr ownerYahoo made more than 50million images availableto buy. It ticked me offthat somebody else is selling them when I was giving them away,US-based amateur photographer Liz West told The Wall Street

Journal.Creative Commons is a non-profit body that offers analternative to full copyright, according to creativecommons.org.

Hell factory spotlightBangladeshi photographer GMBAkash has pocketed $2,500 forwinning the inaugural NeutralDensity Photography Awards. Hiswinning image, Angels in hell, is ofchildren working in Bangladeshi

factories. Visit ndawards.net.

Manfrottocolour splashManfrotto has made some of

its tripods available in differentcolours, including blue andpink, allowing photographers topersonalise their kit bag. TheBefree, Pixi, Pocket seriesand Compact Light rangeare now out in a variety ofcolours. For more detailsvisit www.manfrotto.co.uk.

The week in brief, edited by Chris Cheesman


5/84ubscribe 0844 848 0848 Iwww.amateurphotographer.co.uk I3 January 2015 5

3

As a lot of foliage will

have died down, it willbe easier to see, and

herefore photograph, birds andother wildlife. Using a telephotoens will help you get close-up

shots of your subjects.

4As the leaves ofdeciduous trees andshrubs will have

dropped, its important to keepan eye out for colour. Look forcolourful subject matter, such

as evergreens and berries, tobrighten up a dull environment.C

ALLU

MMCINERNEY-RILEY

Use a macrolens and flash to

take detailedpictures of fungi

Landscapephotographyis the supreme

test of thephotographer

and oenthe supreme

disappointmentAnsel Adams

American photographer

(1902-1984)

This powerful imagefrom Getty photographer

Scott Olson encapsulates thefrightening tension building inmany US cities as people reactedto what they felt was a miscarriageof justice. A police squad car wasturned over by demonstratorsduring a protest on 25 November2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.Protesting turned into riotingfollowing the grand juryannouncement not to indictofficer Darren Wilson in theMichael Brown case. Brown,an 18-year-old black man,was killed by Wilson, a whiteFerguson police officer,on 9 August. At least 12 buildingswere torched and more than50 people were arrested duringthe night-long rioting.

BIG

picture

8,000The number of pieces of

photographic equipment inthe RPS Collection in Bradford,

West Yorkshire

Tensions reach boiling

point in Ferguson,

Missouri, in the US

Words & numbers



SONY has confirmedthat the Alpha 7 II will

cost 1,500, body only,when it goes on sale inthe UK in January.

The Sony Alpha 7 II willalso be available as a kitwith a 28-70mm lens,priced 1,700.

Unveiled in November,

the Sony Alpha 7 II isclaimed to offeroutstanding image qualityin a compact size andlight build.

The 24.3-million-pixelmodel features 5-axisimage stabilisation and a117-point, focal-plane-phase-detection AFsystem with an improvedalgorithm, allowing AF tobe 30% faster than inprevious Sony cameras.

Sony confirmsAlpha 7 II price

Historic RPS imagesgo on show, at a cost

HISTORIC images plucked fromthe Royal Photographic Societys

famous collection have gone onshow at the Science Museum inLondon, as organisers defend the8 entry cost.

Drawn by Light features morethan 200 exhibits from the RoyalPhotographic Society Collection,which has been housed at theNational Media Museum (NMM) inBradford, West Yorkshire, since itsmove there 11 years ago. The RPSitself was founded in 1853.

The show includes images

dating back to the earliest days ofphotography, captured by pioneerssuch as Julia Margaret Cameronand British photography inventorWilliam Henry Fox Talbot, whoseexperimental cameras are on display.

It also showcases the work ofmodern-day photographers suchas Don McCullin, Terry ONeilland Martin Parr.

The Science Museum says theshow will allow the public to discoverstories behind some of the worldsmost famous photographers andtheir works, and explore how

photography has fundamentallyshaped our perception of the world.

Entry to the exhibition, which takesplace at the Media Space Gallery

inside the museum, costs 8 amove that has drawn criticism fromat least one observer.

When the exhibition opens at theNMM in Bradford next year, entrywill be free, according to the RPS.

Photographer Andy Blackmorecriticised organisers over the entryfee. He told AP: Its disgusting. Itshould be a voluntary charge They[the images] should be availableto see, for free.

Among those positive about theshow, however, is Emma McLean,an entertainment agency account

manager, who turned to Twitter afterseeing a preview. She wrote: So

excited to see the masters of theRPS collection If you are aphotography fan, you cannotmiss this show.

Asked why there is an admissionfee for access to images that formpart of the National PhotographyCollection, a Science Museumspokeswoman told AP: Incomegenerated by the exhibitionsprogramme is fed back into therunning of Media Space for theproject to be sustainable.

Although a large number ofworks on show in the Media

Space throughout the year arefrom the National PhotographyCollection, there are also loanson display.

She added: The preparation of amajor exhibition involves shipping,insurance, research, conservationand installation costs.

The Virgin Media Studio inthe Media Space is a free offer,changing throughout the year, andrepresenting different aspects ofphotography and the NationalPhotography Collection.

The Media Space offers

concessions, and discounts atcertain times of the week.

The Bradford-based RPS Collectioncontains more than 250,000 images

Moving the RPS exhibits to London came at a price

The show will be free to visit when it opens in Bradford

LEICESTERSQUARE1896PA

ULMARTINNATIONALMEDIAMUSEUM/SSPL

Visitamateurphotographersubs.co.uk/15E or call 0330

333 4555 and quote 15E

Subscribe to

SAVE

35%*

* when you pay by UK Direct Debit

More than 200exhibits range fromserene landscapes

to exquisite nudes,say organisers

NUDEONSAND

OCEANO

,CALIFORNIA1936

EDWARDWESTON

CHIMNEYC1934NOELGRIGGS

NATIONALMEDIAMUSEUM

,BRADFORD/SSPL

PORTRAITOFCHRISTINA1913

LIEUTENANTCOLONELMERVYNOGORMAN


7/84subscribe 0844 848 0848 Iwww.amateurphotographer.co.uk I3 January 2015 7

A BRITISH artist is among thoseshortlisted for the Deutsche Brse

Photography Prize 2015.UK-born Patrick Waterhouse

collaborated with South Africanphotographer Mikhael Subotzky for anintimate and deeply evocative socialportrait of a 1970s Johannesburgapartment block that reportedly becamea centre of crime, prostitution and drug

dealing, and a symbol of urban decay.The pairs work, called Ponte City

2008, also drew on architectural plans,plus archival and historical materialabout the building and community.

The project appeared in the pairspublication,Ponte City, earlier this year.

Also shortlisted for the DeutscheBrse Photography Prize 2015 areRussian photographer Nikolai Bakharev,Zanele Muholi (South Africa) and VivianeSassen (Netherlands).

The winner/winners of the 30,000cash prize will be announced at The

Photographers Gallery in London on28 May 2015.

The work of shortlisted photographerswill go on show at The PhotographersGallery from 17 April-7 June. See alsothe exhibition in Edinburgh (right).

The Deutsche Brse PhotographyPrize rewards a photographer, of anynationality, who has made a significantcontribution, in exhibition or publicationformat, to photography in Europe from1 October 2013-30 September 2014.

Londons New Years Day ParadeHappy New Year! You may be reading this after the big calendar

flip, but if youre not, and you anticipate being able to stand onNew Years Day, why not head out to photograph some of thecelebratory parades that take place?

Ponte City: Mikhael Subotzkyand Patrick WaterhouseTwo artists document five years in the lifeof South Africas tallest skyscraper, the54-storey Ponte City, in Johannesburg.Once a symbol of prosperity, the buildinghas fallen into decay, and its refugeeinhabitants face an uncertain future.

People of IndiaThree series of photographsdocument India, spanning thepast 150 years. Anchoring thedisplay is Jason Scott Tilley,who contributes his own streetportraits and also shots takenby his great-grandfather.

Mobile PhotographyEtons Rhubarb and Custardgallery open exhibition focuseson photographs taken usingmobile phones. If youd like tosee one of your mobile imagesmounted on their wall, head tothe website for details.

Shoot Winter FlowersIts no doubt tempting to shake off thosepost-Christmas blues by staying resolutelyindoors and polishing off the booze

reserves, but youll have much more luck ifyou venture outside and get some shots offlowers that appear at this time of year some nice snowdrops, for example.

LONDON

COVENTRY BERKSHIRE

EVERYWHERE

J

ASONSCOTTTILLEY

MIKHAELSUBOTZKY/PATRICKWATERHOUSE

M

ATTSPRAKEPHOTOGRAPHY

R

BGKEW

1 January. ww w.londonparade.co.uk

Until 11 January.www.theherbert.org

Until 28 February.www.rhubarbandcustard.com

January-February

Until 26 April. www.nationalgalleries.org/portraitgallery

The most interesting things to see, to do

and to shoot this week. By Jon Stapley

Brit on 30k photo shortlist

Flashgun maker Metzin financial trouble

FLASHGUN makerMetz may be rescued

rom insolvency afterattracting considerablenterest from potentialnvestors, AP has learned.

A source close to Metzsaid the insolvency filing isexpected to affect around600 jobs, but added thatthe administrator is incontact with potentialnvestors and that therehas been considerablenterest in the company.

Metz makes flashunits for amateur

and professionalphotographers worldwide,rom compact flashes to

handheld flashguns. Italso makes TVs.

The German office ofnsolvency administratorJoachim Exner had yetto comment.

Metz was formed over75 years ago by PaulMetz who, in 1947, beganmaking radio sets beforeexpanding to other linesof business.

Today, the owner-led

company focuses on threeareas: entertainmentelectronics, photoelectronics and plasticstechnology.

Paul Metz died in 1993,after which his wifeHelene took over therunning of the business.

Speaking last year,Helene Metz said: My

husband and I have always

invested in the companyand promoted itscontinued development.

Independence wasimportant to us. At thesame time, we alwaysplaced great importanceon excellently trained,highly motivatedemployees. And nothingwill change these values

in the future.

For the latest newsvisit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

Get up & go

The GermancompanyMetz makestelevisionsas well asflashguns

EDINBURGH

MIKHAELSUBOTZKY&PATRICKWATERHOUSE,

COURTESYGOODMANGALLERYMAGNUMPHOTOS



Ifinally have my own darkroom.Well, technically Ive had adarkroom since I was ten years old,but that was just my bedroom with

a blanket draped over the curtains to helpkeep the street lights at bay. Now, though,I have a room dedicated to the art andscience of photography a room thatcan act as a focus for my endeavours and,more importantly, a room for all my junk

(my wifes word) thats been spread aroundthe house for most of my life.

Why now? Surely, with everything soshiny and digital, Id be better off puttingthe money into a decent photo printerand a pint or two of ink? I beg to differ,and heres why.

Digital photography is great, wonderful,invigorating. It allows me to photographsubjects and events that I would reallystruggle to capture with the best of myanalogue kit and some of that is verygood. The trouble is, the ease with whichI can capture images digitally sometimessuckers me in to the old Photoshop

Two-Step a dance in which you openthe file, look blankly at it, click Enhanceand Auto Levels, let some unknownsoftware engineer decide just howmuch it needs sharpening then doa Save As. Game over. I have a picture. Itlooks OK, the histograms are spot on andI know just how it will print on the devicesIve loaded profiles for.

For rapid professional gigs, this is alifesaver. I know immediately that Ive gotthe image and can deliver it in the way thecustomer wants, when he wants it. There

is no more double-shuffle with twocamera bodies and two film stocks just incase a shutter blind sticks or the aperturefails to close. No more prayers as youopen the developing tank to check theresults. In many ways, life is good.

But perhaps its too good. When Imnot running to someone elses deadline, Ienjoy taking time over my photography.I like to plan how to get the image right

in-camera, so that what I capture reflectswhat I saw or imagined at the time,rather than ending up with a picture thathas passed through the assumptions,preferences and compromises of thehundreds of other folk who design ourcameras and write our software. Theyhave their own agenda: they assume wewant deep blue skies, sharp faces, shadowdetail, synchronised smiles all greataspects of your holiday pics, but notnecessarily helpful if you are pursuingyour own ideas.

Hence the darkroom. By returning tomy roots in monochrome photography,

using manual cameras and hand-printingthe results, I feel much closer to being acreative person. Ill never stop using digital it makes me a useful income but whilethe me photography is slower, morepainful and has fewer results, it gives meimages that I feel great satisfaction in.Which I guess is what it is all about.

Are you someone whos guilty of doing thePhotoshop Two-Step? Heres why a return to the

darkroom might benefit your photography

ViewpointJohn Gilbey

Johns darkroomwill free him upto shoot theway he wants

John Gilbeyis a writer and photographer living in west

Wales. His work has appeared in Nature, New Scientist,

The Guardianand a number of other publications. You

can follow him on Twitter @John_Gilbey.

Do you have something youd like to get off your chest?Send us your thoughts in around500 words to the address on page 17 and win a years digital subscription to AP, worth 79.99

Aer the Agreement:Contemporary Photographyin Northern Irelandby Sarah Tuck, John Duncan, Mary McIntyreand Donovan Wylie, Black Dog Publishing,19.95, paperback, 978-1-90896-691-9

DURING any conflict, there arealways photographers who are

eager to document what theysee. While in the case of newsphotography this is a necessity,contemporary art photographyrequires some distance. The eventsmust be absorbed and considered.

Only then can artists communicate what they havelearned. This is part icularly true of the Troubles inNorthern Ireland, and that is what makes this book sucha vital addition to the conversation. The book draws ona series of talks by the photographers John Duncan,Mary McIntyre, Donovan Wylie, Paul Seawright,Kai Olaf Hesse and David Farrell. It is a fantasticopportunity to explore the role that contemporaryphotography plays in our understanding of the events.

Light reading it is not, but was it ever going to be,considering the subject matter?+++++

New BooksThe latest and best books from the

world of photography. By Oliver Atwell

Josef Koudelka: ExilesThames & Hudson, 39.95, hardback,

180 pages, ISBN 978-0-50054-441-9HOW CAN it be that aphotographer dealing with themesof desolation, waste, departureand alienation is able to producesuch exceptionally beautifulimages? The reason is simple:

everything Czech photographer Josef Koudelkacaptures speaks deeply of the endurance of thehuman spirit. The photographs were taken duringKoudelkas years of wandering through Europe and theUnited States after leaving his native Czechoslovakia.The images communicate much about the world thatKoudelka found on his travels, but perhaps say moreabout the photographer, indeed any photographer,

who suffers from an insatiable desire to see. Typically,each and every frame is perfectly beautiful. Masterphotographer is a term thats bandied around far toomuch, but here it is more than justified.+++++

BOTHPICTURESJOHNGILBEY


9/84



Technique SET YOURSELF GOALS

2

1

Back up your images

onto external drives

New YearsresolutionsThe New Year is the perfect time to set some goals for

your photography. Here are some ideas to get you started

WE PUT an awful lot of faith in the reliabilityof hard drives, and while many of us will belucky to experience only minor issues, whena hard drive does fail (and they do a lot) itcan be an emotional experience, to put itmildly. That is, unless youve backed up allyour images (and other important data) onan additional drive. If your hard drive doesfail and youve backed up your data, the onlymajor loss is the original drive and the factyouve got to buy a new one not thedrama and pain of realising youve lost every

single image youve taken, including thoseall-important test shots of the cat.

We suggest you avoid storing images onyour computers hard drive too, and insteadstore them on a dedicated external drive,and also invest in a second drive to mirrorthe first. It may seem like a bit of an outlay,but the cost of memory has droppedsignificantly over the past couple of yearsand ultimately, what price do you put onyour images?

Make archiving images part of yourworkflow. Maybe once youve copied theimages across to one drive, you repeat the

same step onto the other, or schedule inweekly updates to mirror your main drive.

Improve your image selectionTHERES nothing quite like the satisfaction of asuccessful shoot that buzz of seeing a stackof potentially great images on your rear screencan be incredibly gratifying. However, oncehome and theyve all been loaded ontoyour computer (and backed up!), it can beextremely difficult to nail down which shotsto edit and which ones to leave out.

The trouble is, were often too close to them,having invested so much time and energy inthem, but being ruthless with your images willmake you a better photographer. Coming awaywith one strong shot will be better than havinga host of mediocre or almost-there pictures.

A good starting point is to select a number ofimages, even processing them, before walking

away and coming back to them some timelater ideally getting a good night s sleepbefore you take another look at them. Youll besurprised how the shots differ from the onesyou remember. In some cases, they wont hitthe mark quite as much as you imagined, whileothers will naturally come to the surface andperhaps stand out more than they did before.

Back up your images

Step back fromyour imagesand look at

them againlater

P

HIL

HALL

G-TECH



3

4Revisiting this shot

has produced a

better result

Processed three years ago,this shot has benefitedfrom another look a few

months ago (above)

WHILE the thought of a folder simply called pictures,with reams of images stored inside, is enough to senda shiver down the backs of many of you, for some thishorror is a reality.

Categorising and sorting images can be a thanklesstask, but while the nights are long nows the time to getyour photographs sorted out. Establish your own filingsystem everyone will have their own method, but makesure you follow it. Good practice is also to drop files intheir respective folders at the time of import ratherthan trying to remember to do it later. Programs likeLightroom will also allow you to add keywords to imagesand create collections, making finding and retrieving

mages so much easier especially if youre dealingwith a large back catalogue.

YOU CAN end up with masses of old and unedited photos languishing on your harddrive, so why not take the time to sift through your old files?

Chances are there will be some good shots nestled among the old pictures thatyou missed at the initial pass or have just forgotten about. Also, the various editingtricks and treatments youve picked up since you last looked at them means youllfeel comfortable enough to really go to town on an image and get the best from it.

Organise

your images

Rediscover old shots

P

HILH

ALL




5

6

7

Study other imagesWHETHER youre simply flicking through a magazine, studyinga beautiful photography book or visiting an exhibition, if you seean image that captures your attention, take time to really studyit and try to work out what makes it so special. How was it lit?

What works about the composition? What lens do you thinkwas used? What image adjustments have been applied?Analysing an image in this way will help you to betterunderstand how a picture has been constructed and allowyou to think about applying this to your own photography.

WHILE sharing images has never beeneasier, they always seem to be locked ona screen, never seeing the light of day.A print, especially if it is mounted andframed nicely, has much more impactcompared to simply swiping through

images digitally, so why not pick out twoor three of your favourite shots and getsome framed prints made? After all, aprint is one of the very foundations of

photography and youll be surprised howmuch more connected you feel to theimage when viewed in this way.

You can either make the printsyourself and choose a frame to match,or why not use a specialist service like

Loxley Colour (www.loxleycolour.com)to produce a gallery-quality print. Thecompany also offers a range ofcontemporary finishes.

Start aphoto project

Print and frame your images

RATHER than just shooting for the sake of it, why not setyourself the challenge of a long-term project over theyear and build up a coherent body of work. While theresno denying the joy of capturing a stunning one-offimage, a body of work will produce a much moresatisfying sense of achievement.

Before you get started, though, think carefully aboutyour subject matter. Regardless of what you intend tophotograph, its a good idea to have a keen interest inwhatever it is youre planning to shoot as this will help you

when things may not be going quite how you want themto you need to think about access as well.

Framing andhanging yourwork can be

very rewarding

Justin Minns visitedthis location numeroustimes before he gotthe shot he wanted

J

USTINMINNS

TIMEINC/DAVIDGILES



9

8Be persistentWEVE all experienced the excitement of a new location or subject,only to get there and find the light is not quite right, the weathersnot playing ball, the tides wrong or someones decided to leave acar parked in the middle of your shot, leaving us dejected and

without the images we envisaged. Whatever the reason, though,dont throw in the towel if things dont work out first time. If thingswere easy it wouldnt be half as rewarding, would it? So bepersistent and youll be rewarded with the shot youre after. Thismay involve a couple of trips to the same location, but on the daythe stars align and the conditions are perfect, then the satisfactionof getting that special shot will be even greater.

Try out a newlens or cameraWHILE equipment reviews are incredibly valuable whenchoosing a piece of new kit, theres nothing quite like gettingyour hands on a camera or lens and putting it through itspaces yourself. Only in that way can you get a real sense ofhow it performs for your needs.

You might be lucky and be able to try a friends covetedcamera or lens, but if not, why not hire one for the weekend?Companies like HireACamera.com stock hundreds of items ofkit, from accessories to exotic lenses, so whether you want totry the latest DSLR youve got your eye on or youve got a one-

off shoot where a pricey 400mm f/2.8 lens is needed, then fora fraction of the price you can try it out for yourself.

Why not try a new lens or

camera over the weekendbefore you buy?




12 As well as social platforms,think about setting upyour own website

10

11You could alwaysenter APs own APOYcompetition and wina great prize

AvoidtheclichsWHEN planning a visit toa new location, its all too

easy to get swept up in theexcitement of looking atwhat other people havecaptured of the samescene. Whether thatsflicking through imageson sites such as Flickr orthe pages in AP, youll findthat these images will leadyou to visualise the shotthat you want so youllalmost have tunnel visionwhen you arrive at yourlocation, preventing youfrom considering any

other angle.Theres nothing wrong in

rattling off a few frames inthis way, but also try tostep back and survey thescene, looking for analternative viewpoint orinterpretation of thesubject that will make yourshot different and special.

Enter a photo competitionTHERES no better way to get a wider audience for your images than if youresuccessful in a photo competition, with national and, in some cases, international

coverage. Also, the thrill and excitement of seeing your image displayed on agallery wall is pretty special. So why not promise yourself youll enter a least onephotographic competition this year? There are a host of contests out there,covering an incredibly broad range of subjects, so youve got no excuse.

Manage youronline presenceWITH the likes of Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,Tumblr and 500px all offering some form of imagesharing, its impractical to participate in each onesuccessfully. However, try them all to begin with andyoull soon get a feel for which works best for you, so youcan then focus your attention on building up a followingand integrating yourself into that online community.

Dont forget about setting up your own website if youhavent already there are a host of dedicated websitephotography hosting sites that can be easily customised,while domain names are relatively affordable.

To ensure you keep your online presence fresh and upto date, try to incorporate it into your workflow. Onceyouve processed your image, for instance, and yourehappy with it, upload it the likes of Lightroom even

offer simple drag-and-drop options to do this, so try toget into the habit.

Hartland in north Devonis well known for its longlines of jagged rocks, but

Russ Barnes decided toconcentrate on a moreabstract view that stillcatches the dangerous

jagged lines of the rocks

RUSSBARNES

MARKHELLIWELL


15/84

#/*% 1717 /( *%*+ 6 # *+* - 1

! 7&-1 -,&& "! +!+#/*%1717(%(2

/ $ # #/* + #3* #

//* /" /% %%+ /+ 4* 4### "*%# !#++(((

%* /*"+ %#/%#+ "%* /!+ # !" %*" 3+/

""" ! ! $ $

-BTU DMBJN EBUF TU +BO 0GGFS POMZ WBMJE GSPN PGGJDJBM 6, 5BNSPO TVQQMJFST

&1,7""- +P 00 =* 7A+/4/ %"'/

& 5 %%" #+

&-077""- +P 00 =* 7A+ 4%*!)+ *+/ &(5 %%" #+

4/ &1($ *% '!/6

XXXGBDFCPPLDPN5BNSPO6,


16/84

INBOX

C B

AD

In AP 6 December we asked

Have you ever risked yoursafety for the sake of a picture?You answeredAYes, I have done in the past and would do again 32%

BYes, but I wouldnt do it again 16%

CNo, but I might if it was a once-in-a-lifetime shot 21%

DNo, it isnt worth taking risks for a photo 31%

What you saidYes, but not in terms of standing in front of speedingrace cars, swimming with sharks or attending riotsituations. More often clambering over slippery rockson the coast

At the time I did not think so. Though my insurancecompany tripled my premiums

I went up the new lighthouse at Dungeness beforethey had fitted the light. There was just a small slab ofconcrete with a hole in it. It felt like standing on thetop of a flagpole in the wind

Yes, but at the time I wasnt really aware of the risks

No photograph is worth losing your life for

Join the debate on the AP forum

This week we ask

What photo gear are you thinkingof buying this year?Vote onlinewww.amateurphotographer.co.uk

Guess the date

Every week we post an old AP cover onour Facebook page and all you have to do

is guess the issue date (day/month/year). The personwho is closest to the exact date wins a years digitalsubscription to AP, worth 79.99. To guess the date ofthis cover (above), head over towww.facebook.com/Amateur.photographer.magazine. Forum memberscan also enter via the Forum.

Win!

The cover in the 6 December issue wasfrom 13 August 1958. The winner is Gary

Costello from Manchester, who was closestto the correct date with 19 July 1958.

Tripod torment

With ultra-fast performance, the new Samsung 16GB E VO SD card,Class 10, Grade 1, offers up to 48MB/sec transfer speed and has aten-year warranty.www.samsung.com

Inbox

Film is not deadIt was pleasing to see AndrewSandersons recent series onreturning to film. Coincidently,I had arranged a darkroomcourse with Andrew beforereading the articles and I

would like to take thisopportunity to express mythanks to him for three daysof enjoyment and immensesatisfaction going through thewhole film developing andprinting process.

I was last in a darkroom(which also functioned as thefamily bathroom) many yearsago, and the trepidation of thewhole process and therequired equipment soondisappeared after enteringAndrews darkroom. I came

away with some prints that Iam very happy and proud to

call my own, and I now havethe confidence to startprinting myself.

The internet, for all its faults,is providing an inexpensiveway to return to or start usingfilm. However, the digital

generation has left a holein the film world where weare losing the skill of theprinter and the ability to passthese skills on to the nextgeneration. Film is not deadand magazines need tounderstand this as APhas recently affirmed.David Cliffe, Clwyd

For those of us without ourown darkrooms (which, Idguess, is most of us), JonBentley recently highlighted

a website called www.localdarkroom.com that

lists darkrooms that areavailable to hire all over thecountry, some of which alsooffer tuition NigelAtherton, Editor

Droning onDespite the legal minefieldsurrounding them, the use ofdrones to take pictures has tobe one of the most excitingdevelopments in photographyin years. Only a few days afterId read your excellent Gameof dronesfeature in AP22 November, I saw aphotographer using a DJ1Phantom drone on theNewcastle/GatesheadQuayside. He was a friendlyguy who was happy to showme his efforts. Clearly very

experienced at operating thedrone, his shots were terrific.

[email protected] and include your full postal addressWrite toInbox, Amateur Photographer, Time Inc. (UK), Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU

LETTER OF THE WEEK

I was interested to read Bob Riachs problemswith private security staff while takingphotographs (AP 15 November) as I recentlyhad a similar experience on Londons SouthBank near Westminster Bridge, although theissue was using a tripod.

I was taking some bracketed exposuresfor later HDR processing (see right) whentwo security guards informed me that the

use of tripods was forbidden between theLondon Eye and Westminster Bridge byorder of the private landowner. Thisprompted me to think about why the use oftripods should be banned. I could only thinkof two explanations: that I might suddenlyswap my camera for a tripod-mountedmachine gun; or that unrestricted use oftripods could lead to obstruction.

The second option is the only plausibleexplanation, although in my view not justifiedso long as photographers with tripodsremember to be considerate to others andnot block popular viewpoints for any lengthof time. So long as we take our shots and

move on, I can see little justification for thebanning of tripods. However, if we dont actconsiderately, I fear it will happen more andmore.Martin Sharpe, London SW16

To find out what you can and cant film,with and without a permit, and whichareas are private land, see filmlondon.org.uk. The South Bank website has adedicated page (www.southbanklondon.com/photography-film) that lists what youcan and cant do and where to ask forpermission Richard Sibley, deputy editor

Win!

Martins image of Londons Westminster Bridge

MARTINSHARPE

16 3 January 2015 Iwww.amateurphotographer.co.uk Isubscribe 0844 848 0848



INBOX

MARKBAUER

ContactAmateur Photographer, Time Inc. (UK), Blue Fin Building,110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SUTelephone0203 148 [email protected] returns: Telephone0203 148 [email protected]

[email protected] 848 084 8 or +44 (0)330 3330 233 (overseas)One year (51 issues) UK 145.55; Europe e259;USA $338.99; Rest of World 221.99.

Test ReportsContact OTC for copies of AP test reports. Tel:01707 273 773

[email protected] telephone0203 148 2929. Fax: 0203 148 8158Display telephone0203 148 2516. Fax: 02 03 148 8158Inserts call Innovatoron 0203 148 3710

Editorial teamGroup Editor Nigel AthertonGroup Editors PA Christine LayDeputy Editor Richard SibleyTechnical Editor Andy WestlakeDeputy Technical Editor Michael TophamTechnical Writer Jonathan DevoTechnical Writer Callum McInerney-RileyFeatures & Technique Editor Phil HallSenior Features Writer Oliver Atwell

News Editor Chris CheesmanProduction Editor Lesley UptonSenior Sub Editor Oliver CottonArt Editor Mark JacobsDeputy Art Editor Sarah FosterDesigner Antony GreenStudio Manager Andrew SydenhamPicture Researcher Rosie BarrattOnline Manager Karen SheardOnline Production Editor Paul NuttallDigital Art Editor Simon WarrenDigital Production Editor Jacky PorterStaff Writer Jon StapleyVideo Production James FennPhoto-Science Consultant Professor Robert NewmanSenior contributor Roger Hicks

Special thanks toThe moderators of the AP websiteAndrewRobertson, Fenris Oswin, lisa db, Nick Roberts, The Fat Controller

AdvertisingAdvertising Director Mark Rankine 0203 148 2516Advertisement Manager Julia Laurence 0203 148 2508Senior Display Sales Exec Simon Gerard 0203 148 2510Sales Executive Andrew Slizys 0203 148 2637Sales Executive Ellie Banks 0203 148 2543Production Coordinator James Wise 0203 148 2694

MarketingMarketing Manager Samantha Blakey 0203 148 4321

Publishing teamChief Executive Officer Marcus RichManaging Director Paul WilliamsPublishing Director Alex RobbGroup Magazines Editor Garry Coward-Willi ams

Printed in the UK by Polestar GroupDistributed by Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark

Street, London SE1 0SU. Tel:0203 148 3333All contributions to Amateur Photographer must be original, not copies or duplicated to otherpublications. The editor reserves the right to shorten or modify any letter or material submitted.Time Inc. (UK) or its associated companies reserves the right to re-use any submission sent to theletters column of Amateur Photographer magazine, in any format or medium, WHETHER PRINTED,ELECTRONIC OR OTHERWISE Amateur Photographer is a registered trademark of Time Inc. (UK) Time Inc. (UK) 2014 A mateur Photographer (incorporating Photo Technique & Camera Weekly)Email: [email protected] Website: ww w.amateurphotographer.co.uk Time Inc.switchboard tel: 0203 148 5000 Am ateur Photographer is published weekly (51 issues per year) onthe Tuesday preceding the cover date by T ime Inc. (UK), Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street,London SE1 0SU. Distributed by Marketforce (UK) Ltd, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark StreetSE1 OSU. ISSN 0002-6840. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval ortransmitted in any format or medium, whether printed, electronic or otherwise, without the priorwritten permission of the publi sher or the editor. This is considered a breach of copyright andaction will be taken where this occurs. This magazine must not be lent, sold, hired or otherwisedisposed of in a mutil ated condition or in any authorised cover by way, or by trade, or annexed toany publication or advertising matter without first obtaining written permission from the publisher.Time Inc. (UK) Ltd does not accept responsibility for loss or damage to unsolicited photographsand manuscripts, and product samples. Time Inc. (UK) reserves the right to use any submissionssent to Amateur Photographer Magazine in any format or m edium, including electronic. One-yearsubscription (51 issues) 145.55 (UK), 7259 (Europe), $338.99 (USA), 221.99 (rest of world). The2014 US annual DEU subscription price is $338.99, airfreight and mailing in the USA by named AirBusiness Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd floor, Jamaica, N Y 11434, USA.Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to AmateurPhotographer, Air Business Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd floor,Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscriptions records are maintained at Time Inc. (UK), Blue Fin Building,110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.

Classics revisited 1I have been interested to read your Classics revisitedfeatures.I was inspired to revisit Man Rays Noire et Blanche afterphotographing a model at my camera club (see images above).Neil Scott FRPS, via email

Classics revisited 2In the spirit of your Classics revisitedseries, the image (belowright) is a self-portrait in the style of Philippe Halsmansself-portrait (below left). Ive titled it The unbearable lightness

of being as a pun inspired by the famous Kaufman movie,given the reading of the scales.George Parapadakis, via email

Its great to see you re-creating classic images, inspired byour series. Keep them coming! Nigel Atherton, Editor

The camera used was aGoPro Hero 3, and after ourchat I clicked the must-buybutton in my brain, remindingmyself to buy one. Interestingly,as I watched the guy at work,wo police officers paused to

watch him too. Thankfully, heappeared not to be breakingany laws, as one of the officers

asked, Got any good uns?Im up for some drone

photography myself. Therouble is, my husbandeckons Ive turned into a bit

of a drone myself, bangingon about them.Chrissie Patten,Tyne and Wear

Drones look like great funo use and they enable uso get pictures that cant

be taken any other way, butn irresponsible hands they

can be a danger to publicsafety and a threat toprivacy. It will be interestingo see how the law reacts ashey become more popular

Nigel Atherton, Editor

Add impact to

your landscapesLandscape pro Mark Bauer shareshis tips for better composition

Premiumcompactsgroup test

Canons PowerShotG7 X, Fujifilms X30,Panasonics LumixDMC-LX100 and SonysCyber-shot DSC-RX100III go head to head

Being EnglishPatrick Wards look atEnglish eccentricities

CreativePhotoshopThe story behindanother great digital

darkroom creation

In next weeks issue On sale Tuesday 6 January

Man Rays original Noir et Blanche (left), with Neil Scotts version (right)

MANRAY

NEILSCOTT

GEORGEPARAPADAKIS

PHILIPPEHALSMAN


18/84

Shooting at eithersunrise or sunsetgives Matty thebest results whenbalancing exposuresNikon D300S,

10.5mm, 1/200secat f/22, ISO 100

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRA PHY


19/84

Jellyfish are a popular subject in the projectNikon D300S, 10.5mm, 1/320sec at f/13,ISO 320

subscribe 0844 848 0848 Iwww.amateurphotographer.co.uk I00 Month 2015 19

ALLPICTURESMATTYSMITH

Beyondseathe

The ocean is, in its ownway, a region of the planetthat is still utterly alien tous. Beneath the surface,

creatures that seem almost beyondthe scope of our imagination driftwith the currents. Weve all seenthese creatures before, but imagesof them can still hold our attentionand make us marvel at thecomplexity of our world.

This is particularly true ofthe images taken by UK-bornphotographer, and recent winnerof the Invertebrates category in

Wildlife Photographer of the Year2014, Matty Smith. Mattys project,called Over/Under, features aseries of photographs that functionon dual levels. The title of the seriesis to be taken literally. Each imageis framed in such a way as to revealthe world above and the worldbelow both earth and sea.

I love to make picturesunderwater while scuba diving, saysMatty, from his current home inAustralia. I love to show the worldthe amazing life and the events thattake place beneath the waves. But I

feel that when I show people thesepictures they view it in a kind ofamazement, that its a place faraway and unreachable to them.The reality is that these scenes arehappening around every coastlineand around every country in theworld. You dont need fancyequipment and qualifications.Just put on a mask and snorkel,and have an adventure.

The key thing for Matty is context.In the lower half of the frame wehave the alien world of the ocean. Inthe top half we have the familiar:

our own world of earth andsky. Over/Under joins the two

Matty Smithsimages reveal a beautiful world

just beneath the oceans surface. Oliver Atwell

talks to him fresh from his win at this years

Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition


20/84



worlds together, with Mattyslens acting as a kind of

wormhole between dimensions, or,as Matty himself says, linking the

unknown with the known.

Timing is everythingMattys images were mostly takenin rock pools around Port Kemblaand Shellharbour in New SouthWales, Australia. But as Mattypoints out, the location is almostincidental. He takes these images inthese locations purely because hehappens to live in Australia, havingemigrated there in 2007.

The important thing to realiseis that images like this dontnecessarily have to be taken in the

ocean, says Matty. Had I still beenliving in the UK, Id be shootingthese types of images in ponds andstreams around the Midlands,which is where Im originally from.There is a wealth of freshwatersubjects I can think of that wouldwork equally as well: frogs, newts,tadpoles, even goldfish in a gardenpond. These could be great subjects.

However, you also have to put alot of research into looking for agreat location, he adds. Its goodhaving wonderful goings-on underthe water, but the above part also

has to be interesting. You have tolook at an image as a landscape shot

Below: Having aninteresting aboveview is crucial tobalancing out thevisual interest ofthe belowNikon D300S,10.5mm, 1/160secat f/16, ISO 500

The reflective bodiesof fish present achallenge whenworking with flashNikon D300S,50mm, 1/320secat f/4.5, ISO 100

more than anything. Thats why Iwait for great skies, such as sunrisesand interesting cloud formations.

Matty points out that the best

time to shoot is just after sunriseand just before sunset. At thesetimes, there is enough light for ahandheld sky exposure but not toomuch to make to whole scene overlycontrasty. High sunshine breaksup and dapples the seabed withshadow and hotspots he says. Idont like the effect and find itshard to expose for. The important

thing to take into consideration iswhere the sun will rise and setwhen scouting for locations.

Seeing the lightGreat skies or not, all these imageswould be lost were it not for Mattysaccomplished handling of light,which is the real key to the successof Over/Under. On more than oneoccasion the images look almost asif they are two images splicedtogether to form a whole. Despitethe extraordinary look of thephotographs, Mattys approach tolighting is, by his own admission,relatively straightforward. Hewill normally expose for theabove part of the image and use

waterproof flashes to light theunderwater section.

I always use my camera inmanual mode and take a meterreading from the sky to make surethat element is exposed correctly,he says. The underwater part isoften several stops darker than thesky, so I will adjust the power onmy flashes to suit. The underwatersubject has to be close to thecamera for this to work. Light fallsoff very quickly through the waterand even the most powerful flasheshave an effective range of only a

couple of feet in water.The underwater flashes I have




STARTING OUT

are nothing too special, he adds.They are standard equipment thatany dive photographer might use.Mine are made by Inon and are

the Z-220 model. I like the Inonflashguns. Theyre very compactcompared to other models. Thatsimportant with this type of workbecause you are often workingbetween rocks in tight spaces.

With all this in mind, can anyunderwater subject work in Mattysimages? Given the varying degreesof complexity and appearance ofthe creatures that inhabit theocean, it stands to reason that somesubjects will look better than othersunder the glare of a flash.

Jellyfish and anemones are

big favourites of mine as theirtranslucent bodies absorb the lightreally well and always expose with acertain colourful glow, he says.They are naturally very bright andare great eye-catchers. Fish are a

little trickier. Their highly reflectivebodies are like shooting into amirror and its very easy to burnthem out, especially as they are

constantly on the move. Flashexposure can vary greatly as theymove closer or further away.

Through the lensOf course, the lighting is just onetechnical consideration that Mattymust face when exploring hisunderwater worlds. A goodcombination of camera, lensand underwater housing arevital components.

I use various Nikon DSLRcameras and lenses for all myphotography, he explains, although

it has to be a fisheye lens for theOver/Under work. The underwatersubject is often right in front of thecamera, so if I want both it and thehorizon sharp, I need the depth offield only possible with a fisheye.

I FIRST got into photography in my late teens,around the mid-1990s, says Matty. I hadalways been attracted to the ocean from as farback as I can remember, so it was only naturalthat it would become my muse. But it wasntuntil around 2004 that I first started getting inthe water with my camera. I used to shootsurfers around the coast of the UK on myNikon F80 in an Ikelite or Liquid Eye housing.Back then, you only had 36 frames so you had

to choose carefully what you shot! It wasa long swim in to change film!

Matty Smith was bornn the UK, but currentlyives in Australia where

he continues to buildhis portfolio of imagesaken underwater. To

see more of Mattysmages, visitwww.mattysmithphoto.com

A sharp horizon isvital to achieve depthin Mattys imagesNikon D300S,10.5mm, 1/80secat f/22, ISO 200

The translucentbodies of jellyfish

absorb lightincredibly wellNikon D300S,

10.5mm, 1/100secat f/22, ISO 200

The physics of the refraction of lightunderwater and the way it changesthe focal distance of a submergedsubject is another problem that afisheye lens overcomes with itsimmense depth of field.

As Matty is using DSLRs ratherthan an underwater camera, his

most important piece of kit is anunderwater housing, whichprevents the corrosive anddamaging effects of seawater fromruining his camera after each shoot.

Good water housings alwayscome in two parts: the mainhousing body that the camera bodysits in and the lens port [short forportal] that houses the lens, Mattyexplains. I use Aquatica housings,which are built like bricks. They aremade out of marine aluminium they have to be. This is veryimportant, as gear gets bashed

around in marine environments.Climbing in and out of boats,scrambling though rocks, gettingtossed about in the ocean, sunexposure and sometimes extremetemperature change are all par forthe course. However, coming froman engineering manufacturingbackground, I have started todesign and build my own housingsand lens ports. This allows me tocustomise my gear to my personalpreferences.

Tips for shooting underwater

As Matty has already said, shootingthese underwater scenes need notbe complicated. In fact, he has aseries of tips for people looking todip their toe into the world ofunderwater photography.


22/84


The first thing I would sayis safety, safety, safety, says

Matty. Only enter the ocean toshoot if youre a competentswimmer and never do it alone! Itseasy to get distracted taking yourshot and not realise youre driftingoffshore and into danger. If youre

shooting around rock pools, checkthe swell and waves. Dont getcaught out and washed into theocean. It happens to rock fishermanaround here all the time. Alwaystake someone with you and letsomeone know where you aregoing and for how long.

Next, Matty suggests keepingwarm by investing in a good wetsuitand boots two things that willalso protect you from the sun andany bumps and scratches you mightget from sharp rocks. Even intropical climates a diver can still

get a chill and cramps if theyre inthe ocean for a few hours. Id alsosay to make sure your equipment iswell protected, he adds. Buy thebest water housing you can affordif youre going to get serious. Youdont necessarily have to buy abrand-new one. There are somegood underwater photographywebsites that have classified forumson them where you can often pickup a second-hand bargain. Itstempting to buy a cheap plasticbag-type waterproof coat, butremember its the only thing

between your beloved cameraand the harsh elements.

Mattys final piece of advice is toinvest in a good-quality lens, ratherthan spending all your hard-earnedcash on a bells-and-whistles camera

body. Start with a good wideanglezoom, something in the 10-24mmrange, he says. Then add to that afisheye and a mid-range macro lens.There is no use for a telephoto asyoull always want to be as closeto your subject as possible.

One of the great benefits of

talking to someone like Matty is therevelation that his images are notonly relatively simple in theirexecution, but they are also whollyaccessible for anyone looking toachieve something similar. Ashe says, the location is almostirrelevant. These could be donejust a mile or two from your owndoorstep with a simple camerahousing and small flash unit.Maybe thats the most importantlesson: there are alien worlds allaround us and every one of themis ripe for exploration. All it

takes is an inquisitive mind.

COLOUR CONSIDERATIONS

LIGHTING is important underwater, says Matty. Its a lot darker andless contrast y than in air, so youll want to invest in some form ofunderwater flash i f youre shooting any more than a few feet deep.Anything red will appear a dirty brown/grey when submerged more thana foot or two down without the aid of flash. As you go deeper, orangesand yellows go too until everything looks blue when no flash is used.


Below: Mattys

winning imagefrom the WildlifePhotographerof the YearNikon D300S,10.5mm, 1/15secat f/13, ISO 250

Left: Colours in yourimages can oftenchange unless youare aided byartificial lightNikon D300S,10.5mm, 1/250secat f/22, ISO 200


23/84


24/84

Technique DSLR MOVIES

Iwas a stickler for steady footagewhen I started filming. I decidedthat my style of work would bemore Hollywood than vintage, as

I felt the vintage look made it easier tohave slightly shaky footage, which wasthe essence of that look and feel at thetime. I wanted something cinematic to sit

Professional videographerVictoria Grechtakes

a look at how to capture steady video footage

IMAGECOURTESYOFVICTORIAGRECH

Videomasterclass

Partfive

Safety firstTripods are the safestway to ensure that yourshot is stable. However,the downside is thattripods do not allow youto move easily. Bending

down, clipping andlevelling off the legs canbe time-consuming,especially if you arefilming children. Tripodsdo have their place,though for speechesat weddings or someinterviews, for example.They also give me theability to shoot solo, asI can quite happily set upmy frame, camera andlighting, and then sitbeside the camera to

interview the personand record audio.

alongside my photography. I was in lovewith well-lit, composed, meaningful scenes

of classic and iconic films I had watchedin the past. Items that help to stabilise acamera, such as tripods, monopods andsliders, are great, but just owning themdoesnt make your footage stable. Youneed to know how best to use them.

MovementWhen it comes to movement, I like to usea slider. The trick is to push and pull withthe same amount of force, and moveslower than you think you should. I likeholding the base of the video head on theslider rather than the camera body. I also

count one and two and so on (for howeverlong your slider is) in one direction, andthen the same pace and speed in thereturn direction. The downside to sliders isthat the larger they are, the more difficultthey are to carry and fit into luggage whentravelling. For thisreason, I only everuse a half-metreor smallslider.

Stabilising a monopodIt can take a bit of getting used to, but for me its about trying tohave as many points of contact as possible with a monopod.I use the adjustable arm underneath my armpit and the LCDviewfinder as the second point of contact. The third is my hand onthe actual camera body, the fourth my hand on the focus ring, myfifth is my foot on one of the legs of the monopod and the sixth

involves resting the monopod on the edge of my knee for extrasupport if I am not moving.

IMAGEBYDADEFREEMANK

RYSALISPHOTOGRAPHY




Next month, I will walk you through my four trusted methods to focus any shot. One is so easy it doesnt even involve touching the manual-focus ring!

Tricksof the tradeRapid shooting/on-the-go capturehave used a monopod out of a car window

before, positioned upside down, holding onto thebottom part of the pole. I can capture great andunusual footage quickly like this, and while itdoes look a little shaky (even with a stabilisedens), you can actually use a warp stabiliser inthe edit to remove any further little shakes.

Upside downoften turn the monopod upside down and

vertical to the floor, with the lens facing up. Its anice perspective, always using a 16-35mm lensset to infinity focus so that I know everything isncluded. These shots are ones that you learn toset up over time.

Use your environmentSometimes the height of what I am filming

means I need to be low down, so I willfind a wall on which to steady my bodyand then the monopod leans on me.Sometimes just a desk or shelf works

with the camera alone. Very low floor shotsare usually taken with just the camera

placed on the floor. Use what you havearound you and think about stability. Youcan have the most beautiful scene orperson in front of you, but with an unsteady

image you will make the viewer feel likethey are in a washing machine. Remember,

the viewer watches the entire frame andits easy to see when horizons are wonkyand shaking. Our brain naturally tellsus that this is wrong.

Cranes and jibsCamera cranes, or jibs, are great for filming from above, or swooping inor out of a scene. Because of the pivoting design, they can also be usedto move the camera smoothly forwards and backwards. Professionalmodels cost thousands of pounds, but enthusiast models are nowavailable for just over 100. I learned to simulate a low-level, crane-typeeffect using a monopod on the first wedding I filmed solo in Cuba. Thetrick is to have the video head loose, but the arm tight so it moves thewhole head. Now move the camera forward while focusing one way, andthen focus the other way when you move it back. It s a really fun trick toplay with but it does take some practice. I have some free video tutorialson how this works on my website at fusionphotographytraining.com.



THE UKS MOST PRESTIGIOUS COMPETITION FOR AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Svetlana Volkova, from Rigain Latvia, is the winner ofour Night Photographyround of APOY 2014.

Svetlana will receive an OlympusOM-D E-M10 with a 14-42mmEZ Pancake zoom, a 45mm f/1.8portrait lens, a 40-150mm zoom,a 9mm fisheye lens, a macro adapterand a street case in which to carryit all. Thats a prize package witha retail price of 1,200.

The E-M10 has a 16.1-million-pixel, four thirds-sized CMOS sensorand a TruePic VII image-processingsystem, while the 1.44-million-dotEVF displays a 100% field of viewand has a 120fps refresh rate. The14-42mm EZ Pancake zoom lensis a slim and compact optic that isequivalent to a 28-84mm lens inthe 35mm format. The 45mm f/1.8portrait optic is ideal for low-lightpeople shots without flash, while the40-150mm zoom has high-speedAF and is optimised for movies andstills. The 9mm fisheye lens is ideal

for capturing wideangle scenes.Our second-placed winner

is Wenpeng Lu from Paris inFrance. Wenpeng will receive anOlympus Pen E-PL5 camera plusa 14-42mm and 40-150mmtwin-lens zoom kit worth 500.

The E-PL5 offers seriousimage quality with its powerful16.1-million-pixel sensor anda new OM-D component in theTruePic VI image processor.The camera has lightning-fastautofocus, a touch-sensitive

LCD screen and full HD video.John Robinson from

Cambridgeshire takes third place inthis round. He wins an OlympusStylus SP-100EE Ultra Zoomcamera, with an impressive16-million-pixel sensor and3in LCD screen. Worth 350, thecamera includes a handy autofocuslock so you need never lose a shotdue to fuzzy focusing. Featuringa 50x optical Ultra Zoom lenswith a focal length ranging from24mm to 1,200mm, the StylusSP-100EE also has a built-in

Dot Sight to make it easier tofocus on subjects.

Our readers met the challenge to

create images taken at night. We look

at APOY round 9: Kept in the Dark

OF THE YEARCOMPETITION

In association with

1 Dan Deakin 193pts

2 Chris Wood 185pts

3 Mark Helliwell 184pts

4Angela Nelson 180pts

5 Jevgenijs Scolokovs 151pts

5 Aaron Bennett 151pts

7 Bertrand Chombart 135pts

8 Farid Sani 127pts

9Gerard Sexton

117pts10Richard Craze 110pts

The 2014 leaderboardJust 13 points separate the top four on our leaderboard. Dan Deakinremains in first place, but Chris Wood has jumped up to second fromfifth. Mark Helliwell, who was second last month, has dropped one placeto third, while Angela Nelson, who was sixth last month, is now in fourth.

NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

2 Wenpeng Lu France49ptsCanon EOS 5D Mark II, 35mm, 1/80sec at f/2.8, ISO 400

This image has so much going for it. The subject, a night market, isfascinating enough, but Wenpeng has succeeded in presenting it insuch an engaging way that we had to put it in out top three. One ofthe key things about night photography is knowing how to treat theavailable light. Once the light is handled, the colour is the nextthing to think about. How do the two complement each other?

Wenpeng has got them both exactly right and has presented aperfect composition as well.

2

1 Svetlana VolkovaLatvia50ptsCanon EOS 5D, 135mm, 0.3sec at f/7.1, ISO 400

Night photography is perhaps oneof the most challenging genres aphotographer can attempt. There area number of factors to consider, suchas light, subject and the appropriate

settings to shoot in such low-lightconditions. Thankfully, we receiveda number of excellent entries andSvetlanas image stood out from therest due to its light, subject, colour and,above all, intriguing atmosphere. Its abeautiful photograph and a more thanworthy winner.

1stPRIZE

1



3John RobinsonCambridgeshire48ptsFujifilm XPro1, 1855mm,1/8sec at f/3.6, ISO 2000

John tells us that thisshot features preservedindustrial steam

locomotives at the Rocksby Rail Museum inCottesmore, Rutland, onthe night of 15 November2014. By exposing for thesmoke in the background,John has managed tocapture these twosilhouettes hard at work. Itsan image that looks almostlike it could have beentaken decades ago and, asa result, it is imbued with abeautiful atmosphere.

2ndPRIZE

3rdPRIZE

3




4Gary Turner West Yorkshire 47ptsCanon EOS 7D, 1020mm, 20secs at f/8, ISO 160

Garys stunning black & white scene shows theM62 at night. It s a wonderful take on theleading-lines technique

5Aaron Yeoman North Yorkshire 46ptsSony Alpha 77, 1020mm, 15secs at f/4, ISO 3200

Aarons extraordinary night scene shows a lone

tree on Egton Moor in the North YorkshireMoors with the Milky Way in the background

6Angela Nelson Tyne and Wear 45ptsCanon EOS 60D, 50mm, 1/160sec at f/16, ISO 100

Shot with just one light, Angela has created anintense and brooding portrait of her subject

7Lucie Brooke Greater London 44ptsNikon D7000, 11mm, 30secs at f/6.3, ISO 1000

Lucie has created a stunning example of lightpainting here, using some simple tools and anatmospheric location

8Mick Davis Shropshire 43ptsNikon D800, 70200mm, 1/20sec at f/2.8, ISO 1000

Taken in Bergen, Norway, Micks Nordic Noirimage is seeping atmosphere and intrigue

9Sergei Bogomyakov Russia 42ptsNikon D7000, 1116mm, 53secs at f/14, ISO 100

The subtle detail of the coloured reflectionsleads our eye up through the frame and intothe city on the horizon

10Steve Gresty Cheshire 41ptsNikon 7100, 1755mm, 8secs at f/13, ISO 100

In this extraordinary image, Steve has chosenthe right moment for a subject to fall withinthe natural spotlight of the moon

11Andrew Barton Anglesey 40ptsCanon EOS1D X, 1635mm, 55secs at f/3.5, ISO 1600

Penmon lighthouse in Anglesey has made agreat subject here. The subtle colour tones

are utterly absorbing

12Hayri Kodal Turkey 39ptsSony Alpha 850, 1/25sec at f/2.8, ISO 1250

Light and shadow have worked togetherto reveal and conceal the series ofinterconnected lines and shapes

13Steve Webb West Midlands 38ptsNikon 1 S1, 30110mm, 4secs at f/3.8, ISO 140

Steves wonderful abstract shot shows themoonlight falling upon a garden structure.

14Marius Vieth Germany 37ptsCanon EOS 5D Mark II, 50mm, 1/200sec at f/1.8, ISO 1600

This wintry image eschews the usualconventions of images of snow by featuring

strong pockets of warm colour15Chris Wood Gloucestershire 36ptsCanon EOS 500D, 1855mm, 3mins at f/4, I SO 100

Chriss image succeeds due to its simplicityof subject and composition

16George Digalakis Greece 35ptsNikon D7000, 1116mm, 30secs at f/13, ISO 100

This is a different take on a common shot.The burning candles give the image an extralevel of detail that adds visual interest

17Alland Dharmawan Indonesia 34ptsNikon D7000, 18105mm, 30secs at f/3.8, ISO 1600

The layers of sky, illuminated clouds and cityhave created a scene that looks like it couldbe the setting for a science-fiction film

4

9

13

10

5


29/84




18Nicolas Casana London W9 33ptsCanon EOS 7D, 1635mm, 6secs at f/11, ISO 400

The lights of Canary Wharf reflected in thewater are a great counter to the subtle texturesand tones of the rocky bank

19Satpal Singh India 32ptsNikon D7100, 18105mm, 716secs at f/3.5, ISO 200

The tents in the foreground are a lovely point

of interest that contrast with the sweepingstar trails in the sky

20Mihail Kopychko Russia 31ptsCanon EOS 5D Mark II, 1635mm, 30secs at f/2.8, ISO 3200

By shooting from this angle and area, Mihailhas created an almost abstract study of thelandscape and sky

21Adrian Sadlier Dublin 30ptsNikon D7000, 500mm, 1/1600sec at f/3.5, ISO 160

This oddly mesmerising shot works beautifullydue to the fact that each viewer will seesomething different in the shape of the flames

22Richard CrazeMid Glamorgan 29ptsHalina 35X, 1sec at f/3.5, Ilford HP4

This is a blast from the past. The shot wasactually taken in the 1960s and shows asilhouette behind a window in LondonsOxford Street

23Mark Cornick Surrey 28ptsCanon EOS 550D, 1750mm, 6secs at f/8, ISO 100

Mark has created a nice link between theBoris Bike and City Hall in the background

24Michael Marsh Kent 27ptsCanon EOS Mark II, 2470mm, 1/125sec at f/4.5, ISO 3200

Michael has captured a lovely scene using thelight from the window to illuminate the couple

25Christian WilkinsonWest Yorkshire 26ptsCanon EOS 5D Mark II, 28mm, 13secs at f/3.2, ISO 400

Christian used an off-camera flash with a gel topaint the tree from different angles

26Christophe Lemieux France 25ptsCanon EOS 5D Mark II, Lensbaby with 500mm doubleglass optic, 1/30sec at f/4, ISO 1000

A Lensbaby can give a scene a truly surrealeffect and here we see it put to great useon a cityscape found in Taiwan

27David Queenan West Lothian 24ptsNikon D610, 1835mm, 40secs at f/16, ISO 100

These horse heads are an extraordinarysubject to focus on. The striking light hasemphasised the powerful structures

28George Taylor Nottinghamshire 23ptsFujifilm X100S, 23mm, 1/125sec at f/2.8, ISO 3200

This deli shot is strongly reminiscent of EdwardHoppers famous Nighthawkspainting

29Suiyi Zhang Australia 22ptsNikon D600, 14mm, 15secs at f/2.8, ISO 1600

The northern lights are a popular subject forphotographers, but here Suiyi has used awideangle lens to capture the extraordinarydisplay as well as the Icelandic landscape below

30Dominic Byrne Norfolk 21ptsNikon Df, 1424mm, 25secs at f/3.2, ISO 2000

VW Camper vans are always a great thing tofeature in any photograph. As a result, thisimage had to go into our top 30.

This is a blast from the past.The shot above was actuallytaken in the 1960s and showsa silhouette behind a windowin Londons Oxford Street

18

22

19

23

27

26


31/84


32/84


33/84

72 25'(5 7(/(3+21(



5 MINUTES WITH

Brandonand Brian WrightofCineStill Film have high hopes for

a new film that gets great effects

under continuous artificial light,

as Tom Smallwooddiscovers

Digital is now thedefault technologyfor most amateurphotographers

and pros, so its easy to forgetthat there are people outthere still making innovativephotographic film. Brandonand Brian Wright are greatexamples. The Hollywood-based twins have developedCineStill 800T a stockthat claims to be the only

high-speed (ISO 800) colourfilm currently made that iscompatible with incandescent/tungsten light.

This opens up a whole newworld of possibilities forphotographers, says Brandon.You can shoot with the filmcameras you love in limitedavailable light, or in the studiowith continuous hot lights,similar to those used on theset of a movie.

Brandon and his brotherstarted delving into

photography about 15 yearsago, after they found their dadsOlympus OM-1. We asked hima few questions, and kind offigured it out ourselves fromthere, adds Brandon. Westarted shooting photos of eachother skateboarding, trying toreverse-engineer the creativephotography in skateboardingmagazines, by hackingtogether our own lighting.

We have collaborated

together our whole lives,and that transitioned intophotography as well. Ourmain interest is photographingpeople. We have also shot manyweddings on film, mostly stillsbut some Super 8 and 16mmvideo. Thats what got usinterested in using cinemafilms to do colour filmphotography in low light.

Movie heritageOriginal beta testing forCineStill began in 2012, but the

concept of using motion-picture

film for still photography andoriginal development testsbegan years before, when thetwins started shooting KodakVision3 500T 5219 emulsion.

We did this by shootinglong-roll, 250-exposure,bulk-film backs and throughdeveloping a specialrelationship with a localmotion-picture lab, saysBrandon. We did this becauseof the costly minimum lengthsrequired by motion-picturelabs, and because the more

splicing that occurred, the

more the film became damagedand contaminated.

When people begancontacting the twins about howthey could use this film, theywere inspired. We came to theconclusion that we had to finda way to make it usable instandard 135 canisters withstandard photo developing,adds Brandon

In order to make thistechnology accessible for anyfilm photographers workflow,and avoid the need for costly

Film

makerson a roll

1

2 3

ALLPICTU

RESB

RANDONANDBRIANWRIGHTUNLESSOTHERWISESTATED



5 MINUTES WITH

1An example of shooting under

artificial light from Canadian portrait

photographer Sandy Phimester

2CineStill film lends itself beautifully

to portraits shot in either daylight or

studio-based settings

3CineStill is a repackaged and

reworked 35mm Kodak Vision3

500T 5219 movie film

4If shooting in daylight conditions,

you will need an 85B (orange) filter

to lift the film from 3,200K to 5,600K

Our secret sauceBRANDON reckons thebiggest technical challengein developing CineStill 800Twas removing the black rem-jet

backing. This protectivebacking allows for cinemacamera films to move throughthe camera quickly withoutbecoming scratched ordeveloping static electricitythat would then spark andexpose the film, he explains.This rem-jet must be

removed in order to make itsafe for standard processing.Furthermore, this must be donein darkness, without allowing

any chemical contaminationor damage to the highlysensitive emulsion. How wedo this is the trickiest part ofall and is sort of our secretsauce. It is a bit laborious andvery meticulous, but increasingdemand is motivating us tobecome more efficient.

Brandonand Brian Wrightbecame interested in photography

after messing around with their dads old Olympus OM-1 film camera,

before deciding to develop their own film for great results under

artificial light. They have set up a company called CineStill Film and

are currently expanding their business and product range. For more information anddetails of retailers, see www.CineStillFilm.com

ong-roll processing with

motion-picture labs, the twinshad to find a way of makingtheir film compatible witha standard stills lab. Brandonadds: After years of R&D, tensof thousands of feet of wastedfilm and thousands of hours ofexperimentation, efficient andclean Premoval of the rem-jetayer was achieved.

Film resistanceBrandon believes CineStill800T came about becausephotographers have very

imited options when shootingn artificial continuous light. At

a wedding, for example, mostfilm photographers end upswitching to a combination ofhigh-speed black & white filmand high ISO digital colourphotography to capture low-litreceptions, he says. Althoughthis works OK, CineStill 800Tallows for beautiful low-lightresults. Brandon reckons thesuccess of CineStill 800Twill help achieve a loftier goal,too. You are investing in the

future of analogue photographyand fuelling the film

renaissance, he adds.While its great that many

people still shoot film, is therereally a film renaissance? Brianthinks there is. As we enter intowhat I call the post-digital era,digital is no longer a new andshiny revolution, and people arenow discovering that allimportant things in reality havean analogue beginning and

end, he says. People are nowtaking new technology andblending all the benefits ofdigital and analogue, old andnew. It is an exciting time withgrowing possibilities and apassionate community.

CineStill, while not exactlycheap at about 10 a roll, putsless strain on the pocket thansome specialist film. If its sodifferent, why didnt the twinspeg the price higher? We wantthe film to be accessible and toinspire photographers to shoot

more, Brandon counters. Weare trying to produce

something we ourselves wouldbe willing to buy and use.

No presetsDespite the popularity offilm-emulation Lightroompresets from companies suchas VSCO, Brandon is wary ofproducing a CineStill preset.We have known the creatorof VSCO for a while, and

understand all that goes into

creating the preset, he explains.

Wed love to see a preset thatwould try to match CineStill,but we also know that no presetwill ever replace the nuance,dynamics, and experience ofshooting film. Anothercompany, MastinLabs, is alsoworking hard to help film/digital shooters match theirdigital snaps to the film imagesthey capture. It really isimpossible to match withouthaving a standard to rely on.This is why it is important tohave film around, to keep

digital in line!

People are now discovering that allimportant things in reality have ananalogue beginning and end

4

SANDYPHIMESTER


36/84

WELL COVER YOUR PHOTOGRAPHYEQUIPMENT AGAINST LIFES NEGATIVES

Call now 0844 249 1902Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm

or visit www.amateurphotographerinsurance.co.ukAmateur Photographer Insurance Services is a trading style of Thistl e Insurance Services Ltd. Lloyds Broker. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. A JLT Group company.

Registered office: The St Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AW. Registered in England No 00338645, VAT No. 244 2321 96. Time Inc. (UK) Limited are an Appointed Representative of Thistle Insurance Services Ltd.

Options for up to 25k worth of cover

Up to 1m optional Public Liability cover

The option to protect your equipment when it is in your vehicle

A choice of UK, EU and Worldwide cover

Up to 1k worth of equipment hire whilst waiting on replacement in the event of a claim

Insure your camera and accessories todayagainst theft and accidental damage

Our flexible cover allows you to build your policy to meet your needs. Cover includes:



Photoshop guruMartin Eveningsorts out your photo-editing and post-processing problems

Evening Class

1Basic panel adjustmentsbegan by opening the raw NEF file via Camera

Raw and applied some Basic panel tone and colouradjustments. The photograph needed to be lightened aot, so I set the Exposure sl ider to +1.05. I then reducedhe Highlights slider to preserve the delicate highlight

detail and raised the Shadows to bring out more shadownformation. I also increased the Contrast slightly.

2Tone Curve adjustmentThe default white balance setting looked rather cold,so I went to the white balance menu in the Basicpanel and selected Daylight. I next went to the ToneCurve panel and applied the parametric settingsshown here for a boost in contrast. I adjusted the

tone range sliders to accentuate the contrast at theextreme highlight and shadow ends of the curve.

3Add a darkening vignetteFinally, I went to the Effects panel and added adarkening vignette. More specifically, I selected theHighlight Priority from the Style menu, where I set theAmount to -32 and increased the Feather amount to+76. This combination of settings produced a nice

soft-edged vignette, which helps focus the viewerseye towards the centre of the frame.

THERE is a lot of fantastic detail in this photograph fromAsheque Ahsan, although the dark exposure settingdoes mean that some of this is somewhat lost in theshadows. It also doesnt help that there is some mixedighting to contend with because there are fluorescentelectric light bulbs illuminating the interior mixed with the

daylight. The approach I used here was to use CameraRaw to lighten the image and bring out more detail inthe interior. I then introduced a darkening vignette toconcentrate the eye more on the centre of the scene andgive the photograph depth. It also helped to adjust thewhite balance so that the final version had more warmth.

Lighting upan interior

AFTER

BEFORE

Submit your images

Please see the Send us yourpictures section on page 3 for

details or visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk



YOUR PICTURES

CHECKING the camera metadatafor this photograph, I notice thatAaron Sims shot it using an earlySony compact digital camera. Thecomposition is great and its abeautiful subject, but there is alot of work that needs to be donein order to deal with the highcontrast between the fast-flowingstream and the surroundingforest. This is furthercompounded by the fact it lookslike this photograph was takenon a damp, overcast day and thewater was probably throwing up

a lot of mist. It also looks to meas if there may have been somefingerprint marks or smudges on

the lens filter, which caused thephotograph to appear extra misty.The following steps show how I

processed the original imagein Camera Raw and Photoshopto overcome these problems.

Demistingtechnique

BEFORE

THE High Pass halo effect(step 3) is useful for controllingmidtones. It relies on the factthat blend modes such asOverlay, Hard Light and SoftLight have a neutral effect wherethe source is neutral grey. If youapply any of these blend modeswhere the source is neutral grey,nothing will happen. But wherea layer is, say, slightly darker or

lighter than grey, the blend modewill affect the target. Here, theHigh Pass filter turned everythingneutral grey, except where itdetected edge detail and builtup a halo edge according to

the pixel radius that was set.When this is combined with

one of the above blend modes,you can add soft halo contrastto detailed edges. In theexampl

Documents

Amateur Photographer - January 3, 2015 UK.pdf