photography monthly magazine october 2011

ISSUE 126

OCTOBER 2011

WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM £3.99

DIY PHOTOGRAPHERLearn to take extreme macro shotsusing a simple Pringles can

IN THIS ISSUE:� WILD BRITAIN: BUILD TANKS TO SHOOTPOND LIFE� HOW TO USE NATURAL BACKLIGHTING� THE SCOTTISH CAIRNGORMS IN EVERY SEASON� PHOTO ESSAYS FROM IDEA TO EXECUTION PART 2

NEW SERIES!

Find out what today’s top streetphotographers think of the20th-Century master’s work

The magazine for people who love taking pictures

BATTLE OF THE ENTRYLEVELS PART 2

The Nikon D3100 vs Canon EOS 1100D

THE SECRETS OFSUBTLE HDR

Make more natural-looking images

� TECHNIQUES � GEAR REVIEWS � INTERVIEWS � READERS’ PICTURES

LOW LIGHT40 pro tips for any situation

We hit the streets withtwo new LOMO cameras

DON’T THROWYOUR TOYS OUT

WIN!A NIKOND5100KIT

NEW!16-PAGE

TURNING PRO

SECTION

VIVIAN MAIER

PM_OCT_COVER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 16:10

SMALL CAMERA. EPIC SHOTS.“ The Lumix G3 amazed me, because I was shocked by the size of it. I need

to be able to rely on my equipment – and this delivers. The electronic viewfi nder helps you really compose the shot the way you want it. And with the fl exible screen, and wide range of interchangeable lenses available, the true beauty of it is it doesn’t have any restrictions. It allows me to photograph the world the way I see it.”

To bring this to life, download Aurasma Lite from the App Store.Point your smart phone/device at this advert to access special, extra content.

David EustacePhotographer

Explore David’s gallery from Yosemite, what inspired him and more on the Lumix G3 at www.panasonic.co.uk/lumixg

Lum

ix G3

, 7m

m (F

ishey

e), 1

/640

th se

c, @

f 5.6

, ISO

160.

Lumix G3 supplied in various lens combinations, check with dealer for details.

WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM [3]

WELCOMEOCTOBER 2011 | ISSUE 126

FROM THE EDITOR

MattGolowczynskiMatt has been reviewingcameras and accessoriesfor five years. He canoften be found shootingLondon’s architecturalhot spots, as wellas local rock bands.

PM CONTRIBUTORS

Fran HalsallFran specialises in theUK landscape and isworking on a bookabout the diversity ofBritish landforms. Shehas written two booksand teaches courses inthe Peak District.

Paul HobsonPaul Hobson was a lecturerin environmental sciencefor 20 years beforebecoming a full-timewildlife photographer,documenting wildlifein the East Midlands andPeak District.

Damian DrohanDamian Drohan holds an MA

in photojournalism and

documentary photography,

and works mainly with

editorial clients, NGOs and

ad agencies. His work has

appeared in the Sunday

Times and on the BBC.

Rachael D’CruzeRachael is an experiencedphotographer andjournalist based in theSouth West of England.She contributes topublications rangingfrom The Guardian toTotal Guitar magazine.

David ClarkDavid is a freelancejournalist and author whohas interviewed manyof the world’s leadingphotographers. His mostrecent book, Photographyin 100 Words, features50 iconic images.

IN HIS GREAT SHORT STORY CAPTAIN STORMFIELD’S VISITTO HEAVEN, Mark Twain’s hero learns from the angel who guides himthrough the afterlife that writers are regarded as prophets in heaven.Astounded, Captain Stormfield asks: “Was Shakespeare a prophet?”

“Of course he was,” the angel, Sandy, replies. “And so was Homer, and heapsmore. But Shakespeare and the rest have to walk behind a common tailor fromTennessee, by the name of Billings…”

Seeing he is perplexed, the angel explains that the man who didn’t get hisreward on Earth, “will get it here, sure. That is the heavenly justice of it… Thattailor Billings, from Tennessee, wrote poetry that Homer and Shakespeare

couldn't begin to come up to; but nobody would print it..."That story has always stuck with me, and is why the life and work of Vivian Maier, featured on page 85, is

so fascinating. She was one of the most prolific and significant street photographers of the last century,yet like that old tailor Billings, few people even knew of her work during her time on Earth.

Discovery is an important tool in keeping us creative, and that is the theme of this month’s issue.From photographers Chris Townsend (page 82) and Andy Summers (page 38), who seek to show their locallandscapes in inventive ways, to Paul Hobson’s excellent guide to documenting the smaller, wetter worldsthat exist around us (page44), there are new perspectives to discover at every turn.

Or perhaps it’s more gear in which you are interested. Why not ditch the DSLR for a day and trysomething a little more basic, like the two new LOMO cameras tested on page 94? Our DIY Photographer(page 110) will even show you how to take pictures using a Pringles can!

Creativity doesn’t have to cost a fortune. So give some of this month’s techniques a try; you might justdiscover a new photographer waiting to get out. PM

FRAN

HALS

ALL

PM_OCT_WELCOME:Layout 1 24/08/2011 13:28

ANDY

SUM

MER

S/G

LEN

UNSW

ORTH

/KRI

STOP

HER

GRUN

ERT

[4] PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBER 2011

CONTENTSREGULARS3MEET THE PM CONTRIBUTORSThe faces behind the names who helped us toput this month’s issue together

6-7THE GREAT BRITISH LANDSCAPECelebrating the UK’s most stunning locations

8-11 PHOTOMONTHThe latest news to inspire and inform

14 PM IN DEPTHWe investigate the revolutionary Lytro camera

17-25 READERS’ GALLERYAmazing pictures posted online by PM readers

78-79 READERS’ CHALLENGEWin a prize by uploading your images to thegallery – this month the theme is birds

122 TALES FROM AN AMERICAN CITYNew column by Chicago snapper Mike Innocenzi

PHOTOTECHNIQUES28-3740 PRO TIPS FOR LOW-LIGHTPHOTOGRAPHYRachael D’Cruze asks four pro photographerstheir tips on shooting in all types of low light

38-43 THE SECRETS OF SUBTLE HDRAndy Summers demonstrates how he bringsa touch of realism to his HDR images

44-47WILD BRITAINPaul Hobson explains how to re-create a pondhabitat to shoot a wide array of wildlife

51-54 USING BACKLIGHTINGNature photographer Fran Halsall shows whichsubjects work best when backlit

73-77EVOLUTION OF A PHOTO ESSAYDamian Drohan reaches the shooting stagein his series on making a picture story

COVER IMAGESunrise atWalton-on-the-Naze,Essex. Justin Minns;Canon EOS 50D,10-20mm. PM EditorJeff Meyer says:“Justin’s colourfulimage illustratesperfectly the themeswe wanted to conveyin this month’s issue”

SUBSCRIBESee pages 48-49 for

this month’s fantasticspecial offer –

three issues forhalf-price!

PM_OCT_CONTENTS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 17:15


INTERVIEWS82-84 CHRIS TOWNSENDThe Cairngorms-based photographer describes howhe captures the region’s moods all year round

85-88 VIVIAN MAIER RETROSPECTIVEContemporary street photographers tell oftheir admiration for the Chicago nanny who shotthousands of images of post-war America

PHOTO GEAR92-93 NEW KIT ON THE BLOCKFrom HD video-capable digital binoculars to a slewof new cameras from Canon, Nikon, Panasonic andSony, we have all the month’s new gear

94-100 LOMO PHOTOGRAPHYMatt Golowczynski takes the old-fashioned routeto street photography

101-107HEAD TO HEAD: CANON EOS 1100DVS NIKON D3100We put two more entry-level DSLRs from Nikonand Canon through their paces

108 PM DEALS OF THE MONTHWe round up the best bargains in cameras, lenses,bags and accessories

110-111 THE DIY PHOTOGRAPHERHaje Jan Kamps shows how to turn a Pringles caninto an extension tube for macro photography

NEW!Check out our extra16-page section onpage 55 for all youneed to know if you

want to turn pro

Page 28

WIN PRIZESDON’T MISS OUT – SEE THE COMPETITIONS ON PAGES 12, 25, 72 and 78

Page 94

PM_OCT_CONTENTS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 17:16


Celebrating our nation’s stunning panoramas asthey change through the seasons

THEGREAT BRITISHLANDSCAPE

To see more ofChris Townsend’s

work, go to page 82to read an interview

with him about his latestbook, A Year in the

Life of theCairngorms.

HOW TO GET THEREAviemore is easily accessible via the A9 road and isserved by regular buses and trains. The nearestairport is Inverness, about a45-minute drive away.

WEATHERDaily forecasts are available from the MountainWeather Information Service for the CairngormsNational Park. www.mwis.org.uk

PARKINGUse the ski centre’s Coire Cas car park as a startingpoint. Cairn Gorm Ski Area, Aviemore PH22 1RB,01479 861261. www.cairngormmountain.org

EATINGLocated at the top station on Cairn Gorm mountainrailway, the Ptarmigan Restaurant is the highestin the UK at 1,097m above sea level, withspectacular views across Scotland. It is a greatplace to stop and eat or drink. 01479 861341.

ACCOMMODATIONThe Cairngorm Hotel, Aviemore, has rooms withstunning views across the Spey Valley to theCairngorm Mountains or to the great rock ofCraigellachie. Twin or double rooms from £47.50 perperson, per night. Grampian Road, AviemorePH22 1PE, 01479 810233. www.cairngorm.com

CAIRN GORM VIA CAIRN LOCHAN

CHRI

STO

WNS

END

PM_OCT_BRITISH_LANDSC:Layout 1 24/08/2011 11:43


CHRIS TOWNSEND

INSPIRATION

OCTOBER

Cairngorms,Inverness-Shire

THE STORY BEHIND THIS SHOTOn a dull September day withfrequent rain showers and a strong,gusty wind I walked round the rim ofthe Northern Corries of Cairn Gorm.The sky was overcast anduninteresting, and distant viewspoorly lit. However, from the edge ofthe cliffs of Cairn Lochan I lookeddown a gully to the lochan in Coire[ravine] an Lochan and saw the whitestreaks of rain-swollen streamsrushing down the far slopes.Combining these with the roughtexture of the granite rocks rightnext to me made for a dramaticcomposition with an amazing sense ofdepth. Buffeted by the wind I neededa fairly fast shutter speed forsharpness, so I upped the ISO to400and took the picture at 1/250sec atf/5.6 with a focal length of 29mm.

LOCATIONCairn Lochan is situated on thenorthern edge of the Cairngormslooking over Glenmore to Strathspey.The 1,215 metre summit can bereached most easily from the carpark in Coire Cas at the end of theroad from Aviemore. From the carpark take the path through the skiresort and then up the Fiacailla’Choire Chais to the CairngormPlateau. From there you can followthe plateau’s northern rim over StobCoire an t-Sneachda to Cairn Lochan.The picture was taken near the cairn[pile of stones] at the summit. PM

PM_OCT_BRITISH_LANDSC:Layout 1 24/08/2011 09:33


PHOTOGRAPHYWALKSIf you want to go on a photographicadventure, why not check out Hi-Tec’swebsite, where you can find walks inevery region of the UK? As well asproviding information and links, Hi-Tecis encouraging visitors to upload theirown images to its image wall forinclusion in its Inspire Me photographycompetition. This was launched inApril this year and a winner isselected each month to receive a pairof Hi-Tec walking boots. At the end ofthe first year all 12 monthly winningimages will go head to head and anUltimate winner announced, who will‘walk away’ with a fantastic HFHolidays family walking holiday worthmore than £1,000. For information onwalks or to enter the competition,visit www.hi-tec.com

WINNERREADERS’CHALLENGECongratulations to Matt Ellis for his image, Car ride, which is thewinner of our September Readers’ Challenge.

JULI

ANCA

RTW

RIGH

T

AUDR

EYRO

WLA

TT

Enjoying the viewAran Fawddwy, Snowdonia

Woody Bay, looking towards Lynton, north Devon

GOONLINE

For more inspirationand ideas for Octobervisit the website atwww.photography

monthly.com

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHYEXPOSEDThis new DVD from pro Mike Browne has beenendorsed by the likes of wildlife expert ChrisPackham and offers a range of tutorials, suchas what kit to buy and topics including depthof field, autofocus, ISO and the fundamentalsof composition and light. Aimed at beginnersand enthusiasts, the DVD was filmed entirelyon Boscombe Beach, in Bournemouth, and isavailable from www.photographycourses.biz/competition priced £29.99.

PM_OCT_PHOTOMONTH:Layout 1 24/08/2011 09:39


CALENDAR COMPETITIONWINNERSHaving received more than 1,200 entries toits photographic competition, the South WestCoast Path Association has selected thewinning images for its 2012 West CountryCalendar. Featuring stunning views from theSouth West Coast Path, the calendar will beavailable from the SWCPA website, WHSmithand various outlets in the West Country, priced£7.50 – a percentage of which will go towardspath improvement projects. www.swcpa.co.uk

MUSIC BOX:GINO CASTALDONew from Thames and Hudson, Music Box:Photographing the All-Time Greats, by GinoCastaldo, showcases more than450 intimatephotographs of iconic musicians. Arranged inthematic chapters, the book is full ofcaptivating and alluring images of music’sgreatest names. A great book for musicand photography lovers alike, it is releasedthis October and is available fromwww.thamesandhudson.com priced £19.95.

PHOTOMONTHEACH MONTH WE SEARCH THE INTERNET AND TRAWL THE PHOTOGRAPHIC INDUSTRY TO BRING YOU OUR PICK OF THE MONTH’S NEWS TO INSPIRE AND INFORM


CONNECTYOURIMAGINATION

manfrotto.co.uk

MANFROTTO STILE COLLECTIONItalian designed lifestyle bags. The perfectevery day companion for your digital mediaand photographic equipment.

MANFROTTO LINO COLLECTIONA comprehensive range of bags and apparelproviding photographers with a new luxuryphoto accessory category. LINO bags workin unison with existing Manfrotto tripodsand heads whilst LINO apparel allowsphotographers to blaze a trail with theintroduction of the first range of clothingitems dedicated to the professionalphotographer.

MANFROTTO LED LIGHTSThe latest technology in LED lighting forphoto and video products. Light up yoursubjects in an easy and effective way with arange that will support your creativity.

MANFROTTO POCKET SERIESThe super slim Pocket Series allows you tocapture, share and enjoy a lifetime ofprecious moments. Bring your photos to lifeand enjoy your shooting experience.

MANFROTTO COMPACT SERIESThe ultra-portable, full size tripod fulfils allyour shooting needs in a simple yet intuitiveway. Enjoy the freedom it brings when itcomes to capturing your world.

Available to purchase at:

You can buy a currentissue of PhotographyMonthly or sister titleProfessionalPhotographer from ournew websitewww.buyamag.co.ukIf you do not wish tobecome a subscriberyou can evenpre-order future editions so you never missa copy of your favourite magazine again.Postage in the UK is free and bypre-ordering you will get your copy before itgoes on sale in the shops.

AUTUMN IN SNOWDONIAINSPIRES PHOTOGRAPHYCOURSEThe stunning autumn landscapes and wildlifeof Snowdonia National Park have inspired anew weekend photography course. The SlateShed bed and breakfast at Graig Wen, Arthog,near Dolgellau has joined forces withprofessional photographer Jeremy Moore toorganise the course, which has 10 placesavailable, and will run from 13-16 October.The three-night stay at Graig Wen includestwo full days of photographic tuition andtrips. The course costs £300 per person fortwo people sharing a double or twin room,or £345 per person for single occupancy ofa room. For further details contact Sarah on0134 125 0482 or email [email protected] must be made by 15 September.Examples of Jeremy Moore’s photographycan be seen at www.wild-wales.com

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE RAWAward-winningphotographer DavidNoton’s new DVD isnow available in highdefinition Blu-ray.The DVD followsDavid on his questfor photographicfulfilment andimprovement. Starting by shooting at dawnin Avebury, Wiltshire, he moves on to variousother subjects and locations, includingSnowdonia and France. Throughout the DVDDavid examines the fundamentals of how toimprove as a photographer, how to producethe best pictures possible and how to makethe most of a photographic opportunity.Photography in the Raw is priced at £24plus p&p (PAL) and £32.40 plus p&p (HD)and is available from www.davidnoton.com

PHOTOMONTH

APPS WE LIKE THIS MONTHCamera ZOOM FX: Available from androidmarket this app features more than40 photo effects, timers, zoom tools andmuch more. With an amazing 10 milliondownloads to date this app is popular andgreat fun. The app also links up to yourTwitter and Facebook accounts, makinguploading simple and quick. Priced £1.99.

Photographer’s Contract Maker: This appfor iPhone, iPod touch and iPad allowsphotographers to create, edit and storecontracts, including model release forms.The app allows models to sign on thetouch screen and automatically saves alldate and time information. Available fromiTunes, priced at $1.99 (£1.21).

JEREMYMOO

RE

Cregennan lakes, near Dolgellau, Snowdonia


WIN!

COMPETITIONDON’T MISS THIS CHANCE TO WIN A NIKON D5100 TWIN LENS KIT WITH PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

For your chance to be the winner of this month’s fantastic prize, submityour best natural light portrait on our website

� FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO TRY SOMETHING NEW WITH THEIR PHOTOGRAPHY,

the Nikon D5100 is designed to inspire your creative side, with its

special effects modes, full HD movie and 16.2-megapixel DX-format

CMOS image sensor.

Packed into a lightweight, ergonomic body, the D5100 features

a swing-out, vari-angle screen which allows you to capture still images

and movies from any angle.

Along with the Nikon D5100 in the twin lens kit is the popular

18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR DX standard lens and the versatile

55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR, which is perfect for portraits as well

as wildlife, and you’re all set to capture amazing images in a range

of situations.

For more information about Nikon products visit www.nikon.co.uk and

to sign up to receive the manufacturer’s monthly newsletters visit

www.welcometonikon.co.uk

COMPETITIONWIN A NIKON D5100TWIN LENS KIT,WORTH ATOTAL OF £1,157.98

HOW TO WINInspired by the 55-300mm lens’s ability to take great portraits,

we wanted to celebrate portraiture, so we have come up with

a picture-based competition on the theme of natural light portraits

to give you a chance at winning the kit above.

Subjects must be human and be lit with natural light, but there are no

other restrictions. Submit your best single image that you believe

represents this theme, and a winner will be chosen by the editorial

team at Photography Monthly.

The deadline for entries is 10 October 2011.

HOW TO ENTERSimply go to our website www.photographymonthly.com, click on the

Competitions tab at the top of the page and upload your natural light

portrait. If you are not yet a member of our site, it’s free to join and takes

just a few simple clicks. PM

PRICE: £669.99 (body only)MEGAPIXELS: 16.2ISO RANGE: 100-6400 (expandable to ISO

25,600 equivalent)HD MOVIES: 1,920 x 1,080p moviesAF: 11 points (one cross-type)MAX BURST RATE: 4fps

NIKON D5100 www.nikon.co.uk


PM__OCT_NIKOND5100_COMP:Layout 1 24/08/2011 09:51

The leading photography hosting solutionin the US has arrived in the UK.

elegantphotohosting

WHAT ARE YOU SELLING?

THE MOMENT

Get it all for £150 per year.Start your free trial today at www.zenfolio.com.

THE EVENT THE EXPERIENCE

Stunning Portfolios

Order Fulfillment

Custom Designs

Shopping Cart

Unlimited Storage

500+ Products to Sell

PM IN DEPTH...EACH MONTH WE AIM TO GO BEYOND THE HEADLINES AND INVESTIGATE A STORY THAT WE THINK HAS PARTICULAR RELEVANCE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS LIKE YOU

SHOOT FIRST, FOCUS LATERWITH ‘LIGHT FIELD’ CAMERAEarlier this year California-based start-up firm Lytro stole technology page headlines and took awaythe collective breath of photographers everywhere after announcing it had developed a camera thatallows you to determine your point of focus after you have taken a picture

Using what it calls ‘light field technology’that aims to capture the colour, intensityand vector direction of the rays of light, thecompany plans to launch its first light fieldcamera later this year. We caught up withLytro’s resident photographer, director ofphotography Eric Cheng, to find out whatthis potentially revolutionary camera willoffer photographers like you.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE LIGHTFIELD?EC: The light field is a core concept in imaging science.The light field fully defines how a scene appears, fromthe foreground to the background and everything inbetween. In other words, the light field is all the lighttravelling in every direction in every point in space.

Unlike regular digital or film cameras, which can onlyrecord a scene in two dimensions, light field camerascapture all of this additional information. With the fulllight field data, these cameras have capabilities thatconventional ones do not possess, such as focusing apicture after the fact.

WHERE DID THE LIGHTFIELD CAMERA ORIGINATE?EC: When using his DSLR to take photos of a friend’sfive-year-old daughter, our CEO, Ren Ng, felt that itsshutter was too slow to capture a moment and the lensfocused on the wrong point in a scene.

Annoyed with his camera, Ren focused his researchon miniaturising light field photography technology intosomething that would no longer require 100 computersin a room tethered to a supercomputer, but rathera camera that could fit in a pocket and allow everydayconsumers to benefit from light field technology.

HOW DO LIGHTFIELD SENSORS DIFFER FROMTRADITIONAL TYPES?EC: A light field sensor captures the colour, intensityand vector direction of light rays. Traditional sensors inconventional cameras do not do this.

ARE PHOTOGRAPHERS READYTO FORGETFOCUSING?EC: We think photographers will always be interested ingreat compositions. While light field cameras make iteasier for everyday consumers to focus pictures afterthe fact, for the camera enthusiast, the creativeopportunities of the light field are tremendous.

Unbound from the constraints of depicting amulti-dimensional world with 2D tools, we are seeingprofessionals such as [photojournalist] Richard KociHernandez and [nature photographer] Jason Bradleyexplore new artistic avenues.

IN ADDITION TO FOCUSING, WHATOTHER ADVANTAGESDO THESE SENSORS OFFER?EC: There are four other key advantages.

Unparalleled speed: This camera is fast. Since thecamera doesn’t focus before a photo is taken, you don’tmiss important moments due to autofocus shutter lag.

Living pictures: When shared online, both thephotographer and viewer can play with Lytro pictures,including changing the focus.

Low-light sensitivity: By using all of the availablelight in a scene, Lytro cameras perform well in low-lightenvironments without the use of a flash.

Immersive 3D: Using the full light field, Lytrocameras will allow you to switch easily between 2D and3D views or shift the perspective of a scene.

IN WHATWAYS DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE CAMERASCHANGING THE WAYWE THINK ABOUTPICTURES?EC: We are for the first time able to create livingpictures – moments that don’t die with the shutter snap.Living pictures enable you, your friends and family torelive a moment how you experienced it the first time.

We hope that living pictures will give photographersa new creative avenue for taking pictures, letting themexpress themselves with an entirely new way ofcapturing a scene. As more people take light fieldpictures, we are excited for the tremendous creativitythat the camera will unleash.

ARE THERE CERTAIN GENRES IN PARTICULAR WHEREYOU EXPECTTHEM TO BE POPULAR?EC: We anticipate professional photographers will beinterested in Lytro and want to own it as part of their kit.However, we anticipate this technology will be mostpopular with amateur photographers, who are interestedin trying a new way to capture and share a moment.

DO YOU BELIEVE LIGHTFIELD CAMERAS WILLEVENTUALLYREPLACE SLRS?Professional photographers tend to stay on top of thelatest trends in technology and we are sure many will

be interested in owning a Lytro as part of their camerakit. The pro photographers who have been beta testingour camera have been blown away by the creativeopportunities this new kind of photography affords.

IFNEWS PUBLICATIONS ADOPTTHE LIGHTFIELDCAMERA, HOWWILL READERS VIEW THE IMAGES?EC: Lytro living images include the Lytro light fieldengine wherever they are viewed – whether on a PC,mobile or on the Web. Lytro is tapping into modern Webtechnologies such as Flash and HTML5 to let peopleshare and interact with living pictures without needingto download any additional software.

So, if a newspaper chose to digitally publisha photograph taken with a Lytro camera, editors wouldbe able to publish a living photograph for readers.

For more information and to see a gallery of Lytro’s‘living pictures’ visitwww.lytro.com

PM

Click on any point in a light field image...

...and you can change the point of focus


PM_OCT_INDEPTH:Layout 1 24/08/2011 09:51

Why not let the whole worldsee your photos?Get your entire portfolio online with a unique web address,professional email and great value website hosting.

For our full range of domain names from £2.95 pa and web hosting packages,visit fasthosts.co.uk/photos

or call us now on:

0844 692 3489© 2011 All rights reserved. Fasthosts and the Fasthosts logo are trademarks of Fasthosts Internet Ltd.Prices valid at time of print. †Terms & Conditions apply, see website for details.

World Class Web Hosting

Global Hosting Partner of the Year 2011

manfrotto.co.uk

Purchase Get

Purchase any Manfrotto 290 Series tripod with ANY Manfrotto head £10 Cash Back



visit www.manfrotto.co.uk/cashback for more details

£15CASH BACK

£20CASH BACK

Cash Back

+ =

£20upto

£10CASH BACK

+ =

+ =

on your Manfrotto 190, 290 or 055 Series tripod purchasebetween 5th August - 30th September 2011

Manfrotto 190 Series




READERS’GALLERYUpload your images to www.photographymonthly.com – we choose the best and publish them the following month

EDITOR’S CHOICE

A great portrait is all about the eyes andthe connection between the subject and thephotographer. Yaman’s portrait showsa subject who is fully engaged with thecamera, staring intently into his lens.Missing no detail, from her hair to thereflections in the catchlight in her eyes,Yaman’s image has it all.

Jeff Meyer, Editor

IMAGE OF THE MONTH

Yaman IbrahimAzlina

Nikon D385mm

PM_OCT_GALLERY:Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:44

Froilan AbalosWith MommyCanon EOS400DSigma 70-300mm

Ben MooreBaby holdCanon EOS 5D70mm




READERS’ GALLERY

Mohamed TaherSleepy eyesNikon D700

50mm

Clive SurmanMy daughter’s eyeCanon EOS 5D Mark IICanon 100mm


Glen UnsworthRusty viewCanon EOS 500DCanon 18-200mm

Gosia WlodarczykPoppyNikon D70085mm

Mark EgertonBored

Nikon D7050mm



READERS’ GALLERY


Julie JanesKeeping an eye out

Canon EOS 5D500mm

Rory McDonaldIn closeNikon D300Nikkor 105mm macro


Photographer: Abigail Steed. Model: Samantha Hicks. Stylist: Anne Duncan. Camera: PEN E-P3 and 45mm F1.8 lens. Venue: Park Cameras Studio

PEN mini PEN Lite PEN

> READY FOR A FIGHT?To hear some photographers talking about the pros and cons of compactsystems versus SLRs, you’d think there was a war on.

Compact system fans have told us size and weight are worth fighting for, buthave been clamouring for Micro Four Thirds prime lenses with a fast aperture toget great portraits. DSLR devotees insist that there’s no middle ground if you’reafter a shallow depth of field and flattering perspective.

We think they’re missing a trick. Let’s face it, most of us would rather not lugthree kilos of body and glass around to get a great portrait on the move.

So we’ve achieved what everyone said was impossible. Allow us to introducethe Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm F1.8 lens. It’s equivalent to a classic90mm portrait lens in 35mm terms. Thanks to our legendary optical skills youcan get delicious background fuzziness and ultra-sharp foreground detail atmaximum aperture. And since the focusing speeds of the latest PEN range nowmatch or exceed those of far larger and pricier SLRs, there’s now a ratherconvincing argument for switching sides.

But since pictures speak louder than words, take a look at the evidence. AbigailSteed used a PEN and the 45mm F1.8 to take this shot.

And the best part? This lens is available at less than £270 and will fit any MicroFour Thirds body, including the new PENs. In short, there’s now a powerful,affordable, pocket-sized portrait tool.

We reckon we’ve won this battle. But trust us, we still haven’t finished fighting.www.olympus.co.uk/pen

NEW


Keith CooperPuffin in flightNikon D200500mm

Devendra DubeCatching the dropsNikon D310055-200mm



IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR IMAGESIN THE MAGAZINE and to havethe opportunity to win an 8GB LexarProfessional memory card andreader, visitwww.photographymonthly.com andupload your favourite images. We willchoose the best work uploaded each monthfor inclusion in the magazine, and the Editor’s Choice willwin a card and reader. SD or CF, the choice is yours.

If you want the ultimate in memory cards, look no further than Lexar’sProfessional range. Even if you shoot at machine-gun speeds, they’llkeep up; the 133x SDHC cards can sustain write speeds of 20Mbps,while the 400x CF cards are even faster, at60Mbps — and at that rate you will need their8GB capacity. That’s room for more than5,000 RAW files from a 10-megapixel DSLR.So, if you want to shoot away unhampered,secure in the knowledge that your picturesare being stored safely, start uploading yourimages to www.photographymonthly.comFor more details visit www.lexar.com

WIN!

UPLOAD&WIN!

READERS’ GALLERY

Lucie AverillCloud Play IICanon EOS 7DSigma 10-20mm

Paul CullenLindisfarne CastleSony A90028-80mm



PM TECHNIQUESPHOTOGRAPHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHARE THEIR TIPS TO INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE

This is where you will find technical adviceand inspiration to help you become thephotographer you want to be. Each monthwe speak to photographers at the topof their field and ask them to pass on theknowledge you need to shoot inoften difficult technical situations

IN THIS SECTION28-37 40 TIPS FOR LOW LIGHTRachael D’Cruze reveals40 tips from the prosfor shooting in nearly any low-light condition

38-43 SECRETS OF SUBTLE HDRAndy Summers tells Jeff Meyer his method formake realistic-looking HDR images

44-47 ON GOLDEN PONDSPaul Hobson continues his Wild Britain seriesby showing how to recreate a pond habitat

51-54 HEAD FOR THE LIGHTNature photographer Fran Halsall reveals whatsubjects work best when backlit

73-77 PLANNING A PHOTO ESSAYDamian Drohan continues with part two of hisseries on planning and executing a picture story

GOONLINEFor more techniques

and advice visitwww.photographymonthly.com

ANDY

SUM

MER

S

PM_OCT_TECHNQ_COVER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:08


RACHAEL D’CRUZE

TECHNIQUES

SHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT

40 PRO TIPSFOR SUCCESSFULLOW-LIGHTSHOTSFrom gear and settings to split-lightingand dressing your models in white,RACHAEL D’CRUZE talks to fourlow-light-loving pro photographersand discovers their secrets

ow many times have we heardthe old adage ‘photography is allabout light’? Thousands, but it’s

true – light makes every photograph.When we have an abundance of favourablelight, there’s no denying that it becomeseasier to take a good shot. That doesn’tmean you have to stop shooting when the

light starts to disappear or avoidlow-light photography altogether, though;things just get a bit trickier and you haveto know how to set up your camera tomake the most of the failing light.Armed with the right techniques and

advice you can explore the possibilitiesopened up by low-light conditions and

get some enviable shots that wouldn’tbe possible in conventionally perfectlighting conditions.In the following pages we will meet four

professional photographers who activelyseek out low light in their daily work andare keen to share their tips for makingstrong images when the light is weak. �

H

JASO

NSW

AIN

Altocumulus – pier

PM_OCT_LOW_LIGHT:Layout 1 24/08/2011 08:55

KEEP AN EYE OUT

GET A GRIP

SINGLE-POINT AF


SHOOT MANUAL

www.dannypaynephotography.com

DDAANNNNYY PPAAYYNNEEMUSIC PHOTOGRAPHER

BIOGRAPHYDanny Payne is a freelance music photographerbased in West Yorkshire and is a regular contributorto Clash magazine. See more of his work and findout about future exhibitions on his website.

Assisted exposure programs can be useful,especially if you have only got a three-songlimit [shooting a rock concert] and don’thave the time to get your settings right. But the results can often be sketchy, so youshouldn’t rely on them. If you shoot manual and monitor your

exposure in the viewfinder, you can tweak your settings on the fly and you are safe in the knowledge that somerandom strobe isn’t going to drop yourexposure into darkness.

When shooting with a fast lens in darkconditions, getting sharp shots can provetricky. Shooting at f/2.8 gives you anincreased depth of field, so you need morecontrol over what you are focusing on. Using single-point AF allows you to focus

on a specific point, so you can get a clean shot of an artist’s face rather than the guitar headstock.

Instead of holding your lens with yourthumb and forefinger, hold bigger/heavierlenses like a bowl of soup – cradle them inyour hands, so the lens is held by all of yourfingertips, over a large area of the lens, todistribute the weight. You should notice a real difference in the

clarity of your shots when you start usingthis technique. Remember also to keep yourelbows in to reduce lens shake.

Shoot with both eyes open. It’s a tricky skillto master, but watching the action on stagewith both eyes allows you to use your lefteye to monitor what is going on that yourlens cannot see.

KISS

DANN

Y PA

YNE



TECHNIQUES

RACHAEL D’CRUZESHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT

If the band you are shooting is in the middleof a tour, why not see what footage is kickingaround on the internet? Knowing what toexpect helps you to prepare – where peoplewill be standing, what the lighting will be likein each song and so on. The more preparedyou are, the better.

Pay attention to the music while you areshooting. When the music builds to a keypoint in the song, you can normally expectsomeone in the band to react with a jump orsome form of energetic expression.Generally, lighting tends to follow the same

pattern as the song, so when you heara massive chorus of a band’s anthem, expectthe lights to be at their best too.

Understanding your environment is key togreat music shots. Before a show, find outwhere the main lights are so you can positionyourself accordingly and make the most oftheir effects.

Microphones are evil. Sometimes it’s better toshoot key figures away from the microphone.There are a couple of reasons for this: firstly,more often than not, microphones act asa magnet for autofocus; secondly, you canoften get unique or more natural shots ofpeople when they are not singing.Bear in mind everyone else shooting the

same gig as you will have a picture of thesinger singing, but what they might not haveis the cheeky grin he throws at the guitaristwhen he notices he has messed up his solo.

You need to know your camera inside-out tobe able to make changes to your equipmentquickly – you do not want to miss a greatshot because it has taken you too long tochange settings.If possible, take two cameras into the pit at

a gig, so you have a backup should somethinggo wrong.

Sometimes tough light forces you to pushthe envelope slightly and can result in morecreative and expressive shots.Strobe lighting, silhouettes and lens flare

are just a few things that occur regularlyat gigs, so it is worth using these instead ofwaiting for a burst of white light on thevocalist that may never appear. You needto make the most of the situation you arein and utilise all possible light to come awaywith something special. �

GEEK UP ON YOUTUBE

LISTEN

FIND THE LIGHTS

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

GET FAMILIAR

BE ARTISTIC

Foo Fighters

The Subways

Paul Weller


FIND THE LIGHT PATH

PACK WELL

BRING A FRIEND

www.grunertimaging.com

KKRRIISSTTOOPPHHEERR GGRRUUNNEERRTTARCHITECTURALPHOTOGRAPHER

BIOGRAPHYCanadian photographer Kristopher Grunert usesline, atmosphere, movement and light to create his stunning architectural images. See more of both his commercial and personal work at hiswebsite, sign up to his mailing list atwww.grunertimaging.com/mailinglist, or look at the limited-edition prints he has for sale atwww.editions.grunertimaging.com

Before heading out on a shoot, make a conscious decision as to whether or notyou should invite anyone else along. A solomission can be rewarding, but collaborationis also invigorating.

Safety should always be the decidingfactor, so if you choose to go out alone, be sure always to tell someone yourdestination and when you plan to return.

Besides the necessary camera equipmentand accessories, be sure to take water,appropriate clothing, and perhaps a snack.You should feel comfortable, so that you areable to focus solely on the image-makingprocess. If you are hot or cold, hungry orthirsty you may not find inspiration in yoursubject, even if it’s there.

When you arrive at the location for yourshoot get familiar with the properorientation of the site in relation to the path of the Sun and/or Moon. You do notnecessarily have to have a compass, but it does help.

When necessary, I use the Sun Seekerapp on my iPhone, which accuratelyillustrates the path of the Sun and Moon atany one place on a given day.

The light should lead you and yourcuriosity should propel you. Observe it,learn and remember. Trust your intuition as it guides you around or through the structure.


KRIS

TOPH

ER G

RUNE

RT

Guangzhou Opera House, China

Wu Jiao Chang, Shanghai



TECHNIQUES


COMPRESSYou will be using longer exposures becauseof the lack of light, so be aware thatessentially you are compressing time onto a single frame. Think of how youcan use this technique to make a moreexciting photograph.It is important to eliminate any camera

movement, so use a sturdy tripod and ashutter release to reduce camera shake.I use a remote release and set the delaytimer appropriately to make sure myimages are sharp.If your exposure is between 1/60sec

and five seconds you may also want touse mirror lock-up to avoid any internalcamera vibration.

Try capturing the movement of light.Vehicle headlights can even make a biscuitcutter warehouse look interesting. If thereare no vehicles, have a friend drive throughyour scene a few times.

Take multiple exposures without movingyour tripod. Personally, I don’t usededicated HDR software, but from time totime I will layer two exposures togetherand use a layer mask to paint in areasof the image that exceed the latitude ofa single exposure.

Don’t be afraid to shoot in the rain. If it isn’tpouring there will be minimal softening ofthe image, and surface reflection will adddrama to your shots. Protect your camerabut don’t hesitate to take an exposureor two if a few drops land on your lens,because this can also add interest.

We say it a lot, but people often forget.Always shoot RAW so that you can adjustwhite balance later, if needed. This willmaximise your chances of getting more‘keeper’ shots.

If shooting at dusk the light will remainlonger in the west. Work around thebuilding shooting from east to west.If you are shooting just before dawn, then

go west to east. Remember that the lightchanges very quickly during these times sobe prepared to move at speed.

Beware of lawn sprinklers! They are oftenscheduled to turn on after dark and cangive you quite a shock. �

USE YOUR CAR

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES

SHOOT IN ALL WEATHERS

SHOOT RAW

MOVE FAST

UNWANTED WATER

Macau Science Centre, China

Shanghai World Financial Centre



IMPROVISE WITH LIGHT

GO MORE SLOWLY

KEEP IT STEADY

www.missanielablog.com

MMIISSSS AANNIIEELLAAPORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHER

BIOGRAPHY

Internationally exhibited photographer andpublished author Miss Aniela runs workshopsteaching the construction of a trick-levitationimage, from shoot to edit. Her workshops for therest of 2011 are taking place in Edinburgh on 25September, and Londonon 1 October.

Miss Aniela also runs Shoot Experiences forphotographers of all levels to capture a range offully styled models in big locations. Shoot your own fashion portraits with a range of lightingtechniques and guidance on hand.

Everything from props to lighting equipment andlunch is supplied and participants get full rightsrelease to their images. The next ShootExperiences are taking place in London on 22 and23 October. For prices and to book a place, [email protected] or seewww.missanielablog.com/events

As a general rule, for sharp images in lowlight you should use a tripod when theshutter speed is greater than the inverse ofthe lens focal length (for example, if you areusing a 50mm lens and the shutter speed is1/50sec or longer).

I don’t always want to obtain ‘correct’focus/sharpness, and I often deliberatelyshoot at a slower shutter speed than thenorm for the context to obtain the effect ofmovement within the camera, like in myimage An impromptu performance, shot at a focal length of 14mm at 1/15sec, f/2.8.

The dress’s brushstroke-like effect on thisself-portrait was achieved in-camera byjumping into the air as the shutter releasedon a timer.

If you are using ambient light it can be fun toexplore the different ‘improvised’ lightingsources – candles, lamps, torches etc.

An impromptu performance was shot onlywith the light from the overhead ceilingfitting in a dark corridor at home. The finalcomposite was created by bringing togetherthree figures all shot in the same spot and processing the complete image to make the whole surroundings appear darker.

In the laboratory

MIS

S AN

IELA



TECHNIQUES


When shooting with any kind of lowlighting, especially if you are makinguse of ambient or ‘improvised’ lightsources, it is appropriate to shoot withoutfits that are pale or white, and thatwill reflect effectively that ambient lightavailable. The same principle can applyto pale/white flesh.

A source of light in a low-key situationcould be a waning sunset, or abeam through a skylight, which can

be transformed with the strategic useof a reflector. The reflector can takethat small amount of diffused lightentering the scene and point it back atthe subject, even and diffused, makingthe subject stand out against a darkbackground even more, exaggeratingthe light falloff.

Slow shutter speeds combined withmotion is a highly intriguing terrain toexplore in all kinds of lighting, but in lowlight there is the added dimension of

capturing motion blur, which can be used tocreative effect, even as one composited partof an image, and not always the entire frame.

What if you want to shoot a static, sharpportrait, but not with a dark background?Why not shoot more than one exposure tobring together into the same image? This isthe notion of HDR images. [For more onhow to make subtle HDR images, see ourfeature starting on page 38].This is appropriate when shooting

high-contrast situations with dark areas inthe frame, rather than a completely darkscene overall. Set your camera toauto-bracketing mode and use a tripod.The exposures can be merged in Photomatixor in Photoshop’s Merge to HDR function .

My shot Suspended uses the principle ofHDR to tackle a difficult lighting situation.I was shooting a trick image of a girl hanging,under a spotlight on a theatre stage, whichwas very bright compared to the auditorium.Shooting three exposures resulted in too

much ghosting around the hanging girl.Instead, I simply captured the model in oneshot exposed for the spotlight, and shot onelonger exposure for the background, with mycamera mounted on a tripod between theshots. I merged the background into the finalimage as a layer mask in Photoshop.

One of the ways I use flash lighting in alow-key image is to position the flash toone side of the subject, in a split-lightingtechnique, which has the advantage ofheightening their stature and givinga cinematic atmosphere, but with subtlety.I shot In the laboratory in this manner,

positioning a TritonFlash light inside a roomto the right in this abandoned building, sothat it entered the dark corridor in the samemanner as the dim natural light that wascoming in from that doorway. It is a way ofinjecting enough illumination into the sceneto give the subject’s eyes catchlights.

I consider constant lighting to be an excitingcontinuation of all those improvisedtungsten sources I have used, but a morecontrolled way of illuminating a scene byeye. With a constant light positioned to oneside, you can light a model in a high-contrastfall-off from one side of her to the other. �

DRESS LIGHT

USE A REFLECTORUSE MOTION

SHOOT HDR

An impromptu performance

Suspended

COMPOSITE DIFFERENT PIECES

SPLIT-LIGHT WITH FLASH

CONSTANT LIGHTING


DITCH THE TRIPOD

INCREASE YOUR SPEED

FILTER IT


DRAMATIC MONO

INVEST

www.jasonswain.co.uk

JJAASSOONN SSWWAAIINNLANDSCAPEPHOTOGRAPHER

BIOGRAPHYBased on the Isle of Wight, Jason Swain specialisesin fine-art landscapes and action/lifestylephotography with the common theme of theisland’s beautiful coastline. See more of Jason’sportfolio on his website.

If one of the more expensive prime lensesis beyond your budget, consider the Sigma10-20mm f/4-5.6 – it is a versatile lens andstill the first one in my bag.

This lens offers great value for money,even after all these years. Shooting at such a wide angle (10mm) really grabs a lotof sky, making the most of any availablelight out there as well as giving you that ultra-wide look.

When the colour is draining from the sky,abandon colour shots and go for dramaticblack and whites instead. If you are havingtrouble visualising what your landscape willlook like in mono, set the picture style to monochrome in Live View mode andpreview how it will look.

ND filters are useful for retaining details inthe foreground when shooting into arelatively bright sky, so always carry a setwith you. Don’t be afraid not to use them,however. Shooting without them will help tosilhouette foreground features for dramaticeffects in low-light shooting.

When using a shallow depth of field to focuson foreground items and create bokeh,increase the shutter speed to let in lesslight and retain the low-light look and feel ofyour scene.

Most people will tell you that to take great landscape shots you need to use a tripod and that for successful low-lightshots they are imperative. Well, I very rarely use one, except for long exposures,favouring instead the freedom thathandholding gives me.

Focus



TECHNIQUES


Faster and brighter lenses and highershutter speeds really help when you arecapturing low-light landscapes. And don’tforget to try the different IS (OS) modeson your lenses.

If you haven’t got a lens with thatoption, you can always use the ground orwall as a makeshift tripod, which givesyou the bonus of getting a unique point ofview for the shot.

Sometimes I like to create compositelandscapes in low light. Experimenting iskey to success here. If you want focus toremain consistent, then shoot at a lowershutter speed for the darker areas, but youcan also try the same shutter speeds withdifferent aperture settings to manufacturea depth of field that might normally bebeyond your lens’s capability.

Remember that with low-light landscapesthe whole point is to embrace thegathering darkness and celebrate thelast rays of light and the reflections onthe water’s surface.

Don’t use fill-flash, just accept thatsome areas will stay underexposed.You are interested in the highlights andhaving them remain natural, and forthe whole scene to feel natural, movingaway from the computer-generated feelof HDR imagery.

Don’t rush into your shot; I often like to sitand enjoy the sunset before getting thecamera out, only taking pictures once thesun has gone below the horizon. This alsohelps me to notice the little details thatI want to include later in my composition.

I’m not necessarily looking for perfectsymmetry when I include reflections, but Ido often use the reflections to help createleading lines and draw the eye to whereI want the focus of the shot to be. PM

HAND-HOLD PROPERLY

CREATE COMPOSITES

ACCEPT SOME UNDEREXPOSURE

TAKE YOUR TIME

USE REFLECTIONS

Man

Gulls – twilight



THE SECRETSOFSUBTLE HDRHigh dynamic range images are one of the more popular forms ofphotography, but most would agree these have a tendency to looka little unnatural. Photographer and PM reader ANDY SUMMERS hasmade it his mission to bring a bit of realism to the art form. He tellsPM Editor JEFF MEYER his method for making a subtle HDR image

An account director for a business

information services company by

day, Andy is a landscape

photographer in his spare time,

specialising in wide-format panoramas and, of

course, realistic-looking HDR images. One day he

would like to make the leap and go pro.www.panoramio.com/user/221689

BIOGRAPHY

ANDY

SUM

MER

S

Stonehaven Harbour

PM_OCT_SUBTLE_HDR:Layout 1 24/08/2011 14:22


TECHNIQUES

ANDY SUMMERSMAKE NATURAL-LOOKING HDR

sk someone if they have triedHDR and they will probably lookaround to see who’s listening.

It is one of those niches that carry acertain stigma – like romance novels areto fiction. Yet look online at any of thephoto-sharing websites such as Flickrand the sheer ubiquity of postedHDR images suggests the style iswildly popular.So why is it that so few people own up

to being ‘HDR photographers’? Perhaps itis because the majority of pictures wesee are unrealistic: heavy, oversaturatedtones mixed with unnatural extremes oflight often overshadow the natural beautythat motivated us to take the picture inthe first place.Andy Summers knows a thing or two

about being overshadowed. Sharing aname with the guitarist from The Police,who also happens to be a talentedphotographer in his own right, means itcan sometimes be difficult to find hissublimely subtle HDR images onlinewithout wading first through a stack oflinks celebrating Sting’s old bandmate.Nevertheless, the Scottish

photographer and PM reader doesn’t letthe coincidence get to him. Patience ishis mantra and this translates intopractice when he photographs the naturalbeauty around his village of Killearn, incentral Scotland.Andy is a keen supporter of high

dynamic range images, but it has �

A


the perfect location.

Learning to use a map and compass confidently can

be an extremely liberating experience, allowing you to

get to where you want to quickly and safely.

Once mastered, effective navigation skills can open

up the mountains for you, allowing you to confidently

go further into the wilderness and to find your way

safely home again.

At the National Mountain Centre we teach people to

use a map and compass all year round. Our vast

range of courses caters for newcomers to navigation

and advanced practitioners alike. We run 2-day

and 5-day courses designed to introduce you

to navigation or to polish your skills.

Our 5-day Complete Navigation course

includes GPS use as well as traditional

skills. For the more experienced

navigator, we have a winter navigation weekend or an

advanced GPS weekend.

If you can navigate already, you may choose to learn

some fundamental ropework skills to keep you safe

on steep ground, to handle a sea kayak to access

remote locations or to paddle a canoe so you can get

closer to wildlife.

In fact we run over 300 different courses, holidays and

expeditions throughout the year. The range

includesoff piste skiing, ice climbing, mountaineering,

rock-climbing, canoeing, kayaking, sea

kayaking, mountain biking, road cycling,

first aid and even landscape photography.

Check out our website www.pyb.co.uk or

email us on [email protected] and

we’ll send you a free colour brochure.

P las y Bren in Cape l Cur ig Conwy LL24 0ET Te l : 01690 720214 www.pyb.co.uk Emai l : in [email protected]


TECHNIQUES


become something of a personal campaignfor him to promote those that are understatedand re-create how a scene might have beenprocessed by the human eye.“My goal has always been to replicate the

depth of light the human eye can see – andno more than that,” Andy says. An accountdirector for a business information servicescompany, he first picked up his cameraeight years ago due to his love of Photoshop,not the other way around, as is the case withmost photographers.As such, he has always been interested

in the creative effects that software offersphotographers, but it should be a means toan end, not the end itself.

SUITABLE SUBJECTSThe best subjects for making a subtle HDRimage are scenes in which most of theelements are static. Natural landscapesare one of the more popular choices, alongwith still lifes and architecture.

Andy likes to shoot his local landscape butcautions that in outdoor HDR photography theclouds can prove to be one of your biggestobstacles. “A lot of people who do HDR like toshoot on cloudless days, but I live in Scotland.We don’t have cloudless days very often,” hesays. “I believe clouds have a place in theimage anyway, as they add a sense of depthand perspective to the composition.“With clouds you just have to remember to

go for quicker exposures,” he adds.

CALCULATING EXPOSUREAndy creates his HDR images from athree-shot bracket, rather than one RAW file.Depending on how harsh the light is, he sets hisbracket at one full stop or 0.7on either side ofthe correct exposure, unless he is working atnight. Then he brackets at 0.3 EVon either sideto bring outmore shadow and highlight detail.Andy will start in AVmode on his Nikon

D300s so as to get an idea of what shutterspeed he can achieve at f/16 (his preferred �

“ANDY LIKES TO SHOOTHIS LOCAL LANDSCAPEBUT CAUTIONS THAT INOUTDOOR HDRPHOTOGRAPHY THECLOUDS CAN PROVE TOBE ONE OF YOURBIGGEST OBSTACLES”

Angel of the North, Gateshead

Cambus o’May suspension bridge,Deeside



starting point). Usually he can get a shutterspeed of 1/200sec with this configuration,which is enough to freeze cloud movements.

Using a Nikon D300s gives him a head startfor making subtle HDR images, Andy says,because its Active D-Lighting function, whichserves as an in-camera extension of dynamicrange, aims to preserve details in highlightsand shadows. This gives him a better base ofnatural contrast to work with before headingto his digital darkroom.

POST-PROCESSINGWith his picture in the bag, Andy processeshis images using Photomatix Pro 3.1 HDRphotography software. It takes only a fewsteps to blend the images, but youneed to pay careful attention at keypoints in the process.

With Photomatix launched, Andy loads hisbracketed photos. The software then offersa number of pre-processing options, and Andywill tick the relevant boxes to align sourceimages by correcting horizontal and verticalshifts, and to reduce noise and chromaticaberrations. He leaves the RAW conversionsettings as shot.

From here, he keeps it very simple. In theDetails Enhancer screen in Photomatix, Andyadjusts only the Strength slider and the LightSmoothing selection. The Strength andSmoothing options are the essential tools

“THE SMOOTHING TOOL(IN THE PHOTOMATIXHDR SOFTWARE) IS THEPOINT AT WHICH MANYHDR IMAGES GOWRONG”

The Beresford Wine Bar & ArtGallery, Ayr, with traffic trails

After

Before



TECHNIQUES


for controlling tonal variations, which iscrucial in making a subtle HDR image.

Generally, moving the Strength slider rightand choosing a High or Max option in theSmoothing tool will give your image a nice,traditional feel, but Andy likes to keep theStrength quite high, between 80 and 90 tokeep up the colour saturation.

The Smoothing tool is the point at whichmany HDR images go wrong. It offers fiveoptions – Min, Low, Mid, High, Max – and mostpeople keep it really low, creating the heavy,crayon-like tones that we often see burningholes in our retinas. A higher selection keepsit more natural.

“I wouldn’t touch any of the other controls,”Andy says. “I’m looking for an effect that isrelatively mild in its application. I will use theAlign Features option, so if there weremovement in some boats, for instance, itwould align those features as it melded theimages. But that’s it.”

Photomatix then goes through the processof applying the Tone Mapping and DetailsEnhancer. If the base image looks right,Andy saves it and moves on to the next stage.

FINE-TUNING IN PHOTOSHOPIn Photoshop Andy opens his blended image,along with the original correct exposure fromhis bracketed series.

He then overlays the original middleexposure on to the blended image and willreduce the opacity of the overlay to around20-30 per cent.

Andy’s main motivation at this point is tomaintain the crispness of the edges of theoriginal image, but with some of the depth ofthe HDR version.

The other things he is looking to correcthere are any alignment issues caused byselecting the Align mode in Photomatix.

To remedy this, Andy will Select All and thenEdit > Transform. Holding down the Control keyhe will drag the covers of the overlay until thetwo are aligned properly.

“It’s only very occasionally that I have to dothis, though, because I shoot from a tripod andonly very small subjects in the field mightmove,” he says.

Photoshop itself has an HDR functionality,but it doesn’t have the same appeal for Andy.

“Its effect is a bit flat and duller,” hesays, “which sounds strange given I want itto look natural. But to me it looks a littlesmudgier and darker; it doesn’t give youthe same tonal range to work with fromthe outset.” PM

We asked our Facebook fans:must an HDR image be realistic?

Kate Knibbs said: “If I want my image todocument a time/place/event, I want to capturethe essence of it and therefore be realistic.But let’s face it, photography is all about trickerywith lights, and although an image may lookrealistic, it doesn’t mean it’s an accuratereflection of the subject! Why draw any line?”

Rafael Amen said: “HDR is just one technique, asgood or as bad as the artist can make it.”

Andy Seston said: “I think on initial discovery ofHDR there is a tendency to push the software toproduce unnatural images, but soon the love of anatural image creeps back in.”

To join us all on Facebook, visitwww.facebook.com/photographymonthly

READERS’REPORT

�Andy’s ‘correct’ exposure of a local wood, shot at1/30sec at f/16, ISO 360

� Andy’s final, HDR version, which blends the middleexposure above with images taken at 0.3 EV aboveand below the correct exposure

� A screen grab of Andy’s settings in the DetailsEnhancer screen of his Photomatix Pro 3.1 software

� Ninth tee, Turnberry golf course, south Ayrshire



ON GOLDENIn the second instalment of our new series looking atforgotten British wildlife, PAUL HOBSON explains howto re-create a pond habitat in your garden quickly andcheaply, and photograph an amazing array of creatures

PONDS

PAUL

HOBS

ON The water beetle larva is a ferocious hunterof tadpoles and small invertebrates

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro,1/60sec at f/3.5, ISO 800

PM_OCT_WILD_BRITAIN:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:10


Paul Hobson was a lecturer in

environmental science for 20 years

before becoming a full-time wildlife

photographer. As a contract holder

with government adviser Natural England he is

responsible for wildlife photography in the East

Midlands and Peak District.www. paulhobson.co.uk

BIOGRAPHY

ond dipping: spending time witha net and jam jar beside a small pondand marvelling at the myriad tiny,

amazing creatures swirling around in front ofour curious eyes is something we all probablydid in our youth.As wildlife photographers we pursue with

enthusiasm birds, butterflies and dragonflies,yet when was the last time you saw a bodyof work or a competition entry about the lifeof pond dwellers?Dragonflies have become one of the most

popular wildlife subjects in the past 10 years,but it is odd that we concentrate on thecomparatively short lifetime of the adult.How many of us look for the other, muchlonger phase of its life as a larva in the pond?The main reason why life under the

duckweed has been ignored by so manywildlife photographers is because it’s in water.And water, as we all know, is wet and difficultto get your camera into. What’s more, pondwater is muddy and opaque. But never fear;it is possible to photograph this stunninggroup of animals rather easily, but you doneed to spend a little time in preparation.

BUILDING YOUR AQUARIUMI shoot all my pond life photography inpurpose-built mini-aquariums. These areeasy and fairly cheap to build. For mostof my work I use an aquarium with a frontthat is 20cm long by 10cm high. The backis the same height but a little longer (30cm)so the sides are at an angle running awayfrom the front. I do this so the back cornersof the tank aren’t as visible in your frameas much as they are in a standard squareor rectangular aquarium. The sides are 10cmhigh by 11cm wide.You now need a base. I make this slightly

bigger than is necessary to simplify theassembly. I find it useful if you draw this outon paper when you go to the glass cutter.To seal the aquarium I use the specialised

clear aquarium silicon sealant. Don’t use anysealant from DIYstores unless it’s puresilicon, because their products often havean anti-mould chemical added.Once you get the hang of making these

mini-aquariums it’s easy to build variations,

P

such as shallow square ones to photographlooking straight up through the bottom. Inall my aquariums I use the thinnest pictureglass for the front, back and sides butthicker glass for the base. If you decide tobuild larger versions you may need to usethicker glass.

USING THE AQUARIUMThe first priority is to get the aquariumspotlessly clean, particularly the front andback. Fill it carefully with rain water thathas been left to stand for a day so anysediment should settle out.Fill another clean container with rain water

and wash any props thoroughly in this,especially weed. You may need to repeat thisstep a few times. Put the washed props in thetank and refill the container with clean water.

COLLECTING POND DWELLERSBefore even setting foot on the pond’s bank,you must be prepared at home. Get a seriesof containers of a decent size, eg oldaquariums or big plastic tubs, and have themall cleaned. Set up a water butt to collect rainwater because this is what you are going �

AND WATER AS WE ALLKNOW, IS WET AND

DIFFICULT TO GET YOURCAMERA INTO. WHAT’SMORE, POND WATER IS

MUDDY AND OPAQUE

Paul’s tank, with fern leaves behind tocreate a green, blurred background

Keeping the tank setup as simple aspossible helps greatly with composition

PAUL HOBSON

WILD BRITAIN

PHOTOGRAPHING POND LIFE



to be using later. Water straight from the tapis not suitable, because it contains chlorine.If you cannot get access to clean rain waterand have to use tap water, let it standfor48 hours to let the chlorine dissipate.On the collection day use your net to

sweep gently through the pond water.The depth at which you do this will partlydetermine what you catch. You do needto be careful, though; it’s not good practiceto leave the pond looking like someonehas been dynamite fishing, so be carefulwhen sweeping through weeds.After each sweep pop the catch into a large

plastic tray containing pond water. You cannow see what you have caught and usea spoon to transfer anything that looksinteresting into one of your collectingcontainers filled with pond water. Rememberto keep these out of the sun or they willoverheat quickly.Once you’ve got home, transfer the catch

to one of the larger containers, adding thepond water to the rain water. Don’t forget toadd some weed for shelter. Make sure you

The underwater world is incredibly diverse.For instance, there are more than 250 species ofBritish water beetles, not to mention pond skaters,water boatmen, snails, tadpoles and newts.

Some are rare; some are also protected, such asgreat crested newts, and you need a licence to takeone from a pond. If you are going to work withnewts make sure you can identify all three nativespecies of the UK and be aware of the greatcrested’s possible presence. It would be best toavoid those ponds where they are found.

I would suggest starting with the invertebrates.Water boatmen and water beetles make incrediblyphotogenic subjects. You will be fascinated by theircolours, which are surprisingly varied and rich.From the surface they look black or brown, but whenyou get the macro lens focused you will be amazed.

The lesser water boatman has a gold flecked bodyand huge, reddish compound eyes – stunning. I loveimages of them as they hang from the surface whereyou can see the water curve about their bodies.

Dragonfly and damselfly larvae are often foundand make good subjects. If you want to add anotherdimension to your portfolio you can try for one ofthe most dramatic shots in the natural world, anemerging dragonfly. You will need to patrol the pondedge just before dawn during the summer andhopefully you will find a larva crawling up a stem.Set up without disturbing it and hope the sun risesas it emerges. You will almost certainly have to visitthe spot on quite a few occasions before you arelucky, but it is well worth the effort.

WHAT LIVES IN BRITAIN’SPONDS?

also leave all the water and creatures outsideso they are at the same temperature andwon’t get shocked when you move them.Once you have finished your photography

it’s important that you return all theanimals to the pond where you caught them.I would suggest you keep any animals foronly a couple of days. Many are carnivoresand will eat each other, so make sure youknow what they are and keep them separatefrom each other.If you keep the animals longer you must

find out what they eat so you can feed them.If you keep carnivorous species such asdragonfly larvae or many water beetles, thensmall earthworms are a good food source.

KEY CAMERA SETTINGSI photograph the aquarium using my macrolens and occasionally an extension tube as

well to get a little closer. I always use a tripod,because even in good light the speeds arenever high.Macro work has a shallow depth of field so

you may use higher Fnumbers such as 16.This, however, will build in one problem – abigger depth of field with more particlespresent in the water showing up. I can neverget rid of them all, no matter how hard I try,and as the animals swim about they keepstirring up any sediment. Try differentapertures. I find f/8 is a good compromise,but even then I need to spend a little timeon the computer removing the specks in thewater frommy images.I used to shoot with flash but this makes

the specks stand out even more; all theimages in this article were taken in naturaldaylight. Light, overcast days are ideal.I set my white balance to Cloudy to add

a little more saturation and tend to usean ISO of about 800, even pushing it to1000 occasionally.

CHOOSING A BACKGROUNDThe background is very important. I simplyplace a sheet or some vegetation of thecolour I want a metre or so behind theaquarium.Through a process of trial and error I have

found that lighter colours, particularly

THE FINAL ASPECTTO CONSIDER ISREFLECTIONS IN THEGLASS. THESE AREUSUALLY OF YOURCAMERA OR HANDS


WWW. PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY. COM [47]

For more top tips from the pros visit oursite www.photographymonthly.com

PAUL HOBSON

WILD BRITAIN

PHOTOGRAPHING POND LIFE

greens, work best because the white specksin the water tend to show up much less.

AVOID REFLECTIONSThe final aspect to consider is reflectionsin the glass. These are usually of yourcamera or hands, but by varying yourposition slightly these can be removed.Try focusing on the front glass now and

then to see if there are any reflections.You can even wear black gloves if your handskeep showing up! One thing I have found isthat if I try to photograph at too steep anangle to the glass the image becomesdistorted, so I always try to keep the lensat right angles to the glass.Another problem which is unavoidable is

the meniscus. This is where the watertouches the side of the tank and rises upa little. This tends to look like a white line

� Greater water boatman, with reflectionCanon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/40secat f/8, ISO 800

� Emerald damselfly larvaCanon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/125secat f/5.6, ISO 800

� Small water beetleCanon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/60secat f/8, ISO 800

�Great diving beetleCanon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/30secat f/11, ISO 800

in your image and is noticeable whenphotographing animals that hang downfrom the surface.Compact cameras that have a macro

function should be able to perform very wellin this scenario, though you may run into oneslight problem with the reflections. I have usedmy Canon PowerShot G11, but I have to get so

close that I get more reflections. It is stillpossible to get stunning images, I just need tobe a little more careful! PM


SUBSCRIBEBYDIRECTDEBITANDRECEIVEYOURFIRST3 ISSUESFORJUST£6.00!

After that your subscriptionwill continueat£8.30 every quarter – which is still just £2.55 an issue.

Alternatively, subscribe by credit/debit card and receive six issuesfor £15 – just £2.50 per issue.

3 ISSUES FOR JUST£2 PER ISSUE

THAT’S HALFPRICE!

£3.99JUST £2.00PER ISSUE

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!��www.subscriptionsave.co.uk/pm

PM_OCT_SUBS:PM subs ad 24/08/2011 16:26

► Great savings on the cover price!

► FREE access to the fully searchabledigital editions including the currentissue & back issue archive (as far backas July 2009) – worth £18 a year!

► Every issue delivered FREE to your door

► Inspiring, intelligent and entertainingfeatures and images from the world ofphotography

Photography Monthlysubscribers love:

�01858438840PLEASEQUOTE 10PA

Code 10PA

��

YOUR DETAILS

Terms and conditions:UK only offer. Details of Direct Debit guarantee available on request.Savings are based on a cover price of £3.99 per issue. PhotographyMonthly is published 13 times a year. For overseas orders please call+44 (0) 1858438840 or visit www.subscriptionsave.co.uk. Offer ends:05/10/2011.

We will use the contact details supplied to communicate with you regardingyour subscription. Please tick if you do not wish to receive informationabout products and services from Archant Ltd by phone ��

by post �� or other carefully selected companies by phone �� by post ��.Please tick if you would like to receive information or offers from ArchantLtd by SMS �� or email ��. Please tick if you wish to receive information oroffers from other carefully selected companies by SMS �� or email ��.

INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR BANK OR BUILDING SOCIETY.Please pay Archant Specialist, on behalf of Direct Debits from the account detailed on thisinstruction, subject to safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand thatthe instruction may remain with Archant Specialist and if so, details will be passedelectronically to my Bank or Building Society.

4 1 2 3 8 6Reference: (Office use only)

To the manager (Bank name)

Address

Postcode

Name(s) of account holder(s)

Bank/Building Society account numberBranch sort code

Service User Number

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society branch.

YOU MAY CANCEL THE DIRECT DEBIT AT ANY TIME AFTER THE FIRST PAYMENT IS TAKEN.Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions for some types of account.

Date

Date

Signature

Signature

DIRECT DEBIT

Mr/Mrs/Ms

Address

Postcode

Tel no. Mobile no.

Email

INSTRUCTION TO YOUR BANK OR BUILDING SOCIETY TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT

�� Please send me 3 issues of Photography Monthly for just ££66..0000. After which I understandmy subscription will continue at £8.30 by quarterly Direct Debit

PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLYSUBSCRIPTION FORM

Card no

Start date Expiry date Issue no (Maestro only)

ORDER BY CHEQUE, CREDIT/DEBIT CARD

�� I enclose a cheque made payable to Archant Specialist for £15.00 for my six issues

�� Please charge my Debit/Credit card £15.00 for my six issues

� Photography Monthly, FREEPOST NAT22147, Market Harborough, LE16 9BR, UK(no stamp required if posted in the UK)

PM_OCT_SUBS:PM subs ad 24/08/2011 16:27


TECHNIQUES

FRAN HALSALLUSING BACKLIGHTING

Shooting directly into the sun opens a path to all sorts of creative worlds.Nature photographer FRAN HALSALL explains what subjects work bestwhen backlit and how to overcome obstacles such as flare and high contrast

ONTHEBACKBURNER

Silver birch, Lawrence Field, DerbyshireTaken just after the sunrise, as

red-gold light escapes from behinda birch tree and with the aperture set

at f/22, a crisp starburst is formed

FRAN

HALS

ALL

PM_OCT_BACKLIGHTING:Layout 1 24/08/2011 09:25


idelighting is usually the defaultchoice for most natural lightphotography; however, backlighting,

with the sun behind the subject, can bea worthwhile alternative. Backlighting hasthe potential to be dramatic, yet it is the veryfactors helping to create the eye-catchingresults that make it so much more difficult towork with than sidelighting.

PROPERTIES OF BACKLIGHTINGFrom the outset it is important to understandwhat makes a good subject by defining theproperties of backlighting. Starting at thesmall end of the scale, delicate wildflowerscovered in minute hairs benefit greatly frombeing lit from behind because a glowing halois created. The strength of this effect and thedegree to which the subject will becomesilhouetted depends on the sun’s brightness.The background needs to be a sufficientlydarker tone for the halo to appear obvious.

Other translucent vegetation such as treeleaves reveal much of their interior cellstructure as light passes through them,which is especially effective with youngfoliage. Again this luminosity is best seenagainst a muted or dark background.

LENS CHOICEA variety of lenses is useful for this scale ofsubject, typically a 100mm macro for plantsaround 10cm or less and a 70-200mm forlarger subjects.

Whichever lens is used it is vital to reducethe risk of flare, or the exposure will mostlikely be ruined. When arranging thecomposition the sun must remain out of shot,as looking directly into its path is both badfor the eyes and for the camera’s sensor.

Using a lens hood means that any straylight is likely to be prevented from enteringthe camera which, left unhindered, wouldreduce the contrast and produce flat results.

There is a quick test for flare – whilelooking through the viewfinder simply puta hand between the sun and the lens, and ifthe contrast appears different when the handis removed, then flare is present.

SUITABLE SUBJECTSTrees, buildings and people all have excellentpotential when it comes to backlighting, asthey have an easily recognisable outline.Bearing in mind that solid objects tend toproduce dark silhouettes, any subject shouldbe chosen on the merits of its shape and itsposition, and it is important to ensure thatnothing impedes the view behind it.Silhouettes work through contrast and whilethe sky must be bright enough to see the

effect, stylistically speaking it is preferablethat the sun should be reasonably low in thesky or be dipped below the horizon to get thebest quality light.

While buildings are generally static, peoplefidget and trees get blown about in the wind,all of which must be taken into account withthe shutter speed. Working with the low lightaround sunrise and sunset it is inevitablethat exposure times will be longer, easily

measuring whole seconds, particularly ifsmaller apertures are being used.While people can be encouraged to stay stillfor several seconds, on some breezy days it isimpossible to shoot trees unless their flailingbranches can become a positive feature.

BLOCK THE SUNSolid objects can be used to effectively blockthe sun’s rays, reducing the possibility of �

S



TECHNIQUES

FRAN HALSALLUSING BACKLIGHTING

“TREES, BUILDINGS ANDPEOPLE ALL HAVE

EXCELLENT POTENTIALWHEN IT COMES TO

BACKLIGHTING”

� Passing squall, Loch Maree and Slioch, Wester RossThe softness of the water and sky is balanced by thecrisp outline of dark trees, barely silhouetted bythe insubstantial light. With the sun only just above thehorizon and mostly obscured by cloud, the conditionsare ideal for backlighting this highly reflective surfacein the Scottish Highlands

�Swyre Head and Bat’s Head, DorsetThis shot was only possible because of the wet sandreflecting sunlight diffused by clouds and hidden bythe cliff. It is fortunate that the chalk cliffs arenaturally bright, otherwise this area would be devoidof any interest

Fran specialises in photographingthe UK landscape and is workingon a book about the diversityof British land forms. She haswritten two other books and

teaches courses on location in the Peak District.'www.fran-halsall.co.uk

BIOGRAPHY



FRAN HALSALL

TECHNIQUES

USING BACKLIGHTING

flare and creating a better exposure.However, by placing the sun in alignmentwith the subject’s edge and allowing a tinyfraction of the direct light to reach thecamera, a starburst effect is created.There is no need for fancy filters here, justan instinctive grasp of basic physics.

EQUIPMENTAs a general principle, it is best to use nofilters at all with backlighting, as extra glasscauses additional reflections that could leadto flare. The most successful starbursts areseen with wider-angle zooms and primelenses, which feature less glass inside andhave a lower risk of internal reflectionscompared with long lenses, which createpoorly defined bursts.

The other essential component is choosingthe right aperture, as the effect is strongestwhen apertures are smallest. It is worthwhileexperimenting with values from f/11 upwards.

Perhaps the hardest skill to master isbacklighting in the larger landscape, as thismeans coping with the biggest of all contrastissues, a bright area of sky and land that willbe silhouetted to some extent.

Using ND grads or exposure compositeswill probably be necessary. The advantagehere of working digitally is that instant

feedback is given on the exposure. While itmakes sense to follow the usual rule ofphotographing around sunrise and sunset,this does create complications, as thelow-lying sun is more likely to cause flare.

Sometimes a wide-angle, petal-shaped lenshood needs help, either with a piece of cardor, failing that, a well-positioned hand.

WATERWhen photographing water its reflectiveproperties have to be taken into account.Strongly backlit water will sparkle withspecular highlights that are almostimpossible to expose well. If they are, thenthe rest of the image becomes far too dark.However, water lit by sun partly hidden bycloud is less direct and turns these reflectivequalities into an advantage, creating imageswith a dramatic contrast range.

Sunlight just escaping from behind cloudsis naturally dramatic and a time-honouredartistic theme, but it takes swift reactionsto cope with the balance of light and darkchanging from moment to moment. PM

“THE OTHER ESSENTIALCOMPONENT IS

CHOOSING THE RIGHTAPERTURE, AS THE

EFFECT IS STRONGESTWHEN APERTURES ARE

SMALLEST”

� Meadow foxtail, Chee Dale, DerbyshireAn unassuming clump of meadow foxtail grass is madebeautiful by a delicate halo of light and the relativelyhigh sun is kept out of frame to the top right

� Wych elm leaves, Wasdale, CumbriaShot with a 100mm macro at f/2.8 from about halfa metre away; the open aperture allows just a fewglowing leaves to be isolated in sharp focus againsta background that is in fact a barn cast into shadow

For more tips from the pros visit our sitewww.photographymonthly.com


ALSO INSIDE:The truth about shootingeditorial garden photography

NEW ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

TRAVEL MAGSAn Editor’s inside view

on budgets and commissioning

ESSENTIAL BUSINESSIDEAS AND ADVICE

STRIKE A CHORDMusic photographer Kevin Lakeon how to crack the industry

What is the future for portrait photography?

NEW!16-PAGE

TURNING PRO

SECTION

The parachute you need when making the leap

TP_OCT_COVER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:01

56

WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE ‘NEW’TURNING PRO (TP). For now, we will be usingPhotography Monthly as a ‘vehicle’ to carry theTP message and features. Yes, youmay havereadTP before as amagazine in its own right,but we as a team felt it needed a change andcould work a little harder. So, we haveredesigned it, given it a new brief and, for now,placed it within the pages of PM with the aim ofreaching a wider audience of potential readers.

In time, we hope it will grow and again become amagazine on theshelves, but for now putting it within PM is the only way it can work.

So what is the ‘new’ TP all about?Wewant to make sure the title says it all. So, whether you are justcoming out of college at 18, or are considering a full-time careerchange at 50, TP will have relevant, interesting and inspiring contentfor you. Our remit will be to cover it all, from case studies of workingpros, business advice about anything frommarketing and accounting toinformation about workshops, courses and training, and advice abouta wide variety of photography career options. Please feel free to contactus with your thoughts, including feature ideas and content.

Remember, this is just the start…

[email protected]

CONTENTSP58 INSIGHT

P60 THE PRO

P63 THE APPRENTICE

P66 THE INSIDER

P68 OPINIONS

P69 BUSINESS

Editorial assistantJessica Lamb filtersthrough the latestnews and competitionsto bring you thehighlights from thephotographic industry

Kelly Weech speaks tomusic photographerKevin Lake about howhe got started, what ittakes to break intoa competitive marketand the industry today.

In a new series, KellyWeech shoots forThe English Gardenmagazine to see if thereis more to specialistphotography than meetsthe eye.

TP speaks to the Editorof France magazine tofind out about editorialbudgets, approachingeditors and howphotographers can getcommissioned.

TP looks at marketingtactics and focuses onportrait photography inthe run-up to Christmas2011. Ensure you stayahead of the game.

This month, TP hosts around-table discussion,and looks at the future ofportrait photography.Turn to page 68 to findout the opinions of fourworking pros.

iSTO

CKPH

OTO

/KEV

INM

ULLI

NS/K

ELLY

WEE

CH/K

EVIN

LAKE

/SAM

HUNT

&M

URAT

GÖKM

EN/B

ELLA

WES

T/TP

COVE

RIM

AGE

KEVI

NLA

KE

TP_OCT_WELCOME:Layout 1 24/08/2011 14:14

Copyright 2011 NEC Display Solution Europe GmbH. All rights are reserved in favour of their respective owners. This document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either express or implied.

+44 (0) 870 120 1160 www.nec-displays.co.uk

Voted ‘Best Expert Photo Monitor’ by the Technical Image Press Association

(TIPA), the SpectraView® Reference 271 is a hardware-calibratable, wide-gamut

LCD display featuring a 10-bit P-IPS panel with 97 per cent usable AdobeRGB

colour space. With 24, 27 and 30” models, NEC SpectraView® is the ‘reference’

for demanding photographic image reproduction and video editing.

SPECTRAVIEW® REFERENCE

Voted ‘BestExpert Photo Monitor’ by TIPA

58

KRIS

THOM

PSON

LUCKY STARS...Entries for the 2011AstronomyPhotographer of theYear competition arenowclosed. Thewinners arebeing announced thismonth andanexhibitionwillfollowat theRoyalObservatory,Greenwich, thiswinter. Exhibition details canbe foundatwww.nmm.ac.uk. If youmissedout this year don’tworry, there’s always 2012…

DSLRs ON FRONT LINEAmid all the chaos and destruction of the riots lastmonth amateur and professional photographerscaptured thought-provoking images andmadeshort films using DSLRs. The results prove thepopularity and effectiveness of shooting on DSLRs.Check some out at www.dslrnewsshooter.com

PICTURE IMPERFECTThere is a growing debate about themedia’s use ormisuse of airbrushed images. FashionmagazineGrazia caused a controversy when its May covershowed a digitally slimmed-down image of KateMiddleton in her Sarah Burton for AlexanderMcQueenwedding dress.

Grazia said it "would like to reassure all ourreaders that we did not purposely make anyalterations to the Duchess of Cambridge’s imageto make her appear slimmer, and we are sorry ifthis process gave that impression.” Themagazinesaid it had wanted an image of the duchess on herown, so it had been necessary to remove PrinceWilliam’s arm from the shot, which resulted in achange to the outline of Kate’s waist.

Readers are quick to notice even the smallesterrors or changes, highlighting the importanceof paying attention to detail whenmanipulating orchanging an image in any way.SEEYOU IN COURT?

A federal court in New York has refused to dismissDavid LaChapelle’s copyright claim against singerRihanna over her raunchy S&M music video (left)allegedly copied from his images. According to thefashion photographer many of the scenes from thevideo were directly influenced by his work.The court ruled this was a plausible claim andcould go to trial, even if the details in the video andLaChapelle’s work were not exactly the same.It is now up to Rihanna to decide whether it isworth the risk and expense to defend herselfagainst these copyright claims.

KISS ME KATEMario Testino’s dreamy and romantic images ofthe wedding of KateMoss are printed in theSeptember issue of American Voguemagazine.Mario has worked with Kate since she was 16and his relationship with themodel really showsthrough in the intimacy and honesty of the images.You can view the photographs online atwww.vogue.com

FASHION FUROREFashion brand Jours Après Lunes has come underfire over the advertising campaign for its lingerieline aimed at pre-teenage girls .Fashion housesandmagazines have been criticised for usingchildren in campaigns, so how young is too young?Promotional photos for Jours Après Lunes featuregirls aged as young as four years old wearing brasand knickers. Supporters claim that the imagesare playful and fun, but in a world where childrenalready want to grow up too quickly, is thisapproach sending out the wrongmessage?Either way the images have certainly causedplenty of debate.

NEWS FILTERIt is difficult to keep up to date with all the latest news from the photography world, soJESSICA LAMB has filtered out some inspirational and interesting stories from the past month.If you would like to share your views on any of the topics please join us on our Facebook page

TALENT SPOTTINGCheck out Talenthouse, an online resource forphotographers, hairdressers, models and artists.Talenthouse runs regular competitions givingphotographers the chance to work with some ofthe profession’s greatest names. It takes twominutes to register and is worth keeping an eyeon for up-and-coming opportunities.Join Talenthouse on its Facebook page or visitwww.talenthouse.com

TP_OCT_INSIGHT:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:13

Calling all Schools & Nursery photographersAre you maximising your sales?

Our beautifully simple online solution could revolutionise your business!Call us to find out how on (0845) 862 0217

Tel: 0845 862 0217 Web: www.onevisionimaging.com Email: [email protected]

Pro SeriesWebsites

BespokeWebsites

For the discerning professional where a unique design and build is required, our team will design and build a site from the bottom up with the exact style and functionality you require. These are our fl agship photography sites on which we have built our international reputation. Prices quoted individually.

- the easy way to get a custom site for less

- the ultimate tool for the professional

NEW! New! Get a custom look and feel without the custom price tag. Choose from a series of beautiful designs and let us customise it to produce a superb, updateable

site matched to your brand and tailored to your exact needs.

Starting from a pre-designed structure, we take your logo and brand colours and create a unique site that really works for your business. You can also add on services such as logo design, matching blog, e-commerce, and much more.

Pro Series Websites from £999 + VAT

020 8977 8943 [email protected] www.amazinginternet.com

Amazing InternetTh e Art of Creative Web Design

“I challenged Amazing Internet to builda site to be proud of. Which they did andthen some.” – www.katehopewellsmith.com

60

KEVI

NLA

KE

London-based musicphotographer KEVIN LAKEtells KELLY WEECH about hisbig break, the current musicindustry and the reality ofbeing a freelancer

or Kevin Lakemusic photographyis the dream job because itcombines his two greatestpassions. He loves the challenge ofworking under extreme pressureand using the elements available,

such as stage lighting, to create something visuallystunning out of what can be demanding situations.He explains: “I love it that it’s all there in front ofyou and as a photographer you just have to workwith that. I operate best under pressure, so it suitsme because it’s exciting.”

After spendingmany years DJing and hostingclub nights, Kevin found himself documenting themusic events and relished the instant results adigital camera could offer. In 2002, he startedshooting portraits and live gigs using a KonicaMinolta DiMAGE Z2 digital camera. “My first jobwas working on a freemagazine in Nottinghamcalled LeftLion. I didn’t get paid but I got access tolocal gigs,” he says. “It gave me the chance to getmy work published and gain credibility. In themusic industry people don’t take you seriously ifyou don’t have published work. Even freenewspapers andmagazines get good access togigs and if you are willing to shoot for nothing,they are more likely to give a new photographera chance.”

In 2006, Kevin moved to London and begantaking his photography more seriously. He joinedBase.admagazine, which worked in a similar wayto LeftLion, but being in the capital gave him thechance to cover bigger andmore frequent gigs.Now, five years later, Kevin works regularly formagazines such as DJ, Future Music and Clash.He shoots for the Livepix agency, getting workpublished in national papers, including TheIndependent, The Times, Mail on Sunday andEvening Standard, and has regular commissionsfrom a set of clients andmusic labels. He insistshe did not have an easy ride and that opportunitiesdon’t just occur; you create your own luck.

“When I started, I wasn’t experienced enough torealise my images weren’t actually very good. I can

F

INTHE SPOTLIGH

only see this now, looking back in time. What I didbecome aware of pretty quickly was that peoplehave to want to work with you. In this industry, it’svery much about the contacts youmake and thepersonal relationships you build. If you knowa friend of a friend and get recommended, this isa good stepping stone to making a new contact,rather than simply cold calling or sendingan email on spec, because neither results inbeing commissioned.

“It is essential that you create yourself asa person rather than just another photographer.You should pick up the telephone and talk topeople andmost will feel an obligation to give youat least a short period of time to sell yourself. It israre that someone will meet you in person, unlikethe old days, but if they can put a name to a faceand respect you as a person, and if the quality ofyour work is high enough, you are likely to beremembered. I have been working with one of myclients for more than a year and I only met him

in person the other day. In the industry today,most photographers build relationships on thetelephone and by email.”

Kevin describes themusic industry at presentas unpredictable, challenging, yet exciting.Although hemakesmost of his money frommusicphotography he still has a part-time job, claiming:“Within themusic industry I don’t know anyonewho doesn’t.” He understands the difficulty ofgetting commissions frommusic magazinesbecause usually they will work only with aclose-knit group of photographers. It is acompetitive industry, especially when somanypeople own a digital camera, but Kevin believesprofessional photographers will always have work.

“When you get to a certain level of shootingphotography professionally and have created astrong, consistent portfolio, the things that reallymatter to commissioners are reliability andprofessionalism. Magazines don’t want to takerisks, they want to feel 100 per cent confident in

TP_OCT_THE_PRO:Layout 1 23/08/2011 12:04

61

When I started, I wasn’t experiencedenough to realise my images weren’tactually very good. I can only see this

now, looking back in timeGHT

Above: Rapper andproducer Busta Rhymes,

Monegros DesertFestival, Fraga, Spain

Left: New York rapperNas, HMV Apollo,

Hammersmith, London


62

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Two Canon 580EX II Speedlites

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG HSM

Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di macro

Velbon Sherpa PRO CF-640 tripod with a

Giotto’s MH1300 ball and socket head

Plenty of SanDisk Extreme 8GB cards

WWHHAATT’’SS IINN YYOOUURRKKIITT BBAAGG??

In this game courage andpersistence are crucial; youhave to keep trying to getnoticed or you won’t be

BIOGRAPHYKevin Lake is a freelance musicphotographer based in Londonwho travels around the world tophotograph gigs. His interestsalso include landscapes,

architecture and street photography. He workswith the Livepix photo agency and his work ispublished in national newspapers and magazines.

the people they employ to execute the job, deliverresults every time and meet the deadline.Sometimes I don’t find out I am shooting a gig until the same day, usually around 5pm, but I amalways available and ready to shoot.”

Kevin makes it clear that within this industrythere are certain things that only time andexperience can teach you. He says there are twogolden rules when shooting a gig: You get the first three songs and no flash. “These restrictionsmean photographers have to know their gearinside out and be adaptable to capture greatimages, no matter what the lights throw at them.The no-flash rule is a great one in theory and

can help to create the ambience of the shot.Sometimes, however, the venue or act decide touse a dim red light or massive pulsing spotlightsfrom behind, which can be a nightmare for a photographer trying to get a clear shot for apublication. Occasionally, you can get lucky and still capture a good shot, but quite often yousnap blindly and hope your exposure setting works in your favour. To do this you need theconfidence not to panic under pressure.”

The music industry as a whole is changing fast.As the printed media’s share of the marketdeclines and more content goes online,convergence continues to grow, especially ineditorial. “Video seems to be in demand and whileI don’t think it will replace the still image,photographers need to open themselves up todiversity and do things differently in order to stayahead of the game. It is a new challenge toaddress and gives photographers opportunities totry new things. Previously, it would have beenimpossible to afford filming equipment, but nowcameras such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark II makeit possible for one person to shoot stills and videoat a gig. It is definitely something I will get intobecause, effectively, magazines and newspaperscan save money and I can charge more. Over time I think it will have more of an impact.

“In this game courage and persistence arecrucial; you have to keep trying to get noticed oryou won’t be. I am constantly contacting people inthe industry and thinking of interesting or evenrandom ways to get commissioned. Sometimesyou won’t even get a single reply, but you don’tknow until you try.”

Singer-songwriter Adele,The Tabernacle, London

Rock/funk/rap band N*E*R*D, HMV Forum, Kentish Town, London

www.kevinlake.co.uk


63

Garden photography is a niche sector within the industry, so this month we sentKELLY WEECH to photograph a country garden for The English Garden magazineand then asked its Editor, TAMSIN WESTHORPE, to pass judgment on the results

s a wedding and portraitphotographer I know very littleabout horticulture beyonddeciding what I consider tobe a beautiful flower. I knowwhat makes a good

photograph, but shooting an editorial featurefor a specialist magazine is a task that is not tobe underestimated, as I soon found out.

I took on the job with themind-set of a freelancephotographer, someone whomight approachThe English Garden in the real world ofprofessional photography. Many photographersspecialise in more than one area to enablethem to earn extra money and, if they are a keengardener, might see garden photography as aneasy add-on to their business.

Within editorial photography the images have totell a story and inspire the reader. Most freelancephotographers will find a garden to shoot and thenpitch the feature to an appropriate magazine.The English Garden profiles five gardens in eachmonthly issue and I made it my task not only to finda garden and create a feature, but also to capturean image suitable for the front cover. After all, isn’tthis every photographer’s dream?

Each gardenmagazine has its own style when itcomes to choosing images, so photographersreally need to study the publication in depth beforeapproaching the Editor. I beganmy researchleafing through previous issues of themagazine,looking at the visual variety and overall design, andconsidering how I could possibly tackle familiarstories in a new way.

My first impression was thatThe English Gardenfeatured a variety of images and did not showa panoramic view of the whole garden in theopening shot, as somemagazines did. Instead, thegarden was explored through the use of individualimages throughout the feature. I decided to gowith the concept of photographing a reader’sgarden for a possible real-life feature. With noexperience or portfolio in garden photography,it was unlikely that I would be granted access toa renowned garden, but the owners of a countryhouse in the village of Ham, Somerset, werewilling to help.

A

EYE FORA GARDEN

�

crop

need

ed-

good

lifest

yleele

men

t

�

�

plant

inre

lation

togr

eenho

usef

eatu

reto

oclos

eand

arty

,nos

cale

� �

grea

tplan

tpor

trait

�

benc

hto

ocen

tral

�nice

bord

er,sh

owsp

lanta

ssoc

iatio

n

imag

eflip

ped

-ok

forco

ver

��

good

mix

ofpla

nts,

show

ssca

le�

�

KELL

YW

EECH

TP_OCT_THE_APPRENTICE:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:15

64

On the day of the shoot, armed with a CanonEOS 5D and 24-105mm lens, I started theassignment by walking around the garden andpicking out the possible focal points of each image.These were: bird bath, bench, summer house,greenhouse and trees. The way in which thegarden had been designedmeant all the focalpoints had been separated into sections, whichmade it impossible to shoot one view of the whole

garden. Unfortunately, the summer house wassome distance from the flowers and the plants, sothe images I captured lookedmore commercialthan editorial, so I knew this was not going to work.The next hurdle to overcome was the limitation

of my equipment. I had thought the 24mm lenswould be ample, but it actually restrictedme bothin terms of composition and ideas. What I neededwas a wide focal length, such as a 16-35mm, toenable me to crop in closer but wider. In hindsight,I should have shot landscape images and croppedin at the editing stage, but working under pressureand keen to get good results, I hadn’t thought ofwhat could have been an easy solution.I quickly came to realise that you need

knowledge of the subject you are photographing.

Specialist titles, such as gardenmagazines,require not only an understanding of how tocapture the photograph but the fundamentals ofwhat you are shooting. Knowing which flowerswere at their best or slightly out of season, andwhat combinations of flowers in a scene wouldappeal to the reader, would havemade it easier tojudge which aspects of the garden weremostimportant. This is something the owner couldhave assisted with, but she was not available onthe day I could do the shoot. As well as getting heradvice, I could have taken a lifestyle portrait of theowner in the garden, which I noticed had beenincluded in previous features in themagazine.I continued shooting for the next two hours,experimenting with angles and compositionswhile waiting for the light to return from behindthe clouds.My experience showed the importance of

choosing a garden which is not only inspirationalin real life but can be photographed successfully.Shooting a feature for a magazine that has notbeen commissioned can be risky. Although Ithought this garden had all the right elements,I underestimated the difficulties in creating agarden feature story. Editorial garden photographyis not for hobbyists or an area in which otherphotographers canmake easy money; it is a nichewhich requires specialists. To break into thismarket it is essential to build relationships andcontacts so as to get access to well-knowngardens. Looking back at the images, I wish I hadinvested in some props, such as a wheelbarrow,gardener’s gloves, or a spade, to bring along andadd another element to the scene.In the real world of photography people don’t

often tell you about their mistakes but as we allknow this is how we learn and become betterphotographers. My advice would be to learn frommymistakes.

MY ADVICE:Shoot RAW so you can deliver the highestquality images. Supply themagazine withTIFF files.Approach editors with a complete set of 30images from one shoot. Ensure the garden issuitable for their magazine and thatyour images are taken in their signaturephotographic style.Ensure you have the right equipment for thejob. Ideally, I would have taken a 16-35mm,24-70mm and 70-200mm lens.

TAMSIN’SVERDICT:August and September are generally the hardestcovers and features to shoot, as it is gettingtowards the end of the season, and lawns andplants can look tired. Whenever we commissionphotographers to shoot a garden we always askthem to look out for cover opportunities.However, sometimes we chose an image for thecover which has not been selected for the featureor shot with the cover in mind. It has to portraya strong composition, work with our cover lines

I quickly came torealise that youneed knowledge ofthe subject you arephotographing

TTOOPP PPRROO TTIIPPSS

and stand out on the newsstand. We have found thatour readers like to be able to imagine themselves inthe cover image so we nearly always look for thepotential to sit in or walk through the picture. We wouldn’t feature this garden in our magazine,

for a number of reasons. The English Garden looksfor lots of different features and elements in a gardenand ideally we would want 15 different views for thelayout. Unfortunately, this garden could not deliverthat, as too many shots had the same or similar view,which would make it really difficult to create a storyfeature. It is not down to the photographer alone; thegarden has to be right for our audience, offer lots ofviews and be open at some point to visitors. It is also essential for us that the photographer

shooting a garden has horticultural knowledge andexperience. These photographers know what we are looking for from a garden shoot and this is whywe use specialists. Out of the set of images presented, one image has

the elements to be a front cover if it were flipped. A photographer can shoot all day and not get a coverout of a shoot. If a photographer went out to shoot a cover it wouldn’t be cost-effective and the chancesof it working as a front cover are really slim.Sometimes we see an image, such as the one Kellytook, which would be great if it were flipped, but this isnot something we do, as we like to show a truereflection of the garden. I would advise photographers looking to get

commissioned to obtain an RHS (Royal HorticulturalSociety) Certificate in Horticulture through their localcollege and to go on a photography course with arenowned garden photographer.

Photographer Jason Ingram worksregularly for The English Gardenmagazine.He offered a few top tips to consider whensetting out to shoot the front cover:

Try to shoot both portrait and landscape becausethe cover is often square by the time the titlebanner is in.Give plenty of space around the subject, whethersky or foreground, making sure there aren’t toomany clashing colours or overly strong shapes,and keep it soft. Look for light and dark areaswithin the frame to allow text to be read easily.Try versions with a narrow depth of field, allowingfor laying copy over soft areas. Out-of-focusforeground interest often works perfectly for straplines. Use your depth-of-field preview to check this.Pathways leading to seating areas, archwaystaking the viewer into the garden, graphiccompositional elements and architecture all make for a very strong cover. Keep a copy of a previous cover to aid compositionand remember to give plenty of space!

www.jasoningram.co.uk

TP_OCT_THE_APPRENTICE:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:18

The magazine for thepro semi-pro and everyonedetermined to make an income from theirphotography

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES FROMWWW.F2FREELANCEPHOTOGRAPHER.COM

To subscribe by telephone call 020 7415 7098

2f

OLY BARNSLEY

Vol 5 No 7

www.f2freelancephotogr£3.99

STARTING OUT

BOYNTON

& SMALL

TURNING PRO

JULIAN

HANFORD

THE BUSINESS

HOWARD SHOOTER

TECHNICAL

GPS NAVIGATION

COLOUR MANAGEMENT

THE F2 PROFILE

66

5 MINUTES WITH...WHATROLEDOESPHOTOGRAPHYPLAY IN

THEMAGAZINE?An extremely important one – we are showcasingthe best that France has to offer in order to inspirepeople to visit the country. Readers alwaysmentionthe fact that the photos we include are stunning.

IS IT IMPORTANTTOESTABLISHAVISUALIDENTITY FORAMAGAZINELIKEYOURSTHROUGHTHEPHOTOGRAPHYYOUUSE?Yes, it’s very important. Our excellent photography,superior design and layout ensure it keeps itsposition as the number onemagazine about Francein Britain and North America.

IN ANAVERAGE ISSUEOFFRANCEMAGAZINEWHATPROPORTIONOFTHEPHOTOGRAPHY ISCOMMISSIONED, BOUGHTFROMSYNDICATIONAGENCIESORSUBMITTEDBYPHOTOGRAPHERS?Our budget doesn’t allow us to commission verymuch, but there are certain features for which it isessential, such as Village Life and Galerie.We use photo libraries quite a lot, such aswww.awl-images.com, www.travel-library.co.uk

and www.robertharding.com. Sometimes we willalso source images direct from the tourist boards.

WHENYOUCOMMISSION,WHATAREYOULOOKINGFOR INAPHOTOGRAPHER?I usually commission photographers based inFrance, as it reduces travel costs. Photographersneed to capture the essence of France – be it abeautiful village or a stunning landscape.

WHATAREYOULOOKINGFOR IN IMAGESFROMPHOTOLIBRARIESORAGENCIES?We usually find our cover images from agencies,but there are so few decent ones taken vertically, itis sometimes difficult to find the perfect shot. Also,we often struggle to illustrate articles on thoselocations off the beaten track, so it is helpful tosearch for them in one place, ie photo libraries.There’s no point offering pictures of, say, the EiffelTower, as somany are available. We prefer animage to have as few people as possible to avoid itlooking too touristy. Images that are cropped tootightly would not work either; as a rule we prefer tocrop the image if needs be to work with the layout.

WHATDOMOSTPHOTOGRAPHERSGETWRONGWHENAPPROACHINGYOU?I love it when a set ofpictures tells a story. We alwayswant an ‘angle’ when commissioningwriters and the same goes for photography.Also, people assumewe cover the expat communityor property, when that is done by our sistermagazines, Living France and French PropertyNews. We do travel and culture.

WHAT IS YOURADVICEFORSOMEONEHOPINGTOBECOMMISSIONEDBYFRANCEMAGAZINE?Do your research; get to know themagazine andthe kind of pictures we use. The best way to get incontact is by email with a link to your website and ifwe think your images are suitable for ourmagazinewe will get in touch. Also, get your pictures ona decent photo library, or develop your own websitewith a good search facility, including asmanykeywords as you can think of.www.francemag.com

Each month, we speak to commissioners within the photographic industry to bringyou insider knowledge. France magazine Editor CAROLYN BOYD reveals how toapproach it for travel and lifestyle photographic features

TP_OCT_THE_INSIDER:Layout 1 23/08/2011 16:12

Platinum BarytaPlatinum Baryta 300gsm contains Barium Sulphate, which gives a natural base

colour and a smooth ‘unglazed’ glossy fi nish. The paper keeps the most delicate

highlights with smooth transitions and gives the deepest blacks, resulting in a

traditional Baryta darkroom look and feel from an inkjet paper.

“They are, in fact, much better than any 12 x 16 inch darkroom print

I have ever made”David Kilpatrick, BJP Oct 2010

A NEW PAPER TO SATISFY YOUR DARKROOM CRAVING

For more information or to fi nd your nearest stockist, please call

us on 01249 714 555 or email [email protected]

professional inkjet media

Image: Spitzley Zagariwww.fotospeed.com

internet solutions for the serious photographer

For sales and support

0845 118 0030 theimagefile...

Kevin Mullins:Everyone has a camera these daysbut just likewedding photography, they can’t alltake a professional-grade portrait. I firmly believethat our overall service, style, product range,post-processing and general effectiveness shouldseparate us from the average camera snapper.Creativity is key but business sense is essential too.

Bella West:Everyone ownsa digitalcamera, so iscommercialportraitphotographya dying sector?I think theanswer is, onlyif you allow it to.I saw this

current trend in oversaturated,mediocrephotography evolving 10 years ago. So, personally,formy own business, from the start I had to look atmy product –which is a photograph. At the end ofthe day, that is your biggestmarketing tool. It is verytempting, especially for those just starting out, togive everything away.

Norman Rubenis: I was starting to think I neededto dropmy prices due to the economic climate, butthen I saw awebinar by a hugely successful USportrait photographerwho advocated increasingyour prices and attention to presentation. I think thebig difference betweenUncle Bob shooting awedding and taking on a portrait client is down totheway it is paid for. Althoughmost of usmay havea booking or sitting fee, it is often the additionalsales that will ultimately generate the realmoney.

Rebecca Litchfield: I always say to clients that youget what you pay for. If you are a customer and haveseen amazing photography then youwill pay for it.I think theUncle Bobs of portrait photography areamateurs starting out offering theworld for so littleor for free. CDsmay cause a problem, but in thisage of social networking peoplewant disks to sharetheir images. Because portraits are only one sectionofmy business a disk package is easy and quickto generate extra cash, but if it were themain partofmy business I would certainly add products tothe packages.

BW: The problem I thinkmany photographers arehaving is in targeting a specificmarketplace.Trying to please everyone can cause difficulties withsetting fees. Not everyonewantsmy style and noteveryone can affordmywork, but I amaware ofwhere to sourcemy clients and the extent of theirspending power.My style of photography is notunique (let’s face it, that’s almost impossible) but Ican be confident thatmy clients are receiving a veryhigh-quality product and a specific style – perceivedvalue is no good if the photography is not ofa standard tomatch it. The last thing your clientsleavewith is a photograph or an album; at thatpoint they really aren’t interested in how slick yourwebsite is or howmany awards you havewon –what they have in their possession is your biggestmarketing tool. So refinement of style and skill isparamount to anyonewhowants to be successful inthe industry today.

NR:Wedding photographers have suffered at thehands of the 'Uncle Bobs' formany years and it willcontinue. However, although just about everyonetakes portraits of their kids and families, portraitphotography formoney has never appealed to theUncle Bob brigade. I think this puts all portraitphotographers in a very strong position.People seemmorewilling to pay goodmoney forprofessional portraits because they know theycannot do it themselves.

RL:Therewill alwaysbe competition; whatyou have tomakesure of is that youoffer something trulywonderful, anamazing service, andsend your clientsaway loving theirimages. Uncle Bobcan’t offer that.

KM: I’m not sure theUncle Bob syndromewill have the samedramatic effect withportraiture as it hashadwithweddings,to be honest.People intentionally go to a studio for a portrait; theyare there for their own purposes and fully expect topay for a frame or a print etc. Ironically, I think youraverageUncle Bob believes that weddingphotography is easy, but theywouldn’t have a cluehow to set up high-key lighting or pose a personproperly in a studio environment. The other thing toconsider is that wedding photography is just part ofan overall substantial outlay for the clients; theymaywish to cut back. A studio portrait is a lifestyle choicethat ismade – and one that they can afford, as it isthe only outlay as such.

NR:With regards to CDs of images and Facebooksharing, whenever I have been asked if I can doaCD, I always askwhat it will be used for.The answer is always the same, “Oh, I want to beable to share themon Fb.” No problem, I say, allthe images you purchasewill be put onmyphotography page in an albumso you can thenshare thosewith your friends.

BW: I would only be selling half of my product if Isold the digital file. The paper stock and framemouldings are part of my branding – if my printsare put in an IKEA frame with God knows whatfilters applied, that image still has my nameattached to it. So that is why I keep tight control onthe final product – this is sold to the client beforethe shoot and, on the whole, it is appreciated thatI take the care to finish their images. As soon asyou let those images out the door, you are losingcontrol of anything that goes on walls and I saidbefore, that is your biggest marketing tool in thesocial market.

THE ROUND TABLEEach month tp will be hosting a round table discussion on particular topics affectingthe photographic industry. To launch this new feature, we asked four portrait photographersto discuss whether commercial portrait photography was a dying sector and if the ‘Uncle Bob’syndrome was creeping over from the wedding market

NORMAN RUBENISwww.rubenisphotography.co.uk

BELLA WESTwww.bellawest.co.uk

REBECCA LITCHFIELDwww.rebeccalitchfield.com

KEVIN MULLINSwww.kevinmullinsphotography.co.uk

TTHHIISS MMOONNTTHH’’SSPPAANNEELL

REBE

CCA

LITC

HFIE

LD

NORM

AN R

UBEN

ISKE

VIN

MUL

LINS

68

TP_OCT_OPINIONS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 15:49

BELL

AW

EST

69

KM: The Uncle Bob analogy is also very different forportraits and weddings in respect of the timing.An Uncle Bob can ruin a wedding for good –whereas a portrait ruined can always be re-takenlater by a pro photographer.

BW: Good documentary photography is not justabout being aware and catching moments – thelight and composition are what can make or breakan image and this is what will set us apart fromUncle Bobs. Which leads me back to it beingessential to know your market and being consistent.

RL: Yes, the biggest marketing tool is socialmedia and therefore when would you only wantyour images to be seen on one wall in oneplace? I want mine to be seen everywhere.The majority of my portrait work I do is generatedthrough social media.

BW: For my business, the biggest marketing tool ismy product and I won’t compromise that.Social media has indeed been instrumental inpromoting my work and I use it effectively butwithout losing control of my pictures. It may soundold school, but it works for my business.

KM: Social media marketing is paramount, in myopinion, and I will offer low-res, watermarkedimages. But I agree with Bella that the product atthe end of the stream is what will sell. I use socialmedia extensively but at the end of the day theclient must be appreciative of what you have tooffer them.

To read a full version of this discussion go onlineat: www.photographymonthly.com/magazine/turning-pro

MARKETINGTIPSFOR PORTRAIT

PHOTOGRAPHERSEach month tp will give practical advice on the

business side of being a photographer. This month,our top tips for portrait photographers to ensure

they stay ahead of the game in 2011

The festive season, in theory, should be one of the busiest times for portraitphotographers. Parents are looking to send personalised greetings cards to loved ones,a storybook would make a great Christmas present for grandparents, or thatlong-overdue family portrait would also be a thoughtful gift. However, portraitphotographers need to focus now on their marketing strategies and ensure the packagesthey offer are targeted to get the most out of this time of year. Here are our top 10 tips.

Ensure you have a price-and-package leaflet to promote the services you offer.Focus on local advertising in shops, cafés and shops.

Products, rather than a CD of images, are what people want to buy as gifts, so ensurethat, at the very least, you offer greetings cards, calendars, framed images and albums.

Give people an incentive to recommend you to friends: for example, one free 8 x 10print for every new customer they send your way or a 15 per cent discount voucher.

Offer alternative products such as mugs, fridge magnets, T-shirts and key rings forpeople to buy as stocking fillers.

Design a gift voucher for people to buy for friends and family, such as a photo shootincluding one 5 x 7 print. Ensure the design looks professional andwell-presented.

Think of an unusual photography concept to encourage people to buy calendars;for example, shooting children in a different fancy dress costume for each month.

Offer pet portraits packages for animal lovers and people without children.

Photo booths have been very popular in the wedding industry throughout 2011.Transfer this concept over to Christmas parties and offer evening packages for domesticcelebrations or corporate events.

Markpeople’sNewYear resolutionsbyprovidingmake-over packages, includinghair,make-up and photography formums, girlfriends and couples.

Try to find a local retailer who will allow you to set up a weekend portrait studio in theirpremises on a revenue-splitting basis.

If you have another top tip on this subject email [email protected] the best tips will be featured online atwww.photographymonthly.com/magazine/turning-pro

tp RECOMMENDS

DUNNSPROPHOTO A5, A4 and tall wall calendars made to order.www.dunns.co.uk

ARQADIA Bespoke range of frames, mountboards and Claryl glass.www.arqadia.co.uk

WHCC Promotional material, including flyers and business cards.www.whcc.com

TP_OCT_OPINIONS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 14:07

Keep your equipment inthe picture!

Aaduki Multimedia is one of the leading insurance providers for photographers, video makers and journalists in the U.K.

01837 658880 | www.aaduki.com | [email protected]

Got a comment on this ad? Then please email us on [email protected] Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

OCTOBER 2011ISSUE PODCAST

The Editor of PhotographyMonthly, Jeff Meyer, andGroup Editor Adam Scoreywill discuss the new magazine,as well as all the latest newsand developments from the worldof photography.

SEPTEMBER 2011ISSUE PODCAST

The new Editor of Photography Monthly, JeffMeyer, and Group Editor Adam Scoreydiscuss their vision for the magazine and talkto some of the new contributors who will besharing their expertise.

AUGUST 2011ISSUE PODCAST

The then-Editor of Photography Monthly,Grant Scott, and his deputy editor Sean Samuelsshare tips for photographing outdoors.

WE’RE ON YOUR

JULY 2011ISSUE PODCAST

Grant and Sean discuss their trip tothe sunny climes of Rome for ahands-on look at the PanasonicDMC-GF3. Also up for discussion is theOlympus XZ-1 and how to shoot glamour.

JUNE 2011SPECIAL PODCAST

Grant Scott and the then-deputy editor ofProfessional Photographer, Eleanor O’Kane, speakto then-deputy editor of Photography MonthlySean Samuels, reporting on his experiences at theNew York Photo Festival 2011.

MAY 2011ISSUE PODCAST

Grant Scott and Sean Samuels speak about theirexperiences shooting different subjects and indifferent locations 24 hours a day. Also up fordiscussion is some of the other work featured inthe May issue of the magazine.

Thanks to everyone who has been listening to our monthly podcastsover the past two years. In case you missed any, they are available viathe website and can be downloaded from iTunes

WAVELENGTHAPRIL 2011ISSUE PODCAST

All the latest product releases and innovations inphotography are discussed by Grant and Sean asthey reflect on the people and products theyencountered at this year’s Focus on Imagingexhibition at Birmingham NEC.

SPECIAL PODCASTNIKON MASTERMIND FINAL

The final two contestants of our Mastermindquiz, sponsored by Nikon, go head to headto see who will win the Nikon D3s high-endDSLR worth £4,200. Find out who is thePM Mastermind.

MARCH 2011ISSUE PODCAST

National Geographic photographer Jim Richardsontalks to Grant and Sean about his landscape workmade in the Hebrides. They also discuss the latestnews from the world of photography. PM

THEBACK

CATALOGUEAll of our podcasts featuringphotographer interviews and

industry news specialsare available online at

www.photographymonthly.com

TAKE

NFR

OMPM

,SEP

TEM

BER

2011

ISSU

E,KA

RLSH

AWDI

SCUS

SES

LIGH

TING

Aspiring photographers are given a thorough

grounding in the principles and techniques of

shooting portraits in this new guide.

Through a series of tutorials, New York based

portrait photographer and lecturer Mark

Jenkinson takes you through every aspect of

studio and location work, from choosing the

right lighting and equipment to establishing

personality and mood. Mark, a professional

photographer for more than 25 years, has

had work published in magazines including

Vogue, Playboy and Vanity Fair. For your

chance to win a copy of The Portrait

Photography Course, worth £19.99, enter our

contest at www.photographymonthly.com

WIN!

THE PORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHY COURSE

PM EDITORPODCAST


PM_OCT_PODCAST:Layout 1 24/08/2011 15:18

PART2OF3


THE EVOLUTIONOFAPHOTO ESSAYCreating a strong picture story doesn’t have to mean travelling to far-offplaces or putting yourself in harm’s way. In the second of his three-partseries on making a picture story, DAMIAN DROHAN explains how to planand execute the shooting stage of your photo essay

photo essay is very much a seriesof baby steps, punctuated withgiant leaps forward and occasional

backward slips, but getting off your chair andshooting is the vital first step. Moving onfrom this first shoot can be difficult, butneedn’t be. You just need to ensure that youhave enough varied visual material to sustainyour interest and that of your viewer. To dothis it’s worth having a rough plan or timelineof your shoots.

PLANNING SHOOTSDon’t worry if you don’t have it all figured outat this point; you only need to know whatyour next shoot will be. I find that keeping avisual diary for recording thoughts and theprogress of shoots is a vital and enjoyablepart of the process, and having a notebook ordiary to record names and contacts is alsoreally useful. A small amount of time spentplanning at the outset will save lots ofwasted effort later.Reviewing your first shoot, or shoots, will

hopefully have helped you figure out whetheror not the project is viable, how you’d like toshoot it and perhaps the scale of the story;although these things tend to be somewhatfluid. In my case I had established that Iwould shoot in black and white. I had a goodhandle on the technical difficulties andenvisaged a story comprising 20 to 30finished images. To yield a viable andinteresting mix of visual material I knew I’dhave to broaden my approach to includeother greyhound tracks, trainers and owners.Armed with the name of a trainer and a

track manager from my first shoots, I was �

A

DAMIAN DROHAN

TECHNIQUES

PLANNING A PHOTO ESSAY

DAM

IAN

DROH

AN Greyhounds wait around the yard at Waterfordgreyhound track, in Ireland. This image

was part of my exploration of the strand ofthe story that I loosely titled Trainers

PM_OCT_PHOTO_ESSAY:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:21


ready to proceed to phase two of thephoto essay.

MAKING APPOINTMENTSBy this point you’ve made some newcontacts and now the dreaded momentof picking up the phone again has arrived.Be confident, professional and pleasant andmost of the time you’ll get your way.

It turned out that my visit to the secondgreyhound track would have to wait as theyhad no events coming up for some time.I decided therefore to focus the story for thetime being on dog trainer Perry, whom I had

met at my first shoot. Perry and his wifeMay are full-time dog trainers and have avery busy kennel and a small test track.

As a documentary photographerit’s assumed that you are a diplomat,time manager and, of course, creative, butyou will often have to add ‘negotiator’ toyour repertoire of skills. When someone says”no” they may mean “never”, or they couldmean “not right now”. You will have to judgeand decide whether it’s worth trying again.

Luckily, dog trainer Perry was veryamenable to being photographed. If you’reshooting a completely new or differentstrand to your project, you may find yourselfonce again in ‘learning mode’. You can askthe person you’re photographing what they’llbe doing, but you can never really tell untilyou are looking through your viewfinder.

SUSTAINING YOUR INTERESTI find documentary photography veryrewarding personally and professionally, butit can be a struggle at times. There weremoments during this project where I feltlike giving up. �

“WHEN SOMEONESAYS ‘NO’ THEY MAYMEAN ‘NEVER’, ORTHEY COULD MEAN‘NOT RIGHT NOW’.YOU WILL HAVE TOJUDGE AND DECIDEWHETHER IT’S WORTHTRYING AGAIN”



Damian Drohan is a portrait and

documentary photographer who

uses still images, sound and video

to tell engaging stories. He earned

an MA in photojournalism and

documentary photography at

London College of Communication

under the tutelage of Magnum photographer Paul Lowe

and former head of IPG John Easterby, graduating with

distinction. He works in the main for editorial clients,

NGOs and advertising agencies. Most recently his work

has appeared in the Sunday Times’ Culture section and

on the BBC.

BIOGRAPHY

DAMIAN DROHAN

TECHNIQUES


� The opening page of my notebook, which I kept whileshooting the project

� This is another attempt at a dog portrait. It’s the onlyimage in the entire project that troubles me somewhat

This image of greyhounds being weighed isa vital cog in the story that I managed to

capture at a different track. What attractedme to this shot was the different characters

and animals, all doing their own thing

Scan of my notebook, showing early contact sheets and my thoughts on the images


You may be standing around for hourswaiting for events to unfold and you mayfind yourself making images similar tothose that you’ve taken previously.There will also be many occasions whenrubbish on the TV and a cup of tea are farmore appealing than packing your gearand heading off! We’re all human, so this isonly natural.It helps to have a number of strategies up

your sleeve to help drive you on. The singlemost important strategy though is tovisualise your end goal: where will theproject end up? Visualise your finished printshanging on a wall, in a homemade book orthe pages of a magazine.If you really find yourself stuck, take a

break, put your camera away for a few daysor a week; the urge to shoot will return.Or you can try shooting something different.In my case I found that after a few visits tothe same greyhound track I was beginning toget a little jaded visually. Changing tack andshooting some portraits helped me loosenup. Even something as simple as limitingyourself to photographing with a single lenscan make a difference.With digital photography it’s too tempting

to review your images only in pixel form.Print some off and have a group critique withyour friends or colleagues. It’s amazing howdifferent the dynamic of handling physicalprints can be.

THE EVOLUTION OF THEPROJECTThis photo essay started out as a set ofdiscrete and varied shoots, which over timeblended into a coherent whole. It’s next toimpossible to plan a large-scale projectto the ‘nth’ degree; therefore, you need toremain flexible.The first few shoots – dog owner,

greyhound track, dog trainer – helped tocreate a basic template. Within that templatecertain motifs and types of shots started to


TAKE ALOOK

To see Damian’s continuing Second World

War memory project, visit

www.ww2vetsproject.com To see more

of Damian’s other work, visit

www.damiandrohan.com


DAMIAN DROHAN

TECHNIQUES


emerge: portraits, detail shots, action shots,establishing shots, relationships (betweenpersons, persons and environment, dogs andtheir owners).

In all the various situations, first visitsgave a broad idea of the structure andenergy of the event, subsequent visits wouldreveal other layers of the story. Initial imageswould be replaced by better ones as the styleand the story developed.

Greyhound racing is a very visual subjectand as a result there are hundreds, if notthousands, of images in existence. It wasalways my intention to steer as clear of theexisting images and traditional approachesas possible. Repeat visits to dog trainerPerry yielded different kinds of images andevents. A simple test run at a greyhoundtrack had a very different dynamic to aformal event. On a practical level it was heldduring daylight hours, there were fewerpeople, there was more space and generallyless tension than on the big race nights.Access to training sessions helped me meetmore trainers who were therefore moreaccommodating when I met them atsubsequent events.

Photo stories, while guided by your initialplan, tend to evolve in unexpected ways.In this project, chance meetings, contactsand repeated visits to locationsall contributed to its development.

Using my visual diary, printing lots of testprints and producing test layouts helpedme to keep track of how the project wasdeveloping. The final phase in its evolutioninvolved multiple review and editing sessions,which I’ll discuss in greater detail in partthree of this series.

CHALLENGING SITUATIONSince my first visit to the local greyhoundtrack I had felt an intense curiosity about thewhole weighing-in process that took placeat the outset of all races. The fact I wasprecluded from photographing the weigh-inwas frustrating and only added to mycuriosity. To add to my frustration, anotherphotographer who was better connected thanI was, showed me the photographs he hadtaken at the local track. Visually they weregreat, but the officials simply wouldn’t yieldto my requests.

When I eventually managed to get anappointment to photograph at anothertrack, I was very forthright with the trackmanager, telling him that I needed a shot ofthe weigh-in – but he also refused. I pointedat the brand-new stand and viewing areaand said: “I’ll take some nice shots ofthe interior and exterior of the stand andenlarge them for you.”

He agreed immediately. PM

NEXT MONTHDamian discusses

knowing when to wrap upand how to edit your

pictures

� A caravan and trailer at the home of a greyhound trainer. This was alandscape image intended to convey a sense of the environment

� In strip one I was going for an observed portrait. The first frame (in blue)comes close, but the third frame (in red) works best, with the hubcaps onthe wall of the old mobile home that now serves as a food store

� Greyhound owner John outside his sheds in County Tipperary, Ireland.Portraits like this help to humanise a photo story



FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN a copy of Magix PhotoStory onCD & DVD 10, worth £39.99, upload your best bird pictures tothe Photography Monthly gallery. This useful software allows

you to share your photos and memories in no time. Simply byimporting your images and videos captured on cameras, mobile

phones, scanners or memory cards, you can transform theminto multimedia slideshows and watch them on any TV or PC, or

even share them online.

TAKINGPICTURES

WIN!

To enter and for full terms and conditions, visit www.photographymonthly.com

Rory McDonaldDuckling

David StantonGannet

JEFF MEYER — EDITORPHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

Seeking respite from my son, who wasthrowing seed on top of the bird in afevered attempt to feed it, this unluckychicken came to hide behind a stumpwhere I was sitting at Bath City Farm.I think it may have regretted its decision.

ADAM SCOREY— GROUP EDITORPHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

This nice little birdie was taken on myiPhone4 Hipstamatic app while I wasrecently on holiday in St Ives, in Cornwall.I took this tranquil shot early one Sundaymorning before all the tourists packed outthe town.

REBECCA STEAD — ART EDITORPROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER

While visiting family in Devon we took atrip to Lyme Regis where we walked alongthe edge of the beach. We came acrosstwo pigeons standing guard at smallholes in the wall. This amused us all andwas worth a photo to remember it by.

PM TEAM PICTURES

PM_OCT_READERSCHALLENGE:Layout 1 24/08/2011 14:39

BIRDS

READERS’ CHALLENGE

UPLOAD TO OUR GALLERY TO WIN PRIZES


READERS’ PICTURES

Keith BannisterWoodpecker

Michael ShulverBlue tit

John StarkeyGot ya

KAREN LE GALLEZ—DESIGNERPHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

We had an unexpected visitor drop in onour balcony while on a recent holiday toTenerife – I just happened to have mycamera to hand and caught a quick snapbefore our friend flew away again into thelate afternoon sun.

KELLY WEECH— FEATURES ASSISTANTPHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

During a visit to Sudeley Castle, inGloucestershire, I looked up to seea peacock on the other side of the gardenand had to get a shot of the beautifulcolours in the summer sunshine. I useda Canon EOS 5D with a 24-105mm lens.

JESSICA LAMB— EDITORIAL ASSISTANTPHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

I took this image on a visit to CotswoldWildlife Park in Burford. This cheekyfellow was more than happy to pose forthe camera and I love the way that heseemed be smiling at us. Nevertheless,I did not want to get too close.

Andrew PiperGrey heron

PM_OCT_READERSCHALLENGE:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:26

PM INTERVIEWSWE SPEAK TO THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS TO FIND OUT WHAT MOTIVATES THEM

This is where you will find in-depthinterviews with influential andcreative photographers and thosewho know them. We aim to gobeyond the obvious and find outwhat it is that makes the world’stop photographers decide to takea picture

IN THIS SECTION82-84 A YEAR IN PICTURESPhotographer Chris Townsend has theCairngorms in the Highlands on his doorstepand he takes full advantage by shooting thereall year round. He tells Kelly Weech how henever tires of this landscape’s changing moods

85-88 VIVIAN MAIERChicago nanny Vivian Maier took tens ofthousands of photographs portraying life inpost-war America, but they only came to lightjust before her death in 2009. David Clarktalks to fellow street photographers about theimportance of her work

GOONLINEFor more techniques


CHRI

STO

WNS

END


PM_OCT_INTERVIEWS_COVER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:30


The Cairngorms in the ScottishHighlands are one of the mostbeautiful landscapes in the UKand home to photographerCHRIS TOWNSEND, who climbsthe mountains in summer, skisin winter and goes camping atall times of the year. He tellsKELLYWEECH about capturingthe region’s varied and inspiringmoods through the seasons

PHOTOGRAPHINGTHEFOURSEASONS

CHRI

STO

WNS

END

or the past 30 years, photographerand author Chris Townsend has beenvisiting the Cairngorms, which has

the highest, coldest and snowiest plateaux inthe British Isles as well as the greatestexpanse of Caledonian pine forest. Home tothe biggest National Park in Britain, thisspectacular area of mountains, lochs, riversand woods is a landscape photographer’sdream location. “My aim is to record all theaspects of the Cairngorms throughout theyear and to capture the feeling of being inthe mountains among the spectacular beautyof the landscape,” he says. �

F

PM_OCT_CAIRNGORMS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:32


A YEAR IN THE CAIRNGORMS CHRIS TOWNSEND

INTERVIEW

�Opposite page – WinterThis was taken on a freezing mid-December day whenI used crampons to cross the icy Cairngorm Plateau toBen Macdui, the highest peak in the Cairngorms.Daylight hours are short in December and by 2pm, whenI took this image from the edge of the summit of BenMacdui, the first colours of sunset were already appearingin the hazy sky. The reflections off the snow meantthe light was still bright, though, and I was able to shootat 1/200sec at f/8 and ISO 100

� Opposite page – SpringOn an April day with rapidly changing weather I visitedLoch Mallachie in the RSPB’s Abernethy Nature Reserve.The light and reflections on the loch were subtle andlovely. Moving round the loch shore – and trying to keepmy feet dry – I took more than 30 pictures at differentfocal lengths. This one, taken at 18mm, was my favourite.Exposure details: 1/400sec at f/8, ISO 100

�This page – SummerTowards the end of a two-day camping trip I wasdescending from the mountain called Braeriach towardsGleann Einich when I came across this infant streamsurrounded by brightly coloured moss. I liked the contrastbetween the detail of the moss, water and stones and thedistant view of the glen far below with the hills rising onthe far side. Crouching low to get as much of the moss inas possible I took the image at 1/160sec at f/5.6, ISO 200as the land was quite dark, despite the almost clear sky

� This page – AutumnWandering around the woods and fields close to my homein the north-east corner of the Cairngorms National Parkin search of autumn colours I came across this fringe ofrust-red bracken on the edge of a slope with a view tothe forest below and beyond the trees to distant hills.The sky was hazy with thin cloud cover giving a soft lightideal for bringing out the colours without harsh contrasts.To get the bracken forming a fringe across the bottom ofthe image I took the shot from a low position. The lightwasn’t bright and the exposure details were 1/60sec atf/5.6, ISO 200

Chris Townsend is an outdoorwriter and photographerspecialising in wild places.He has written 18 books,most illustrated with hisphotographs. His manylong-distance walks include

scaling all the peaks in Scotland over 3,000ft ina 1,700-mile trek, and completing the 3,100-mileContinental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexicoalong the Rocky Mountainswww.christownsendoutdoors.com

BIOGRAPHY

The photos seen in my latest book were taken over

six years. During that period my cameras were,

successively, a Canon EOS 300D, 350D and450D, with

a Sigma DP1 as back-up. Lenses were: Tamron 11-18mm,

Canon 18-55mm and Canon 55-250mm zooms.

Polarising filters were used occasionally and graduated

neutral density filters very occasionally. My tripod

was an ancient lightweight Cullman weighing 610g. I used

various Camera Care Systems padded pouches for the

cameras and Zing Neoprene pouches for the lenses.

All the images were taken as RAW files and converted

to TIFFs in Lightroom.

WHAT’S INCHRIS’S KIT BAG?


For photographers severe weather andrugged terrain are usually the biggestchallenges to overcome in often remotelocations. Snow remains on the mountainsfor much of the year and creates a whitewilderness that can be harsh and savage,especially in winter. However, Chris’s latestbook, A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms,shows that other seasons also offer dramaticand awe-inspiring scenes. “Good mountainskills are needed to operate in such alandscape, especially in winter conditionswhen ice axes and crampons may beneeded,” he says. “The right clothing andequipment should be carried all year round,as the weather can change very quickly fromsunny to stormy. Snow can fall in any monthand when you are high in the hills, mist or low

cloud is often present and can sweepin quickly, reducing visibility andmaking navigation difficult. Dusk anddawn shots can mean walking in thedark, so I always carry a goodheadlamp, and if you are planning tocamp on the tops, wild-camping skillsare necessary. Most importantly,navigation is a crucial skill in remotemountain landscapes where mist canmean poor visibility. Always carry agood map and compass, but a GPS unit

is very useful too. Being fit is essential, asdistances and ascents can be long.”Chris has a big advantage in having the

Cairngorms landscape on his doorstep andavailable to photograph throughout the year.He believes it is vital that photographerstackling such a dynamic landscape know

Chris has photographed the landscapecontinually but it has never become stale ortoo familiar, even though major featuressuch as the high plateaux have changedvery little during his years of exploration.“There is always something new to capturebecause the light, weather, snow patternsand vegetation are changing constantly.There are a few more paths, but that’s all.Lower down there have been big changes,the main positive one being the regenerationof the Caledonian Forest in many areas.“However, less welcome changes have

been developments such as high-level,bulldozed estate roads which scar thelandscape and alter drainage, touristattractions and developments away fromroads and towns, which include the funicular

railway on Cairn Gorm, and wind farms.The National Park has a presumption againstwind farms inside its boundaries but severalare proposed close to the park, which willhave an impact on the views. Although theCairngorms are protected by National Parkstatus there are still threats.”


INTERVIEW

CHRIS TOWNSEND A YEAR IN THE CAIRNGORMS

THE RIGHT CLOTHING ANDEQUIPMENT SHOULD BECARRIED ALL YEAR ROUND, ASTHE WEATHER CAN CHANGEVERY QUICKLY FROM SUNNYTO STORMY

At the summit of Lochnagar in May

The mouth of Coire Garbhlachabove Glen Feshie in mid-July

their camera well so they can react quickly tochanging light. His advice is to shoot RAWand learn how to use the histogram forexposure. “The main advantages of digital forme are the histogram, which I use forexposure, and the ability to process imageson the computer. However, having spentmany years shooting transparency filmbefore digital came along I always try to takethe best image in-camera (this is ingrainedin me); I like to keep post-processing toa minimum and I don’t use Photoshop.I advise using zoom lenses to fine-tunethe composition.” PM

In A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms, Christakes the viewer on a photographic journeythrough the passing of the seasons. He recalls:“I had always hoped to produce a book of mywork here, so when I was approached by apublisher to put forward ideas for a photo bookon the Cairngorms in 2009 I seized theopportunity and suggested a book coveringthe seasons.”

The images featured were taken over thepast six years; Chris not only knew fromexperience many excellent viewpoints awayfrom popular paths and summits, but also thebest times of year to visit them. He says hisexperience of the region gave him theconfidence to explore anywhere in the areawithout worrying about navigation or gettinglost. “Being able to estimate from the weatherwhere the best places for good photographs willbe on any given day is essential, but I don’talways get this right!”

A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms, by ChrisTownsend, is published by Frances Lincoln,priced at £16.99. www.franceslincoln.com


VIVIAN MAIER


DAVID CLARK

INTERVIEW

HIDDENTREASURESVivian Maier’s photographs have aroused enormous interest since they first came tolight in 2009. DAVID CLARK talks to fellow street photographers Brett Jefferson Stottand Nick Turpin about her work

©VI

VIAN

MAI

ER/M

ALOO

FCO

LLEC

TION

Self-portrait, New York City, October 18 1953.

PM_OCT_VIVIAN_MAIER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:34


n October 2009, John Maloof, a28-year-old estate agent living inChicago, posted an enquiry on the

Hardcore Street Photography Flickr page.“I purchased a giant lot of negatives from asmall auction house here in Chicago,” hewrote. “It is the work of Vivian Maier, aFrench photographer who passed away inApril [2009].“I have a ton of her work (between

30,000 and40,000 negatives) which rangein date from the 1950s to 1970s. I guess myquestion is, what do I do with this stuff?Is this type of work worthy of exhibitions,a book? Do bodies of work like this come upoften? Any direction would be great.”Maloof’s tentative request for information

and opinions, with a link to his Maierwebsite, led to the first significant interestin Maier’s extraordinary body of work.Within hours he had hundreds of replies,including offers of book deals, exhibitions andeven documentary films. It was the beginning

of one of the most intriguing photographystories to emerge in recent years.Soon the explosion of web interest led

to TV and newspaper coverage, then thefirst exhibitions of Maier’s photographs.Now her work has come to the UK anda selection of her vast archive is currentlyon show at Photofusion photography centrein Brixton, South London.Why is the photographic community so

excited about Maier’s work? Brett JeffersonStott, director of the London StreetPhotography Festival and responsible forbringing Maier’s exhibition to the UK, saysthe enthusiasm shown for her work is due toits irresistible mixture of the quality of herimages and the mystery which surroundsher life.

First, there’s the content of her images.“She possessed a wonderful photographer’seye and didn’t discriminate,” he says.“She focuses on the poor and wealthy inequal measure. She made photos of

mink-coated women and the cracked heelsof a destitute pensioner – her photographsdepict an honest America, warts and all.”Maier’s work isn’t just interesting in terms

of subject matter; she was also highlyskilled in her use of the camera (most oftena Rolleiflex) and her images are technicallyaccomplished. “Maier possessed a deepunderstanding of composition and lighting,”Stott continues. “I am told her strike ratewas quite high. I have the impression thatshe did not possess the best of people skillsyet she commanded an orchestra of intensecomplexity from behind her camera.“She interacted with her subjects and this

is a defining factor for me in her resultingimages. Perhaps because she was a womanand because she took pictures from thewaist, she was unthreatening and opened uppossibilities beyond her male counterparts.”Running alongside the appreciation of

her work is the puzzling enigma of Maierherself: a solitary woman who worked as a

I

A New York street scene, 1953.



VIVIAN MAIER DAVID CLARK

INTERVIEW

Vivian Maier wasborn on 1 February,1926 in New YorkCity, but grew up inFrance. She begantaking photographswith a Box Brownie

in 1949. In 1951, aged 25, she returned toAmerica and started working as a nanny inNew York.

She continued photographing in her sparetime and bought a Rolleiflex camera the nextyear. In 1956 she moved to Chicago to work asa nanny for the Gensburg family. Here she madeher own darkroom but when she moved on towork for other families, the undeveloped rollsaccumulated. Her later work, which continueduntil the mid-1990s, was mainly shot on 35mmwith a Leica IIIc, usually in colour.

She was generally described as being anoutspoken woman with strong liberal viewswho liked to keep herself private. As she gotolder she hoarded large numbers of items,including newspaper cuttings and randomobjects she found in the street. In later yearsshe had a period of homelessness and herhealth declined significantly after she fell onsome ice in 2008. She died in a Chicagonursing home on 21 April 2009.

BIOGRAPHY

nanny, who appeared to have no friends andwho photographed obsessively but nevershowed her pictures to anyone; someonewho died alone, with little money and herartistic talents completely unrecognised.“She literally lived her life through her

photographs,” says Stott. “You can imagineher thoughts and aspirations through hersubjects – the poor people in her picturesreflecting her own background and the richher employers. Vivian’s work epitomises theessence of street photography, in that itcelebrates the ordinary as extraordinaryand champions the beauty in the everyday.”Nick Turpin, founder of the In-Public

group of street photographers, agrees.“The first time I saw the work of VivianMaier I immediately recognised the workof a fellow street photographer,” he says.“She was a quiet ghost wafting alongthe sidewalk unhurried, unnoticed andunremarkable, pausing just long enough torecord a moment of the mundane street andin her own way elevate it into somethingspecial and beautiful.“The work is quiet, composed, simple,

beautifully consistent and made with suchapparent ease. She undoubtedly had aremarkable talent that is rare to find,coupled with a clear, almost compulsive, �

“SHE LITERALLY LIVEDHER LIFE THROUGH HER

PHOTOGRAPHS.”

An exhausted couple on a busin Chicago in the 1950s.

75th Street and 3rd Avenue, New YorkCity, Christmas Eve 1953.



VIVIAN MAIER EXHIBITION, BOOK,FILM & WEBSITES

Vivian Maier: A Life Uncovered iscurrently on show at Photofusion,17a Electric Lane, London SW98LA.The exhibition ends 16 September 2011.For more information log on towww.photofusion.org.A book containing more than 100 of

Maier’s photographs, Vivian Maier: StreetPhotographer, by Vivian Maier, edited byJohn Maloof, published by powerHouseBooks, will be on sale in the UK fromDecember 2011.John Maloof’s Vivian Maier website –

www.vivianmaier.com – contains a goodselection of images plus detailedbiographical information. More of herimages can be seen atwww.vivianmaierprints.com.A documentary film, Finding Vivian

Maier, is currently in production and duefor release in 2012.

passion for the medium. Like a typicalstreet photographer, Maier didn’tconceptually burden herself; she simplyused and celebrated whatever she found.”How does Maier compare to the major

photographers of her generation whophotographed on America’s streets – RobertFrank, Lisette Model, Diane Arbus or HarryCallahan? “I see Vivian as a one-off,” Turpinsays. “It’s very difficult to compare herto others of her generation and yetretrospectively she is as significant andas important as the very best of them.”With the excitement generated among

fellow photographers, a book being writtenand a documentary film in production, plusthe fact that countless more unseen VivianMaier images are yet to be revealed, itseems likely that her posthumous fame isonly likely to increase. PM

DISCOVERING VIVIAN MAIER:HOW IT ALL STARTED

In 2005, John Maloof, president of the historicalsociety in northwest Chicago, was working on abook about his neighbourhood. He needed localpictures to illustrate it and one day in 2006attended a furniture and antiques auction whichincluded items from a storage locker that hadbeen repossessed for non-payment of bills.The elderly female owner, he was told, was ill andliving in a nursing home.

One of the items was a box which containednegatives and Maloof recognised some locallandmarks in the pictures. Thinking that the boxmight contain useful architectural images, hetook a chance and bought it for $400. Otherboxes from the same storage locker were sold todifferent buyers.

When Maloof began examining the negativesin detail, he found there were disappointinglyfew images that would be of use in his bookand put the box aside. Yet something drew himback to the negatives and he eventually began toscan them.

Although no photography expert, he could seethat these images of everyday street scenesand informal portraits, many of them humorousor poignant, were not just any amateurphotographer’s work.

In April 2009, after finding the name ‘VivianMaier’ on a photo lab envelope in one of theboxes, he typed the name into Google. It came upwith one entry, an obituary in the Chicago Tribunefor Maier, who had died three days earlier, aged83. The obituary painted a picture of aninteresting, active and fondly-rememberedwoman. It said:

“Vivian Maier, proud native of France andChicago resident for the last 50 years, diedpeacefully on Monday. Second mother to John,

Lane and Matthew. A free and kindred spirit whomagically touched the lives of all who knew her.Always ready to give her advice, opinion or ahelping hand. Movie critic and photographerextraordinaire. A truly special person who will besorely missed but whose long and wonderful lifewe all celebrate and will always remember.”

The few clues which this and other obituariescontained later enabled Maloof to gradually piecetogether at least some of Maier’s life story.At the same time it was enormously disappointingfor him not to have met the woman whose workfascinated him.

He gradually bought up other material whichhad been sold at the original auction andeventually became the owner of a largeproportion of the Maier archive, comprisingbetween 100,000 and 150,000 negatives, morethan 3,000 prints, some home movies and audiotapes, plus personal items including clothing andher collection of photography books.

Up to a third of the negatives he bought werestill on the rolls which came out of the camera.Even Maier hadn’t seen them; it seemed that theact of taking the photographs itself was enoughfor her. The remainder of Maier’s work was boughtby collector Jeffrey Goldstein, who ownsapproximately 15,000 negatives, 1,000 prints and30 homemade movies.

The sheer size of Maloof’s collection meansthat at the current rate at which he and hiscolleagues are scanning negatives, it’s likely totake several years before all Maier’s work is seen.

“There’s so much work I’m doing thatsometimes it’s overwhelming to the point that Ihave anxiety about how much there is to do andhow little I’ve done with all the work I’ve put in,”Maloof said in an interview for US TV showChicago Tonight. “Sometimes I have momentswhen I think, it’s amazing that I’m doing this, thatsomeone like me is doing this.”

Lady in pearl necklace walking throughthe streets of New York, 1953.

INTERVIEW

DAVID CLARK VIVIAN MAIER


Your favourite magazines arenow available on your iPad!Foto Mags Now is free to download via iTunes or the App Store and gives you the

chance to buy single editions and subscribe to Professional Photographer,Photography Monthly, Which Digital Camera and World of Photography.

Foto Mags Now lets you expand features, scroll around the page, read text only,access a photo gallery exclusive to each issue, listen to podcasts and view video contentexclusive to the iPad edition. If you don’t have an iPad don’t worry as Foto Mags Now

can also be downloaded onto your iPhone.

Foto Mags Now - your digital gateway to your photography magazines.

PHOTOGRAPHYWORLDOF

PM_OCT_FOTOMAG:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:37

NEXT MONTH IN PM...ON SALE FROM 5 OCTOBER

� Our ultimate guide to family photos,from posing to prints

� How to lure birds into your garden +how to build a cheap hide

� The best free image editing softwareyou can download today

� Wild Britain: getting close to yourneighbouring wood mice

� Build a mini-studio in your home withThe DIY Photographer

� How to photograph... fireworks

� Photo-essays from idea to execution:final part in the series

� Head-to-head lens test: Canon 35mmf/1.4 vs Sigma 30mm f/1.4

PAUL

HOBSON

JEFFMEYER

WE ASKED OUR FACEBOOK FANS…

There’s a lot of emphasis now on gettingclean images at high ISOs, but are you reallybothered by a bit of noise?Kellie Pearson said: “I love the noise on certainimages. It adds to the feel of it and takes us backto the good old days of film grain.”20something photography said: “I’m not a fan ofnoise! I’m constantly searching for remedies.”Paul Mason said: “I’d rather have noise thanshake/blur... but good exposure really minimisesnoise anyway – ‘expose to the right’...”Alex Butcher said: “I don’t mind luma noise, butchroma noise just makes images look like shotsfrom a cheap video or webcam.”

We also asked… Nirvana’s album Nevermind wasreleased 20 years ago next month (unbelievable!)with what was arguably one of the best albumcover photos of all time. So we asked you: What isthe best album cover photo of all time?

Brendan Cullen said: “Moving Pictures, Rush.”Rhodri Thomas said: “Surfer Rosa, Pixies.”David Seymour said: “Drums and Wires, XTC.”Paul Hughes said: “Wish You Were Here, PinkFloyd.”(We agree, Paul).

Finally, we asked… Complete this joke:Two photographers walked into a bar…

Matt Lynham said: “They clicked instantly!”

Karen Angus said: “They both flashed thebarmaid, who says: ‘Sorry boys, you can’t shootyour Canons off in here!’”

Dave Keniwell said: “One took a photo of thejukebox, which promptly broke. The other said:‘A little too much noise reduction there?’”

Karen Nelson Hislop said: “The first lays hisequipment on the bar and says: ‘Come here often?’The second says: ‘I do a couple shots a night.’The first says: ‘I should stop down more often.’The second says: ‘You’re already overexposed.’”

Join us on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/photographymonthly

Gnowhere85 asked… “Hi PM readers. Do you useonline printing websites? I have started to usethem and I’ve found that photos which look greaton my laptop/camera LCD often come out too dark.Can anyone help me? I’ve contacted the websitesand they say it’s the file that’s too dark!”

Nikondave replied… “Is your monitor profiledcorrectly? Are you set up correctly and using theonline printer’s profile?”

Walsh22 replied… “Check out the settings forbrightness on your monitor. If they are okay, theseonline guys might be just trying to hide badquality. I’ve had such issues! Persist on your rightsand send them samples of your pictures. You mightalso check out what paper they are printing on...makes a lot of difference.”

Sonic3 replied… “One bit of advice I can give iswhen you upload your images to the website, ifthey have a quick upload option don’t choose it.It may be quicker, but if you’re after a size biggerthan 6in x4in the quality can suffer. Also makesure when uploading that you uncheck any colourcorrection options. Many websites have this setto On as standard.”

Group Editor Adam Scorey replied… “When younext ‘speak’ to your online printer, ask them ifthey have a downloadable profile that you can useto ensure your computer’s screen is calibrated tothe printer’s system.

“They may not have this, so either find analternative, of which there are plenty, or make upa test print (A4) with a grid of the same imagerepeated, say, nine times, each one at a differentsetting – though make sure you make a note ofeach image’s setting.

“Then, send off the print to be made up andwhen it returns judge the best setting for yourpersonal taste. Depending on what software youuse, you can then batch-process all of your imagesfor this setting. Voilà! If they all come back dark,you’ll know it’s the processor’s fault.

“A slightly long-winded way, but relativelysimple to manage, without going down the route ofscreen calibration tools or a new monitor.”

Become a member of Photography Monthly

online at www.photographymonthly.com

PM

On Assignment:the OlympusPEN E-PL3

FROMTHE WEB

FROM THEFORUM PM


PM_OCT_CNM:Layout 1 24/08/2011 11:11

PM PHOTO GEAR

GOONLINEFor more gear reviews


STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST GIZMOS AND GADGETS

IN THIS SECTION92-93 NEW KIT ON THE BLOCKAll the latest new product announcements

94-100 DON’T THROW YOURTOYS OUTWe hit the streets with the two latest camerasfrom LOMO – the La Sardina and LC-Wide

101-107 CANON EOS 1100D ANDNIKON D3100 GO HEAD TO HEADOur battle of the entry levels continues

108 PM DEALS OF THE MONTHWe round up the best deals on all the top kit

110-111 DIY PHOTOGRAPHERLearn to shoot extreme macro using a Pringlescan, in the first of this new series


PM_OCT_GEAR_COVER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 15:17

NEW KIT ON THE BLOCKEACH MONTH WE BRING YOU THE BEST OF ALL THE NEW KIT ON THE BLOCK


SONYA77‘DSLT’ REVEALED� SONY HAS EXTENDED

its translucent mirrorcamera range witha new A-mount model,the Sony A77.This Sony A700

replacement featuresa newly developedAPS HD CMOS sensorwith 24.3-megapixel resolution, but its keyfeature is what Sony claims is the world’sfastest continuous AFshooting performanceamong interchangeable lens digital cameraswith an APS-C size sensor.Sony claims that the A77can capture

a burst of full-resolution images at 12 framesper second with full-time phase-detectionautofocus. The A77also features a 19-pointautofocus system with 11 cross-sensors, whilea new electronic shutter curtain offers aminimum release time lag of approximately0.050 seconds.The new Sony camera’s sensitivity range

extends from ISO 100 to ISO 16,000, and isexpandable down to ISO 50.Another key feature is the XGA OLED

Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder, offering2,359k-dot resolution and 100 per centframe coverage.The A77can shoot full HD videos, and is

supported at 50p (progressive) frame rates –reflecting recent enhancements to the AVCHD(Ver. 2.0) format. New creative video optionsallow for manual focusing and use of P/A/S/Mexposure modes.The Sony A77will be available in the UK in

October. The price had not been announced atthe time of writing.www.sony.co.uk

SONYUNVEILS A65 ‘DSLT’Sony’s busy month continues, furtherexpanding its range of A-mount models withthe entry-level Sony A65.Featuring the same 24.3-megapixel Exmor

APS HD CMOS sensor as the Sony A77, theA65 offers beginners 10 frames per secondshooting speed at full resolution.Also on board the new Sony camera is a

15-point AFsystem with three cross-sensorsand Sony’s XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronicviewfinder, which offers 2,359k-dot resolutionwith 100 per cent frame coverage.Further features include full HD video

recording, supported at 50p (progressive)frame rates, as well as a host of creativeoptions such as manual focusing and P/A/S/Mexposure modes.Stills and

videos can alsobe composed ona 3in, three-wayadjustable-angleXtra Fine LCDoffering 921k-dotresolution.The Sony A65’s sensitivity range extends

from ISO 100 to ISO 16,000, and is extendableup to ISO 25,600.The A65 will be available in the UK from

October. The price had not been announced atthe time of writing.www.sony.co.uk

SONY REVEALS 24.3MPNEX-7As well as its Alpharange, Sony has addedto its NEX line-up witha new 24.3-megapixelcompact systemcamera, the NEX-7.In addition to its

Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, the NEX-7haswhat Sony claims is the world’s fastest shutterrelease lag of any interchangeable lens digitalcamera, at just 0.02 seconds.

The Sony NEX-7can also shoot 10fpscontinuous shooting and includes an XGAOLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder,complemented by a 3in Xtra Fine LCD that canbe angled up to 90º up or45º down. Users canrecord full HD movies with stereo sound at50p or 25p frame rates, with access to manualfocusing and P/A/S/M exposure control.The Sony NEX-7will be available from

November. The price was not known at thetime of writing.www.sony.co.uk

MANUFACTURERS EXPAND LINE-UPS

SONYADDS 16.1MP NEX-5NIn a slim magnesium alloy body, the NEX-5Nallows 10fps continuous shooting, and a newBIONZ processor enables high-sensitivityimages at ISO 25,600 for low-light shooting.The Sony NEX-5N shoots AVCHD Ver. 2.0

(Progressive) FullHD movies withstereo sound at50p and, in videomode, users canaccess manualfocusing, as wellas retain fullcontrol overexposure with P/A/S/M modes.Other features include a 3in tilt-angle Xtra

Fine LCD touchscreen with a Photo CreativityTouch interface with which adjustments can bepreviewed and applied. The Sony NEX-5N willbe available this month. The price was notknown at the time of writing.www.sony.co.uk

NIKON P7100 DEBUTS WITHTILT-SCREENNikon’s latestpremiumcompact, theCOOLPIX P7100,replaces theP7000 andcomes with a1/1.7in sensor and 10.1 million effective pixels.Also new to the P7100 is a tilting 3in LCD

monitor for composing at unusual angles.Users also get 720p HD video recording, RAWfile format and a 7.1x zoom NIKKOR lens withtwo ED glass elements to reduce chromaticaberration and fringing at longer focal lengths,as well as a Natural Density filter.The Nikon COOLPIX P7100 is priced

at £499.99 and will be available from22 September.www.nikon.co.uk

X MARKS THE SPOTFORPANASONICPanasonic has debuted two new ultra-compactpower zoom lenses for its Lumix G Systemcameras – the LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 14-42mmand LUMIX G XVARIO PZ45-175mm. These arethe first in its X range, and feature nano surfacecoating and optical image stabilisation. Thecollapsible 14-42mmexpands to a 3x zoom andis 58 per cent smaller and 48 per cent lighterthan the Lumix G Standard 14-42mmkit lens.Also announced was the 12.1-megapixel

Lumix DMC-FX90 compact camera, whichintegrates Wi-Fi connectivity so users can postimages on photo sharing sites. The FX90 alsooffers 5x zoom and full HD video recording.Prices for all products were unknown at thetime of writing.www.panasonic.co.uk

PM_OCT_GEAR_NEWS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 17:58


STEALTH GEAR UNVEILSNEW FILTER SYSTEMStealth Gear, known for its clothing and wildlifewatching supplies, has announced a newuniversalsquare filtersystemmadefrom organicglass.The

Stealth Gearhigh-qualitysquare filtersystemconsists of three components, with which youthen have the choice of 10 filters: ND2 Grey,ND4 Grey, ND8 Grey, Gradual Grey, GradualBlue, Gradual Brown, Sunset, CircularPolariser, Star4 and Star 8. The Stealth Gearsquare filter system is also compatible withthe Cokin P-system. www.stealth-gear.com

SONY REVEALS FIRSTFULL HD VIDEODIGITAL BINOCULARS

Sony has launched the world’s firstdigital binoculars capable of recordingfull HD video with stereo sound, as wellas shooting still images.Aimed at bird-watchers and wildlife

aficionados, the Sony DEV-5 and DEV-3allow users to record video in both 2-Dand 3-D using electronic autofocus tokeep subjects sharp, even when moving;but with the option of switching to manualfocus. When recording in 2-D mode the Sonybinoculars can focus from as close as 1cmaway from the subject, while in 3-D mode thisdistance extends to a minimum80cm.Users also have the option of viewing later

in 3-D video footage recorded originally in 2-D.In 2-D mode both models offer up to 10x

magnification, while the higher-end DEV-5 isextendable to20x withdigital zoom.Both arecapable ofmagnificationup to 5.4x in3-D moviemode.The DEV-3

and DEV-5 alsofeature a photomode, allowingusers to takestill images at7.1 megapixels in4:3 ratio and 5.3MP at 16:9.The DEV-5 includes on-board GPS tagging forstill images and video.A Sony representative said prices had yet to

be confirmed for both models, but at the timeof writing, it is thought the DEV-5 will costroughly £2,300 and the DEV-3 around £1,700.Both products will be available in the UK inNovember.www.sony.co.uk

EPSON ANNOUNCES NEWHOME PHOTO PRINTERSEpson has boosted its range of home photoprinters with the Stylus Photo PX730WD andPX830FWD.Both printers incorporate Wi-Fi capability

and the new Epson Connect service, whichallows photographers to print their imagesremotely, from anywhere in the home.The automatic Wi-Fi function configureslaptops and computers without usershaving to know their network settings orconnecting with a USB cable. The new Epsonprinters can find the relevant connectionsettings and configure themselves.Epson says the PX730WD (pictured) is

designed for serious photographers who wantto share printing, scanning and copyingactivities with the rest of the household (upto60 people). The PX830FWD is Epson’spremium four-in-one when it comes tohigh-definition printing at home, havingtop-of-the-range features for printing,scanning, copying and faxing.The Epson Stylus PX730WD and PX830FWD

are available now priced at £259.99 and£299.99 respectively.www.epson.co.uk

CANON LAUNCHES NEWIXUS, POWERSHOT MODELSCanon has boosted its range of compacts withtwo new IXUSmodelsand one PowerShot.Featuring full HD

video recording anda 3.2in touchscreen,the 12.1MP IXUS 1100HS (pictured) is theslimmest 12x opticalzoom camera, Canonclaims. The IXUS 230HS also offers full HDmovies, 12.1MPresolution and at 22.1mm is said to be theworld’s slimmest 8x optical zoom camera.The Canon IXUS 230 HS is priced at £229,while the IXUS 1100 HS price tag is £369.Both cameras are available from October.Also out is the 14.1MP Canon PowerShot

SX150 IS, with its 12x optical zoom, HD videorecording and 32 scene modes. The SX150 ISis out now, priced at £199.www.canon.co.uk PM

NIKON BEEFS UP COOLPIXSTYLE RANGENikon has expanded its Style (S) range ofCOOLPIX cameras with four new models.The 10x wide-angle COOLPIX S6200 and14x zoom COOLPIX S8200 record 720pand 1,080p HD video respectively, and featurea new range of in-camera filter effects.The S6200 is priced at £179.99 and thehigher-end S8200 price tag is £279.99.Both models are available this month.Also new to the COOLPIX Style line-up are

the S1200pj and S100. Priced at £399.99, the14-megapixel S1200pj features an integratedprojector giving projection that is 20 lumensbrighter than its predecessor, the S1100pj, aswell as instant connection with the iPhone,iPad and iPod Touch. Other features includea 5x zoom and 720p HD video recording.At £249.99, the S100 comes in an 18.1mm

wide body and a 3.5in OLED touch-controlLCD. With a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and5x zoom, it also offers full HD video recordingand 3D image shooting capability. The S100 isavailable now and the S1200pj goes on sale on22 September.www.nikon.co.uk

NIKON TOUGHENS UP WITHCOOLPIXAW100Nikon has revealedits first ruggedcompact camera, theCOOLPIX AW100, which claims to bewaterproof to 10m, freezeproof to -10°C andshockproof from heights up to 1.5m (5ft).The AW100 also has a built-in GPS function

for geo-tagging your images, an electroniccompass and a built-in world map. Other keyfeatures include a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor,5x optical zoom and full HD video recordingwith stereo sound. The Nikon AW100 is pricedat £329.99.www.nikon.co.uk

Jeff has some hands-on testing at the launch

PM TEAM

GEAR

NEW KIT ON THE BLOCK

PM_OCT_GEAR_NEWS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 17:41


DON’T THROWYOUR TOYS OUT:GET CREATIVE WITHTWO NEW LOMOSWith in-camera filter effects now commonplace and plenty of smartphoneapps which instantly apply similar treatments, you may wonder why theLomographic community persists in doing things the old-fashioned way.MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI hits the pavement with two new LOMO cameras,the LC-Wide and La Sardina, to find out why

MAT

TGO

LOW

CZYN

SKI

The LOMO LC-Wide, left, and the La Sardina – Sea Pride, right.

PM_OCT_LOMO:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:42


MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR

LOMO LA SARDINA AND LC-WIDE REVIEW

Shunning the conveniences of modern digitaltechnology, Lomographers prefer instead

to pop a roll of film into a camera withlimited control and break from manyphotographic conventions to achieve

their results. This community may be small,but it is spread across the globe and continues

to be catered for with new camerasand accessories, the latest being LOMO’s

La Sardina and the more advancedLC-Wide. So what’s the fuss all about then? �


Discover Britain (formerly Heritage) is Britain’s leadinghistoric travel magazine, packed with news andfeatures on our finest stately homes and castles,

practical guides to our cities, coast and countrysideand in-depth articles on our culture and traditions.

With stunning photography and the best travel andhistory writers around, Discover Britain has everythingyou need to plan a holiday at home or learn about the

events that have helped to shape our island nation.Discover Britain is published 6 times a year.

Lines are open 8am-9pm Mon-Thurs and 8am-8pm Fri-Sun, except Public Holidays. Calls cost up to 2p/min plus a 6p set up fee from a BT landline.T&Cs: Offer ends 31/10/11. This offer is available for delivery within the UK. One free magazine per household.

*Subject to availablity. It may take up to six weeks to receive your free issue.

READER OFFER

FREE magazineWe are offering our readers a

FREE* copy of Discover Britain

TO REQUEST YOUR FREE* COPY☎ 08452 863233 and quote DISCOVER

INSIDE EVERY ISSUE:HERE & NOW: the latest news and views

on Britain’s heritageHISTORIC HOUSES: we explore the nation’s

finest stately homes and castlesPAST & PRESENT: see how Britain’s mosticonic landmarks have changed over time

COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE: discover thenatural wonders of our National Parks

and historic coastlinesTOTAL GUIDES: in-depth guides to Britain’s most

spectacular historic counties and regionsBRILLIANT COMPETITIONS: win holidays,

books, DVD’s, tickets and much moreBRITAIN EXPLORER: essential ideas for great

days out and weekends awayYOU WILL RECEIVE THE NEXT AVAILABLE ISSUE

WO

RTH£4

.25


THE NEW MODELSThe £50 La Sardina is the cheaper of the twonew cameras and is available in four differentdesigns – Marathon, Sea Pride, El Capitanand Fischers Fritze – each based around thehumble sardine can. It incorporates a22mm-equivalent wide-angle lens andaccepts the standard 35mm film format.As with many other LOMO cameras, itsfunctionality is deliberately limited.Its aperture is fixed to f/8 while its shutter

speed is set to 1/100sec, although bulb andmultiple exposure functions are provided.Focusing too is restricted to a close-upsetting for subjects between 0.6m to onemetre away, and another which continuesthis range to infinity – although there is aconnective port around the side of the modelshould you want to attach the external Fritzthe Blitz flashgun.With a price tag of £329, the LC-Wide is

a decidedly more luxurious LOMO option.As with the La Sardina it also accepts 35mmfilm, but it differs from its LC forebearsthanks largely to its Minigon 17mmwide-angle glass optic, which gives animpressive 103º angle of view. Unlike the

MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR


Image of a car, captured with the LOMO La Sardina

“WITH JUST TWO FOCUSINGSETTINGS ON EACHCAMERA, YOU SIMPLY NEEDTO WORK OUT WHETHERYOUR SUBJECT IS TOO NEAROR FAR FOR THE SETTINGYOU’RE USING.”

LOMO LC-Wide

�

La Sardina, though, the camera has a meteringsystem to enable automatic exposure and canbe set to rate film up to ISO 1,600.Its other attraction is its multi-aspect

capabilities. It ships with a pair of plasticframes which may be fitted behind the lensto produce square or half-frame formatimages. A small switch at the base of thecamera draws blinds across the lens andviewfinder to help with framing for thenon-standard aspect ratios and whencompletely closed they protect the twofrom any damage.

IN USEAs the viewfinder on both models is locatedslightly above the lens, there is a littleparallax error – although this is only reallyan issue if you forget this when you’reframing something close up with precision.Otherwise, both viewfinders are perfectlyadept – although the one on the La Sardinahas a rather long eyepiece which may botherthose who wear glasses.With just two focusing settings on each

camera, you simply need to work out whetheryour subject is too near or far for the setting



you’re using. After this you just point andshoot, before winding on the camera to thenext frame. Should you want to dabble insome multiple exposure fun, you simply flickthe MX switch which cocks the shutter.This then allows you to capture an additionalexposure over the one you’ve already taken.

WHAT ABOUT FILM?The ‘10 Golden Rules’ of Lomography includeinstructions not to think, to be fast and toshoot from the hip. This, coupled with thetypes of film often used by Lomographersand the popularity of cross-processing slideemulsions, helps explain some of theunorthodox results we’re used to seeingfrom such cameras. That’s not to say thatcolour negative or black-and-white film can’tbe used equally well, but cross-processingslide film is a popular choice, as its resultsperfectly complement the experimentalnature of Lomography.Many Lomographers are drawn to older

slide and colour negative emulsions whichmay not be manufactured any more – andmay not even be in date – as these canproduce some of the most interestingeffects. Given the low availability of suchfilms, part of the fun is finding them in thefirst place. Websites such as eBay and theonline Lomography shop are good places tolook – the latter has a number of interestingemulsions available under its own brand;although a recent resurgence in popularityof LOMO cameras has led to a number ofindependent retail stores also beginning tostock such films.

THE RESULTSI decided to run a few different films throughthe two cameras, including some KodakProfessional ELITE Chrome – which wasout of date by four years – and LomographyX-pro Slide film, which is made from thesame emulsion as the once-popularAgfachrome RSX II 200. Inside the LaSardina, the latter produced medium-grain,medium-contrast images with saturatedblues and vibrant greens whencross-processed, although results varywith shooting conditions and the C-41chemistry used for processing. There wasless vignetting from the camera thanexpected, only really being prominent whenshooting against a clear blue sky, whilethe distortions from the lens meant manyimages were almost fisheye – particularlythose shot close to the subject. �

“THE ‘10 GOLDEN RULES’OF LOMOGRAPHYINCLUDE INSTRUCTIONSNOT TO THINK, TO BEFAST AND TO SHOOTFROM THE HIP.”

� LOMO La Sardina – multiple exposure

� LOMO LC-Wide


� It’s easy to recreate the LOMO effect usingsoftware, although some files work better thanothers. Images with plenty of blue sky can givedramatic results, while those with no dominanttones or colours often take on quite well anyeffects you make. The following works best forthe former type.

�STEP ONE – ADD A VIGNETTELoad your image into Photoshop. Click on it in theLayers window and drag it over the Create a NewLayer tab on the bottom. You should now have theoriginal layer and a copy, the latter of which youshould rename Vignette. Make sure this layer ishighlighted before going to Filter > Distort > LensCorrection. Click on the Custom tab and drag theVignette slider to the left, until the corners of theframe darken. Click OK.

�STEP TWO – BLUR THE EDGESDrag the Vignette layer over the Create a NewLayer tab, as you did in the first step, and renameit Blur. Click on Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blurand set the radius to between one and three pixelsbefore clicking OK. Now select Eraser Tool fromthe main palette and choose a soft round brush,before choosing the largest size that will fit intothe frame.Now turn the brush opacity down to around

30 per cent and brush around the centre of theimage, making sure to avoid the corners. Do thisuntil the centre of the image is sharp, but don’tworry if the effect is a little uneven as it will appearmore authentic.You can also add some noise by duplicating the

layer again before selecting Filter > Noise > AddNoise. This step is optional and you only need toapply a little, but it does result in a grainy texturesimilar to that of cross-processed film.

�STEP THREE – ADJUST CONTRASTAND COLOUR

Next, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curvesand click OK. The curves window should now bevisible on the right-hand side. What you do heredepends on the image you’re using. To achieve aclassic cross-processed look click on the drop-downmenu where it should say RGB and select the greenchannel. Lift the line from its centre point towardsthe top left corner a little, so that you end up witha gentle curve. Next, click on the red channel andapply a gentle S-shaped curve, before doing thesame with the blue channel.Depending on the desired effect, you may not need

to change the red or blue channels, so considerthese to be rough guidelines rather than instructionsset in stone.

�STEP FOUR – ADD A GRADIENT MAPFinally, click on Layer > New Adjustment Layer >Gradient Map and click OK. This should turn yourimage into a black-and-white picture. Click on thedrop-down menu in the ‘Mode’ tab which should beset to ‘Normal’ and select ‘Overlay’. Finish off byturning down the opacity until you’re happy with theresult – although for the most dynamic effect youmay even wish to leave it at 100 per cent.

RECREATE THE LOMO EFFECT

MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR





MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI LOMO LA SARDINA AND LC-WIDE REVIEW

GEAR

Things were quite different with the LC-Wideand Kodak Professional ELITE Chromecombination. The camera’s lens producedconsiderably more vignetting than the LaSardina, while its edges were very soft andwith quite obvious pincushion distortion closeup. No doubt you’d be pretty disappointed tofind all of this in a DSLR lens, but suchaberrations are celebrated in the LOMO world.These effects, together with the choice of film,lent my images a dark and somewhat sinisterquality. Many had a heavy green and blue castand the combination of the high-contrastresults, together with the camera’s vignetting,left skies looking dramatic, almost as thoughthey had exploded.

CONCLUSIONAs with any film camera you’re likely to approach your subject with a little moreconsideration than when you know you can take an unlimited number of images;although the carefree nature of the LOMO format means that you’re likely to end up withpictures you would otherwise never think to take. With a little imagination and theright film, Lomography can be incredible fun and makes a refreshing change fromshooting digitally.

For more tips and reviews visit our sitewww.photographymonthly.com

LOMO La Sardina

JOIN A LOMO WORKSHOP!

Lomography is offering 12 lucky PhotographyMonthly readers a free place each on its ‘PremiumVersus Plastic’ Lomography workshop, to be heldon 7October 2011 at its Gallery Store East London.

Participants will get to use the La Sardina andLC-Wide cameras tested here, and each person willreceive one roll of film for each camera, as well asexpert instruction, and tips and techniques forboth models from Lomography experts.

The workshop presentation lasts an hour,leaving the remainder of the afternoon free forparticipants to shoot, swap, shoot and thenprocess in Lomography’s new LomoLab.

Lomography will also offer participants a 10%discount on the cost of scans and prints, which willbe £13 for 35mm and £14 for 120mm film.

Lomography and the Photography Monthlyeditorial team will then choose the top imagefrom each camera, which will be printed in theNovember issue of PM. The photographer of eachwinning image will receive a La Sardina camera.

To enter, email [email protected] ‘Lomo Workshop’ in the subject line by 5pmon Friday 16 September 2011. We will choose 12readers at random to join the workshop.

The venue will be:The Lomography Gallery Store East London117 Commercial Street, London E1 6BGTel: 020 7426 0999Email: [email protected]

LOMO LC-Wide

PM



MATTGOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR

CANON EOS 1100D VS NIKON D3100

NIKON D3100VS CANONEOS 1100DOver the past year Canon and Nikon have traded blow for blow in beefing uptheir range of entry-level DSLRs. Last month we compared their competingmodels in the upper end of that range; this month the battle continues as weexamine the features and performance on offer at the lower end in what are twoof the most searched-for cameras online: the Nikon D3100 and Canon EOS 1100DPPIICCTTUURREESS AANNDD WWOORRDDSS BBYY MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

PM_OCT_CANON_V_NIKON:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:48


our years ago, Nikon redefinedthe entry-level DSLR with its D40.It may not have been the first model

targeted at the beginner, but its diminutiveform, simple operation and educationalgraphic interface set a blueprint for similarcameras, not just for Nikon but also its rivals.As its strongest competitor, Canon has

worked just as diligently to keep the noviceuser happy. While its triple-digit EOS line hasevolved towards a more intermediate featureset, a newer range now sits beneath it.The EOS 1100D is that range’s newest memberand the closest match for Nikon’s most juniormodel, the D3100. Both appear as capabletools for those cutting their photographicteeth, but are they as good as each other?

FEATURESOn paper the Nikon D3100 appears to possessa number of advantages over its rival,although this isn’t necessarily any indicator ofperformance. Its 14.2MP sensor offers a slightresolution gain over the 1100D’s 12.2MPcounterpart, although both are APS-C typeswhich apply a crop factor to any mountedlenses, the 1100D at 1.6x the true length andthe D3100 at 1.5x.While the 1100D has the wider native

sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, theD3100’s smaller ISO 100-3200 range iscomplemented with two further settingswhich raise sensitivity to the equivalent ofISO 12,800. Both cameras includeuser-selectable noise reduction options,although with four strengths for high-ISOimages and a separate option for longexposures, Canon’s method is a little morecomprehensive than Nikon’s more primitive‘on/off’ control.In terms of video recording, the D3100

allows for full HD video capture at 1,920 x1,080 at 24fps, while the 1100D can onlymanage the more basic HD offering of 1,280x 720 at 30fps. Both call upon a singlemicrophone for mono recording, and neitherprovides a port for attaching external stereomics, so there’s little opportunity to improveaudio quality on either.Around the rear, each camera sports an

LCD screen with a resolution of 230,000 dots,

F

THE 1100D INCORPORATESMANY DIRECT CONTROLS,WHILE THE D3100 OFFERSA MORE BASIC LEVEL OFPHYSICAL CONTROL,HOUSING MOST OPTIONSWITHIN ITS MENU SYSTEM

although the D3100’s is a little larger at 3innext to the 1100D’s 2.7in. The two are moreclosely matched with regards to theirviewfinders, both being pentamirror typeswith a coverage of 95% along the horizontaland vertical, and a magnification of 0.80x.Thanks to its slightly larger sensor, though,Nikon’s viewfinder displays a touch more ofthe scene, although it should be noted thatthis difference is slight.The 1100D’s nine-point focusing system is

also slightly bettered by the D3100’s 11-pointmodule, although both have a cross-typecentral sensor in common for improvedaccuracy and speed. Each may be set tosingle-shot and continuous-focus options, aswell as to a mode which automatically variesbetween the two. Manual focus is alsopossible, selectable on the barrel of eachcamera’s kit lens.

BUILD/HANDLINGThere is only a 10g difference between theweight of the two cameras, and while theD3100 is the smaller model overall it’s nota difference you can appreciate with the eye.Neither camera can be said to havea noticeably better build than the other,

although the D3100’s slightly loose memorycard door makes itself known. It is, however,more conveniently placed on the side of thecamera, rather than on its base, as it is on the1100D, which is problematic when trying toremove the card when using a tripod.The 1100D incorporates many direct

controls, such as for ISO, white balance anddrive modes, while the D3100 offers a morebasic level of physical control and insteadhouses most options within its menu system.Many of the 1100D’s controls can also beaccessed in this way, which ultimately makesit more flexible.The D3100 does, however, redeem itself

with a little more attention to detail around itsbody. I found it the easier camera to handlethanks to the rubber around its grip and onthe thumb rest, neither of which is offered onthe 1100D. Having the command dial rightunder where the thumb naturally falls wasalso convenient, as it meant that I could keepmy finger on the shutter release buttonwhile I made adjustments to exposure.In contrast, the 1100D requires both to beoperated with the index finger. The 1100Ddoes, however, have a marginally brighterand more neutral viewfinder.�



MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR


RIVALS

At around £400-£450 with their kit lenses, the

two cameras on test are faced with a number of

competitors such as Pentax’s K-r and Sony’s

NEX-C3. The former compares more than

favourably, with a 921,000-dot LCD screen and

6fps burst rate, while the latter has a 16.2MP

sensor and articulated display to recommend it.

Pentax K-r

Sony NEX-C3

READER’S REPORTPM reader Mark Philpott uses both the D3100 and EOS 1100D. He rates their pros and cons: “Advantages... theseare small, light and unobtrusive, which is invaluable these days when big cameras seem to make you a terrorist.”He rates their features as another plus. “Both have all the stuff (mostly) to let photographers take control, yetif you want to let the camera take control, you can. Disadvantages... they’re not quick. But we knowAF performance isn’t going to be blistering, frame rate is going to be limited and ISO won’t reach the heightsof ‘pro’ bodies. Finally, ruggedness. These are built to a price point, so toughness and seals are a bit lacking.”

� My favourite picture taken withthe Canon EOS 1100D

� My favourite picture taken withthe Nikon D3100



MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR


TECHNICAL SPEC: CANON EOS 1100D

� SENSOR 22.2 x 14.7mm(APS-C) CMOS type,12.6MP total, 12.2MPeffective

� CROP FACTOR FOCAL Approx 1.6xLENGTH CONVERSION

� VIDEO RESOLUTION MOV format, 1,280 x720 (at 30, 25 fps).Mono sound

� AUTOFOCUS Nine points (onecross-type)

� VIEWFINDER Optical pentamirror,95% coverage with0.80x magnification.Approx 21mm eyepoint

� MAX BURSTRATE 3fps (JPEG), 2fps(RAW)

� LCD SCREEN SIZE 2.7in, 230,000 dots� SENSITIVITY Auto ISO, ISO

100-6400� WHITE BALANCE Auto, Daylight,

Shade, Cloudy,Tungsten, WhiteFluorescent light,Flash, Custom

� SHUTTER SPEEDS 1/4,000-30sec, bulb� FLASH Built-in flash. Guide

number 9.2m @ ISO100

� MEMORY CARDS SD, SDHC, SDXC� BATTERY Rechargeable LP-E10

Lithium-ion battery� WEIGHT 495g (including

battery and memorycard)

� STREET PRICE £430 (standard kit)

129.9mm

99.7mm

77.9mm(Depth)

TECHNICAL SPEC: NIKON D3100

� SENSOR 23.1 x 15.4mm(APS-C) CMOS type,14.8MP total, 14.2MPeffective

� CROP FACTOR FOCAL Approx 1.5xLENGTH CONVERSION

� VIDEO RESOLUTION MOV format, 1,920 x1,080 (at 24fps),1,280 x 720 (at30fps). Mono sound

� AUTOFOCUS 11 points (onecross-type)

� VIEWFINDER Optical pentamirror,95% coverage with0.8x magnification.Approx 18mm eyepoint

� MAX BURSTRATE 3fps� LCD SCREEN SIZE 3in, 230,000 dots� SENSITIVITY Auto, ISO 100-3200

(expandable to ISO12,800 equivalent)

� WHITE BALANCE Auto, Incandescent,Fluorescent (7 types),Direct Sunlight, Flash,Cloudy, Shade, Preset

� SHUTTER SPEEDS 1/4,000-30sec, bulb� FLASH Built-in flash. Guide

number 12m @ ISO100

� MEMORY CARDS SD, SDHC, SDXC� BATTERY Rechargeable EN-EL14

Lithium-ion battery� WEIGHT Approx 505g

(including batteryand memory card)

� STREET PRICE £400 (standard kit)

124mm

96mm

74.5mm(Depth)

PERFORMANCEAlthough the 1100D’s nine-point AFsystemseems a little behind the D3100’s 11-pointsystem, it’s actually slightly snappier in termsof speed. This is particularly noticeable whenthe lens needs to focus from one end of itsrange to the other, where the D3100 dawdlesa little in comparison. Otherwise, the centralpoints on each camera’s system are equallysensitive, and no major differences couldbe found in terms of the sensitivity of theperipheral points, with both cameras failingto focus in areas of low contrast when onlythese were called upon.

When it came to continuous shooting,I found the 1100D could manage only threeRAW and JPEG frames before slowing down,while the D3100 typically managed aroundtriple this figure, at a slightly faster rate.These figures were obtained with a fastClass 10 SDHC card too; with a slowercard it became even more difficult to shootconsecutive images with the 1100D.

The two cameras were assessed for colourand white balance performance under both �

MENU SYSTEMS

Nikon – The options within the D3100’s menusystem are divided between Playback, Shooting,Setup and Retouch tabs, while a Recent Settingssub-menu provides quick access to anything youmay have recently accessed. All options areclearly spelled out in full, while the font usedthroughout is both clear and large.

Canon – The EOS 1100D’s menu makes better useof colour-coding than the D3100’s, with red, blueand yellow colours assigned respectively toShooting, Playback and Setup tabs. There is alsoa My Menu sub-menu which can be filled withfunctions of the user’s choosing. While thescreen’s contrast and brightness are bothsatisfactory, the text is a touch on the small side.

ALTHOUGH THE 1100D’SNINE-POINT AF SYSTEMSEEMS A LITTLE BEHINDTHE D3100’S 11-POINTSYSTEM, IT’S ACTUALLYSLIGHTLY SNAPPIER INTERMS OF SPEED



CANON

Features 70/100Build and handling 75/100Performance 70/100OVERALL CANON 72%

NIKON

Features 80/100Build and handling 85/100Performance 85/100OVERALL NIKON 83%

SCORES OUT OF 100

controlled studio conditions and more generaleveryday scenes. In the studio, when set tothe same custom white balance the 1100D’sRAW output displayed a tendency for moreneutral colour next to the D3100’s moresaturated results.

In more general shots, however, things werethe other way around, with the D3100’s autowhite balance system leaning more towardsneutrality and the 1100D being considerablywarmer, neither system being inaccurate assuch, just showing a slight preference one wayor the other.

In terms of exposure, Canon’s 63-zoneiFCL system proves to be the more sensitiveof the two, being easily led to over andunderexposure. Noise levels from the two

cameras are remarkably similar, although theD3100’s extended Hi2 option does allow forgreater flexibility (although results are,unsurprisingly, very noisy by this point).The only difference between the two is thatthe D3100’s noise appears a little coarser,which can occasionally make it a touch morenoticeable.

Finally, the image stabilisation systems ofeach camera’s kit lens were found to beeffective, with usable results down to around1/10sec at the 55mm, which representsa benefit of around four EV stops each.Results at slower shutter speeds could alsobe deemed ‘usable’ by some, although thatwould depend on how exactly they would beused and at what size.

The images above, in actual pixels, show the detail captured by the Canon EOS 1100D and Nikon D3100

The images above show the colour reproduction of the Canon EOS 1100D and Nikon D3100 Examples of exposure shown on the Canon (above) andNikon (below)

CANON

CANON

NIKON

NIKON



MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

GEAR


VERDICTFor the first-time user neither camera is a bad choice, and each is compatible with an exhaustive collection of lenses andaccessories. Anyone looking at these should also consider adding the Pentax K-r to their shortlist, which has a number ofadvantages over either tested here for roughly the same price. Nevertheless, for those looking specifically towards one of thetwo on test, the Nikon is perhaps the better choice. Its AF system may not be quite as speedy and its menu-based operationmay not please everyone, but it is considerably better specified and a slightly better performer. It is surprising, therefore, tofind it also being the cheaper of the two. PM

NOISE EXAMPLES

Below, in actual pixels, are examples of each camera’s performance at its higher sensitivity settings. The Nikon D3100 is expandable to an ISO 12,800 equivalent

12,8001600 3200 6400 1600 3200 6400

CANON NIKON


PM DEALS...1

2

3

4

5

Each month we promise to phone our extensive list of contacts in the photographic industry to find yousome of the best deals on new gear. All prices listed are current as of 7September 2011

THE BEST ROUNDUP OF THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL DEALS

1

2

4


6

76

5

3

7

SIGMA 8-16MM F/4.5-5.6 DC HSM – CANON EOS FITLondon Camera Exchange – Bath, in-store

PM Reader Price: £499, with three-year guaranteewww.lcegroup.co.ukTel: 01225462234

Canon or Nikon Fit Bundle Deal:One Mini TT1 transmitterTwo Flex TT5 transceiversOne AC3 zone controllerPM Reader Price: £509 – PM readers can claim free delivery byentering the code ‘photogmonth’ at the online checkout screenwww.sharifphotographic.co.ukTel: 01461 206578

PM Reader Price: £69.99www.parkcameras.com

PM Reader’s Price: £24.99 – Photography Monthly readersmay quote the code ‘PMSAM’ and claim 10 per cent off this pricewww.picstop.co.ukTel: 01624 670005

PM Reader Price: £25.99, inc UK deliverywww.jackthehat.co.ukTel: 01900 816104

PM Reader Price: £164 (any colour)www.acecameras.co.uk/photomonthly.aspTel: 01225466975

PM Reader Price: £49.97www.morrisphoto.co.ukTel: 08454 302030

TAMRAC ADVENTURE 75 BACKPACKMorris Photo

RICOH PXAce Cameras – Bath, in-store

PAP STRAPJack the Hat Photographic

SAMSUNG 16GB SDHC PLUS MEMORY CARDPicStop

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP & PREMIERE ELEMENTS 9.0Park Cameras

POCKETWIZARDSharif Photographic Services

PM_OCT_DEALS:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:56

Upload your images to our online galleryfor the chance to see them published inPhotography Monthly. As well as theReaders’ Gallery, we are looking for astriking image for the front cover ofour November issue – could yourphoto be the one?

Upload your images atwww.photographymonthly.com


STUARTKEAREY

GO ONLINE

UPLOAD TO OUR PM GALLERIES

Stuart KeareySigourney Jane HulmeNikon D500070-200mm

SEE YOUR IMAGESIN PRINT!

PM_FILLER:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:57


� IF YOU HAVE AN SLR CAMERA and want to getcloser to your subject, macro is the name ofthe game. Unfortunately, it is one of thosegenres of photography where you can spendthousands of your hard-earned pounds tryingto capture small details.

However, what if I said that you couldspend just £1.49 and only have to go as far asthe corner shop to capture those minutedetails? Would you believe a simple can ofPringles crisps is all you need?

In macro, the easy way of getting in closeto your subject is via macro rings or bellows.These work well, but the problem is you haveto buy the macro rings or bellows!

Here we’re going to substitute these witha Pringles can and use it in conjunction with

another budget macro technique: reversingyour lens. Simply take your lens off thecamera, turn it around, and place itfront-element-first against the camera body.

This alone will get you near, but to getultra-close you can use the Pringles can anda piece of black felt to hold the lens awayfrom the camera without letting light leakpast the lens and into the camera body.

You can create your Pringles can extensiontube by following the five simple steps onthe opposite page. When ready to use theassembly you will need to move either thecamera or the subject itself to get it focused.With little depth of field, this can sometimesbe a frustrating process, but the results arewell worth it! PM

THE DIYPHOTOGRAPHERIn these lean times very few of us can afford the expensivekit we want, but neither can we afford to stop takingpictures. In a new series, HAJE JAN KAMPS explains howto transform everyday household items into valuableadditions to your kit bag. This month… how to turn aPringles can into a powerful extension tube

Camera body cap

Pringles can

Lens, inserted front-first into Pringles can

Interchangeable lens cameraertIn

pcayodbameraC

senL

amercaslenlebeagnarch

rPotinst-firtronffronedtserin, ncalesginr

Three easy pieces: this is how your camera, lens and Pringles can should connect

Close-up of a glowingmatch head

MATERIALSNEEDED

� SLR CAMERA+ INTERCHANGEABLE LENS

� EMPTYPRINGLES CAN

� BLACKFELTAND AKNIFE

� BODYCAP FOR CAMERA

� SANDPAPER AND STRONG GLUE

HAJE

JAN

KAM

PS

PM_OCT_DIY_PHOTOG:Layout 1 24/08/2011 10:58

Haje is a Dutch

photographer, author

and blogger.

He wrote MacroPhotography (ISBN

978-0470118764),

blogs at

www.photocritic.org,

and tweets on

@Photocritic

� STEP 1Get a camera body cap and cut out as muchas you can from the centre, ensuring youleave the whole bayonet mount intact.Use a piece of sandpaper to matte thesurface, which will help prevent reflections.

� STEP 2Mark the hole in your body cap on thebottom, metal end of the Pringles canand cut out this hole. Be sure to clean outthe can afterwards to remove any metalshavings or salt.

� STEP 3Line the inside of the can with black felt toeliminate reflections.

� STEP 4Glue the body cap to the Pringles can.Use strong glue, as the tube will be bearinga lot of weight, and once it has dried be sureto colour the glue black with a felt-tip markerto prevent any light seeping through.

� STEP 5Place the lens (I used a cheap standardmake) into the open end of the can, whichshould fit snugly around the felt. Also besure to insert the lens so that the rearelectrical contacts are facing away fromthe camera body.

HAJE JAN KAMPS

GEAR

DIY PHOTOGRAPHY


“UNFORTUNATELY, MACRO ISONE OF THOSE GENRES OF

PHOTOGRAPHY WHERE YOUCAN SPEND THOUSANDS OF

YOUR HARD-EARNEDPOUNDS...”

COMING NEXTMONTH

With my DIY extension tube I was able to capture amazing detail on this coin

What’s this? You may ask. The answer is it’s an extremeclose-up of a burning match, shot through my Pringles can

� Haje shows you how to make amini-studio in your own home forshooting small items

PM_OCT_DIY_PHOTOG:Layout 1 24/08/2011 16:39

Part Exchange Deals!

NIKON PREMIER DEALER NIKON PROFESSIONAL DEALER53 The Horsefair, Broadmead, Bristol

NEXT TO DEBENHAMS 01179 276 185 13 Cheap Street, Bath

NEXT TO THE ABBEY 01225 462 234

LATEST USED EQUIPMENT

LEICA SPECIALIST DEALER3 Alliance House, Baldwin St, Bristol

NEXT THE HIPPODROME 01179 291 935

CANON 70-200mm f4 L ............................... £499.99

CANON 28-300mm is L .............................. £1799.99

CANON 24-105mm L ................................. £699.00

CANON Speedlite 580 EX ............................. £249.00

CANON 100mm F2.8 macro ......................... £349.00

SIGMA 2x Teleconverter EOS fi t .................. £179.99

TAMRON 200-500mm EOS fi t ...................... £599.00

PENTAX 6x7 + 105mm ................................. £449.99

PANASONIC GF2 Body ................................ £249.99

SONY DSC-HX5V Compact .......................... £169.99

c/w 18-55 Lens

JUST £629.99

c/w 18-55 VR Lens

ONLY £399.99

FREE Nikon bag

D3100 c/w 18-105 VR Lens

JUST £689.99Less a minimum of £50on your old camera in part exchange bringing price to £639.99

• 16 megapixel

• Full HD movie• 12 megapixel• 3-inch LCD Screen• Live View mode

• 14.2 megapixel• 3.0” LCD monitor• HD movies

c/w 18-105 VR Lens• 16.2 megapixel• 3-inch LCD Screen• Live View mode

JUST £1049.99

before voucher price £1099.99

D5100 D90 D7000

before voucher price £679.99

Condition description 1*- 5*

NIKON D1x body .............................................. £240.00NIKON D200 body ....................................from £299.00NIKON D70s with 18-70mm DX lens................ £309.00NIKON 12-24MM F4 G ..................................... £629.00NIKON 24-120mm f3.5-5.6G VR ..................... £399.00SIGMA 105MM F2.8D Macro for Nikon AF ...... £299.00SIGMA 70-200mm f2.8 EX for Nikon AF .......... £479.00SIGMA 18-200mm EX f3.5-6.3 for Nikon AF.... £169.00SIGMA 18-50mm f2.8 for Nikon AF ................. £199.00CANON EOS 1D body ...................................... £329.00CANON EFS 55-250mm IS .............................. £189.00CANON EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM ............. £349.00SIGMA 15-30mm f3.5-4.5DG for Canon AF .... £449.00TAMRON 60mm f2 Macro for Canon AF ......... £329.00SONY 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 OSS ...................... £569.00OLYMPUS 50mm f2 macro digital .................... £379.00PANASONIC G2 with 14-42mm lens................ £359.00PANASONIC 45-200mm stabilized lens .......... £199.00SIGMA DP2s compact 24.2mm f2.8 lens ........ £299.00SIGMA DP1 compact 16.6mm f4 lens ............. £249.00

LEICA R6 Chrome ..................................... £399.00 5*

LEICA R4s ....................................................£129.00 4*

LEICA R4s Mod. P ........................................£199.00 5*

LEICA R4s Mod. 2 .........................................£199.00 5*

LEICA 60mm F2.8 R Macro with 1:1 adapter ..£349.00 4*

NIKON D80 ...................................................£329.00 4*

NIKON MB-D80 Grip ......................................£89.00 3*

NIKON 70-300mm G ......................................£79.00 4*

CANON 550EX Flash ....................................£199.00 4*

CANON 1D Mk2 ............................................£599.00 3*

SIGMA 15-30mm EX DG Canon Fit ............£299.00 4*

PANASONIC GF1 Body ................................£219.00 5*

The Professional Choice

The Sling-O-Matic™ series -quickly change the strap positionto carry over either shoulder, soyou always access you cameragear from the top of the bag

Digital Holster™ v2.0 family has evolved withexciting new features...

The Sling-O-Matic™SeriesQ

Q

Q

Q

The Digital Holster™v2.0 Series

for more information: 020 7193 6769

Camera bags & accessories designed by photographers for photographers

Orbis™Ring Flash & Orbis™ArmREVOLUTIONARY NEW lighting accessories Q

All prices include VAT @ 20% Opening times Mon-Sat 8:45-5:45pm; Thursday 8:45-7.30pm; Sunday 10:15-4.30pm. Sunday trading is for in-store only. Store address : York Road, Victoria Business Park, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9TT. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Switch/Maestro. Figures in Brackets indicates stock level held at unrepeatable prices at time of going to print. All products are UK stock. E&OE. * = Please mention “Photography Monthly” for this special price

Prices correct at time of going to press; Prices subject to change; Check website for latest prices.

Phone one of our knowledgeable sales advisors

01444 23 70 63available Monday - Saturday 8.45am - 5:45pm

Visit our website, available 7 days a week, 365 days a year

www.ParkCameras.com/PMPhotographic Experts since 1971! - Visit www.ParkCameras.com/40 and celebrate our 40th Anniversary!

1971 - 2011

E-PL1 + 14-42mmEasy operation with Live Guide

Our Price £279.00*

E-P3 + 14-42mmStylish design with metal finishSee web for latest price

E-PL2 + 14-42mm IIUltra compact design in 4 colours

Our Price £469.99

K-r + 18-55mmCompact & easy to useOur Price £399.00

K-5 + 18-55mm WRRugged design & Full-HD video

Our Price £934.00

K-7 + 18-55mm WRFast & durable 14.6MP D-SLR

Our Price £679.00

LUMIX GF2 + 14-42mmUltra slim and lightweightOur Price £299.00*

LUMIX G3 + 14-42mmCreativity without limits

Our Price £489.95

NX11 + 18-55mm O.I.SPro pictures at your fingertips

Our Price £399.00

EX1Bright f/1.8 Schneider lens

Our Price £259.00

WB700 - Black or SilverUltra wide angle 18x super zoom

Our Price £177.00

STARBUY!

you can

YOUR EOS ADVENTURESTARTS HERE.

Lens sold separately

Body Only: £644.99EOS 600D + 18-55mm IS £694.99 | EOS 600D + 18-135mm IS £859.99

FIND YOUR OWN ANGLEWITH THE EOS 60D.

Dual-layer Sensor


Body Only: £819.99EOS 60D + 18-55mm IS £904.99 | EOS 60D + 17-55mm IS £1,624.98

For the latest low price on the Canon EOS 5D Mk II, please visit our website

Body Only£3,754.99

Body Price £1,239.99£1,519.99£1,784.99

For the latest low price on the Canon EOS 7D, please visit our website

Body Price £349.99£428.99


Body Price £534.99£609.00£794.99


LENSES For money saving deals on filters& hoods, visit our website.

£1,899.00£644.99£408.99

£1,349.99 £371.99 £393.99 £165.99

£1,159.99 £219.99

£1,269.00 £299.99

£94.99 £234.99 £359.00 £849.99

£1,759.00 £313.99 £380.99 £433.99 £723.99

£914.99 £352.99

£1,259.99 £4,949.99

£609.99 £5,589.00 £1,144.99 £8,899.99 £5,389.99 £1,099.99 £8,989.00

£11,239.00£10,099.99 £1,969.99£1,724.99£1,129.99£1,129.99£1,289.99

£649.00£579.00

£549.00 £1,149.00

£614.00£779.99£349.99£249.99£115.00 £149.99

£319.99£269.99£409.00£999.99

£919.99 £849.99 £389.99£194.99£299.99

£1,899.99£999.00

£949.99£499.99

£379.99£1,164.99£1,139.99

£189.99 £241.99

£1,249.99

£459.00 £459.00

In development

Park Cameras - one of the UK's Leading Professional Dealers

SUPERB DX-FORMAT SLR PACKED WITH CREATIVE FEATURES


UK PRICE PROMISESee website or call us on 01444 23 70 63 for our latest low price

Body Price £525.00£699.99£570.00

to help you achieve superior results. continuous shooting and D-Movie.

Body Price £854.99£1,039.99£1,113.99

continuous shooting and D-Movie.

Body Price £1,119.99£1,583.98£1,729.98

Body Price £1,849.99£2,479.98£3,179.98

LENSES For money saving deals with filters & hoods, visit our website.

£524.99£1,249.99

£613.99£469.99£344.99

£1,617.99£1,419.99

£227.99 £1,399.99

£262.99£169.99See Web

Micro £1,419.99 £239.99 £302.99£112.99£199.99£409.99£416.99

£314.99 £1,279.99

£619.99 £1,399.99

£794.99£989.99

£628.99 £1,139.99 £4,378.99£4,149.99

£979.99£6,749.99£5,869.99£7,199.99

£667.99£829.99

£1,317.99£849.99£463.99

£1,079.99£127.99

£85.00£185.00£609.99

£1,259.99 £529.99 £843.99 £699.99£199.99£199.99£309.99

£1,633.99£419.99

£1,199.99£5,099.99

£319.99£319.99£414.99

Body Price £334.99£399.99£678.98

Our Price £3,598.00


Try out the range of lenses for yourself in our state-of-the-art showroom in West Sussex

Cameras is designed to give you the very

STARBUY!

LUMIX GF3 + 14-42mm

Our Price £429.00NEW

STARBUY!

In stock

Find us on

*Delivery to UK mainland is FREE for orders over £100. For orders under £100, delivery from £2.50.

All prices include VAT @ 20%. Prices fluctuate so please see website for our latest low prices. E&OEVisit us at www.abc-digital-cameras.co.uk

call us on 08450 70 90 50 for the latest NEW PRODUCTS this Summer! Open Mon-Sat

8.45am - 5.45pm

www.abc-digital-cameras.co.uk08450 70 90 50

Lines open 8:45am-5:45pm Monday - Saturday

*

J

J

Please ask / see website for our massive savings off bags

EOS 600D

Our Price £644.99

D5100

Our Price £619.99

E-PL3

See website for latest low price!!

X100

See website for latest low price!!

Canon EOS 550D + 18-55mm IS

Our Price£609.00

Canon EOS 7DBody Only


Nikon D3100+ 18-55mm VR

Our Price £399.99

Nikon D7000Body Only

Our Price £854.99

Nikon D300s+ FREE 750GB HDD


Olympus E-P3 + 14-42mm

See web for price

Pentax K-7Body Only

Our Price £629.00

Pentax K-5Body Only

Our Price £878.00

Digital SLRs Canon Digital IXUS 300 HS

Our Price £219.99

CanonPowerShot S95

Our Price £329.99

CanonPowerShot G12

Our Price £419.00

Nikon CoolpixS3100

Our Price £79.99

Nikon Coolpix P500

Our Price £329.99

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

Our Price £269.99

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Our Price £364.99

Compact Digital Cameras

Samsung ST30

Our Price £69.00

SLR Lenses Accessories Adobe Photoshop

Elements 9.0

Our Price £59.99

ColourVisionSpyder 3 Express

Our Price £61.99

Epson StylusR3000

Our Price £569.00

Lowepro Slingshot 202 AW

Our Price £45.95

Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 + MH054Q2

Our Price £279.95

Lenspen Hurricane Blower

Our Price £6.99

For even more lenses filters and hoods, please visit our website For 1000s more accessories, please visit our website

Nifty Fifties £94.99

£302.99

£279.99

Popular Macro Lenses £359.00

£433.99

£409.99

£619.99

£389.99

£349.00

Popular Telephoto Lenses £194.99

£1,899.99

£199.99

£1,633.99

£299.00

Filters

Receive an extra 10% off

on mention of this advert

Canon EOS 600D + 18-55mm IS

Our Price£649.99

S2800HD

Our Price £129.00

NEW!

Get up to £75 back with Nikon Cashback between

25th August & 30th September

CLA

SS

IFIE

DTo

pla

ce a

n ad

vert

isem

ent

call

Bia

nca

Duf

ty o

n 01

242

2110

99

[Classified]

ACCESSORIES COURSES

and offering

1-day Photography Courses

For more information visit our web page

www.bigcatphotography.co.uk

at Wildlife Parks and Zoos

ButtercupsSanctuary for GoatsEagle Heights

www.farrowhousetraining.comemail: [email protected]

Tel. 01803-528663

Courses in Photoshop, Elements and Lightroom

from an Adobe Certified Instructor

Tuition in small groups. Also 1-to-1 and

tailored courses. Comprehensive course

notes and unlimited after-course support.

FARROWHOUSE

TRAINING

PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT OURNEW IMPROVED WEBSITE

WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM

Nowyou canbuy single issues ofyour favouritemagazines online –

go towww.buyamag.co.uk

FREEdelivery totheUK

CLA

SS

IFIE

DTo

pla

ce a

n ad

vert

isem

ent

call

Bia

nca

Duf

ty o

n 01

242

2110

99[Classified]

COURSES

www.photographytuition.co.uk

Improve your camera skills on location in the BreconBeacons. Expert friendly tuition. Gift Vouchers available.

HOLIDAYS AND COURSES

PRINTING AND PROCESSING

INSURANCE

CLA

SS

IFIE

DTo

pla

ce a

n ad

vert

isem

ent

call

Bia

nca

Duf

ty o

n 01

242

2110

99

[Classified]

STUDIO HIRE

WORKSHOP & TOURS

WORKSHOP & TOURS

PRINTING AND PROCESSING

TALES FROM AN AMERICAN CITYMIKE INNOCENZI SHARES HIS PICTURES AND OFFBEAT STORIES FROM THE STREETS OF CHICAGO

© Archant Specialist. Archant Specialist is part of Archant Ltd.

� While reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in Photography Monthly, that information is obtained from a variety of sources and neither the publisher,the printers nor any distributor is responsible for errors or omissions. All prices and data are accepted by us in good faith as being correct at the time of going to press.Pound conversion rates correct at the time of going to press. Advertisements are accepted for publication in Photography Monthly only upon Archant Specialist’s standard Termsof Acceptance of Advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising department. All advertisements of which the content is in whole or in part the work ofArchant Specialist remain the copyright of Archant Specialist. Reproduction in whole or in part of any matter appearing in Photography Monthly is forbidden except by expresspermission of the publisher.

Competition terms and conditions: � The closing date for competitions/giveaways is displayed alongside the competition/giveaway online.� Employees of Archant Specialist, and thoseprofessionally connected with the competition/giveaway, for example, employees of the sponsor company, are not eligible to enter.� Unless otherwise stated, competitions/giveawaysare only open to UK residents.� Prizes are as described and no alternatives can be given.� The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.� ArchantSpecialist may wish to contact you in the future, or pass your details to selected third parties, to introduce new products and services to you. If you are sending your entry by text anddo not wish to be contacted, please add the word ‘NO’ to the end of your text message. If you are sending your entry by post, please tick the appropriate boxes on the entry form.

Photography Monthly is published by Archant Specialist, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB www.photographymonthly.com

ABC certified circulation(Jan-Dec 2010): 17,324

www.photographymonthly.com | [email protected] | 01242 211096

GROUP EDITOR Adam [email protected] Jeff [email protected] Simon [email protected] ASSISTANT Kelly [email protected] ASSISTANT Jessica [email protected] THANKS Karen le Gallez andMandy Pellatt

GROUP SALES MANAGER Nick [email protected], 01242 216085SALES EXECUTIVE Amy [email protected], 01242 216054CLASSIFIED SALES EXECUTIVE Bianca [email protected], 01242 211099GROUP COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Chris [email protected], 01242 264760GROUP COMMUNICATIONS MANAGERLucy Warren-Meeks, 01242 [email protected]

PUBLISHING PRODUCTION MANAGER Kevin ShelcottPRODUCTION TEAM LEADER Mikey GoddenREPROGRAPHICS MANAGER Neil Puttnam

SUBSCRIPTIONS/BACK ISSUESCUSTOMER CARE 01858438832ORDER HOTLINE 01858438840VISIT www.subscriptionsave.co.ukEMAIL [email protected] OF DIRECT CUSTOMER MARKETINGFiona Penton-VoakSUBSCRIPTION MARKETING EXECUTIVELisa [email protected], 01242 264751

MD SPECIALIST MAGAZINES Miller Hogg

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DISTRIBUTIONIf you have difficulty obtaining a copy of PhotographyMonthly contact Seymour, 86 Newman Street, LondonW1T 3EX; 020 7396 8000


� FRANKIE CALLED ME AND SAID she wasrunning 30 minutes late. “My gout is flaring up.And a homeless man just stole my pinwheel hat.”

I’d been cutting through Chicago’s Daley Plazaon my way across the Loop, the city’s downtowndistrict, but presently stopped at a bench to sitand wait, and told Frankie to meet me there.

Across the way, a mossy cluster of bridesmaids clung to the base of the Picasso, a famous steel monumentthat lures photographers of the wedding variety, who believe the sculpture’s large, horse-like countenanceprovides a compelling visual juxtaposition, depending, of course, on the bride’s prevailing genetics.

The photographer in this case was a black-haired wisp of a kid, no assistant or metal briefcase fullof baubles. But he had the brand of deep knee bend and breezy rapport that portended a bright futurein the craft.

It was the final Friday of July, and as afternoon turned to evening, bicyclists began to encroach on theshoot, the Plaza being the gathering place for Chicago’s monthly Critical Mass ride.

I brought out my camera when the bride lit her cigarette. She’d lost patience with the swirling swarm ofbikes and the young photographer’s ineffectual attempts to rein in the situation.

The early evening light in this part of Chicago is often spectacular, as the setting sun careers off the glasshigh-rises nearby and plays upon the scenery. The bride’s cigarette smoke hung in a white dandelion bloomabout her head. At this point, the groom lit up as well. They stood wallowing in their own exhalations, there,standing on the ashen granite of the Plaza floor. This called for immediate action, and I began my approach.Alas, the bicyclists swirled apace, confounding my efforts. Meanwhile, the bridesmaids were disbanding andthe opportunity dissolved before I could get into proper range.

Frankie called. “I’m doddering down Washington. I’ll be there soon, but we need to hurry.” We need to hurry.We do, said the late-running, gout-ridden gimp with no pinwheel hat. Frustrated, I repaired to the outer edge ofthe Plaza, so Frankie could spot me easily and we could hurry off at lurch speed.

Four bridesmaids followed at a shallower angle. I turned and pretended to line up a shot of the Daley Center,waiting for them to walk into frame. I don’t know if there’s a professional term for this manoeuvre, but I call itThe Incredibly Deceptive Manoeuvre.

The four wandered right into my trap, the one nearest turning her head as a madwoman shrieked my namefrom the other side of Washington Boulevard. I engaged the shutter release, and this was my result. PM

BIOGRAPHYMike Innocenzi dabbles inphotography and witchcraft.He lives and works in Chicago,weather permitting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pantagrapher/

MIKEINNO

CENZ

I

PM_OCT_flannel:Layout 1 24/08/2011 15:53

Shoot wide open.

X Z-1

Get expert advice when you buy this award-winning camera at:• Cambrian Photography • Campkins Camera Centre • Conns Cameras • Ffordes Photographic • Great Western Cameras

• Harrison Cameras • J & A Cameras • Jacobs • London Camera Exchange • Melgray Hi-Tech • Park Cameras • Photosound Cameras • SRS Microsystems • Wilkinson Cameras • York Camera Mart

× ßÓ ß ÚÎÛÛ ÍÐ×Î×Ì

× ßÓ ÌØÛ Ò×ÕÑÒ Üëïððò × ¿³ ²»© °»®°»½¬·ª»ò É·¬¸ ¿ ´¿®¹»ô ¸·¹¸

®»±´«¬·±² ª¿®·ó¿²¹´» ³±²·¬±®ô º«´´ ØÜ ³±ª·» ¸±±¬·²¹ô ïêòî ÓÐ ÝÓÑÍ »²±®ô

ÛÈÐÛÛÜ î ·³¿¹» °®±½»±®ô «° ¬± êìðð ×ÍÑ º±® ¼»¬¿·´»¼ °·½¬«®» ·² ´±© ´·¹¸¬

½±²¼·¬·±²ô ¿²¼ ²»© °»½·¿ ́»ºº»½¬ ³±¼»ò × ¿³ º«´´ ±º ½®»¿¬·ª·¬§ò ©©©ò²·µ±²ò½±ò«µ

Ú±® î §»¿® ©¿®®¿²¬§ ±² ¿²§ ½¿³»®¿ ¿²¼ ´»² µ·¬ ·³°´§ ®»¹·¬»® §±«® ²»© Ò·µ±² ©·¬¸·² íð

¼¿§ ±º °«®½¸¿»ò Ý¿´´ ðèðð ìðè ëðêð ±® ª··¬ ©©©ò²·µ±²ò½±ò«µñ®»¹·¬»®ò

photography monthly magazine october 2011

Documents

pm readers

diy photographer page

page battle

new photographer

months issue

lumix g3

pm contributorsthe

andy summers page