digital camera world march
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SPICEUP YOURSHOTS!Inspirational ideas to make your best year ever!
ways to
The definitive guideto SLR photography
16 8 A G E SF E X P E
R T
A D VIC E
15 FREE VIDEOS
FREE! WITH
THISISSUE8 TIPS CARDSTO PRINT OUT
164-PAGEBUYER’SGUIDE
MASTINPRESETS
RAW EDITINGEBOOK GUIDE
GIFT 3
GIFT 4
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INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS!
EDITOR’S WELCOME
Welcome to your new issue of
3
Every issue featuresthe world’s best pros…
Even the most visionary folk can get
stuck in a rut, hit the proverbial brick
wall and struggle to get their creative
juices flowing. That’s why we’ve cunningly
compiled 52 inspiring ideas to kick-start your year.
We hope they’ll help you make 2015 your best
photographic year ever – just turn to page 38!
We’re also delighted to welcome Scott Kelby to
the Digital Camera team, with the start of his new
Photo Recipes series, in which we go behind the
scenes with the maestro.
In this month’s interview, we catch up with a
personal favourite of mine, Martin Parr, as he
prepares for his Super Stage presentation at
the Photography Show in March, where you’ll also
have the opportunity to see Don McCullin. If you
haven’t already got your ticket, book a place today
by visiting www.photographyshow.com
We talk to one of Britain’s
most renowned photographers
about his distinguished career and
controversial (to some) work on page .
Martin ParrMagnum photographer Britain’s best-selling
photography magazine
The photo maestro joins the
team for the start of a new
series, in which we go behind the scenes
of some of his greatest shots. See page .
Scott KelbyPhoto guru
Find out what lured this pro
shooter to global hotspots of
death and destruction, such as Auschwitz
and Khmer Rouge prisons, on page .
Ambroise TézenasDocumentary photographer
Ben Brain, [email protected]
Don’t miss the latest in
our popular Photo
Masterclass series. This
228-page guide is a
comprehensive
beginner’s course to
getting the most from
your SLR, and comes
complete with a free disc
featuring 10 expert
video lessons.
ON SALE NOW!
Teach Yourself PhotographyThe perfect New Year treat
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page://
ContentsISSUE 161 / MARCH 2015
MORE CONTENTS
18 10 Things to Try…Ideas and events, including gettingout at night to shoot ancient trees
62 Scott KelbyThe photography guru joinsthe Digital Camera team
70 Photo AnatomyRuth Asher reveals the techniquesbehind her cliff-edge shot
120 Image editorsDiscover the best software to helpyour photos look amazing
92 Martin ParrMeet Magnum’s renowneddocumentary photographer
SPICE UP YOUR SHOTS
Get inspired and creative allyear with 52 brilliant ideas forphotography projects
ON THE COVER
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t
EXPERT PHOTO ADVICE
55 Shoot! Scott Kelby, focus-stacking,metering systems and more
72 The Photo Fixer Claire Gillo helps a reader tacklethe art of urban light trails
79 Photoshop School Share your photos throughLightroom and raw-sharpening
86 Photo Advisor Shooting snowfall, off-cameraflash and correcting filter casts
146 Quizzical Are you tough enough to take onthe ultimate photography quiz?
VIDEO CONTENTS
ESSENTIALS
32 Postcards Meet the photographer whobecame a ‘dark tourist’
36 ViewFinder The next generation ofphotographers and more
52 Subscriptions Choose between print and digital –or get both for one great price
99 US print subs Get every issue delivered to yourdoor, ahead of the newsstand
134 Back issues Just click the Buy button tocomplete the gaps in your set
ContentsISSUE 161 / MARCH 2015
CAMERAS AND GEAR
102 Angle of View
104 Pentax K-S1 SLR that lights up
110 Fujifilm X100T Retro good looks and more
114 Leica D-Lux
A premium compact
116 GoPro Hero 4 Video camera for action-lovers
118 Flash triggers
133 Sling-style straps
GIFT 4MASTINPRESETSThe PortraDemo Packlets you try theseMastin Labs presets
GIFT 3BUYER’SGUIDE Camera Shopper 8 gives you 164 pages
of expert reviews and group tests in a handy PDF
GIFT 2 TIPS CARDS Get instant shooting advicewith eight cards to print out,at the end of this magazine
Downloadvia bit.ly/
dcm-portraUse your PC
or Mac
GearHacks
MAKE A DIYMACRO LENS
See page 69
GIFT 1 YOU CAN MASTERRAW EBOOKFind out how to import andprocess raw-format images,at the end of this magazine
Downloadvia bit.ly/
shopper8Use your PC
or Mac
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MORE VIDEO CONTENTS
What you’ll learn this month…Lightroom offers loads of ways for you toshare your favourite photos with friendsand family, from posting to social media to
printing a high-quality book. Discover thetricks and techniques today!
Watch this issue’s videos now
via www.bit.ly/dcvideo
Video ContentsISSUE 161 / MARCH 2015
3Use Lightroom’s Print module toarrange three images into a bannerRead the tutorial on page 82
2Use Lightroom’s Slideshow moduleto create a presentationRead the tutorial on page 81
1Turn a collection of images
into a printed bookRead the tutorial on page 80
5Showcase your pictures in aninteractive online gallery
Read the tutorial on page 83
4Export your images to social mediasites like Revel and Facebook
Video exclusive
NEW!Part 10:
Share yourphotos
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Video ContentsISSUE 161 / MARCH 2015
HOTSHOTS
Great additional content
Make the most of your digital camera
Learn the basics of Adobe Camera Raw
13Enhance detail whenyou sharpen your shots
Read the tutorial on page 84
10Use panning to takeimpressionistic shotsVideo exclusive
6Discover theessential tools inAdobe Camera
Raw with our tourEbook, page 6
7Use the powerfulAdjustment Brushto give portraits
a pro makeoverEbook, page 12
8Get to grips withimage blendingusing one photo
and Smart ObjectsEbook, page 14
9Add a varietyof cool creativeeffects using
Camera RawEbook, page 16
14Hands-on with theFujilfilm X100T
Read the review on page 110
11Use infrared shoots tomake moody scenesVideo exclusive
15Hands-on with thePanasonic LX100
Video exclusive
12Use light painting tocontrol low-light scenesVideo exclusive
You Can Master Raw
Creative SLR Skills
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www digit lc mer world com
HotSHOTSGet inspired by seven pages of the best
reader photography from around the world
Digital Camera March 2015
0
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www digitalcameraworld com Month 2014
Digital amera
1“The Palouse is one of the PacificNorthwest’s most photogenic
locations. From Steptoe Butte it looks
like a surreal wavy carpet, extending
in all directions for miles. I had to
act quickly after the sun set as the
landscape immediately sank into
a dark, hazy ocean of blue-green.”
Nikon D90 with Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G
VR lens; 1/8 sec at f/8, ISO 200
Twilight PalouseGabriel Tompkinswww.500px.com/gabrieltompkinsUnited States
March 2015 Digital Camera
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www.digitalcameraworld.comDigital Camera March 2015
2
Masked Tree Frog
2“On a trip to Costa Rica, this frog
was shot in shade trying to catch
a nap. It’s less popular and colourful
than the red-eyed tree frog, but has
loads of character. I exposed for the
rainforest background, then used
fill-flash to highlight the detail.”
Canon EOS 6D with 100-400mm lens;
1/500 sec at f5.6, ISO 250
River Pastels
3“Shot in the Magaliesberg
mountains, South Africa –famous
for their dramatic quartzite cliffs and
abundance of valleys, ravines, cliffs
and waterfalls. One of these ravines
presented an amazing kaleidoscope of
colours beaming up from a pool in the
river, captured late afternoon with a
polariser.”
Canon EOS 6D with 100mm macro lens;1/50 sec at f/8, ISO 640
Deborah Jordanwww.flickr.com/people/104399463@N07South Africa
3
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Month 2 14 Digital amera
3
March 2 15 Digital Camera
Sunset Bokeh
4“I isolated this one flower in
Johannesburg, with a macro lens
at sunset to create the colour scheme
of blue against orange and green. With
the wide-open aperture, a gentle
bokeh and an out-of-focus specular to
the right of the flower was conceived.”
Canon EOS 6D with 100mm macro lens; 1/1,250sec at f/2.8, ISO 800
4
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Digital Camera March 2 15
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March 2015 Digital Camera
Leaving the Nest
5 “In this picture from my series‘Japonaiserie’, I used a well-knownsymbol of Japanese culture, the paper
crane. The legend of the crane is
beautiful and inspired me to create
this photo.”
Nikon D300 with 12–24mm lens;
1/160 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200
In the Arms ofMother Nature
6 “Fairytales are not mere bedtimestories: they are a window on theculture and spiritual belief of a society.
I used this inspiration to create asurreal and poetic series, ‘Japonaiserie’.
I met the Japanese community in
Brussels and have fallen in love with
their culture.”
Nikon D300 with 12–24mm lens;
1/60 sec at f/4, ISO 320
Amélie Bertonwww.amelieberton.comBelgium
5
6
Would you like to see your own photos published in Hotshots?
We’re always looking for your best new photo. Just email the best shot you’ve taken recently
to [email protected] . Please include a low-res attachment (10MB or less): if
your photo is selected for publication, we’ll contact you to ask for a high-resolution, non-
watermarked version.
SEND US YOUR HOTSHOTS!
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Digital Camera March 2 15 www.digitalcameraworld.com
North Berwick Tidal Pool
7 “I chose a very long exposure, andconverted to black and white toemphasise the dynamic composition,
and keep a simple image.”
Nikon Df with 24–70mm lens at 44mm;
242 sec at f/22, ISO 50
Spurn Point
8 “I loved the patterns created bythe shadows and reflections. Ishot it as a long exposure, as I wanted
the smooth water to contrast with the
textures of the groyne.”
Nikon Df with 16–35mm lens at 16mm;36 sec at f/16, ISO 100
Dominic Byrne www.dominicbyrne.comUnited Kingdom
7
8
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…to try right now
things
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March 2015 Digital Camera
19things…to try right now
Use high ISO sensitivitiesfor stunning night shots
1 Becomestarstruck
This year, try to do more with your digital camera’s high
ISO capabilities. Being able to change ISO (light
sensitivity, or what used to be called film speed) is one
of the biggest advantages of digital cameras, but it’s surprising
how many photographers don’t like going beyond ISO 1,600.
While noise is more of a risk at higher ISOs, modern cameras
are much better at suppressing it, and Lightroom or
Photoshop can make short work of removing it.
Beth Moon has made some stunning nocturnal images of
ancient trees in her ‘Diamond Nights’ series by really pushing
ISO, also using flash where necessary. “I’ve always used film
until this series, and it is only because of the digital advances
of late that shots like this are now possible,” she explains.
“Most photographs in ‘Diamond Nights’ were created during
moonless nights, shot with a wide-angle lens and ISOs of
3,200 to 6,400. Exposures up to 30 seconds allowed enough
light to enter the lens without noticeable star movement.”
Beth says each location required a lot of experimentation
and different lighting techniques “Sometimes a short burst of
diffused light from a flashlight (shining through linen fabric)was sufficient. For wider landscape shots, bounced light from
multiple flashlights was used for a softer, more natural glow.”
www.bethmoon.com
Get started today
* Light pollution can be a problem when you are trying to
include bright constellations. Most of Beth’s remote locations
for ‘Diamond Nights’ in the southern hemisphere of Africa,
but Wales and Scotland offer ‘dark’ regions.
* A sturdy tripod and a cable release is essential for long
exposures. The BeFree carbon-fibre travel tripod range from
Manfrotto won’t max out your baggage allowance.
NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
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…to try right now
things…
www.digitalcameraworld.comDigital Camera March 2015
0
You can get some greatshots of people atwork, particularly in themanufacturing sector
2 Capture people at workTake portraits that tell a story about their subject
Terry Livesey
CREATIVE PORTRAITS
Stuck for something to photograph? Look
no further than local businesses. You
can get some great shots of people at
work, particularly in the manufacturing
sector – an approach also followed by Martin
Parr in his ‘Black Country Stories’ project. But
you don’t need Martin’s status or level of
access to get memorable, and sometimes
profile-raising, shots.
Terry Livesey took some images of people
at work that got shortlisted in Make it Britain,
a major competition organised by UK
manufacturers’ association EEF. (Visit www.
bit.ly/dc161make for details.) “Manufacturing
offers endless opportunities for creative,
dramatic and eye-catching images, but the
tricky part is really capturing its essence,”
Terry explains.
“I’ve never entered the EEF competition
before, but felt I should take part, as I work
quite a lot with British manufacturing
companies. They have so much history, which
is fantastic, as it gives you so much subject
matter to choose from. I would recommend
starting by looking at companies on your
doorstep and keeping it local: they will be
pleased to work with you and you will besupporting your local heritage.”
www.terryliveseyphotography.co.uk
Get started today
* There are many approaches to work
portraits, but it’s important to capture a sense
of context and place – so be sure to include
tools and machinery.
* Try using a wide aperture and single AF point
with portraits so you can keep the subject
sharp and establish the context, without
sharply focused elements in the background
becoming a distraction.
* Try capturing the concentration ofsomebody working hard; full eye contact can
also be powerful and atmospheric.
* Black-and-white conversion works well, as
does subtly desaturating colours for an
‘industrial’ feel.
Martin Parrinterview and
portfolioSee page 92
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Digital Camera March 2015
2 things……to try right now
www.digitalcameraworld.com
You can do product shotswith just your smartphoneand a bit of ingenuity
T i l o G o c k e l
4Reach forthe stars
You don’t even needa massive telescope…
Don’t miss the winning images from
the 2014 Astronomy Photographer
of the Year competition, on display
at the Astronomy Centre, Royal
Observatory Greenwich, London, until 22
February. (Visit www.bit.ly/dc161astro for
details.) There are lots of great images to
inspire you to enter, including James
Woodend’s winning shot of green aurora
dancing across the Icelandic night sky.
Other winning images on show include a
view of the Earth taken from the edge of
space with the help of a high altitude
balloon, swirls of superheated gas on the
sun’s surface, and a hybrid solar eclipse.
Don’t assume you need expensive
astro-photography gear to do well in
the competition, however. The Northern
Lights, for example, can be widely seen
over Scandinavia.
www.rmg.co.uk
www.500px.com/
imagesinspiredbynature
Get started today
* Getting to Iceland, where the NorthernLights look amazing, is not hard these
days, but signing up for a photo trip is still a
good idea. James took his winning image
during Light and Land’s winter tour to
Iceland with Antony Spencer and David
Clapp (www.lightandland.co.uk).
* “Although this is not a strong aurora,
they sometimes make the best reflection
shots,” says James.
* James used an exposure of 10 seconds,
which gives the water a glassy look, and
a relatively high ISO of 1,000.
James Woodend
When you need to do some quick but
effective product photography, you
can do it with just your smartphone
and a bit of ingenuity. Tilo Gockel proves this
with his image of a knife, taken simply with an
iPhone and some creative lighting.
“First, put the phone on a tripod and use a
cable release to ensure sharpness, or set theself timer,” Tilo explains. “For good depth-of-
field, you can stack some shots with different
focus. Here, I stacked two shots – one for the
blade and one for the handle – and combined
the two later in Photoshop. Then I used an app
called 645 Pro Mk III ( jag.gr/645pro) to tweak
the white balance and ISO and shot the knife
against a slate tile.”
For the lighting, Tilo tested different angles and
also used translum foil to get a nice gradation
across the knife’s surfaces. “For the warm-cold
contrast, I used a halogen light from the back
and two cool white LED torchlights from the
sides. The lamps and foil were fixed using
clamps from the hardware store.”
www.fotopraxis.net
Get started today
* For a nicer perspective on the product, Tilo
suggests shooting from a longer distance and
cropping in. Alternatively, use an add-on
telephoto lens for your smartphone. Check out
lens options from Photojojo (www.photojojo.
com) or Olloclip (www.olloclip.com).
* In Photoshop, Tilo combined his two shots
then cleaned up the background. He also
cloned out the metal support stand. Finally,
merged the layers using masks.
* Don’t forget to make colour and contrast
adjustments and do some sharpening to makethe shot look its best.
3Shoot products
with a smartphoneWho needs an SLR and an expensive,complex lighting system anyway?
PRODUCT SHOTS
ASTR0-PHOTOGRAPHY
Learn how tofocus-stack
multiple shotsSee page 56
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4
www.digitalcameraworld.com
things…
…to try right now
5 Beautiful buildings
Don’t let the short, cold winter days get
you down – as long as the light is good,
you can still get great shots of historicbuildings. This wonderful shot of the city walls
surrounding Dubrovnik, Croatia, was taken at
sunset by Jeff Friesen, and shows that
composition and exposure is much more
important than the time of year.
“Walking around Dubrovnik provides
endless photo opportunities, as both the city
and the surrounding scenery are stunning,”
notes Jeff. “I’m sure pictures similar to mine are
taken all the time, but it’s the dramatic lightingthat makes the difference.
“I like the way the circular wall made a
curving visual path to the circular sentry tower.
It was a stormy day, but the sun came out and
provided dramatic lighting on the clouds.
I increased the sky contrast in Photoshop.”
www.jeff-friesen.com
Get started today
* Jeff used a tripod-mounted Canon EOS 5D
Mark II (“now claimed by the sea”) with a24–70mm f/2.8 lens. Jeff shot at f/22 for lots of
depth of field, choosing a slow shutter speed
of 1/4 second, and ISO 50 to minimise noise.
* The composition is wonderfully simple;
people would only have got in the way of the
clean lines, so bear this mind when you’re
shooting architecture.
Jeff Friesen
J a m e y S t i l l i n g s
Use long exposure and clean lines for maximum impact
ARCHITECTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Major nearby building projects can yield
some great shots, especially at night.
A bridge being built at the Hoover Dam in
Colorado fascinated Jamey Stillings, and he visited
the site 16 times, documenting its construction.
Jamey says his goal was “to acknowledge the
collective talents and labours of those who built
the bridge; to place the bridge within the historical
and aesthetic context of Hoover Dam and the
American West; and to initiate a dialogue that the
imposition of infrastructure within a natural
environment inevitably summons”. The image
features in a new Thames and Hudson book,
Landmark: The Fields of Landscape Photography.
(Visit www.bit.ly/dc161landmark for details.)
www.thamesandhudson.com
www.jameystillings.com
Get started today
* Be prepared to visit the site at all hours of day
and night, to get the best shots in the best light.
* You’ll usually need to contact the builders for
permission. Try offering some of your images to
them for publicity purposes in return for access.
* Use narrow apertures to get attractive
starburst effects on lights.
6Construction time againGet inspiration from bridges and other projects
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things…
…to try right now
Digital Camera March 2015 www.digitalcameraworld.com
P e n e l o p e U m b r i c o
8Make your own Lightroomsplash screen
Customise the popular raw image editor
Using Lightroom 5? Did you
know that it’s possible to
change the splash screen
that first appears when you open
the program? That’s right: you can
replace that roll call of Silicon
Valley coding champions with
something much more interesting,
like a favourite photo or company
branding. (Sorry, Emily Fu and
Brian Kruse: we’re sure you
actually are very interesting in
real life.)
Craig McCormick (www.
destructivepixels.com) has
posted an excellent video atwww.
bit.ly/dc161splash that shows how
to do it, but it’s actually quite a
simple process…
Get started today
* Select a new splash screen
image (JPEG or PNG format, up
to 900 x 600 pixels in size).
* Find your splash screen folder.
It’s at Users/[user name]/Library/
Application Support/Adobe/
Lightroom/Splash Screen if you’re
a Mac user, or Users/[user name]/
AppData/Roaming/Adobe/
Lightroom/Splash Screen if you’re
using Windows.
* If there’s no Splash Screen
folder at that location, you can
simply create one. Now just add
your chosen image to the Splash
Screen folder, and you’re good
to go.
Penelope Umbrico is fascinated by the
sun, and has come up with lots of
creative and inspirational ways of
shooting it. It’s not just about pretty pictures,
though. She did a search for ‘sunsets’ on Flickrand got 541,795 results. “I cropped just the
suns from these pictures and uploaded them,
making 4x6-inch machine prints from them.”
she explains.
“In much of my work, I address how
differently an image functions on the internet
than in physical time/space, the shifts in
meaning around the subject depicted in the
image in both contexts, and what happens to
the image’s perceived value when transcribed
from web-based to print-based media.” Whynot have a stab at shooting familiar objects in
thought-provoking new ways, too?
Penelope’s Sun/Screen exhibition is at the
Photographers Gallery until 3rd February;
www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk
www.penelopeumbrico.net
Get started today
* Penelope assembled her images from
thousands of sunset photos shared on the
web. The process of capturing images directly
from the computer screen creates a moirépattern, which she used for creative effect
* The sun is obviously very bright so avoid
looking at it directly through your camera when
you’re shooting. Direct sunlight can also
damage your camera’s sensor, so be
prepared to use a filter.
7 Show some solar flairThe sun’s scarce this time of year, so make the most of it...
CREATIVE SHOTS
LIGHTROOM
52 ideas formore creativephotography
See page 38
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…to try ri ht now
March 2015 Digital Camera
D a v e K a i P i p e r
Unlike landscape photography, where you
sometimes have to travel miles to get to a
photogenic spot, interesting-looking people
can usually be found easily. They make great
subjects for portraits, with craggy, battered faces
particularly suited to a moody black-and-white
treatment.
Fashion photographer Dave Kai Piper usuallyshoots beautiful people, but jumped at the chance
to take some character shots of a fearsome-
looking biker called Dink as part of a seminar for
Cambrian Photography and Sigma. “When
photographing anyone, from model to rock star to
family to veteran biker, it is good to remember that
being photographed is a pretty intense thing for
many people,” says Dave. “Starting shoots in
familiar surroundings is always a winner; starting
with little or no lighting and building up is good too.”
If somebody in your town looks as striking as Dink,
why not offer to do some portraits with them?
www.ideasandimages.co.uk
Get started today
* Preparation is key. Dave had scouted the bikerclub-house location the day before, as he needed
to do the shoot in 15 minutes.
* Dave used Lee Gradient ND filters to kill ambient
light where he needed to create shadows, and
a Westcott Ice Light to highlight walls and details
in the background.
* Dave tested the exposure settings for the room
the day before and simply dialled in the settings to
his Nikon D800 while the assistant held the light
directly in line with his and Dink’s head. “We used
a smaller Profoto strip with grid and diffusion
panels to help control the light,” Dave explains.
* For the final shot, Dave shot Dink with a 50mm
prime lens, keeping the light low to give the scenea ‘pub’ look.
9 Take cool shots of the localsGritty, craggy, scary: take your pick…
Dave Kai Piper usually shootsbeautiful people, but jumpedat the chance to take shots ofa fearsome-looking biker
CHARACTER PORTRAITS
Dave Kai Piper took these shots of Dink
in just 15 minutes. Why not seek outinteresting characters in your area?
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8 things……to try right now
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things…
Digital Camera March 2015
Getty Images / Mark Webster
Your mission this month is to take images
that capture the creative possibilities of
the colour red. The beauty of shooting
red is that it has so many connotations:
earthiness, glamour, passion and, particularly in
Asian culture and spirituality, luck. Across the
Far East, red plays a role in happy occasions.
In Vietnam, for example, wedding brides
traditionally wear red rather than white.
“The Chinese have more than 30 symbols
for different kinds of red, and even more terms
to describe shades of red, so it’s no surprise
they consider red a revitalising colour,” saysVictoria Alexander, author of Colour: A Journey .
“Italians also give bright red underwear to be
worn for luck on New Year’s Eve.”
As well as great opportunities for the travel
and documentary photographer, a dash of red
is a great way to lift a portrait, landscape or
cityscape – a motion-blurred London bus for
example. Strong reds also occur naturally in
nature – think of red poppies, the red breast of
a robin against the snow, or even the russet
tones of a great sunset.
Red has endless shades, tones and
associations, so how you interpret this
challenging brief is entirely up to you!
Get started today
* The positioning of your light source is key to
how red is perceived. While front lighting showsred accurately, for example, back lighting mutes
it into pastel shades.
* There are obviously many shades and hues
of red, so don’t feel you only have to use a
bright and eye-catching crimson.
Shoot the colour red to for the chance to
win a new Lowepro rucksack worth
10 Take our latestphoto challenge
Your
Mission
To help you with this challenge, here
are some creative ideas that reveal
how red could be used in your own
photos. To impress the judges, you will need
to think beyond the very obvious, however.
Also, refer to a colour wheel so you can see
which colours match with red and which
clash, for some interesting creative effects.
One of the best colour wheel sites is Adobe
Color at http://color.adobe.com
How to make ita red-letter day
How to enter Visit the Open Contests page at www.photocrowd.com/a/
current and look for the Digital Camera Red contest. (If you’re not already
registered, it’s free to join.) Click Submit An Image to upload your entries. Theclosing date is 27th February. Winners will appear in issue 163 on 27th March.
Wina Lowepro Transit 350 AWEach month we’re giving away this excellent Lowepro camera
backpack worth £98 to the lucky winner of our Your Mission
photo challenge. For your chance to win one, upload your best
‘red’ image to Photocrowd at www.photocrowd.com/a/
current. (See below for full details.)For over 40 years Lowepro has been travelling the world
on the shoulders of the best photographers. Learning and
innovation are the key to its success.
The Transit Backpack 350 AW offers protection from the
elements for your gear, with a flexible layout and fast access.
Its innovative UltraFlex™ fit system gives you multiple
ways to organise your equipment. The Transit 350 AW
also includes the patented All-Weather Cover™ and
Hideaway Tripod Mount™ system.WWW.LOWEPRO.COM
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Four ways to make the most of red
things
…to try right now
www.digitalcameraworld.com
March 2015 Digital Camera
1Add a bright pop of red to anotherwise neutral composition.
Here, the model’s lips and scarf standout against her coat and the walls,drawing the eye towards her.
3In this shot, the red stairs are setoff by the cool green walls. Red and
green are opposite hues on a colourwheel, which means they can clash indynamic ways.
2Red should attract a travelphotographer like a red rag to a bull.
If you see a person wearing red, see ifyou can take their picture, or look forred in an environment.
4 As red is such a bold colour, it’s apopular choice for selective colour
editing. Preserve a splash of red and youcan create a very striking effect, and it’sa very easy technique to try.
G e t t y i m a g e s / T h o m a s S c h m i d t
G e t t y i m a g e s / R a l p h G r u n s w a l d
G e t t y i m a g e s / A n d y R y a n
Who won ourlast Mission? Turn thepage tofind out…
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0 Your MissionNight photography
Digital Camera March 2015
0
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3rd Light WaltzBY KEVIN LAJOIE
Nikon D5200 with 10–24mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at 14mm;
265 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100
2nd Lone Tree,Milky Way andShooting StarsBY PAUL APPLEBY
Canon EOS 5D Mk II; 30 sec at ISO 3,2000
Claire says Paul has captured this
magical night scene beautifully, and
the calm and stillness of the setting
is apparent in the final result. The portrait
orientation of the composition works well
and leads the eye in. The connection
between the elements is aided by the lone
tree leading your eye to the blanket of stars
above. The final finish has also been carefully
considered. A great image that has been
conceived to work on many levels.
1st & Crowd Vote*Eaton Park Tree LineBY MATTHEW DARTFORD
Nikon D7000 with 16 -85 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at 25mm;
0.8 sec at f/16, ISO 100
Ben says Our atmospheric first-place
entry is a worthy night-time winner.
There are many technical aspects that
make this this shot work, including the
panoramic finish, the monochromatic cool
tones, and the thick dense fog creating the
perfect conditions. Matthew has done well
to keep the trees silhouetted while exposing
correctly for the light spilling out behind.
This image has a cinematic quality: you feel
the eerie scene could almost come to life.
* Chosen by the community at Photocrowd
Shona says Kevin’s night light trailimage deserves a slot on our podium.
The harshness and crisp streaks of
the man-made light works well against the
natural beauty of the outdoor setting. There’s
lots of movement in this image. Not only do
you have the sideways movement of the light
dancing across the scene, you also have the
forward and upward movement in the clouds
and stars, which Kevin has left plenty of
space to show. He’s also made excellent use
of the reflection in the water to add another
layer to the final result.
YourMissionWINNERS
Issue ’s themewas ‘Night photos’.
Here are ourtop shots…
2
1
See all the entries at www.photocrowd.com/c/121-night-photography
3
CrowdVote
winner
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Digital Camera March 2015
…FROM THE EDGE
POSTCARDS
The amusement parkin the ghost town ofPripyat, Chernobyl.
All images: Ambroise Tézenas
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…FROM THE EDGE
POSTCARDS
Why did you decide to do a book about
’dark tourism’?
I decided a few years ago to explore darktourism [without worrying about whetherit would become a book]. With a long-termproject, it’s important to know where youneed to start, not where you want to go.
I got interested in the topic becauseI wondered why people liked to visit darkplaces. This is linked to an experienceI had a few years back while witnessing the tsunami in Sri Lanka. I saw the drama
unfolding, and read a few years later thatvisitors were coming to this same place tohave their pictures taken. The motivationsof these visitors puzzled me, and I startedto read about it.
How did you plan which places to visit?
I always carefully research subjects becauseit’s really important to have the backgroundknowledge. It’s OK not to have been to theactual places, but you do need to knowtheir history. I discovered the work ofProfessor J John Lennon, who co-wrotea book called Dark Tourism, and got in
touch with him, then started to visit somedark places myself.
Were the trips entirely self-funded, or did
you get sponsorship or commissions?
All self-funded. My life as a photographeris all about this balance between makinga living with commissions and reinvestingin my own projects.
Many of the images have people in.
Did anybody ask you why you were
photographing them, when it was
presumably the buildings or other remains
that everyone was interested in?
With a large-format camera and a tripod,you don’t actually point at anyone. Youare just part of the landscape, so peopledon’t really know when you shoot. It wasimportant to me to include people in thelandscape, standing beside what is left ofthe concentration camps, prisons and so on.
You don’t include many details of what’s left
of the horrors – piles of skulls or remaining
execution equipment, for example. Is this
because you wanted to focus more on the
actual places, rather than the grisly details?
I consider myself a landscape photographer,
so the distance between me and the subjectis very important to me – particularly as
Holidaysfrom hellLooking for a totally different take on travelphotography? Ambroise Tézenas visited a dozenmajor sites of ’dark tourism’ across the world
MISSION FACTFILE
Who: Ambroise Tézenas,a landscape and documentaryphotographer based in Paris.
What: Ambroise mainly doeseditorial photography, primarilyfor New York-based magazines,and commercial assignmentswith his agent Talent&Partner.For his ’dark tourism’ project,I Was Here, Ambroise visited
global hotspots of death anddestruction, includingAuschwitz, the Kennedy
assassination trail in Dallas,and Khmer Rouge prisons.
Kit list: For I Was Here,Ambroise used a large-formatSinar and a Toyo 45, both ofwhich he says are very easyto travel with. He just used asingle lens, a 120mm. Ambroiseuses a PhaseOne P45+ back forcommercial assignments.
More info:www.ambroisetezenas.com
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…FROM THE EDGE
POSTCARDS
Digital Camera March 2015
If the sun was shining when I visiteda torture centre, then so be it.
Which place did you find the most
disturbing, and why?
Genocide sites are terribly disturbing. TheBirkenau concentration camp has beenleft as it was so it won’t happen again –but it does happen again, and that’s verydisturbing. I was struck by this hopelesshistory of humanity just repeating itself,without learning lessons from the past.
What was it like to work at Chernobyl – wereyou worried about radiation?
No, because I had read about the radiationbeforehand, and I knew it was OK to takephotographs there during a short stay.
What are the biggest lessons you learned
from doing I Was Here?
Humanity is depressing, and history repeatsitself. This is no great discovery on mypart, but the project did confirm it. Whensome of those places lose the memory ofsurvivors to validate them, visitors will loseinterest in going, but new sites will appear.
Paradoxically, while people todaydeny the reality of their own death, they
“I didn’t want to takepictures of places thetypical visitor couldn’tsee, and didn’t request
special access”
I chose to photograph places where terriblethings happened. The question of whereyou stand is a big one. Making pictures ofhorrible details would have made no sensein this work.
Why didn’t you shoot these images in more
dramatic black and white, or avoid bright
sunshine? That is the aesthetic choice a lot
of photographers would have made…
My aim was to document, so my approachneeded to be very accurate. I had a strictprotocol. For example, I visited places
through a tour operator and paid the entryfees along with all the other tourists.I didn’t want to take pictures of placesthe typical visitor couldn’t see, and didn’trequest special access. [The exception was]the site in South Lebanon. It took me twoyears to get approval.
Furthermore, I spent no longer on sitethan the typical visitor, and even kept mycaptions simple and ‘real,’ with no rewriting.
So this confrontation with reality hadto be in colour, even if it was impossible tobe totally objective. Making this work moredramatic than it actually was, by converting
to black and white or darkening the sky,would have been dishonest and clumsy.
2
2 Remains of Xuankou middle school,Sichuan earthquake tour, China.
3 The remains of Xiaoyudong bridge, partof the Sichuan earthquake tour in China.
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…FROM THE EDGE
POSTCARDS
March 2015 Digital Camera
enjoy a virtual confrontation with death
generally. Working on this project raised
a lot of questions for me about our own
responsibility. On a photographic level, it
made me think more closely about the
question of representation. In the process
of creation, it is essential that the substance
and the form come together.
Which images are you most proud of in
I Was Here?
I am proud to have done the project. If
photography is a solitary path, getting to
the end of a project with a book publishedis a relief. To me that’s the definitive way of
showing your work.
I Was Here must be a hard act to follow...
everything else must seem like bathos.
I am not sure what my next project is yet.
I am a slow photographer, and accept the
slow process of things, the need for time,
the need for maturity. Photography is a way
for me to keep asking myself questions.
3
4
5
6
To see more of Ambroise’s work, visit www.ambroisetezenas.com. I Was Here is published
by Dewi Lewis Publishingwww.dewilewispublishing.com
4 Gear left behind bythe Israeli army, ondisplay in the TouristLandmark of theResistance museum,Mleeta, Lebanon.
5 Clothes of the dead atthe Ntarama GenocideMemorial, Rwanda.
6 Rows of skulls at theBisesero GenocideMemorial, Rwanda.
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FROM A YOUNGER READER…My name is Saffron, and photography ismy whole life! I recently purchased DigitalCamera, and I am proud to say that I waspleased with the content. I was also pleasedwith the photography dictionary: it wouldbe very helpful for now, and later on in lifewhen I am doing my photography A-level.
Are you a photographer? Do you knowother famous photographers? It wouldmake my day if you could take a look atsome of my photography and maybe givesome feedback.
Saffron, 13, photographer
We think you have excellent potential and would
advise you to keep up the hard work. Being a
photographer isn’t a straightforward career, but
is well worth the journey. Hopefully we’ll be able
to keep giving you a few pointers!
ViewFinder
STAR LETTER
The place to air your views on the magazineand share your photographic experiences
Get your views heard We’d love to hear your thoughts on the magazine and all things photographic!So email us at [email protected] or visit us at www.facebook.com/digitalcameraworld
Norman, you’re absolutely right. It is the
photographer who makes the image,
and you can still produce award-
winning images with old kit.
A TIP THAT SHOULD STICKThis may be a useful tip for aphotographer on a budget: Plasticineapplied in the right places can reallyhelp to stabilise any unwantedmovement in a budget tripod.It’s so useful it should be in everyphotographer’s kitbag. It even turnedmy shaky old Hama into a rock!Brendan Doherty
Great tip, Brendan, and thanks for
sharing it. It just goes to show youdon’t need to pay a fortune to get
professional results!
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION A couple more comments in responseto our publication of behind-the-scenes photos of a Playboy shoot inDigital Camera …
I find it amusing that some ofyour readers are so offended at thepresence of tasteful nude or semi-nude photographs in your magazine.
Go to any art club in Britainand you will almost certainly findopportunities for ‘life painting’. Itis rare to find an amateur art showwithout some paintings of nudemen or women. I am sure that mostartists feel that the ability to capturethe human form and its varied skintones with complex areas of lightand shade is an essential skill. Thereis a huge difference between theartistic nude and pornography.
The human body is one of themost significant forms for artwork,
whether painted or photographic. Ifyour magazine were to self-censor
Above 13-year-old Saffron sent us a variety of herimages to review from her portfolio .
WIN AN ASPIRE PHOTO TRAINING VOUCHER
Our star letter wins a £50 voucher off training courses at Aspire
Photography Training (www.aspirephotographytraining.co.uk)
Left NormanLemon advises youto stick with your
older gear ratherthan upgrading.
STICK WITH ITI read David Brown’s commentsabout you pushing the latestequipment [ViewFinder, DigitalCamera ]. David, I am a pensionerlike you. I am very fortunate to beable to afford this modern gear – butI would rather use the older gear likeyour D and even older cameras,with great results in competitions.
So stick with your D and buyolder lenses. It’s the person behindthe camera who counts, not the
jewellery he wears around his neck.Norman Lemon
www.facebook.com/DigitalcameraworldJoin us on Twitter www.twitter.com/DCamMag or Facebook
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March 2015 Digital Camera
ViewFinder
all work of this nature, you would bemissing out on helping your readers
with a vital set of skills, whichmany of us would like to acquireor improve on.Tom Cunliffe
May I offer a solution to thistype of article. I have daughters,and I receive a magazine from aphotography society as well asbuying your excellent magazine.
I always go through the magazinesbefore my daughters look throughthem. Some of the articles in thesociety’s magazine are too racy, so
it’s usually out of bounds to them.I looked through your magazine and
WHAT WORKED FOR YOU...?
R
eading Digital Camera 159, I was
interested to see the ‘Flowers in Ice’
project [part of our 10 Creative Home
Projects feature]. With my first SLR purchasedin 2013 (a Nikon D7000), I have been on a
massive learning curve. I try to have a project
on the go to give me skills to practise.
Last year my wife gave me a Nikkor 50mm
1.8D lens, and I thought I would try to freeze
some sea shells in ice to get reflections in the
sunshine. I had a few attempts experimenting
with lighting and reflective surfaces. I never
quite managed to get the image I had in my
mind, but no doubt I will have another go in the
next few months.Every time I take the camera out, I learn
something new.
Ben Rutlidge
Persistence is key to becoming a great
photographer, and it’s great to see you’re
trying new things out. Keep it up.
Above The debatecontinues as wehave more dividedopinion about howwe should displaythis type of content.
ended up sticking pages together sothe content was not visible.
May I ask in future that if you runthis type of feature, you make it a
separate pullout with a warning onthe front, so anyone who has youngphotographers or may be offendedcan remove it, and put it in the bin.Simon Hepworth
Thank you for all your feedback on this
topic. It seems many of you are split
with your opinions, but we have taken
all of your points on board.
NO MORE RESOLUTIONI enjoy taking various types ofphotographs. I have a Fuji FEXR
and an X. What I find frustratingis the occasional wrong colourreproduction. When paying ,or more on medium-format cameras[Group Test, Digital Camera ],the colours vary so much? I canunderstand it from a compactcamera, but would expect perfectionwhen paying so much. I usually printA photos, so the extra resolutionwould be wasted on me!Gordon Degg
Thank you for your letter, Gordon. We
do these group tests to make sureyou’re getting the best of the best!
Fresh from our
wall
Want to keep up with the latest
Digital Camera news, views and
gossip? Visit our Facebook page
and tell us what you think about the
magazine or anything photography-
related. See www.facebook.com/
digitalcameraworld
I’m doing a print publication
this year. My first. Already three
days into it.
Davey D
To paraphrase The Fast Show,
this year I will mostly be using theletter P… I will be using other
modes rather than playing safe
using Auto.
Andy Hackett
I’m going to try to be braver at
heading out on my own! I’m
always so anxious in remote
locations before sunrise! I need
to man up.
Sarah Brooks
Iwant to shoot some sports
photography for the first time.I already have two outings lined
up for this week.
Bob Dunn
To get out there more and
stop holding myself back. I want
to try my hand at portrait
photography, so that’s what
I aim to do this year. No more
hiding – time to get out there!
Gemma Ironside
Digital Camera asked:
“What are yourphotographyresolutions for 2015?What new techniquesare you hoping to try?Have you got anyprojects lined up?”
Get involved: www.facebook
.com/digitalcameraworld
www.digitalcameraworld.com
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www digit lc mer world com
igital amera November 2 14
ways to
SPICEUP YOUR
SHOTSInspirational ideas to make your best year ever!
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M a i n i m a g e : S e p e h r G h a s s e m i ( w w w . s e p e h r g h a s s e m i . c o m )
Whether you’re just
starting out in
photography
or you’re an
experiencedshooter who’s hit a creative brick
wall, you can take inspiration
from this bumper collection ofphotography ideas. You’ll find some
classic projects mixed with fresh
challenges that will help you take
your photography to the next level,
from fun photo assignments you canpolish off in a weekend to longer-
term projects that could feed your
photography for years to come. Try
something new today – and don’tforget to share your results with us…
March 2015 Digital Camera
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BE INSPIRED
Starting a self-portrait project –one that shows more artistry andoriginality than a set of social mediaselfies – can be richly rewarding. Italso has no limitations: the subject isalways available to have their picturetaken, even if they might not alwaysbe up for it… Creating a consistent theme for
your self-portraits, whether it’sthrough a concept or a visual style,
Never again will you be able to say that there’s nothing to shoot
will help to give the project focus,and there are plenty of approachesyou can take. For instance, if you have to fit thephotography around your day job,how about shooting the picturesat night? You could assume analter-ego and make that your theme,as illustrated by Dominick Reed’s
popular ‘Mr Flibble’ series (www.idrinkleadpaint.com). Alternatively,
how about integrating yourself intoa wider scene? This is an approach atwhich street photographer VivianMaier (www.vivianmaier.com) wasadept. On some occasions she evenonly included her shadow.
You really don’t need much in theway of camera kit for this project –you can even do it on a smartphone.
Coming up with a compelling themeis far more important.
Above Turning thecamera around onyourself can appeara little daunting –but you don’t evenneed to show yourface to capture aself-portrait!
Self -portrait pro ject1 © G e t t y / J u l i a D a v i l a - L a m p e
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SPICE UP YOUR SHOTS
A sk someone to write a list of things on a set of cards. It couldbe random, everyday stuff like‘hands’, ‘trees’, ‘food’, but ideally it’llbe subjects you wouldn’t normallyphotograph. Meanwhile, write down
a series of photographic treatmentson another set – for example, ‘mm’,‘black and white’, ‘long exposure’…
Take your photography in an unexpected direction
Above This shot byUmbreem Hafeezshows how you cancombine elementsin the scene to get anoteworthy result.
Go on a scavenger hunt
8 Shoot your ownphoto alphabet Rather than just head
out and photograph actualletters, find objects and shapesthat resemble letters (the frameof a set of swings forming theletter ‘A’, the curve of a riverrepresenting ‘S’). Some
photographers make a livingout of doing this.
9 Make wordsyour focus The challenge here is
not to fill the frame, but tocleverly incorporate wordsinto your compositions. Lookfor juxtaposition – such asan advertising hoardingdescribing the ‘rich taste’ of
a drink set in an area that’sclearly run down.
10 Paint withyour cameraYou may be used to
doing everything in yourpower to take a sharp photo,but it can be liberating to dothe opposite and move thecamera during a long exposure.Try working in Shutter
Priority, dialling in a shutterspeed of / sec or slower.
Again, ideally it should be styles youwouldn’t typically use.
Now all you have to do is randomlypick a card from each deck and thenfulfil the brief in a day. It’s a great wayto take yourself out of your comfort
zone – and to add some focus to yourphotography if you’ve found yourselfin a bit of a creative rut.
3The 90-degree
challengeEvery time you stop to take
a picture, you must then pointthe camera by degrees –
to the left, right, up or down –
and create a picture from
what you see there.
5Turn your digital
into a film cameraSimply tape up the screen…
Obviously we’re not really
recommending that you gum
up your camera with gaffer
tape, but avoid reviewingshots for a day.
4Use ‘a roll
of film’ for a dayTo force yourself to consider
every photo, slip a MB
memory card into your camera.
Only around Canon D
Mk III raw files fit onto
a card of this size.
6Lose yourself
in a new locationGo for a walk with one lens,
exploring a location on foot
that you normally drive past.
Set a timer to minutes –
every time it goes
off, take a photo.
2
© R o d d y L l e w e l l y n
7Choose a new
aspect ratioIf you usually shoot photos
in a : format, try shooting
in : or : or :. Live View
mode makes this easier, as
you can activate an aspect
ratio grid overlay.
© B e n B r a i n
© B e n B r a i n
U m b r e e n H a f e e z
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BE INSPIRED
Head out with the intention ofmaking shadows and silhouettesthe key compositional device in yourpictures. As photographers, we’reoften conditioned to use every trickin the book to open up the shadows,such as shooting when the light issofter at the start and end of the day,or using flash or a reflector to revealdetails previously lost in the dark.But this project encourages you touse shadows to hide details.
Shooting in the middle of the daybecomes a pleasure rather than achore, although you can get greatresults with the low, raking lightof a clear morning or evening, too.Finding a raised point of view canhelp you to extend the reach of theseshadows through the frame, althoughif the sun is behind you, be consciousof whether or not you include yourown shadow in the picture.
For further inspiration, check outMagnum photographer Trent Parke’sportfolio of dense, shadowy imagestaken in the harsh glare of
the Australian sun (www.magnumphotos.com/trentparke ).
In a notebook, write a list of
descriptive words about a subject,then photograph the subject with
these words in mind. For instance,
can you photograph snow in a way
that makes the end result feel cold?
How could you convey the scale of
sound produced by an orchestra?
The use of colour, tonality
composition, focus, movement and
more can all be used to evoke mood
in images. In the picture on the right,
the combination of blue hues, dark
tones and camera movement help
create emotion. How could you add
a evocative twist to photographs ofsubjects that you like to shoot?
Above Break all the rules when it comes toexposure and emphasise those darkshadows in the image. Magnumphotographer Trent Parke finishes hisimages with a high-contrast look.
Right It’s not just what you can see that’simportant. What you don’t see also sayssomething, so play around with this idea.
12 Master the artof abstract This challenge has
one simple rule: every time
you use your camera, you
have to shoot an additional
abstract image before you
put the camera away. Avoid‘cheating’ by cropping an
image in Photoshop – createit entirely in-camera.
13 Use a photowithin a photo Create a series of
pictures where an additional
picture, held in the frame,
adds context to the original
image. Instead of using a
physical print, how about
using an image displayed on
a tablet or smartphonescreen instead?
14 Defocus thecamera lensSharpness is
overrated: embrace excessive
blur instead. See the different
effects you can get from
focusing the lens both in
front of and behind the
subject. Notice how
highlights and shadowsinteract within the frame.
Make shadows the focus of your photos
Go dark11
Createemotion
15
Capture how a subjectmakes you feel ratherthan just how it looks
R o d d y L l e w e l l y n
G e t t y / G r e g o r S c h u s t e r
G e t t y
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March 2015 Digital Camera
SPI E U P YOUR SHOTS
16Take a creativecue from music
Pick a favourite piece of
music. Listen to it while youcapture an image that conveys
how it makes you feel, or
illustrates the lyrics that
resonate with you.
19 Collaborative
portraitsAsk someone to sit for a
portrait, but let them dictate
how they want to appear in
the photo. See how close you
come to making their
vision a reality.
18 Create a
photographic lieMake an image that contrasts
with the underlying emotion
of the scene or subject. For
instance, can you make
a happy event seem sador vice versa?
20Three-word
challengeHow do you avoid taking the
same photos as everyone else?
Try picking three words that
describe your photographic
style. Shoot images that
illustrate each one.
17 Right time,
‘wrong’ lensChoose the opposite lens to
the one you’d normally use to
photograph a subject. Take a
wide-angle lens to the zoo or
only use a telephoto for
landscapes.
B e n B r
a i n
M a g n u m /
T r e n t P a r k e
Get an abstract and
emotional result in the
natural environment.
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BE INSPIRED
You’ll have to dig deep for thisproject. The premise seemssimple: take a sheet of paper andphotograph it in different ways.You can’t cut it, but every other
creative avenue is open to you.Each picture needs to have a fresh
identity, whether that’s down to the
Discover the photo opportunities in an ordinary subject
Above Turn thebanal into thebeautiful with somecreative thinkingand a bit of origami.
Shoot a piece of paper ways
choice of lighting, the composition orthe situation you come up with. Takeinspiration from Brendan Austin(www.brendanaustin.com), whocreated mini mountainscapes from
crumpled sheets, or the beautifulpaper abstracts of Sherif Mokbel(www.behance.net/sherifmokbel).
22 Focus on the
small stuff Attend an organised event
and shoot candids, abstractsand small details that othersmiss – anything but themain event that everyone
else is there to see.
23Naked night
photographyShoot outdoors at
night without usingflash, a long exposure or
a tripod. You can only useavailable light, soincrease the ISO.
24Picture a
metaphorWrite down a list of
metaphors that have somemeaning for you, then produce
a series of photographs that
illustrate them in literaland non-literal ways.
25Take a single
image every dayThe ‘’ photo project is a
classic. But if you don’t wantthe pressure of having to find
a meaningful photo everyday, make it a weekly
endeavour instead.
26Photographone location
Choose one spot that’s closeto home and photograph it at
different times of the day,month and year. Capture theseasonal variation and the
changing light.
21
B e n B r a i n
R o d d y L l e w e l l y n
R o d d y L l e w e l l y n
27 Commit to amonth of monoStop shooting in
colour for a month. If you
shoot in raw rather than
JPEG, you’ll still record the
colour data for the image, but
change the camera’s Picture
Style to Monochrome to get
a black-and-white previewon the camera’s rear screen.
28 Pick a colour,any colour Your chosen colour
needn’t fill the frame, but
you need to compose shots
to make it clear to viewers
that this specific colour is
what the picture is really
about. One rule: you can’t
selectively colour a black-and-white photo.
29 Shoot theuninspiringWrite down a list
of locations and items that
you find intensely dull,
depressing, ugly, boring or
annoying. Now push yourself
to make beautiful photos of
these unphotogenic subjects.
You may be suprised howmuch you like the pictures…
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SPICE UP YOUR SHOTS
This is a classic project witha concept that usually fillseveryone with dread. It can be hard
enough to approach a stranger in the
street and ask directions, let alone
ask them if they’d be willing to let
you take their picture. Having to do it
enough times so that you have portraits to show at the end of the
project? The chances are you’re going
to have to develop a thick skin.
Many photographers who’ve done
it will tell you that the hardest part of
this project is starting it. But once
you do, the pictures can flow pretty
easily, and it becomes an addictive
process. In fact, some photographesincrease the pressure on themselves,
making it a three-fold ‘’ challenge:
strangers photographed with a
mm lens in days!
This project doesn’t just have to
be a race to collect strangers, though.
It’s more important to pick the right
subjects and spend time finding out
a little about each person, so thatyour image captures their essence.
Are you up for a real challenge? Take 50 portraits of people you’ve never met before
Above DigitalCamera editor Bentook these candid
close-ups on thestreets of Miami.
Photograph strangers30 B e n B r a i n
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ESSENTI L GUIDE
Many of us have been brought upon the idea of using fill-flashfor outdoor portraits on sunny days,to reduce contrast and produce moreflattering results. But why not tryapplying it where you typicallywouldn’t, such when you’re shootinga landscape or while you’re indulgingin a spot of street photography – asituation where you’d normally be
trying to blend in, rather than drawattention to yourself?
Above Using aflashgun tobacklight hissubjects, SatokiNagata managedto capture thesebeautiful fleetingmoments in time.
32Geocaching
challengeLoad a geocaching app onto
your smartphone, thenhead out with a view to takingan artistic picture at
every geocache locationyou end up in.
33Faces in
unusual placesTrain your eye to spot ‘faces’
unintentionally formed byeveryday objects. Warning:this can be addictive! Seewww.flickr.com/groups/
facesinplaces for ideas.
35‘f/16 and
be there…’Using Aperure Priority, set
the aperture to f/ for a day.You’ll become more mindfulof the relationship betweendetails in the background
and the foreground.
34 Creative size
and scaleFor this project, you simply
need to make big things looksmall and small things lookbig – but the challenge is
doing both within thesame frame.
36Become a
photojournalistFind a local news story and
illustrate it with five picturesthat will make others careabout it. Approach a localnewspaper to see if they’ll
print the results.
Use an off-camera flashgun in creative new waysFar-out flash31
Satoki Nagata (www.satoki.com) did just that for his ‘Streets’ project,setting a slow shutter speed andusing an off-camera flash to backlightpassers-by. The resulting imageshave a dramatic and abstract quality.
To tackle a similar idea, you’llneed a way to get the flashoff-camera. A remote flash trigger isessential for working in busy streets,
although a remote cable will be finefor close-ups.
S a t o k i N a g a t a
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BE INSPIRED
40Make intentional
mistakesSeverely overexpose or
underexpose pictures. Crop asubject awkwardly. Focus onthe backdrop instead of thesubject. Use these ‘errors’
to fuel new ideas.
38…Now take a
step backCompose shots where the
subject is very small in theframe. How can you directa viewer’s attention to it?How can you use negativespace in a positive way?
39Shoot without
looking In Shutter Priority, set a fast
shutter speed to minimisecamera shake, then shootwithout using the viewfinderor Live View. Think of it as
camera ‘sketching’.
37Take a stepforward…
Set the focus on your
lens to four feet and don’tmove it – tape it down youhave to. This will force youto move in closer in order
to get your shots.
Take a portrait of someone, butdo so without including theperson’s face. How can you revealaspects of their personalitywithout the aid of eye contactand expression?
For a start, you’ll need toconsider the environment that theportrait is going to be shot in, as
well as how you’ll crop the shot,whether you do the latter in-cameraor later in software. The quality ofthe lighting and the choice ofcolours (or whether there’s anycolour at all) become crucial forconveying a sense of mood, andyou’ll have to rely on the otherfeatures of the portrait-sitter’s body
to tell a story. Here we took theconcept one stage further andcombined three shots together inPhotoshop to create a surrealfaceless portrait. With a nod to thegreat surrealist painter Magritte,this image is loaded with moodand meaning that can say a lotabout the subject.
Can you reveal someone’s personality without revealing their face?
Hiding yoursubject’s facialfeatures enablesyou to focus onother aspects ofthe image, like thebackground detail.
Faceless portraits41
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BE INSPIRED
46Make moving
picturesBring your stills to life bylearning how to make a
cinemagraph in Photoshop,or try shooting a time-lapse
that doesn’t feature a cityor landscape at night…
44Self-publish a
photo bookLink your pictures through a
narrative, colour, juxtapositionor in more unexpected ways.
45Record an image
without a cameraUse an all-in-one home
printer to make a scanogram.Place objects on the scannerand use the limited available
depth of field forsurreal results.
43Build a multi-
panel panoramaRather than taking one
sweeping view of a place, trybuilding a story through aseries of shots that can be
presented together in alarger format.
Right Go one step further and usepost-production techniques on your
double exposure to create an abstract.
Above Blend two subjects together incamera for an arty finish. Think about howthe colours and textures work together.
C ompose two (or more) picturesin order to create a multipleexposure. Most SLRs have a multipleexposure function that’ll allow youto layer several exposures together.However, while it’s admirable andutterly satisfying to capture a winnerin-camera, replicating the effect inthe digital darkroom is quick, easyand non-destructive – and just asvalid. Combine your images into onedocument and experiment withlayers and blending modes.
Dynamicdouble
exposures
42
Splice two frames togetherto create a unique view
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SPICE UP YOUR SHOTS
Look for ways in which you canconstruct your photos from linesand shapes, whether they’re explicitor implied. Don’t simply zoom in and
pick out an abstract set of shapes,but try to find these elements withinwider views and frame your photosaccordingly. Explore a town or city, asthe urban environment is packedwith potential and including humanfigures as a counterpoint can be aneffective technique. In this examplefrom the streets of London thephotographer has been playful withthe use of negative space to create anunusal street scene.
Spend a day training yourlens on intriguing shapesand patterns
Exploregeometry
48
ove SNet voluptat di dolum ipisci nitatem solor ad modis aliatur magnat.
Laccabo restorem rerum et ium hiliqui consequam con cullam sed ut es
Left Don’t shoot the same tourist snapsas everyone else. Instead, look around forquirky and original ways to record thedetails of your surroundings.
Right Often the most interesting view is the
one you have to look up at! In an urbansetting, keep your eyes open for shapes.
49Take a photoprop on tour
Choose a prop and create
pictures of it in multiplelocations. Make sure the itemis pocket-friendly enough to
take on your commuteor on holiday.
50Find a frame
within a frameIn this exercise, you have to
compose a shot using a ‘found’frame, such as Big Ben seenthrough a steamy tour buswindow, or a portrait shot
in a doorway.
52Create a still-life
with characterBring inanimate objects to lifethrough construced still-life
situations. For inspiration, seethe work of Victoria Ivanova
(www.px.com/
victoria_ivanova).
51Rent an extremelens for the dayA new lens can give
your photos a new leaseof life, particularly if itoffers a more extreme
focal length or aperturethan you’re used to.
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R o d d y L l e w e l l y n
B e n B r a i n
Visit a location or touristattraction that’s reached‘postcard-perfect photo’ saturationpoint – somewhere like Bamburghcastle and beach, Buttermere orBath’s Royal Crescent – andphotograph the reality of what youfind there. You could focus on traffic jams or lines of tourists snapping theview with iPads at arms’ length. Howabout capturing the view as seenthrough the window of a café or car?
In the example here (see left), wefocused on the small plastic statuesof Michelangelo’s David that adornthe tourist shops of Florence, Italy.It was an unusual and original way toexplore the popular photo destinationwith a camera.
Capture a real sense ofplace, warts and all
A touristguide
with a twist
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March 2015 Digital Camerawww.digitalcameraworld.com
70 Photo AnatomyPro photographer Ruth
Asher talks us through
her cliff-edge shot
THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS
56 Core SkillsCreate a super-sharp
macro shot from multiple
images when you get togrips with focus-stacking
60 Creative ZoneUsing a tub of paint, a
flashgun and a ceramic
cooking dish, create anabstract work of art
62 Photo RecipesScott Kelby reveals his top
wedding shooting tips
and tricks in his DigitalCamera debut feature
66 Back to BasicsLearn to expose shots
more accurately as we tell
you all you need to knowabout metering
69 Gear HacksMake your own low-cost
macro lens from a lens
you already own and aDIY extension tube
Your complete camera skills improvement plan
OHS O T !
SLR CAMERA SKILLS
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SLR CAMERA SKILLS
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Digital Camera March 2015
6
Claire Gillo reveals how you can extendthe depth of field on your favourite lensby shooting and blending multiple images
STACK FOR
SHARPNESS
CORE SKI