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v a r i e t y o f l e n s c o n fi g u r a t i o n s .
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‘‘GET OUT OF THE ORDINARY” “Like the shots it lets you take, the Lumix GF2 is a break from the ordinary. It does
everything conventional cameras can, but in a smaller, more compact body so youcan capture inspiration anywhere with ease. For photographers who like to look atthe world differently, it completely redefines what’s possible.”
Will Cooper-Mitchell uses the Panasonic Lumix GF2. D-SLR performance andinterchangeable lenses in a more compact body.
See more pictures taken by Will on the GF2 at panasonic.co.uk/acityexposed
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Burnham Lighthouse, Somerset . Getting tothe location early and knowing it well
helped me to get this shot. Shooting intothe sun can be tricky, so I check the screencarefully after capture. I exposed once forthe lighthouse and once for the overallscene, then combined the two exposureslater to achieve a more accuraterepresentation of the dramatic view.
HOW TO USE10-STOP NEUTRAL
DENSITY (ND) FILTERSTen-stop ND filters are a useful addition to the kit bag
of any landscape photographer. These dark panes of glassare designed to reduce the amount of light entering the lens,
enabling the use of a slower shutter speed and/or awider aperture. This means the available light, even on the
most overcast days, can be harnessed better and motion can becaptured to create atmosphere, for example, clouds drifting
overhead, the tide coming in and going out, and people ortraffic passing by in a street scene. All will blend into the
landscape with the use of a neutral density filter.When using a filter remember to compose andmanually focus your shot before you attach it.
Once on, it will be too dark to seeyour shot.
Based in Somerset, Tony Howell is a professionallandscape photographer with more than 30 years’experience. His clients include National Geographic magazine, the BBC, Royal Mail,the Tate, the National Trust and Penguin Books.
Bryan Alexander has worked in the Arctic for40years and spent an estimated 10 years of his lifein the region’s remote communities, writing andphotographing. Some of his Arctic shots haveappeared in the Visions of Earth pages of National Geographic magazine.
www.arcticphoto.co.uk
BIOGRAPHY – BRYAN ALEXANDER
LOOK FOR THEORIGINAL SHOTThis sequence of Arctic pictures taken
from an Inuit friend’s house at dawn inOctober 2008 is something that
happens once in a lifetime. This type of
cloud formation has been seen only over
the past five or six years; it’s a new type
of cloud and scientists are trying to getthe name classified.
While travelling across Australia, KarokiLewis shot continually. When he returnedto the UK, he decided a Masters degree ineconomics was not for him and heretrained as a photographer. Since 2001,Karoki has been working on a long-termproject photographing pilgrimages incollaboration with the BBC.
www.karokilewis.com
BIOGRAPHY – KAROKI LEWIS
A traditional riceboat, converted intoa houseboat, at dawn on the peaceful
backwaters near Alleppey (Alappuzha),Kerala, south India.
Brooklyn, New York, has been home for Joseph O.Holmes since 1984. After learning how to developphotographs from his father, he spent the first 20years of his career shooting with black-and-whitefilm. Having focused on street photographyand urban subjects, Holmes has been awarded,among other accolades, first prize in theMPLS Photo Center’s 2010 Portraits Exhibitionin Minneapolis, USA.
http://streetnine.com
BIOGRAPHY – JOSEPH O. HOLMES
24 hours of shooting Joseph O. Holmes
DEVELOP THE DETAILSWhen shooting digital, I like to shoot
everything as flat and unsharpened with
low contrast so I can preserve all theinformation. I find that every image needs
to have the contrast pumped up and
maybe brightened a little in
post-production. If there were lots of
footprints I bumped up the brightness orcontrast so they disappeared.
MASTER THE
ZONE SYSTEMThe Zone System is a technique for determining
optimal exposure and maximising the final tonal
range of your formulated image. It is an 11-step
gradation of reality, from pure black to pure white,
and each step equates to one full f-stop. Seeing in
black-and-white allows you to see how much of a scene
is recordable. It also allows you to understand failurein exposures from blown-out highlights, too many
GET UP EARLYTo make the most of the morning light,
you need to be at your location before the
sun comes up. I often get up at4am, so I
wake somewhat automatically now,
although I do sometimes use an alarm –
don’t forget to set yours.
CHOOSE WHEN TOSHOOTMornings are all very different – many of
them really aren’t very interesting, but
some are magical – so it pays to choose
carefully when you go out, as you can’t go
out before sunrise every morning. I get up,
look out of the window and decide, from
what I can see, if it’s a good morning for
photography. If there’s dew on my window
I know there will be dew on the grass –something I particularly like – so I go out.
WORK WITH THEENVIRONMENTMy preference is for cold, still mornings –
the stillness is important as I favour
macro photography and like using long
exposures. If you’re out on still mornings
make the most of the mirror-like
reflections on lakes and other water.
USE THE ELEMENTSLook for misty mornings, when the sun
gradually breaks through and overcomesmist and fog. The light on such mornings
often changes very fast – make the most
of this – landscape photos with a mixture
of sun and mist can be very interesting
visually. On misty mornings there will be
dew on the ground and the whole
landscape will be covered with
small droplets.
LOOK FORDETAILSThere are thousands of
opportunities for great macro
shots in the early morning – you
just need to bend down and look at
flowers, leaves, straw, and spider webs.
If you have a macro lens and a tripod you
can just dive into the microcosmos
beneath your feet. Look out for insects
too, as early in the morning some canappear frozen and make for great shots.
PLAY WITH THE LIGHTThe low morning sun provides great
opportunities for playing with the light.
Move around and try placing the sun
behind flowers and other subjects.
Sometimes the sun will appear big and red
because of dust in the atmosphere and
makes a great addition to your images.
MAKE THE MOST OFYOUR TIME
I find being out really early to besomewhat of a meditative experience and
I make the most of the peace and quiet.
When I’m out early I don’t come across
any other people, or dogs for that matter,
and can lie on the ground taking
photographs without people
watching me. I do sometimes
come across animals which
don’t show themselves in the
day – so keep quiet and you
might see some yourself.
STAY LOCALFind a couple of good locations
close-by that you can keep going to;
your life will be easier. If you’re constantly
driving long distances you’ll need to get
up much earlier and will be disappointed if
the conditions turn out to be poor when
you arrive. If you find local spots to visit,you can get into the habit of going before
work, so you’ll shoot more. I often go to
the same locations and always see new
things when I get there – I treat my work
as a development.
BE FLEXIBLEOf course I have visions of pictures I want
to shoot – things I want to show, subjects
and compositions I want to find, but I also
stay flexible and see what each morning
brings. Be open-minded and photo
opportunities will present themselves to
you – this can be very exciting, especiallyin the macro world.
HOW TO USE THE WEATHER TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
M A G N
A R
B Ø R N E S
Magnar Børnes is44 years old and lives inBergen, on the west coast of Norway. He runshis own company, through which he sells hisphotography and does graphic design work.Over the years he has gained considerablerecognition for his unique, impressionisticapproach to nature, which adds an abstractfeel to his photographs.
www.magnarbornes.com
BIOGRAPHY – MAGNAR BØRNES
Little boat. This was taken on an Octobermorning near Bergen. I was travellingalong the fjord enjoying the calm and
mist of morning and as the sun wasabout to break through, I spotted this
Blue morning. I shot this earlyone summer's morning, beforesunrise. The dragonfly was sostill it was like it was frozen andI was able to use my tripod forlong exposure. I tried differentapertures, searching to get theright amount of blur on the strawin the background.
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Bangkok-based travel photographer Gavin Goughshoots for publications around the world and alsoteaches photography classes in Thailand. He tooka year off work in the UK to travel the world andbuild a portfolio. Feeling unable to return to anoffice job, he took the plunge shortly afterwardsto become a full-time photographer.
www.gavingough.com
BIOGRAPHY – GAVIN GOUGH
WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM [49]
DAY
A Buddhist monk sits beside a temple window duringthe Phi Ta Khon (Ghosts in Masks) festival in Dansai,
Thailand. Shot with a Canon EOS-1Ds MkII, Canon EF85mm L f/1.2 lens – 1/100sec at f/1.2, ISO 50 (-1.3EV).
HOW TO SHOOT
CONTRASTS
WORK WITH SHADOWS
My portrait of a Buddhist monk by awindow was shot in Thailand during the
Walking through the square besidethe Koutoubia Mosque inMarrakech, Morocco. Shot with aCanon EOS-1Ds MkII, Canon EF24-70mm L f/2.8 at43mm –1/320sec at f/8, ISO 100.
Amankila Resort, Manggis, Bali,Indonesia. Shot with a Canon EOS 5DMkII, Canon EF 24-70mm L f/2.8 at
48mm – 1/3,200sec at f/2.8, ISO 100.
KNOW WHAT YOUWANTThis swimming pool shot was done for
Vanity Fair magazine’s annual travel
supplement and taken on Bali, at the
Amankila Resort in Manggis. I shot this
image at breakfast time on a Canon EOS
5D MkII and Canon EF 24-70mm L lens.
The objective was to obtain simple
compositions and a symmetrical,
balanced image; not the kind of shot I
would take often, but the sort of shot,
I felt, people would pick up on.
BE PATIENTIn the centre of Marrakech, Morocco, is
the big minaret of the Koutoubia
Mosque. Nearby sits a bright orange
wall that inspired me to use it as a
backdrop. I made a point of going there
in the late afternoon, sitting and
waiting for the right group of people to
walk past at the right time. I played
around with the composition a lot
before obtaining this shot,
accumulating more than 30 photos
before capturing this one. I was
particularly interested in the cultural
reference of this shot with the
husband and wife, because the wife is
walking two steps behind the husband,
which is so often the case there.
WATCH THE LIGHTI am not a photographer who likes to
use a tripod, so to set up I perched on
a fountain wall and waited while
getting the exposure right. I switched
to manual and kept a close eye on
the light as it was dropping. The light
and its effect on the wall colour
was the greatest challenge because
colour temperature changes
throughout the day. At midday, the
light is very blue. This shot was
taken just before dusk, so the orange
colour was enhanced by the
golden-coloured temperature of thesun. This was shot with a Canon G
A V I N
G O U G H
EOS-1Ds MkII and Canon EF 24-70mm L
lens at f/2.8 and 43mm.
USE A SPOT METERMy biggest piece of advice is that you
should learn to use spot metering.
Being able to spot meter off someone’s
face or the part of the picture you
want exposed correctly will producethe outcome you want.
MASTERING
SHADOWIn many ways shadows are photography
and should be embraced rather than avoided oreliminated. Consider shadow as the element thatmakes the subject stand out in an image rather
than detract from it. In doing so you will seek outshadow and be better prepared to work with it.
Shadow allows you to see three-dimensional formsin entirely new ways and will set the value and
tones of your images. Light and shadow gotogether; without one you could not have
the other. When shadow is used withlight, images start to
BE FLEXIBLEMany of my successful images shot at high
noon are a result of me being flexible.
For instance, if you have a shoot planned
for a more conventional time of the day
such as sunset and you’re out doing
a recce or walking to your location at
high noon and you see an interesting
composition or subject, shoot it – you can
always go back if it doesn’t work.
Don’t allow opportunities to pass you by
because the lighting isn’t ideal.
USE A REFLECTORI always carry a foldable reflector in the
midday sun – they are small, lightweight
and effective. I use mine not only to
bounce some light into shadows, but as a
portable shade to reduce the light when
shooting nature macros at this time of day.
BE OPEN-MINDEDYou need to be positive, actively looking
around for subjects, shapes and shadows
which will work well with the harsh light.
There are also certain things which
happen only when you are out at this
time – some flowers, for example, openonly in the afternoon.
USE A POLARISERWhen shooting landscapes at high noon a
good trick is to compose so you just have
a slither of blue sky and then to use a
polariser filter. By doing this you can get
the most effective results from your
polariser which, with the sun overhead,
will darken all around the horizon and the
edges of your frame.
HOW TO SHOOT IN
THE MIDDAY SUN
THINK COLOURAND TEXTUREAt high noon the harsh light can make
textures disappear, but colours will be
bright and saturated – so look to make the
most of colour. That said, sometimes you
will find textures at high noon which
will be lost in shadows any later in the day.
Keep your mind and your eyes open.
Joe Decker is a nature photographer living innorthern California. His work has been exhibitedacross the US, from the Los Angeles Center forDigital Art to the Smithsonian in Washington.
www.rockslidephoto.com
BIOGRAPHY – JOE DECKER
Joe Decker 24 hours of shooting
Lupin fields. This was taken in west Iceland.In early or late-day light, many of these busheswould be partially in shade, and so therewould be less of a sense of colour from thefield as a whole.
Poppy. I got this macro still-life shot of poppiesusing a diffuser to deal with the shadows thatwere cast from the Antelope Valley in California.
WORK WITH YOURSUBJECTI shoot nearly all my work in my garden
and grow most of the flowers myself.
My garden is north-facing so I do have an
issue with light sometimes, but this just
forces me to improvise. To deal with this
problem, I tend to shoot with
diffused light. I never use a
flash, and try to shoot
subjects in diffused light
with bright sunshine inthe background. I have
some shrubs that are
bright and vibrant, so when
they are lit by the sunlight I
take them into the shade. This gives
images with a bright background and a
more diffused forefront.
FIND YOUR ROUTINEMost of my shots are done in the morning
because of the north-facing light, but I
have developed a routine that works.
For example, I will bring my subjects
closer to the house (my garden is an acreand a half) and use a clamp around the
Having received a camera from her husband whenshe began a diploma in horticulture, Jacky Parkerquickly discovered a love for shooting flowersand has been doing it ever since. In 2008 she was
named the Royal Horticultural SocietyPhotographer of the Year and was recentlynominated as a finalist in the InternationalGarden Photographer of the Year awards.She lives in Iver, Buckinghamshire.
www.jackyparker.com
BIOGRAPHY – JACKY PARKER
flowers to keep them in place. I very rarely
use a tripod, which means I can move
more easily in and out of the flowers.
CHOOSE THE RIGHTLENS
My latest discovery is the
Lensbaby series of creative effectlenses, including tilt-and-shifts,
which give a more painterly effect
to images of flowers. I particularly
like to shoot in diffused light with a
Lensbaby and light coming through trees,
as this combination gives good bokeh.
ADAPT TO YOURENVIRONMENTOne issue I have to consider when
shooting is the wind. I try to screen off my
subjects where I can or take them into my
greenhouse, which doubles as a studio.
An additional challenge is keeping thecamera still when shooting with such a
wide aperture, so when it is called for I will
shoot with a tripod, although I don’t like
doing this.
EMBRACE TECHNOLOGYI do a lot of post-production with textures,
using layer masks as well as preset
actions that can be bought off the internetto give the images a particular feel.
HOW TO WORKWITH YOUR
ENVIRONMENT
GOONLINE
For more advice andtechniques from the prosvisit the website atwww.photography
monthly.com
From top: Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota),image taken in July 2009.Columbine ( Aquilegia vulgaris ), May 2009.Montbretia (Crocosmia Lucifer ), July 2009.
Calm after the storm, mid-June. Great Gable in cloud as the autumn rain begins
to pour on to Wastwater. Dusk sunshine illuminates Great Gable in
midwinter; View from the top of Hardknotttowards Esk Buttress, Eskdale.
When you begin to understand an area
and how it behaves, you will see that the
light is never the same, so you should let
the light and its effect on the terraindetermine how you capture the
environment. If there is water involved,
then those reflections will become
an integral component and have to be
taken into consideration.
FIND THE NEWANGLEI regularly walk around Wastwater in all
seasons, covering low and high vantage
points. On this January afternoon quite
literally as the last rays permeated
the clouds, only Great Gable was lit.
This lasted for just a few minutes before
it was gone. This is a very differentview of Great Gable with a hard and
clear winter light really defining this
magnificent fell. I changed from wide
angle to a 24-105mm L series lens and
placed it on full compression. I did not
use a grad filter for this shot, which is one
of my biggest-selling images.
USE THE LIGHTLet the light help you to create a
successful image. Remember that at this
time of day, as with sunrise, the window ofopportunity can be as little as 20 minutes.
The time of year is also a major factor,
because the seasons produce peculiarities,
so be patient and never be afraid to
experiment. You can obtain some
fantastic, atmospheric images when the
weather is at its most inclement. Don’t be
too ambitious. Photography is about
quality, not quantity. Prepare, take your
time and wait for that rush as the
landscape unfolds before you. Most of
all, enjoy this time of day, because it canprovide some great images.
Mark Gilligan is a wedding and landscapephotographer based in the Lake District.He is a multi-award-winning member of theBritish Institute of Professional Photographyas well as the Royal Photographic Society.He has a base and a permanent exhibition in
LOOK FOR THE UNUSUALI am inspired every time I leave my front
door with my camera and the light is good.
There is a buzz in looking out for unusual
scenes from everyday life and then
showing the results to people who canconnect with the picture because they
recognise a scene from real life.
EXPERIMENTThe fact that you can have higher shutter
speeds in bright light means more
opportunities for capturing the moment.
It also means you can move the camera
around sharply and take instinctive
chances with framing and still get a shot
such as my shop picture (far right,
opposite page). Keeping your shadow out
of shots when the sun’s at your back can
be hard, but it’s something you learn tolook out for the more you shoot this way.
IT’S NOTABOUTTHE KITI use a Canon EOS 5D camera and a 16-
35mm lens. It’s basic stuff and not too
hard to use, which leaves me able to spend
virtually all my time looking for great
shots rather than wondering whether my
camera is set up correctly.
WORKWITH YOUR
SUBJECTSI love working in bright sunlight because
other people, my subjects, are encouraged
to come out and enjoy themselves.
I find most people’s moods lift when the
sun is shining and I am also happier to
have the sun at my back with plenty of
places to explore.
BE PATIENTI rarely have any problems taking these
images, apart from the difficulty oflocating the scene in the first place and S
T E P H
E N
M c L A R E N
“THE FACT THAT YOU CAN
HAVE HIGHER SHUTTER SPEEDS
IN BRIGHT LIGHT MEANS
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CAPTURING THE MOMENT.
Stephen McLaren is a London-based freelancephotographer whose clients include the Mayor ofLondon’s office, John Lewis, Phillips de Puryauction house and Electronic Arts. He is also theco-author with Sophie Howarth of the Thames &Hudson book, Street Photography Now.
USE THE LIGHTTO YOURADVANTAGEOften photographers are advised not to
photograph at midday because of the
steep angle of the sun, which produces
images without depth or, in the case of
people, unflattering shadows on faces.
However, this is not universal advice – you
can use midday light to your advantage by
paying attention to the situation.This light creates sharply defined
colour planes that can create
stunning images under the
right circumstances – you
just need to look.
LOOK FORSHAPESI call high noon shooting ‘bright
light photography’ because of the
brightness you get in the areas that are
exposed to the direct sunlight and the
contrast that it creates. This is great for
architecture photography as I want tobring out specific shapes that man-made
HOW TO USESHADOWSRichard Stultz has exhibited his photographs insolo and group exhibitions in the western UnitedStates and his work has been published in Camera
Arts and Black & White magazines.
www.richardstultz.com
BIOGRAPHY – RICHARD STULTZ
forms create and there’s nothing like
bright light photography to do this.
When you think of it, if you’re
photographing objects that have
primarily vertical planes, such as
architectural subjects, the sunlight at
midday creates the same sort of shadows
and has the same angle as sunlight in theearly morning or early evening on
objects that exist primarily in the
horizontal plane.
DON’TWASTELIGHT
I discovered the advantages of
high noon photography and how to
use the sun to my advantage because
I didn’t want to be sitting around doing
nothing during the middle of the day.
Over time I found subjects that were
suitable for this type of lighting.
It’s crucial to analyse your subject andvisualise how your photograph is going to
look. If you visualise, shoot and analyse
the results, and then go back and
do it again, your images will improve.
UNDERSTAND THE SUNIt’s very important to understand the
relationship of the angle of the sun from
two directions. The first is how high it is in
the sky and the second is how much it is
to the side – is it shining directly on the
subject at 90°, or is it shining at an anglefrom the side? Successful photography
requires using these angles to your
advantage. If you don’t have those angles
– for example, if the sun is shining straight
on – you won’t have anything to work with.
BE PATIENTSuccessful high noon photography is
about the light and how it affects your
subject, but it’s also about patience and
imagination. Sometimes you have to wait
until the sun has moved in the right
position and at other times you’ve arrived
too late and need to come back earlierthe next day. Just stick with it.
GOONLINE
For more advice andtechniques from the pros
visit the website atwww.photography
monthly.com
Richard Stultz 24 hours of shooting
Concert Hall, Los Angeles. This shot is really aboutwaiting for the sun to be in the best position. I had
seen this building a number of times but previouslythe light had never been just right.
SHOOTFOR THE LIGHTYou get beautiful light in the morning
which isn’t as orange as it is in the
afternoon, and lovely long shadows too.
However, there are going to be fewer
people around and therefore fewer
happenings to shoot, in terms of street
photography, so I tend to shoot for
the light in the mornings and for the
people later in the day. Obviously if I can
get both, that's ideal.
WATCH THEWEATHER
When the weather is good your photos willfollow suit – sunny pictures have a special
Matt Stuart is a street photographer based inLondon. He has been capturing accidentalmoments for the past 11 years, shooting on bothfilm and digital. His clients include Tate Modern,Tate Britain, furniture retailer MFI and the LondonSymphony Orchestra.
www.mattstuart.com
BIOGRAPHY – MATTSTUART
quality. Professional photographers,
including myself, are led by the light, so if
they know they’re going to get good
weather they’ll be champing at the bit to
get outside at 5.30am, so do make the
most of nice weather. That said, still
go out even when the weather isn’t great,
you can still get interesting street shots
in the rain.
BE PREPAREDMake sure you take enough memory cards
and spare batteries so you can stay outshooting all day if it’s going well –
there’s nothing worse than having to go
home because your card is full.
FOLLOW THE SUNIt pays to know where the sun rises and
sets in your area. I live in London so I head
to the East End for sunrise and Marble
Arch in the West End for the sunset.
Photography is all about the light and you
have to go where it’s best.
KNOWWHAT’S ON
Mornings can be dramatically different inthe same place – find out what’s going on
so you can prepare and plan accordingly.For example, on Monday mornings I
regularly photograph the weekly
deliveries – people humping boxes around
and moving stuff. I also know that this is
the time when commuters generally tend
to look glum.
FIND A SPOTIn the morning, I find it’s best to get a
good spot, with a nice flow of people, stay
there and shoot. Set up your equipment,
get your exposure right and then wait
for people to walk into your frame.
Save the dashing about for the afternoon,otherwise you’ll be knackered.
FIND A THEMEIt is the mystery of shooting at night
that really appeals to me. I feel that
people are different at night, they are
more chilled out and the world seems
to go into a dreamlike state. Think about
an aspect of night you like or what
it says to you and try to show that in
your photographs.
HOW TO CREATEATMOSPHERE AT
NIGHT
Now living in New York City, but Scottish-bornand Australian-raised, McGhee has had his workexhibited in galleries around the world,including Australia, the UK, mainland Europeand the USA. His clients include Sony, Microsoft,Suzuki Motorcycles and Mitsubishi Motors.
www.tommcgheephoto.com
BIOGRAPHY – TOM McGHEE
Tom McGhee 24 hours of shooting MASTER
CITYSCAPES
AT NIGHTDuring the day walk around the area you wish to
photograph and look for subjects that might make
good shots at night. Don’t dismiss shooting in bad
weather; even the cloudiest of nights will have a lot to
offer. When shooting at night bright lights quickly get
overexposed; think about this when framing the shot.
There is no hard-and-fast rule about removing or
including them, but you can start to lose detail inthe surroundings if these are not controlled.
Consider using a tripod and a shutter release
or the countdown timer built into
your camera.
Stoop. I went on to the rooftop of myNew York apartment and looked downat the street below and saw thesepeople outside their building,escaping the overheated apartments.
Another classic NYC image of peoplein the neighbourhood.
Tom Servais: Born in Miami in 1953, Servais moved to California at the age of 20 to ‘find himself’and pursue surfing. After taking several photography classes, he began his career as a photographerwith Surfer magazine. Fueled by the joy of turning his passion into a career, he travels the world in
pursuit of an endless summer.Photo data: SIGMA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM,1/1,000-second exposure at f/6.3.
O U R
W O R L D
TOM SERVAIS SHOOTS THE WORLD
WITH A SIGMA LENS.
A man hits the waves in the gentle rays of a setting California sun.
A versatile, high magnification zoom lens featuring Sigma’s original Optical Stabiliser
function and Hyper Sonic Motor throughout its impressive zoom range.
small window of about 15 minutes of lightbefore it changes to
pitch-black.
UK photographers
have a unique
advantage in
summer, with the
late change from
day to night, so
take advantage of it.
GET THEREEARLYGet to your location at
least 30 minutes before youplan to start shooting. Plan where you will
position your camera well before the light
is how you want it, so you are ready to
shoot when the perfect light materialises.
BRACKET EXPOSURESIt’s not easy to judge your exposures at
night, therefore be sure to bracket so
you aren’t disappointed when you get
home. Use your histogram, rather
than your LCD screen which will be very
difficult to see clearly.
EXTRA GEAR
The night is a magical time, so make sureyou have extra memory cards and
spare batteries, so you don’t
have to stop shooting if
something amazing is
presented to you.
Also take a light meter
and light strobe or
portable flash to capture
still images over a long
exposure. You’ll also need
a torch so you can see
what you’re doing in the
dark. Food and water are, of
course, essential, as are a warmcoat and gloves in the winter.
THINK FILMA lot of my work is inspired by motion
films. At night the lighting is mostly
manmade and that has an effect on the
atmospheric quality of night
photography, especially when it has
recently rained or it’s a cold night with a
light mist or fog. This is why lots of edgy
films are shot on a street that has been
made wet – to capture the wonderful
colourful reflections you get. I always
think of [Ridley Scott’s sci-fi film] Blade
Runner when shooting New York at
night, as it is a surreal experience.
USE A TRIPODA sturdy tripod and cable release are
required for night photography, as you
are dealing with long exposures of
up to 15 seconds or more – so it is hardto handhold, even for seasoned
professional photographers.
PREPAREMake sure you’ve planned your shoot
thoroughly before leaving home. This is
especially important at night as you
have a limited window of time and things
aren’t as easy as they are during the day
– setting up your tripod or searching for
something in your bag, for example.
ASK A FRIEND
Take an extra person out shooting withyou, if you can – they don’t have to be a
BE READYTO REACT
Although planning is a crucial
part of shooting at night, you
still need to be open to grabbing
your camera and taking shots
quickly, so if something
interesting happens
you can capture it.
24 hours of shooting Tom McGhee
T O M
M c
G H E E
After the Deluge. When I took thisimage, I think I was channelling agreat film maker that I have alwaysadmired, Michael Mann. It remindsme of a mix between his filmCollateral and Martin Scorsese’sTaxi Driver .
GET TO KNOW THELOCALSThese shots were taken in the Sahara.
One half of Western Sahara is controlled
by Morocco and one half by the Polisario
Front. I shot on both sides of the border
over a four-month period in 2009. I spent
time with the refugees in each area, got toknow their families, and developed a bond
of trust that often gained me access to
their lives.
LIGHT THE DARKThe man in the sand dune was a wedding
guest I met. The light behind the sand
dune is from a far-off town, but I used a
small LED video light to light his face.
These are small handheld lights with 50 or
60 LED bulbs. I value the fact they are
dimmable from 0%-100% and they are
portable. To light the woman in the tent,
I had someone holding the LED video lightbeside her. When I held it myself, I used
Student Brahim Mohamed Fadinpictured in sand dunes near Smararefugee camp, Algeria, 2009.
After winning the Louis Valtueña HumanitarianPhotography Award, Andrew McConnell, who isbased in Nairobi, Kenya, travelled to WesternSahara where these shots were taken. They havebeen featured in the Financial Times and took a firstprize in the 2011 World Press Photo Awards.
DON’T BE AFRAID TOEXPERIMENTNight shooting is a complex task.
There are a thousand things that can go
wrong during those minutes when the
lens is open. If you are adding light, it
complicates the situation by a factor of 10.
There is a lot of trial and error involved.
I use the preview on the camera to see if I
have the shot; if it's not right, I open the
lens for another two-minute exposure andtry again. Sometimes it can take
five attempts before I’m happy with the
composition and lighting.
IT’S NOT ABOUTTHE KITBack in the film era I used a 1960s vintage
Canon FX body and a variety of used,
off-brand, wide-angle lenses. I shot with
outdated film which, when combined with
the reciprocity failure associated with
eight-minute exposures, made the images
grainy and artefact-filled, very much like
today’s toy camera work, but before it waspopular. The aesthetic of shooting these
junky old places with junky old gear just
felt right to me. By 2004 though, all my
labs had closed and Kodak discontinued
my favourite film (160T), so I stopped
shooting for about a year. Then Canon
released its first CMOS sensor cameras,
which were the first models that could
take noise-free time exposures. I bought a
Canon EOS 20D and the ability to preview
the image on the back of the camera
revolutionised night photography and lightpainting. I’m still shooting with that 20D,
now superseded by a dozen models, so it
could be argued that I’m still shooting with
junky, outdated gear.
WORK WITHTECHNOLOGYMuch of my work is straight out of the
camera, but occasionally I will use
Photoshop to crop, level horizons, alter
white balance, sharpen, clone occasional
lens flare or dodge and burn, which are
traditional darkroom techniques just
moved into the digital realm. SometimesI’ll combine multiple frames from the
same camera set up to incorporate two
different light painted sections of the
image, or to double the star trail length or
(as in the case of the image Any port in a
storm) to combine two focal lengths to get
an impossibly large depth of field.
ALWAYS BE PREPAREDOver the years I’ve learned to streamline
and simplify my methodology.
My exposure formula is simple: full or near
full moon, ISO 100, two-to-four minutes
at f/5.6-f/8. I use the preview to fine-tune
the exposure early in that night’s
shooting, and then rarely deviate from it
all night. I carry the camera on a tripod
and all my other equipment fits into my
coat pockets: one strobe and a few
flashlights, and some gels. In my
experience, the fewer the technicalvariables, the fewer the problems. T
R O Y
P A I V A
HOW TO USE LONG EXPOSURES AT NIGHT Wandering the deserted back roads of theAmerican Southwest, Troy Paiva has explored theabandoned underbelly of America since the 1970s.As well as exhibiting his work, he has beenpublished in books and magazines, and alsoteaches night photography in the US.
www.lostamerica.com
BIOGRAPHY – TROY PAIVA
The lap of luxury . The inviting interior of a 1973Cadillac Coupe deVille. This four-minute exposure was
lit with an LED torch from the far side of the car andthree pops of red-gelled strobe, intentionally placedto create the shadow of the rearview mirror and pull
texture from the ground and dirt on the rear window.
SHOOT WHAT YOU LOVEI love the truly strange feeling of being in
a completely abandoned military base, or
a junkyard alone in the middle of the night.
I love moving through these haunting
places and the camera frame during the
exposure, like a ghost. It’s romantic and
evocative and it makes me feel alive. I love
that I’m adding something to the scene,
accenting it. I’m putting my mark on the
subject, like graffiti, but without actually
leaving a trace that I was ever there. I love
controlling the mood and atmosphere of
the scene with lighting. It’s very ‘hands-on’
and hard to do well, so I guess I love achallenge too.
KEEP PRACTISINGPractise, practise, practise. Set up in your
garage, somewhere you can make the
room dark, lock the lens open and start
throwing light around. Shoot your bike,
your water heater, anything, lighting it
from every angle and distance you can
think of, with every kind of light you can
get your hands on. When you download
the images to your computer, note how
white balance affects each type of light.
See what works and what doesn’t. No one
except you has ever to see these images,
but you’ll be more prepared for when you
actually go out and capture something youreally want to shoot.
SHOOT WHAT YOU SEEAfter more than 20 years, I’m still just as
driven and obsessed with photographing
abandoned landscapes as I was when I
first started, but with most of the roadside
abandonments of my youth now gone, I’ve
expanded my subjects to junkyards,
decommissioned military installations,
amusement parks, industrial sites and
other disused and forgotten places. PM
Any port in a storm. This 1960 Chrysler Newportsurvived a recent clean-up of the yard. The foregroundcar was lit with xenon and snooted LED torches.The rest of the scene is lit by full moonlight.This image is a combination of two exposures, onefocused on the grille, the other on infinity.
To read more of Emily’s columns visitwww.photographymonthly.com
This month Emily revisits the
chance encounter at a party in New
York that led to an opportunity to
create a portrait of the celebrated
US photographer Nan Goldin.
WHILE IN NEW YORK IN 1983, I VISITED AN
ENGLISH FRIEND OF MINE, JANE WARRICK.
Jane was a writer and photographer, and had studiedat the Royal College of Art in the environmental media
department. This course produced some of the mostexperimental artists from the RCA.Living in New York,
Jane had met like-minded artists, includingAllen Frame, another writer and photographer.
On my second day in the city, Jane invited me toaccompany them both to a friend’s 30th birthdayparty. We travelled downtown to the Bowery on theLower East Side, which was an area of factories
and industry that was deserted at night. We arrived atone of the factory buildings, rang the bell and thenwalked up a couple of flights of stairs to the party,which was being held in a loft apartment.The low-ceilinged room we entered was decorated
with colourful fabrics and lit only by candles andlow-wattage bulbs. There were about 50 people there;it was noisy, smoky and full of energy. Unlike anEnglish party, everyone here was networking. I was
introduced as a photographer from England to manypeople, including Philip-Lorca diCorcia (who wasunknown at this time). I was also introducedto photographer Nan Goldin, whose party it was.
She was lively and friendly, and made me feelwelcome. I met many of her friends,whomI recognised later in a slide show of her workandsubsequent book entitled The Ballad of Sexual
Dependency , which Allen helped her to edit.Later that year Goldin came to London to show her
slide show at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.It lasted more than an hour and comprised slides of
her friends taken over many years. It was projectedin a dark auditorium with a haunting soundtrackranging from the Velvet Underground to The Beggar’s
EMILY ANDERSENEmily is a veteran portrait photographer. A selectionof her images forms part of the National Portrait
Gallery’s permanent collection.
Opera. These were the friends that Goldin calledher family. They are intimate and loving photographs –sometimes startling and sometimes tragic.
Eleven years later, in 1994, I was staying in Munich
with a friend, Kirsten Martins, who is a journalist forBavarian Radio. She reports on photography and film,and was asked to interview Goldin,as she wasshowing her slide show in Munich. I went with her to
meet Goldin and to reintroduce myself. I asked if shewould mind being photographed; she said she wouldlike that and we arranged to meet the nextday.
I met her on a bright, sunny day at the factory
where she was showing The Ballad . I travel lightifpossible, particularly when abroad, so I can concentrateon taking photographs rather than looking afterequipment. I had with me two Hasselblad 500C/Mbodies, 80mm and 120mm lenses, three film backs, a
Polaroid back, Minolta 3 flash, ambient meter and aMetz45CL flash with diffuser. I had the backs loadedwith Fuji Pro 400 colour film and HP5 400black-and-white film. The Metz flash was on a bracket
that also held the camera. I didn’t use the flash,because I liked the available light.Flash can alsointerfere with the conversation, which I wasconcentrating on as I began to take the photographs.
It was a strange position to be in, directing another
photographer,but she was happy to do what I asked tomake the photograph work. I shot a roll of colour andblack-and-white of Goldin in frontof an old factory wall.
I then suggested we go to Kirsten’s house for lunch.We tooka cab and talked all the way about mutualfriends and how the European audience responded toher work. Once atthe house I thought this might be the
time to get a portrait thatwould work. We sat on asmall balcony and continued talking. This is where Itook the photograph above. I shot it on black-and-whitefilm at 1/60sec at f/2 for a shallow depth of field.
While in Munich, Goldin was asked to recommendphotographers for a book and generously suggestedme for the Our Mothers project edited by VivianeEsders and published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang.
This was a collection by 72 women photographers ofportraits of their mothers with text about theirrelationship.The book was launched with an exhibitionat the Institut Français in London and toured to theInstitut Français d’Écosse in Edinburgh and then to Les
Espaces Communs in Paris in 1996. To promote the bookI was interviewed for BBC Radio4’s Woman’s Hour .
It was a great party that I wentto in New Yorkin1983 and, like many extraordinary events in life,
you don’trealise how significant they are until manyyears later.www.andersenphotographic.org
ISSUE PODCASTThe Editor of Photography Monthly , Grant Scott,
and deputy editor Sean Samuels speakabout
what caught their eye and the latest innovations
from Focus on Imaging 2011 at Birmingham NEC.
SPECIAL PODCASTNIKON MASTERMIND FINAL
The final contestants of our Mastermind quiz,
sponsored by Nikon, go head to head to see who
will win the Nikon D3s worth £ 4,200.
MARCH ISSUE
ISSUE PODCASTGrant Scott and Sean Samuels speak to National
Real Racers covers Formula 1 in the 1950sand 1960s from the drivers’ perspective andfeatures images from the KlemantaskiCollection documenting the golden age ofmotor racing through the eyes of the menwho lived it. With original commentary fromF1 driving legends Sir Stirling Moss, Sir
Jackie Stewart, Sir Jack Brabham and JohnSurtees, as well as team manager Sir FrankWilliams, the book explores all aspects of arace weekend. For your chance to win acopy, worth £27.50, enter our competitionat www.photographymonthly.com
WE’RE ONYOUR
WIN!
In case you missed them…
PODCAST
Geographic photographer Jim
Richardson about his wonderful
landscape work made in the
Hebrides. They also discuss
the latest news from the world of
photography.
FEBRUARY 2011ISSUE PODCAST
Grant and Sean discuss their time at the CES Show
in Las Vegas and reveal all their favourite things,releases and dishes from Sin City.
SPECIAL ISSUETEST ZONE AWARDS SPECIAL PODCAST
Grant and Sean discuss the winners of this
year’s Test Zone Awards, as featured in the
December issue of the magazine.
JANUARY 2011MASTERS SPECIAL PODCAST
In this month’s masters special podcast, Sean
speaks to Steve Bloom about his creative
approach to photographing wildlife, his careerand the future of photography.
Thanks to everyone who has listened to our monthly podcastsover the past two years. In case you missed any, they are availablevia the website and can be downloaded from iTunes.
WAVELENGTH
WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM [79]
RACERS
DECEMBER 2010ISSUE PODCAST
Grant and Sean speak to British professional
photographer Jake Chessum, who has shot many top
rock bands and celebrities, abouthis approach to
capturing group portraits. Jake shares his passion
and advice to help you take better photographs.
MASTERS SPECIAL PODCAST
In this month’sspecial podcast, Sean speaksto our
Lighting Master,Neil Turner, about how he uses
flashguns to add depth and atmosphere to family
and group portraits.
NOVEMBERISSUE PODCAST
Grant and Sean speak to professional
photographer James Appleton and discover how
he captures extreme colour in his landscape
images. They also discuss their time at Photokina
2010 in Germany. PM
THEBACK
CATALOGUEAll of our podcasts featuringphotographer interviews and
Capturing great audio is a challenge for both enthusiastand professional film makers, so this monthJOHN CAMPBELL takes a look at some simple accessoriesto help you record superb sound. He also has some greatfilms for you to watch and catches up on the latest news.
SOUNDBURST
[80] P H O T O G R A P H Y M O N T H LY MAY 2011
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
THE RUMOUR MILL
CONQUERING THE DARKNESSSequences shot on DSLRs for blockbuster
movies such as Iron Man 2 and 127Hours ,
and top TV dramas including House , Numb3rs
and 24 have proved the acceptability of
these cameras among professional film makers
and of using the footage produced alongside
more traditional video. Thanks to the DSLRs’
portability, guerilla film making with this kit is
now hitting the mainstream and it is
exciting news that director of photography
Matthew Libatique, who shot Oscar-winning
film Black Swan , used a Canon EOS 7D and
EOS-1D MkIV to shoot sequences for the film on
the New York subway. I don’t advocate illegal
filming, but sometimes you just have to do it.
This is what Libatique did. With very few lights,
he managed to shoot the sequence at a
whopping ISO 1600. It is only because DSLRs
have such large sensors that the grain is
minimised when shooting in low light, making
this achievable. However, I dare say that
there was a fair bit of work to do in post-production.
http://www.cinematographers.nl/PaginasDoPh/
libatique.htm
RUNNING THE GAUNTLETWe have seen how DSLRs are increasingly
being used by journalists all over the world,
and how the multi-functionality and
portability of these cameras lend themselves
to the world of news gathering. I’ve mentioned
previously Steve Chao, Matt Allard and Dan
Chung’s reports of major events and lately
they’ve been witnessing and recording the
horrific events as they unfolded in Japan.
This footage, shot for The Guardian , shows
how important convergence has become in the gathering of news, especially as
most media companies now deliver news through a range of platforms.
www.dslrnewsshooter.com
It is rumoured that at NAB
2011, the world’s biggestshow for videoprofessionals, Sony willfocus on life beyond HD.It is widely believed thatwithin the next three yearswe will see cinemastandard resolution of 4K(4,096 x 2,160 pixels) onconsumer displays at a
reasonable price. At a Sonydevelopment site, 4K SRmemory cards have beenseen with data rates of 5Gbps, as well as aCineAlta camera thatshoots 4K. Watch thisspace to see if it happensin the timescale set.This will shift high quality
into the hands of allconsumers, from entrylevel to pros, and if thisprogression is trulyexponential, within six toeight years we will see 8Kdevelopments. It has alsobeen rumoured that digitalmedia business Avid willbe producing a non-linear
editing system showingpractical 4K editing. If so,we will see all NLE editingfollowing suit. Again thiswill affect all consumers,as upgrading your softwarewill become increasinglymore expensive – but don’tworry, not for a while yet.
deadline for short films of less than 30minutes is 24 June 2011, so you need
to get your skates on if you are
LOWPRICE
Rycote has developed a low-cost portable recorder audio
kit specifically designed for pocket sound recorders.
It supports any portable recorder that has a 1/4in female
thread, with the 1/4in to 3/8in swivel adaptor.The suspension can be attached to a 3/8in male thread,
mic stand or boom pole, or a camera hot shoe. You are
also able to swivel the recorder by 180°, so when
recording multiple speakers, you can point the unit in their
specific direction. For £106, this is a great option.www.rycote.com
MIDPRICE
The RØDE Blimp is a completewindshield, pistol grip and shock-mounting
accessory for RØDE’s NTG-1, NTG-2 and NTG-3
microphones, as well as any third-party shotgun
microphone up to 325mm long. With its ability to record
quality audio, the kit very much pulls its weight at a priceof £238. Most companies state that their system is best
suited to their own microphones, but the important thing to
consider is the length – in this case, 325mm, which will
allow you to use shotgun microphones up to that figure.
www.sirentechnology.co.uk
TOPPRICE
The Sennheiser MKH416-P48U PG2-WS7 kit may seem
expensive at £780, but the company is one of the leaders inthe microphone field. This package includes a suspension
unit, RØDE pistol grip and windshield, and the Sennheiser
MKH416-P48U microphone, which is the standard for all
sound recording professionals.www.proav.co.uk
PM
KIT CHECKFor new film makers, sound can be thelast thing on your mind, but in reality
good sound recording is as important, ifnot more so, than the quality of yourimages. By adding a windshield andsuspension unit, which help to stopunwanted noise being recorded, you cangreatly increase the quality of your audio.There are a range of these kits availableat various prices. All do pretty much thesame thing, but the more you pay, thebetter quality you will get. Be awarethough that when you are looking forone to buy, you must know the type ofmicrophone you have, as this determinesthe size of suspension unit you need.
BIOGRAPHY
John Campbell received his MA in film
from the International Film School, Wales.
He won the cinematography award at the
Bristol International Film Festival for a
short film called Blue Morning You in 1999. He now
works as a freelance film maker for public bodies andarts organisations across the UK and mainland Europe.
EVENTS IN YOUR AREA
FLYSlightly different, but equally compelling to
watch is Fly by Finaev Valentin, which was
also shot on a Canon EOS 5D MkII. It is astunning illustration of control over depth of
field. Just buying a HDSLR won’t
automatically give you the ability to shoot
this well, but understanding the physics
behind your camera will. The editing, mixed
with great direction and photography,
elevates this piece above the norm. With alittle work, you too could be shooting this
well. So don’t get disheartened if your initial
attempts are not as good as you see here;
instead, use them as an inspiration and a
goal to aim for. http://vimeo.com/groups/dslrfilms/videos/
10604448
AURORA BOREALISIf you love to shoot high-quality time lapse,
this next film, Aurora Borealis time lapse
2010, shows one of nature’s most beautifulsights: the northern lights. I have been lucky
enough to witness them and this film brings
this phenomenon to life. Photographer Tor
Even Mathisen used the Canon EOS 5D MkII
and Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens to capture
the aurora in all its glory. http://tittentem.no
THE ICE BOOKAlthough you don’t get to see this movie as
a whole, the production of The Ice Book
shows an aspect of film making that is
accessible to us all. With a little ingenuity
and a great idea, you can produce astunning piece of art. The Ice Book was shot
entirely on a Canon EOS 5D MkII and uses
the techniques of a pop-up book to tell of
a mysterious princess who lures a boy into
her world. Along with the MkII, creators
Davy and Kristin McGuire used builders’lights for lighting and a cheap cloth for their
green screen. The couple had no idea how
to make pop-up books, but they persisted
and created a beautiful film. I hope
this inspires you in the same way it has me.
www.theicebook.com/Home.html
FILMSCHOOL
Shooting film on your DSLR John Campbell
thinking of entering. To get your short
film considered, complete the form
online on the BFI website and send
a DVD copy of the film, plus a
synopsis. There are no entry fees.
The programme will be finalised
between July and September. If you’re
lucky enough to be successful you
will hear from the organisers by the
middle of September. The festival runsfrom 12 to 27October. To find out
KITCHENPhotographers venturinginto the great outdoors oftenneed to have much of theircamera equipment and manypersonal items close to hand.Here JESSICA LAMB selectssix of the best large-capacitybackpacks on the marketthat will provide greatprotection for all your kit.SINK
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICEARTH EXPLORER LARGEBACKPACK 5737www.geographicbags.com £229.99Weight: 4.50kg
Internal dimensions (HxWxD): 40cm x 32cm x 16cmExternal dimensions: 60cm x40cm x 30cm
Fabric: Hemp-blend
Weather cover? Yes
Contents checklist: One DSLR body, several lenses up to 300mm,
17in laptop, flash unit, batteries and cables.
The attractive Earth Explorer bags from National Geographic p rovide
protective, stylish and comfortable carrying options for today’s
travelling photographer. The large backpack i s split i nto two interior
sections but the divider is easily removable to create one large
space. The lower section contains movable dividers which allow
you to adjust the compartments to fit and protect your cameras
and lenses perfectly. The upper section of t he backpack can
then be used for personal items and accessories, including
food and clothes, ensuring these won’t get anywhere near
your photographic equipment. The large Earth Explorer has
space for all your needs; it has various pockets on the exterior and
a padded rear chamber, which is perfect for laptops. It even has
pockets on the waistbelt for smaller items that you might need to
get to quickly. To ensure that the bag is easy to carry, all of its
straps are padded and adjustable. This model also has adjustable
connecting straps on either side and underneath, allowing you to
attach items such as a tripod, sleeping bag or walking stick.
It seems National Geographic has thought of everything with this
backpack; it even comes with a waterproof cover.
Why not add: The National Geographic Explorer Adventure camera
strap, which lets you carry your camera safely round your neck,poised for the next shot but leaving your hands free. RRP: £19.95.
Contents checklist: Up to two DSLR bodies, two long telephoto lenses or up to 12 smaller
lenses and flashguns.
Kata has focused on protection with the BP-502 backpack. It features Thermo Shield Technology
(TST) which uses specially designed padded shields to protect the areas most likely to be
subjected to shocks. Unlike the other bags in this review, the Kata BP-502 has one maincompartment for your camera equipment, featuring an adjustable padded dividing system.
The main camera compartment is easy to get to by means of the quick-access padded flap
at the top, which means you can open and grab your camera in a hurry without having to
open the whole bag. With the Kata BP-502 having just the one main compartment it does leave
less room for personal items and food and drink; however, there are smaller pockets on the
front and inside the bag as well as a laptop chamber on the back. When out and about, it is
useful to have a bag that will adapt to all possible terrains and this model has an optional
Insertrolley which can be turned into a rolling case after a few simple adjustments. The straps
of the BP-502 are all padded and feature additional secure points to fix other items or bags
to the backpack. The shoulder straps also feature a camera harness which will support your
camera safely, leaving your hands free but keeping it poised and ready for action.
Why not add: A Kata Insertrolley – the BP-502 backpack can be transformed from a backpack intoa
rolling case simply by sliding the trolley through the integrated sleeve on the backof the bag.The trolley has an extendable wheel systemto preventlarge, heavy bags from toppling over and can
be collapsed to a manageablesize, making it easy to carry when not in use. RRP: £45.
Contents checklist: One DSLR body with grip and lens attached, numerous additional lenses,
flash unit, 17in laptop and accessories.
The Adventure series of backpacks from Tamrac is the latest addition to its range of light and compact
carrying systems. The Adventure 10 is split into two compartments: the lower one has padded dividers
that can be moved to create secure spaces for your camera and lenses, while the top is for personal
items. The two sections of the backpack are accessed by double zips and are completely separate to
ensure personal items and food or drink do not come into contact with your camera equipment.
This particular model features a memory and battery management system which allows you to file
your memory cards and batteries safely, with specific compartments for used and new ones, which is
useful when you’re in a hurry. The comfortable, foam-padded harness strap is designed to distribute
the weight of the backpack to make it comfortable to carry for long periods. You can customise yourbackpack with the Tamrac Strap Accessory System which allows you to add additional Tamrac carrying
products. You can also add tabs to the bottom of the bag with the Modular Accessory System (MAS)
which will allow you to carry a tripod. The Adventure 10 looks sleek and attractive, and is available in
two colour combinations – red/black and grey/black.
Why not add: The Tamrac MAS large belt attaches round your waist to provide additional
space for smaller items. Various cases can be attached to the belt, including ones for flash,
lenses and water bottles. The belt and straps are padded for comfort and feature quick-release
buckles. RRP: £25 (belt only). The attachable cases vary in price and are sold separately.
It was a tough task to choose an overall winner; however, the Olympus XZ-1 has certainly
made a lasting impression. I love that it has taken some of the best parts from the pricierDSLRs in the Olympus range and also from its rivals to create a classic compact.
The DMC-LX5 combines an elegant design
with an array of useful features to give the
user total control. It features a wide
24mm, f/2.0 Leica DC Vario-Summicron
lens which goes up to a respectable
90mm. It ensures a range of dynamic and
richly coloured shots with a wide
perspective in four aspect
ratios,4:3, 3:2, 16:9 or 1:1,
making it a versatile
piece of kit.
The large 1/1.63in,
10.1-megapixel,
ultra-sensitive CCD
achieves
high-resolution
images with less
noise, particularly in
low light, a definite
improvement when
compared to its
predecessor, the LX3.
A maximum ISO of 12800 will allow you
to shoot almost in pitch-black conditions
without needing to use flash.
The DMC-LX5 allows users to experiment
with exposure, selective focus and
compensation, as a DSLR would, but for
those days when you just want to point and
shoot, the Intelligent Resolution
technology automatically detects outlines,
detailed texture areas and soft gradation
areas to produce images which are clear
and crisp with a nice all-round tonality.
The DMC-LX5 can also record HD movies
in AVCHD Lite with high sound quality in
motion Jpeg format.The excellent manual
control is a big selling
point of the DMC-LX5. The jog
dial enhances operability
and the focus switch has
been relocated on the
lens barrel, making
the camera
straightforward to
use. My overall
verdict is that this
camera is the ideal
choice for someone
who is looking for
a top-quality camera
as a pocket-sized backup
to a DSLR.
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THELEICA LENS?The legendary Leica lens is manufactured
in Germany and is renowned across the
world for its expressive colours, remarkable
depth and superb performance. LEICA DC
lenses offer minimal distortion even within
wide shots, which means straight lines are
actually depicted as such. In addition,
an advanced multi-coating process is
applied to LEICA DC lens surfaces to help
prevent fogging caused by flare and
ghosts that can occur at extremely high
light levels. Images are both rich in detailand in contrast.
66cm soft boxesplus a 16cmreflector andSkyport EcoTransmitter,
stands ,cablesand carry cases
Interfit
It’s what your hotshoeflash has been waitingfor! NOW IN STOCK
Buy On-Line at...
www.studiokitdirect.co.uk
Gemini 200/200studio in a bag . £485.11 Gemini 400/400 studioin a bag . . . £556.60
Gemini 250R 2 head kit . . . . .£807.84Gemini 500R 2 head kit . . . . .£875.04
New Type R kits - new features include5 stop power range in 1/10th stop, dualpower control, auto power dump,optional plug-in trigger cards for Pulsaror Pocket Wizard plus lots more!See web for other kits
Gemini 200/400 shown
Gemini 250Rshown
Sekonic's highly rated, awardwinning meters are available in awide range of models to suit allsubjects and shooting conditions.
If you own a digital slr or video camera, youneed one of these.
Replace your grey andwhite cards with the
EXPODISK digital white balance filter.
Available from
58mm to 82mm, £48.50 to £79.50.
We stock a wide range of
backgroundsupportsystems
From a host of respectedbrands including.....
Lastolite 1108 £140.39
Manfrotto MN314B £209.52 All above have telescopic cross bars
Interfit COR756 £101.21Plus a range of Lighting Stands
and Auto Poles- please see our website
NEW!! Crease resistantfabric in Black or White insize 8 x 10ft only £40.84
We carry huge stocks of Lee Filters - ifit’s listed on the website - it’s in stock!
Example prices...Big Stopper 10xND Glass Filter. . . . £96.00B+W Kaseman 105 mm circ polar. £219.13
Foundation Kit at thecentre of the Lee Filterholder system and isprimarily designed totake 100mm filters,
although other sizes canbe adapted to fit.
Once constructed, the holder clips easilyonto the adaptor ring and can then berotated to your exact requirements, Thisalso enables optimum use of grad andspecial effect filters. . . . . . . . . . . . . £60.69
Starter Kit includesan assembled filterholder, a 0.6 NDgrad, a cleaningcloth, and a Coral 3grad with extendedcoloured portion that
can be used as both a graduate and an allover warm up. All packed in the new threefi lte r tr ip le pouch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £142.99 Adaptor rings from. . . . . . . . . . . . . . £19.40W/A adaptor rings from .. . . . . . . . . £41.72ND grad sets from . . . . . . . . . . . . . £173.62Resin sets from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £94.97
We are happy to reserve new and used stock for customers travelling long distance.
Prices subject to change without notice so please check availabilty to avoid disappointment.Family Run Pro Dealership with Friendly, Knowledgable Staff. Part Exchange Welcome.
Prices correct when compiled 05/04/2011 and inc VAT @ current rate. E&OE.
Quality and Service from one of the U.K’s Best Stocked Pro Dealer’s 27-29, Bolton Street, BRIXHAM. Devon. TQ5 9BZ. (OPEN 7 DAYS PER WEEK)
P h o t o g r a p h o s • P h o t o b u s i n e s s H U N G A R Y
D i g i t á l i s F o t ó I T A L Y
F o t o g r a f i a R e f l e x • F o
t o G r a p h i a N E T H E R L A N D S
F o t o g r a f i e F + D
• F o t o V i s i e • P / F P
O L A N D
F o t o S O U T H
A F R I C A
P i X
M a g a z i n e
S P A I N
A r t e
F o t o g r á f i c o
• D i o r a m a
• F o t o / V e n t a s • F V / F o t o
- V í d e o A c t u a l i d a d
• L a
F o t o g r a f í a A c t u a l U N I T E D
K I N G D O M
D i g i t a l P h o t
o
• P h o t o g r a p h y M o n t h l y • P r a
c t i c a l P h o t o g r a p h y • P r o f e s s i o
n a l P h o t o g r a p h e r U N I T E D
S T A T E S
o f A M E R I C A
S h u t t e r b u g
If you need expert advice on which are the best photographic, video and
imaging products, look out for products with the TIPA Awards logo. Every year the editors of 30 worldwide leading photography and imaging magazines vote to decide which new products are the very best in their respective categories.The TIPA awards are judged on quality, performance and value, making them the independent photo and imaging awards you can trust.