Photography For Beginners - Issue No. 41.bak

Plain English award winner Jargon-free photo magazine
Find us on
share your shots!
Essential guides for Camer
mpact System Camera | iPad
7 steps to
great wildlife
photos now
Shoot & edit

panoramas
Tricks for creating
sweeping vistas
Guide to better
animal images
SWUONRG
AMM
S
TH
CA ERA
400
hr
Take
Shoot more vibrant landscapes
Capture perfect portraits
IMAGE EDITING FUN PROJECTS NEW KIT RATED
ISSUE 41
Enhance your colour

captures in Elements
Get creative with

perspective & more
The latest camera

releases reviewed
manfrotto.co.uk
WELCOME
Issue 41
Capture
this shot on
Page 32
Welcome
5
essential skills
you will learn
in this issue
01 TAKE BETTER SHOTS

Head to p18 for a crash
course in your scene modes
02 TIPS FOR WILDLIFE

Turn to p30 and nd out how
to take better animal images
03 CAPTURE MACRO
Take detailed close-ups on
your cameraphone on p50
04 GUIDE TO PANORAMAS
Shoot and edit impressive
landscape panoramas on p56
If youre ready to get out of auto but still nd

manual modes a little daunting, join us on p18 as
we take you on a scene mode crash course.
Youll discover all there is to know about these
easy-to-use shooting modes and learn how to
take better shots in the process.
Weve also got a great feature on wildlife this
issue, which starts on p30. Get stuck in and
follow our seven steps for striking shots of
animals today!
Thats not all; youll also learn how to
shoot and edit impressive panoramas
on p56 and take better macro shots
using your cameraphone on p50.
Hayley Paterek
05 ENHANCE IMAGES
Discover clever editing tricks
to enhance colours on p62
Deputy Editor
Follow us at @PFBMag
For more great photo tips, head to photoforbeginners.com

hotof beginners.com
Get in touch with us Ask questions, leave feedback on the magazine or share your shots via the following social sites
@PFBMag
PFBMag
PFB Magazine
pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk
photoforbeginners.com
Photography for Beginners 3
Issue 41
Contents
84
Cameras
on test
Samsung NX mini
and more reviewed
ESSENTIALS
06 Your photos
Check out our selection of reader shots
10 Win slideshow software

Enter our latest competition to win
12 How to share your photos

The best ways to share your shots with us
14 Compacts with 4K video

Discover the latest in camera technology
16 Free vs paid software

Which do you use? Join the debate
17 Win a camera worth 400

Win a Samsung Smart Camera WB2200F
46 Subscribe for free software

Subscribe to PFB and get PhotoDirector 5
78 Your questions answered

Your photo problems solved by the team
82 Get to know your camera

Quick start guide to using your camera
84 Latest cameras reviewed

Find out what camera came out on top!
94 Essential travel photo kit

Everything youll need for your next trip
96 CSC camera bag round-up

Find the best bag for your camera
98 Flower cheat sheet

Key settings and skills for ower photos
74 Share on Flickr
18
24hr camera
crash course
Learn about scene modes & take better shots!
Showcase your shots online
56
Panorama guide
Practical shooting and editing
guide for impressive panoramas
WHAT THE ICONS MEAN Your quick-start guide to all the icons youll see in Photography for Beginners
Cameraphone:
Smartphones that
are always with you
4 Photography for Beginners
Compact: Small,
low-cost and easyto-use cameras
DSLR: Usually more

expensive, but
good image quality
Compact system
camera: Good image
quality, lightweight
Shutter speed: The

time your shutter is
open for, in seconds
Aperture: The depth

of field of an image,
as an f-number
46
SUBSCRIBE TO...
CONTENTS
Issue 41
GET MONE
OFF ISSUE
SHOOT
18 24hr camera crash course

Capture better shots using scene modes
30 Steps to great wildlife shots

Secrets to taking fantastic animal images
36 Tips for better compositions
30
7 secrets
to better
wildlife
shots
Fantastic tips and
tricks to shoot great
animal images today!
Discover the top three composition rules
38 Shoot & share holiday shots

Take better group snaps and display them
42 Creative portrait project

Create a mind-bending portrait in a ash
44 Capture a miniature scene

Add a creative twist to your captures
48 Tricks for low-light photos

Get great still-life shots in candlelight
50 Take detailed close-ups

Practical steps to better macro images
54 Shoot & edit with VSCO cam

Take impressive shots on your phone
What to shoot &

when on p32
Guide to
settings
on p34
Ensure
sharp
shots on
p35
56 Guide to great panoramas

Learn to shoot and edit sweeping vistas
EDIT
62 Enhance colour captures
Improve your colour images in Elements
66 Convert to black & white

Steps to converting in PhotoDirector 5
50
Capture
68 Remove marks from photos

Master spot healing & the Clone Stamp
SHARE
detailed
close-ups
73 Order photo prints on the go

Get lasting keepsakes of your best snaps
Steps to take
great macro
shots
74 How to share shots on Flickr

Steps to set up and share your shots
Lighting tips on p51
76 Share shots wirelessly
For back issues & more go to
Sh
are
ph
Or oto yo
se fo u
arc rb r
h f eg sh
or in o
PF ne t
BM rs s
ag .co a
on m t.
..
...
Tips on sharing straight from the camera
READERS GALLERY
Your photos
ng 16GB
A Samsoury
mem winnercwiall rerd
ceive a
e
mory card
Every issue, on
GB SDHC me
Samsung 16 of equal value
or a prize
/uk
sung.comns
www.saman
d conditio
We love seeing your fantastic photos each

month. Send in your best shots and you
could see them appear on these very
pages in a future issue!
Full terms le online

availab
Reader: Ian Fong

Stockholm Waterfront
Congress Center
Monteliusvgen is a quiet,
local trail where you can catch
a great view of Gamla stan
and downtown Stockholm.
Shot on: Nikon D7000, ISO
100, f14, 10sec, 18mm
Sent in via: Email
YOUR PHOTOS
Readers gallery
Share your shots at: photoforbeginners.com
YOUR PHOTOS
Readers gallery
Reader: Helen Clarkson

Pine Cone
I took the shot in beautiful
bluebell woods near Ashford,
Kent, and liked the effect of the
bluebells in the background.
Shot on: Canon EOS 550D, ISO
200, f7.1, 1/25sec
Reader: Joseph Cosentino

Early Winter Sunrise On Moss Lake
This was taken at sunrise from the
shore of Moss Lake in the Southern
Adirondack Mountains in New York
State. The sky and lake just lit up.
Shot on: Nikon D7000, 24-70mm
lens, ISO 100, f11, 1/40sec, 70mm
Reader: Kevin Thornton
Reader: Sandra Bailey
Harbour View
This was taken during a trip to
Mevagissey Harbour. On seeing
the lobster pots and lighthouse
behind, I knew I had a shot.
Shot on: Nikon D90, ISO 200, f9,
1/320sec, 30mm
Sweep A Boo
I was taking portraits of my
kids when our dog jumped
into the basket. He must have
wanted to get in on the act.
Shot on: Nikon D90, ISO 200,
f4.5, 1/200sec, 40mm
Reader: Amy-Lee Wineld

Poppy Fields
This was a 'snap shot' taken on my
way back from a shoot. It was raining
at the time and I saw this poppy eld
as I drove home. I popped a bag over
the camera, climbed into the eld
and snapped this!
Shot on: Nikon D7100, 18-105mm
lens, ISO 100, f5.6, 1/160sec
Win cameraphone
Send us your cameraphone shots and you could win a Manfrotto
KLYP kit worth 95/approx $150. For more info head to www.
manfrotto.co.uk. Full terms and conditions available online.
ENTER NOW: Send your shots to pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Reader: Lynsey Houston

Tay Rail Bridge
This is a photo of the sunset
overthe Tay Rail Bridge, Dundee, in
November last year.
Shot on: iPhone 4s
Reader: Carol Hogg

Title: The Clock
Reader: Nicole Murdoch

Title: Silhouette Of Edinburgh
Reader: Eliot Bradshaw

Title: Youve Got Something On You
Reader: Louise Aldridge

Title: The Shard
Reader: Vicky Inseal

Title: A Bright Bunch
READERS' CHALLENGE
Action photography
WE CHALLENGED, YOU DELIVERED
Action photography
Read more about capturing the
action in PFB Issue 40. Find this
issue and more at
Fast-paced action is great for producing striking

and dynamic images, but is notoriously difcult to
photograph well. Its quite common to be left with
blurry shots if you dont know how to set up your
camera properly, but once you know what youre
doing then its actually very simple to get right.
The secret to taking great action shots is often
down to choosing the right shutter speed. If you
use a fast shutter speed then you can freeze
fast-moving subjects in the frame to keep them
sharp. Alternatively, you can use an Action scene
mode for the same effect. Youll also need to focus

accurately to prevent fuzzy photos.
Our action photography feature in Issue 40
contains all of these
tips and more,
including fun
projects to try out.
PhotoStory
Del
uxe software
We also asked you
Send us your shots for a chance to win a copy
of MAGIX PhotoStory 2014 Deluxe, courtesy
of
to send in your best
www.magix.com. This software, which allows
you to turn your photos into fantastic
slideshows, is worth 70/$70.
action shots. Here
are our favourites.
WIN!
Reader: Stuart Sinclair

Focus RS
This was my rst attempt at
panning. It was a massive
step outside my comfort zone
of architectural shots.
Shot on: Nikon D3200, ISO
100, f8, 1/125sec, 55mm
Your next
photo challenge
Wildlife photography
Unlock the secrets to taking fantastic photos of wildlife in
this issue, then send us your best shots by 6 August 2014
for a chance to win MAGIX PhotoStory 2014 Deluxe.
Prize may be substituted for an item of equal value.

Full T&Cs available online.
READERS' CHALLENGE
Action photography
Sharets at
o
youfrorsbehginners.coonm
photo rch PFBMag

or sea
Reader: Sian Humphrey

Title: Catch!
Reader: Lisa Donoghue

Title: Flying
Reader: Paul Ridges

Title: Colour Splash
Reader: Bo Chetwyn
Title: The Last Fence
Reader: James Walsh

Title: Refreshing
Reader: Stuart Bowes

Title: Flying Without Wings
SHARE
YOUR
SHOTS
Heres how to show us your stunning snaps
Share on our social sites Join the Facebook, Twitter and Flickr communities
@PFBMag
PFBMag
Search for PFBMag and click the tab. On our
page, hit Photo/Video, then Upload Photo/
Video. Browse for your image, write a message
and click Post for it to appear on our wall!
PFB Magazine
Click the Compose New Tweet box and select

Add An Image. Find your shot and click Open.
Write some text, include @PFBMag, then click
Tweet and we will see your photo!
Hit Upload to add images. Click on the image

you want to share, then click Share>Grab the
link. Email it to pfbteam@imagine-publishing.
co.uk or post it to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Also share on our website Head to www.photoforbeginners.com now

Create a gallery
Be inspired
Become our favourite!
You can showcase your favourite

images by creating your own
gallery page on our website. Its
quick and simple to set up.
Browse through all the different

categories to be inspired by
other readers photos and get
ideas of your own.
We pick our favourite shots to

highlight in our Featured Image
section. This could be you soon,
so get uploading!
Enter the
Face-Off
Your shots are
entered into our
Face-Off
section and
pitted against
other peoples
have fun
watching your
score rise!
ALSO ONLINE
The best of the rest
on our great website
Competitions
Head to www.photoforbeginners.com and
enter our weekly competitions to win some
really fantastic prizes!
Tips and tutorials

Our website is piled high with step-by-step
tutorials and useful tips to help you take
better photos of any subject.
News and debate

We help you keep up-to-date with the latest
industry news and releases. You can also
get stuck into hot topics with our debates!
D TIME OF
ER
US
off
55%
OR
E
IT
Taught by Joel Sartore

Photographer, National Geographic Fellow
R
FE
LIM
Fundamentals
of Photography
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Learn the Inside Secrets of

Professional Photographers
Photographs can preserve cherished memories, reveal the beauty of life,
and even change the world. Yet most of us point and shoot without
really being aware of what were seeing or how we could take our photo
from good to great.
Just imagine the images you could create if you trained yourself to
see as the professionals do. With Fundamentals of Photography,
youll learn everything you need to know about the art of taking
unforgettable pictures straight from photographer and National
Geographic Fellow Joel Sartorea professional with over 30 years
of experience. Whatever your skill level, these 24 engaging lectures
allow you to hone your photographers eye, take full advantage of your
cameras features, and capture magical moments in any situation or
setting imaginable.
Offer expires 23/08/14
THEGREATCOURSES.CO.UK/4PHOB
0800 298 9796
Making Great Pictures

Camera EquipmentWhat You Need
Lenses and Focal Length
Shutter Speeds
Aperture and Depth of Field
Light IFound or Ambient Light
Light IIColour and Intensity
Light IIIIntroduced Light
Composition ISeeing Well
Composition IIBackground and Perspective
Composition IIIFraming and Layering
Lets Go to WorkLandscapes
Lets Go to WorkWildlife
Lets Go to WorkPeople and Relationships
Lets Go to WorkFrom Mundane
to Extraordinary
Lets Go to WorkSpecial Occasions
Lets Go to WorkFamily Vacations
Advanced TopicsResearch and Preparation
Advanced TopicsMacro Photography
Advanced TopicsLow Light
Advanced TopicsProblem Solving
After the SnapWorkow and Organisation
EditingChoosing the Right Image
Telling a Story with PicturesThe Photo Essay
Fundamentals of Photography
Course no. 7901 | 24 lectures (30 minutes/lecture)
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For 24 years, The Great Courses has brought the

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The Great Courses, Unit A, Sovereign Business Park,
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apply. See www.thegreatcourses.co.uk for details.
NEED TO KNOW
A snapshot of whats exciting us this month
Get creative
Compact and lightweight
The camera features 22 in-built

creative lters for enhancing
your shots, including a new
range of monochrome effects
The FZ1000 is a third of the

weight of a DSLR and lens with
a similar focal range
Edit in-camera
Not only can you shoot in RAW
format, but you can also
process the les in-camera
Wi-Fi and NFC

Scan a QR code on screen or
tap an NFC-enabled device with
the camera to connect them
and start transferring images
Create a collage
The Panasonic app now
features a collage function that
lets you combine several
images together before sharing
Shoot high-quality
video with a compact
Panasonics FZ1000 is the rst compact to take 4K video
OUR FIRST
IMPRESSIONS
We got a sneak peak at the new
Panasonic FZ1000 and had a
chance to test it out. To nd out
what we thought of it, head to
www.photoforbeginners.com and
search Panasonic FZ1000.
It used to be that HD (high denition) was the

pinnacle of video recording quality, but now 4K
has burst onto the scene. This new movie format
allows you to record video that is four times the
resolution of full HD, capturing even more detail in
your footage. There have been a few DSLRs and
CSCs released with 4K video recording capabilities,
but Panasonic are the rst to launch a 4K compact
camera, the LUMIX FZ1000.
While recording high-quality movies, you can
also take 8MP still images from the footage, letting
you choose the exact moment of the action you
want to keep without relying on the speed of your
shutter nger. The camera also has a 25-400mm
superzoom lens that lets you t plenty into your

shots or get closer to far-off subjects, plus it is
smooth and quiet to zoom to ensure your videos
ow nicely.
As well as producing high-quality video, the
FZ1000 can also create detailed photos, thanks to
its 20.1MP one-inch sensor that is four times
larger than a standard compact sensor. The lenss
maximum aperture of f2.8 at its widest setting
and f4 at the telephoto end of the scale will also
allow you to capture bright shots in low light and
create a smooth background blur. The Panasonic
FZ1000 has an RRP of 750/$900. For more
information, please visit www.panasonic.com/uk.
NEED TO KNOW
News
This month on photoforbeginners.com

Quick tips for using ash
How to take a colourful still-life photo
Your cameras ash is great for

adding a bit of illumination into
otherwise dark shots, but it can be
difcult to get really natural-looking
results. Our quick tips will show you
how to soften the light.
Bright subjects will help make your

still-life shots really stand out and
grab peoples attention. Our guide
will show you how to set up and
shoot a really striking shot at home
without expensive equipment.
PLUS ALL THIS

How to use a reflector
to light your subjects
How to remove lens

flare in post-production
Up-to-date news and

fun competitions
Keep shots together with irista

Canons cloud service helps you curate all of your image libraries in one place
In the age of digital photography, it can be
easy to leave your shots scattered across
several devices and even lose them
altogether. Canon is hoping to change all this
with their new cloud-based image
management platform, irista. The sleek
user-interface features a powerful search
index that lets you locate an image based on
a wide range of criteria, including the date or
location it was shot in and even the type of
lens that was used to take it. As well being a
safe place to store and access your photos,
irista can also be used to share them
directly to Facebook and Flickr, and it will
even let you keep track of the likes and
comments your shots get.
irista is available to everyone, not just
Canon users, and offers up to 10GB of photo
storage for free, up to 50GB for 4.49/month
and 100GB for 9.99/month. For more
information, please visit www.irista.com.
Get the bes

Download the Greatest Ever P
Your cameraphone is great for snapping photos while on the go, and
you can even download apps to help you shoot, edit and share your
best ever shots. However, with so many apps out there to choose
from, it can be difcult to decide which ones to download. Thats why
we have put together theGreatest Ever Photo Apps digital
bookazine. It contains our favourite iOS and Android apps for
improving your shots, along with a handy step-by-step guide that
shows you how to use each one.
TheGreatest Ever Photo Apps & How To Use Them book is
available to download now onto your iOS devicefor just 1.99/$2.99
from the App store. Simply download the free Photography For
Beginners app rst and then purchase this new special edition within
it. For more information on the app and book, please visit www.
greatdigitalmags.com.
NEED TO KNOW
Join the debate
JOIN THE DEBATE
#PFBLoves
THINGS WE LOVE
Do your pay for your

editing programs?
Editing software is a fantastic tool for
photographers, as it can help you x photo
mistakes and transform your shots into brand
new creative works of art. There are plenty of
different programs to suit any budget, with free
options such as GIMP and Picasa, and paid for

software such as Photoshop Elements. Both have
their benets, but which do you use? Join our
debate and see what our deputy editor and
readers think.
01
XSories Me-Shot
Deluxe
Web: www.xsories.co.uk
Price: 64/$80
This handy monopod for your
compact or cameraphone helps
you shoot over the crowds and
take self-portraits. It also comes
with a Bluetooth remote.
02
Spruced
Up!
Web: www.spruced-up.com
Price: From 2.50/$4.25
Have your photos retouched by
experts with the Spruced Up!
app. Theres a free online
service that let you send off your
problem photos to be xed.
03
OUR DEPUTY EDITOR HAYLEY PATEREK SAYS

Editing software can help you x all
sorts of photo problems and enhance
your shots with creative effects, but it
doesnt have to cost a fortune. There
are lots of free programs that you can
download or use online that have plenty of tools and are
easy to use. However, if you have the cash to spend,

then paid for programs will give you the complete
package with advanced functions and everything you
could possibly need for perfecting your shots. Theyre
not massively expensive either, as Photoshop Elements
costs just 78/$100.
Tamron 14-150mm
f3.5-5.8 Di III
Web: www.tamron.eu/uk
Price: 390/$590
A compact zoom lens for CSCs
that weighs just 285g and has a
stylish black or silver nish. The
10.7x zoom makes it ideal for
taking on your travels.
04
Lowepro Toploader
Zoom AW
What Photography For Beginners readers have to say

Terry Quinn
Stephen Pearce
Barry Kench
Dave Turner
I have to use free

software because I'm
unwaged, but I still get
amazing results. My
favourite is Picasa 3.
I use Lightroom 5 mainly,

although I do occasionally
use GIMP and Picasa
when I want to do really
quick edits.
Some of the free

programs are OK, but the
paid ones give far better
results if you know how to
use them properly.
The paid for programs

are very good, but not
everyone can afford
them. There are many
good free programs.
Sent in via Facebook
Sent in via website
THE POLL RESULTS SAY 33% PAY, 67% USE FREE PROGRAMS. CAST YOUR VOTE!
Web: www.lowepro.com
Price: From 30/approx $51
Lowepros popular camera bag
series has had an update. They
are lighter in weight, have brand
new zippers and pockets, and
theyre available in three sizes.
Search for #PFBLoves on

Twitter to see what we love
Join the debate at...

Search for PFBMag on...
!
IN
WA Samsung Smart
Camera WB2200F
Plus three lucky runners-up will each get
a Samsung 16GB EVO SD memory card
PLUS!
A
16GB
Samsung
SD card
Samsungs new Smart Camera

WB2200F makes it easy to frame
your shots in creative ways. The
Dual Grip system lets you shoot
comfortably in either orientation
and also gives you extra battery
capacity so that you can keep
shooting for longer. The 20mm
wide-angle lens has a 60x optical
zoom that is ideal for capturing both
sweeping vistas and close-ups of
far-off detail, and then you can
share shots via your smartphone
with Samsungs Tag & Go system,

which features built-in Wi-Fi and NFC
capabilities. For a chance to win this
fantastic camera, enter our
competition now! The winner and
runners-up will also receive one of
Samsungs brand new 16GB EVO SD
memory cards that can store up to
9,310 8MP photos, and boasts
ultra-high-speed performance for
capturing images and transferring
them to a PC quickly. To nd out
more, visit www.samsung.com.
HOW TO ENTER:
Send your name, contact details and your
best shot to us by 21 August 2014.
Email: pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Website: www.photoforbeginners.com
Terms and conditions

This competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Imagine Publishing has the right to substitute the prize with a similar
item of equal or higher value. Camera colours may vary. Employees of
Imagine Publishing (including freelancers), Samsung, their relatives or
any agents are not eligible to enter. The editors decision is nal and no
correspondence will be entered into. Prizes cannot be exchanged for
cash. Full terms and conditions are available on request. From time to
time, Imagine Publishing or its agents may send you related material or
special offers. If you do not wish to receive this, please state clearly on
your competition entry.
SHOOTING
24hr camera crash course
24hr camera
ours
Discover how to take perfect shots of any
subject using your camera's scene modes
When youre taking your very first steps
into the world of photography, Auto
mode is a safe place to sta t and often
produces impressive results. However, if
you ant to get a ittle more creative with
our shots but still find manual m des a
little daunting, exploring your cameras
scene m des i a great next step.
Scene modes give your camera an
extra helping hand in working
out the optimum settings
o use. In Auto, the
came a has to gues the
type of photo you w nt
o take, but all it has to
go on is the available
light in the scene
a d position of
your subject. This
is why it can
sometimes
get it a bit wrong and produce a

disappointing photo thats only good
enough for the delete button. Scene
modes give you the chance to tell your
camera the type of shot youre hoping to
produce, so it can then pick the best
settings for the job. Even if youve already
ventured into manual shooting, scene
modes are still great to fall back on if
youre in a rush or having trouble capturing
the perfect shot.
Most cameras offer a large selection of
scene modes that cover the most
common shooting scenarios. Theyre
incredibly simple to use, but its often
not clear exactly what they do. In
this guide, we will explain
everything you need to know
along with some projects
to help you put your
skills into practice.
Any scene, any camera

Every digital camera has scene
modes, including some models of
cameraphone. Many Android and
Windows smartphones offer easy
shortcuts for shooting a variety of
tricky scenes to help you take
perfect shots on the go. However,
if your phone doesnt have scene
modes, then you can download
alternative camera apps that do,
such as Camera+ (iOS,
1.49/$1.99).
SHOOTING
Incredible close-ups
Perfect portraits
Get closer to interesting and intricate

subjects to reveal their fascinating
details. For more on Macro scene
mode, head to page 25
Master simple techniques for taking

attering people shots with a helping
hand from our guide to Portrait scene
mode on page 22
Dynamic action
Stunning sunsets
Learn how to use Action scene mode

to take fantastic shots of sports,
wildlife and other moving subjects on
page 24
Find out how to shoot spectacular

sunsets to capture breathtaking
images with minimal fuss on page 28
Luscious landscapes
Discover all you need to know about
Landscape scene mode and how to
compose perfect shots of stunning
vistas on page 20
Low-light scenes
Shooting in low light can be tricky, but
night-time scene modes will help you
take perfect shots every time. Find out
how on page 26
SHOOTING
SHOT IN AUTO
SHOT IN LANDSCAPE MODE
Bold green hues

Green hues are enhanced when
using this mode, so landscapes
appear much more vibrant
Shooting in auto
In Auto mode, your camera wont know that
you are shooting a landscape so your shots
could look a little dull with not enough detail
throughout the frame.
Sharp focus
In this mode, the camera will ensure
the landscape appears sharp front to
back using a narrow aperture setting
Shoot stunning
landscapes
Use Landscape scene mode to capture
vivid images of spectacular vistas
Landscape scene mode is found on most
cameras and is sometimes even included
on the mode dial. It sets up the camera to
keep the entire scene in focus, from front
to back, so that your shots will be detailed
throughout. It usually also boosts the
natural blue and green tones in the scene
to make sure that your photos are vivid
and vibrant. As the scene mode picks the

settings for you, you can take your time
framing the shot and put your
compositional skills into practice. It gives
you the perfect opportunity to train your
creative eye and really think about how to
make your image as engaging and visually
pleasing as possible.
SHOOTING
Composition
tricks
Bright blue sky

Landscape scene mode will
enhance the blue hues so that
skies really stand out
Do it you
rself
Use a na
rro
everythin w aperture to ke
g
ep
shooting in focus. If your
e
h
shutter andheld, use a
sp
1/60sec eed of at least
. If
tripod, s youre using a
low
blur movi it down to
ng wate
r
Lead the eye
01
Including natural lines in shots will

guide the viewer through the
photo and towards your main focal point.
Add foreground interest
02
Avoid photographing an empty

horizon and large expanse of sky
by including a bit of foreground interest.
Reect the scene
03
Reective surfaces, such as lakes

and ponds, allow you to include a
mirror image of the scene in your shot.
Switch on gridlines
Most cameras give you the option to switch on a gridline
display, which shows a nine-section grid on the back LCD
screen. This will help you follow some of the
compositional tricks such as the rule of thirds. To follow
this rule, position your main focal point along one of the
vertical lines and the horizon roughly along one of the
horizontal lines.
Use natural frames
04
To really draw attention to the

main focal point of your photo,
look for frames to position around it.
SHOOTING
Take
perfect
portraits
Take your shot outdoors

or near a bright window
to use natural light. Use
a reector or ash to ll
in any harsh shadows
Shoot attering people shots

of yourself or others with help
from Portrait scene mode
make your subject stand out
Portrait shots are important to
and eliminate any distractions in
get right, as you want to create
the scene. Some portrait scene
the most flattering image
modes will even add a softpossible of your model. Portrait
focus effect to smooth your
scene mode will
subjects skin for a
automatically detect
flawless finish. Using
your subject and
Do it you
this scene mode is
keep them sharp
rself
If you wa
n
the shot, t more control o
particularly handy
and well
ve
s
Priority a witch to Apertu r
re
n
d
c
for taking selfexposed, even if
h
o
ose a wid
aperture
e
(s
blur the mall f-number)
portraits, as it can
youre shooting
to
ba
select S ckground. Then
pot mete
be
tricky to make
in tricky lighting
ring a
focus on
the eyes nd
adjustments behind
conditions. It will
the lens when you also
also create a
need to be in front of it. Just
shallow depth of field
follow our easy tutorial below
effect by setting a wide
and take a fantastic selfie for
aperture to produce creative
your profile pages.
background blur, which can
SHOT IN AUTO
Shadowy subject
Auto mode may struggle to pick out your
subject and can leave them underexposed,
particularly if they are backlit.
Snap a self-portrait Use a scene mode and put yourself in the frame
Select your mode
Choose a focal length
Set the timer
01
02
04
Set your camera to Portrait scene mode so

that it will do all the hard work for you. This
should automatically detect your face to keep it
bright and in-focus in your shots, so that you can
concentrate on smiling and posing.
For a attering shot, set up your camera

about two meters away from where you are
planning to stand, then zoom in to use a focal length
of about 50mm. This should produce a wellproportioned close-up with no distortion.
Find your cameras self-timer mode and set

it to shoot with a delay of a few seconds.
This should give you enough time to get into position
and pose after youve pressed the shutter. Make
sure you know where to stand.
SHOOTING
SHOT IN PORTRAIT MODE
Sharp results
The camera will detect
the face and ensure the
features appear sharp
Soft background
The background will softly
blur to isolate your subject
and make them the focus
Smoother skin
Portrait scene mode will
smooth and even out skin
tone for a flattering result
Use a tripod
Flip the screen
03
05
Now set your camera up on a sturdy tripod

or rest it on a at surface such as a table.
You could take your shot by holding your camera at
arm's length without self-timer, but for a more
natural image it is best shoot hands-free.
If your camera has an LCD that can ip out

or upwards, use it to help you frame the
photograph. If you dont have this option, then it
may take a couple of attempts to get yourself in the
right position.
SHOOTING
Blur-free shots
In Action mode the camera
will use faster shutter speeds
so that movement is frozen
Photograph the wildlife

Action scene mode isnt just for
photographing sports it will also help you
capture great images of wildlife, too.
Shoot a burst
Some action scene modes will automatically
take a burst of images, but if yours does not,
set it to shoot continuously to increase your
chances of getting a great shot.
Freeze
the action
Let Action scene mode help you
shoot sharp shots of fast subjects
Getting blur-free photos when your
subject is moving around can be
quite a challenge, particularly if you
dont have much time to get your
camera ready. Action scene mode is
a simple solution, as it will
automatically set a fast shutter
speed to freeze your subject in the
frame and keep them blur-free. It will
also try to track them as they move
and continually re-focus to make sure

they are sharp. This scene mode is
typically suggested for shooting
sports, but can also be used for a
variety of other shooting situations.
Its great for getting perfect
photographs of your kids or pets as
they run around, and can also be
used for capturing fantastic images
of unpredictable wildlife.
f
oursel
Do witanyt to choowseitcthheto
If you yourself, s elect a

s
gs
settin Priority and e speed
r
Th
Shutte tter speed. on your
u
s
fast sh eed depend 0sec is
you n t, but 1/25
c
subje good start
a
SHOOTING
Get up close
Take marvellous macro photos using the
close-up scene mode
Getting close to your subject can help you
reveal intricate and fascinating details that
may otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
Macro mode will tell your camera that youre
photographing an object very close to the
end of the lens, so it will help you focus up
close to keep your subject sharp. The
minimum focusing distance will depend on

your camera, but it will help you get a little
closer than you would be able to in standard
auto mode. It should be able to detect your
subject to keep it sharp but may also create
a bit of background blur to separate it from
the backdrop.
Get even closer
Intricate details
Close-up mode enables you
to focus closer to subjects so
that details are magnified
If you want to shoot even closer to your

subject than your camera will allow, you will
need to add a special macro accessory, such
as a macro lens or extension tubes. To nd
out more about your options, visit www.
photoforbeginners.com and search Macro
photography kit options.
Pin-sharp focus
This mode assists with focus
and softly blurs backgrounds
to add emphasis to your subject
Do it you
rself
If you wa
n
the shot, t more control o
ve
s
Priority a witch to Apertu r
re
aperture nd choose a wid
e
(s
blur the mall f-number)
to
ba
select S ckground. Then
pot
focus on metering and
your sub
ject
SHOOTING
Do it y
oursel
f
When
s
creatin hooting still
s
g
camera motion blur, cenes or
s
Shutte on a tripod, et your
shutte r Priority an choose
r spee
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d belo
a
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and ra faster spee . If
ise you
d
r ISO
Creative results
If your night scene mode uses
slow shutter speeds, experiment
with light trails in a busy town or city
Take a low-light portrait

Many cameras have a special Night Portrait scene
mode in addition to a landscape one. This will have
many of the same functions as standard Portrait
scene mode, but also helps you control the ash. It
will usually employ a slow sync technique, using a
slow shutter speed to record the ambient light in
the scene, and then ring the ash to illuminate
and freeze your subject in the shot. This ensures
that both the background and foreground of your
image are well lit, rather than showing a bright
subject on a dark black background.
SHOOTING
Shoot at night
Use the Night Landscape scene mode to
capture bright images in low light
but will mean that you have to use a tripod to
avoid camera shake. Some cameras have a
handheld night scene mode that will pick a fast
shutter speed for blur-free shots and increase
the sensitivity to brighten things up. This could
result in grainy images through, depending on
how well your camera deals with digital noise.
Shooting in low light can be very tricky, so

night-time scene modes are particularly useful.
There are different varieties of this type of
scene mode, and each one will help you
achieve a different effect. A standard night
landscape scene mode will set a slow shutter
speed to allow plenty of light through the lens,
Capture light trails
Blur trac headlights for creative eect
Find a location
Set your white balance
Get ready to shoot
01
02
03
Find a busy road and set up your camera on

a tripod so that you can shoot the trafc
from an angle. Bridges over motorways are ideal, but
try to shoot oncoming trafc as the front headlights
are brighter.
Your cameras auto white balance setting

may struggle to compensate for the warm
colour temperature of the car headlights. Set it to
Incandescent or Tungsten mode to cool down the
shot and prevent an orange colour cast.
To prevent causing camera shake when you

press the shutter button, set up your
cameras self-timer or use a remote release. Then
when it is suitably dark, re the shutter and leave
the camera until it has nished the exposure.
SHOOTING
Capture
stunning sunsets
Record spectacular images of the setting
sun using Sunset scene mode
Shooting as the sun is setting is a great
way to capture a wonderful golden light in
your photographs. If you spot a breathtaking sunset, then Sunset scene mode
will help you get your camera ready to
shoot in no time at all. It will make sure
that the entire scene is in focus, much like
Landscape scene mode, but may also use

a slow shutter speed to capture plenty of
light. This means you will need to use a
tripod. Sunset scene mode will also boost
the colours in your photo to make them
more vibrant, particularly any reds, oranges
and yellows.
Take photos indoors
Vibrant vistas
Select Sunset mode to
enhance the saturation
so that colours really stand out
Shoot sand and snow
Use indoor or party scene modes to take

bright shots in dimly lit rooms
Take perfect shots no maer where in the

world you are
When taking photos indoors, there is quite often very little natural
light to work with, which can leave you with dull-looking shots. Indoor
scene mode, sometimes known as Party scene mode, will help you
keep your shots bright by increasing the camera's sensitivity to light.
Be aware that this can result in grainy images, depending on your
cameras sensor quality and size. It will usually also set a fast shutter
speed so you can shoot handheld and still capture blur-free shots.
Shooting in white snow or sand can sometimes confuse your camera

and leave you with disappointing shots. It tends to read these
surfaces as overly bright and then underexposes your shot to
compensate, which is why snow and sand can often look grey in your
images. Beach and Snow scene modes will tell your camera that
these surfaces are supposed to be a bright white, so it will then
adjust the exposure accordingly and record the scene accurately.
Not just for

dummies
TM
A clear, comprehensive series for people who want to start learning

about iPhone, iPad, Mac, Photoshop, photography and more
BUY YOUR COPY TODAY
Print edition available at www.imagineshop.co.uk

Digital edition available at www.greatdigitalmags.com
Available on the following platforms
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SHOOTING
7 secrets
to better
wildlife
shots
Uncover the essential steps to taking
amazing animal images
When it comes to photographing wild
animals, its important to remember the
three Ps: planning, preparation and
patience. Before you even pick up your
camera, do a bit of research into your
subject so that you can learn their habits
and figure out the best way to track them
down. After the planning, you can then start
Edit and perfect

Follow our editing tips for fixing common
wildlife photo mistakes on page 34 and
transform your shots into professionalquality pictures
Set up and shoot

Turn to page 34 to discover the perfect
settings for taking striking wildlife shots, no
matter what camera kit you own
preparing for your shoot, making sure that

you have all the kit youll need.
Getting the perfect shot is often more of a
marathon than a sprint, because you cant
direct an animal like you would a human
portrait subject. However, if youre well
prepared, it will be worth the wait and youll
get some fantastic shots to be proud of.
Essential wildlife kit

Useful kit for getting great shots of animals
Camouage cover
Telephoto lens
Sturdy tripod
Remote release
Keeping your camera

camouaged will help you blend
in with your subjects
surroundings. Wildlife Watching
Supplies make reversible
camera and lens covers in a
range of sizes and patterns
(from 31/approx $53).
A lens with a long zoom is great

for getting wildlife close-ups
from a distance. Sigmas
70-300mm f4-5.6 DG MACRO
lens (170/$270) has a lengthy
focal range and is also good for
taking macro shots of tiny
critters and detail.
Using a tripod will allow you to

shoot remotely, as well as keep
your shots steady at long focal
lengths. Manfrottos Compact
Action tripod (60/$70) is
lightweight and has a joystick
head for making quick and
smooth adjustments.
Controlling your camera from a

distance while its on a tripod
will help you shoot without
disturbing your subjects. Nikons
InfraRed ML-L3 remote control
(20/$21) can re the shutter of
most Nikon cameras and is very
compact and easy to use.
SHOOTING
Find a subject
Learn the best times of day to find and
photograph popular wildlife subjects and
discover useful tips for enticing them into
view on page 32
Get even
to animcaloser
ls
If the le
CSC wo ns on your DSLR
nt
o
you can zoom in far eno r
extend it
ugh,
s
re
a teleco
ach with
nve
between rter. These t
your cam
era
and lens
Frame the shot

Master top tips for composing
willdife photos to avoid distracting
backgrounds and create really
engaging shots on page 33
SHOOTING
What to shoot and when

Discover the best times of day to track down wildlife
No matter what time of day it is, youll

always find a great wildlife photography
subject somewhere among the flora and
fauna. However, if you want to track down
a specific animal, then it is a good idea to
find out when they are at their most
active. This is often when they are out
looking for something to eat, so finding
their food source is a good place to start.
Of course, you could make it a little

easier by putting some food out to entice
them to you, but make sure that it won't
be harmful to their health. And if youre
struggling to find animals in your garden,
you can always go looking for
them at your local
nature reserve
or zoo.
AM
Rabbits
Mice
Ferrets
Butterflies
Bees
Lizards
Hedgehogs
Stay undetected
Keep still and quiet to bag the shot
If you make yourself known to your

wildlife photography subjects,
then they are likely to run, fly or
scamper away before you have a
chance to get the shot. To make
sure you dont scare them off, do
everything you can to stay
Squirrels
undetected. Avoid wearing bright

clothing that stands out against
your surroundings and dont make
any sudden movements or loud
noises that will draw attention to
you and your camera. Turn off your
camera sounds and flash, too.
SHOOTING
The
right ligh
The be
t
st
can usu light for your sh
ally be fo
o
und at d ts
or dusk
as
aw
and gold the sunlight is s n
oft
en
days wh , or on overcast
en it is
by the c dif fused
louds
Zoom in to get closer

to your subject without
disturbing them
PM
Deer
Foxes
Le
someasvpe
ace
If you
rs
looking a ubject is movin
go
wa
leave so y from the cam r
me active
era
or lookin ,
space in
g
fron
to give th t of them
e
some co shot
ntext
Badgers
Wide-angle focal lengths

could cause your subject
to appear lost against a
busy backdrop
Consider composition
How to frame your animal images
When youre busy tracking down your

wildlife subject, it can be easy to
forget about the composition.
However, dont be tempted to use the
point, shoot and hope for the best
method. Instead, put a bit more
thought into how you want the shot to
look. It is best to photograph animals
from their eye-level to capture a more
Use a telephoto focal

length to remove
distraction and create an
engaging close-up
natural and majestic image, but you

will also need to make sure the
background isnt too distracting. The
best way to remove a cluttered
backdrop is to zoom in for a close-up
shot. Fill the frame with your subject
and try to capture them looking down
the lens for a really intimate and
engaging photo.
SHOOTING
Get set up
Pick the perfect settings for photographing animals
Before you fire the shutter to capture

your perfect wildlife photo, you first need
to set up your camera. It is best to do
this as soon as you arrive at your
location, or even before, so that you will
be ready to shoot when you spot your
subject. Once you have got it all set up,
leave your camera on so that you will be

able to shoot at a moments notice if
your subject unexpectedly appears. Make
sure that it is fully charged up beforehand
and bring spare batteries. If you're
unsure which settings to choose, read on
to discover our secrets
Use aode
e mde is useful it
scecn
o
as
n
e em
ildlife
w
ns
Actio tographing shots are
r
o
for ph ensure you ree. Learn
will and blur-f odes
m
sharp ut scene 8
abo
ge 1
on pa
Perfect shots later

Fix mistakes with easy edits
transform your problem shots into

If youre not entirely happy with your
perfect pictures. Unfortunately,
shots, dont worry. Wildlife
correcting a photo that is
photography can be a
completely out of focus is
challenge, so you wont
Edit your
practically impossible, so
always get great
images f
photos that are ready
or free focusing accurately is very
If youre
on
can use a budget then
important. However, slightly
to share with the
you
free
as Picas programs such
soft
details can easily be
world straight away.
a
or GIMP,
downloa
or
d fr
and twe ee editing apps
dealt
with, along with many
Luckily, all sorts of
ak shots
on your
smart d
other
common
photo issues.
mistakes can be fixed
evice
Read our quick tips on the right
with a few basic editing
to find out how.
tricks, so it wont take long to
Adjust the exposure
Correct the tones
If your shot is too bright or too

dark, you can quickly x the
problem by going to Enhance>
Adjust Lighting>Brightness/
Contrast. Adjust the Brightness
slider to bring back detail in the
shadows or highlights and
boost the Contrast slider a little
if necessary.
To enhance the colour tones in

your shot, go to Enhance>
Adjust Lighting>Levels. Adjust
the arrows underneath the
histogram graph until your shot
has more impact, or use the
colour picker tools to select a
similar tone in your shot and do
it automatically.
SHOOTING
Choose your mode

Switch to Shutter Priority mode
and select a fast shutter speed
to freeze your subject in the
frame. 1/250sec is a good
starting point for blur-free bird
and animal photographs.
Adjust your ISO

If youre shooting in bright
conditions, keep your ISO low to
avoid grainy shots. However, if
your shots look too dark, use a
higher value to boost your
cameras sensitivity to light.
Shoot a burst
To increase your chances of
capturing the perfect shot,
switch on your cameras Burst or
Continuous Shooting mode. This
will take a series of shots as you
hold down the shutter.
Sharpen it up
Make nal tweaks
To sharpen up any soft details

in your shot, go to Enhance>
Unsharp Mask. Increase the
Amount slider to sharpen the
image until you start to see
ner details in the preview
window. Keep the Radius and
Threshold values low for a
natural effect.
If there are any sections of your

photograph that still look too
bright or too dark, then use the
Dodge and Burn tools to x
them. Set the Exposure to
around 60% and then brush
over the problems areas in
order to bring out more detail in
your image.
Focus the shot

Keep your subject sharp in your photos
Perhaps the trickiest part of taking

great wildlife photos is keeping your
subject perfectly sharp. As you cant
direct them to stay still, its quite
common to be left with blurry shots
as they move quickly and
unexpectedly. This is why selecting
the correct focusing mode is so

important, as it can be the difference
between a fuzzy photo and a
pin-sharp masterpiece. The crucial
part of your shot to keep sharp is
your subjects eyes, as these will be
the main focus of your image.
Selective Autofocus
Continuous Autofocus
When your subject is staying still, switch

to Single or Selective Autofocus mode.
Either use the central autofocus point and
keep your subject central in the frame, or
choose the autofocus point that is over
your subjects eye.
If your subject is moving, switch to

Continuous Autofocus mode. This will get
your camera to continually refocus the
shot as the animal moves around so that
they will be perfectly sharp when you
press the shutter.
SHOOTING
Quick tips
3 tips for better

compositions
Discover some of the rules and
start taking better shots
Composition can make or break

an image, which is why its one
of the rst photo skills every
beginner should master. An
image with a strong
composition should be visually
pleasing and balanced. These
traditional composition rules,
used by artists and
photographers, are still relied
on today
Leading lines
Rule of thirds
Foreground focus
Leading lines are a great way to draw the

viewers eye into the frame and onto a focus
point. When composing, look for natural
leading lines in a landscape such as
pathways and fences.
The rule of thirds helps to balance an image.

Envision a nine-section grid over the scene
and position your focal point on one of the
intersecting points. Many cameras have
gridlines that you can use to help.
A vast, open landscape can look a little at

without a focal point. Always try to frame
something within the foreground to give the
impression of depth and give the viewer
something to focus on.
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SHOOTING
Create a photo cube
Create a photo
cube from your
holiday snaps
Display several shots at once
with a stylish photo block
SHOOTING
Create a photo cube
Along with your sun cream and ip ips, your
camera is one of the most important items to
pack for your holiday. Taking photos of the places
you visit will help you preserve your memories of
the trip and share your experiences with your
friends and family back home. To nd out how to
capture images of the spectacular views, stunning
sunsets and beautiful night-time scenery, turn to
page 18 and read our guide to using scene modes.
However, youll also want to take photos of
yourself and your holiday companions enjoying your
visit to new and exciting places, so its a good idea
to brush up on your portrait photography skills too.
When travelling to warmer climates, youll have to
deal with bright lighting conditions that can cause
your subject to squint in your shots or leave harsh
shadows across their face. To prevent these
unattering issues, youll need to master shooting
backlit portraits that keep your subject and their

surroundings well exposed. The simple solution to
the problem is to move your subject into the
shade, but if this isnt possible we will show you
another way to deal with it using ash. However, if
you cant get to grips with the technique, all is not
lost. By turning the page you can discover how to
x common holiday photo problems, such as bad
exposure and distracting backgrounds caused by
other holidaymakers walking into the shot.
By the time your holiday is over, you will probably
have a memory card or two full of fantastic shots.
Sharing them on your favourite social networks is a
great way to let all your friends see what you got
up to, but dont be tempted to leave your shots as
digital les. Printing them off and putting them into
a stylish photo cube is a great way to display
several of your favourite photos at once.
WHAT YOULL NEED

Digital camera with ash
Editing software
Printer & photo paper
Scissors & glue
Photo cube
WE USED
F ujilm S9400W
hotoshop Elements
P
Harrison Cameras
Acrylic Photo Cube
YOU COULD USE

Any digital camera
External ashgun
Picasa
Artsy Couture Cube
Dcor
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to take, edit and
display holiday shots
Shoot! Get set up to shoot a backlit group shot
Position your subjects
Set your mode
Use face detection
The last thing you want is a shot of

everyone squinting at the sun, so
position your subjects so that the light is
behind them. This is likely to leave them in
shadow, but we will x that later by using ash.
01
Set your camera to Aperture Priority

and choose an aperture of about f5.6.
This should keep everyone in focus but create
a bit of background blur to make your subjects
stand out. Alternatively, use Portrait mode.
02
03
Choose a focal length
Fire your ash
Shoot a burst
04
05
06
To t everyone in the photo, you will

need to zoom out to use a wide-angle
focal length. However, try to avoid using the
widest setting as it can create distortion. Take
a few steps back and zoom in a little instead.
With the light behind your subjects,

they will probably be silhouetted in
your photo. To ll in the shadows, switch on
your ash. This will keep the foreground and
background of your shot illuminated.
Keeping more than one subject in

focus can be tricky, but many cameras
have a face detection mode that will help you.
You can use manual focus instead, or position
the autofocus point in the centre of the frame.
When taking a group shot, it is likely

that at least one person will blink. To
avoid this, switch to Burst mode to take a
series of shots when you press the shutter.
Chances are one of them will be perfect.
SHOOTING
Create a photo cube
Holiday
photography
tips and tricks
Edit Perfect your holiday snaps in Photoshop Elements
Preserve power
Make sure you charge your camera regularly and
take spare batteries to avoid running out of
power. You can also switch off unnecessary
functions and reduce the monitor brightness.
Select the sky
Add a gradient
If the sky looks a little washed out in

the background of your shot, you can
easily add some colour back in. Use the
Selection brush to select it, neatening up your
selection with the add and subtract tools.
01
02
Brighten the shadows
Adjust the levels
Go to Select>Inverse to select the

foreground, then Enhance>Adjust
Lighting>Shadows/Highlights. Lighten the
Shadows to bring some detail back into the
dark areas and increase the Midtone Contrast.
03
04
Clone the backdrop
Remove the distraction
05
06
Select the Gradient tool and set it to

Linear. Open the Gradient Editor and
choose a foreground to transparent gradient
and set the colour to blue. Drag your cursor
from the top to just below the horizon.
Clear some space

Before your holiday, back up the shots on your
memory card and format it to make sure it is
empty. Take spare cards if you have them, and
shoot in JPEG instead of RAW to save space.
Protect your gear

Keep your camera attached to a camera strap at
all times to prevent any accidental knocks, bumps
and drops. You may want to get your gear insured
before you travel, just in case it gets damaged.
Go to Enhance>Adjust Lighting>Levels.
You could use the colour picker tools
for an instant x, or bring the left and right
arrows underneath the histogram graph
inwards and move the centre arrow right.
3 OF THE BEST
Apps for travel

photography
Sun Seeker
4.99/$6.99 (iOS)
If you want to get the perfect sunset
photograph, then this app will show
you exactly when and where youll
need to be.
Instagram
Free (Both)
Instagram is not only a great app for
editing and sharing your holiday shots,
it can also be used to nd inspiring
images taken in your location.
Google+
Free (Both)
The Google+ app automatically backs
up your shots when connected to
Wi-Fi, so you dont have to worry
about losing them.
To remove any distractions in the

background, select the Clone Stamp
and set the Opacity to 100%. Hold down the
Opt/Alt key and select part of your shot you
want to copy and paste over the distraction.
With a plain section of your shot

selected, now click on the background
distraction to paste it over the top and watch
it disappear. You may need to repeat the
process a few times to get rid of it completely.
SHOOTING
Create a photo cube
Share Display your photos in an acrylic cube from Harrison Cameras
Print your shots
Measure them out
Cut them out
01
Now measure out the sections to cut

out your photos. You could measure
out the correct dimensions of one side of the
cube, or simply place one side of the cube
over your photo and draw around it.
02
03
Pick your
shots
Find soft
light
Reect the
light
Props and
poses
Use landscapes as
well as group
portraits for your
photo block
Avoid harsh
shadows in your
shots by shooting at
dawn or dusk
Instead of using
ash to ll shadows,
bounce the light
with a reector
Make your portrait

shoot more fun by
experimenting with
poses and props
Choose six of your favourite holiday

photos and print them out at home or
order prints online. You will need to make sure
the shots you pick can be cut into a square
without cropping off any important elements.
Next, cut out the sections of your

shots that you have measured out
with scissors or a Stanley knife. Cut just inside
of the lines you have drawn so that they wont
be visible in your photo cube.
Stick them on
04
Take the cardboard inner cube out of

the outer acrylic cube, and stick your
photos onto it with glue or sticky tape. Make
sure that they will be the right way up when
you put your photo cube on display.
Assemble the cube
05
Once your photos are stuck onto the

cardboard inner cube, take the two
pieces of the acrylic outer cube and slide
them together around it. You photo cube is
then ready to put on display for all to enjoy.
Evoke
s
tu
na ral yosurmsuile
bjects
Avoid getting
as this will
to say cheese . Chat to
ins
gr
d
evoke force
them laughing
them and get
l shots
for more natura
SHOOTING
Play with perspective
Create
a mindbending
portrait
image
WHAT YOULL NEED
Digital camera
WE USED
Canon EOS 600D with
24-70mm lens
YOU COULD USE

Compact camera
Cameraphone
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to capture an
image with forced
perspective
five
minute
project
Discover how to play

with perspective
to capture a realityaltering photo
SHOOTING
Play with perspective
Photographers have experimented with
camera trickery since the dawn of
photography, and there are a number of clever
ways that you can successfully trick an
audience into believing the unbelievable. One
of the easiest but most effective ways of doing
this is by creating the appearance of someone
hanging onto the edge of a building or object
for dear life, when in reality theyre simply lying
on the ground. The effect works by taking a
photo as you would normally, but then tipping
the image onto its side using Photoshop or
other editing software to create the illusion of
gravity pulling against them.
Youll be pleased to hear that very little is
actually needed in order to pull off this type of
shot; all you need is a camera, a suitable
location and a willing model. In terms of your
camera, you dont necessarily need to use a
DSLR to achieve this effect, as it will still work

using a compact or even a cameraphone,
though a DSLR will usually provide higher
quality results. As for your location, the edge of
a pavement, the corner of a wall, or a street
sign are all good choices, though in truth just
about anywhere will work provided theres a
ledge for your model to hang from. Speaking
of models, if you dont have a willing volunteer
available to lend a hand then why not try
photographing yourself instead?
Simply follow the steps as weve listed
below, but be sure to set up your camera on a
tripod and use the cameras self-timer function
to give you enough time to get into position
before the shot is taken. It may take a few tries
to get it right, but the result will make a truly
eye-catching avatar ideal for your social
networking pages.
Warp perspective
Turn the world on its side
How to rotate
your shot in
Photoshop
Open in Photoshop
With Adobe Photoshop opened up, go up to
File>Open and locate your photo. Click on the
image to highlight it, then click Open to bring it
into Photoshop.
Rotate 90 degrees
With the image successfully opened, go up to
Image>Image Rotation>90 CW, which will rotate
your image to the left by 90 degrees to give the
desired effect.
Choose a location
Use Aperture Priority
The key to making this shot work is

nding the right kind of location. If
youre going to attempt a hanging shot like
ours, the edge of a wall or a street sign pole
are both good places to start.
01
02
Position your model
Shoot low down
Capture and review
03
04
05
Ask your model to lie on the ground

and grip onto the wall youre shooting
against. To make your shot look more realistic,
ask them to stretch out as much as possible
and raise one leg in the air.
With your camera turned on, switch to

Aperture Priority mode (A or Av on the
mode dial), then set an aperture of f8. Using a
small aperture (large f-number) will ensure
your image stays sharp from front to back.
Get down low on the ground and move

up so that youre close to your model,
making sure that you can t all of them in the
frame. If you struggle to do this, try using a
wider angle lens.
Save your shot

With the image now positioned in the correct
orientation for the effect to work, head up to
File>Save to quickly save the changes youve
made to your work.
Looking through the viewnder, frame

up your shot and set the focus on your
subject. Take a few shots and review the
results. Make adjustments to the composition
and/or the models position if necessary.
SHOOTING
Story behind the shot
Story
behind
shot
the
Photography for Beginners senior
staff writer Jo Stass reveals the

tricks to her miniature masterpiece
When and where was this

brilliant shot taken?
How did you achieve the

miniature effect in the photo?
Is there another way to create

this look?
I went for a day out in London with some

friends and as it was such a lovely day, we
went for a walk along the River Thames.
There was so much to photograph so I made
sure that I had my camera set up and ready
to go at all times. I took some shots of the
architecture and famous landmarks such as
Big Ben and St Pauls, but I also enjoyed
capturing the people and boats going by.
I was using my Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark

II advanced compact, which has lots of
creative modes. I was experimenting with
the different effects and decided a miniature
filter worked best for this shot. The effect is
sometimes known as tilt-shift, as it can be
achieved by using a special tilt-shift lens. It
works by blurring the top and bottom of the
image to make the scene look miniature.
Many digital cameras come with creative

modes, and the miniature effect is one of
the most popular. However, if your camera
doesnt have this option, it is easy to create
yourself with editing software. All you have to
do is blur the top and bottom of the shot,
but keep the middle portion sharp. Visit
www.photoforbeginners.com and search
How to create a tilt-shift effect.
SHOOTING
Story behind the shot
What do you like most about

this shot?
Is there anything you would

like to have done differently?
What tips would you give to

others wanting a similar shot?
I love the way that the miniature effect has

made the boat look like a toy. I tried the
effect out in a few other locations and it was
fascinating to re-create a miniature version
of each scene. I also like how the camera
has boosted the colours to accentuate the
toy town look even further. The whole
image looks like it could have been taken of
a miniature model of the city.
I would have loved for there to be some

people visible on the boat, as I think it would
have been great to capture little miniature
figures of people too. Other than that, I think
shooting from a higher vantage point would
have helped improve the miniature effect, as
it would have made it look as though I was
towering above the tiny scene. Maybe next
time Ill try and shoot from the bridge.
If youre using an in-camera miniature mode,

make sure that your main subject is in the
sharp portion of the frame, which is usually
in the centre. It is also a good idea to take
the shot again without the miniature effect,
so that if you decide you dont like it, or want
to have a go at creating the effect yourself
with editing software, you have a standard
shot that you can work with.
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SHOOTING
Candle-lit still life

Get creative with shadows and take a low-light shot
WHAT YOULL NEED
Candles
Camera
Sturdy surface
WE USED
lympus E-PL3
O
T ripod
WHAT YOULL LEARN
How to shoot in low light
How to get creative with
shadows
01 Blur the background

If you want to bring some creative background
blur to your shot, switch to Manual or
Aperture Priority mode and choose a wide
aperture (small f-number) to create a shallow
depth of field.
02 Keep it sharp
To ensure the main subject of your shot is
sharp, select Single Autofocus mode and
position the focus point over it. Alternatively,
use Manual Focus and twist your lens until it
appears sharp.
03 Support the camera

When using shutter speeds slower than
1/60sec, you wont be able to shoot handheld
without causing camera shake. Use a tripod
or set your camera on a sturdy surface to take
the shot.
04 Compose creatively
Take time arranging your subjects and
experiment with different angles. Arranging
candles in a line helps guide the viewer
through the frame and works well with a
shallow depth of field.
05 Get set up
To get the shot looking like our one here, youll
need to find a dark location so that the
candles become your only light source. You
can either shoot at night, or in a room with
blackout curtains.
06 Create some shadows

Shadows will create depth and interest in
still-life images, so position your subjects for
the best effects. Use patterned
candleholders, or introduce extra subjects to
create some shadows.
SHOOTING
Switch to Shutter Priority and choose
a relatively slow shutter speed to let
plenty of light through the lens.
Alternatively, use a low-light mode
If your shots appear too dark, try

using a slower shutter speed or raise
your ISO to make them brighter. Just
watch out for grain
To ensure the candlelight is the only

light source for your shot, switch off
your cameras ash. If its in Auto, it
will automatically re in low light
Shadows will
create depth
and interest in
your shot
OUR SETTINGS: APERTURE: F2.5 ISO: 800 SHUTTER SPEED: 1/50SEC
SHOOTING
Cameraphone macro
Get closer with

your cameraphone
Discover how to take great close-ups with some easy tips
Close-up photography is a popular hobby for
many because it brings to life areas of the
world often unseen, whether thats intricate
patterns in leaves, the eyes of a tiny insect
or the texture of skin. By focusing in on the
smaller things around us, we can discover
beauty and intrigue in places we wouldnt
normally consider of interest. Camera
manufacturers have dedicated time to
developing high-end macro lenses and
in-camera modes to help photographers get

close to their subject and capture them at
optimum sharpness, but you dont have to
spend a fortune on kit to get some truly
stunning shots.
While your cameraphone wont be getting
in as close or as sharp as an expensive lens,
it can still produce some great results you
just need a few tips and tricks to get you
started. Over the next few pages, we explore
the best shooting methods for getting

fantastic close-ups, including composition,
lighting and focusing. Well even reveal a few
easy tricks you can apply with a simple
sheet of paper or cardboard, as well as let
you know about some affordable extra
accessories you can get to help you on your
way. Dont forget to post your results up on
the gallery at www.photoforbeginners.com,
and you could see your shots in the mag.
Composing
close-ups
Its just as important to think about the
composition of a close-up as it is with a
sweeping landscape. For stronger shots, try to
think about where youre placing the most
important part of the photo for instance, you
could use a gridlines option on your
cameraphone to position the centre of a flower
along where two lines intersect (known as the
rule of thirds). Also think about the background.
Without manual modes on your cameraphone,
youre not able to blur this out, so if you cant
eliminate distractions by changing your shooting
angle, the best option may be to block it out
entirely. Create your own background by putting
up a piece of paper behind the subject.
Position your
subject by a
window and use a
reector to
bounce light
SHOOTING
Cameraphone macro
Think about lighting
Add some illumination to your macro masterpieces
Lighting is so important in close-up photography, as it can help to

highlight the intricate details. If youre shooting indoors, move your
subject near to a window; if shooting outdoors, avoid shooting in
harsh sunlight, as this will be too bright. Also, as youre so close to
your subject in this kind of photography, its easy to block out the
light with your body, so think about how you are standing and try and
Adding extra light will
help to capture intricate
details. Dont blast too
much light at it though
This shot is slightly

underexposed,
making the textures
less visible
There are some

great accessories
out there that can
help enhance your
captures
move so the light falls softly on the subject. If theres still not enough
light reaching your subject, try bouncing some back in with a portable
reflector, or even a piece of white paper. You could also purchase
LED lighting that clips onto your cameraphone this constant light
source can be controlled so that your subject isn't overwhelmed with
bright lighting, but you can add in a little extra where required.
By bouncing some
light back in, the shot
is brighter and we can
see much more detail
Perfect the focus

Invest in accessories for your phone
Getting your cameraphone to produce sharp shots of
small subjects isnt easy. If you get too close it will
struggle to focus, so its best to back away until
the point that it focuses itself and then crop
in later so the subject fills the frame.
You can, however, buy special
macro lenses designed for
cameraphones that allow you to
focus much closer.
The other reason your shots
might not be sharp is camera
shake. When youre focusing
at such short distances, any
movement on the phone can
cause a great deal of blur.
Using a portable tripod will
help to keep it steady,
otherwise lock in your
elbows at your side and
hold your breath as you
take the shot. Also,
block out wind with a
piece of card, as it may
be the subject moving
thats causing the blur.
SHOOTING
Cameraphone macro
Select the right settings

The modes you need for close-up shooting
Go macro
Turn on HDR
If your phone has the option

of a macro mode, select it
now. It wont help you get
much closer though, so
attach a macro lens, making
sure its in line with the
cameraphones own lens.
A lot of cameraphones come with a HDR

setting, which is often used for landscapes
to help balance bright skies and dark lands
by merging several shots taken at different
exposures. If you turn this option on,
however, it can also help to bring out
intricate details in macro subjects.
Set a self-timer
Turn off ash
The harsh light from a phones ash can
cause subjects to overexpose at such close
distances, so turn it off and use natural light
instead. Flash light can also scare insects
and other creatures, so its really not useful.
Blur can be caused from the

movement of you pressing
the shutter. Try a self-timer
mode, or iPhone users can
press the volume up button
on their earphones to take
the shot remotely.
Focus the shot

On most phones you tap on
the area you want in focus, but
some also have a helpful
option for close-ups called AE
lock (in most cases, tap and
hold for it to activate). This
locks the selected areas of
focus and exposure so that you
can recompose the shot while
not changing these things.
Tap and hold

to activate
AE lock
SHOOTING
Cameraphone macro
Edit your close-ups

Use Photoshop Express to perfect your images
(Free, iOS/Android)
Boost
exposures
Improve the
colours
01
Select your
photo from
the camera roll then
click on the bottommiddle icon to reveal
a set of options. If
your shot is under or
overexposed, use the
Exposure slider to x
this. The Shadows
slider can also help to
bring detail out of
darker areas.
02
Crop in close
Sharpen up
03
04
Give more
punch to your
close-ups colours by
using the Vibrance
slider. Move it to the
right to increase the
saturation of the
colours. You may also
want to look at the
preset lters by
tapping the rst icon
(three circles), such as
the Vibrant lter.
To ll the
frame with
your subject, crop in
close using the
second icon. You can
tap Ratio to constrain
the proportions of the
crop to set sizes, then
move the edges of
the box in. You can
also straighten the
shot, as well as ip
the image and rotate
it if required.
Click on the
middle icon
and you will nd a
Sharpen option.
When selected, the
app zooms in on your
image to help you see
more clearly. You'll
need to move the
slider to the right to
sharpen up your shot,
but dont overdo it as
it can reduce the
image quality.
Cameraphone close-up accessories
Edit and share

on the go
Camera+
1.49/$1.99 (iOS)
Camera+ has some
useful shooting options,
but its biggest benet is
enabling you to set
separate points for exposure and
focus and lock them in. It also has
an exposure compensation slider.
Snapseed
Free (iOS/Android)
Snapseed does a great
job editing your shots,
including tweaking
contrast, shadows and
colour temperature. It allows you to
sharpen images too, and has the
ability to let you adjust select areas.
Instagram
Free (iOS/Android)
Instagram lets you add
hashtags to your shots
when you share them, so
give your shots a #macro
tag. Then you can click on this and
see all other shots tagged in this
way for inspiration.
Give more
punch to
your closeup's colours
Get more from your macro
olloclip 4-in-1 lens
GripTight GorillaPod Stand
Manfrotto Klyp+
Price Approx 40/$70
Price 25/$30
Price 70/$73
This lens set for iPhone comes with

two macro options one with 10x
magnication (18mm focus distance)
and one at 15x magnication (12mm
focus distance). It also comes with a
sh-eye and wide-angle lens.
This exible, portable tripod promises

to t all best-selling smartphones. The
rubber grip keeps your phone secure,
and the 24-plus leg joints enable you
to rotate it 360 degrees and wrap it
around rails, trees or posts.
A continuous light source that clips

onto your phone via a case. Its
available for iPhone 4, 4s, 5 and 5s
models and will help to create a softer
light source for your macro shots. It
comes with a handy tripod mount too.
Apps for
macro
Lastolite 30cm collapsible

reector
Price 13/$16
This small reector is perfect for
macro shots and is great for on the
go, as it folds down to around a third
of its outstretched size. Its available
in six colours for different effects.
SHOOTING
App of the month
+APP OF THE MONTH +
Shoot, edit and share

with VSCO Cam app
Fine-tune your photos for free
WHAT YOULL NEED
Smart device with a
camera
WE USED
iPhone 5
YOU COULD USE
Other iOS and Android
devices
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to edit your images
using VSCO Cam app
Available on: iOS/Android Price: Free
This rival to Instagram has boldly

declared: no comments, no likes and no
number of followers. The idea is that
images speak louder than social clout,
and this app gives users the opportunity
to shoot, edit and then share their images via a free photo
publishing platform. You can nd and follow photographers
whose work captures your imagination and achieve
professional results yourself through a variety of editing
presets. From lters and tints, to boosting the exposure
and brightening the highlights, there are many ways to
change the way your picture looks quickly and easily. The
icons are all very self-explanatory, and the interface is
intuitively designed so that anyone can download and start
using the app immediately.
Theres an Edit view that enables you to compare the

original image with the edited version, and you can choose
to capture images in the app or upload one you took
earlier. The app itself offers a generous degree of control
by including separate focus and exposure rings, plus white
balance lock. Once youre happy with the results, theres
the option to organise, favourite and lter your photos
using the quick lter navigation, as well as view your image
data, including location, date, preset used and more. You
can even use VSCO Cam alongside other photo-sharing
apps, as it enables users to share images with friends and
family via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Weibo and Camera
Roll. And on top of being a great platform for free editing
and sharing, this app has its own community that includes
tutorials and interviews to inspire you.
Making tweaks How to get started with VSCO Cam
Upload your image
Start editing
Select a lter
Make adjustments
01
02
03
04
To edit an image youve

already taken, tap the
Library tab and press + to
choose a photo. To capture a new
one, select the camera icon.
Once you have chosen

your images, tap on the
one you wish you edit and then
press the spanner icon to start
the process.
Like Instagram, there are

a number of lters to
choose from. Tap the thumbnails
to try them out and then select
the tick icon to conrm.
Scroll through the icons to

adjust aspects such as
contrast and sharpness using the
sliders. Press the tick to save
changes or cross to discard.
SHOOTING
App of the month
Your feed
Read the journal
Discover and follow

members of the VSCO
creative community by
selecting the Home option
on the main screen. To get
started, you will need to
sign in by entering your
email address
The Journal presents

tutorials, interviews and
articles to browse. Just
swipe downwards until a
headline catches your eye.
You can share the story
with your friends by
pressing the Share icon
Get inspired
Go shopping
When youre running low

on inspiration, select Grid
from the list. Then scroll
through photos from
across all genres and click
on the ones you like to
view more from the
photographer
Expand your palette of

presets by heading to the
Store. This contains a
selection of bundles that
are available to purchase.
There are lots, so we
recommend ltering the
results via the top button
View your images
Alter the settings
Take a look through your

gallery by clicking on the
Library tab. Select the grid
button to choose to view
the images as small icons
or large, and tap the circle
icon to sift through the
results more easily
Privacy, preferences and

extra support can be
found in Settings,
indicated by the cog at
the bottom. Sitting
alongside it is the camera
icon, which enables you to
capture new images
3 of the
best
Alternative photo
editing apps
Photo Editor Free (Android)
This all-in-one editor is great
for adding text to your
images, as well as applying
effects, removing blemishes
and whitening smiles. The touch and
pinch-to-zoom interface makes it easy
to make small adjustments to your
photos, and there is even a curves
interface that allows for colour
ne-tuning. It's hard to believe that you
can get this app for free!
InstaEditor Instant
Photo Editor! Free (iOS)
At the time of writing, this
app is free for a limited
amount of time, so
download it fast! It offers an
assortment of frames and ten stylistic
effects. If you're in a hurry, apply a
one-tap editing x with the Magic
Enhance lter, and there are also
options to correct red-eye, whiten
teeth and paint over blemishes.
BeFunky Photo Editor

Free (iOS, Android)
With over 29 photo effects,
this app lets you control the
strength of each lter and
undo any edits you dont like, so no
regrets. The BeFunky gallery also lets
you search for the images you want to
see and help to make your favourites
popular by awarding them points.
Subscribe to them and they will show
up in your customisable stream.
Go retro
Tint the highlights
Save your changes
Share the results
05
06
07
08
If you favour the retro look,

try out the Fade, Vignette
and Grain options, which will
transform your digital photos into
traditional-looking images.
Another great feature is

being able to tint the
shadows and/or highlights for a
subtle wash of colour. We chose
yellow for a nostalgic feel.
Tap the downward arrow

and select the tick arrow
to save all the changes you have
made so far. Alternatively, tap the
backward arrow to reverse them.
Clicking the Share icon

will reveal the different
ways you can now distribute your
image, whether its saving to your
device or uploading to Facebook.
SHOOTING
Panoramas
Sweeping
landscapes
By digitally
stitching together
shots, you can
capture more detail
in the frame
CAPTURE A BREATHTAKING
PANORAMA
Learn how to shoot and edit your own sweeping panorama
images with our complete guide
Whether or not youre familiar with the term
panorama, youre almost certain to have
seen one before. Photographers have used
this popular technique since the birth of
photography as a way of capturing a much
larger field of view than would otherwise be
possible with a single photo. A panorama is
constructed by simply capturing a series of
images in a panning motion, then the
resulting photos are uploaded to a computer
and digitally stitched together using

specialised editing software to create a
single seamless image. Landscape and
architectural photographers often use
panoramas, as the greater field of view
allows them to capture sprawling vistas and
cityscapes in their entirety.
If you own a more modern compact or
smartphone then chances are you are
already familiar with panoramas, as most
smartphones now come with a panorama

function built in, which allows you to capture
a stunning pano image with the click of a
button. But how do you capture a panorama
on a camera that doesnt have this function?
Well, its easier than you might think, and
over the following pages were going to show
you everything there is to know about
shooting and editing your own spectacular
panoramic images!
SHOOTING
Panoramas
Seamless
shooting
Wide-angle
viewpoint
With the right

equipment you'll be
able to capture the
perfect panorama
A wide-angle lens is
ideal for vistas, but
a panorama can fit
more in the frame
Essential panorama kit
The gear youll absolutely need
Camera
Tripod with suitable head
Editing software
A DSLR or CSC is ideal as they offer full manual

control, but some compacts and cameraphones
offer panorama modes that will do the work for you.
A sturdy tripod with an adjustable head will ensure

your shots are kept level, which will make things
much easier when it comes to blending the results.
Although there are a number of panorama software

packages available on the market to choose from,
Photoshop has a Photomerge function built in.
SHOOTING
Panoramas
Shoot the scene

Discover how to correctly shoot and then edit the photos you
need to create a seamless panorama
Before shooting a panorama, there are a few
factors youll need to bear in mind. The first
is that its important to ensure that your
camera is level on the tripod. If your tripod
has a built-in spirit level, use this to ensure
its perfectly straight, or you can always just
use your eye to level the frame with the

horizon line. Its also important to make sure
that all of the shots you take are exposed
identically. If just one of your shots is taken
at a different exposure, then when it comes
to stitching them together in Photoshop
youll be able to clearly see where the

images have merged, ruining the final result.
If your scene has a lot of very dark and very
light areas, this can be tricky to achieve, so
for best results choose a location that is
consistently lit throughout.
Manual metering
Its vital that all of
your shots are taken
using the same
exposure values
Pan and shoot

Its important that
each shot overlaps by
at least 50 per cent
so that there arent
any gaps when you
blend them
Keep it level
A tripod will let you
pan smoothly, but
its important to
make sure that the
camera is level with
the horizon first
Shoot vertically
Taking your photos
vertically will allow
you to capture much
more detail in the
sky and foreground
Use a tripod
Switch to Manual mode
Choose your settings
01
02
03
Set up your tripod and attach your

camera, adjusting the head so that its
in the vertical orientation. Level the camera
using the tripods spirit level (if it has one).
To ensure that each of your exposures

is the same, youll need to input the
exposure settings manually, so switch the
camera over to Manual mode.
Set the aperture to f8 and the ISO to

100. Now look at the exposure meter
and adjust the shutter speed until the marker
is lined up in the middle.
SHOOTING
Panoramas
Avoid disto
rtion
Using a foca
18mm and l length between
35mm is su
for panora
ggested
mas,
wider than as shooting any
this can ca
use
distortions
and
cause obje will also
cts to
appear sm
aller
Panoramas with
a compact
Some compact cameras
feature a built-in panorama
mode. The camera will
prompt you to pan it across
the scene and will
automatically capture the
necessary images and
stitch them together
Smar
pano
Capture panor
your camerap
Lock the focus
Pan and shoot
04
05
Looking though the viewnder, hover

the active AF point over an object
thats roughly two thirds into the shot. Focus
on this object, then switch the lens to MF.
Starting at the furthest left of your

panorama, take a photo then pan to
the right and take another shot. Repeat until
youve captured the entire scene.
Most smartphones now offer a panorama

mode, which means that shooting panos isn't
just restricted to a DSLR. The panorama
function is usually accessed through the
phone's camera mode, though this may vary
between makes and models. If your
smartphone doesn't feature a panoramic
mode, then don't worry as there are a number
of panorama apps on the market, which can be
downloaded for a modest sum via the Apple
App Store or Google Marketplace.
Pano 1.49/$1.99 (iOS), 1.29/$1.97 (Android)

Pano allows you to capture up to full 360-degree
panoramic images straight from your phone and
stitches them together without the need for
additional software.
SHOOTING
Panoramas
Create your panorama

Learn how to digitally stitch together your images in editing
software for awless panorama results
Once youve got all of your shots in the bag,
its time to upload the images onto your
computer and get started piecing them
together in order to create
your final panoramic
image. The good news
r
e
b
m
e
is that if you own a
m
Re
to saveyo! ur work
copy of Photoshop
to save
Dont forget ile>Save). That
or Photoshop
lly (F
periodica
ng untoward
way, if anythi ast youll
le
at
s,
en
happ
rk saved
have your wo ore
ready to rest
Elements, then the editing process is largely

automatic, as the software already comes
pre-packed with a Photomerge function. This
clever piece of kit is able to analyse each of
your images and work out how they should
align with one another so that it can
automatically stitch them together. All you
have to do is tell it what images you want to
stitch and then put the kettle on while it
does all of the hard work! After that, its

simply a case of tidying up the image to
make it look its absolute best, ready to show
off to your family and friends.
To get started, follow our practical
step-by-step guide below. We'll show you
just how easy it is to stitch your shots
together in Photoshop and tidy up the
results for a seamless finish.
Overlap frames
Crop to size
Each photo should overlap with the

next so that there's more to work
with once you start to stitch them
together in Photoshop
Dont worry if you go a bit overboard

with the amount of photos that make
up your panorama, as you can always
crop it down later on in Photoshop
Edit your panorama
Use Photoshop to digitally stitch together your images
Open up Photoshop
Import your images
Merge the layers
01
02
03
Once you have uploaded all of the

images you want to use for your
panorama, open up Photoshop and start off
by heading to File>Automate>Photomerge.
In the window that appears, click the

Browse button and select your images
before clicking Open. Make sure 'Blend
Images Together' is ticked, then click OK.
Once Photoshop has nished creating

your panorama, head to Layer>Merge
Visible to crunch down all of the layers within
the Layers palette into a single layer.
SHOOTING
Panoramas
Edit panoramas
on your phone
Gain more control over
your pano using apps
As most built-in panorama shooting modes
are fully automatic, you inevitably don't have
much control over the way the nal image is
constructed. However, there is a handful of
apps available for download that give you
more precise control over the way your
panoramas are constructed for more
advanced results.
Finished image
Once youve successfully merged all
of your images together in Photoshop,
your panorama is complete, ready for
it to be shown off in all its glory to
family and friends
Intense colours
Shooting your panorama at sunset
will paint the sky with colours, which
can then be intensified in Photoshop
to become even more eye-catching
AutoStitch Panorama 1.49/$1.99 (iOS),

1.24/$1.99 (Android)
The AutoStitch app is able to create up to
18-megapixel panoramas in any order or
arrangement, including vertical, horizontal or a
mixture of the two.
Heal imperfections
Centre of focus
Although Photoshop will generally do

a good job of joining your images,
you can easily fix mistakes with the
Clone Stamp or Healing Brush
Its always best to have some key

features in your panorama; weve
included a church on the right, a
jetty on the left, and a central sunset
Trim the edges
Fix any errors
Boost the colours
04
05
06
Grab the Crop tool and click and drag

out a crop across your panorama. Now,
click and pull on the corner tabs to adjust the
crop and trim off the rough edges. Hit Enter.
If there are any areas that havent

joined properly, grab the Spot Healing
Brush and brush over the affected area to
allow Photoshop to correct the problem.
Head up to Image>Adjustments>Hue/
Saturation. Click where it says Master
and change it to Yellows, then set Saturation
to +25. Do the same for the Blues channel.
EDITING
Colour masterclass
Adjust and remove colours with Photoshop Elements
WHAT YOULL NEED
A selection of troubled
start images
Photoshop Elements
WE USED
Photoshop Elements 12
YOU COULD USE
Older versions of
Photoshop Elements
The full Photoshop CS
Suite; however,
instructions will differ
Top options bar
Adjustment layer
The colour editing tools

are located under
Enhance, Filter or Layer.
Any title with a black arrow
to the right of it means
sub-menus can be found
by hovering over it
Adjustment layers are

displayed in the Layers
panel. To re-edit the
settings, click on the icon
on this layer, which will
then open up the dialog
box in question
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to correct colour
balance
Alter colour spectrums
Increase vibrancy and
saturation
Cool down or warm
colours with Photo
Filters
Remove colour casts
JARGON BUSTER
Adjustment layer
An adjustment layer is a photo edit that
is applied to your image but displayed
as a separate layer within the Layers
panel. Your original image remains
intact, as these are non-destructive and
you can re-edit them at any time.
Dialog box
Layers panel
Once an editing option

such as Levels has been
selected, a dialog box will
appear. Further editing
options will be available to
you to help colour-correct
your image
View layers and

adjustment layers here. To
duplicate a layer, click on
the top-right menu icon
and then select the
Duplicate Layer option
from the list that appears
EDITING
Colour masterclass
Adjust colour Swap out colours entirely within an image
Duplicate the background
Select Replace Color
Pick the colour to change
Open up your start photo by going to

File>Open. Work in Expert mode (above
where your image is displayed) and go to the
Layers panel. Click on the top-right drop-down
menu icon and select Duplicate Layer. Press
the Eye icon next to the bottom layer to hide.
01
Click on the top layer in the Layers

panel, turning it blue. Go to Enhance in
the top menu bar, then Adjust Color>Replace
Color. The Replace Color dialog window will
appear. Ensure that Preview is checked. Click
the Image option under the preview window.
02
03
Edit the colour
Neaten up
Smoother option
04
05
06
Move the Hue slider, altering the

selected colours. Improve the colour
quality and strength by moving the Saturation
and Lightness sliders. Now the colours are
altering, you will be able to see if more colours
need selecting like shown in step 3.
Remove areas from your selection by

Opt/Alt-clicking on your image or
switch to the negative Eyedropper tool and
deselect areas. Improve the level of tones
with the Fuzziness slider. The further right it is,
the greater the number of pixels selected.
Click on an area of colour that you wish

to replace. To sample more than one
tone, Shift-click other areas, or use the
Eyedropper tool within the dialog box with a '+'
next to it. Continue to Shift-click until you have
selected as much colour as possible.
If your selection is not as smooth or

as precise as you would like, try
making a selection rst in Elements with the
Magnetic Lasso tool. With the area you wish
to transform selected, go to Enhance>Adjust
Color>Replace Color and repeat steps 1-5.
EDITING
Colour masterclass
Cool down
captures
Boost vibrancy Enhance pics with Hue/Saturation
Add an adjustment layer
01
Photo Filters can be applied as

adjustment layers, making them
non-destructive. With your image open, go
to the Layers panel and click the black
and white circle.
Open the dialog box
Boost the saturation
02
With your start photo open in Elements

(File>Open) and working in Expert
mode (top of your screen), click on Enhance in
the top bar and select Adjust Color>Adjust
Hue/Saturation, opening up the dialog box.
01
02
Choose a tone
Target specic colours
Select the channels
03
03
04
Apply the lter

Select the Photo Filter option from
the menu. You'll see an
adjustment layer now in the Layers panel.
Pick a Cooling Filter and adjust the
Density slider until happy.
Apply a specic colour by clicking

on the coloured thumbnail. From
the Color Picker, select a tone to suit your
image and press OK. You can then tweak
the Density slider.
Moving the Saturation slider left

means you are desaturating the image,
turning the colours to shades of grey. If you
wish to target specic colours within the
photo, click on the Master drop-down menu.
To saturate colours in an image means

to add depth and boost the intensity
of the colours already present. To do this,
move the Saturation slider right. Be cautious
though, as too much can ruin a photo.
The main background in our image

requires us to enhance the Cyan
channel. Select this from the menu and move
the Saturation slider right, enhancing the shot
quickly. Repeat for other channels if needed.
EDITING
Colour masterclass
Remove colour casts Banish unwanted tones
Add in some
warmth
Apply a photo lter
01
If you are short on time, then rely

on Photo Filters to help adjust
colours. Go to Filter>Adjustments>Photo
Filter. Ensure the Preview box is checked,
then sample all of the Warming options.
Make a quick x
Adjust the levels
The quick way to x a simple colour

cast is to go to Enhance>Adjust Color>
Remove Color Cast. Click on the image where
it should be white, black or neutral grey and
the image will alter accordingly.
01
To correct trickier images, go to Layer>

New Adjustment Layer>Levels. This
image has too much blue in it, so correct this
rst. Select Blue from the RGB Channel menu.
Move the middle midtone slider right slightly.
02
02
Swap colour channels
Reset if needed
Play with tones
03
04
03
The sliders only need to be moved a

small bit at a time. With the blue
reduced you may nd another colour becomes
too dominant. If so, select the colour from the
drop-down menu and alter with the sliders.
Using Levels does require more

patience and colour knowledge, but
with practice you will soon learn which
channels to select and what sliders to move. If
you need to start again, just press Reset.
Adjust the density

If the Warming Filters effects
aren't strong enough, try using the
Density slider to increase the strength of
the effect. Move the slider right for a
bolder colour impact and left to soften it.
If the lters aren't suiting your

image, click on the coloured
square, bringing up the Color Picker.
Select a tone and see the effect applied
to your image. When happy, press OK.
EDITING
Convert to mono
Convert to mono
Put colour aside and use black and white to your benet
Converting to black and white is a proven way to get rid of those
dull colours that can lurk around in your images, and to make them
more about the composition, contrast and subjects involved than
anything else.
There are a couple of reasons why you may want to completely
remove the colour from an image. You may want to give your images
a vintage effect to create a timeless look. But another reason could
be down to the fact that the colours lack any sort of impact, or don't
PicsArt Photo Studio

Available on: iOS/Android
Price: Free
do anything to benet the overall composition. So whats solution?

Just get rid of them!
PhotoDirector 5 editing software presents a lot of different ways
to reduce and remove the colour information in an image. Follow
these steps to nd out one way to bring new life into your photos
with the power of monochrome. With a few tips and tricks on
controlling the balance of the tones, your images will never look the
same again.
CyberLink PhotoDirector 5
Available on: Mac/PC Price: 80/$100
Select a photo
01
Load up the app and tap on the Effect button.

You'll be prompted to select your photo from
a folder somewhere on your device.
Import your image
Tone adjustments
To load an image into PhotoDirector 5,

press the Import button at the
bottom-left of the screen. Choose Photos
from the list and hit Import in the pop-up
dialog menu when you nd your image.
01
02
The monochrome effect
Contrast improvement
03
04
With your image loaded into

PhotoDirector, click on the Adjustment
tab along the top of the screen. By default, the
Manual tab will be showing with the Global
Adjustment tools.
Straight conversion
02
Select the B&W option by scrolling along the

effects. This will instantly zap the colour out
of your image.
Explore other effects
03
There are many other effects in the app, for

example B&W HDR. By tapping on the cog
symbol, you can adjust the strength of the effect.
To convert an image to monochrome,

we have to remove all its colour. Do
this by going to the Tone adjustments and
sliding the Saturation adjustment all the way
to the left to -100.
Adapt a black and white effect by

boosting up the Contrast slider to 40
and reducing the Exposure to -0.55. This will
add impact to the highlights and shadows in
your image.
EDITING
Convert to mono
WHAT YOULL NEED

Any photo
WE USED
CyberLink PhotoDirector
5 Ultra
YOU COULD USE

Capture One Express
Photoshop Elements 12
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to use adjustment
curves and sliders to
control the monochrome
conversion
Control detail
Midtone tweaks
Better exposure
05
06
07
If your image has bright highlights,

lower the Brightest slider to -42 and
set the Bright slider to 5. This will help to
balance detail in those regions. Look to keep
as much detail as possible.
Set Midtone to -8, Dark to 17 and

Darkest to 30 to control details in
those regions. Boost up the Clarity slider to
around 50 to bring out the details even more
in your image.
Go to the Curve section and lift up the

diagonal line to brighten the image
without damaging the exposure. You can
control the shadows using the sliders
underneath the graph.
EDITING
Remove dust spots
Remove dust spots

Clear up lens marks from your photos in a few easy steps
Getting home from a days shooting or
once-in-a-lifetime holiday to discover
that all your photos contain a big black
smudge can be pretty annoying. Sadly,
once a piece of dirt or dust gets onto
your lens or inside your camera, it will
stay there and show up in every shot.
This is why it is important to check
and clean your kit regularly, as not only
will it keep your shots clear, it should
also keep your camera in top working
order for longer. If the dust spot is on
the outside of your lens, then it is very
easy to clean yourself. All you need to
do is blow away any loose dust and

then use a microbre cloth and lens
cleaning solution to wipe away any
additional dirt and smudges. If the
problem is inside your lens or on your
cameras sensor, then it is best to get
this cleaned professionally as you
could end up causing more damage if
you do it yourself. Visit your local
camera store and ask about their
cleaning services or look online.
Luckily, it is easy to rescue shots
plagued by dust spots, so follow our
guide to nd out how.
WHAT YOULL NEED

Editing software
WE USED
Photoshop Elements
YOU COULD USE
Picasa
GIMP
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to remove dust
spots from your photos
Clean your shots Remove dust marks in Photoshop Elements
One-click x
Do it yourself
Paste it over
01
02
03
Elements has a very handy tool for

removing unwanted marks quickly and
easily. Select the Spot Healing Brush tool, set
it to Proximity Match and then click on the
dust spot to remove it automatically.
For more control over the process,

select the Clone Stamp tool and set
the Opacity to 100%. Hold down the Opt/Alt
key and click on an area of your shot to paste
over the mark.
Now click on the dust spot to paste

the copied area on top of it. You may
need to repeat the process a few times to get
the texture and pattern of the two areas to
match up.
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SHARING
Order prints
on the go
Print copies of your phone
captures with the Snapsh app
Cameraphones are fantastic for
grabbing quick snapshots when
youre out and about, which is
great if youre caught short
without a conventional camera
on occasion. Whats more, you
can also edit and share your
photos instantly online through
your device or even order prints
via dedicated apps.
Simply download your

preferred printing service app
onto your cameraphone and set
up an account on the go with a
Wi-Fi connection. Snapsh is a
brilliant service that provides
high-quality prints for a low cost.
Just follow our step-by-step
guide to learn how to order
copies in an instant.
Access
photos
01
Download the
app and click
the icon to load it.
You can opt to view
photos from your
phone or log into
your Snapsh,
Instagram, Facebook
or Flickr account to
access other photos.
Make a selection
Order prints
02
03
Click Grid to select the

images you want to print.
Simply tap on a photo for a tick to
appear. You can click on the
landscape icon at the bottom to
remove shots from your selection.
You can opt to upload or

share shots from your
camera roll via the app or click
Create to order prints. Select your
print size and then input your
address and payment details.
Photography for Beginners

i
73
SHARING
Flickr
Showcase your
shots on Flickr
How to get started on one of the best
photo-sharing sites around
WHAT YOULL NEED
Internet connection
A collection of photos
WE USED
Flickr.com
YOU COULD USE
Flickr app
Photobucket
SmugMug
WHAT YOULL LEARN

How to create and
organise a photo gallery
Flickr has long been a popular choice for sharing shots

online, allowing you to create your own gallery as well
as become part of a photography community. It
underwent a redesign, however, that put the photos
front and centre. Now the images in your feed are much
larger than the previous thumbnails, letting the
photography shine through. You also now get 1TB of free
storage (enough room for over 500,000 photos
depending on their resolution). You can also upload up to
200MB per photo and 1080p HD videos up to 1GB each,
with the ability to download les again in their original
quality, making this a solid back-up option.
The community element of the site shouldnt be

overlooked either, as it not only lets you add comments
and favourite images, but also follow friends, create
groups and more. One of the best things about Flickr,
though, is its companion app that lets you view and add
to your gallery on the go. This is great for adding phone
shots straight away, and theres also the option to
automatically sync them. You can download it for free for
iOS or Android. What we will focus on in this tutorial,
however, is how to set up your account and upload from
your desktop. This lets you take a great deal of control
over how your shots are organised.
Prole page
Edit shots
Get started
Click on You to be
taken to albums, your
map, the Organize
section and more.
This area also houses
a new photobook
creator
Click on individual
photos to edit the title
and description, add
tags, share and more.
You can even change
the copyright status
The Upload section is

where you get started.
Here you can upload
multiple shots just by
dragging and dropping
them onto the screen
SHARING
Flickr
Upload to Flickr
Simple steps to share shots
Sign up
Select your settings
Start uploading
01
02
03
Head to www.ickr.com and click on

Sign Up. Enter your personal info then
click on Create Account. Youll be taken to a
verication screen type in the letters or
numbers then follow the instructions.
Once youre in, youll see the main

interface and inspirational images
from other peoples galleries. Head to the icon
top-right and select Settings to set a buddy
icon and set any preferences you may have.
Click the Upload tab. You have the

option to drag and drop photos onto
the screen or click on Choose Photos and
Videos. You can click below the thumbnail to
change the name and write a description.
3 OF THE BEST
Features
of Flickr
Create albums
Batch organise
04
05
Use the options on the left to add tags,

or add this to an album. Youll be
prompted to create an album if you dont have
any already. Click on Rotate at the top of the
screen if needed, then Upload Photo top-right.
You can organise your images in

batches. Head to You>Organize and
drag the shots you want to edit into the main
window. Use the tabs to set who sees them,
add to an existing album and more.
Groups
You can create your own Group or join existing
ones to share in a love of specic photography.
Click Groups>Search Groups to nd one for you.
Tags
Add tags to shots so people can nd them when
searching for keywords. Click on a photo and type
in the Tag section on the right-hand side.
Tag locations
Share shots
06
07
Add shots to the map in Organizer by

clicking Map, searching for the place
you took the shot and dragging the image(s)
onto that point. Now when you click You>Map
you can see where your images were taken.
You can share shots straight from your

gallery via social networks or email.
Click the Share icon on the Photostream to
send a link to your entire gallery or select an
individual photo and click the Share icon.
Privacy
Not every image has to have the same privacy
settings. To make an image out of bounds, select
the padlock symbol to choose who gets to see it.
EDITING
5 tips for sharing shots wirelessly
5 tips for sharing

shots wirelessly
Share photos straight from a camera with the latest tech
With new camera technology, you no longer
have to wait until you get home to share
your shots. Much like cameraphones, many
digital cameras now come with wireless
sharing capabilities that allow you to keep
friends and family updated with your photos
in real-time, and get instant feedback.
Connect to Wi-Fi
Transfer to a phone
If your camera has Wi-Fi capabilities, it will

let you send your shots directly to your
computer and maybe even your printer
whenever youre connected to your home
internet or within range of a Wi-Fi hotspot.
If youre out and about, Wi-Fi cameras let

you use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot
and transfer your shots to it. You can then
share them via mobile internet to your
favourite social networks wherever you are.
Tap to a device
Direct uploading
Use an Eye-Fi card
To speed up wirelessly connecting your

camera to your smartphone, some models
now use NFC. All you have to do is tap the
camera to an NFC-compatible device and it
will instantly pair them ready for sharing.
Some Wi-Fi cameras, such as the Samsung

Galaxy Camera 2 and Nikon COOLPIX S810c,
let you download apps onto them so you
can share your photos to social networks
straight from the camera.
If your camera doesnt have built-in Wi-Fi,

then you can add this function by using an
Eye-Fi memory card. This has its own
wireless sharing capabilities, so you can
send shots straight to your smartphone.
Much like cameraphones,

many digital cameras now
come with wireless photo
sharing capabilities
Ask the team questions at

Post questions to the PFBMag
group at www.facebook.com
Tweet any quick questions or tips you
may have to @PFBMag
Upload your problem pics to our Flickr
pool at www.ickr.com/pfbmag
Questions & answers,

tips & photo-xes
Hayley Paterek
PFBs deputy editor

Hayley is here to help
out with our readers
shooting concerns
James Sheppard
Photographer and
Photoshop whizz James
is on hand to solve any
editing issues
Jo Stass
PFBs senior staff

writer Jo is ready to
answer your camera
tech questions
How can I x photo colours?

Ive been practising with
my new macro lens and
managed to get some nice
shots of my orchid plant at
home. However, I noticed
that the colours in my shot
look a little off. Can you
explain why and how I can
x it?
Julie Dyer, via Facebook

When taking photos in certain
lighting conditions, such as in
the shade, your camera can
struggle to adjust for the colour
temperature of the light. This
can leave your shots with an
unusual colour cast, making
them look too cool or too warm.
To prevent this, you can change
your cameras white balance
setting to suit the conditions
you are shooting in, but it is also
easy to x in post-production.
Cool cast
in the shade has given
A Shooting
the shot a cool colour cast, so it
needs a bit of warming up in
editing software
Email it to our experts

pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk
01 Add a lter
Warm up a cool colour cast by

clicking on the Filter tab then going to
Adjustments>Photo Filter. Now
choose a warming or orange lter
from the drop-down menu.
a boost in saturation to make

the image really pop
Dark details
shot looks a little
C The
underexposed and needs
Photo needs rescuing?
Correct a colour cast
Dull colours
ower looks a little washed
B The
out, so the colours could do with
brightening another reason

why the colours look quite dull
Warm up your shots in Photoshop Elements
02 Warm it up
To strengthen or weaken the

effect of the warming lter, use the
Density slider. Adjust the slider until
the colours in your photo start to
appear more true to life.
03 Adjust the exposure
The easy way to brighten up a

shot is to click on the Enhance tab
then go to Adjust Lighting>
Brightness/Contrast. Then boost the
Brightness slider to x the exposure.
04 Boost the colours
To brighten up dull photo

colours, go to Enhance>Adjust Color>
Hue/Saturation and then boost the
Saturation slider. Increase it until
your photo looks vibrant but natural.
Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.com
WHITE BALANCE
EXPLAINED
Keep horizons
straight for wonderful
landscape shots
Tungsten
Incandescent or bulb lighting is generally quite orange,

so the Tungsten setting will cool your shot down.
Daylight
5
BEFORE
When shooting on a sunny day, your shots can look

oddly cool. Daylight white balance will warm them up.
Cloudy
How can I keep horizons straight?

Cloud cover can cool down the natural light, so switch
to the Cloudy setting to add in some warmth.
Shade
The light in shade is even cooler, so make sure you

switch to the Shade setting to warm up your shots.
Flash
I have just got back from my family holiday

and as I was sorting through my photos I
realised that a lot of them are wonky. Even
my lovely sunset photos are ruined by a
sloping horizon. Do you have any tips that
I can use to make sure I keep my photos
straight in the future, and is there a way
that I can x my already wonky shots? I
dont mind splashing out a bit if it means I
will avoid disappointment in future!
Mary Connor, via Email
Keep photos straight
A wonky horizon can ruin an otherwise fantastic

photo, so it is very important to keep it level.
The simplest way to keep your photos straight is
to really take your time when composing them.
Make sure that you look at the LCD screen or
through the viewnder and hold the camera
steady with both hands to keep it straight. Tuck
your elbows into your sides as well. Then once
youve taken your shot, review it and take it again
if its wonky. However, there are a few other
handy tricks that you can use too.
Tricks to prevent wonky shots
The light produced from your ash is quite cold, but

the Flash setting will prevent washed out subjects.
Fluorescent
Fluorescent light can create a strong blue colour, so

switch to this setting to counteract it with warm tones.
Use gridlines
Keep it level
Correct it later
If you have this option, switch on your

cameras gridlines display and line
up the horizon with one of the
horizontal lines of the grid to make
sure it is straight.
A tripod will keep your camera

steady, and some come with a spirit
level to help you make sure it is
straight. Alternatively, buy a spirit
level attachment.
If you didnt manage to get the

horizon straight in your photos, then
most editing programs have a
straightening tool that will correct it
for you.
Get rid of pesky red and

yellow spots on your snaps
with editing software
This month we
Like
Post your photo to
our Facebook page
and well share it
with the world
Search for PFBMag
BEFORE
Grant Sullivan
A perfectly sharp wildlife shot of a
magnicent bird in action.
How can I remove lens are?

Helen Holmes
A fun action shot with a great use of
reections and monochrome.
Please can you show me the best way to

remove sun spots from my photos? I forgot
to use the lens hood when taking some
wedding photos a couple of weeks ago, and
they have some nasty lens are issues.
Frances Bradley, via Email
Lens are is a common problem when shooting
on bright, sunny days as it can cause spots and
smudges of coloured light to show up in your
Remove lens are
photos. To avoid it you could use a lens hood to

shield your lens from angled rays of light. Most
lenses come with a hood, but you can make one
from black card or use your hand instead. Another
method is to simply change your shooting angle.
Lens are is usually caused when youre shooting
into the light, so angle your camera in another
direction to avoid it. However, if these methods
arent possible, then you can always remove it with
editing software.
Clear up sun spots with Photoshop Elements
Sarah Martinet
A slow shutter speed has been used to blur
the water beautifully.
Des OConnor
The reection creates a lovely mirror image
of the duck in this shot.
One-click fix
Do it yourself
Paste over it
The easiest way to remove lens are

is with the Spot Healing Brush tool.
Set it to Proximity Match, adjust the
brush size and then click on the
distraction to remove it.
Alternatively, you can x it yourself

with the Clone Stamp tool. Set the
Opacity to 100% and hold the Opt/Alt
key while clicking on an area of your
shot to copy over the are.
Once you have copied an area of your

shot with a similar pattern, colour or
texture, you can now click on the lens
are to paste it on top. The lens are
will disappear.
Ask the team quest
Twitpics
The best photos
tweeted to us
@pfbmag
A fantastic silhouette that works

well
in black and white @cameronb
rook1
This beautiful landscape looks

wonderfully serene @madgibbo
n
orb
re
sphe
atmo
it of
b
a
r
dds vejdur
e
ing a
light oto @st
The
h
p
is
to th
Lens
are and
g
well in
this sh olden sunligh
ot @do
t
ntfeed work
thecow
LET US RECOMMEND
Cloud storage services

Back up your precious photos in the cloud
I recently lost all of my photos when the external hard drive
that I was keeping them on got damaged. I was absolutely
devastated as my records of family holidays and my children
growing up are now gone forever. I really dont want this
to happen again, so I want to keep my future shots more
secure. I have heard that cloud storage is a good way to
keep photos safe. Can you recommend some of the best
services to use?
Harold Phillips, via Email
It can be heartbreaking to lose your precious photo collection, so it is

important to make sure it is backed up well. Its a good idea to store
them in a few different places, so that if something happens to one,
you know you have another set that is safe and sound.
Cloud storage is one of the most secure and reliable solutions for
backing up your les as it involves saving your shots to the web so
that they can never be physically lost or damaged. There are lots of
different cloud storage providers to choose from, but here are some
of the best.
Dropbox
Google Drive
Sky Drive
6/$10 a month for 100GB

Dropbox is one of the original cloud storage
services and lets you share items with other
Dropbox users as well as send links to
non-users too. You can also send photos
straight to social networks.
Approx 1/$2 a month for 100GB

Googles cloud service offers you storage
space across Gmail, Google+ Photos and
Google Drive, so you can store and
organise all types of les and access them
from your computer, mobile and tablet.
Approx 29/$50 a year for 100GB
Whats good about it
Whats good about it
Whats good about it

You can upload and access les on your

desktop, online or on your phone or tablet
If you recommend Dropbox to a friend, youll
both get an extra 500MB of free storage
You get a whopping 15GB of free storage and

upgrade costs are very cheap
You can automatically back up to Google+ and
only big les count towards your storage space
Microsofts service is available for Windows

devices as well as iOS and Android, and you
can even use it with your Xbox. You can back
up your camera roll automatically and earn
more storage space for it.
You get 7GB of free storage and can pay

annually for upgrades instead of monthly
You can create and share photo slideshows as
well as add captions and view image data
What could be better

You only get around 2GB of free storage and its

quite expensive to upgrade for more
You can only view your photos as small tiles,
with no option to view them any larger
The storage space you have is shared between

Google Drive, Gmail, and Google+ Photos
Youll need different apps for each, but only
Google Drive can be accessed on your desktop
It is a little more expensive than Google Drive

but is ideal for Windows phone users
You can only upgrade up to 200GB of les,
which is not as good as Dropbox or Google Drive
Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.com
Get to know your

camera in 5 minutes
Your quick start guide to help you master your kit now
CAMERA ICONS EXPLAINED Choose the correct setting with this guide
Program
Aperture Priority
Delete found
on all cameras
Drive modes
including Burst
Self-timer for
self-portraits etc
Playback use
to review photos
Metering
modes
Image
stabilisation
Flash choose
to switch on/off
Zooms lens out

for wide angles
Fn
Function button
for shortcuts
Boosts the saturation

in blues and greens
for really vivid shots
Zooms lens in
for close-ups
Diameter of lens
found on barrel
Auto
Flash off the

ash wont re
Zoom in on
your photos
Zoom out of
your photos
W
T
+
Exposure
compensation
Macro or closeup modes
Video mode on
stills cameras
Night-time/
low-light scenes
Mode dial
Shutter
release
Easily customise
things like ISO and
white balance
Select the aperture while

the camera picks the
shutter speed for you
Landscape
Shutter
Priority
Select just the shutter
speed in this mode
A TO
Manual
Let your camera do

the hard work for you
in automatic mode
Take control in this

mode and pick your
own settings
Sports
Portrait
Uses a fast shutter

speed to capture
blur-free movement
For super-attering
people shots with
blurry backgrounds
Viewnder
LCD screen
JARGON BUSTER
Aperture: Affects the amount of your image
Hotshoe
Zoom
that is in focus the depth of eld
CSC: Compact system camera

DSLR: Digital single lens reex camera
Drive mode: Continuous or Burst mode,
single shot and self-timer
Dynamic range: The term used to refer to

the amount of detail in the highlights and
shadows
Exposure: A balanced exposure has detail in
light and shadow areas alike
Exposure compensation: Adjusts the

tonal range of your photo, lighter or darker
Focal lengths: Wide-angle a wider angle of
Lens
Lens
release
view than normal, eg 28mm. Telephoto a

magnied view of subjects in the distance, eg
200mm
Flash
Focus: Autofocus means your camera focuses

for you; Manual puts you in control
Menu
Controls
Customise buttons Get fast access to favourite settings
ISO: Refers to how sensitive your cameras

sensor is to light and affects the visible grain or
noise in a photo
LCD: The display screen on the rear of the

camera used to compose images
Live view: An electronic view of the scene in

front of the lens
Metering: Refers to the way the camera

reads the light in the scene
Megapixels: Number of pixels on the sensor,

in millions
Noise: Refers to the visible digital grain in a

photo
Shutter speed: Fast speeds freeze action

while longer ones blur any motion
Viewnder: Optical shows you the view
Access the menu
The Function option
Assign a function
01
02
03
To assign your favourite

camera setting to your
cameras Function button, you rst
need to press the menu button.
Scroll through your menu to

nd the option for setting
up the Function button. It will most
likely be in the Settings section.
Here you can choose from

a number of commonly
used settings to assign to the
Function button for quick access.
through the camera lens and is good for accurate

framing. Electronic shows the view on an LCD in
the viewnder
White balance: Affected by the ambient

light, the white balance can be altered to ensure
a natural colour result
Zoom: Optical the magnication provided by
the camera lens. Digital a camera crop factor
CREATE
THE
IMPOSSIBLE
w w w. p h o t o s h o p c r e a t i v e . c o . u k
Available
from all good
newsagents and
supermarkets
ON SALE NOW
y Striking imagery y Step-by-step guides y Essential tutorials
PHOTO EDITING
DIGITAL PAINTING
PHOTO ART
TOOL GUIDES
BEGINNER TIPS
BUY YOUR ISSUE TODAY
Print edition available at www.imagineshop.co.uk

Digital edition available at www.greatdigitalmags.com
facebook.com/PhotoshopCreative
twitter.com/PshopCreative
UPGRADE
Nikon COOLPIX
S810c
Nikon goes head-to-head with your smartphone
280/$350 | 16MP | Full HD | 12x zoom
BUY
THIS IF
your
smartphone
camera no longer
makes the
grade
HOW DOES THIS COMPARE

TO A SMARTPHONE?
Like some phones, the S810c is an
Android smart device with a touch screen,
built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. You can record full
HD 1080p videos and download apps from
Google Play. The difference is the superior
image quality, especially in low light.
UPGRADE
Nikon COOLPIX S810c
Below There is a bright 3.7-inch LCD screen which is fantastic for composing
images, as well as playing games on the internet
TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 16MP
A high resolution to rival smartphone
image quality
Zoom 12x optical, 4x digital

A focal length of 25-300mm gives a
wide range of shots
Shutter speed 1-1/2000sec

Shoot as slow as 4sec in Fireworks
mode or speed things up when
photographing action subjects
Smartphone users
will feel right at
home with the
touch screen and
Android icons. You
can even capture
images by tapping
the screen
ISO sensitivity 125-1600

A good range of sensitivity settings for
low-light shooting
Exp. modes Program, Auto Exposure

A limited range of modes that gives you
little control
Aperture f3.3-6.6
Flash modes TTL auto with monitor
pre-ashes
You cant make a phone call, but you can send

emails, download apps and post an image to
Instagram whenever you like. Thats because this
Nikon COOLPIX S810c compact camera is also an
Android smart device with a touch screen and
built-in Wi-Fi. In fact, thats the key in knowing how to
operate it. There are only three buttons down the
side of the huge 3.7-inch screen which beats most
other compacts hands-down and they work just
like a smartphone. It comes with some Google apps
pre-installed, such as YouTube and Gmail, but you
can add to and customise the display by visiting the
Google Play store.
You can even take pictures by pressing the area of
the screen you want to be in focus and the camera
will do the rest automatically. And thats the
operative word here, since there are absolutely no
manual modes on board. This might prove restrictive
if youre interested in advancing your skills, but for
some, it will be the perfect point-and-shoot. Thats
because its designed to be the best compact
camera your phone will never be, trumping it in areas
like low-light photography producing beautifully
crisp shots all the way up to ISO 1600 and you can
zoom in up to 16x.
The difference in image quality compared to the
average smartphone is clear to see, thanks to the
larger sensor. Users can record full HD movies with
stereo sound (which is superior to mono), which is
also good news for music lovers who can connect
their headphones and enjoy streaming the latest
tunes. Its the perfect travel companion in many
ways, whether its the ability to tag images with GPS
or upload them wirelessly to a social network. Being
able to play a round of Candy Crush afterwards is
just a bonus.
Ultimately, this is the perfect camera for the
gadget lover. Youve probably already got a tablet and
a phone, but with image quality as good as this,
theres denitely room in your pocket for the S810c.
Weight 216g with battery

Dimensions 113 x 63.5 x 27.5mm
Batteries Lithium-ion
Storage microSD, microSDXC
Screen 3.7 inches
HOW GOOD IS IT FOR

Landscapes +++++
Good detail in shadows and highlights,

with a wide 25mm lens for framing
Portraits +++++
Portraits are attering and this is the

perfect camera for uploading to the web
Sports +++++
Autofocus works well to lock onto target

quickly and freeze the action
Low light +++++
Images are sharp all the way up until

ISO 1600, when detail drops slightly
Macro +++++
Focus as close as 2cm, but detail is

lacking on the edges of the frame
THE PROS & CONS

Stay connected with built-in Wi-Fi,
play games and update your status
This is perfect for the social photographer who wants

smartphone convenience with the image quality of a
compact camera. Its sexy and stylish, too!
Low-light performance is superb,

producing sharp and detailed images
VERDICT +++++
Gadget lovers need only apply. Youll

have to know tech to reap the rewards
The missing manual modes will leave

some photographers craving control
UPGRADE
Samsung NX mini
Samsung NX mini
Take a sele in a wink with this ultra-cool smart camera
400/$450 | 20.5MP | 25,600 ISO | 6fps burst
BUY
THIS IF
yo
ure a stylish
shooter whos
loves taking
selfies
IS THIS A GOOD CAMERA

FOR SOCIALISING?
The small build means you can take this
camera anywhere. The three-inch screen
ips up so you can capture the perfect
sele with a touch or a wink command,
and then share the shots afterwards
using Tag & Go, transferring the image
youre viewing to compatible phones.
UPGRADE
Samsung NX mini
Below The NX mini aims to better the quality of a smartphone with a
20.5-megapixel one-inch sensor for high-resolution images with plenty of detail
Slightly bigger than a pack of playing

cards, the NX mini is the worlds
slimmest and lightest interchangeable
lens camera
TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 20.5MP
It produces gorgeously high-res images
that are packed with detail
Zoom By lens
There is a 9-27mm zoom lens available,
which is pretty limited
Shutter speed 30-1/6000 sec

Go slow or speed things up for a variety
of imaging effects

The ISO can be extended up to 25600
for super low-light pics
Exp. modes Auto, Smart, Manual,

Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority
A good range for every skill level
Aperture By lens
Flash modes Auto, Smart, Auto+RE,
Fill, Fill+RE, 1st curtain, 2nd curtain, Foff

Dimensions 110.4 x 61.9 x 22.5mm
Batteries Lithium-ion
Storage microSD, microSDHC,
microSDXC, UHS-I, microSD Support
It may look like an ultra-swish compact, but the

Samsung NX mini is actually of the interchangeable
lens variety. This is the worlds slimmest and lightest
of its kind and wed argue its also the best looking.
The leatherette nish lends a deceptively retro feel,
since the minis as modern as you can get.
Fitted with Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity and with the
same one-inch sensor as the Nikon 1 range of CSCs,
it also nds room for a three-inch touch screen LCD
panel that ips up 180 degrees. This makes
self-portraits a breeze, especially with the new wink
shot feature that enables photographers to re the
shutter button hands-free. More than just a gimmick,
it means that group shots are much easier to
capture, but we wish the screen could rotate
downwards too for a little extra versatility.
The camera comes bundled with the new NX-M
9mm pancake lens thats small and unobtrusive,
just like the main body. It has a reasonably bright
f3.5 aperture for creating blurred backgrounds but
you will have to zoom with your feet. There is a
9-27mm kit lens available, however, which gives a
little more freedom when composing your shots. Its
easy to shoot one-handed and theres the option to

take manual control and capture RAW les, as well
as a selection of automatic modes.
We loved using the responsive touch screen to
make quick changes, such as setting the autofocus
point by tapping the area of the screen you want to
be sharp. It also responds to swiping and zooming in
gestures that anyone with a smartphone will be well
accustomed to. The results will be much better than
the average phone, though, with images displaying
bright colours and plenty of detail at the lower end of
the ISO scale. Low-light shots exhibited a little
graininess, so lovers of the dark may want to check
out the bright 17mm f1.8 lens thats also on offer.
This would be the ideal match for the social
snapper who wants to take their photography skills
even further.
Screen 3 inches
HOW GOOD IS IT FOR

Landscapes +++++
Theres a good amount of detail in the
sky and foreground
Portraits +++++
This compact was made for seles,

producing attering photos
Sports +++++
Fast-moving subjects were a little

blurred straight out of the camera
Low light +++++
Images are a little grainy and lose detail

at high ISO settings
Macro +++++
Colours are punchy but ne detail is

lacking in extreme close-ups
THE PROS & CONS

Self-portraits are easy thanks to the
flip screen and skin tones are flattering
Samsung has proven that good things really do come

in small packages, cramming in impressive features
and specs into the slimmest CSC the world has seen.
The touch screen is as responsive

and intuitive as any smartphone
VERDICT +++++
There is a limited number of lenses

to fix onto the NX mini at the moment
A more flexible LCD screen would aid

adventurous compositions
UPGRADE
Ricoh WG-4
Ricoh WG-4
Picking up where its predecessor the Pentax WG-3 left off,
can the Ricoh WG-4 also impress?
280/$330 | Underwater shooting to 14m for up to 2 hours | Full 1080p HD movie
recording at 30fps | 16MP BSI-CMOS sensor
BUY
THIS IF
youre an
adventure fan
needing a tough
compact
HOW TOUGH IS THE WG-4?

The heavy-duty construction ensures that
the WG-4 can withstand underwater use
to a depth of 14m for up to two hours. It is
also dustproof, shock-resistant from falls
of up to 2m, crushproof against weights
up to 100kgf and cold-resistant against
temperatures to -10C.
UPGRADE
Ricoh WG-4
Below At its best, the image quality is good and will certainly satisfy adventurers
looking for a hardened compact to withstand vigorous outdoor pursuits
To improve the cameras versatility, Ricoh also launched

three ball-and-socket tripod mounts to accompany the
WG-4, an adhesive camera mount, handlebar mount and
suction cup mount
TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 16MP
The most common megapixel count for
compacts, and ideal for large prints
Zoom 4x optical, 7.2x digital

An equivalent, yet not the most
impressive, focal range of 25-100mm
Shutter speed 4-1/4000 sec

Not the fastest shutter speed on the
market, but okay for casual enthusiasts

A rather narrow sensitivity range, and as
such low-light fans should use a tripod
Exp. modes 16 scenes, plus Auto,

Program, Shutter Priority
Plenty of scene modes for beginners,
and a Shutter Priority mode for more
advanced shooters
The adventure-proof Ricoh WG-4 enters the tough

compact market as the 17th generation model in
the brands series of rough and tough compacts,
launched alongside the WG-4 GPS version. Although
its the rst of its kind to brandish the Ricoh brand
name, the xed-lens camera (identical to its launch
brother, minus the GPS and front LCD information
panel) sports a limited number of updates on the
WG-3, as the unit touts the same 16MP sensor,
25-100mm lens, three-inch LCD, and protection
features. New to the cameras DNA is a handy user
mode that allows shooters to store their favourite
settings, plus a Shutter Priority mode for eager
enthusiasts looking to shoot semi-manually,
affecting a rather modest speed range of four
seconds to 1/4000 seconds.
While the adventure-ready shooter, available in
silver or the more radical lime-green, is perfect for
active explorers with its durable and rugged design,
plus an easy-to-use-on-the-go menu system and
button layout, it might not please the more
demanding photographer. First of all, the 460k-dot
LCD suffers badly with glare, its start-up isnt the
sharpest and there is an evident shutter lag so

action shots may be hit and miss. Battery life is
rather poor, averaging signicantly less than Ricohs
claimed 240 shots per full charge. The autofocus is
rather sluggish and perhaps because of the
reinforced protective glass over the lens cutting
down light further, its already rather stinted fastest
shutter speed (and ISO range) cannot cope with
moderately paced subjects, and also for this reason
low-light shots require the ash (which is rather slow
to load) or a tripod.
Like many in this category of shooter, images
taken in good, even light resonate as well balanced,
colour-correct and full of detail. The minute the light
is less than optimal, frames present camera shake,
loss of sharpness, muted colours and noise is
prevalent from as low as ISO 800.
Aperture f2.0-4.9
Flash modes A, Foff, Fon, RE
Dimensions 125 x 64.5 x 32mm
Batteries Lithium-ion rechargeable
Storage SD, SDHC, SDXC
Screen 3 inches
HOW GOOD IS IT FOR

Landscapes +++++
The lens isnt the sharpest and as such,

shots leave the camera a little soft
Portraits +++++
With no RAW mode, theres less scope

for tweaking aspects such as skin tone
Sports +++++
Its slow ash and humble shutter speed

wont endear it to action enthusiasts
Low light +++++
Image blur and noise are the results of

unsupported low-light shots here
Macro +++++
The six lens-surrounding LEDs help the

camera capture shots as close as 1cm
THE PROS & CONS

Undeniably resilient, the WG-4
withstood everything we threw at it
Its adventure-ready toughness is the only factor

elevating this otherwise average camera from the
ranks of satisfactory.
A sensible tough compact choice for

beginners, and easy to use on the move
VERDICT +++++
Battery life is disappointing. It only

managed 150 shots on a full charge
The image quality isnt as good as

many on the tough compact market
UPGRADE
Fujilm FinePix S9400W
Fujilm FinePix
S9400W
Does size matter when it comes to this new superzoom?
270/$350 | 50x optical zoom | Built-in Wi-Fi | Full HD movies
BUY
THIS IF
you want a
versatile camera
for shooting on
the go
IS THIS A GOOD CAMERA

TO TAKE ON HOLIDAY?
The impressive focal range is ideal for
shooting a variety of scenes, and the
electronic viewnder is useful for framing
shots in bright sunlight. It is also powered
by four AA batteries, which you can easily
replace when you run out of charge.
UPGRADE
Fujilm FinePix S9400W
Below Images could do with some sharpening and digital noise appears at low
ISOs. Quality and colours are excellent in bright conditions, though
The camera is bulky and

quite heavy to hold for
long periods. However,
the chunky grip provides
added comfort
and it feels
well made
TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 16.2MP
A suitable number of megapixels for
printing at large sizes
Zoom 50x optical, 100x digital

An extensive 24-1,200mm focal range
that is good for a variety of scenes
Shutter speed 8-1/1700sec

An adequate range for freezing action
and photographing in low light

High values available for keeping shots
bright even when the light dips
Exp. modes 14 scenes, plus Auto,

Program, Manual, AP and SP
A great range for both beginners and
more advanced photographers
Aperture f2.9-6.5
Flash modes Auto, Fon, Foff, RE, SS
Dimensions 122.6 x 86.9 x 116.2mm
Batteries 4x AA
Storage SD, SDHC, SDXC, 38MB
internal
With its DSLR-like appearance, the Fujilm S9400W

may look like a bulky camera, but the size and
weight arent so bad when you consider the
superzoom lens. Its 50x optical zoom covers an
impressive 24-1200mm focal range that could only
be achieved by carrying around at least two large
lenses with an interchangeable lens camera. The
S9400W is still quite heavy though, but the
ergonomic grip makes it comfortable to hold and the
overall design feels sturdy and durable.
Shots are difcult to keep steady when using
longer focal lengths without a tripod, and have an
evident reduction in image quality, but the zoom
lever on the side of the lens helps to keep things
smoother and steadier. The lens has quite a long
way to extend to reach full zoom and is a little noisy
in doing so, but there is an instant zoom option that
magnies your shot without actually moving the
lens, though it only produces much smaller images.
Getting close-ups of subjects a little closer to you
is easy thanks to the Super Macro Mode that lets
you focus from just 1cm away. However, as it can
only be used with the widest focal length, you may
nd yourself overshadowing or scaring away more

timid subjects.
The S9400W also has lots more clever functions
in addition to its auto and manual modes, including a
setting which takes two shots one with and one
without ash at the same time, and Zoom
Bracketing, which instantly takes three shots at
different levels of magnication. Overall, the camera
is very easy to use, with clear menus and wellpositioned buttons, but the LCD monitor has a
disappointingly low resolution for viewing image
detail. Sadly, images dont look a lot better when you
view them on your computer, as details are soft and
grain appears at a relatively low ISO 400 and gets
progressively worse from there. Images taken in
bright lighting conditions are much better though,
with vibrant and accurate colours.
Screen 3 inches
HOW GOOD IS IT FOR

Landscapes +++++
You can t plenty in the frame at 24mm,

or use Panorama mode
Portraits +++++
Zoom bracketing lets you shoot
wide-angle and close-ups
Sports +++++
The long zoom is ideal for getting

close-ups of distant action
Low light +++++
Images suffer from digital noise at

relatively low ISO settings
Macro +++++
Super Macro mode lets you focus from

just 1cm away at wide angle
THE PROS & CONS

The 50x optical zoom is ideal for
shooting a range of different scenes
This superzoom is great value for money, with lots to

keep beginners occupied. However, image quality is
disappointing for a camera of this size.
Its easy to use and has plenty of

useful and creative features
VERDICT +++++
The low resolution LCD makes it

difficult to view the quality of your shots
Image quality suffers in low light and

is shaky at full zoom
ACCESSORIES
JOBY 3-Way Camera Strap
BUY
THIS IF
you w
ant a
flexible strap for
easy access to
your camera
JOBY 3-Way
Camera Strap
Carry your camera in three ways with just one strap
Many camera straps only offer one method of
carrying your camera, such as over your shoulder or
around your wrist. JOBY has set out to change all
this with their three-way strap that can quickly and
easily switch from a wrist strap to a neck or shoulder
strap in one uid motion. All you have to do is screw
the plate onto your camera and pull the strap to
extend it.
Once it is at your desired length, you just push a
button on the plate to lock it into position. Then
when you unlock it, it easily retracts back to its
original size, which is compact and lightweight
enough to slip into any kit bag or just leave attached
to your camera. When around your wrist, the strap
can also be adjusted by way of a small, red rubber
band stored on the plate. This is quite ddly to use
though, especially with one hand.
Considering a big portion of the strap consists
only of string, it feels surprisingly secure and is
strong enough to support a DSLR. However, it can

easily get twisted and tangled, and when carrying it
over your shoulder the camera tends to bounce and
swing about a bit, which leaves it prone to knocks
and bumps. It is quite comfortable to carry for long
periods though, as the fabric section is soft and
breathable around your wrist or neck and distributes
the weight evenly.
The design of the 3-Way Camera Strap is very
clever and JOBY appear to have thought of almost
everything to make it functional and easy to use.
However, it still feels quite imsy and unsubstantial
for the price.
THE INFO
Price 33/$40
Internal dimensions
220 x 34mm (wrist)
External dimensions
480 x 34mm (shoulder/neck)
Weight 52g
Capacity 2700g
Colours 1/4 screw
THE PROS & CONS

Quickly and easily switches between
three different carrying systems
The straps clever design gives you quick and easy

access to your camera so you wont miss a shot, but
it feels quite imsy for the price.
Comfortable to use and folds down

small so it is lightweight and portable
VERDICT +++++
It doesnt feel all that durable when

you consider the price
The string section seems flimsy and

can easily twist and tangle
ACCESSORIES
Travel photo kit
01
03
02
04
ACCESSORIES
Travel photo kit
Travel photo kit

Remember to pack these essential items
for improving your holiday snaps
1 Lowepro Passport Backpack Price 52/$65
2 XSories Mini Bendy with Pholder Price 24/$30
From the outside, this

camera backpack from
Lowepro (www.lowepro.com)
looks just like a regular
backpack, so it wont make it
obvious that youre carrying
around expensive kit.
However, inside is a padded
compartment that can store
and suitably protect a DSLR
and lens, an extra lens and
other accessories. The outer
bag doesnt feel particularly
If you want to shoot handsfree then a tripod is a must,

and this exible three-legged
friend from XSories (www.
xsories.co.uk) is a very
compact and lightweight
solution. Its short, so youll
need to nd somewhere
elevated for it to stand, but
the legs are exible so they
can easily x to a variety of
different surfaces. The legs
are quite stiff to bend, but
protective, and the camera

insert is loose inside, but it is
very lightweight so it wont
add bulk to your kit. Plus, if
you want to use the bag as a
regular backpack, you can
completely remove the
camera insert to do so. There
is plenty of space for more kit
and your personal belongings,
and a 13-inch laptop or tablet
will t comfortably inside the
back pocket.
BEST FOR: CARRYING GEAR
this makes them more study,

and the colourful padding
means that they are
comfortable to adjust. On top
of the ball head, which lets
you shoot at either
orientation, is a Pholder that
can be adjusted to hold a
variety of different
smartphones. However, this
can be unscrewed if you want
to shoot with a compact
camera instead.
BEST FOR: STEADYING SHOTS
3 Aquapac Mini Camera Case Price 35/$55
4 Samsung EVO 32GB memory card Price 25/$38
Unless your camera is

especially tough, then youll
be at risk of damaging it when
youre shooting around sand,
water or snow. To keep it
protected, you could try using
this special protective case
from Aquapac (www.
aquapac.net). It is easy to
seal your camera inside with
the two simple twist locks,
and you can then use it in
extreme conditions, even
Its incredibly annoying to run

out of space on your memory
card before your trip is over,
as you might miss out on a
fantastic photo opportunity.
Samsungs (www.samsung.
com/uk) 32GB EVO card can
store thousands of photos so
you wont have to worry about
saving space. It is UHS-1
enabled, which means that it
can capture photos and video
two times faster than your
underwater. Plus, if you

happen to drop it in the
ocean, it will oat so that you
can nd it again. The exible
material makes it easy to
access your cameras
functions and there is plenty
of space for the lens to zoom.
This case will hold most
standard compacts, but
smaller and larger options are
available to house many
different kinds of cameras.
BEST FOR: PROTECTING KIT

typical SD card, and it can

also transfer 360 photos per
minute, so you wont have to
wait long to view your shots
when you get home. You
wont have to worry about it
getting damaged either, as it
can survive up to 24 hours in
seawater, endure
temperatures from -25 to
85 Celsius and can even
survive being run over by a
1.9-ton vehicle.
BEST FOR: STORING PHOTOS

ACCESSORIES
Bags for CSCs
Bags for CSCs

Keep your compact system camera protected
with these stylish bags
02
01
03
1 Manfrotto Stile Vivace 10 Price 20/approx $34
2 Interceptor Messenger Price 40/approx $68
The Stile Vivace 10 from

Manfrotto (www.manfrotto.
co.uk) feels really well made
for its price, and has a stylish
yet functional design. It feels
rigid and protective, and
inside there is enough space
for a CSC and zoom lens.
Theres just about enough
room for an extra lens too,
but there is no padded insert
to protect it from the other kit
inside. Apart from the Velcro
Putting function over style,

Interceptors (www.
intro2020.co.uk) small
messenger bag is made of
waterproof tarpaulin so it will
protect your kit in wet
weather, but does have a
cheap, plastic feel. It is not
completely waterproof, as the
lid simply folds over and is
locked via Velcro and two
buckles, but you do get fast
access to your kit when you
pocket on the front, there is

not much in the way of extra
pockets for accessories as
this bag is very much
designed for one function
carrying your camera. It also
has just two carrying options:
the handle on the top, and
the xed shoulder strap,
which unfortunately lacks any
padding for added comfort.
+++++
need it. The bag is quite large

so it can store any CSC plus
several lenses, accessories
and personal belongings too,
and you can remove the
padded insert to use it as a
regular messenger bag if you
wish. Extra pockets are also
available, including one with a
water-resistant zipper, and
the shoulder strap is padded.
+++++
3 Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 10 Price 35/$45

If you want a bag that is just as compact
as your camera, then Think Tanks (www.
thinktankphoto.com) Mirrorless Mover 10
is just that. It will just about hold a slimline
CSC with compact lens, plus another small
lens at a push, but not a lot else. There are
a few extra pockets for your phone, spare
memory cards, and other essentials
though, and you can always buy the bigger
version instead if you have a larger camera.
The customisable padded interior and

supplied rain cover provide adequate
protection, but if you want quick access to
your gear, you can leave it unzipped and
use the magnetic ip lid instead. The bag
can be worn on your belt, but also comes
with an optional shoulder strap if you
prefer a different carrying option.
+++++
Imagine Publishing Ltd

Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill,
Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ
+44 (0)1202 586200
Web: www.photoforbeginners.com
www.greatdigitalmags.com
Magazine team
Deputy Editor Hayley Paterek
hayley.paterek@imagine-publishing.co.uk
01202 586276
Designer Benjamin Stanley

Senior Staff Writer Joanna Stass
Production Editor Alicea Francis
Editor in Chief Dan Hutchinson
Photographer James Sheppard
Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook
Publishing Director Aaron Asadi
Head of Design Ross Andrews
Contributors
Thomas Calton, Natalie Denton, Dani Dixon, Simon Skellon,
Amy Squibb, Jodie Tyley
Advertising
Digital or printed media packs are available on request.
Head of Sales Hang Deretz
01202 586442
Advertising Manager Alex Carnegie
01202 586430
alex.carnegie@imagine-publishing.co.uk
International
Photography for Beginners is available for licensing.
Contact the International department to discuss
partnership opportunities.
Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman
+44 (0)1202 586401
licensing@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Subscriptions
04
subscriptions@imagine-publishing.co.uk
For all subscription enquiries
Email: p4bsubs@servicehelpline.co.uk
(UK) 0844 245 6957
(Overseas) +44 (0)1795 592 815
13-issue subscription (UK) 52
13-issue subscription (Europe) 70
13-issue subscription (ROW) 80
Circulation
Head of Circulation Darren Pearce
01202 586200
Production
Production Director Jane Hawkins
01202 586200
Founders
Group Managing Director Damian Butt
Group Finance & Commercial Director Steven Boyd
Printing & Distribution

Printed by Wyndeham Heron, The Bentall Complex,
Colchester Road, Heybridge, Maldon, Essex CM9 4NW
Distributed in the UK, Eire & the Rest of the World by:
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Distributed in the Rest of the World by Marketforce, Blue Fin
Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU
0203 148 8105

Disclaimer
4 Booq Python Mirrorless Price 68/$80

The Python Mirrorless bag from booq
(www.booqbags.com) is exquisitely
designed and made, with a sturdy feel and
attractive nish. Although it is built to hold
a compact system camera, the bag is
quite big and bulky, but the protection
offered is second to none. With rigid
weatherproof walls and plenty of padding,
your camera will denitely be kept safe and
secure. There is enough space for a CSC
and two lenses plus plenty of other

pockets for additional small accessories
and a small tablet. Accessing your camera
isnt particularly quick, as you have to unzip
the top and then pull off the Velcro cover,
but again, this assures extra protection. It
even comes with a Terralinq serial number
to help you recover the bag if it gets lost.
+++++
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material

lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of
Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced
in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All
copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of
criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured to
ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability
may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in
any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material
to Imagine Publishing via post, email, social network or any other
means, you automatically grant Imagine Publishing an irrevocable,
perpetual, royalty-free license to use the material across its entire
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licensees for reproduction in international, licensed editions of Imagine
products. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although
every care is taken, neither Imagine Publishing nor its employees,
agents or subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage.
Imagine Publishing Ltd 2014
ISSN 2046-9845
CHEAT SHEET
Flowers
PHOTO CHEAT SHEET
Flowers
How to capture incredible close-ups
of vibrant owers with your camera
Flowers make excellent subjects if
youre keen to brush up on your macro
photography skills. Being stationary,
theres little chance of movement and
when in bloom, theyre incredibly bright,
vibrant and eye-catching. Whats more,
you can shoot them year-round both
indoors and out.
To guarantee great results, select
the flower icon on your cameras
mode dial, which represents
a close-up. This mode
enables you to focus
much closer to the
flower than you
would be able to in Auto mode, which

means you can compose stronger
macro shots that show much more
detail. Shoot in open shade if possible,
as bright direct sunlight can wash out
details up close.
ESSENTIAL FLOWER KNOW-HOW

Aperture
Shutter speed
ISO
Focus mode
Drive mode
Lens
Helpful kit
f8
1/200sec
200
AF
Single
60mm
Tripod, reector
To light the shot Shoot in open shade

outside or by a window indoors and use a reector
to bounce light into the shadow areas of the shot
Top Tip Photograph owers after a light rain

shower to capture water drops on the petals that
add extra texture and interest. Alternatively, add
them yourself indoors
Strong compositions Try shooting from

different angles to get more dynamic shots.
Crop in close for eye-catching results
MOVE INTO A NEW WORLD
Image courtesy of Damian McGillicuddy
GET A GRIP!
CLAIM GRIPS WITH TWO

AWARD-WINNING OM-D CAMERAS
Whether you opt for the pro-level OM-D E-M1 or the original classic
OM-D E-M5 you can claim a free grip worth up to 229.99 on
redemption when you purchase any qualifying body or kit.
Offer valid from 01/04/14 until 31/08/14. While stocks last. Terms and conditions apply.
Pickup a leaet in-store or visit olympus.co.uk/promotions for further details.
The experts are taken with

the Samsung NX30.
one of the most complete

feature-sets of any camera in its class.
Fantastic pictures, lovely ergonomics,

great connectivity.
What Digital Camera
Which?
Best CSC Advanced.

TIPA
Offers something
genuinely different.
Photography Blog
Find out how good the NX30 really is for yourself.

Search Samsung Speak Pictures
Image quality is excellent.

Ephotozine

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Plain English award winner Jargon-free photo magazine

Essential guides for Camer

mpact System Camera | iPad

Shoot & edit

IMAGE EDITING FUN PROJECTS NEW KIT RATED

Enhance your colour

Get creative with

The latest camera

01 TAKE BETTER SHOTS

02 TIPS FOR WILDLIFE

If youre ready to get out of auto but still nd

For more great photo tips, head to photoforbeginners.com

10 Win slideshow software

12 How to share your photos

14 Compacts with 4K video

16 Free vs paid software

17 Win a camera worth 400

46 Subscribe for free software

78 Your questions answered

82 Get to know your camera

84 Latest cameras reviewed

94 Essential travel photo kit

96 CSC camera bag round-up

98 Flower cheat sheet

Showcase your shots online

4 Photography for Beginners

DSLR: Usually more

Shutter speed: The

Aperture: The depth

18 24hr camera crash course

30 Steps to great wildlife shots

36 Tips for better compositions

Discover the top three composition rules

38 Shoot & share holiday shots

42 Creative portrait project

44 Capture a miniature scene

48 Tricks for low-light photos

50 Take detailed close-ups

54 Shoot & edit with VSCO cam

What to shoot &

56 Guide to great panoramas

66 Convert to black & white

68 Remove marks from photos

73 Order photo prints on the go

74 How to share shots on Flickr

76 Share shots wirelessly

For back issues & more go to

Tips on sharing straight from the camera

We love seeing your fantastic photos each

Full terms le online

Reader: Ian Fong

6 Photography for Beginners

Share your shots at: photoforbeginners.com

Photography for Beginners 7

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8 Photography for Beginners

ENTER NOW: Send your shots to pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk

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