TECHNIQUES  GEAR REVIEWS  INTERVIEWS  READERS PICTURES

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The magazine for people who love taking pictures
OCTOBER 2011

N D510IKON 0 KI T

W IN A

LOW LIGHT
40 pro tips for any situation
1 NG PRO TURNI TION SEC

THE SECRETS OF SUBTLE HDR

Make more natural-looking images

N6EW! -PAGE

BATTLE OF THE ENTRY LEVELS PART 2

The Nikon D3100 vs Canon EOS 1100D

VIVIAN MAIER
Find out what todays top street photographers think of the 20th-Century masters work
NEW SERIES!

DONT THROW YOUR TOYS OUT

We hit the streets with two new LOMO cameras

DIY PHOTOGRAPHER
Learn to take extreme macro shots using a simple Pringles can IN THIS ISSUE: G WILD BRITAIN: BUILD TANKS TO SHOOT POND LIFE G HOW TO USE NATURAL BACKLIGHTING G THE SCOTTISH CAIRNGORMS IN EVERY SEASON G PHOTO ESSAYS FROM IDEA TO EXECUTION PART 2

ISSUE 126
WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM

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

SMALL CAMERA. EPIC SHOTS.

The Lumix G3 amazed me, because I was shocked by the size of it. I need to be able to rely on my equipment and this delivers. The electronic viewnder helps you really compose the shot the way you want it. And with the exible screen, and wide range of interchangeable lenses available, the true beauty of it is it doesnt have any restrictions. It allows me to photograph the world the way I see it.

David Eustace Photographer

Explore Davids gallery from Yosemite, what inspired him and more on the Lumix G3 at www.panasonic.co.uk/lumixg
Lumix G3 supplied in various lens combinations, check with dealer for details.

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Lumix G3, 7mm (Fisheye), 1/640th sec, @ f 5.6, ISO 160.

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WELCOME
OCTOBER 2011 | ISSUE 126

FROM THE EDITOR

IN HIS GREAT SHORT STORY CAPTAIN STORMFIELDS VISIT TO HEAVEN, Mark Twains hero learns from the angel who guides him through the afterlife that writers are regarded as prophets in heaven. Astounded, Captain Stormfield asks: Was Shakespeare a prophet? Of course he was, the angel, Sandy, replies. And so was Homer, and heaps more. But Shakespeare and the rest have to walk behind a common tailor from Tennessee, by the name of Billings Seeing he is perplexed, the angel explains that the man who didnt get his reward on Earth, will get it here, sure. That is the heavenly justice of it That tailor Billings, from Tennessee, wrote poetry that Homer and Shakespeare couldn't begin to come up to; but nobody would print it..." That story has always stuck with me, and is why the life and work of Vivian Maier, featured on page 85, is so fascinating. She was one of the most prolific and significant street photographers of the last century, yet like that old tailor Billings, few people even knew of her work during her time on Earth. Discovery is an important tool in keeping us creative, and that is the theme of this months issue. From photographers Chris Townsend (page 82) and Andy Summers (page 38), who seek to show their local landscapes in inventive ways, to Paul Hobsons excellent guide to documenting the smaller, wetter worlds that exist around us (page 44), there are new perspectives to discover at every turn. Or perhaps its more gear in which you are interested. Why not ditch the DSLR for a day and try something a little more basic, like the two new LOMO cameras tested on page 94? Our DIY Photographer (page 110) will even show you how to take pictures using a Pringles can! Creativity doesnt have to cost a fortune. So give some of this months techniques a try; you might just discover a new photographer waiting to get out. PM

PM CONTRIBUTORS
Matt Golowczynski
Matt has been reviewing cameras and accessories for five years. He can often be found shooting Londons architectural hot spots, as well as local rock bands.

Fran Halsall
Fran specialises in the UK landscape and is working on a book about the diversity of British landforms. She has written two books and teaches courses in the Peak District.

Paul Hobson
Paul Hobson was a lecturer in environmental science for 20 years before becoming a full-time wildlife photographer, documenting wildlife in the East Midlands and Peak District.

Damian Drohan
Damian Drohan holds an MA in photojournalism and documentary photography, and works mainly with editorial clients, NGOs and ad agencies. His work has appeared in the Sunday Times and on the BBC.

Rachael DCruze
Rachael is an experienced photographer and journalist based in the South West of England. She contributes to publications ranging from The Guardian to Total Guitar magazine.

David Clark
David is a freelance journalist and author who has interviewed many of the worlds leading photographers. His most recent book, Photography in 100 Words, features 50 iconic images.

FRAN HALSALL

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REGULARS

CONTENTS

3 MEET THE PM CONTRIBUTORS

The faces behind the names who helped us to put this months issue together

6-7 THE GREAT BRITISH LANDSCAPE

Celebrating the UKs most stunning locations

8-11 PHOTOMONTH
The latest news to inspire and inform

14 PM IN DEPTH
We investigate the revolutionary Lytro camera

17-25 READERS GALLERY

Amazing pictures posted online by PM readers

78-79 READERS CHALLENGE

Win a prize by uploading your images to the gallery this month the theme is birds

122 TALES FROM AN AMERICAN CITY

New column by Chicago snapper Mike Innocenzi

PHOTO TECHNIQUES
28-37 40 PRO TIPS FOR LOW-LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY Rachael DCruze asks four pro photographers their tips on shooting in all types of low light 38-43 THE SECRETS OF SUBTLE HDR Andy Summers demonstrates how he brings a touch of realism to his HDR images 44-47 WILD BRITAIN Paul Hobson explains how to re-create a pond habitat to shoot a wide array of wildlife 51-54 USING BACKLIGHTING Nature photographer Fran Halsall shows which subjects work best when backlit 73-77 EVOLUTION OF A PHOTO ESSAY Damian Drohan reaches the shooting stage in his series on making a picture story
ANDY SUMMERS / GLEN UNSWORTH / KRISTOPHER GRUNERT

COVER IMAGE
Sunrise at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. Justin Minns; Canon EOS 50D, 10-20mm. PM Editor Jeff Meyer says: Justins colourful image illustrates perfectly the themes we wanted to convey in this months issue
[4] P H OTOGRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBER 2011

SUBSCRIBE
See pages 48-49 for this months fantastic special offer three issues for half-price!

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Page 28
Check out our extra 16-page section on page 55 for all you need to know if you want to turn pro

NEW!

WIN PRIZES
DONT MISS OUT SEE THE COMPETITIONS ON PAGES 12, 25, 72 and 78
Page 94

INTERVIEWS
82-84 CHRIS TOWNSEND
The Cairngorms-based photographer describes how he captures the regions moods all year round

85-88 VIVIAN MAIER RETROSPECTIVE

Contemporary street photographers tell of their admiration for the Chicago nanny who shot thousands of images of post-war America

PHOTO GEAR
92-93 NEW KIT ON THE BLOCK
From HD video-capable digital binoculars to a slew of new cameras from Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony, we have all the months new gear

94-100 LOMO PHOTOGRAPHY

Matt Golowczynski takes the old-fashioned route to street photography

101-107 HEAD TO HEAD: CANON EOS 1100D VS NIKON D3100

We put two more entry-level DSLRs from Nikon and Canon through their paces

108 PM DEALS OF THE MONTH

We round up the best bargains in cameras, lenses, bags and accessories

110-111 THE DIY PHOTOGRAPHER

Haje Jan Kamps shows how to turn a Pringles can into an extension tube for macro photography
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THE GREAT BRITISH LANDSCAPE

Celebrating our nations stunning panoramas as they change through the seasons

To see more of Chris Townsends work, go to page 82 to read an interview with him about his latest book, A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms.

CAIRN GORM VIA CAIRN LOCHAN

HOW TO GET THERE Aviemore is easily accessible via the A9 road and is served by regular buses and trains. The nearest airport is Inverness, about a 45-minute drive away. WEATHER Daily forecasts are available from the Mountain Weather Information Service for the Cairngorms National Park. www.mwis.org.uk PARKING Use the ski centres Coire Cas car park as a starting point. Cairn Gorm Ski Area, Aviemore PH22 1RB, 01479 861261. www.cairngormmountain.org EATING Located at the top station on Cairn Gorm mountain railway, the Ptarmigan Restaurant is the highest in the UK at 1,097m above sea level, with spectacular views across Scotland. It is a great place to stop and eat or drink. 01479 861341. ACCOMMODATION The Cairngorm Hotel, Aviemore, has rooms with stunning views across the Spey Valley to the Cairngorm Mountains or to the great rock of Craigellachie. Twin or double rooms from 47.50 per person, per night. Grampian Road, Aviemore PH22 1PE, 01479 810233. www.cairngorm.com

CHRIS TOWNSEND

[6] P HOTOGRAPHY MO NTHLY OCTOBER 2011

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INSPIRATION

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OCTOBER CHRIS TOWNSEND
THE STORY BEHIND THIS SHOT
On a dull September day with frequent rain showers and a strong, gusty wind I walked round the rim of the Northern Corries of Cairn Gorm. The sky was overcast and uninteresting, and distant views poorly lit. However, from the edge of the cliffs of Cairn Lochan I looked down a gully to the lochan in Coire [ravine] an Lochan and saw the white streaks of rain-swollen streams rushing down the far slopes. Combining these with the rough texture of the granite rocks right next to me made for a dramatic composition with an amazing sense of depth. Buffeted by the wind I needed a fairly fast shutter speed for sharpness, so I upped the ISO to400 and took the picture at 1/250sec at f/5.6 with a focal length of 29mm.

LOCATION
Cairn Lochan is situated on the northern edge of the Cairngorms looking over Glenmore to Strathspey. The 1,215 metre summit can be reached most easily from the car park in Coire Cas at the end of the road from Aviemore. From the car park take the path through the ski resort and then up the Fiacaill aChoire Chais to the Cairngorm Plateau. From there you can follow the plateaus northern rim over Stob Coire an t-Sneachda to Cairn Lochan. The picture was taken near the cairn [pile of stones] at the summit. PM

Cairng Invern orms, ess-Sh ire

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Enjoying the view Aran Fawddwy, Snowdonia

ONLINE For more inspiration

and ideas for October visit the website at www.photography monthly.com

JULIAN CARTWRIGHT

READERS CHALLENGE

WI NN ER

PHOTOGRAPHY WALKS
If you want to go on a photographic adventure, why not check out Hi-Tecs website, where you can find walks in every region of the UK? As well as providing information and links, Hi-Tec is encouraging visitors to upload their own images to its image wall for inclusion in its Inspire Me photography competition. This was launched in April this year and a winner is selected each month to receive a pair of Hi-Tec walking boots. At the end of the first year all 12 monthly winning images will go head to head and an Ultimate winner announced, who will walk away with a fantastic HF Holidays family walking holiday worth more than 1,000. For information on walks or to enter the competition, visit www.hi-tec.com

Congratulations to Matt Ellis for his image, Car ride, which is the winner of our September Readers Challenge.

AUDREY ROWLATT

Woody Bay, looking towards Lynton, north Devon

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXPOSED

This new DVD from pro Mike Browne has been endorsed by the likes of wildlife expert Chris Packham and offers a range of tutorials, such as what kit to buy and topics including depth of field, autofocus, ISO and the fundamentals of composition and light. Aimed at beginners and enthusiasts, the DVD was filmed entirely on Boscombe Beach, in Bournemouth, and is available from www.photographycourses.biz/ competition priced 29.99.
[8] P HOTOGRAP HY MO NTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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EACH MONTH WE SEARCH THE INTERNET AND TRAWL THE PHOTOGRAPHIC INDUSTRY TO BRING YOU OUR PICK OF THE MONTHS NEWS TO INSPIRE AND INFORM

PHOTOMONTH

MUSIC BOX: GINO CASTALDO

New from Thames and Hudson, Music Box: Photographing the All-Time Greats, by Gino Castaldo, showcases more than 450 intimate photographs of iconic musicians. Arranged in thematic chapters, the book is full of captivating and alluring images of musics greatest names. A great book for music and photography lovers alike, it is released this October and is available from www.thamesandhudson.com priced 19.95.

CALENDAR COMPETITION WINNERS

Having received more than 1,200 entries to its photographic competition, the South West Coast Path Association has selected the winning images for its 2012 West Country Calendar. Featuring stunning views from the South West Coast Path, the calendar will be available from the SWCPA website, WHSmith and various outlets in the West Country, priced 7.50 a percentage of which will go towards path improvement projects. www.swcpa.co.uk
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YOUR IMAGINATION

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JEREMY MOORE

Cregennan lakes, near Dolgellau, Snowdonia

AUTUMN IN SNOWDONIA INSPIRES PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE

The stunning autumn landscapes and wildlife of Snowdonia National Park have inspired a new weekend photography course. The Slate Shed bed and breakfast at Graig Wen, Arthog, near Dolgellau has joined forces with professional photographer Jeremy Moore to organise the course, which has 10 places available, and will run from 13-16 October. The three-night stay at Graig Wen includes two full days of photographic tuition and trips. The course costs 300 per person for two people sharing a double or twin room, or 345 per person for single occupancy of a room. For further details contact Sarah on 0134 125 0482 or email sarah@graigwen.co.uk Bookings must be made by 15 September. Examples of Jeremy Moores photography can be seen at www.wild-wales.com

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE RAW

Award-winning photographer David Notons new DVD is now available in high definition Blu-ray. The DVD follows David on his quest for photographic fulfilment and improvement. Starting by shooting at dawn in Avebury, Wiltshire, he moves on to various other subjects and locations, including Snowdonia and France. Throughout the DVD David examines the fundamentals of how to improve as a photographer, how to produce the best pictures possible and how to make the most of a photographic opportunity. Photography in the Raw is priced at 24 plus p&p (PAL) and 32.40 plus p&p (HD) and is available from www.davidnoton.com

APPS WE LIKE THIS MONTH

You can buy a current issue of Photography Monthly or sister title Professional Photographer from our new website www.buyamag.co.uk If you do not wish to become a subscriber you can even pre-order future editions so you never miss a copy of your favourite magazine again. Postage in the UK is free and by pre-ordering you will get your copy before it goes on sale in the shops.

Camera ZOOM FX: Available from android market this app features more than 40 photo effects, timers, zoom tools and much more. With an amazing 10 million downloads to date this app is popular and great fun. The app also links up to your Twitter and Facebook accounts, making uploading simple and quick. Priced 1.99. Photographers Contract Maker: This app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad allows photographers to create, edit and store contracts, including model release forms. The app allows models to sign on the touch screen and automatically saves all date and time information. Available from iTunes, priced at $1.99 (1.21).

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DONT MISS THIS CHANCE TO WIN A NIKON D5100 TWIN LENS KIT WITH PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY

COMPETITION
WIN A NIKON D5100 TWIN LENS KIT, WORTH A TOTAL OF 1,157.98
For your chance to be the winner of this months fantastic prize, submit your best natural light portrait on our website

WIN!

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO TRY SOMETHING NEW WITH THEIR PHOTOGRAPHY, the Nikon D5100 is designed to inspire your creative side, with its special effects modes, full HD movie and 16.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS image sensor. Packed into a lightweight, ergonomic body, the D5100 features a swing-out, vari-angle screen which allows you to capture still images and movies from any angle. Along with the Nikon D5100 in the twin lens kit is the popular 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR DX standard lens and the versatile 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR, which is perfect for portraits as well as wildlife, and youre all set to capture amazing images in a range of situations. For more information about Nikon products visit www.nikon.co.uk and to sign up to receive the manufacturers monthly newsletters visit www.welcometonikon.co.uk

HOW TO WIN
Inspired by the 55-300mm lenss ability to take great portraits, we wanted to celebrate portraiture, so we have come up with a picture-based competition on the theme of natural light portraits to give you a chance at winning the kit above. Subjects must be human and be lit with natural light, but there are no other restrictions. Submit your best single image that you believe represents this theme, and a winner will be chosen by the editorial team at Photography Monthly. The deadline for entries is 10 October 2011.

NIKON D5100
PRICE: MEGAPIXELS: ISO RANGE: HD MOVIES: AF: MAX BURST RATE:

www.nikon.co.uk

669.99 (body only) 16.2 100-6400 (expandable to ISO 25,600 equivalent) 1,920 x 1,080p movies 11 points (one cross-type) 4fps

HOW TO ENTER
Simply go to our website www.photographymonthly.com, click on the Competitions tab at the top of the page and upload your natural light portrait. If you are not yet a member of our site, its free to join and takes just a few simple clicks. PM

[1 2] P HOTO GRAPH Y MONTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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

PM IN DEPTH...
Using what it calls light field technology that aims to capture the colour, intensity and vector direction of the rays of light, the company plans to launch its first light field camera later this year. We caught up with Lytros resident photographer, director of photography Eric Cheng, to find out what this potentially revolutionary camera will offer photographers like you. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE LIGHT FIELD? EC: The light field is a core concept in imaging science. The light field fully defines how a scene appears, from the foreground to the background and everything in between. In other words, the light field is all the light travelling in every direction in every point in space. Unlike regular digital or film cameras, which can only record a scene in two dimensions, light field cameras capture all of this additional information. With the full light field data, these cameras have capabilities that conventional ones do not possess, such as focusing a picture after the fact. WHERE DID THE LIGHT FIELD CAMERA ORIGINATE? EC: When using his DSLR to take photos of a friends five-year-old daughter, our CEO, Ren Ng, felt that its shutter was too slow to capture a moment and the lens focused on the wrong point in a scene. Annoyed with his camera, Ren focused his research on miniaturising light field photography technology into something that would no longer require 100 computers in a room tethered to a supercomputer, but rather a camera that could fit in a pocket and allow everyday consumers to benefit from light field technology. HOW DO LIGHT FIELD SENSORS DIFFER FROM TRADITIONAL TYPES? EC: A light field sensor captures the colour, intensity and vector direction of light rays. Traditional sensors in conventional cameras do not do this. ARE PHOTOGRAPHERS READY TO FORGET FOCUSING? EC: We think photographers will always be interested in great compositions. While light field cameras make it easier for everyday consumers to focus pictures after the fact, for the camera enthusiast, the creative opportunities of the light field are tremendous. Unbound from the constraints of depicting a multi-dimensional world with 2D tools, we are seeing professionals such as [photojournalist] Richard Koci Hernandez and [nature photographer] Jason Bradley explore new artistic avenues. IN ADDITION TO FOCUSING, WHAT OTHER ADVANTAGES DO THESE SENSORS OFFER? EC: There are four other key advantages. Unparalleled speed: This camera is fast. Since the camera doesnt focus before a photo is taken, you dont miss important moments due to autofocus shutter lag. Living pictures: When shared online, both the photographer and viewer can play with Lytro pictures, including changing the focus. Low-light sensitivity: By using all of the available light in a scene, Lytro cameras perform well in low-light environments without the use of a flash. Immersive 3D: Using the full light field, Lytro cameras will allow you to switch easily between 2D and 3D views or shift the perspective of a scene. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE CAMERAS CHANGING THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT PICTURES? EC: We are for the first time able to create living pictures moments that dont die with the shutter snap. Living pictures enable you, your friends and family to relive a moment how you experienced it the first time. We hope that living pictures will give photographers a new creative avenue for taking pictures, letting them express themselves with an entirely new way of capturing a scene. As more people take light field pictures, we are excited for the tremendous creativity that the camera will unleash. ARE THERE CERTAIN GENRES IN PARTICULAR WHERE YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE POPULAR? EC: We anticipate professional photographers will be interested in Lytro and want to own it as part of their kit. However, we anticipate this technology will be most popular with amateur photographers, who are interested in trying a new way to capture and share a moment. DO YOU BELIEVE LIGHT FIELD CAMERAS WILL EVENTUALLY REPLACE SLRS? Professional photographers tend to stay on top of the latest trends in technology and we are sure many will

SHOOT FIRST, FOCUS LATER WITH LIGHT FIELD CAMERA

Earlier this year California-based start-up firm Lytro stole technology page headlines and took away the collective breath of photographers everywhere after announcing it had developed a camera that allows you to determine your point of focus after you have taken a picture

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

...and you can change the point of focus

be interested in owning a Lytro as part of their camera kit. The pro photographers who have been beta testing our camera have been blown away by the creative opportunities this new kind of photography affords. IF NEWS PUBLICATIONS ADOPT THE LIGHT FIELD CAMERA, HOW WILL READERS VIEW THE IMAGES? EC: Lytro living images include the Lytro light field engine wherever they are viewed whether on a PC, mobile or on the Web. Lytro is tapping into modern Web technologies such as Flash and HTML5 to let people share and interact with living pictures without needing to download any additional software. So, if a newspaper chose to digitally publish a photograph taken with a Lytro camera, editors would be able to publish a living photograph for readers. PM For more information and to see a gallery of Lytros living pictures visit www.lytro.com

[14] PH OTO GRAPHY MO NTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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READERSGALLERY
ED IT OR S

Upload your images to www.photographymonthly.com we choose the best and publish them the following month

CH OI CE

IMAGE OF THE MONTH

A great portrait is all about the eyes and the connection between the subject and the photographer. Yamans portrait shows a subject who is fully engaged with the camera, staring intently into his lens. Missing no detail, from her hair to the reflections in the catchlight in her eyes, Yamans image has it all.

Jeff Meyer, Editor

Yaman Ibrahim Azlina Nikon D3 85mm

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Froilan Abalos With Mommy Canon EOS400D Sigma 70-300mm

Ben Moore Baby hold Canon EOS 5D 70mm

[18] P HOTOGRAP HY MONTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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Mohamed Taher Sleepy eyes Nikon D700 50mm

Clive Surman My daughters eye Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon 100mm

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Glen Unsworth Rusty view Canon EOS 500D Canon 18-200mm

Mark Egerton Bored Nikon D70 50mm

Gosia Wlodarczyk Poppy Nikon D700 85mm

[20] P H OTO GRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBER 2011

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Julie Janes Keeping an eye out Canon EOS 5D 500mm

Rory McDonald In close Nikon D300 Nikkor 105mm macro

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> READY FOR A FIGHT?
To hear some photographers talking about the pros and cons of compact systems versus SLRs, youd think there was a war on. Compact system fans have told us size and weight are worth ghting for, but have been clamouring for Micro Four Thirds prime lenses with a fast aperture to get great portraits. DSLR devotees insist that theres no middle ground if youre after a shallow depth of eld and attering perspective. We think theyre missing a trick. Lets face it, most of us would rather not lug three kilos of body and glass around to get a great portrait on the move. So weve achieved what everyone said was impossible. Allow us to introduce the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm F1.8 lens. Its equivalent to a classic 90mm portrait lens in 35mm terms. Thanks to our legendary optical skills you can get delicious background fuzziness and ultra-sharp foreground detail at maximum aperture. And since the focusing speeds of the latest PEN range now match or exceed those of far larger and pricier SLRs, theres now a rather convincing argument for switching sides. But since pictures speak louder than words, take a look at the evidence. Abigail Steed used a PEN and the 45mm F1.8 to take this shot. And the best part? This lens is available at less than 270 and will t any Micro Four Thirds body, including the new PENs. In short, theres now a powerful, affordable, pocket-sized portrait tool. We reckon weve won this battle. But trust us, we still havent nished ghting. www.olympus.co.uk/pen

NEW

PEN mini

PEN Lite

PEN

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

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Keith Cooper Puffin in flight Nikon D200 500mm

Devendra Dube Catching the drops Nikon D3100 55-200mm

[24] P H OTO GRAP HY MON THLY OCTOBE R 2011

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Lucie Averill Cloud Play II Canon EOS 7D Sigma 10-20mm

UPLOAD

Paul Cullen Lindisfarne Castle Sony A900 28-80mm

&WIN!
IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR IMAGES IN THE MAGAZINE and to have the opportunity to win an 8GB Lexar Professional memory card and reader, visit www.photographymonthly.com and upload your favourite images. We will choose the best work uploaded each month for inclusion in the magazine, and the Editors Choice will win a card and reader. SD or CF, the choice is yours.

WIN!

If you want the ultimate in memory cards, look no further than Lexars Professional range. Even if you shoot at machine-gun speeds, theyll keep up; the 133x SDHC cards can sustain write speeds of 20Mbps, while the 400x CF cards are even faster, at 60Mbps and at that rate you will need their 8GB capacity. Thats room for more than 5,000 RAW files from a 10-megapixel DSLR. So, if you want to shoot away unhampered, secure in the knowledge that your pictures are being stored safely, start uploading your images to www.photographymonthly.com For more details visit www.lexar.com

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PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHARE THEIR TIPS TO INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE

PM TECHNIQUES
This is where you will find technical advice and inspiration to help you become the photographer you want to be. Each month we speak to photographers at the top of their field and ask them to pass on the knowledge you need to shoot in often difficult technical situations

GO ONLINE For more techniques

and advice visit www.photography monthly.com

IN THIS SECTION
28-37 40 TIPS FOR LOW LIGHT
Rachael DCruze reveals 40 tips from the pros for shooting in nearly any low-light condition

38-43 SECRETS OF SUBTLE HDR

Andy Summers tells Jeff Meyer his method for make realistic-looking HDR images

44-47 ON GOLDEN PONDS

Paul Hobson continues his Wild Britain series by showing how to recreate a pond habitat

51-54 HEAD FOR THE LIGHT

Nature photographer Fran Halsall reveals what subjects work best when backlit
ANDY SUMMERS

73-77 PLANNING A PHOTO ESSAY

Damian Drohan continues with part two of his series on planning and executing a picture story

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RACHAEL DCRUZE SHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT

40 PRO TIPS
From gear and settings to split-lighting and dressing your models in white, RACHAEL DCRUZE talks to four low-light-loving pro photographers and discovers their secrets

FOR SUCCESSFUL LOW-LIGHT SHOTS

Altocumulus pier

JASON SWAIN

ow many times have we heard the old adage photography is all about light? Thousands, but its true light makes every photograph. When we have an abundance of favourable light, theres no denying that it becomes easier to take a good shot. That doesnt mean you have to stop shooting when the

light starts to disappear or avoid low-light photography altogether, though; things just get a bit trickier and you have to know how to set up your camera to make the most of the failing light. Armed with the right techniques and advice you can explore the possibilities opened up by low-light conditions and

get some enviable shots that wouldnt be possible in conventionally perfect lighting conditions. In the following pages we will meet four professional photographers who actively seek out low light in their daily work and are keen to share their tips for making strong images when the light is weak.

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DANNY PAYNE
www.dannypaynephotography.com

MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHER
SHOOT MANUAL
Assisted exposure programs can be useful, especially if you have only got a three-song limit [shooting a rock concert] and dont have the time to get your settings right. But the results can often be sketchy, so you shouldnt rely on them. If you shoot manual and monitor your exposure in the viewfinder, you can tweak your settings on the fly and you are safe in the knowledge that some random strobe isnt going to drop your exposure into darkness.

SINGLE-POINT AF
When shooting with a fast lens in dark conditions, getting sharp shots can prove tricky. Shooting at f/2.8 gives you an increased depth of field, so you need more control over what you are focusing on. Using single-point AF allows you to focus on a specific point, so you can get a clean shot of an artists face rather than the guitar headstock.

GET A GRIP
Instead of holding your lens with your thumb and forefinger, hold bigger/heavier lenses like a bowl of soup cradle them in your hands, so the lens is held by all of your fingertips, over a large area of the lens, to distribute the weight. You should notice a real difference in the clarity of your shots when you start using this technique. Remember also to keep your elbows in to reduce lens shake.

KEEP AN EYE OUT

Shoot with both eyes open. Its a tricky skill to master, but watching the action on stage with both eyes allows you to use your left eye to monitor what is going on that your lens cannot see.

BIOGRAPHY
Danny Payne is a freelance music photographer based in West Yorkshire and is a regular contributor to Clash magazine. See more of his work and find out about future exhibitions on his website.

DANNY PAYNE

KISS

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SHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT RACHAEL DCRUZE
Paul Weller

GEEK UP ON YOUTUBE
If the band you are shooting is in the middle of a tour, why not see what footage is kicking around on the internet? Knowing what to expect helps you to prepare where people will be standing, what the lighting will be like in each song and so on. The more prepared you are, the better.

LISTEN
Pay attention to the music while you are shooting. When the music builds to a key point in the song, you can normally expect someone in the band to react with a jump or some form of energetic expression. Generally, lighting tends to follow the same pattern as the song, so when you hear a massive chorus of a bands anthem, expect the lights to be at their best too.

FIND THE LIGHTS

The Subways

Understanding your environment is key to great music shots. Before a show, find out where the main lights are so you can position yourself accordingly and make the most of their effects.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

Microphones are evil. Sometimes its better to shoot key figures away from the microphone. There are a couple of reasons for this: firstly, more often than not, microphones act as a magnet for autofocus; secondly, you can often get unique or more natural shots of people when they are not singing. Bear in mind everyone else shooting the same gig as you will have a picture of the singer singing, but what they might not have is the cheeky grin he throws at the guitarist when he notices he has messed up his solo.

GET FAMILIAR
Foo Fighters

You need to know your camera inside-out to be able to make changes to your equipment quickly you do not want to miss a great shot because it has taken you too long to change settings. If possible, take two cameras into the pit at a gig, so you have a backup should something go wrong.

BE ARTISTIC
Sometimes tough light forces you to push the envelope slightly and can result in more creative and expressive shots. Strobe lighting, silhouettes and lens flare are just a few things that occur regularly at gigs, so it is worth using these instead of waiting for a burst of white light on the vocalist that may never appear. You need to make the most of the situation you are in and utilise all possible light to come away with something special.
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KRISTOPHER GRUNERT
www.grunertimaging.com

Guangzhou Opera House, China

ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHER
BRING A FRIEND
Before heading out on a shoot, make a conscious decision as to whether or not you should invite anyone else along. A solo mission can be rewarding, but collaboration is also invigorating. Safety should always be the deciding factor, so if you choose to go out alone, be sure always to tell someone your destination and when you plan to return.

PACK WELL
Besides the necessary camera equipment and accessories, be sure to take water, appropriate clothing, and perhaps a snack. You should feel comfortable, so that you are able to focus solely on the image-making process. If you are hot or cold, hungry or thirsty you may not find inspiration in your subject, even if its there.

FIND THE LIGHT PATH

When you arrive at the location for your shoot get familiar with the proper orientation of the site in relation to the path of the Sun and/or Moon. You do not necessarily have to have a compass, but it does help. When necessary, I use the Sun Seeker app on my iPhone, which accurately illustrates the path of the Sun and Moon at any one place on a given day. The light should lead you and your curiosity should propel you. Observe it, learn and remember. Trust your intuition as it guides you around or through the structure.

Wu Jiao Chang, Shanghai

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

KRISTOPHER GRUNERT

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SHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT RACHAEL DCRUZE
Macau Science Centre, China

COMPRESS
You will be using longer exposures because of the lack of light, so be aware that essentially you are compressing time on to a single frame. Think of how you can use this technique to make a more exciting photograph. It is important to eliminate any camera movement, so use a sturdy tripod and a shutter release to reduce camera shake. I use a remote release and set the delay timer appropriately to make sure my images are sharp. If your exposure is between 1/60sec and five seconds you may also want to use mirror lock-up to avoid any internal camera vibration.

USE YOUR CAR

Try capturing the movement of light. Vehicle headlights can even make a biscuit cutter warehouse look interesting. If there are no vehicles, have a friend drive through your scene a few times.

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES
Take multiple exposures without moving your tripod. Personally, I dont use dedicated HDR software, but from time to time I will layer two exposures together and use a layer mask to paint in areas of the image that exceed the latitude of a single exposure.

SHOOT IN ALL WEATHERS

Dont be afraid to shoot in the rain. If it isnt pouring there will be minimal softening of the image, and surface reflection will add drama to your shots. Protect your camera but dont hesitate to take an exposure or two if a few drops land on your lens, because this can also add interest.

Shanghai World Financial Centre

SHOOT RAW
We say it a lot, but people often forget. Always shoot RAW so that you can adjust white balance later, if needed. This will maximise your chances of getting more keeper shots.

MOVE FAST
If shooting at dusk the light will remain longer in the west. Work around the building shooting from east to west. If you are shooting just before dawn, then go west to east. Remember that the light changes very quickly during these times so be prepared to move at speed.

UNWANTED WATER
Beware of lawn sprinklers! They are often scheduled to turn on after dark and can give you quite a shock.
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M I S S A NI E L A
www.missanielablog.com

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
KEEP IT STEADY
As a general rule, for sharp images in low light you should use a tripod when the shutter speed is greater than the inverse of the lens focal length (for example, if you are using a 50mm lens and the shutter speed is 1/50sec or longer).

GO MORE SLOWLY
I dont always want to obtain correct focus/sharpness, and I often deliberately shoot at a slower shutter speed than the norm for the context to obtain the effect of movement within the camera, like in my image An impromptu performance, shot at a focal length of 14mm at 1/15sec, f/2.8. The dresss brushstroke-like effect on this self-portrait was achieved in-camera by jumping into the air as the shutter released on a timer.

IMPROVISE WITH LIGHT

If you are using ambient light it can be fun to explore the different improvised lighting sources candles, lamps, torches etc. An impromptu performance was shot only with the light from the overhead ceiling fitting in a dark corridor at home. The final composite was created by bringing together three figures all shot in the same spot and processing the complete image to make the whole surroundings appear darker.

BIOGRAPHY
Internationally exhibited photographer and published author Miss Aniela runs workshops teaching the construction of a trick-levitation image, from shoot to edit. Her workshops for the rest of 2011 are taking place in Edinburgh on 25 September, and Londonon 1 October. Miss Aniela also runs Shoot Experiences for photographers of all levels to capture a range of fully styled models in big locations. Shoot your own fashion portraits with a range of lighting techniques and guidance on hand. Everything from props to lighting equipment and lunch is supplied and participants get full rights release to their images. The next Shoot Experiences are taking place in London on 22 and 23 October. For prices and to book a place, email contact@missaniela.com or see www.missanielablog.com/events

MISS ANIELA

In the laboratory

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SHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT RACHAEL DCRUZE
DRESS LIGHT
When shooting with any kind of low lighting, especially if you are making use of ambient or improvised light sources, it is appropriate to shoot with outfits that are pale or white, and that will reflect effectively that ambient light available. The same principle can apply to pale/white flesh. be transformed with the strategic use of a reflector. The reflector can take that small amount of diffused light entering the scene and point it back at the subject, even and diffused, making the subject stand out against a dark background even more, exaggerating the light falloff. capturing motion blur, which can be used to creative effect, even as one composited part of an image, and not always the entire frame.

SHOOT HDR
What if you want to shoot a static, sharp portrait, but not with a dark background? Why not shoot more than one exposure to bring together into the same image? This is the notion of HDR images. [For more on how to make subtle HDR images, see our feature starting on page 38]. This is appropriate when shooting high-contrast situations with dark areas in the frame, rather than a completely dark scene overall. Set your camera to auto-bracketing mode and use a tripod. The exposures can be merged in Photomatix or in Photoshops Merge to HDR function .

USE MOTION USE A REFLECTOR

A source of light in a low-key situation could be a waning sunset, or a beam through a skylight, which can Slow shutter speeds combined with motion is a highly intriguing terrain to explore in all kinds of lighting, but in low light there is the added dimension of

COMPOSITE DIFFERENT PIECES

My shot Suspended uses the principle of HDR to tackle a difficult lighting situation. I was shooting a trick image of a girl hanging, under a spotlight on a theatre stage, which was very bright compared to the auditorium. Shooting three exposures resulted in too much ghosting around the hanging girl. Instead, I simply captured the model in one shot exposed for the spotlight, and shot one longer exposure for the background, with my camera mounted on a tripod between the shots. I merged the background into the final image as a layer mask in Photoshop.

SPLIT-LIGHT WITH FLASH

Suspended An impromptu performance

One of the ways I use flash lighting in a low-key image is to position the flash to one side of the subject, in a split-lighting technique, which has the advantage of heightening their stature and giving a cinematic atmosphere, but with subtlety. I shot In the laboratory in this manner, positioning a TritonFlash light inside a room to the right in this abandoned building, so that it entered the dark corridor in the same manner as the dim natural light that was coming in from that doorway. It is a way of injecting enough illumination into the scene to give the subjects eyes catchlights.

CONSTANT LIGHTING
I consider constant lighting to be an exciting continuation of all those improvised tungsten sources I have used, but a more controlled way of illuminating a scene by eye. With a constant light positioned to one side, you can light a model in a high-contrast fall-off from one side of her to the other.
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JASON SWAIN
www.jasonswain.co.uk

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER
INVEST
If one of the more expensive prime lenses is beyond your budget, consider the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 it is a versatile lens and still the first one in my bag. This lens offers great value for money, even after all these years. Shooting at such a wide angle (10mm) really grabs a lot of sky, making the most of any available light out there as well as giving you that ultra-wide look.

DRAMATIC MONO
When the colour is draining from the sky, abandon colour shots and go for dramatic black and whites instead. If you are having trouble visualising what your landscape will look like in mono, set the picture style to monochrome in Live View mode and preview how it will look.

FILTER IT
ND filters are useful for retaining details in the foreground when shooting into a relatively bright sky, so always carry a set with you. Dont be afraid not to use them, however. Shooting without them will help to silhouette foreground features for dramatic effects in low-light shooting.

INCREASE YOUR SPEED

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

DITCH THE TRIPOD

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

BIOGRAPHY
Based on the Isle of Wight, Jason Swain specialises in fine-art landscapes and action/lifestyle photography with the common theme of the islands beautiful coastline. See more of Jasons portfolio on his website.

Focus

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SHOOTING IN LOW LIGHT RACHAEL DCRUZE
Gulls twilight

HAND-HOLD PROPERLY
Faster and brighter lenses and higher shutter speeds really help when you are capturing low-light landscapes. And dont forget to try the different IS (OS) modes on your lenses. If you havent got a lens with that option, you can always use the ground or wall as a makeshift tripod, which gives you the bonus of getting a unique point of view for the shot.
Man

CREATE COMPOSITES
Sometimes I like to create composite landscapes in low light. Experimenting is key to success here. If you want focus to remain consistent, then shoot at a lower shutter speed for the darker areas, but you can also try the same shutter speeds with different aperture settings to manufacture a depth of field that might normally be beyond your lenss capability.

ACCEPT SOME UNDEREXPOSURE

Remember that with low-light landscapes the whole point is to embrace the gathering darkness and celebrate the last rays of light and the reflections on the waters surface. Dont use fill-flash, just accept that some areas will stay underexposed. You are interested in the highlights and having them remain natural, and for the whole scene to feel natural, moving away from the computer-generated feel of HDR imagery.

TAKE YOUR TIME

Dont rush into your shot; I often like to sit and enjoy the sunset before getting the camera out, only taking pictures once the sun has gone below the horizon. This also helps me to notice the little details that I want to include later in my composition.

USE REFLECTIONS
Im not necessarily looking for perfect symmetry when I include reflections, but I do often use the reflections to help create leading lines and draw the eye to where I want the focus of the shot to be. PM
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THE SECRETS OF SUBTLE HDR

High dynamic range images are one of the more popular forms of photography, but most would agree these have a tendency to look a little unnatural. Photographer and PM reader ANDY SUMMERS has made it his mission to bring a bit of realism to the art form. He tells PM Editor JEFF MEYER his method for making a subtle HDR image

BIOGRAPHY
An account director for a business information services company by day, Andy is a landscape photographer in his spare time, specialising in wide-format panoramas and, of course, realistic-looking HDR images. One day he would like to make the leap and go pro. www.panoramio.com/user/221689
Stonehaven Harbour

ANDY SUMMERS

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MAKE NATURAL-LOOKING HDR ANDY SUMMERS

sk someone if they have tried HDR and they will probably look around to see whos listening. It is one of those niches that carry a certain stigma like romance novels are to fiction. Yet look online at any of the photo-sharing websites such as Flickr and the sheer ubiquity of posted HDR images suggests the style is wildly popular. So why is it that so few people own up to being HDR photographers? Perhaps it is because the majority of pictures we see are unrealistic: heavy, oversaturated tones mixed with unnatural extremes of light often overshadow the natural beauty that motivated us to take the picture in the first place. Andy Summers knows a thing or two about being overshadowed. Sharing a name with the guitarist from The Police, who also happens to be a talented photographer in his own right, means it can sometimes be difficult to find his sublimely subtle HDR images online without wading first through a stack of links celebrating Stings old bandmate. Nevertheless, the Scottish photographer and PM reader doesnt let the coincidence get to him. Patience is his mantra and this translates into practice when he photographs the natural beauty around his village of Killearn, in central Scotland. Andy is a keen supporter of high dynamic range images, but it has

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the perfect location.

Learning to use a map and compass confidently can be an extremely liberating experience, allowing you to get to where you want to quickly and safely. Once mastered, effective navigation skills can open up the mountains for you, allowing you to confidently go further into the wilderness and to find your way safely home again. At the National Mountain Centre we teach people to use a map and compass all year round. Our vast range of courses caters for newcomers to navigation and advanced practitioners alike. We run 2-day and 5-day courses designed to introduce you to navigation or to polish your skills. Our 5-day Complete Navigation course includes GPS use as well as traditional skills. For the more experienced

navigator, we have a winter navigation weekend or an advanced GPS weekend. If you can navigate already, you may choose to learn some fundamental ropework skills to keep you safe on steep ground, to handle a sea kayak to access remote locations or to paddle a canoe so you can get closer to wildlife. In fact we run over 300 different courses, holidays and expeditions throughout the year. The range sea includesoff piste skiing, ice climbing, mountaineering, rock-climbing, canoeing, kayaking, kayaking, mountain biking, road cycling, first aid and even landscape photography. Check out our website www.pyb.co.uk or email us on brochure@pyb.co.uk and well send you a free colour brochure.

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Plas y Brenin

Capel Curig

Conwy

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Email: info@pyb.co.uk

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MAKE NATURAL-LOOKING HDR ANDY SUMMERS

ANDY LIKES TO SHOOT HIS LOCAL LANDSCAPE BUT CAUTIONS THAT IN OUTDOOR HDR PHOTOGRAPHY THE CLOUDS CAN PROVE TO BE ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST OBSTACLES

Angel of the North, Gateshead

become something of a personal campaign for him to promote those that are understated and re-create how a scene might have been processed by the human eye. My goal has always been to replicate the depth of light the human eye can see and no more than that, Andy says. An account director for a business information services company, he first picked up his camera eight years ago due to his love of Photoshop, not the other way around, as is the case with most photographers. As such, he has always been interested in the creative effects that software offers photographers, but it should be a means to an end, not the end itself.

Andy likes to shoot his local landscape but cautions that in outdoor HDR photography the clouds can prove to be one of your biggest obstacles. A lot of people who do HDR like to shoot on cloudless days, but I live in Scotland. We dont have cloudless days very often, he says. I believe clouds have a place in the image anyway, as they add a sense of depth and perspective to the composition. With clouds you just have to remember to go for quicker exposures, he adds.

Cambus oMay suspension bridge, Deeside

CALCULATING EXPOSURE
Andy creates his HDR images from a three-shot bracket, rather than one RAW file. Depending on how harsh the light is, he sets his bracket at one full stop or 0.7on either side of the correct exposure, unless he is working at night. Then he brackets at 0.3 EV on either side to bring out more shadow and highlight detail. Andy will start in AV mode on his Nikon D300s so as to get an idea of what shutter speed he can achieve at f/16 (his preferred
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SUITABLE SUBJECTS
The best subjects for making a subtle HDR image are scenes in which most of the elements are static. Natural landscapes are one of the more popular choices, along with still lifes and architecture.

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starting point). Usually he can get a shutter speed of 1/200sec with this configuration, which is enough to freeze cloud movements. Using a Nikon D300s gives him a head start for making subtle HDR images, Andy says, because its Active D-Lighting function, which serves as an in-camera extension of dynamic range, aims to preserve details in highlights and shadows. This gives him a better base of natural contrast to work with before heading to his digital darkroom.

Before

POST-PROCESSING
With his picture in the bag, Andy processes his images using Photomatix Pro 3.1 HDR photography software. It takes only a few steps to blend the images, but you need to pay careful attention at key points in the process. With Photomatix launched, Andy loads his bracketed photos. The software then offers a number of pre-processing options, and Andy will tick the relevant boxes to align source images by correcting horizontal and vertical shifts, and to reduce noise and chromatic aberrations. He leaves the RAW conversion settings as shot. From here, he keeps it very simple. In the Details Enhancer screen in Photomatix, Andy adjusts only the Strength slider and the Light Smoothing selection. The Strength and Smoothing options are the essential tools

After

THE SMOOTHING TOOL (IN THE PHOTOMATIX HDR SOFTWARE) IS THE POINT AT WHICH MANY HDR IMAGES GO WRONG

The Beresford Wine Bar & Art Gallery, Ayr, with traffic trails
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MAKE NATURAL-LOOKING HDR ANDY SUMMERS
Andys correct exposure of a local wood, shot at 1/30sec at f/16, ISO 360

FINE-TUNING IN PHOTOSHOP

Andys final, HDR version, which blends the middle exposure above with images taken at 0.3 EV above and below the correct exposure

for controlling tonal variations, which is crucial in making a subtle HDR image. Generally, moving the Strength slider right and choosing a High or Max option in the Smoothing tool will give your image a nice, traditional feel, but Andy likes to keep the Strength quite high, between 80 and 90 to keep up the colour saturation. The Smoothing tool is the point at which many HDR images go wrong. It offers five options Min, Low, Mid, High, Max and most people keep it really low, creating the heavy, crayon-like tones that we often see burning holes in our retinas. A higher selection keeps it more natural. I wouldnt touch any of the other controls, Andy says. Im looking for an effect that is relatively mild in its application. I will use the Align Features option, so if there were movement in some boats, for instance, it would align those features as it melded the images. But thats it. Photomatix then goes through the process of applying the Tone Mapping and Details Enhancer. If the base image looks right, Andy saves it and moves on to the next stage.

In Photoshop Andy opens his blended image, along with the original correct exposure from his bracketed series. He then overlays the original middle exposure on to the blended image and will reduce the opacity of the overlay to around 20-30 per cent. Andys main motivation at this point is to maintain the crispness of the edges of the original image, but with some of the depth of the HDR version. The other things he is looking to correct here are any alignment issues caused by selecting the Align mode in Photomatix. To remedy this, Andy will Select All and then Edit > Transform. Holding down the Control key he will drag the covers of the overlay until the two are aligned properly. Its only very occasionally that I have to do this, though, because I shoot from a tripod and only very small subjects in the field might move, he says. Photoshop itself has an HDR functionality, but it doesnt have the same appeal for Andy. Its effect is a bit flat and duller, he says, which sounds strange given I want it to look natural. But to me it looks a little smudgier and darker; it doesnt give you the same tonal range to work with from the outset. PM

A screen grab of Andys settings in the Details Enhancer screen of his Photomatix Pro 3.1 software Ninth tee, Turnberry golf course, south Ayrshire

REPORT
We asked our Facebook fans: must an HDR image be realistic?
Kate Knibbs said: If I want my image to document a time/place/event, I want to capture the essence of it and therefore be realistic. But lets face it, photography is all about trickery with lights, and although an image may look realistic, it doesnt mean its an accurate reflection of the subject! Why draw any line? Rafael Amen said: HDR is just one technique, as good or as bad as the artist can make it. Andy Seston said: I think on initial discovery of HDR there is a tendency to push the software to produce unnatural images, but soon the love of a natural image creeps back in.

READERS

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

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ON GOLDEN
In the second instalment of our new series looking at forgotten British wildlife, PAUL HOBSON explains how to re-create a pond habitat in your garden quickly and cheaply, and photograph an amazing array of creatures

PONDS

PAUL HOBSON

The water beetle larva is a ferocious hunter of tadpoles and small invertebrates Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/60sec at f/3.5, ISO 800

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PHOTOGRAPHING POND LIFE PAUL HOBSON
ond dipping: spending time with a net and jam jar beside a small pond and marvelling at the myriad tiny, amazing creatures swirling around in front of our curious eyes is something we all probably did in our youth. As wildlife photographers we pursue with enthusiasm birds, butterflies and dragonflies, yet when was the last time you saw a body of work or a competition entry about the life of pond dwellers? Dragonflies have become one of the most popular wildlife subjects in the past 10 years, but it is odd that we concentrate on the comparatively short lifetime of the adult. How many of us look for the other, much longer phase of its life as a larva in the pond? The main reason why life under the duckweed has been ignored by so many wildlife photographers is because its in water. And water, as we all know, is wet and difficult to get your camera into. Whats more, pond water is muddy and opaque. But never fear; it is possible to photograph this stunning group of animals rather easily, but you do need to spend a little time in preparation.

Pauls tank, with fern leaves behind to create a green, blurred background

BUILDING YOUR AQUARIUM

I shoot all my pond life photography in purpose-built mini-aquariums. These are easy and fairly cheap to build. For most of my work I use an aquarium with a front that is 20cm long by 10cm high. The back is the same height but a little longer (30cm) so the sides are at an angle running away from the front. I do this so the back corners of the tank arent as visible in your frame as much as they are in a standard square or rectangular aquarium. The sides are 10cm high by 11cm wide. You now need a base. I make this slightly bigger than is necessary to simplify the assembly. I find it useful if you draw this out on paper when you go to the glass cutter. To seal the aquarium I use the specialised clear aquarium silicon sealant. Dont use any sealant from DIY stores unless its pure silicon, because their products often have an anti-mould chemical added. Once you get the hang of making these mini-aquariums its easy to build variations,

such as shallow square ones to photograph looking straight up through the bottom. In all my aquariums I use the thinnest picture glass for the front, back and sides but thicker glass for the base. If you decide to build larger versions you may need to use thicker glass.

USING THE AQUARIUM

The first priority is to get the aquarium spotlessly clean, particularly the front and back. Fill it carefully with rain water that has been left to stand for a day so any sediment should settle out. Fill another clean container with rain water and wash any props thoroughly in this, especially weed. You may need to repeat this step a few times. Put the washed props in the tank and refill the container with clean water.

AND WATER AS WE ALL KNOW, IS WET AND DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR CAMERA INTO. WHATS MORE, POND WATER IS MUDDY AND OPAQUE

COLLECTING POND DWELLERS

Before even setting foot on the ponds bank, you must be prepared at home. Get a series of containers of a decent size, eg old aquariums or big plastic tubs, and have them all cleaned. Set up a water butt to collect rain water because this is what you are going

Keeping the tank setup as simple as possible helps greatly with composition

BIOGRAPHY
Paul Hobson was a lecturer in environmental science for 20 years before becoming a full-time wildlife photographer. As a contract holder with government adviser Natural England he is responsible for wildlife photography in the East Midlands and Peak District. www. paulhobson.co.uk

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to be using later. Water straight from the tap is not suitable, because it contains chlorine. If you cannot get access to clean rain water and have to use tap water, let it stand for 48 hours to let the chlorine dissipate. On the collection day use your net to sweep gently through the pond water. The depth at which you do this will partly determine what you catch. You do need to be careful, though; its not good practice to leave the pond looking like someone has been dynamite fishing, so be careful when sweeping through weeds. After each sweep pop the catch into a large plastic tray containing pond water. You can now see what you have caught and use a spoon to transfer anything that looks interesting into one of your collecting containers filled with pond water. Remember to keep these out of the sun or they will overheat quickly. Once youve got home, transfer the catch to one of the larger containers, adding the pond water to the rain water. Dont forget to add some weed for shelter. Make sure you

WHAT LIVES IN BRITAINS PONDS?

The underwater world is incredibly diverse. For instance, there are more than 250 species of British water beetles, not to mention pond skaters, water boatmen, snails, tadpoles and newts. Some are rare; some are also protected, such as great crested newts, and you need a licence to take one from a pond. If you are going to work with newts make sure you can identify all three native species of the UK and be aware of the great cresteds possible presence. It would be best to avoid those ponds where they are found. I would suggest starting with the invertebrates. Water boatmen and water beetles make incredibly photogenic subjects. You will be fascinated by their colours, which are surprisingly varied and rich. From the surface they look black or brown, but when you get the macro lens focused you will be amazed. The lesser water boatman has a gold flecked body and huge, reddish compound eyes stunning. I love images of them as they hang from the surface where you can see the water curve about their bodies. Dragonfly and damselfly larvae are often found and make good subjects. If you want to add another dimension to your portfolio you can try for one of the most dramatic shots in the natural world, an emerging dragonfly. You will need to patrol the pond edge just before dawn during the summer and hopefully you will find a larva crawling up a stem. Set up without disturbing it and hope the sun rises as it emerges. You will almost certainly have to visit the spot on quite a few occasions before you are lucky, but it is well worth the effort.

THE FINAL ASPECT TO CONSIDER IS REFLECTIONS IN THE GLASS. THESE ARE USUALLY OF YOUR CAMERA OR HANDS
also leave all the water and creatures outside so they are at the same temperature and wont get shocked when you move them. Once you have finished your photography its important that you return all the animals to the pond where you caught them. I would suggest you keep any animals for only a couple of days. Many are carnivores and will eat each other, so make sure you know what they are and keep them separate from each other. If you keep the animals longer you must find out what they eat so you can feed them. If you keep carnivorous species such as dragonfly larvae or many water beetles, then small earthworms are a good food source.

well to get a little closer. I always use a tripod, because even in good light the speeds are never high. Macro work has a shallow depth of field so you may use higher F numbers such as 16. This, however, will build in one problem a bigger depth of field with more particles present in the water showing up. I can never get rid of them all, no matter how hard I try, and as the animals swim about they keep stirring up any sediment. Try different apertures. I find f/8 is a good compromise, but even then I need to spend a little time on the computer removing the specks in the water from my images. I used to shoot with flash but this makes the specks stand out even more; all the images in this article were taken in natural daylight. Light, overcast days are ideal. I set my white balance to Cloudy to add a little more saturation and tend to use an ISO of about 800, even pushing it to 1000 occasionally.

CHOOSING A BACKGROUND
The background is very important. I simply place a sheet or some vegetation of the colour I want a metre or so behind the aquarium. Through a process of trial and error I have found that lighter colours, particularly

KEY CAMERA SETTINGS

I photograph the aquarium using my macro lens and occasionally an extension tube as

[46 ] P H OTOGRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBER 2011

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PHOTOGRAPHING POND LIFE PAUL HOBSON

Greater water boatman, with reflection Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/40sec at f/8, ISO 800 Emerald damselfly larva Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/125sec at f/5.6, ISO 800 Small water beetle Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/60sec at f/8, ISO 800

Great diving beetle

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, 180mm Macro, 1/30sec at f/11, ISO 800

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

AVOID REFLECTIONS
The final aspect to consider is reflections in the glass. These are usually of your camera or hands, but by varying your position slightly these can be removed. Try focusing on the front glass now and then to see if there are any reflections. You can even wear black gloves if your hands keep showing up! One thing I have found is that if I try to photograph at too steep an angle to the glass the image becomes distorted, so I always try to keep the lens at right angles to the glass. Another problem which is unavoidable is the meniscus. This is where the water touches the side of the tank and rises up a little. This tends to look like a white line

in your image and is noticeable when photographing animals that hang down from the surface. Compact cameras that have a macro function should be able to perform very well in this scenario, though you may run into one slight problem with the reflections. I have used my Canon PowerShot G11, but I have to get so

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

For more top tips from the pros visit our site www.photographymonthly.com
W WW. P HOTOGRAPHY MO N T H LY. COM [47 ]

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USING BACKLIGHTING FRAN HALSALL
Silver birch, Lawrence Field, Derbyshire Taken just after the sunrise, as red-gold light escapes from behind a birch tree and with the aperture set at f/22, a crisp starburst is formed

ON THE BACK BURNER

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

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idelighting is usually the default choice for most natural light photography; however, backlighting, with the sun behind the subject, can be a worthwhile alternative. Backlighting has the potential to be dramatic, yet it is the very factors helping to create the eye-catching results that make it so much more difficult to work with than sidelighting.

PROPERTIES OF BACKLIGHTING
From the outset it is important to understand what makes a good subject by defining the properties of backlighting. Starting at the small end of the scale, delicate wildflowers covered in minute hairs benefit greatly from being lit from behind because a glowing halo is created. The strength of this effect and the degree to which the subject will become silhouetted depends on the suns brightness. The background needs to be a sufficiently darker tone for the halo to appear obvious. Other translucent vegetation such as tree leaves reveal much of their interior cell structure as light passes through them, which is especially effective with young foliage. Again this luminosity is best seen against a muted or dark background.

LENS CHOICE
A variety of lenses is useful for this scale of subject, typically a 100mm macro for plants around 10cm or less and a 70-200mm for larger subjects. Whichever lens is used it is vital to reduce the risk of flare, or the exposure will most likely be ruined. When arranging the composition the sun must remain out of shot, as looking directly into its path is both bad for the eyes and for the cameras sensor. Using a lens hood means that any stray light is likely to be prevented from entering the camera which, left unhindered, would reduce the contrast and produce flat results. There is a quick test for flare while looking through the viewfinder simply put a hand between the sun and the lens, and if the contrast appears different when the hand is removed, then flare is present.

SUITABLE SUBJECTS
Trees, buildings and people all have excellent potential when it comes to backlighting, as they have an easily recognisable outline. Bearing in mind that solid objects tend to produce dark silhouettes, any subject should be chosen on the merits of its shape and its position, and it is important to ensure that nothing impedes the view behind it. Silhouettes work through contrast and while the sky must be bright enough to see the effect, stylistically speaking it is preferable that the sun should be reasonably low in the sky or be dipped below the horizon to get the best quality light. While buildings are generally static, people fidget and trees get blown about in the wind, all of which must be taken into account with the shutter speed. Working with the low light around sunrise and sunset it is inevitable that exposure times will be longer, easily measuring whole seconds, particularly if smaller apertures are being used. While people can be encouraged to stay still for several seconds, on some breezy days it is impossible to shoot trees unless their flailing branches can become a positive feature.

BLOCK THE SUN

Solid objects can be used to effectively block the suns rays, reducing the possibility of

[52] P H OTOG RAPHY MON THLY OCTOBE R 2011

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USING BACKLIGHTING FRAN HALSALL

TREES, BUILDINGS AND PEOPLE ALL HAVE EXCELLENT POTENTIAL WHEN IT COMES TO BACKLIGHTING
BIOGRAPHY
Fran specialises in photographing the UK landscape and is working on a book about the diversity of British land forms. She has written two other books and teaches courses on location in the Peak District.' www.fran-halsall.co.uk

Passing squall, Loch Maree and Slioch, Wester Ross The softness of the water and sky is balanced by the crisp outline of dark trees, barely silhouetted by the insubstantial light. With the sun only just above the horizon and mostly obscured by cloud, the conditions are ideal for backlighting this highly reflective surface in the Scottish Highlands Swyre Head and Bats Head, Dorset This shot was only possible because of the wet sand reflecting sunlight diffused by clouds and hidden by the cliff. It is fortunate that the chalk cliffs are naturally bright, otherwise this area would be devoid of any interest
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FRAN HALSALL USING BACKLIGHTING
flare and creating a better exposure. However, by placing the sun in alignment with the subjects edge and allowing a tiny fraction of the direct light to reach the camera, a starburst effect is created. There is no need for fancy filters here, just an instinctive grasp of basic physics. feedback is given on the exposure. While it makes sense to follow the usual rule of photographing around sunrise and sunset, this does create complications, as the low-lying sun is more likely to cause flare. Sometimes a wide-angle, petal-shaped lens hood needs help, either with a piece of card or, failing that, a well-positioned hand.

EQUIPMENT
As a general principle, it is best to use no filters at all with backlighting, as extra glass causes additional reflections that could lead to flare. The most successful starbursts are seen with wider-angle zooms and prime lenses, which feature less glass inside and have a lower risk of internal reflections compared with long lenses, which create poorly defined bursts. The other essential component is choosing the right aperture, as the effect is strongest when apertures are smallest. It is worthwhile experimenting with values from f/11 upwards. Perhaps the hardest skill to master is backlighting in the larger landscape, as this means coping with the biggest of all contrast issues, a bright area of sky and land that will be silhouetted to some extent. Using ND grads or exposure composites will probably be necessary. The advantage here of working digitally is that instant

WATER
When photographing water its reflective properties have to be taken into account. Strongly backlit water will sparkle with specular highlights that are almost impossible to expose well. If they are, then the rest of the image becomes far too dark. However, water lit by sun partly hidden by cloud is less direct and turns these reflective qualities into an advantage, creating images with a dramatic contrast range. Sunlight just escaping from behind clouds is naturally dramatic and a time-honoured artistic theme, but it takes swift reactions to cope with the balance of light and dark changing from moment to moment. PM

Meadow foxtail, Chee Dale, Derbyshire An unassuming clump of meadow foxtail grass is made beautiful by a delicate halo of light and the relatively high sun is kept out of frame to the top right

Wych elm leaves, Wasdale, Cumbria

For more tips from the pros visit our site www.photographymonthly.com

Shot with a 100mm macro at f/2.8 from about half a metre away; the open aperture allows just a few glowing leaves to be isolated in sharp focus against a background that is in fact a barn cast into shadow

THE OTHER ESSENTIAL COMPONENT IS CHOOSING THE RIGHT APERTURE, AS THE EFFECT IS STRONGEST WHEN APERTURES ARE SMALLEST

[54] P H OTOGRAPH Y MONTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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The parachute you need when making the leap

1 PRO RNING N TU SECTIO

N6EW! -PAGE

ESSENTIAL BUSINESS IDEAS AND ADVICE

STRIKE A CHORD
Music photographer Kevin Lake on how to crack the industry
NEW ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

What is the future for portrait photography?

TRAVEL MAGS
ALSO INSIDE: The truth about shooting editorial garden photography An Editors inside view on budgets and commissioning

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CONTENTS
P58 INSIGHT
Editorial assistant Jessica Lamb filters through the latest news and competitions to bring you the highlights from the photographic industry

WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE NEW TURNING PRO (TP ). For now, we will be using Photography Monthly as a vehicle to carry the TP message and features. Yes, you may have read TP before as a magazine in its own right, but we as a team felt it needed a change and could work a little harder. So, we have redesigned it, given it a new brief and, for now, placed it within the pages of PM with the aim of reaching a wider audience of potential readers. In time, we hope it will grow and again become a magazine on the shelves, but for now putting it within PM is the only way it can work.

P60 THE PRO

Kelly Weech speaks to music photographer Kevin Lake about how he got started, what it takes to break into a competitive market and the industry today.

So what is the new TP all about? We want to make sure the title says it all. So, whether you are just coming out of college at 18, or are considering a full-time career change at 50, TP will have relevant, interesting and inspiring content for you. Our remit will be to cover it all, from case studies of working pros, business advice about anything from marketing and accounting to information about workshops, courses and training, and advice about a wide variety of photography career options. Please feel free to contact us with your thoughts, including feature ideas and content. Remember, this is just the start

P63 THE APPRENTICE

In a new series, Kelly Weech shoots for The English Garden magazine to see if there is more to specialist photography than meets the eye.

Adam adam.scorey@archant.co.uk

P66 THE INSIDER

iSTOCKPHOTO / KEVIN MULLINS / KELLY WEECH / KEVIN LAKE / SAM HUNT & MURAT GKMEN / BELLA WEST / TP COVER IMAGE KEVIN LAKE

TP speaks to the Editor of France magazine to find out about editorial budgets, approaching editors and how photographers can get commissioned.

P68 OPINIONS
This month, TP hosts a round-table discussion, and looks at the future of portrait photography. Turn to page 68 to find out the opinions of four working pros.

P69 BUSINESS
TP looks at marketing tactics and focuses on portrait photography in the run-up to Christmas 2011. Ensure you stay ahead of the game.

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

NEWS FILTER

PICTURE IMPERFECT
There is a growing debate about the medias use or misuse of airbrushed images. Fashion magazine Grazia caused a controversy when its May cover showed a digitally slimmed-down image of Kate Middleton in her Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress. Grazia said it "would like to reassure all our readers that we did not purposely make any alterations to the Duchess of Cambridges image to make her appear slimmer, and we are sorry if this process gave that impression. The magazine said it had wanted an image of the duchess on her own, so it had been necessary to remove Prince Williams arm from the shot, which resulted in a change to the outline of Kates waist. Readers are quick to notice even the smallest errors or changes, highlighting the importance of paying attention to detail when manipulating or changing an image in any way.

KRIS THOMPSON

DSLRs ON FRONT LINE

Amid all the chaos and destruction of the riots last month amateur and professional photographers captured thought-provoking images and made short films using DSLRs. The results prove the popularity and effectiveness of shooting on DSLRs. Check some out at www.dslrnewsshooter.com

SEEYOU IN COURT?
A federal court in New York has refused to dismiss David LaChapelles copyright claim against singer Rihanna over her raunchy S&M music video (left) allegedly copied from his images. According to the fashion photographer many of the scenes from the video were directly influenced by his work. The court ruled this was a plausible claim and could go to trial, even if the details in the video and LaChapelles work were not exactly the same. It is now up to Rihanna to decide whether it is worth the risk and expense to defend herself against these copyright claims.

TALENT SPOTTING
Check out Talenthouse, an online resource for photographers, hairdressers, models and artists. Talenthouse runs regular competitions giving photographers the chance to work with some of the professions greatest names. It takes two minutes to register and is worth keeping an eye on for up-and-coming opportunities. Join Talenthouse on its Facebook page or visit www.talenthouse.com

Fashion brand Jours Aprs Lunes has come under fire over the advertising campaign for its lingerie line aimed at pre-teenage girls .Fashion houses and magazines have been criticised for using children in campaigns, so how young is too young? Promotional photos for Jours Aprs Lunes feature girls aged as young as four years old wearing bras and knickers. Supporters claim that the images are playful and fun, but in a world where children already want to grow up too quickly, is this approach sending out the wrong message? Either way the images have certainly caused plenty of debate.

FASHION FURORE

LUCKY STARS...
Entries for the 2011 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition are now closed. The winners are being announced this month and an exhibition will follow at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, this winter. Exhibition details can be found at www.nmm.ac.uk. If you missed out this year dont worry, theres always 2012

KISS ME KATE
Mario Testinos dreamy and romantic images of the wedding of Kate Moss are printed in the September issue of American Vogue magazine. Mario has worked with Kate since she was 16 and his relationship with the model really shows through in the intimacy and honesty of the images. You can view the photographs online at www.vogue.com
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London-based music photographer KEVIN LAKE tells KELLY WEECH about his big break, the current music industry and the reality of being a freelancer

IN THE SPOTLIG
F

or Kevin Lake music photography is the dream job because it combines his two greatest passions. He loves the challenge of working under extreme pressure and using the elements available, such as stage lighting, to create something visually stunning out of what can be demanding situations. He explains: I love it that its all there in front of you and as a photographer you just have to work with that. I operate best under pressure, so it suits me because its exciting. After spending many years DJing and hosting club nights, Kevin found himself documenting the music events and relished the instant results a digital camera could offer. In 2002, he started shooting portraits and live gigs using a Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 digital camera. My first job was working on a free magazine in Nottingham called LeftLion. I didnt get paid but I got access to local gigs, he says. It gave me the chance to get my work published and gain credibility. In the music industry people dont take you seriously if you dont have published work. Even free newspapers and magazines get good access to gigs and if you are willing to shoot for nothing, they are more likely to give a new photographer a chance. In 2006, Kevin moved to London and began taking his photography more seriously. He joined Base.ad magazine, which worked in a similar way to LeftLion, but being in the capital gave him the chance to cover bigger and more frequent gigs. Now, five years later, Kevin works regularly for magazines such as DJ, Future Music and Clash. He shoots for the Livepix agency, getting work published in national papers, including The Independent, The Times, Mail on Sunday and Evening Standard, and has regular commissions from a set of clients and music labels. He insists he did not have an easy ride and that opportunities dont just occur; you create your own luck. When I started, I wasnt experienced enough to realise my images werent actually very good. I can
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only see this now, looking back in time. What I did become aware of pretty quickly was that people have to want to work with you. In this industry, its very much about the contacts you make and the personal relationships you build. If you know a friend of a friend and get recommended, this is a good stepping stone to making a new contact, rather than simply cold calling or sending an email on spec, because neither results in being commissioned. It is essential that you create yourself as a person rather than just another photographer. You should pick up the telephone and talk to people and most will feel an obligation to give you at least a short period of time to sell yourself. It is rare that someone will meet you in person, unlike the old days, but if they can put a name to a face and respect you as a person, and if the quality of your work is high enough, you are likely to be remembered. I have been working with one of my clients for more than a year and I only met him

in person the other day. In the industry today, most photographers build relationships on the telephone and by email. Kevin describes the music industry at present as unpredictable, challenging, yet exciting. Although he makes most of his money from music photography he still has a part-time job, claiming: Within the music industry I dont know anyone who doesnt. He understands the difficulty of getting commissions from music magazines because usually they will work only with a close-knit group of photographers. It is a competitive industry, especially when so many people own a digital camera, but Kevin believes professional photographers will always have work. When you get to a certain level of shooting photography professionally and have created a strong, consistent portfolio, the things that really matter to commissioners are reliability and professionalism. Magazines dont want to take risks, they want to feel 100 per cent confident in

KEVIN LAKE

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When I started, I wasnt experienced enough to realise my images werent actually very good. I can only see this now, looking back in time

GHT

Above: Rapper and producer Busta Rhymes, Monegros Desert Festival, Fraga, Spain Left: New York rapper Nas, HMV Apollo, Hammersmith, London

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persistence are crucial; you have to keep trying to get noticed or you wont be

BIOGRAPHY
Kevin Lake is a freelance music photographer based in London who travels around the world to photograph gigs. His interests also include landscapes, architecture and street photography. He works with the Livepix photo agency and his work is published in national newspapers and magazines. www.kevinlake.co.uk the people they employ to execute the job, deliver results every time and meet the deadline. Sometimes I dont find out I am shooting a gig until the same day, usually around 5pm, but I am always available and ready to shoot. Kevin makes it clear that within this industry there are certain things that only time and experience can teach you. He says there are two golden rules when shooting a gig: You get the first three songs and no flash. These restrictions mean photographers have to know their gear inside out and be adaptable to capture great images, no matter what the lights throw at them. The no-flash rule is a great one in theory and

Singer-songwriter Adele, The Tabernacle, London can help to create the ambience of the shot. Sometimes, however, the venue or act decide to use a dim red light or massive pulsing spotlights from behind, which can be a nightmare for a photographer trying to get a clear shot for a publication. Occasionally, you can get lucky and still capture a good shot, but quite often you snap blindly and hope your exposure setting works in your favour. To do this you need the confidence not to panic under pressure. The music industry as a whole is changing fast. As the printed medias share of the market declines and more content goes online, convergence continues to grow, especially in editorial. Video seems to be in demand and while I dont think it will replace the still image, photographers need to open themselves up to diversity and do things differently in order to stay ahead of the game. It is a new challenge to address and gives photographers opportunities to try new things. Previously, it would have been impossible to afford filming equipment, but now cameras such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark II make it possible for one person to shoot stills and video at a gig. It is definitely something I will get into because, effectively, magazines and newspapers can save money and I can charge more. Over time I think it will have more of an impact. In this game courage and persistence are crucial; you have to keep trying to get noticed or you wont be. I am constantly contacting people in the industry and thinking of interesting or even random ways to get commissioned. Sometimes you wont even get a single reply, but you dont know until you try.

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

WHATS IN YOUR KIT BAG?

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Two Canon 580EX II Speedlites Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG HSM Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di macro Velbon Sherpa PRO CF-640 tripod with a Giottos MH1300 ball and socket head Plenty of SanDisk Extreme 8GB cards

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

EYE FOR A GARDEN

plant in relation to greenhouse feature crop needed - good lifestyle element

s a wedding and portrait photographer I know very little about horticulture beyond deciding what I consider to be a beautiful flower. I know what makes a good photograph, but shooting an editorial feature for a specialist magazine is a task that is not to be underestimated, as I soon found out. I took on the job with the mind-set of a freelance photographer, someone who might approach The English Garden in the real world of professional photography. Many photographers specialise in more than one area to enable them to earn extra money and, if they are a keen gardener, might see garden photography as an easy add-on to their business. Within editorial photography the images have to tell a story and inspire the reader. Most freelance photographers will find a garden to shoot and then pitch the feature to an appropriate magazine. The English Garden profiles five gardens in each monthly issue and I made it my task not only to find a garden and create a feature, but also to capture an image suitable for the front cover. After all, isnt this every photographers dream? Each garden magazine has its own style when it comes to choosing images, so photographers really need to study the publication in depth before approaching the Editor. I began my research leafing through previous issues of the magazine, looking at the visual variety and overall design, and considering how I could possibly tackle familiar stories in a new way. My first impression was that The English Garden featured a variety of images and did not show a panoramic view of the whole garden in the opening shot, as some magazines did. Instead, the garden was explored through the use of individual images throughout the feature. I decided to go with the concept of photographing a readers garden for a possible real-life feature. With no experience or portfolio in garden photography, it was unlikely that I would be granted access to a renowned garden, but the owners of a country house in the village of Ham, Somerset, were willing to help.

too close and arty, no scale

image flipped - ok for cover

good mix of plants, shows scale

KELLY WEECH

nice border, shows plant association

bench too central

great plant portrait

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Specialist titles, such as garden magazines, require not only an understanding of how to capture the photograph but the fundamentals of what you are shooting. Knowing which flowers were at their best or slightly out of season, and what combinations of flowers in a scene would appeal to the reader, would have made it easier to judge which aspects of the garden were most important. This is something the owner could have assisted with, but she was not available on the day I could do the shoot. As well as getting her advice, I could have taken a lifestyle portrait of the owner in the garden, which I noticed had been included in previous features in the magazine. I continued shooting for the next two hours, experimenting with angles and compositions while waiting for the light to return from behind the clouds. My experience showed the importance of choosing a garden which is not only inspirational in real life but can be photographed successfully. Shooting a feature for a magazine that has not been commissioned can be risky. Although I thought this garden had all the right elements, I underestimated the difficulties in creating a garden feature story. Editorial garden photography is not for hobbyists or an area in which other photographers can make easy money; it is a niche which requires specialists. To break into this market it is essential to build relationships and contacts so as to get access to well-known gardens. Looking back at the images, I wish I had invested in some props, such as a wheelbarrow, gardeners gloves, or a spade, to bring along and add another element to the scene. In the real world of photography people dont often tell you about their mistakes but as we all know this is how we learn and become better photographers. My advice would be to learn from my mistakes.

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

and stand out on the newsstand. We have found that our readers like to be able to imagine themselves in the cover image so we nearly always look for the potential to sit in or walk through the picture. We wouldnt feature this garden in our magazine, for a number of reasons. The English Garden looks for lots of different features and elements in a garden and ideally we would want 15 different views for the layout. Unfortunately, this garden could not deliver that, as too many shots had the same or similar view, which would make it really difficult to create a story feature. It is not down to the photographer alone; the garden has to be right for our audience, offer lots of views and be open at some point to visitors. It is also essential for us that the photographer shooting a garden has horticultural knowledge and experience. These photographers know what we are looking for from a garden shoot and this is why we use specialists. Out of the set of images presented, one image has the elements to be a front cover if it were flipped. A photographer can shoot all day and not get a cover out of a shoot. If a photographer went out to shoot a cover it wouldnt be cost-effective and the chances of it working as a front cover are really slim. Sometimes we see an image, such as the one Kelly took, which would be great if it were flipped, but this is not something we do, as we like to show a true reflection of the garden. I would advise photographers looking to get commissioned to obtain an RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Certificate in Horticulture through their local college and to go on a photography course with a renowned garden photographer.

TOP PRO TIPS

Photographer Jason Ingram works regularly for The English Garden magazine. He offered a few top tips to consider when setting out to shoot the front cover: Try to shoot both portrait and landscape because the cover is often square by the time the title banner is in. Give plenty of space around the subject, whether sky or foreground, making sure there arent too many clashing colours or overly strong shapes, and keep it soft. Look for light and dark areas within the frame to allow text to be read easily. Try versions with a narrow depth of field, allowing for laying copy over soft areas. Out-of-focus foreground interest often works perfectly for straplines. Use your depth-of-field preview to check this. Pathways leading to seating areas, archways taking the viewer into the garden, graphic compositional elements and architecture all make for a very strong cover. Keep a copy of a previous cover to aid composition and remember to give plenty of space!

I quickly came to realise that you need knowledge of the subject you are photographing
garden. Unfortunately, the summer house was some distance from the flowers and the plants, so the images I captured looked more commercial than editorial, so I knew this was not going to work. The next hurdle to overcome was the limitation of my equipment. I had thought the 24mm lens would be ample, but it actually restricted me both in terms of composition and ideas. What I needed was a wide focal length, such as a 16-35mm, to enable me to crop in closer but wider. In hindsight, I should have shot landscape images and cropped in at the editing stage, but working under pressure and keen to get good results, I hadnt thought of what could have been an easy solution. I quickly came to realise that you need knowledge of the subject you are photographing.
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MY ADVICE:
Shoot RAW so you can deliver the highest quality images. Supply the magazine with TIFF files. Approach editors with a complete set of 30 images from one shoot. Ensure the garden is suitable for their magazine and that your images are taken in their signature photographic style. Ensure you have the right equipment for the job. Ideally, I would have taken a 16-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm lens.

TAMSINS VERDICT:
August and September are generally the hardest covers and features to shoot, as it is getting towards the end of the season, and lawns and plants can look tired. Whenever we commission photographers to shoot a garden we always ask them to look out for cover opportunities. However, sometimes we chose an image for the cover which has not been selected for the feature or shot with the cover in mind. It has to portray a strong composition, work with our cover lines

www.jasoningram.co.uk

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2 f
The magazine for the pro OLY NSLEY BAR semi-pro TON BOYNALL & SM and IAN JULNFORD R HA everyone OOTE RD SH N HOWA TIOGEMENT G determined GPSLNAVIMA NA A UR CO O to make an income from their photography
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Each month, we speak to commissioners within the photographic industry to bring you insider knowledge. France magazine Editor CAROLYN BOYD reveals how to approach it for travel and lifestyle photographic features
WHAT ROLE DOES PHOTOGRAPHY PLAY IN THE MAGAZINE? An extremely important one we are showcasing the best that France has to offer in order to inspire people to visit the country. Readers always mention the fact that the photos we include are stunning. IS IT IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH A VISUAL IDENTITY FOR A MAGAZINE LIKE YOURS THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHY YOU USE? Yes, its very important. Our excellent photography, superior design and layout ensure it keeps its position as the number one magazine about France in Britain and North America. IN AN AVERAGE ISSUE OF FRANCE MAGAZINE WHAT PROPORTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY IS COMMISSIONED, BOUGHT FROM SYNDICATION AGENCIES OR SUBMITTED BY PHOTOGRAPHERS? Our budget doesnt allow us to commission very much, but there are certain features for which it is essential, such as Village Life and Galerie. We use photo libraries quite a lot, such as www.awl-images.com, www.travel-library.co.uk and www.robertharding.com. Sometimes we will also source images direct from the tourist boards. WHEN YOU COMMISSION, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A PHOTOGRAPHER? I usually commission photographers based in France, as it reduces travel costs. Photographers need to capture the essence of France be it a beautiful village or a stunning landscape. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN IMAGES FROM PHOTO LIBRARIES OR AGENCIES? We usually find our cover images from agencies, but there are so few decent ones taken vertically, it is sometimes difficult to find the perfect shot. Also, we often struggle to illustrate articles on those locations off the beaten track, so it is helpful to search for them in one place, ie photo libraries. Theres no point offering pictures of, say, the Eiffel Tower, as so many are available. We prefer an image to have as few people as possible to avoid it looking too touristy. Images that are cropped too tightly would not work either; as a rule we prefer to crop the image if needs be to work with the layout. WHAT DO MOST PHOTOGRAPHERS GET WRONG WHEN APPROACHING YOU? I love it when a set of pictures tells a story. We always want an angle when commissioning writers and the same goes for photography. Also, people assume we cover the expat community or property, when that is done by our sister magazines, Living France and French Property News. We do travel and culture. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR SOMEONE HOPING TO BE COMMISSIONED BY FRANCE MAGAZINE? Do your research; get to know the magazine and the kind of pictures we use. The best way to get in contact is by email with a link to your website and if we think your images are suitable for our magazine we will get in touch. Also, get your pictures on a decent photo library, or develop your own website with a good search facility, including as many keywords as you can think of. www.francemag.com

5 MINUTES WITH...

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THE ROUND TABLE

Each month tp will be hosting a round table discussion on particular topics affecting the photographic industry. To launch this new feature, we asked four portrait photographers to discuss whether commercial portrait photography was a dying sector and if the Uncle Bob syndrome was creeping over from the wedding market
Norman Rubenis: I was starting to think I needed to drop my prices due to the economic climate, but then I saw a webinar by a hugely successful US portrait photographer who advocated increasing your prices and attention to presentation. I think the big difference between Uncle Bob shooting a wedding and taking on a portrait client is down to the way it is paid for. Although most of us may have a booking or sitting fee, it is often the additional sales that will ultimately generate the real money. Rebecca Litchfield: I always say to clients that you get what you pay for. If you are a customer and have seen amazing photography then you will pay for it. I think the Uncle Bobs of portrait photography are amateurs starting out offering the world for so little or for free. CDs may cause a problem, but in this age of social networking people want disks to share their images. Because portraits are only one section of my business a disk package is easy and quick to generate extra cash, but if it were the main part of my business I would certainly add products to the packages. BW: The problem I think many photographers are having is in targeting a specific marketplace. Trying to please everyone can cause difficulties with setting fees. Not everyone wants my style and not everyone can afford my work, but I am aware of where to source my clients and the extent of their spending power. My style of photography is not unique (lets face it, thats almost impossible) but I can be confident that my clients are receiving a very high-quality product and a specific style perceived value is no good if the photography is not of a standard to match it. The last thing your clients leave with is a photograph or an album; at that point they really arent interested in how slick your website is or how many awards you have won what they have in their possession is your biggest marketing tool. So refinement of style and skill is paramount to anyone who wants to be successful in the industry today. NR: Wedding photographers have suffered at the hands of the 'Uncle Bobs' for many years and it will continue. However, although just about everyone takes portraits of their kids and families, portrait photography for money has never appealed to the Uncle Bob brigade. I think this puts all portrait photographers in a very strong position. People seem more willing to pay good money for professional portraits because they know they cannot do it themselves. RL: There will always be competition; what you have to make sure of is that you offer something truly wonderful, an amazing service, and send your clients away loving their images. Uncle Bob cant offer that.

KEVIN MULLINS

Kevin Mullins: Everyone has a camera these days but just like wedding photography, they cant all take a professional-grade portrait. I firmly believe that our overall service, style, product range, post-processing and general effectiveness should separate us from the average camera snapper. Creativity is key but business sense is essential too. Bella West: Everyone owns a digital camera, so is commercial portrait photography a dying sector? I think the answer is, only if you allow it to. I saw this current trend in oversaturated, mediocre photography evolving 10 years ago. So, personally, for my own business, from the start I had to look at my product which is a photograph. At the end of the day, that is your biggest marketing tool. It is very tempting, especially for those just starting out, to give everything away.

KM: Im not sure the Uncle Bob syndrome will have the same dramatic effect with portraiture as it has had with weddings, to be honest. People intentionally go to a studio for a portrait; they are there for their own purposes and fully expect to pay for a frame or a print etc. Ironically, I think your average Uncle Bob believes that wedding photography is easy, but they wouldnt have a clue how to set up high-key lighting or pose a person properly in a studio environment. The other thing to consider is that wedding photography is just part of an overall substantial outlay for the clients; they may wish to cut back. A studio portrait is a lifestyle choice that is made and one that they can afford, as it is the only outlay as such. NR: With regards to CDs of images and Facebook sharing, whenever I have been asked if I can do a CD, I always ask what it will be used for. The answer is always the same, Oh, I want to be able to share them on Fb. No problem, I say, all the images you purchase will be put on my photography page in an album so you can then share those with your friends. BW: I would only be selling half of my product if I sold the digital file. The paper stock and frame mouldings are part of my branding if my prints are put in an IKEA frame with God knows what filters applied, that image still has my name attached to it. So that is why I keep tight control on the final product this is sold to the client before the shoot and, on the whole, it is appreciated that I take the care to finish their images. As soon as you let those images out the door, you are losing control of anything that goes on walls and I said before, that is your biggest marketing tool in the social market.

NORMAN RUBENIS

THIS MONTHS PANEL

NORMAN RUBENIS www.rubenisphotography.co.uk BELLA WEST www.bellawest.co.uk REBECCA LITCHFIELD www.rebeccalitchfield.com KEVIN MULLINS www.kevinmullinsphotography.co.uk

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REBECCA LITCHFIELD

WorldMags.net MARKETING TIPS

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

FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

BW: Good documentary photography is not just about being aware and catching moments the light and composition are what can make or break an image and this is what will set us apart from Uncle Bobs. Which leads me back to it being essential to know your market and being consistent. RL: Yes, the biggest marketing tool is social media and therefore when would you only want your images to be seen on one wall in one place? I want mine to be seen everywhere. The majority of my portrait work I do is generated through social media. BW: For my business, the biggest marketing tool is my product and I wont compromise that. Social media has indeed been instrumental in promoting my work and I use it effectively but without losing control of my pictures. It may sound old school, but it works for my business. KM: Social media marketing is paramount, in my opinion, and I will offer low-res, watermarked images. But I agree with Bella that the product at the end of the stream is what will sell. I use social media extensively but at the end of the day the client must be appreciative of what you have to offer them. To read a full version of this discussion go online at: www.photographymonthly.com/magazine/ turning-pro

Each month tp will give practical advice on the business side of being a photographer. This month, our top tips for portrait photographers to ensure they stay ahead of the game in 2011
The festive season, in theory, should be one of the busiest times for portrait photographers. Parents are looking to send personalised greetings cards to loved ones, a storybook would make a great Christmas present for grandparents, or that long-overdue family portrait would also be a thoughtful gift. However, portrait photographers need to focus now on their marketing strategies and ensure the packages they offer are targeted to get the most out of this time of year. Here are our top 10 tips. Ensure you have a price-and-package leaflet to promote the services you offer. Focus on local advertising in shops, cafs and shops. Products, rather than a CD of images, are what people want to buy as gifts, so ensure that, at the very least, you offer greetings cards, calendars, framed images and albums. Give people an incentive to recommend you to friends: for example, one free 8 x 10 print for every new customer they send your way or a 15 per cent discount voucher. Offer alternative products such as mugs, fridge magnets, T-shirts and key rings for people to buy as stocking fillers. Design a gift voucher for people to buy for friends and family, such as a photo shoot including one 5 x 7 print. Ensure the design looks professional and well-presented. Think of an unusual photography concept to encourage people to buy calendars; for example, shooting children in a different fancy dress costume for each month. Offer pet portraits packages for animal lovers and people without children. Photo booths have been very popular in the wedding industry throughout 2011. Transfer this concept over to Christmas parties and offer evening packages for domestic celebrations or corporate events. Mark peoples New Year resolutions by providing make-over packages, including hair, make-up and photography for mums, girlfriends and couples. Try to find a local retailer who will allow you to set up a weekend portrait studio in their premises on a revenue-splitting basis. If you have another top tip on this subject email kelly.weech@archant.co.uk All the best tips will be featured online at www.photographymonthly.com/magazine/turning-pro

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BELLA WEST

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

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PODCAST PM EDITOR

WERE ON YOUR
APRIL 2011 SPECIAL PODCAST

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

WAVELENGTH
ISSUE PODCAST All the latest product releases and innovations in photography are discussed by Grant and Sean as they reflect on the people and products they encountered at this years Focus on Imaging exhibition at Birmingham NEC. NIKON MASTERMIND FINAL The final two contestants of our Mastermind quiz, sponsored by Nikon, go head to head to see who will win the Nikon D3s high-end DSLR worth 4,200. Find out who is the PM Mastermind.

TAKEN FROM PM, SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE, KARL SHAW DISCUSSES LIGHTING

MARCH 2011
ISSUE PODCAST National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson talks to Grant and Sean about his landscape work made in the Hebrides. They also discuss the latest news from the world of photography. PM

OCTOBER 2011
ISSUE PODCAST The Editor of Photography Monthly, Jeff Meyer, and Group Editor Adam Scorey will discuss the new magazine, as well as all the latest news and developments from the world of photography.

THE BACK CATALOGUE All of our podcasts featuring

photographer interviews and industry news specials are available online at www.photography monthly.com

JULY 2011
ISSUE PODCAST Grant and Sean discuss their trip to the sunny climes of Rome for a hands-on look at the Panasonic DMC-GF3. Also up for discussion is the Olympus XZ-1 and how to shoot glamour.

THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE

Aspiring photographers are given a thorough grounding in the principles and techniques of shooting portraits in this new guide. Through a series of tutorials, New York based portrait photographer and lecturer Mark Jenkinson takes you through every aspect of studio and location work, from choosing the right lighting and equipment to establishing personality and mood. Mark, a professional photographer for more than 25 years, has had work published in magazines including Vogue, Playboy and Vanity Fair. For your chance to win a copy of The Portrait Photography Course, worth 19.99, enter our contest at www.photographymonthly.com

JUNE 2011 SEPTEMBER 2011

ISSUE PODCAST The new Editor of Photography Monthly, Jeff Meyer, and Group Editor Adam Scorey discuss their vision for the magazine and talk to some of the new contributors who will be sharing their expertise. SPECIAL PODCAST Grant Scott and the then-deputy editor of Professional Photographer, Eleanor OKane, speak to then-deputy editor of Photography Monthly Sean Samuels, reporting on his experiences at the New York Photo Festival 2011.

MAY 2011 AUGUST 2011

ISSUE PODCAST The then-Editor of Photography Monthly, Grant Scott, and his deputy editor Sean Samuels share tips for photographing outdoors. ISSUE PODCAST Grant Scott and Sean Samuels speak about their experiences shooting different subjects and in different locations 24 hours a day. Also up for discussion is some of the other work featured in the May issue of the magazine.

WIN!

[72] P H OTOGRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBE R 20 11

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TECHNIQUES

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PLANNING A PHOTO ESSAY DAMIAN DROHAN

THE EVOLUTION OFA

PHOTO ESSAY
Creating a strong picture story doesnt have to mean travelling to far-off places or putting yourself in harms way. In the second of his three-part series on making a picture story, DAMIAN DROHAN explains how to plan and execute the shooting stage of your photo essay

PART
2 OF3
photo essay is very much a series of baby steps, punctuated with giant leaps forward and occasional backward slips, but getting off your chair and shooting is the vital first step. Moving on from this first shoot can be difficult, but neednt be. You just need to ensure that you have enough varied visual material to sustain your interest and that of your viewer. To do this its worth having a rough plan or timeline of your shoots.

PLANNING SHOOTS
Dont worry if you dont have it all figured out at this point; you only need to know what your next shoot will be. I find that keeping a visual diary for recording thoughts and the progress of shoots is a vital and enjoyable part of the process, and having a notebook or diary to record names and contacts is also really useful. A small amount of time spent planning at the outset will save lots of wasted effort later. Reviewing your first shoot, or shoots, will hopefully have helped you figure out whether or not the project is viable, how youd like to shoot it and perhaps the scale of the story; although these things tend to be somewhat fluid. In my case I had established that I would shoot in black and white. I had a good handle on the technical difficulties and envisaged a story comprising 20 to 30 finished images. To yield a viable and interesting mix of visual material I knew Id have to broaden my approach to include other greyhound tracks, trainers and owners. Armed with the name of a trainer and a track manager from my first shoots, I was
WWW. PHOTOGRAPHY MO N T HLY.CO M [73]

DAMIAN DROHAN

Greyhounds wait around the yard at Waterford greyhound track, in Ireland. This image was part of my exploration of the strand of the story that I loosely titled Trainers

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WHEN SOMEONE SAYS NO THEY MAY MEAN NEVER, OR THEY COULD MEAN NOT RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL HAVE TO JUDGE AND DECIDE WHETHER ITS WORTH TRYING AGAIN
ready to proceed to phase two of the photo essay.

MAKING APPOINTMENTS
By this point youve made some new contacts and now the dreaded moment of picking up the phone again has arrived. Be confident, professional and pleasant and most of the time youll get your way. It turned out that my visit to the second greyhound track would have to wait as they had no events coming up for some time. I decided therefore to focus the story for the time being on dog trainer Perry, whom I had
[74] P H OTOGRAPHY MON THLY OCTOBE R 2011

met at my first shoot. Perry and his wife May are full-time dog trainers and have a very busy kennel and a small test track. As a documentary photographer its assumed that you are a diplomat, time manager and, of course, creative, but you will often have to add negotiator to your repertoire of skills. When someone says no they may mean never, or they could mean not right now. You will have to judge and decide whether its worth trying again. Luckily, dog trainer Perry was very amenable to being photographed. If youre shooting a completely new or different strand to your project, you may find yourself once again in learning mode. You can ask the person youre photographing what theyll be doing, but you can never really tell until you are looking through your viewfinder.

SUSTAINING YOUR INTEREST

I find documentary photography very rewarding personally and professionally, but it can be a struggle at times. There were moments during this project where I felt like giving up.

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PLANNING A PHOTO ESSAY DAMIAN DROHAN

Scan of my notebook, showing early contact sheets and my thoughts on the images This image of greyhounds being weighed is a vital cog in the story that I managed to capture at a different track. What attracted me to this shot was the different characters and animals, all doing their own thing

The opening page of my notebook, which I kept while shooting the project This is another attempt at a dog portrait. Its the only image in the entire project that troubles me somewhat

BIOGRAPHY
Damian Drohan is a portrait and documentary photographer who uses still images, sound and video to tell engaging stories. He earned an MA in photojournalism and documentary photography at London College of Communication under the tutelage of Magnum photographer Paul Lowe and former head of IPG John Easterby, graduating with distinction. He works in the main for editorial clients, NGOs and advertising agencies. Most recently his work has appeared in the Sunday Times Culture section and on the BBC.

WWW. P HOTO GRAP H YM ON T H LY.COM [ 75]

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You may be standing around for hours waiting for events to unfold and you may find yourself making images similar to those that youve taken previously. There will also be many occasions when rubbish on the TV and a cup of tea are far more appealing than packing your gear and heading off! Were all human, so this is only natural. It helps to have a number of strategies up your sleeve to help drive you on. The single most important strategy though is to visualise your end goal: where will the project end up? Visualise your finished prints hanging on a wall, in a homemade book or the pages of a magazine. If you really find yourself stuck, take a break, put your camera away for a few days or a week; the urge to shoot will return. Or you can try shooting something different. In my case I found that after a few visits to the same greyhound track I was beginning to get a little jaded visually. Changing tack and shooting some portraits helped me loosen up. Even something as simple as limiting yourself to photographing with a single lens can make a difference. With digital photography its too tempting to review your images only in pixel form. Print some off and have a group critique with your friends or colleagues. Its amazing how different the dynamic of handling physical prints can be.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE PROJECT

This photo essay started out as a set of discrete and varied shoots, which over time blended into a coherent whole. Its next to impossible to plan a large-scale project to the nth degree; therefore, you need to remain flexible. The first few shoots dog owner, greyhound track, dog trainer helped to create a basic template. Within that template certain motifs and types of shots started to

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PLANNING A PHOTO ESSAY DAMIAN DROHAN
emerge: portraits, detail shots, action shots, establishing shots, relationships (between persons, persons and environment, dogs and their owners). In all the various situations, first visits gave a broad idea of the structure and energy of the event, subsequent visits would reveal other layers of the story. Initial images would be replaced by better ones as the style and the story developed. Greyhound racing is a very visual subject and as a result there are hundreds, if not thousands, of images in existence. It was always my intention to steer as clear of the existing images and traditional approaches as possible. Repeat visits to dog trainer Perry yielded different kinds of images and events. A simple test run at a greyhound track had a very different dynamic to a formal event. On a practical level it was held during daylight hours, there were fewer people, there was more space and generally less tension than on the big race nights. Access to training sessions helped me meet more trainers who were therefore more accommodating when I met them at subsequent events. Photo stories, while guided by your initial plan, tend to evolve in unexpected ways. In this project, chance meetings, contacts and repeated visits to locations all contributed to its development. Using my visual diary, printing lots of test prints and producing test layouts helped me to keep track of how the project was developing. The final phase in its evolution involved multiple review and editing sessions, which Ill discuss in greater detail in part three of this series.

CHALLENGING SITUATION
Since my first visit to the local greyhound track I had felt an intense curiosity about the whole weighing-in process that took place at the outset of all races. The fact I was precluded from photographing the weigh-in was frustrating and only added to my curiosity. To add to my frustration, another photographer who was better connected than I was, showed me the photographs he had taken at the local track. Visually they were great, but the officials simply wouldnt yield to my requests. When I eventually managed to get an appointment to photograph at another track, I was very forthright with the track manager, telling him that I needed a shot of the weigh-in but he also refused. I pointed at the brand-new stand and viewing area and said: Ill take some nice shots of the interior and exterior of the stand and enlarge them for you. He agreed immediately. PM

NEXT MONTH
A caravan and trailer at the home of a greyhound trainer. This was a landscape image intended to convey a sense of the environment In strip one I was going for an observed portrait. The first frame (in blue) comes close, but the third frame (in red) works best, with the hubcaps on the wall of the old mobile home that now serves as a food store Greyhound owner John outside his sheds in County Tipperary, Ireland. Portraits like this help to humanise a photo story

Damian discusses knowing when to wrap up and how to edit your pictures

TAKE A

LOOK

To see Damians continuing Second World War memory project, visit www.ww2vetsproject.com To see more of Damians other work, visit www.damiandrohan.com

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IN! W

TAKING PICTURES
Rory McDonald Duckling David Stanton Gannet

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN a copy of Magix PhotoStory on CD & DVD 10, worth 39.99, upload your best bird pictures to the Photography Monthly gallery. This useful software allows you to share your photos and memories in no time. Simply by importing your images and videos captured on cameras, mobile phones, scanners or memory cards, you can transform them into multimedia slideshows and watch them on any TV or PC, or even share them online.
To enter and for full terms and conditions, visit www.photographymonthly.com

PM TEAM PICTURES

JEFF MEYER EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY Seeking respite from my son, who was throwing seed on top of the bird in a fevered attempt to feed it, this unlucky chicken came to hide behind a stump where I was sitting at Bath City Farm. I think it may have regretted its decision.

ADAM SCOREY GROUP EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY This nice little birdie was taken on my iPhone 4 Hipstamatic app while I was recently on holiday in St Ives, in Cornwall. I took this tranquil shot early one Sunday morning before all the tourists packed out the town.

REBECCA STEAD ART EDITOR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER While visiting family in Devon we took a trip to Lyme Regis where we walked along the edge of the beach. We came across two pigeons standing guard at small holes in the wall. This amused us all and was worth a photo to remember it by.

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UPLOAD TO OUR GALLERY TO WIN PRIZES BIRDS

READERS PICTURES

John Starkey Got ya

Keith Bannister Woodpecker

Michael Shulver Blue tit

Andrew Piper Grey heron

JESSICA LAMB EDITORIAL ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY I took this image on a visit to Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford. This cheeky fellow was more than happy to pose for the camera and I love the way that he seemed be smiling at us. Nevertheless, I did not want to get too close.

KAREN LE GALLEZ DESIGNER PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY We had an unexpected visitor drop in on our balcony while on a recent holiday to Tenerife I just happened to have my camera to hand and caught a quick snap before our friend flew away again into the late afternoon sun.

KELLY WEECH FEATURES ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY During a visit to Sudeley Castle, in Gloucestershire, I looked up to see a peacock on the other side of the garden and had to get a shot of the beautiful colours in the summer sunshine. I used a Canon EOS 5D with a 24-105mm lens.

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WE SPEAK TO THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS TO FIND OUT WHAT MOTIVATES THEM

PM INTERVIEWS
GO ONLINE For more techniques
This is where you will find in-depth interviews with influential and creative photographers and those who know them. We aim to go beyond the obvious and find out what it is that makes the worlds top photographers decide to take a picture
and advice visit www.photography monthly.com

IN THIS SECTION
82-84 A YEAR IN PICTURES
Photographer Chris Townsend has the Cairngorms in the Highlands on his doorstep and he takes full advantage by shooting there all year round. He tells Kelly Weech how he never tires of this landscapes changing moods

85-88 VIVIAN MAIER

Chicago nanny Vivian Maier took tens of thousands of photographs portraying life in post-war America, but they only came to light just before her death in 2009. David Clark talks to fellow street photographers about the importance of her work

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CHRIS TOWNSEND

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PHOTOGRAPHING THE FOUR SEASONS

The Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands are one of the most beautiful landscapes in the UK and home to photographer CHRIS TOWNSEND, who climbs the mountains in summer, skis in winter and goes camping at all times of the year. He tells KELLY WEECH about capturing the regions varied and inspiring moods through the seasons
or the past 30 years, photographer and author Chris Townsend has been visiting the Cairngorms, which has the highest, coldest and snowiest plateaux in the British Isles as well as the greatest expanse of Caledonian pine forest. Home to the biggest National Park in Britain, this spectacular area of mountains, lochs, rivers and woods is a landscape photographers dream location. My aim is to record all the aspects of the Cairngorms throughout the year and to capture the feeling of being in the mountains among the spectacular beauty of the landscape, he says.

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CHRIS TOWNSEND

INTERVIEW

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A YEAR IN THE CAIRNGORMS CHRIS TOWNSEND

CHRISS KIT BAG?

The photos seen in my latest book were taken over six years. During that period my cameras were, successively, a Canon EOS 300D, 350D and 450D, with a Sigma DP1 as back-up. Lenses were: Tamron 11-18mm, Canon 18-55mm and Canon 55-250mm zooms. Polarising filters were used occasionally and graduated neutral density filters very occasionally. My tripod was an ancient lightweight Cullman weighing 610g. I used various Camera Care Systems padded pouches for the cameras and Zing Neoprene pouches for the lenses. All the images were taken as RAW files and converted to TIFFs in Lightroom.

WHATS IN

Opposite page Winter This was taken on a freezing mid-December day when I used crampons to cross the icy Cairngorm Plateau to Ben Macdui, the highest peak in the Cairngorms. Daylight hours are short in December and by 2pm, when I took this image from the edge of the summit of Ben Macdui, the first colours of sunset were already appearing in the hazy sky. The reflections off the snow meant the light was still bright, though, and I was able to shoot at 1/200sec at f/8 and ISO 100 Opposite page Spring On an April day with rapidly changing weather I visited Loch Mallachie in the RSPBs Abernethy Nature Reserve. The light and reflections on the loch were subtle and lovely. Moving round the loch shore and trying to keep my feet dry I took more than 30 pictures at different focal lengths. This one, taken at 18mm, was my favourite. Exposure details: 1/400sec at f/8, ISO 100

This page Summer Towards the end of a two-day camping trip I was descending from the mountain called Braeriach towards Gleann Einich when I came across this infant stream surrounded by brightly coloured moss. I liked the contrast between the detail of the moss, water and stones and the distant view of the glen far below with the hills rising on the far side. Crouching low to get as much of the moss in as possible I took the image at 1/160sec at f/5.6, ISO 200 as the land was quite dark, despite the almost clear sky This page Autumn Wandering around the woods and fields close to my home in the north-east corner of the Cairngorms National Park in search of autumn colours I came across this fringe of rust-red bracken on the edge of a slope with a view to the forest below and beyond the trees to distant hills. The sky was hazy with thin cloud cover giving a soft light ideal for bringing out the colours without harsh contrasts. To get the bracken forming a fringe across the bottom of the image I took the shot from a low position. The light wasnt bright and the exposure details were 1/60sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

BIOGRAPHY
Chris Townsend is an outdoor writer and photographer specialising in wild places. He has written 18 books, most illustrated with his photographs. His many long-distance walks include scaling all the peaks in Scotland over 3,000ft in a 1,700-mile trek, and completing the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico along the Rocky Mountains www.christownsendoutdoors.com

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CHRIS TOWNSEND A YEAR IN THE CAIRNGORMS

their camera well so they can react quickly to changing light. His advice is to shoot RAW and learn how to use the histogram for exposure. The main advantages of digital for me are the histogram, which I use for exposure, and the ability to process images on the computer. However, having spent many years shooting transparency film before digital came along I always try to take the best image in-camera (this is ingrained in me); I like to keep post-processing to a minimum and I dont use Photoshop. I advise using zoom lenses to fine-tune the composition. PM

At the summit of Lochnagar in May

Chris has photographed the landscape continually but it has never become stale or too familiar, even though major features such as the high plateaux have changed very little during his years of exploration. There is always something new to capture because the light, weather, snow patterns and vegetation are changing constantly. There are a few more paths, but thats all. Lower down there have been big changes, the main positive one being the regeneration of the Caledonian Forest in many areas. However, less welcome changes have been developments such as high-level, bulldozed estate roads which scar the landscape and alter drainage, tourist attractions and developments away from roads and towns, which include the funicular

THE RIGHT CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE CARRIED ALL YEAR ROUND, AS THE WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY QUICKLY FROM SUNNY TO STORMY
railway on Cairn Gorm, and wind farms. The National Park has a presumption against wind farms inside its boundaries but several are proposed close to the park, which will have an impact on the views. Although the Cairngorms are protected by National Park status there are still threats.

For photographers severe weather and rugged terrain are usually the biggest challenges to overcome in often remote locations. Snow remains on the mountains for much of the year and creates a white wilderness that can be harsh and savage, especially in winter. However, Chriss latest book, A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms, shows that other seasons also offer dramatic and awe-inspiring scenes. Good mountain skills are needed to operate in such a landscape, especially in winter conditions when ice axes and crampons may be needed, he says. The right clothing and equipment should be carried all year round, as the weather can change very quickly from sunny to stormy. Snow can fall in any month and when you are high in the hills, mist or low cloud is often present and can sweep in quickly, reducing visibility and making navigation difficult. Dusk and dawn shots can mean walking in the dark, so I always carry a good headlamp, and if you are planning to camp on the tops, wild-camping skills are necessary. Most importantly, navigation is a crucial skill in remote mountain landscapes where mist can mean poor visibility. Always carry a good map and compass, but a GPS unit is very useful too. Being fit is essential, as distances and ascents can be long. Chris has a big advantage in having the Cairngorms landscape on his doorstep and available to photograph throughout the year. He believes it is vital that photographers tackling such a dynamic landscape know

In A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms, Chris takes the viewer on a photographic journey through the passing of the seasons. He recalls: I had always hoped to produce a book of my work here, so when I was approached by a publisher to put forward ideas for a photo book on the Cairngorms in 2009 I seized the opportunity and suggested a book covering the seasons. The images featured were taken over the past six years; Chris not only knew from experience many excellent viewpoints away from popular paths and summits, but also the best times of year to visit them. He says his experience of the region gave him the confidence to explore anywhere in the area without worrying about navigation or getting lost. Being able to estimate from the weather where the best places for good photographs will be on any given day is essential, but I dont always get this right! A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms, by Chris Townsend, is published by Frances Lincoln, priced at 16.99. www.franceslincoln.com

The mouth of Coire Garbhlach above Glen Feshie in mid-July

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INTERVIEW

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VIVIAN MAIER DAVID CLARK

HIDDEN TREASURES
Vivian Maiers photographs have aroused enormous interest since they first came to light in 2009. DAVID CLARK talks to fellow street photographers Brett Jefferson Stott and Nick Turpin about her work

VIVIAN MAIER / MALOOF COLLECTION

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

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A New York street scene, 1953.

n October 2009, John Maloof, a 28-year-old estate agent living in Chicago, posted an enquiry on the Hardcore Street Photography Flickr page. I purchased a giant lot of negatives from a small auction house here in Chicago, he wrote. It is the work of Vivian Maier, a French photographer who passed away in April [2009]. I have a ton of her work (between 30,000 and 40,000 negatives) which range in date from the 1950s to 1970s. I guess my question is, what do I do with this stuff? Is this type of work worthy of exhibitions, a book? Do bodies of work like this come up often? Any direction would be great. Maloofs tentative request for information and opinions, with a link to his Maier website, led to the first significant interest in Maiers extraordinary body of work. Within hours he had hundreds of replies, including offers of book deals, exhibitions and even documentary films. It was the beginning

of one of the most intriguing photography stories to emerge in recent years. Soon the explosion of web interest led to TV and newspaper coverage, then the first exhibitions of Maiers photographs. Now her work has come to the UK and a selection of her vast archive is currently on show at Photofusion photography centre in Brixton, South London. Why is the photographic community so excited about Maiers work? Brett Jefferson Stott, director of the London Street Photography Festival and responsible for bringing Maiers exhibition to the UK, says the enthusiasm shown for her work is due to its irresistible mixture of the quality of her images and the mystery which surrounds her life. First, theres the content of her images. She possessed a wonderful photographers eye and didnt discriminate, he says. She focuses on the poor and wealthy in equal measure. She made photos of

mink-coated women and the cracked heels of a destitute pensioner her photographs depict an honest America, warts and all. Maiers work isnt just interesting in terms of subject matter; she was also highly skilled in her use of the camera (most often a Rolleiflex) and her images are technically accomplished. Maier possessed a deep understanding of composition and lighting, Stott continues. I am told her strike rate was quite high. I have the impression that she did not possess the best of people skills yet she commanded an orchestra of intense complexity from behind her camera. She interacted with her subjects and this is a defining factor for me in her resulting images. Perhaps because she was a woman and because she took pictures from the waist, she was unthreatening and opened up possibilities beyond her male counterparts. Running alongside the appreciation of her work is the puzzling enigma of Maier herself: a solitary woman who worked as a

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VIVIAN MAIER DAVID CLARK

BIOGRAPHY
Vivian Maier was born on 1 February, 1926 in New York City, but grew up in France. She began taking photographs with a Box Brownie in 1949. In 1951, aged 25, she returned to America and started working as a nanny in New York. She continued photographing in her spare time and bought a Rolleiflex camera the next year. In 1956 she moved to Chicago to work as a nanny for the Gensburg family. Here she made her own darkroom but when she moved on to work for other families, the undeveloped rolls accumulated. Her later work, which continued until the mid-1990s, was mainly shot on 35mm with a Leica IIIc, usually in colour. She was generally described as being an outspoken woman with strong liberal views who liked to keep herself private. As she got older she hoarded large numbers of items, including newspaper cuttings and random objects she found in the street. In later years she had a period of homelessness and her health declined significantly after she fell on some ice in 2008. She died in a Chicago nursing home on 21 April 2009.

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

nanny, who appeared to have no friends and who photographed obsessively but never showed her pictures to anyone; someone who died alone, with little money and her artistic talents completely unrecognised. She literally lived her life through her photographs, says Stott. You can imagine her thoughts and aspirations through her subjects the poor people in her pictures reflecting her own background and the rich her employers. Vivians work epitomises the essence of street photography, in that it celebrates the ordinary as extraordinary and champions the beauty in the everyday. Nick Turpin, founder of the In-Public group of street photographers, agrees. The first time I saw the work of Vivian Maier I immediately recognised the work of a fellow street photographer, he says. She was a quiet ghost wafting along the sidewalk unhurried, unnoticed and unremarkable, pausing just long enough to record a moment of the mundane street and in her own way elevate it into something special and beautiful. The work is quiet, composed, simple, beautifully consistent and made with such apparent ease. She undoubtedly had a remarkable talent that is rare to find, coupled with a clear, almost compulsive,

SHE LITERALLY LIVED HER LIFE THROUGH HER PHOTOGRAPHS.

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

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DAVID CLARK VIVIAN MAIER
passion for the medium. Like a typical street photographer, Maier didnt conceptually burden herself; she simply used and celebrated whatever she found. How does Maier compare to the major photographers of her generation who photographed on Americas streets Robert Frank, Lisette Model, Diane Arbus or Harry Callahan? I see Vivian as a one-off, Turpin says. Its very difficult to compare her to others of her generation and yet retrospectively she is as significant and as important as the very best of them. With the excitement generated among fellow photographers, a book being written and a documentary film in production, plus the fact that countless more unseen Vivian Maier images are yet to be revealed, it seems likely that her posthumous fame is only likely to increase. PM

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

DISCOVERING VIVIAN MAIER: HOW IT ALL STARTED

In 2005, John Maloof, president of the historical society in northwest Chicago, was working on a book about his neighbourhood. He needed local pictures to illustrate it and one day in 2006 attended a furniture and antiques auction which included items from a storage locker that had been repossessed for non-payment of bills. The elderly female owner, he was told, was ill and living in a nursing home. One of the items was a box which contained negatives and Maloof recognised some local landmarks in the pictures. Thinking that the box might contain useful architectural images, he took a chance and bought it for $400. Other boxes from the same storage locker were sold to different buyers. When Maloof began examining the negatives in detail, he found there were disappointingly few images that would be of use in his book and put the box aside. Yet something drew him back to the negatives and he eventually began to scan them. Although no photography expert, he could see that these images of everyday street scenes and informal portraits, many of them humorous or poignant, were not just any amateur photographers work. In April 2009, after finding the name Vivian Maier on a photo lab envelope in one of the boxes, he typed the name into Google. It came up with one entry, an obituary in the Chicago Tribune for Maier, who had died three days earlier, aged 83. The obituary painted a picture of an interesting, active and fondly-remembered woman. It said: Vivian Maier, proud native of France and Chicago resident for the last 50 years, died peacefully on Monday. Second mother to John,

Lane and Matthew. A free and kindred spirit who magically touched the lives of all who knew her. Always ready to give her advice, opinion or a helping hand. Movie critic and photographer extraordinaire. A truly special person who will be sorely missed but whose long and wonderful life we all celebrate and will always remember. The few clues which this and other obituaries contained later enabled Maloof to gradually piece together at least some of Maiers life story. At the same time it was enormously disappointing for him not to have met the woman whose work fascinated him. He gradually bought up other material which had been sold at the original auction and eventually became the owner of a large proportion of the Maier archive, comprising between 100,000 and 150,000 negatives, more than 3,000 prints, some home movies and audio tapes, plus personal items including clothing and her collection of photography books. Up to a third of the negatives he bought were still on the rolls which came out of the camera. Even Maier hadnt seen them; it seemed that the act of taking the photographs itself was enough for her. The remainder of Maiers work was bought by collector Jeffrey Goldstein, who owns approximately 15,000 negatives, 1,000 prints and 30 homemade movies. The sheer size of Maloofs collection means that at the current rate at which he and his colleagues are scanning negatives, its likely to take several years before all Maiers work is seen. Theres so much work Im doing that sometimes its overwhelming to the point that I have anxiety about how much there is to do and how little Ive done with all the work Ive put in, Maloof said in an interview for US TV show Chicago Tonight. Sometimes I have moments when I think, its amazing that Im doing this, that someone like me is doing this.

VIVIAN MAIER EXHIBITION, BOOK, FILM & WEBSITES

Vivian Maier: A Life Uncovered is currently on show at Photofusion, 17a Electric Lane, London SW9 8LA. The exhibition ends 16 September 2011. For more information log on to www.photofusion.org. A book containing more than 100 of Maiers photographs, Vivian Maier: Street Photographer, by Vivian Maier, edited by John Maloof, published by powerHouse Books, will be on sale in the UK from December 2011. John Maloofs Vivian Maier website www.vivianmaier.com contains a good selection of images plus detailed biographical information. More of her images can be seen at www.vivianmaierprints.com. A documentary film, Finding Vivian Maier, is currently in production and due for release in 2012.

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ON SALE FROM 5 OCTOBER

On Assignment: the Olympus PEN E-PL3

FROM THE WEB

WE ASKED OUR FACEBOOK FANS
Theres a lot of emphasis now on getting clean images at high ISOs, but are you really bothered by a bit of noise? Kellie Pearson said: I love the noise on certain images. It adds to the feel of it and takes us back to the good old days of film grain. 20something photography said: Im not a fan of noise! Im constantly searching for remedies. Paul Mason said: Id rather have noise than shake/blur... but good exposure really minimises noise anyway expose to the right... Alex Butcher said: I dont mind luma noise, but chroma noise just makes images look like shots from a cheap video or webcam. We also asked Nirvanas album Nevermind was released 20 years ago next month (unbelievable!) with what was arguably one of the best album cover photos of all time. So we asked you: What is the best album cover photo of all time? Brendan Cullen said: Moving Pictures, Rush. Rhodri Thomas said: Surfer Rosa, Pixies. David Seymour said: Drums and Wires, XTC. Paul Hughes said: Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd. (We agree, Paul). Finally, we asked Complete this joke: Two photographers walked into a bar Matt Lynham said: They clicked instantly! Karen Angus said: They both flashed the barmaid, who says: Sorry boys, you cant shoot your Canons off in here! Dave Keniwell said: One took a photo of the jukebox, which promptly broke. The other said: A little too much noise reduction there? Karen Nelson Hislop said: The first lays his equipment on the bar and says: Come here often? The second says: I do a couple shots a night. The first says: I should stop down more often. The second says: Youre already overexposed. Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/photographymonthly

FROM THE PM FORUM

Gnowhere85 asked Hi PM readers. Do you use online printing websites? I have started to use them and Ive found that photos which look great on my laptop/camera LCD often come out too dark. Can anyone help me? Ive contacted the websites and they say its the file thats too dark! Nikondave replied Is your monitor profiled correctly? Are you set up correctly and using the online printers profile? Walsh22 replied Check out the settings for brightness on your monitor. If they are okay, these online guys might be just trying to hide bad quality. Ive had such issues! Persist on your rights and send them samples of your pictures. You might also check out what paper they are printing on... makes a lot of difference. Sonic3 replied One bit of advice I can give is when you upload your images to the website, if they have a quick upload option dont choose it. It may be quicker, but if youre after a size bigger than 6in x 4in the quality can suffer. Also make sure when uploading that you uncheck any colour correction options. Many websites have this set to On as standard. Group Editor Adam Scorey replied When you next speak to your online printer, ask them if they have a downloadable profile that you can use to ensure your computers screen is calibrated to the printers system. They may not have this, so either find an alternative, of which there are plenty, or make up a test print (A4) with a grid of the same image repeated, say, nine times, each one at a different setting though make sure you make a note of each images setting. Then, send off the print to be made up and when it returns judge the best setting for your personal taste. Depending on what software you use, you can then batch-process all of your images for this setting. Voil! If they all come back dark, youll know its the processors fault. A slightly long-winded way, but relatively simple to manage, without going down the route of screen calibration tools or a new monitor. PM Become a member of Photography Monthly online at www.photographymonthly.com

JEFF MEYER

Our ultimate guide to family photos, from posing to prints How to lure birds into your garden + how to build a cheap hide The best free image editing software you can download today Wild Britain: getting close to your neighbouring wood mice Build a mini-studio in your home with The DIY Photographer How to photograph... fireworks Photo-essays from idea to execution: final part in the series Head-to-head lens test: Canon 35mm f/1.4 vs Sigma 30mm f/1.4

G G

PAUL HOBSON

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92-93 NEW KIT ON THE BLOCK
All the latest new product announcements

94-100 DONT THROW YOUR TOYS OUT

We hit the streets with the two latest cameras from LOMO the La Sardina and LC-Wide

101-107 CANON EOS 1100D AND NIKON D3100 GO HEAD TO HEAD

Our battle of the entry levels continues

108 PM DEALS OF THE MONTH

We round up the best deals on all the top kit

110-111 DIY PHOTOGRAPHER

Learn to shoot extreme macro using a Pringles can, in the first of this new series

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

MANUFACTURERS EXPAND LINE-UPS

SONY A77 DSLT REVEALED
SONY HAS EXTENDED its translucent mirror camera range with a new A-mount model, the Sony A77. This Sony A700 replacement features a newly developed APS HD CMOS sensor with 24.3-megapixel resolution, but its key feature is what Sony claims is the worlds fastest continuous AF shooting performance among interchangeable lens digital cameras with an APS-C size sensor. Sony claims that the A77can capture a burst of full-resolution images at 12 frames per second with full-time phase-detection autofocus. The A77also features a 19-point autofocus system with 11 cross-sensors, while a new electronic shutter curtain offers a minimum release time lag of approximately 0.050 seconds. The new Sony cameras sensitivity range extends from ISO 100 to ISO 16,000, and is expandable down to ISO 50. Another key feature is the XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder, offering 2,359k-dot resolution and 100 per cent frame coverage. The A77can shoot full HD videos, and is supported at 50p (progressive) frame rates reflecting recent enhancements to the AVCHD (Ver. 2.0) format. New creative video options allow for manual focusing and use of P/A/S/M exposure modes. The Sony A77will be available in the UK in October. The price had not been announced at the time of writing. www.sony.co.uk The Sony NEX-7can also shoot 10fps continuous shooting and includes an XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder, complemented by a 3in Xtra Fine LCD that can be angled up to 90 up or 45 down. Users can record full HD movies with stereo sound at 50p or 25p frame rates, with access to manual focusing and P/A/S/M exposure control. The Sony NEX-7will be available from November. The price was not known at the time of writing. www.sony.co.uk

SONY UNVEILS A65 DSLT

Sonys busy month continues, further expanding its range of A-mount models with the entry-level Sony A65. Featuring the same 24.3-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor as the Sony A77, the A65 offers beginners 10 frames per second shooting speed at full resolution. Also on board the new Sony camera is a 15-point AF system with three cross-sensors and Sonys XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder, which offers 2,359k-dot resolution with 100 per cent frame coverage. Further features include full HD video recording, supported at 50p (progressive) frame rates, as well as a host of creative options such as manual focusing and P/A/S/M exposure modes. Stills and videos can also be composed on a 3in, three-way adjustable-angle Xtra Fine LCD offering 921k-dot resolution. The Sony A65s sensitivity range extends from ISO 100 to ISO 16,000, and is extendable up to ISO 25,600. The A65 will be available in the UK from October. The price had not been announced at the time of writing. www.sony.co.uk

SONY ADDS 16.1MP NEX-5N

In a slim magnesium alloy body, the NEX-5N allows 10fps continuous shooting, and a new BIONZ processor enables high-sensitivity images at ISO 25,600 for low-light shooting. The Sony NEX-5N shoots AVCHD Ver. 2.0 (Progressive) Full HD movies with stereo sound at 50p and, in video mode, users can access manual focusing, as well as retain full control over exposure with P/A/S/M modes. Other features include a 3in tilt-angle Xtra Fine LCD touchscreen with a Photo Creativity Touch interface with which adjustments can be previewed and applied. The Sony NEX-5N will be available this month. The price was not known at the time of writing. www.sony.co.uk

X MARKS THE SPOT FOR PANASONIC

Panasonic has debuted two new ultra-compact power zoom lenses for its Lumix G System cameras the LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 14-42mm and LUMIX G X VARIO PZ45-175mm. These are the first in its X range, and feature nano surface coating and optical image stabilisation. The collapsible 14-42mm expands to a 3x zoom and is 58 per cent smaller and 48 per cent lighter than the Lumix G Standard 14-42mm kit lens. Also announced was the 12.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX90 compact camera, which integrates Wi-Fi connectivity so users can post images on photo sharing sites. The FX90 also offers 5x zoom and full HD video recording. Prices for all products were unknown at the time of writing. www.panasonic.co.uk

NIKON P7100 DEBUTS WITH TILT-SCREEN

Nikons latest premium compact, the COOLPIX P7100, replaces the P7000 and comes with a 1/1.7in sensor and 10.1 million effective pixels. Also new to the P7100 is a tilting 3in LCD monitor for composing at unusual angles. Users also get 720p HD video recording, RAW file format and a 7.1x zoom NIKKOR lens with two ED glass elements to reduce chromatic aberration and fringing at longer focal lengths, as well as a Natural Density filter. The Nikon COOLPIX P7100 is priced at 499.99 and will be available from 22 September. www.nikon.co.uk

SONY REVEALS 24.3MP NEX-7

As well as its Alpha range, Sony has added to its NEX line-up with a new 24.3-megapixel compact system camera, the NEX-7. In addition to its Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, the NEX-7has what Sony claims is the worlds fastest shutter release lag of any interchangeable lens digital camera, at just 0.02 seconds.

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NEW KIT ON THE BLOCK PM TEAM

SONY REVEALS FIRST FULL HD VIDEO DIGITAL BINOCULARS

Jeff has some hands-on testing at the launch

Sony has launched the worlds first digital binoculars capable of recording full HD video with stereo sound, as well as shooting still images. Aimed at bird-watchers and wildlife aficionados, the Sony DEV-5 and DEV-3 allow users to record video in both 2-D and 3-D using electronic autofocus to keep subjects sharp, even when moving; but with the option of switching to manual focus. When recording in 2-D mode the Sony binoculars can focus from as close as 1cm away from the subject, while in 3-D mode this distance extends to a minimum 80cm. Users also have the option of viewing later in 3-D video footage recorded originally in 2-D. In 2-D mode both models offer up to 10x magnification, while the higher-end DEV-5 is extendable to 20x with digital zoom. Both are capable of magnification up to 5.4x in 3-D movie mode. The DEV-3 and DEV-5 also feature a photo mode, allowing users to take still images at 7.1 megapixels in4:3 ratio and 5.3MP at 16:9. The DEV-5 includes on-board GPS tagging for still images and video. A Sony representative said prices had yet to be confirmed for both models, but at the time of writing, it is thought the DEV-5 will cost roughly 2,300 and the DEV-3 around 1,700. Both products will be available in the UK in November. www.sony.co.uk

EPSON ANNOUNCES NEW HOME PHOTO PRINTERS NIKON BEEFS UP COOLPIX STYLE RANGE
Nikon has expanded its Style (S) range of COOLPIX cameras with four new models. The 10x wide-angle COOLPIX S6200 and 14x zoom COOLPIX S8200 record 720p and 1,080p HD video respectively, and feature a new range of in-camera filter effects. The S6200 is priced at 179.99 and the higher-end S8200 price tag is 279.99. Both models are available this month. Also new to the COOLPIX Style line-up are the S1200pj and S100. Priced at 399.99, the 14-megapixel S1200pj features an integrated projector giving projection that is 20 lumens brighter than its predecessor, the S1100pj, as well as instant connection with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Other features include a 5x zoom and 720p HD video recording. At 249.99, the S100 comes in an 18.1mm wide body and a 3.5in OLED touch-control LCD. With a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and 5x zoom, it also offers full HD video recording and 3D image shooting capability. The S100 is available now and the S1200pj goes on sale on 22 September. www.nikon.co.uk Epson has boosted its range of home photo printers with the Stylus Photo PX730WD and PX830FWD. Both printers incorporate Wi-Fi capability and the new Epson Connect service, which allows photographers to print their images remotely, from anywhere in the home. The automatic Wi-Fi function configures laptops and computers without users having to know their network settings or connecting with a USB cable. The new Epson printers can find the relevant connection settings and configure themselves. Epson says the PX730WD (pictured) is designed for serious photographers who want to share printing, scanning and copying activities with the rest of the household (up to 60 people). The PX830FWD is Epsons premium four-in-one when it comes to high-definition printing at home, having top-of-the-range features for printing, scanning, copying and faxing. The Epson Stylus PX730WD and PX830FWD are available now priced at 259.99 and 299.99 respectively. www.epson.co.uk

CANON LAUNCHES NEW IXUS, POWERSHOT MODELS

Canon has boosted its range of compacts with two new IXUS models and one PowerShot. Featuring full HD video recording and a 3.2in touchscreen, the 12.1MP IXUS 1100 HS (pictured) is the slimmest 12x optical zoom camera, Canon claims. The IXUS 230 HS also offers full HD movies, 12.1MP resolution and at 22.1mm is said to be the worlds slimmest 8x optical zoom camera. The Canon IXUS 230 HS is priced at 229, while the IXUS 1100 HS price tag is 369. Both cameras are available from October. Also out is the 14.1MP Canon PowerShot SX150 IS, with its 12x optical zoom, HD video recording and 32 scene modes. The SX150 IS is out now, priced at 199. www.canon.co.uk PM
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STEALTH GEAR UNVEILS NEW FILTER SYSTEM

Stealth Gear, known for its clothing and wildlife watching supplies, has announced a new universal square filter system made from organic glass. The Stealth Gear high-quality square filter system consists of three components, with which you then have the choice of 10 filters: ND2 Grey, ND4 Grey, ND8 Grey, Gradual Grey, Gradual Blue, Gradual Brown, Sunset, Circular Polariser, Star 4 and Star 8. The Stealth Gear square filter system is also compatible with the Cokin P-system. www.stealth-gear.com

NIKON TOUGHENS UP WITH COOLPIX AW100

Nikon has revealed its first rugged compact camera, the COOLPIX AW100, which claims to be waterproof to 10m, freezeproof to -10C and shockproof from heights up to 1.5m (5ft). The AW100 also has a built-in GPS function for geo-tagging your images, an electronic compass and a built-in world map. Other key features include a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, 5x optical zoom and full HD video recording with stereo sound. The Nikon AW100 is priced at 329.99. www.nikon.co.uk

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DONT THROW YOUR TOYS OUT: GET CREATIVE WITH TWO NEW LOMOS
With in-camera filter effects now commonplace and plenty of smartphone apps which instantly apply similar treatments, you may wonder why the Lomographic community persists in doing things the old-fashioned way. MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI hits the pavement with two new LOMO cameras, the LC-Wide and La Sardina, to find out why

MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

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

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LOMO LA SARDINA AND LC-WIDE REVIEW MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI
Shunning the conveniences of modern digital technology, Lomographers prefer instead to pop a roll of film into a camera with limited control and break from many photographic conventions to achieve their results. This community may be small, but it is spread across the globe and continues to be catered for with new cameras and accessories, the latest being LOMOs La Sardina and the more advanced LC-Wide. So whats the fuss all about then?

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LOMO LA SARDINA AND LC-WIDE REVIEW MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

WITH JUST TWO FOCUSING SETTINGS ON EACH CAMERA, YOU SIMPLY NEED TO WORK OUT WHETHER YOUR SUBJECT IS TOO NEAR OR FAR FOR THE SETTING YOURE USING.
Image of a car, captured with the LOMO La Sardina

THE NEW MODELS

The 50 La Sardina is the cheaper of the two new cameras and is available in four different designs Marathon, Sea Pride, El Capitan and Fischers Fritze each based around the humble sardine can. It incorporates a 22mm-equivalent wide-angle lens and accepts the standard 35mm film format. As with many other LOMO cameras, its functionality is deliberately limited. Its aperture is fixed to f/8 while its shutter speed is set to 1/100sec, although bulb and multiple exposure functions are provided. Focusing too is restricted to a close-up setting for subjects between 0.6m to one metre away, and another which continues this range to infinity although there is a connective port around the side of the model should you want to attach the external Fritz the Blitz flashgun. With a price tag of 329, the LC-Wide is a decidedly more luxurious LOMO option. As with the La Sardina it also accepts 35mm film, but it differs from its LC forebears thanks largely to its Minigon 17mm wide-angle glass optic, which gives an impressive 103 angle of view. Unlike the

La Sardina, though, the camera has a metering system to enable automatic exposure and can be set to rate film up to ISO 1,600. Its other attraction is its multi-aspect capabilities. It ships with a pair of plastic frames which may be fitted behind the lens to produce square or half-frame format images. A small switch at the base of the camera draws blinds across the lens and viewfinder to help with framing for the non-standard aspect ratios and when completely closed they protect the two from any damage.

LOMO LC-Wide

IN USE
As the viewfinder on both models is located slightly above the lens, there is a little parallax error although this is only really an issue if you forget this when youre framing something close up with precision. Otherwise, both viewfinders are perfectly adept although the one on the La Sardina has a rather long eyepiece which may bother those who wear glasses. With just two focusing settings on each camera, you simply need to work out whether your subject is too near or far for the setting
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LOMO La Sardina multiple exposure LOMO LC-Wide

youre using. After this you just point and shoot, before winding on the camera to the next frame. Should you want to dabble in some multiple exposure fun, you simply flick the MX switch which cocks the shutter. This then allows you to capture an additional exposure over the one youve already taken.

WHAT ABOUT FILM?

The 10 Golden Rules of Lomography include instructions not to think, to be fast and to shoot from the hip. This, coupled with the types of film often used by Lomographers and the popularity of cross-processing slide emulsions, helps explain some of the unorthodox results were used to seeing from such cameras. Thats not to say that colour negative or black-and-white film cant be used equally well, but cross-processing slide film is a popular choice, as its results perfectly complement the experimental nature of Lomography. Many Lomographers are drawn to older slide and colour negative emulsions which may not be manufactured any more and may not even be in date as these can produce some of the most interesting effects. Given the low availability of such films, part of the fun is finding them in the first place. Websites such as eBay and the online Lomography shop are good places to look the latter has a number of interesting emulsions available under its own brand; although a recent resurgence in popularity of LOMO cameras has led to a number of independent retail stores also beginning to stock such films.

THE 10 GOLDEN RULES OF LOMOGRAPHY INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO THINK, TO BE FAST AND TO SHOOT FROM THE HIP.

THE RESULTS
I decided to run a few different films through the two cameras, including some Kodak Professional ELITE Chrome which was out of date by four years and Lomography X-pro Slide film, which is made from the same emulsion as the once-popular Agfachrome RSX II 200. Inside the La Sardina, the latter produced medium-grain, medium-contrast images with saturated blues and vibrant greens when cross-processed, although results vary with shooting conditions and the C-41 chemistry used for processing. There was less vignetting from the camera than expected, only really being prominent when shooting against a clear blue sky, while the distortions from the lens meant many images were almost fisheye particularly those shot close to the subject.
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LOMO LA SARDINA AND LC-WIDE REVIEW MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

RECREATE THE LOMO EFFECT

Its easy to recreate the LOMO effect using software, although some files work better than others. Images with plenty of blue sky can give dramatic results, while those with no dominant tones or colours often take on quite well any effects you make. The following works best for the former type.

STEP ONE ADD A VIGNETTE

Load your image into Photoshop. Click on it in the Layers window and drag it over the Create a New Layer tab on the bottom. You should now have the original layer and a copy, the latter of which you should rename Vignette. Make sure this layer is highlighted before going to Filter > Distort > Lens Correction. Click on the Custom tab and drag the Vignette slider to the left, until the corners of the frame darken. Click OK.

STEP TWO BLUR THE EDGES

Drag the Vignette layer over the Create a New Layer tab, as you did in the first step, and rename it Blur. Click on Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius to between one and three pixels before clicking OK. Now select Eraser Tool from the main palette and choose a soft round brush, before choosing the largest size that will fit into the frame. Now turn the brush opacity down to around 30 per cent and brush around the centre of the image, making sure to avoid the corners. Do this until the centre of the image is sharp, but dont worry if the effect is a little uneven as it will appear more authentic. You can also add some noise by duplicating the layer again before selecting Filter > Noise > Add Noise. This step is optional and you only need to apply a little, but it does result in a grainy texture similar to that of cross-processed film.

STEP THREE ADJUST CONTRAST AND COLOUR

Next, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves and click OK. The curves window should now be visible on the right-hand side. What you do here depends on the image youre using. To achieve a classic cross-processed look click on the drop-down menu where it should say RGB and select the green channel. Lift the line from its centre point towards the top left corner a little, so that you end up with a gentle curve. Next, click on the red channel and apply a gentle S-shaped curve, before doing the same with the blue channel. Depending on the desired effect, you may not need to change the red or blue channels, so consider these to be rough guidelines rather than instructions set in stone.

STEP FOUR ADD A GRADIENT MAP

Finally, click on Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map and click OK. This should turn your image into a black-and-white picture. Click on the drop-down menu in the Mode tab which should be set to Normal and select Overlay. Finish off by turning down the opacity until youre happy with the result although for the most dynamic effect you may even wish to leave it at 100 per cent.

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MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI LOMO LA SARDINA AND LC-WIDE REVIEW
Things were quite different with the LC-Wide and Kodak Professional ELITE Chrome combination. The cameras lens produced considerably more vignetting than the La Sardina, while its edges were very soft and with quite obvious pincushion distortion close up. No doubt youd be pretty disappointed to find all of this in a DSLR lens, but such aberrations are celebrated in the LOMO world. These effects, together with the choice of film, lent my images a dark and somewhat sinister quality. Many had a heavy green and blue cast and the combination of the high-contrast results, together with the cameras vignetting, left skies looking dramatic, almost as though they had exploded. PM

CONCLUSION
As with any film camera youre likely to approach your subject with a little more consideration than when you know you can take an unlimited number of images; although the carefree nature of the LOMO format means that youre likely to end up with pictures you would otherwise never think to take. With a little imagination and the right film, Lomography can be incredible fun and makes a refreshing change from shooting digitally.

For more tips and reviews visit our site www.photographymonthly.com

LOMO LC-Wide

JOIN A LOMO WORKSHOP!

Lomography is offering 12 lucky Photography Monthly readers a free place each on its Premium Versus Plastic Lomography workshop, to be held on 7 October 2011 at its Gallery Store East London. Participants will get to use the La Sardina and LC-Wide cameras tested here, and each person will receive one roll of film for each camera, as well as expert instruction, and tips and techniques for both models from Lomography experts. The workshop presentation lasts an hour, leaving the remainder of the afternoon free for participants to shoot, swap, shoot and then process in Lomographys new LomoLab. Lomography will also offer participants a 10% discount on the cost of scans and prints, which will be 13 for 35mm and 14 for 120mm film. Lomography and the Photography Monthly editorial team will then choose the top image from each camera, which will be printed in the November issue of PM. The photographer of each winning image will receive a La Sardina camera. To enter, email admin@photographymonthly.com with Lomo Workshop in the subject line by 5pm on Friday 16 September 2011. We will choose 12 readers at random to join the workshop. The venue will be: The Lomography Gallery Store East London 117 Commercial Street, London E1 6BG Tel: 020 7426 0999 Email: eastlondon@lomography.com

LOMO La Sardina

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CANON EOS 1100D VS NIKON D3100 MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

NIKON D3100 VS CANON EOS 1100D

Over the past year Canon and Nikon have traded blow for blow in beefing up their range of entry-level DSLRs. Last month we compared their competing models in the upper end of that range; this month the battle continues as we examine the features and performance on offer at the lower end in what are two of the most searched-for cameras online: the Nikon D3100 and Canon EOS 1100D
PICTURES AND WORDS BY MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

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our years ago, Nikon redefined the entry-level DSLR with its D40. It may not have been the first model targeted at the beginner, but its diminutive form, simple operation and educational graphic interface set a blueprint for similar cameras, not just for Nikon but also its rivals. As its strongest competitor, Canon has worked just as diligently to keep the novice user happy. While its triple-digit EOS line has evolved towards a more intermediate feature set, a newer range now sits beneath it. The EOS 1100D is that ranges newest member and the closest match for Nikons most junior model, the D3100. Both appear as capable tools for those cutting their photographic teeth, but are they as good as each other?

FEATURES
On paper the Nikon D3100 appears to possess a number of advantages over its rival, although this isnt necessarily any indicator of performance. Its 14.2MP sensor offers a slight resolution gain over the 1100Ds 12.2MP counterpart, although both are APS-C types which apply a crop factor to any mounted lenses, the 1100D at 1.6x the true length and the D3100 at 1.5x. While the 1100D has the wider native sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, the D3100s smaller ISO 100-3200 range is complemented with two further settings which raise sensitivity to the equivalent of ISO 12,800. Both cameras include user-selectable noise reduction options, although with four strengths for high-ISO images and a separate option for long exposures, Canons method is a little more comprehensive than Nikons more primitive on/off control. In terms of video recording, the D3100 allows for full HD video capture at 1,920 x 1,080 at 24fps, while the 1100D can only manage the more basic HD offering of 1,280 x 720 at 30fps. Both call upon a single microphone for mono recording, and neither provides a port for attaching external stereo mics, so theres little opportunity to improve audio quality on either. Around the rear, each camera sports an LCD screen with a resolution of 230,000 dots,

THE 1100D INCORPORATES MANY DIRECT CONTROLS, WHILE THE D3100 OFFERS A MORE BASIC LEVEL OF PHYSICAL CONTROL, HOUSING MOST OPTIONS WITHIN ITS MENU SYSTEM

although the D3100s is a little larger at 3in next to the 1100Ds 2.7in. The two are more closely matched with regards to their viewfinders, both being pentamirror types with a coverage of 95% along the horizontal and vertical, and a magnification of 0.80x. Thanks to its slightly larger sensor, though, Nikons viewfinder displays a touch more of the scene, although it should be noted that this difference is slight. The 1100Ds nine-point focusing system is also slightly bettered by the D3100s 11-point module, although both have a cross-type central sensor in common for improved accuracy and speed. Each may be set to single-shot and continuous-focus options, as well as to a mode which automatically varies between the two. Manual focus is also possible, selectable on the barrel of each cameras kit lens.

BUILD/HANDLING
There is only a 10g difference between the weight of the two cameras, and while the D3100 is the smaller model overall its not a difference you can appreciate with the eye. Neither camera can be said to have a noticeably better build than the other,

although the D3100s slightly loose memory card door makes itself known. It is, however, more conveniently placed on the side of the camera, rather than on its base, as it is on the 1100D, which is problematic when trying to remove the card when using a tripod. The 1100D incorporates many direct controls, such as for ISO, white balance and drive modes, while the D3100 offers a more basic level of physical control and instead houses most options within its menu system. Many of the 1100Ds controls can also be accessed in this way, which ultimately makes it more flexible. The D3100 does, however, redeem itself with a little more attention to detail around its body. I found it the easier camera to handle thanks to the rubber around its grip and on the thumb rest, neither of which is offered on the 1100D. Having the command dial right under where the thumb naturally falls was also convenient, as it meant that I could keep my finger on the shutter release button while I made adjustments to exposure. In contrast, the 1100D requires both to be operated with the index finger. The 1100D does, however, have a marginally brighter and more neutral viewfinder.

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CANON EOS 1100D VS NIKON D3100 MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

RIVALS
At around 400-450 with their kit lenses, the two cameras on test are faced with a number of competitors such as Pentaxs K-r and Sonys NEX-C3. The former compares more than favourably, with a 921,000-dot LCD screen and 6fps burst rate, while the latter has a 16.2MP sensor and articulated display to recommend it.

My favourite picture taken with the Canon EOS 1100D My favourite picture taken with the Nikon D3100

Pentax K-r

READERS REPORT
PM reader Mark Philpott uses both the D3100 and EOS 1100D. He rates their pros and cons: Advantages... these are small, light and unobtrusive, which is invaluable these days when big cameras seem to make you a terrorist. He rates their features as another plus. Both have all the stuff (mostly) to let photographers take control, yet if you want to let the camera take control, you can. Disadvantages... theyre not quick. But we know AF performance isnt going to be blistering, frame rate is going to be limited and ISO wont reach the heights of pro bodies. Finally, ruggedness. These are built to a price point, so toughness and seals are a bit lacking.

Sony NEX-C3

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CANON EOS 1100D VS NIKON D3100 MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

MENU SYSTEMS
Nikon The options within the D3100s menu system are divided between Playback, Shooting, Setup and Retouch tabs, while a Recent Settings sub-menu provides quick access to anything you may have recently accessed. All options are clearly spelled out in full, while the font used throughout is both clear and large. Canon The EOS 1100Ds menu makes better use of colour-coding than the D3100s, with red, blue and yellow colours assigned respectively to Shooting, Playback and Setup tabs. There is also a My Menu sub-menu which can be filled with functions of the users choosing. While the screens contrast and brightness are both satisfactory, the text is a touch on the small side.

TECHNICAL SPEC: CANON EOS 1100D

TECHNICAL SPEC: NIKON D3100

99.7mm

129.9mm

96mm

124mm

77.9mm (Depth)

PERFORMANCE
Although the 1100Ds nine-point AF system seems a little behind the D3100s 11-point system, its actually slightly snappier in terms of speed. This is particularly noticeable when the lens needs to focus from one end of its range to the other, where the D3100 dawdles a little in comparison. Otherwise, the central points on each cameras system are equally sensitive, and no major differences could be found in terms of the sensitivity of the peripheral points, with both cameras failing to focus in areas of low contrast when only these were called upon. When it came to continuous shooting, I found the 1100D could manage only three RAW and JPEG frames before slowing down, while the D3100 typically managed around triple this figure, at a slightly faster rate. These figures were obtained with a fast Class 10 SDHC card too; with a slower card it became even more difficult to shoot consecutive images with the 1100D. The two cameras were assessed for colour and white balance performance under both

SENSOR

CROP FACTOR FOCAL LENGTH CONVERSION VIDEO RESOLUTION

22.2 x 14.7mm (APS-C) CMOS type, 12.6MP total, 12.2MP effective Approx 1.6x MOV format, 1,280 x 720 (at 30, 25 fps). Mono sound Nine points (one cross-type) Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage with 0.80x magnification. Approx 21mm eye point 3fps (JPEG), 2fps (RAW) 2.7in, 230,000 dots Auto ISO, ISO 100-6400 Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent light, Flash, Custom 1/4,000-30sec, bulb Built-in flash. Guide number 9.2m @ ISO 100 SD, SDHC, SDXC Rechargeable LP-E10 Lithium-ion battery 495g (including battery and memory card) 430 (standard kit)

74.5mm (Depth)

SENSOR

CROP FACTOR FOCAL LENGTH CONVERSION VIDEO RESOLUTION

23.1 x 15.4mm (APS-C) CMOS type, 14.8MP total, 14.2MP effective Approx 1.5x MOV format, 1,920 x 1,080 (at 24fps), 1,280 x 720 (at 30fps). Mono sound 11 points (one cross-type) Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage with 0.8x magnification. Approx 18mm eye point 3fps 3in, 230,000 dots Auto, ISO 100-3200 (expandable to ISO 12,800 equivalent) Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent (7 types), Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Preset 1/4,000-30sec, bulb Built-in flash. Guide number 12m @ ISO 100 SD, SDHC, SDXC Rechargeable EN-EL14 Lithium-ion battery Approx 505g (including battery and memory card) 400 (standard kit)

AUTOFOCUS VIEWFINDER

AUTOFOCUS VIEWFINDER

MAX BURST RATE LCD SCREEN SIZE SENSITIVITY WHITE BALANCE

MAX BURST RATE LCD SCREEN SIZE SENSITIVITY

WHITE BALANCE

ALTHOUGH THE 1100DS NINE-POINT AF SYSTEM SEEMS A LITTLE BEHIND THE D3100S 11-POINT SYSTEM, ITS ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY SNAPPIER IN TERMS OF SPEED

SHUTTER SPEEDS FLASH

SHUTTER SPEEDS FLASH

MEMORY CARDS BATTERY WEIGHT

MEMORY CARDS BATTERY WEIGHT

STREET PRICE

STREET PRICE

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CANON

NIKON

The images above, in actual pixels, show the detail captured by the Canon EOS 1100D and Nikon D3100

CANON

NIKON
Examples of exposure shown on the Canon (above) and Nikon (below)

The images above show the colour reproduction of the Canon EOS 1100D and Nikon D3100

SCORES OUT OF 100

CANON NIKON

Features 70/100 Build and handling 75/100 Performance 70/100 OVERALL CANON 72%
controlled studio conditions and more general everyday scenes. In the studio, when set to the same custom white balance the 1100Ds RAW output displayed a tendency for more neutral colour next to the D3100s more saturated results. In more general shots, however, things were the other way around, with the D3100s auto white balance system leaning more towards neutrality and the 1100D being considerably warmer, neither system being inaccurate as such, just showing a slight preference one way or the other. In terms of exposure, Canons 63-zone iFCL system proves to be the more sensitive of the two, being easily led to over and underexposure. Noise levels from the two

Features 80/100 Build and handling 85/100 Performance 85/100 OVERALL NIKON 83%
cameras are remarkably similar, although the D3100s extended Hi2 option does allow for greater flexibility (although results are, unsurprisingly, very noisy by this point). The only difference between the two is that the D3100s noise appears a little coarser, which can occasionally make it a touch more noticeable. Finally, the image stabilisation systems of each cameras kit lens were found to be effective, with usable results down to around 1/10sec at the 55mm, which represents a benefit of around four EV stops each. Results at slower shutter speeds could also be deemed usable by some, although that would depend on how exactly they would be used and at what size.

[106] PH OTOGRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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CANON EOS 1100D VS NIKON D3100 MATT GOLOWCZYNSKI

NOISE EXAMPLES

Below, in actual pixels, are examples of each cameras performance at its higher sensitivity settings. The Nikon D3100 is expandable to an ISO 12,800 equivalent

1600

3200

6400

1600

3200

6400

12,800

CANON

NIKON

VERDICT
For the first-time user neither camera is a bad choice, and each is compatible with an exhaustive collection of lenses and accessories. Anyone looking at these should also consider adding the Pentax K-r to their shortlist, which has a number of advantages over either tested here for roughly the same price. Nevertheless, for those looking specifically towards one of the two on test, the Nikon is perhaps the better choice. Its AF system may not be quite as speedy and its menu-based operation may not please everyone, but it is considerably better specified and a slightly better performer. It is surprising, therefore, to find it also being the cheaper of the two. PM

WWW.P HOTO GRAP H YMO NT H LY.COM [1 07 ]

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THE BEST ROUNDUP OF THIS MONTHS SPECIAL DEALS

PM DEALS...
1
SIGMA 8-16MM F/4.5-5.6 DC HSM CANON EOS FIT
London Camera Exchange Bath, in-store PM Reader Price: 499, with three-year guarantee www.lcegroup.co.uk Tel: 01225 462234

Each month we promise to phone our extensive list of contacts in the photographic industry to find you some of the best deals on new gear. All prices listed are current as of 7September 2011

TAMRAC ADVENTURE 75 BACKPACK

Morris Photo PM Reader Price: 49.97 www.morrisphoto.co.uk Tel: 08454 302030

RICOH PX
Ace Cameras Bath, in-store PM Reader Price: 164 (any colour) www.acecameras.co.uk/ photomonthly.asp Tel: 01225 466975

PAP STRAP
Jack the Hat Photographic PM Reader Price: 25.99, inc UK delivery www.jackthehat.co.uk Tel: 01900 816104

SAMSUNG 16GB SDHC PLUS MEMORY CARD

PicStop PM Readers Price: 24.99 Photography Monthly readers may quote the code PMSAM and claim 10 per cent off this price www.picstop.co.uk Tel: 01624 670005

7 6
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP & PREMIERE ELEMENTS 9.0
Park Cameras PM Reader Price: 69.99 www.parkcameras.com

POCKETWIZARD
Sharif Photographic Services Canon or Nikon Fit Bundle Deal: One Mini TT1 transmitter Two Flex TT5 transceivers One AC3 zone controller PM Reader Price: 509 PM readers can claim free delivery by entering the code photogmonth at the online checkout screen www.sharifphotographic.co.uk Tel: 01461 206578

[108] P H OTOGRAP HY MONTHLY OCTOBER 2011

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UPLOAD TO OUR PM GALLERIES STUART KEAREY Upload your images to our online gallery for the chance to see them published in Photography Monthly. As well as the Readers Gallery, we are looking for a striking image for the front cover of our November issue could your photo be the one? Upload your images at www.photography monthly.com

Stuart Kearey Sigourney Jane Hulme Nikon D5000 70-200mm

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THE DIY

PHOTOGRAPHER
In these lean times very few of us can afford the expensive kit we want, but neither can we afford to stop taking pictures. In a new series, HAJE JAN KAMPS explains how to transform everyday household items into valuable additions to your kit bag. This month how to turn a Pringles can into a powerful extension tube

Inter angeable lens camera Interchangeable lens camera rch Lens inserted front-rst into Pringles can Lens,, inser ted front-r st into Pringles can Camera body cap Camera body cap
Close-up of a glowing match head

Pringles can

Three easy pieces: this is how your camera, lens and Pringles can should connect IF YOU HAVE AN SLR CAMERA and want to get closer to your subject, macro is the name of the game. Unfortunately, it is one of those genres of photography where you can spend thousands of your hard-earned pounds trying to capture small details. However, what if I said that you could spend just 1.49 and only have to go as far as the corner shop to capture those minute details? Would you believe a simple can of Pringles crisps is all you need? In macro, the easy way of getting in close to your subject is via macro rings or bellows. These work well, but the problem is you have to buy the macro rings or bellows! Here were going to substitute these with a Pringles can and use it in conjunction with another budget macro technique: reversing your lens. Simply take your lens off the camera, turn it around, and place it front-element-first against the camera body. This alone will get you near, but to get ultra-close you can use the Pringles can and a piece of black felt to hold the lens away from the camera without letting light leak past the lens and into the camera body. You can create your Pringles can extension tube by following the five simple steps on the opposite page. When ready to use the assembly you will need to move either the camera or the subject itself to get it focused. With little depth of field, this can sometimes be a frustrating process, but the results are well worth it! PM

MATERIALS NEEDED
SLR CAMERA + INTERCHANGEABLE LENS EMPTYPRINGLES CAN BLACK FELTAND A KNIFE BODYCAP FOR CAMERA SANDPAPER AND STRONG GLUE

HAJE JAN KAMPS

[110] PH OTOGRAP HY MO NTH LY OCTOBE R 20 11

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DIY PHOTOGRAPHY HAJE JAN KAMPS
STEP 1
Get a camera body cap and cut out as much as you can from the centre, ensuring you leave the whole bayonet mount intact. Use a piece of sandpaper to matte the surface, which will help prevent reflections. With my DIY extension tube I was able to capture amazing detail on this coin

STEP 2
Mark the hole in your body cap on the bottom, metal end of the Pringles can and cut out this hole. Be sure to clean out the can afterwards to remove any metal shavings or salt.

STEP 3
Line the inside of the can with black felt to eliminate reflections.

STEP 4
Glue the body cap to the Pringles can. Use strong glue, as the tube will be bearing a lot of weight, and once it has dried be sure to colour the glue black with a felt-tip marker to prevent any light seeping through.

STEP 5
Place the lens (I used a cheap standard make) into the open end of the can, which should fit snugly around the felt. Also be sure to insert the lens so that the rear electrical contacts are facing away from the camera body.
Whats this? You may ask. The answer is its an extreme close-up of a burning match, shot through my Pringles can

COMING NEXT MONTH

Haje shows you how to make a mini-studio in your own home for shooting small items

Haje is a Dutch photographer, author and blogger. He wrote Macro Photography (ISBN 978-0470118764), blogs at www.photocritic.org, and tweets on @Photocritic

UNFORTUNATELY, MACRO IS ONE OF THOSE GENRES OF PHOTOGRAPHY WHERE YOU CAN SPEND THOUSANDS OF YOUR HARD-EARNED POUNDS...

W WW.P HOTO GRA PH YM O N T H LY.COM [ 1 11]

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WorldMags.net TALES FROM AN AMERICAN CITY

MIKE INNOCENZI SHARES HIS PICTURES AND OFFBEAT STORIES FROM THE STREETS OF CHICAGO
FRANKIE CALLED ME AND SAID she was running 30 minutes late. My gout is flaring up. Mike Innocenzi dabbles in And a homeless man just stole my pinwheel hat. photography and witchcraft. Id been cutting through Chicagos Daley Plaza He lives and works in Chicago, on my way across the Loop, the citys downtown weather permitting. district, but presently stopped at a bench to sit http://www.flickr.com/photos/pantagrapher/ and wait, and told Frankie to meet me there. Across the way, a mossy cluster of bridesmaids clung to the base of the Picasso, a famous steel monument that lures photographers of the wedding variety, who believe the sculptures large, horse-like countenance provides a compelling visual juxtaposition, depending, of course, on the brides prevailing genetics. The photographer in this case was a black-haired wisp of a kid, no assistant or metal briefcase full of baubles. But he had the brand of deep knee bend and breezy rapport that portended a bright future in the craft. It was the final Friday of July, and as afternoon turned to evening, bicyclists began to encroach on the shoot, the Plaza being the gathering place for Chicagos monthly Critical Mass ride. I brought out my camera when the bride lit her cigarette. Shed lost patience with the swirling swarm of bikes and the young photographers ineffectual attempts to rein in the situation. The early evening light in this part of Chicago is often spectacular, as the setting sun careers off the glass high-rises nearby and plays upon the scenery. The brides cigarette smoke hung in a white dandelion bloom about her head. At this point, the groom lit up as well. They stood wallowing in their own exhalations, there, standing on the ashen granite of the Plaza floor. This called for immediate action, and I began my approach. Alas, the bicyclists swirled apace, confounding my efforts. Meanwhile, the bridesmaids were disbanding and the opportunity dissolved before I could get into proper range. Frankie called. Im doddering down Washington. Ill be there soon, but we need to hurry. We need to hurry. We do, said the late-running, gout-ridden gimp with no pinwheel hat. Frustrated, I repaired to the outer edge of the Plaza, so Frankie could spot me easily and we could hurry off at lurch speed. Four bridesmaids followed at a shallower angle. I turned and pretended to line up a shot of the Daley Center, waiting for them to walk into frame. I dont know if theres a professional term for this manoeuvre, but I call it The Incredibly Deceptive Manoeuvre. The four wandered right into my trap, the one nearest turning her head as a madwoman shrieked my name from the other side of Washington Boulevard. I engaged the shutter release, and this was my result. PM

BIOGRAPHY

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[122] P H OTOGRAPHY MONTHLY OCTOBE R 2011

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