Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2016 i Australian Photography

We kick off this March issue of Australian Photography with some tips from the talented Drew Hopper on how you can shoot better environmental portraits. It was a portrait photo I took as a spotty-faced backpacker in Vietnam that really kick started my understanding of photography. I’d always had a love for taking photos, but until that moment I’d never quite got just how the different components of aperture, shutter speed and ISO worked together to produce a picture with punch. That was until a little old lady toddled towards me on a busy street in Ho Chi Minh City and smiled when I asked her if I could take her photo. Fumbling with my camera as she stood waiting, I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed.…

Camera battery goes flat too fast Q I recently bought a new Olympus OM-D E-M1 and discovered the battery does not have the life I’ve come to expect after years using a Canon EOS 60D. In a previous answer some years ago you mentioned a brand of replacement battery which, from memory, had a greater capacity than the standard batteries. What was the brand of that battery? – Toby Bainbridge, Maryborough Vic. Birubi Beach A In the April 2014 Q&A Column, Wasabi Power batteries, using Japanese-made cells, were mentioned as a long-life alternative for Canon cameras. Many factors are at play in the comparison between a Compact System Camera (mirrorless) and your previous DSLR. Other users of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 have been reporting good battery life, hence the difference…

A linear polariser passes through light that is polarised in a particular orientation. Camera autofocus and metering systems can mis-read polarised light causing incorrect exposures or focus – this depends on your camera brand and design. A circular polarising filter is much the same thing but has what’s known as a ‘quarter-wave plate’ glued to the back which, to put it simply, ‘unpolarises’ the light again. It still reduces the intensity of polarised light entering the filter and is used in exactly the same way, but will not effect the autofocus (AF) or metering of your camera. If in doubt – buy a circular polariser.…

My typical kit always includes at least two camera bodies. Currently I use the Canon 5D Mark III with the 1Ds Mark III as my back-up. I always take the 17mm TS-E f4 for any building shots, which of course helps me correct perspective. Working underground I need some vestige of autofocus and so I use the 16-35mm f4 for wide-angle work. My general-purpose walk around lens is the excellent 24-70 f2.8 II, supplemented with the 70-200 f2.8 L IS II USM, which gives me that nice extra reach, as well as being a good portrait lens. If I want to really isolate a particular piece of machinery using a shallow depth of field, then I use either the 50mm f1.2 L or the 85 f1.2 L. For macro work…

The Australian Photographic Society has a long history of providing services to amateur photographers throughout Australia. For many talented shooters it has helped them improve their knowledge and skills and forge new relationships. Like many not-for-profit societies, however, it is facing a range of challenges borne out of social, technological and political change. Being associated with APS for over 35 years, I have noticed that much like Australian society, the way our members interact with each other has changed. Sometimes the true spirit of the society’s aims and objectives appear to have been misinterpreted. Australian people are becoming more critical, more fault finding and disparaging – but isn’t this the way of the healthy place in which we live? Recently an Australian wedding photographer posted that he’d “had enough” of…

The world of photography is changing every day as new technology offers more varied shooting opportunities. On a recent tour in the Kalahari Desert of northern South Africa we presented our tour party with a unique opportunity just 500 metres from our accommodation. In years gone by my group would have most likely watched this experience, hoped for some creatively blurred images (at best) and told the story to everybody back home, as few of their photos would have been successful. Instead, we had camera technology that allowed us to shoot images before sunrise. After 40 tours to Africa, what a difference this can make! We woke to bird calls and the deep rumbling roars of lions. This Is Africa. After a hot drink and a snack, we drove off…

Each item in my on-site kit has to be useful because often I am carrying it on my back for extended periods of time, as well as up and down stairs and ladders. I use a Lowepro backpack roller bag which I can pull behind me, and then pull out the straps and carry on my back. I’m on my second pair of wheels on this bag, probably due to too much cross-country use. I use a Manfrotto 055CX3 carbon fibre tripod with an Arca Swiss Monoball head. The carbon fibre tripod saves about 1kg of weight and the Arca Swiss ball head is easy and quick to use and very good for panoramic work. I have recently upgraded to a Nikon D810 body, with a Sigma 12-24mm and Nikon…

Photography has always interested me, but it was only after retiring that I was able to spend more time doing it. In 2007 I joined one of Melbourne’s larger photographic clubs, Southern Suburbs Photographic Society. The standard of work by the club’s leading photographers was inspiring and it gave me the opportunity to ask myself, “Why do their images work and how can I achieve a similar standard?” I started in 2007 with a Canon EOS 500D which I soon replaced with a Nikon D200. Four years later I upgraded to a D700 which is now my backup camera to a D4s. My main photographic interests are landscapes, seascapes and photojournalism. I started entering competitions in 2009 and I’ve received a number of acceptances and awards in national and international…

Image Doctor Online Now there’s another way to get feedback on your images. We’re now offering an online version of Image Doctor at www.australianphotography.com, moderated by professional photographer Anthony McKee. Submit an image and find out what you’re doing right, what you’re doing wrong and, most importantly, what you can do to improve your photos. To upload an image go to www.australianphotography.com and click the ‘image doctor’ tab on the home page. THIS MONTH’S WINNER! Bend zee knees! This is a lovely scene with that spiny foreground making a good counterpoint to all the more rounded, softer textured elements in the scene. They also make a good point of focus in the foreground. As well as good interest, the shot has some nice variations in light and shadow, and lovely…

Trudy Schuringa’s kit includes a 16-24mm lens for wider overall shots of a space, equipment, and landscape. For the majority of her images she uses a 24-70mm, which optimises the viewing area without distortion. Her preference is to get things right in camera rather than to correct distortions in post. She uses a 70-200mm lens to photograph in a candid and natural way people using machinery so they are able to continue working without feeling the intrusion of a camera. For correcting perspective and photographing more selectively focus images, she uses a 45mm shift lens. Currently, her favourite kit includes a Canon EOS 5D Mk III, a sturdy tripod and mobile lighting equipment.…