Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Digital Camera Magazine

Darren Ridgway Street photographer A photographer for the past eight years. Darren has recently chosen to focus on street photography, candidly capturing his home city of Bristol in south-west England, and the people who live there. Instagram: @darren_ridgway Darren Ridgway first developed his passion for street D photography when he travelled Europe for his work as a removal man. With lunch breaks to wander around with his camera candidly snapping away, he quickly built a large portfolio from many different countries. I’m due to meet Darren at Castle Park in Bristol but, with an overcast sky and cloud cover, it’s less than optimal weather for punchy street photography. However, Darren is optimistic. “The thing about shooting on the streets is that conditions are never perfect,” he says. “You can go…

For this fun project, I’m using the Lomo’Instant Wide camera, made by Lomography. Packed with features for shooting wide-format images, I thought I’d create an image using the camera’s double exposure setting. Double exposures have been a firm favourite with 35mm film shooters for many years and are created by layering one shot on top of the other to form one final single image. It’s important to remember that the majority of analogue photography is trial and error. It took me three or four attempts to get this right, so have fun on any experimental journeys while on your way to the end result. www.lomography.com Get set up for double exposures Turn on your camera and then press the MX button. It will display a yellow light, meaning you are…

I am a keen wildlife photographer based in the south-west of England. Recently, I decided to take a trip to the Peak District to try to photograph red squirrels. I booked a day at a fantastic location set in a woodland valley near Hawes run by fellow photographer Paul Fowlie (www.paulfowliephotography.co.uk). Paul has built several hides so that people can photograph the wildlife that congregates there – typically, you will be able to see red squirrels and a variety of birds. I spent about five hours enjoying the hide while shooting on my Sony A1 with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6/6.3 telephoto lens, which has an incredible reach for photographing detailed wildlife at a distance in their natural habitat. Instagram: @bristolbackpacker Long and short of it To take your wildlife…

1 Selecting a focal length You are going to need to get reasonably close to a butterfly to photograph it. Ideally, you’ll need a lens of around 105mm; anything less than that and you may risk disturbing them and they will fly away. 2 Chose your aperture For most macro photography, use an aperture setting between f/5.6 and f/11. You might be tempted to shoot at a faster aperture of f/2.8 for a softer background but this will cause too much of the main subject to be out of focus. 3 Select a shutter speed Even when butterflies are not in flight, there will still be some small movement. Even the movement of the flower in a breeze will be exaggerated through a macro lens. Try to keep your shutter speed above 1/200sec…

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The Develop module is where you’ll spend most of your time enhancing your images and making them the best they can be. With options available for almost any style of photography, you’ll always be able to tweak your images subtly or delve deep into the colour, contrast, spot healing, filtered gradients and many other powerful tools so that your images look exactly how you want them to. The Develop module is split into sections. There are panels on the left and right, and the Content Window can be found in the middle, where the photo you are currently working on is displayed. 1 Navigator window The Navigator allows you to preview your images while browsing through the Filmstrip, as well as to quickly zoom in while editing. 2 Content window This is…

If you’re lucky enough to have a make-up artist on a shoot, then you might not need to do too much retouching at the editing stage – but even the best make-up can’t cover every blemish in the skin. Fortunately, Lightroom provides some tools that will enable you to clean up your portraiture to a professional level. We’re going to use the spot removal tool and local adjustment brushes to bring out the best in your captures. At the top of your sliders (just below the histogram) you’ll find the Clone/Heal tool: click on it to change the Size, Feather or Opacity to suit your needs. 1 Heal any blemishes Once you have clicked the Spot Removal tool, you now have the option to clone or heal. While Clone references other…

Now that you’re happy with your edits, you’ll want to save your finished photos to your computer or hard drive. You can select a single image, multiple images, or even all the images in your library, to batch export. You can then decide on the type of file you’d like to create and even apply your own watermarks if you wish. You may be a family portrait photographer and wish to send low-res files for proofing to a client or create high-res print files once the job is complete. This can easily be done via the Export window while you go and grab yourself a well-deserved coffee. 1 Exporting your photos To start, right-click your photo and select ‘Export’. You will then be presented with the export settings window, where you…

Sony ZV-E1 Sony’s new full-frame camera brings the brand’s best pro video features within reach of vloggers and content creators, and is on sale now Aimed at YouTubers, streamers and social media stars, the ZV-E1 is the brand’s premium vlogging and content creation camera. Built around the E-mount, the ZV-E1 boasts a 12MP full-frame sensor paired with a Bionz XR image processor, and borrows a separate dedicated AI chip from the Sony A7R V – this chip drives the ZV-E1’s autofocus and AI features. The latter includes person and animal subject recognition that can track human bodies down to arm and leg movements. Capable of capturing 4K 60p with no pixel binning, the ZV-E1 offers live streamers the ability to shoot 4K 30p or Full HD 60p video via a…

Specifications Sensor: 24MP APS-C CMOS Lens mount: Pentax KAF2 Image processor: PRIME MII AF points: 11-point Phase-matching AF ISO range: 100 to 102,400 Max image size: 6,000 x 4,000px Metering modes: TTL open aperture, 77 segmented metering, centre-weighted and spot metering Max video resolution: 1920 x 1080 30p/60i Viewfinder: Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.95x magnification with 50mm lens LCD: 3-inch 1,037k dot vari-angle Max burst: 6fps JPG (L: *** at Continuous H, up to approximately 40 frames) Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, Micro HDMI Size: 125.5 x 93.0 x 74.0mm Weight: 684g (with battery and memory card) ricoh-imaging.eu Canon and Nikon may dominate the DSLR market, but we mustn’t forget that there is a third contender, Pentax. The company has been making DSLRs for the same time as the…

This is a great collection of travel tripods, and all of them have their merits. The Benro MeFoto RoadTrip Pro Carbon Fibre is the most versatile, with an excellent collection of features that means you can support your camera or phone in a variety of ways. The significantly pricier Gitzo Légende Tripod, however, has old-school build quality, is built to last and stands impressively tall. But ultimately, it’s the Peak Design travel Tripod that would reach for when heading out on an adventure. We love its slim profile, speed of deployment and stable support. If budget allows, we’d go for the carbon fibre version as the 290g weight-saving is apparent, but the aluminium model makes an excellent alternative. Good Benro MeFoto RoadTrip Pro Carbon Fibre A versatile tripod with lots…

Graeme Green Photographer & writer The wildlife photographer and writer tells us about the origin of his New Big 5 conservation project and the story behind its first photo book, from page 116 Darren Ridgway Photographer The Bristol resident has carved out a niche capturing candids of people in his home city – we join him on location for a One to One pro masterclass. Page 8 Angela Nicholson Photographer & writer DC’s former staff reviewer has been busy testing a bevy of top travel tripods – with the summer holidays fast approaching, read her expert views from page 102 Jon Devo Photographer & writer Our resident tech columnist enjoys considering the latest developments in photography and digital imaging. Read his latest dispatch on page 92 Ben Hawkins Photographer &…

TIP CARD Take it on location With a kit list, go-to settings and a technique summary, our dedicated photo tip card will get you up and running on this project in no time! 1 | WILDLIFE Hare-raising shots Patience, persistence, a long lens and a place to hide are the key to capturing hares in the wild Spring provides so many opportunities for S photographers. The landscapes are coming to life, insects and birds grace us with their presence, flowers are blooming and the warmer weather allows us to get out shooting more often than in winter. Many of the mammals native to the UK will spend springtime either giving birth to their newborn or searching for a mate in preparation for a summer birth. Hares are no exception, and can…

When we hear the term ‘Selective Colour’, you might be inclined to think of red roses popping out of a black and white background. Despite sharing its name with this technique, Selective Colour is a powerful tool found within Adobe Photoshop to help you tone and process your images for a finer finish. Once opened, this tool will allow you to work on individual colour channels with a simple slider system so you can tone each one with a more pleasing hue. For instance, you may want to bring a warmer orange to your yellows or a cooler aqua tone to your blues. As always, it’s down to personal preference with colour tones, but I like to experiment by moving the sliders all the way to the left, then all…

A zoom burst is a form of ‘light-painting’ involving a long-exposure technique where you move the lens, or rather its zoom ring, shifting the focal length from one point to another, while the shutter is open. To shoot zoom bursts, all you need is a camera and a lens with a manual zoom ring. If you want your bursts to be uniform, and key elements to retain a degree of sharpness, you’ll also need a sturdy tripod to support your camera and a remote cable release or self-timer. I’d recommend using an ISO 100 film (or slower) if you’re shooting in daylight. Colour negative film will produce the most striking results while being most forgiving of overexposure. Start by setting your camera to manual mode and stopping your lens down…

Cities are packed with brilliant architecture, from clean modern structures to classic old buildings. When it comes to architectural photography, there is a variety of approaches and you can develop your own style. When shooting a building, explore all the angles beforehand. Coming in close and looking up can be effective if you want an abstract approach, or you may choose to stand back from the building and shoot it head-on. You also need to take the light into account and what effect this will have on the end result. Strong shadows can be rather distracting but you can use them to your advantage if you want to create an abstract photo. How to capture creative architecture 1 The basic set-up For the best architectural photography results, use a wide-angle lens…

FINALIST: Jean-Claude Moschetti, France CATEGORY: Portraiture From the series ‘Egungun Voodoo Society, Benin’ “The Egungun association is a secret voodoo society in Benin that honours the spirits of their ancestors and perpetuates their memories. These ancestral spirits are believed to be in constant watch over their living relatives. They bless, protect and warn them, but can also punish them depending on whether they are remembered or neglected. The spirits can also protect a community against evil spirits, epidemics, witchcraft and evil-doers.” FINALIST: Marylise Vigneau, France CATEGORY: Portfolio ‘Acek Urmanbetov’ “In 2022, much of the world reopened and I could finally continue some of my long-term projects that had been interrupted by the Covid pandemic. This is a portrait of the 98-year-old WWII veteran Acek Urmanbetov. Reluctant to talk about the war he…

Once you have imported your captures, it’s time to start bringing out the best in them. With two or three simple tweaks using the sliders on the right side, they will immediately look better. Raw files are often a little flat looking to begin with, but that’s exactly what they’re there for – they are larger files that allow you to draw the most out of them in post-processing. Within the Basic panel, you’ll find around 15 sliders that can often be sufficient to get your images looking great. Of course, many photographers like to go deeper, but if you’re starting out, the Basic panel offers most of what you need. Drag sliders to the right to increase their value (usually up to +100) and to the left to decrease…

A raw image file imported from your camera will not have any processing applied to it. On the other hand, a jpeg file will have saturation, contrast and sharpening applied in-camera, making them seem more appealing at first glance. The main sliders within the Detail panel related to sharpening are Amount, Radius, Detail and Masking. Various images require different amounts of each setting to be applied, depending on the subject. Here, we will look at sharpening this shot of the butterfly to tease out some more detail, particularly on its wings. TOP TIP Get a better look Holding the Option key on a Mac (or the Alt key on a PC) while moving the sliders will change your view to a greyscale to see what effect is taking place. Step-by-step…

1 ‘Northern Lights swirl above an Icelandic cabin’ by Raymond Davies “We were lucky to have clear skies and catch the aurora. While my companions were enjoying the hot tub, I was wrapped up behind my camera taking this photo.” Digital Camera says: Missing out on the hot tub is a small price to pay to get this stunning shot, Raymond! Truly magical, and a worthy winner. READER SHOT OF THE MONTH Raymond Davies wins a year’s subscription to Digital Camera for this image. Well done, Raymond! 2 ‘Wonders’ by Gerard Deehan “Before breakfast and in between the rain, I took my Canon EOS R6 Mk II onto the hotel roof bar and was rewarded with this image. Natural and man-made wonders looking back at me in the sunrise.” Digital Camera says: It’s…

Jon Devo instagram.com/gadgetsjon Jon is a professional photographer, videographer and technology journalist Consider this an open letter to the powers that be. The introduction of subscription-based models for things like verification, improved reach and exclusive access to additional content, is a problem. Let’s get into it. Social media has been a great equaliser, providing opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to showcase work and gain recognition. But I’m worried that the introduction of subscription offerings on two of the largest content-sharing platforms may distort what was previously a level playing field. In an ideal world, art would be a meritocracy; if you have the talent, you will find an audience. But, of course, life isn’t that simple. Many artists go to their graves never knowing the posthumous success of their…

Specifications Sensor: 24.24MP (6000 x 4000) Lens focal length: 26.1mm (35mm equivalent: 40mm) Focal range: 7.9in to Infinity/0.2m to Infinity (Normal) 4.72in to 4.72in/0.12m to 0.12cm (Macro) ISO range: 100 to 102,400  Max image size: 6,000 x 4,000px Autofocus: Hybrid AF (phase matching and contrast detection) with face/eye detection Metering modes: Centre-Weighted, Highlight, Multi, Spot  Image stabilisation: Sensor-shift, 3-axis, up to 4 stops  Video: 1920 x 1080p at 24p/30p/60p  LCD: 3-inch fixed touchscreen Memory card: 1x UHS-I SDXC card slot, plus 2GB internal memory Size: 109 × 62 × 35mm Weight: 262g (with battery and memory card) ricoh-imaging.eu Designed with the street photographer in mind, the Ricoh GR IIIx is a remarkable little (and we mean that literally) camera that’s enjoyable to use and achieves amazing results. It’s a one-stop solution…

9 PHOTO TIPS CARDS TO TAKE ON LOCATION! Our latest selection of tips cards gives wallet-sized advice on how to take better photos ALL-NEW TIPS CARDS! 9 subjects Techniques Settings Kit list Transform your images with the latest batch of software extras for Photoshop and Lightroom Our latest selection of presets and actions will give your captures a professional look in a matter of seconds. Find out more about each pack on page 82 and download them by following the instructions below. BONUS SOFTWARE EXTRAS! Turn to page 82 Buyer’s Guide ebook Over 300 pages of camera and lens reviews, plus buying advice for accessories! See the Gifts folder in your download. HOW TO GET YOUR DIGITAL GIFTS ENTER THIS URL www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc268 Enter the URL www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc268 into the destination bar…

PART 1 OF 3 Part 2 in issue 269, on sale 26 May I have a stump with a handle on it that I bring to every dog photoshoot. I actually bought it at a grocery store many years ago. It was being sold in the camping section, and was definitely meant for bringing back to a campsite and having quick, easy firewood you can cut up with an axe. I’m sure the handle was only meant to carry it from the car to the campsite, but for me it proved a super-easy and convenient way to carry an otherwise very cumbersome stump around with me on location! The stump allows me to have a natural-looking element that I can add to any outdoor scene where I need to get…

Cosplay (short for costume play) is when people dress up as their favourite comic book, video game or TV and movie characters. This pastime can be traced back to the Japanese genres of Anime and Manga. In 1984, Nobuyuki Takahashi (the founder of Studio Hard) coined the phrase when attending the 42nd Worldcon in Los Angeles. Cosplay is hugely popular among all ages and genders making it an inclusive and passionate community. Today, I’m at Secret Con, which was established in the summer of 2021 with the first event taking place in October of that year. An event run by members of the cosplay community, for the cosplay community, held within unique locations such as the former HMP Gloucester. I’m going to be shooting with my Fujifilm X-T3 and a…

Rock band Vega was completing its tour cycle for 2022 and the group asked me to join them for a couple of dates to photograph its new line-up. The only place in the venue that was free of production clutter was the bar area, so I needed to come up with a technique to make the photographs look different and interesting. I shot the band using a speedlight with a blue gel behind it and lit them from above with a small portable softbox. I also put a double exposure effect in Photoshop to produce the main image. All of the gear I use (the camera, three Speedlights and three lenses covering 15mm to 200mm) fits into one hard case. It’s a useful studio-in-a-box solution when I’m on the road,…

Adobe Lightroom Classic is an accessible piece A of software that makes it simple to navigate through your photos and edit them. You can save your impressive transformations but also revert to your original shot if needed. Over the next few pages, we will highlight many of Lightroom’s most impressive features and skills, showing you how to transform ordinary shots into the extraordinary. To start with, we’ll go through some basic settings you should know about on the Lightroom interface, before looking at basic and advanced editing and, finally, saving and exporting your images. Lightroom’s editing software is non-destructive, so you can always go back and make changes later. So whether you’re a landscape lover or are passionate about portraits, there are many aspects of Lightroom that you can use…

Many of us get a little queasy when we are left with no choice but to ramp up the ISO into the higher echelons when shooting. We know there’s a price to pay – and that price is often increased digital noise. Sometimes this can add character to an image, but often it just feels unsightly. With the aperture wide open at f/2, this image was captured at ISO 6400, but it’s possible to fix much of that noise in post-production without sacrificing too much detail. Remaining in the Detail panel, we’ll look at using Luminance, Detail and Contrast and Color to make noise reductions. 1 Soften luminance noise Luminance noise is created from under- or over- exposed pixels and appears as grainy black-and-white spots. Use the Luminance slider – usually…

One of the most powerful time-saving tricks in Lightroom is the ability to copy and paste settings from one finished image to another image – or many images. If you have moved through the workflow of making basic exposure adjustments, colouring the image, sharpening and reducing noise, selecting a picture profile or even converting to black and white, you can now take your final finished image and apply the same treatment to the other images within your library. This is especially useful if you have to edit a substantial batch of images quickly and efficiently. 1 Copying your settings Right-click on the thumbnail of your image (below the main window) and select Develop Settings. From there, navigate to Copy Settings, which will then present you with a new tickbox window. 2 Make…

Larry Niehues Documentary photographer Title: ‘Mississippi Dream’ Location: Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA Date: 2022 www.larryniehues.com French photographer Larry Niehues, who emigrated to the USA in 2010, continues his love letter to America with Mississippi Dream. For his professional work, Niehues shoots for a wide variety of magazines and brands, but in his spare time, he devotes himself to his passions of travel, music and motorcycles. He photographs America as we know it from the last century. For this new book, Niehues chooses to go deeper into his fascination with the Delta region of the United States to focus on the great state of Mississippi. In this passionate exploration of the culture of the Deep South, Niehues captures aspects of Mississippi far beyond landscapes and blue skies. The project began in 2020…

Specifications Mount: Sony FE Full-frame: Yes Lens construction: 14 elements in 11 groups Angle of view: 47º Autofocus: Yes Image stabilisation: No Diaphragm blades: 11 Max aperture: f/1.4 Min aperture: f/16 Min focusing distance: 0.45m Max magnification ratio: 0.15x Filter size: 67mm Dimensions (L x D): 96 x 81mm Weight: 516g www.sony.co.uk In the world of prime lenses, no focal length is more talked about than 50mm, which is wide enough and long enough for many different areas of photography. A ‘nifty fifty’ is often one of the first lenses in a photographer’s kit bag. Sony has introduced the FE 50mm F1.4 as a replacement for the ageing Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens in its medium distance prime lens lineup. Launched in 2016, the Zeiss is known…