Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 281 i Digital Photographer

Planning and preparation are the pro photographer’s secret weapon. In almost any genre of the medium, at the professional level, it is knowing what conditions you may experience and which equipment will be needed that outfits you to succeed, regardless of your subject. This is something we learned first-hand when we joined a commercial shoot in a high-risk location for our Shoot Like a Pro feature. Turn to p14 of the magazine to learn how Jon Parker Lee, our guide, prepared for all the variables to protect both himself and his kit while delivering a tough brief. Next, join pro macro photographers Ross Hoddinott and Catherine Régnier to discover how research can help you understand your subjects, which will in turn produce sensational images. You’ll find this cover feature on…

It’s been a busy month for Canon, after making an official announcement for its flagship EOS R1 full-frame mirrorless camera, two new lenses swiftly followed in the shape of an RF 35mm F1.4L VCM and RF-S 3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye for VR content, plus the arrival of a budget-friendly EL-10 Speedlite. Details for the EOS R1 are still sparse, though it will inevitably be a speed demon, using a newly developed Digic Accelerator image processor, with Canon saying that “a large volume of data can be processed at high speeds and delivers never-before-seen advancements in autofocus”. Canon claims its latest lens is its sharpest 35mm prime lens to date. The RF 35mm F1.4L VCM is the company’s second ‘hybrid’ optic, aimed at both photographers and videographers in equal measure.…

There’s rarely a dull day in professional commercial photography – every shoot is different and the range of subject matter covered means that you can find yourself shooting in the office of a CEO one morning and on the roof of a new skyscraper in the afternoon. As someone who spends a great deal of time working indoors on a laptop, it sounds exciting to me. Of course, it’s not all fun and the variety means there’s lots of pressure to be adaptable and a huge scope for excessively ambitious client expectations. This morning, I find myself on an early train from Manchester heading into the Peak District. I’m due to meet photographer Jon Parker Lee for a shoot with one of his corporate clients. We’ll be visiting a cement…

Like every genre of photography, macro and closeup have their unique challenges. Working with short focus distances and high magnifications produces ultra shallow depth-of-field, meaning that the photographer must work hard to compose a shot, keep essential details in focus and light the scene in front of the camera. It isn’t easy to add lighting when the camera is close to the subject and even getting the framing right and lining up the perfect scene arrangement can be tricky with timid subjects. Because it is such a technical area of photography, macro shots can often lack creativity. Many images are perfectly accurate, for example, sharply focused with a balanced exposure, but so much thought has gone into the technical specifics that the creator hasn’t considered any alternative possibilities. What about…

In macro photography, control of the background is essential to give an artistic dimension to your composition, elevating it above simple naturalistic photography, which only captures a record shot of your subject. That’s why I place backgrounds on the same level of importance as the subject and the light. It’s not unusual for me to abandon the idea of photographing an insect or a mushroom if the background doesn’t suit. Indeed, the most common mistake in macro photography is to concentrate solely on the sharpness of your subject and neglect the background. In my practice, I start by looking at the surrounding vegetation, colours and contrasts, such as the reflections of a body of water between branches. To achieve a beautiful background, the biggest challenge is to find the right…

CANON ZOOM LENS EF 24-105mm 1:4 L IS I USM If you ask professional photographers what is more important, the quality of the camera body or the quality of the lens, the majority will say the lens. In a market flooded with options, it can be challenging to select the perfect optic. Of course, all this new lens technology comes with a higher price tag, making it even more important to avoid being swayed by marketing and to invest in optics that correspond with your photographic style and objectives. While you can use multiple lenses for your work, constantly changing lenses can be annoying in the long run, not to mention the additional expense involved. Therefore, a good lens should be versatile, offering the ability to use it in various…

With action photography, it’s often safer to be away from the scene, especially with sports such as motocross. This is where you need a lens with a longer range, so you don’t have to get too close. However, when you want to shoot some filler images to build up a story, getting images of prep work and riders getting ready, you would ideally shoot with a shorter focal length – in a dusty environment, the last thing you want is to be swapping lenses and getting all that dust on your sensor, so a zoom lens comes in handy. The Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports is my favourite lens. It gives me next to no chromatic aberration compared with other lenses I’ve owned and the images are…

1 Add your flash Attach a speedlight to the hotshoe. Since our goal is to add a spread of light to the foreground, we can comfortably use on-camera flash, unlike in portrait photography where directional light is better. Set the zoom to the widest setting to avoid spotlighting. 2 Spread the light further To maximise the softness of the flash lighting and extend the coverage over the foreground, employ the wide panel and reflector card on the flash unit. Aim the flash head to 45° degrees to prevent harsh shadows and clipped highlights on foliage. 3 Takea meter reading Evaluative metering is the best choice for this type of shot as the aim is to create an average exposure for the ambient lighting first. As usual, meter from the highlights,…

Name: Toss in the meadows Date: July 2022 Kit: Sony A1 Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Focal length: 600mm “I love capturing action shots of wildlife subjects, especially birds, with end-to-end details in the frame. I believe this is the most difficult kind of photography, given that to produce such frames, you need to be in supreme control over your gear, its capabilities and the settings. But I love the challenge.” Anoop Raghavan Manikkoth A photographer originally from Kerala, India, but currently based in Dubai, UAE, Anoop primarily focuses on capturing photographs of birds. He is a brand ambassador for Wild Roar India and Leofoto Middle East, a testament to his expertise and reputation in the industry. Anoop also leads workshops, supporting aspiring photographers in the region. @anoopmanikkothphotography…

Photographer: Jonas Lindell Title: Between the waves Location: Nykarleby, Finland @jonas.lindell About the shot: “One summer evening, I went out with my friend to take some pictures. At some point, my friend shouted, ‘Keep still for a moment’ and then took a photo of me on the beach. In return, I aimed my camera at him and captured this picture as the waves moved in around him after the sunset.” Tag us @dphotographermag for a chance to feature here Every issue, we’ll be sharing the best images from our Instagram community. Tag us on @dphotographermag WIN! SAMSUNG 256GB PRO PLUS MICRO SDXC MEMORY CARD WITH SD ADAPTER Every issue, one Digital Photographer reader wins a Samsung 256GB PRO Plus MicroSDXC memory card with SD adapter. Boasting up to 180MB/s and…

Price: £4,999/$ 4,999 Website: fujifilm-x.com With the release of the Fujifilm GFX100S II, it appears that Fujifilm might have found its rhythm in the GFX lineup. With its latest model, Fujifilm simplifies the range, ditching the last of its 50MP medium format cameras with the GFX 50S II and now focusing on two 102MP large-sensor cameras. Like the previous model, the 100S II is an attempt to balance affordability with some of the best aspects of medium format cameras and be the camera that brings medium format to more people. With some big shoes to fill, can the GFX100S II continue the good work of its predecessor? At first glance, you might not even notice this is a new camera, apart from the numerical marking added to the product name.…

PRICE: £215/$268 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.4m WEIGHT: 378g Build and handling I’ve been impressed with Yongnuo primes for both APS-C and full-frame cameras in the past. I’ve found they deliver impressive performance at an outrageously competitive selling price, but this one adds something new, with built-in radio frequency communication. The compact dimensions and lightweight build made the lens feel at home on my Nikon Z fc. Though small and light, the lens feels well-built and features extensive weather-seals, including a rubber gasket on the mounting plate, which is made from chrome-plated metal rather than plastic and features gold-plated electronic contacts. My only gripe in terms of handling is that the aperture control ring turns easily with practically no resistance. Performance Despite the down-market price tag, the lens has some quality glass.…

After dedicating eight years to ecological and alternative causes in rural areas by establishing a permaculture farm in the Perigord Vert region of the verdurous countryside of France, when I was just 21 years old, I now dedicate myself exclusively to the arts that drive me day after day. On the one hand, these arts have been nurtured by reading books, such as poetry and philosophical essays, and on the other, they are inspired by the journeys I have embarked upon for several years now, which are probably the most substantial base of my creativity. As a minstrel, poet and photographer, I travel across Europe from city to city, driven by the ambitions that fuel my art. My primary goal is to share the songs I write and play and,…

The purpose of today’s shoot was to help Jon’s client secure permission for continued work at the quarry. For a business that supports many local employees and, on a larger scale, supplies many building projects around the country and beyond, it’s critical that Jon’s photos tell an accurate story of the sustainability efforts in place. So how does he meet the expectations of all parties involved? “Few people these days only want one thing to be shot, so it’s important to ensure you know what the priorities are. Where time is short, you need to make sure you are capturing what is most important to them and ticking items off that list efficiently,” Jon says. “It’s also important to know who everybody is – who is the client, who is…

1 Arrange the group In any group shot, it’s important to arrange the members in some form of order, usually based on physical height. Today, Jon was using a large machine as a prop so placed the taller people at the front and shorter attendees on the elevated area. 2 Continuous direction Many subject in this setting are unfamiliar with how to pose for photographs, so offer constant instruction. This not only makes them feel better but conveys a sense of authority and professional control over the situation. 3 Balance the light If working outdoors in the sunlight or in less favourable indoor lighting, overpower the ambient illumination with strobes or speedlights. Jon used his Godox lights to fill in the shadows on the machine and the faces of his…

1 Zoom in Opt for macro lenses with a focal length of between 100mm and 150mm for full-frame (80mm to 100mm for APS-C). This will shorten the depth of field, helping to isolate your subject and allowing you to play with the colours and textures of your background. 2 Find a location Whether it’s a wetland, a meadow, forest or even your own garden, there should be enough vegetation to create a textured background – think tall grass, flowers, shrubs and stones. If you take a photo of an insect with no vegetation around it, the background will look bland and insipid. 3 Time your shoot There’s nothing likewater drops to create a bubble bokeh in the background. Set your alarm to get up at dawn or go out immediately…

To capture great macro shots, you don’t just need good camera handling skills, you also need to know where to find subjects and get them within range of your camera. This fieldcraft involves preparation, knowledge, technique and patience, and is an essential skill if you wish to get close to timid insects. An understanding of your subject’s behaviour and favoured habitats will significantly increase your chances of capturing standout close-ups. Start by researching potential subjects, for example, the time of year the different butterflies emerge, their favoured plants and the range of environments they inhabit – even a little knowledge will help you look in the right place at the right time. Gardens, heaths, wetlands, woods and meadows are all great habitats for invertebrates, each attracting different flora and fauna.…

When purchasing a lens, after the focal length, the focus is on the aperture possibilities. Throughout the history of photography, lenses with large apertures, such as f/1.4, have been popular and often command higher prices compared with their f/4 or f/8 counterparts. This is logical because lower f/stop ratings enable more light to enter the sensor, making it possible to use lower ISO settings even when combined with fast shutter speed or in low-light scenarios. However, considering the advancements in camera technology, it’s worth questioning the necessity of investing in these ‘fast lenses’. In the 20th century, photographers had to use maximum open apertures to compensate for slow film speeds, allowing for slightly shorter exposure times. However, advancements in sensor technology and in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) now enable shooting at…

“For wildlife photography, a wide range of focal lengths is beneficial. You might want to capture closer subjects, such as a bird in a nearby tree, however, zooming in close to the subject and revealing all its features in rich detail can often set you apart from the competition. Here, choosing the right lens is crucial – it should give you wide zoom options to react quickly and accurately,” says Mark. “I have been working with a focal length range of 150-600mm for a while now, and this durable and flexible range is perfect for my wildlife photography goals. When I tried the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C, I was hooked – so that was it for me, I found the ideal all-rounder optic,” he adds. “The…

My previous camera was a Canon, the cheapest model that I could buy in Currys at the time while working on a small budget. It wasn’t weather-resistant in the slightest. Needless to say, I needed an upgrade when it finally broke down on me. At that time, I decided to move over to Nikon. I chose the Sigma, having experienced the durability and superior image quality of the OS Sport range. Although I feel that having a lens with an even longer focal range could be beneficial for some shots, for the extra price and weight, there’s no need for me. If you have had the same experience, here a teleconverter is a great solution as it just adds a couple of more grams while being much more affordable than…

For our shot, an on-camera speedlight did the trick, but we also took some frames with the flash off-camera. This allows more complex lighting setups and light painting techniques. For example, with the speedlight wirelessly controlled, we were able to fill shadows on the distant trees and even create the impression of sunlight flowing into the scene through the canopy. A two-light setup combined foreground fill with an artistic flare effect for the final shot, right down to the appropriate highlights on the tree branches.…

PHOTOSHOP TUTORIAL There are many ways to convert your images to black and white in Photoshop and each has its own set of pros and cons. But one method that produces a great high-contrast conversion in a matter of seconds is the Gradient Map. This technique also produces the perfect starting point for a high-contrast conversion that also incorporates dodging and burning. 1 Convert to mono Press D on the keyboard to set the default Palette Colors and make sure black is in the foreground. Click on the Create new fill or adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel and select Gradient Map. This will result in a high contrast black and white, which is a great starting point. 2 Add contrast to the sky Create a…

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Tokyo is a vibrant and multifaceted megapolis that is home to over 14 million people. Its combination of ultramodern and traditional aspects makes it a fascinating place and a popular travel destination. Dutch photographer Richard Koek travelled to Tokyo in 2019 to capture the essence of the city, resulting in a new publication by Terra, part of the Lannoo Publishing Group. In Tokyo Tokyo, Koek has created an insightful journey into the Japanese capital, celebrating its people, their culture and the diverse landscapes that bring the city to life. Before setting out on this project, Koek aimed to avoid common misunderstandings and exotic portrayals of Japanese culture, instead, seeking out contemporary aspects, formed from traditions and innovations, through the intimate portrayal of daily life. The result is a refreshing perspective.…

For our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best golden hue images. After working through all the entries, the winners have been selected. As a prize, the expert winners will receive a licence for Affinity Photo professional editing software. Congratulations to all of the winners – as usual, the standard of submitted images was extremely high and it was a difficult task to select the best ones. 1ST PLACE WINNER Photographer Roland Hank What an image! The colours in this scene certainly hit the brief for this round, with amazing golden hues in the sky, picked up beautifully by the hazy mist. There’s a strong focal point too, which is important – many photographers would be distracted by capturing the strong colour and forget…

1 Sony A9 III The world’s first full-frame global shutter camera offers a lot for your cash For the first three months of our Photo Kit Leaderboard’s run, the A9 III sat in the envied position of Camera of the Month – the highest-rated position on the list. Although it was superseded by the OM-1 Mark II, it is still a tech monster, packed with the latest bells and whistles, not least that global shutter and full-frame sensor. If you want a do-it-all camera that offers incredible speed and futuristic features, then look no further than this Sony, which still retains the title of best Full-Frame camera on the market today, for a balance of specification and value. ◼ Read our review in Issue 276 SPECIFICATION Resolution 24.6MP Sensor Full-frame…

Price: £145/$159 (upgrade from £79/$89) Website: nikcollection.dxo.com The DxO Nik Collection now consists of seven different plug-ins, five of which are designed to offer creative inspiration and effects, while two are more ‘corrective’ image enhancement tools. We call them plug-ins and they can be used from within Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab and Affinity Photo, but can also be used on their own as standalone applications. We’ve long considered the Nik Collection to be one of the best photo editing software suites on the market, so what exactly do you get? The creative plug-ins include Nik Colour Efex, Silver Efex, Analog Efex, Viveza, and HDR Efex, and while there is a degree of crossover for black-and-white photography and colour adjustments, each one is aimed at a particular…

Photographer: Axel Breutigam @axelbreutigamphotography axelbreutigam.com Image location: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada Type of commission: Personal Shot details: Leica M 10M, Summicron-M 28 f/2 ASPH, 1/500sec, f/2, ISO 400 “During the Covid-19 pandemic, the deserted campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC) was the perfect place for me to practise my architectural photography. The campus consists of over 200 buildings, most of which are more than 30 years old. Many of them are also part of the ‘Brutalist Movement’ of the 1960s and 70s, so they’re ideal for black-and-white photography. Exploring a building from all possible angles and finding the parts of the structure that lead to another layer of abstraction is what I am seeking visually. So, giving the subject space and putting it into a reductive…

1 Support yourselfThis might seem like obvious advice, but use support when practical. A tripod is best but for low level work, consider using a beanbag. With your camera fixed in position, you can refine focus and framing. Use your camera’s monitor to focus, using the magnify or zoom button to enlarge your point of focus for optimum precision. Macro photographers should consider using a geared tripod head as this allows you to make micro-adjustments to the composition without unlocking and locking levers and knobs. 2 Switch to manual focus When shooting handheld, autofocus is typically the best option. But AF has a habit of struggling when shooting at higher magnifications, partly due to the reduced light and a reduction in contrast. Using the lens’s limiter switch, which is designed…

Your subject must be far enough away from the background for your bokeh to be successful. If your subject is surrounded by vegetation or any other element, you won’t be able to achieve the desired effect as these background objects are too close to the subject and, therefore, similar distances from the focal plane. By using a longer lens and a wide aperture, and by placing your camera so that background detail is a greater distance behind the subject, you can more easily create dreamy bokeh with smooth specular out-of-focus highlights.…

1 Watch your step When stalking subjects, always be mindful of where your shadow falls. If you inadvertently cast your subject into shade, it is likely to quickly fly away or scurry off into the distance. Get into a picture-taking position using slow, deliberate movements. Invertebrates are also highly sensitive to sudden movements, so bring your camera up to your eye in a smooth motion and practise adjusting your camera’s key controls to work quickly and intuitively. If your subject flies off, follow it and watch where it lands so that you can try again. Be prepared for lots of frustration and near misses – patience and perseverance are key when stalking subjects. 2 Get down and dirty Be prepared toget down and dirty when shooting little critters and plant…

I currently favour using a 35mm fixed lens for my photography because it allows me to effectively capture and convey a compelling story within a single photo. This can be more challenging with a 50mm lens, and even more so with an 85mm lens due to their narrower field of view. Although an 85mm lens may excel in capturing and conveying specific emotions, for storytelling purposes, I definitely prefer the wider perspective offered by the 35mm lens. Why do I choose a fixed lens? There are two reasons. Firstly, when I capture subjects in motion, having a fixed lens makes it easier for me to maintain control over the process and capture the desired composition, although this is not always the case. Secondly, and more significantly for me, working with…

Difficulty level: Advanced Time taken: 2 hours Flash is synonymous with portrait and event photography – the speedlight is an essential tool in the kitbag of photographers working in these areas. However, many photographers would not stop to consider the use of a speedlight as a beneficial tool for shooting landscapes. Scenic imagery usually focuses on the interplay of natural light, such as that found at sunrise or sunset, and the land, so almost all attention is directed at controlling the ambient conditions. However, there are occasions when natural light is difficult to shape to meet your requirements. This is often encountered when shooting in shaded locations, such as at the base of high cliffs or under a forest canopy, where significant light fall-off results in underexposed foregrounds. While this…

1 Set tonal limits Begin by setting the Black and White points for your image. This will allow you to control the range of tonal information within the scene, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights. Drag each slider until just before clipping starts to occur. 2 Reduce the highlights The flash has taken care of the shadows in the foreground, but watch out for clipped highlights. By lowering the flash output, we’ve avoided extreme overexposure of the flowers, but a negative Highlights slider setting reveals more detail in the plants. 3 Dodge and Burn The flash has flattened contrast in the extreme foreground but shaded the leaves further back. Add some microcontrast back into the closest examples. Using the Brush Tool in Camera Raw (K), increase the Clarity…

LIGHTROOM TUTORIAL Possibly the best way of converting your colour photos to black-and white images is to work with the RAW files in Lightroom. Converting the image this way means that not only are you working with the raw image data, which provides greater scope for making adjustments, but the controls available in Lightroom also allow you to control the way that individual colour channels are converted to mono. 1 Correct white balance Getting the white balance right is important when converting to black and white because a balanced image will convert to mono more effectively. First, try the white balance presets and if they don’t work, use the Temp and Tint sliders to perform a custom white balance edit. 2 Basic adjustments Make adjustments as required to process the…

Most professional photographers are more than capable of taking high-quality pictures across a variety of genres and styles, so you might be thinking why not offer a bit of everything? However, trying to please everyone is often where things can go wrong. You can spread yourself too thinly, your portfolio might appear disjointed and your true skill and passion might seem to be diluted. If you were going for a job interview as a wine sommelier, for example, you’d sell your knowledge of wine and highlight your skills in that specific area. You wouldn’t tell your prospective employer about every other alcoholic drink you’ve ever tasted in your life. In other words, you’d show off your niche skills and knowledge. So why should that be any different when selling your…

Tell us about yourself and what you do… Portraiture has always been my passion and so I established my own business in 2006, which specialises in corporate photography and personal branding. I also run a busy professional headshot studio in St Albans in Hertfordshire. When I am not behind the camera, I enjoy teaching photography and mentoring aspiring photographers. I’ve also had the honour of delivering multiple masterclasses on corporate photography at The Societies of Photographers convention in London. And, finally, I also offer a range of courses, that can be found on my website (see below). So, what does being a corporate photographer entail? Can you give us an outline of your typical week? Firstly, it involves working mainly weekdays, and term-time, which is the opposite of wedding photography…

2024 World Press Photo Contest Founded in 1955, World Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organisation based in the Netherlands. The contest has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious photo competitions, rewarding the best in photojournalism and documentary photography from around the world. Exhibitions of the winning images are held in many cities worldwide, including Amsterdam, London, Rome, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Hong Kong, amongst others. Next year, the contest will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Visit worldpressphoto.org…

Our ratings Product awards Digital Photographer’s awards are given out when a product really catches our attention. Here are our three most used accolades. Lab testing Some of our product reviews also have in-depth lab data, graphs and scores. This means that the kit has been subjected to more rigorous testing. Lens tests are carried out using Imatest, and cameras are tested in our laboratory using DxO Analyzer hardware and software to check the image noise and dynamic range.…

1 Fujifilm X-T5 Retro power is the order of the day with this APS-C modern classic from Fujifilm The single-digit Fujifilm X-series cameras have settled into a niche of their own, catering not only to high-level photographers but also to video shooters. The latest version took things up a notch with the introduction of a new 40.2MP sensor, making it one of the highest-resolution APS-C models around while maintaining an electronic frame rate of 20fps. Fuji controls take some getting used to but the compact, high build quality, seven-stop stabiliser and 1/180,000 top shutter speed make this the perfect travel and documentary camera. It also has the bonus of 6K advanced video. ◼ Read our review in Issue 263 SPECIFICATION Resolution 40.2MP Sensor APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR (23.5mm x…

PRICE: £1,179/$1,199 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.17m (W) 0.34m (T) WEIGHT: 735g/745g Build and handling I have a history with Sigma 24-70mm ‘trinity’ zooms, having owned the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM for Canon and Nikon DSLRs, but I really like the handling characteristics of this Mark II lens. Additions over the original include an aperture control ring which comes complete with a click/de-click switch and a locking switch to avoid accidental operation. The de-click option is great for shooting video. Whereas the original lens had an AF-L function button, the Mark II has two, which is ideal for portrait orientation shooting. As with most standard zoom lenses, this one has an extending inner barrel, so the overall physical length grows as you zoom from 24mm to 70mm. I didn’t experience any…