Table of contents for August 2018 in Practical Photography: Lite

DESPITE FIRST picking up a camera sometime in the early 1980s, it wasn’t until my son was born a few years ago that photography really started to make sense to me. I understood apertures and shutter speeds before I could ride a bike, but nothing had ever captured my imagination in such an obsessive way before, something I just couldn’t stop taking pictures of (he’ll thank me for it when he’s older). I improved so much as a result, and learned to be more flexible and adaptive as a photographer. This month’s main feature, starting on page 34, is all about capturing amazing summer portraits, but it’s also about finding something you’re truly passionate about and letting it fuel your creativity. You won’t look back.…

Dolomites at sunset by Daniel Fleischhacker I was on my way to the famous peaks, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, but I was too late to arrive for sunset as I’d been easily distracted on my journey. Rather than getting frustrated, I decided to stop and take some shots of these amazing peaks instead. They’re easy to reach, as you can drive up to a huge car park, which makes them a popular photo destination. It was really cloudy at first, but the skies opened up just before sunset. Nikon D810 | 70mm | 1/30sec | f/11 | ISO 64 Daniel Fleischhacker is a landscape photographer from Bavaria, Germany. He enjoys capturing the beauty of landscapes worldwide. daniel-photography.eu Pula’s cub by Neil Aldridge I was on Chief’s Island, Botswana, working with…

YOUR EXPERT SALLY JOSKO Sally Josko is an award-winning maternity, baby and child photographer. She was Newborn Photographer of the Year 2015 and Finalist in 2017 at The Newborn Photography Show . Sally has been involved in photography for nearly 30 years and runs the Boutique Baby Studio at Kings Norton, Birmingham. sallyjosko.co.uk EVERY PARENT WANTS A LASTING memory of their precious newborn and, while getting top quality shots at home is now easier than ever before, many will turn to a pro. For anyone looking to make some money from photography, this is an area of the business that’s always in demand, but you need to make your work stand out and ensure you deliver what the client wants. Sally Josko knows all about the pressures that can bring,…

• Shoot into the sun. Of all the ‘rules’ in photography, this is the one you should always make a habit of breaking. Backlit hair, soft contrast and the flare-filled images that shooting ‘contre-jour’ produce are perfect for portraits of children. Wait until the sun is low, or shoot upwards, and make sure to expose for your subject’s face, not the sky. • Use bubbles. Sticking with the theme of shooting as the sun goes down, have someone blow soap bubbles into the shot. The bubbles will be beautifully lit, kids will play with them and you’ll get great photos. • Pull out the props. For a posed portrait, have a child read an old book for a contemplative image. Mirrors add a fun dimension to shots while a backdrop…

“NATURAL EDITING CAN UNCOVER HIDDEN POTENTIAL IN EVEN YOUR BEST WORK” CITIES ARE GREAT for so many reasons. Not only do they often have the best shops and a vibrant night-life, but they also offer incredible architecture and loads of creative potential. Exploring busy shopping precincts and more secluded back alleys will reveal a whole host of intriguing characters, just begging to be framed up by your camera. If you prefer your subjects to be silent and static, the often eclectic mix of old stone buildings and purpose-built steel monoliths provide the perfect playground for adventurous architectural photography enthusiasts. Of course, taking the shot is only the first step on the way to greatness. A small amount of natural editing can help to really uncover the hidden potential in even…

SOME IMAGES CAN instantly seem to project a painterly effect. Maybe it’s caused by the soft falling of summery dappled light, or by a palette consisting of muted colours, or even by the textures, reminiscent of past masters such as Rembrandt and Caravaggio. Whatever it is that causes that trick of the eye, the great news is that using a few simple clicks and with a bit of fine-tuning, you can easily turn your stunning images into works of art with this painterly and sketch effect. This tutorial is ideal for Photoshop Elements, which has a wide range of Artistic Filters to hand. Each one allows you to create additional, and often complex, effects without having to dive into anything more complicated than the preset FX menu. We’ll also be…

YOU’D BE HARD PUSHED to find someone unfamiliar with the term ‘cloning’, which stems from Photoshop’s Clone Stamp Tool – used to sample, or ‘clone’ parts of the image to paste them elsewhere in your shot. This is useful for removing distractions or adding in extra details from around the picture. We’ll be unpicking this tool’s options to help you understand it fully. Elements users have a simplified version lacking Flow and a Clone Source panel, but the rest of the information here is still applicable. CLONE STAMP Click the Clone Stamp Tool icon in the Toolbox or hit the shortcut ‘S’ to make it active. The Clone Stamp Tool Options bar explained BRUSH PRESET PICKER You don’t have to use a circular brush – here you’ll find a whole…

• The exposure and white balance need to remain the same between shots so that you can blend the two pictures together seamlessly. Make sure you lock off the settings by going into manual mode, though take note of the light and aim to shoot both shots with similar lighting conditions. If the first shot is cloudy and the second is really sunny then your shots will have a different exposure and white balance. • If your sky is clipping you can increase the shutter speed when working in manual mode until you have the exposure you want. You can also shoot in RAW to retain more exposure information.…

THE BEST WAY TO APPRECIATE YOUR SHOTS is to print them out and hang them proudly on the wall. If you’ve been following our wildlife editing series over the past few months you’ll have primed your pictures for printing, working up the RAW file and removing imperfections. You may even have tried a black & white conversion. So now that you’ve perfected your images, a presentation border is a great way of giving your photos a professional finish, allowing you to add an artistic faded edge, a picture title and photographer’s credit. In the step-by-step below we show you how to create an A4-sized border in portrait or landscape orientation, though you can adjust this size to your own liking if you prefer. We’re supplying the border created here in…

Olympus PEN-F £1099 The PEN-F isn’t really a rangefinder but this beautiful little camera deserves a mention for its unashamedly retro styling. Under the (old) skin it’s packed full of modern tech. olympus.co.uk Fujifilm X100F £1199 Fuji offers the best of both worlds with the option to utilise a digital viewfinder or a traditional optical rangefinder on this small yet powerful 24.3MP CMOS II APS-C gem. fujifilm.co.uk Leica M10 £5500 The only rangefinder packing a full-frame sensor, Leica’s legendary M series is brought bang up-to-date with this 24MP marvel that can mount any Leica-fit lens. leica-camera.com…

1 STUDY, STUDY, STUDY This applies to all photography, but when you’re underwater knowing your subject is all the more important, as you may only ever get one chance at the truly special images. I spend hours researching to be prepared for every encounter so I can capture the unrepeatable moments. 2 GET IN SHAPE This is something almost everyone overlooks. You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to be successful at underwater photography, but think how you’ll feel if the whale does something spectacular a few seconds after you give up from exhaustion. 3 KNOW YOUR GEAR People show up at the ocean with a brand new camera and housing, without the first idea how to work all that shiny equipment. By the time you go underwater, you…

1 APERTURE-PRIORITY This mode allows you to take manual control over your aperture. 2 SINGLE-POINT AF Single-Point AF allows you to select the perfect focal point for your architectural shot. Check out page 127 for more. 3 S-AF AUTOFOCUS This is the default drive mode and will take one photo when you press the shutter. Half-press the shutter to engage autofocus. 4 WHITE BALANCE White balance is an essential part of any shot, and especially important when it comes to rendering colours accurately. As you’ll be working outdoors, use the auto setting for great results. 5 EXPOSURE COMPENSATION The exposure compensation option is an incredibly helpful tool. Pressing this in and using the finger wheel will tell your camera to lighten or darken the scene when using aperture-priority mode. 6…

For your architectural abstract photograph, you’ll want to create a shot where your viewer has to second-guess what’s actually in the image. One of the easiest ways to make any subject abstract is to get closer. This is where a zoom lens comes in very handy, as it allows you to enlarge your subject in the viewfinder without having to physically move yourself at all, which would be rather difficult when shooting the tops of buildings! Zoom in until you think you’ve got the most effective focal length and cast your lens upwards. Then, simply search for the most interesting composition you can find.…

1 Set your focus mode Ensure that your camera’s autofocus mode has been switched on and then go into the menu to select Single AF. This means that when you half-press the shutter the camera will only focus once, rather than continually refocusing. If you’re unsure as to where this mode is in your camera, simply check your manual. 2 Select the focus point Go to your camera’s AF Area menu and choose Single-Point AF. This will give you one single AF point that you can move around as you need. Use the D-pad on the back of the camera, while looking through the viewfinder or on the back screen when using Live View, to place the focus point a third of the way into the scene. 3 Focus and…

MARTINA GOVINDRAJ Martina’s architectural and urban photography has been exhibited internationally. She has collaborated with many brands, shooting everything from cars to London Fashion Week, as well as being the in-house photographer for Mondo Brewing. yeszebra.com • You specialise in architecture – what do you find so fascinating about the built environment? I’m attracted to good design and clean lines and how light interacts with the space around it. Most people will ignore their surroundings as they’re focused on something else like their commute to work. It’s easy to get distracted and miss the details of the world around you, especially when you’re glued to your mobile phone. • What are the key ingredients to successful architectural photography? Composition and light. If you’re not sure about what angle to take…

USB4Photographers is a company that specialises in that personal touch. With a wide range of styles on offer, we’re looking at the Light Wooden Block USB 3.0 + Small Light Wooden Slide Gift Box. Featuring a simple, thin wooden slide box, you can have your personalised logo or name emblazoned atop both the box and the wooden USB. While it’s a nice touch, the respective read and write speeds of 18 and 65Mb/s are less than stellar, especially for USB 3.0. usb4photographers.com…

“I HAD AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY AND SO BEGAN MY FIRST WILDLIFE PROJECT…” I’M OFTEN ASKED ABOUT MY FAVOURITE SUBJECT, and this is not an easy question to answer. I enjoy working with so many different creatures and have had some wonderful encounters during my time as a wildlife photographer. Nuthatch, dipper, sanderling, little owl, roe deer, brown hare and bank vole would all be high on the list, but there is one animal that really stands out for me – Ratty (actually a water vole, named after the character in The Wind in the Willows). These endearing little semi-aquatic mammals are so much fun to observe and photograph as they swim, scurry and even climb through their habitat. They’re cautious, but can be surprisingly reckless, diving into the water with…

The cake smash has become a staple of pro child photographers and is a great way of recording a toddler’s early birthdays. The premise is simple – put a big, squishy cake in front of a child and encourage them to set about it with their hands, tearing it apart and smearing it all over themselves. Photographically, you will want to set up a plain backdrop that doesn’t detract from the kid or the colourful cake. As your subject will be quite small, a large white paper roll is a perfect blank canvas. You will want to get a ‘set-up’ shot of a perfectly presented cake and a pristine child first, so don’t let things get out of hand too quickly. Choose a medium aperture so that both the cake…

BLACK & WHITE Starting with an obvious one, the powerful Black & White Adjustment allows you to fine-tune each individual colour with simple sliders. This lets you make micro changes that are otherwise near-impossible. LEVELS AND CURVES Affinity offers both, allowing you to fine-tune shadows and highlights to the nth degree, which is perfect for those eye-catching black & white conversions with ultra-bright whites and smooth blacks. GRADIENT MAP My personal favourite, adding a Black & White Gradient Mask allows you to place your tones exactly. This is perfect for taking control over the all-important transitions in your monochromatic images. SOFT PROOFING Designed to represent different print spaces, Soft Proof can also be used to add an artistic effect. Cycling between options can give you a subtle washed-out look, which…

PANNING IMAGES ARE packed with energetic movement and colour that’s sure to grab your viewer’s attention. However, the shooting technique is a tricky one to master, and quick reflexes are required to constantly track and refocus on your subject before taking the picture. You also only have one chance to get the desired amount of blur in the background and sharpness in the subject right. The good news is it’s possible to replicate this panning action in Photoshop or Elements by shooting a stationary subject such as a car. This will then give you full control over the amount of blur in the background, the initial composition, and ensures that your subject comes out pin-sharp. So how’s it done? Well, you position your car and frame up where it’s safe…

Richard Collins PP’s deputy editor is a hugely experienced journalist, tutor and pro fashion photographer. Dan Mold PP’s Photoshop editor is an Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) with encyclopedic photo knowledge. Louise Carey PP’s features editor is an award-winning fine art and documentary photographer. What does GDPR mean for photographers? Q I run a small portrait photography business and I’m worried that the new GDPR rules could leave me liable to prosecution and a fine. What should I do? Andy Borthwick, Lancashire Richard says: Unless you’ve never owned an email address or used the internet at all, you should be painfully aware that the way in which companies use and store your personal information has been shaken up by the new GDPR legislation. But what are the implications for photographers and…

1 Choose your scene Put your camera on a tripod and compose your shot, aiming for around 80% sky and 20% ground. Use an ND filter if shooting in daylight. 2 Set up your camera Manually focus to infinity, select a narrow aperture (f/22) and put the camera into bulb mode for exposure. Use a remote shutter release for safety. 3 Keep shooting Using your remote trigger, open the shutter for around 15-30secs. Keep shooting and you should get a fantastic lightning shot. Patience is key!…

\\ MODULE 1 ARTISTIC NATURE Issue: June 2018 S On sale: 10 May 2018 Homework deadline: 6 June Marks announced: 20 June \\ MODULE 2 MINIMALIST LANDSCAPES Issue: July 2018 On sale: 7 June 2018 Homework deadline: 4 July Marks announced: 18 July \\ MODULE 3 ABSTRACT ARCHITECTURE Issue: August 2018 On sale: 5 July 2018 Homework deadline: 1 August Marks announced: 15 August \\ MODULE 4 MONO STREET Issue: September 2018 On sale: 2 August 2018 Homework deadline: 29 August Marks announced: 12 September \\ MODULE 5 MOVEMENT Issue: October 2018 On sale: 30 August 2018 Homework deadline: 26 September Marks announced: 10 October \\ MODULE 6 PORTRAITS AT HOME Issue: November 2018 On sale: 27 September 2018 Homework deadline: 25 October Marks announced: 8 November…

Best for versatility The 12-40mm f/2.8 kit lens, which is equivalent to a 24-80mm focal range on a full frame-sensor, is great for capturing a wide variety of different subjects, including architecture. By using its longest focal length of 40mm (80mm equivalent) you’ll be able to zoom in on interesting compositions without having to physically get any closer yourself. Best for architecture If you’re fascinated by capturing architecture, then you may want to invest in a telephoto zoom lens, such as the 40-150mm lens. With an equivalent focal range of 80-300mm, this handy zoom will allow you to render any part of your chosen piece of architecture in beautiful detail. With an RRP of £279, this is a great investment for any kit bag.…

Once you’ve captured your abstract architecture photo, you may be tempted to put your camera away and pop into a cafe for a quick coffee. However, before you leave your location you’ll need to double-check your image first. While a 3in LCD screen can disguise a multitude of sins, you’ll soon discover any mistakes you made when you’re back at your computer screen. To save yourself the trouble of having to head back out when you’ve just sat down to relax, press the Play button to bring up the last image you shot. Then, simply use the magnification dial (or button) to zoom in. Move around your image with the D-pad and see whether it’s perfectly sharp.…

Panasonic’s 20.3MP sensor has omitted the low-pass filter, which means it can capture increased sharpness, though is more prone to picking up moiré in tightly repeating patterns. In reality, the images are crisp and the extra clarity in the shots is very welcome from the smaller Micro Four Thirds sized sensor. Capturing anything from landscapes to portraits, you’ll notice how crisp everything appears from the get-go. This is paired perfectly with the GX9’s ability to capture a wide and realistic colour-gamut, which really helps bring your photos to life, with realistic tones and a nice level of saturation, all of which are evident in this shot, taken on the Dorset’s stunning Jurassic coast.…

We’ve already stated that the colour gamut is impressive, but it’s the distinctive tones of the GX9 that provide the biggest treat. Images appear slightly on the cool side, with a subtle amount of saturation which makes everything feel very true-to-life. Skin tones are handled well, with the oranges and reds feeling natural and not too overbearing. The Lumix GX9 now also features a brand new L. Monochrome D mode, which has been designed for fans of monochrome as a way to get the best out of your black & white shots. This latest style builds on the existing L. Monochrome style, tweaking the tonal curve to offer increased highlights, and pulling out more details in the shadows.…

IMAGE SHARPNESS We took shots under the same conditions at every full stop through the aperture range. We then reviewed these images to determine how precisely detail was rendered throughout the frame. DEFECTS AND DISTORTIONS We also examined the test images to look for defects like vignetting and chromatic aberration (also called fringing). We thoroughly assessed all our shots for lens distortions, such as pin-cushioning or barrel distortion, which can warp detail and need correcting post-capture.…

Camera Buying Guide Unsure about which camera is best for your needs? Our ebook includes reviews, spec and prices for every camera available right now. The latest additions include Fujifilm’s X-T100 and Panasonic’s GX9. Summer Effects Pack From light leaks and lens flare to warm tones and filmic grains, our exclusive download includes 15 effects that can be mixed and matched. See page 96. Photoshop video lessons Take a closer look at Lightroom’s Toolbox, create custom borders for your images, and get the most from your exclusive Summer Effects Pack. DOWNLOAD THE DISC CONTENT AT bit.ly/ppdisc1809…

Panasonic 14mm f/1.2 Micro Four Thirds lenses are to receive a boost, with a 14mm f/1.2 Leica lens boasting a 28mm equivalent focal length supposedly in the works. While there are already lenses for the system which offer a wider field-of-view, none of these currently offer an aperture as wide as f/1.2, while also supporting autofocus. We’re expecting to hear more before the year’s end. panasonic.com Nikon D3500 Nikon’s brilliant entry-level camera, the D3400, is due an update in the D3500. We’re expecting to see the latest entry boast an improved AF system, jumping from 11 points to 39 points, even including phase-detection to keep up with Canon’s Dual Pixel AF. It’s also due a newly-designed 24MP sensor, which will benefit from improved ISO and greater clarity, as well as…

“THE MORE TIME I SPENT EXPLORING, THE MORE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES I HAD…” I MOVED TO BIRMINGHAM IN 2012 AND IMMEDIATELY felt frustrated by the fact I was in a city. I had grown up in Northamptonshire and, although I lived in the steel town of Corby, the countryside was immediately accessible either on foot or by bike. I spent many hours during the summer exploring, learning all the names of the birdlife and sketching the landscape. In contrast, Birmingham was rather overwhelming, and for a while I struggled to find anything I wanted to photograph. However, I’m not one of those people who admits defeat easily, and mile by mile I started to explore the suburban streets near my home until I stumbled upon a stretch of the Grand Union…

• Babies like warmth, so if you’re shooting one that’s not wrapped up in a blanket, make sure that the room is kept nice and toasty. • Use a wide aperture, but not too wide. A shallow depth-of-field always enhances portraits, but as baby poses can involve extreme angles, and a baby’s eyes are rarely on the same plane of focus, don’t go too wide. Stick around f/2.8 as a minimum usable aperture. • Use a standard focal length lens. 50mm (or its crop-sensor equivalent) is perfect for babies as it allows you to get the whole body in or concentrate on just the face. • Don’t shoot in silence. Babies can be easily startled by the sound of a camera shutter. Play some soft music, or white noise, to…

ANYONE WHO HAS kids will tell you that they grow up very fast. The time between inquisitive toddling and the sulky descent into adolescence passes in the blink of an eye, so capturing every moment of childhood is very important. Whether you have children yourself, or if you’re called upon to photograph some of the magical moments enjoyed by the kids of friends or family, you will want to ensure that you do the very best job of recording these special images as you can. Always on the run Spend just a few minutes watching children and it will quickly become apparent that they are rarely still. As soon as kids develop beyond toddling then tend to go everywhere at full pelt and the first challenge facing the prospective child…

GRADIENT MAP You set custom colour values to shadows, midtones and highlights, such as black, grey and white, to create your mono. However, you can add additional shades and alter their placement to affect the image in real-time, which is perfect for bringing your precise vision to life. BLACK & WHITE By simply clicking on this Adjustment, Black & White instantly gives you a flat monochromatic image. However, using the assigned colour sliders allows you the freedom to alter the underlying colours, which is perfect for selective editing, especially when you have a busy scene. HSL Simply setting your Saturation slider to -100% is a very quick way to create a flat black & white image. However, changing Master to Red, Yellow or one of the other colours and increasing…

While a wide-angle shot of a landscape can create stunning results, if you want to produce a really abstract image then you may want to swap out your lens for something a bit narrower. By zooming in on finer details within both the mirror and the background, you’ll be able to contrast two totally different textures. In order to create an image with impact, you’ll need to find two textures that complement each other. No matter whether you pair grass with sky, pebbles with a cliff-face, sand with sea, or flowers with tree bark, you’ll find that the best results come from ensuring there’s enough contrast in both the colours of the subjects and the textures themselves. Positioning the mirror is a little more forgiving with this technique, as you’ll…

AS THE AGE-OLD PROVERB SAYS, A man is only as good as his tools. That certainly rings true for the virtual tools found within Lightroom’s picture editing software. There’s a whole host of tools in the Develop panel to help you edit your RAWs, with the main six taking pride of place in the Toolbox – Crop, Spot Removal, Red Eye, Graduated Filter, Radial Filter and Adjustment Brush. But there’s also a trio of tools tucked away in the panels beneath that it would be easy to overlook – White Balance, Targeted Adjustment and Guided Upright, and all have fantastic features. So in this tutorial we aim to bust the jargon and explain what each and every tool does, where you can find them and when you should use them…

ONE KEY LANDSCAPE EDIT YOU must try is correcting perspective distortion. This is when vertical structures such as buildings, trees or fence posts appear to bend inwards, and it’s caused by shooting from a low angle with a wide-angle lens. Making these lines perfectly true will create a more aesthetically-pleasing perspective, usually only achieved by shooting with an expensive tilt-shift lens. Here we show you how to make this edit to your RAW files in Adobe Camera Raw and finish the effect in Photoshop, but you could use Lightroom Classic CC if you prefer, you’ll just need to import your shots first and then head over to the Develop module. 1 Work up your RAW file Open your RAW image into Photoshop CC and it will automatically be brought into…

LOW SHOOTING ANGLE One way to get better car pictures is to shoot from a low angle with a wide-angle lens. This will make the car appear more dominant in the frame. Most tripods have leg angle adjusters to help you get low. CHECK THE WEATHER Be sure to check the weather before you go out to take your images. Ideally you’ll want some texture in the sky, so moody clouds can work brilliantly well. Sunrise and sunset will also give you fantastic warm tones. metoffice.gov.uk CHOOSE A SPORTY CAR You can, of course, practise this technique with any car, but to get the best results you’ll want to use a sports car that will really turn heads. If you don’t have one yourself it’s worth asking your friends.…

THIS MONTH WE’VE CREATED A FUN summer effects pack that you can download for absolutely free. It’s a PSD file, completely compatible with both Photoshop and Elements and allows you to apply a whole range of summery effects, from lens flare and light leaks to warm tones and filmic grain in just a few clicks. When loaded up, you’ll see the 15 separate Layers in Photoshop that can be switched on or off and used to build up the exact summer effect you want. The Layers can also be fine-tuned, resized and customised, giving you total control of the finished product. Just download the Summer Effects Pack.psd file from the Start Images folder and follow the step-by-step below to apply the effects yourself. 1 Open your images In the Free…

Effect 1 Boost colour Open your shot into ACR and go to the Basic panel, or if you’re using Lightroom, import your image then head over to the Develop module where you’ll find the Basic panel. Adjust your exposure until the overall brightness looks good – this was a value of +1.30 for our shot. Now set the Contrast to +15 and Clarity to +20 to add a bit of punch to the shot, and boost the Vibrance to +70 and Saturation to +40 to really make the colours come through. Lastly, expand the dynamic range of the shot by dragging the Highlights slider to -100, Shadows to +70, Whites +60 and Blacks to -5, giving colours a boost. Effect 2 Blur your edges A great way to bring attention…

Lightroom Adobe’s Lightroom software is a database and has built-in facial recognition software. Therefore it falls under GDPR legislation. Realistically, there should be no issue for anyone using it for personal (non-business) photography, but it’s an area that still seems a little grey and we are hoping for further clarification. Portraiture If you run a portraiture business it can be reasonably assumed that your clients have already consented to being photographed. Under the new GDPR legislation their ‘faces’ are now personal data, so if you use pictures of them to promote your work you need to let your clients know that this. Good practice would be to get written consent from any new clients to allow you to do so. Chasing up every person you have ever photographed would be…

WITH UP TO 80% OF life on Earth being aquatic, the ocean offers rewards to those who are intrepid enough to venture out into open seas. With years of diving experience and incredible underwater photos under his belt, Tony Wu has ushered the mysteries of the ocean into view, and now he’s using his unique images to educate us all on the beauty of the sea. How did you first become interested in underwater photography? My love of the sea has been lifelong. I often found myself at the ocean when I was a child, and I remember poring over books and magazines about marine wildlife for hours. One of my strongest memories is of my final year in high school, where I was lucky enough to take a class…

As well as supporting the superior 24-bit FLAC file format, the LS-P4 offers in-built fade-in/ fade-out recording and overdubbing, allowing for near-endless audio possibilities. Supported files: FLAC/PCM (WAV)/MP3 Built-in microphone: Tresmic Max sound pressure: 120dB SPL Battery: Up to 39 hours of continuous recording SD card: Micro SD/SDHC up to 32GB Recording index: Up to 99 per file Dimensions (HxWxD): 109x40x14mm Weight: 75g Wireless: Bluetooth Price: £180…

Among the hustle and bustle of any thriving city you can be sure that there are some incredible photo opportunities to be found. By battling through the crowds and discovering new ways to see your local town, you’ll learn how to transform an ordinary building into a sophisticated abstract architecture photo. For the third module of Camera School, we’re going to ask you to take a wander through your nearest town or city with your camera. Then, rather than pointing it directly in front of you, we’d like you to cast your gaze upwards instead. By eliminating the distraction of busy streets, and instead focusing on the fascinating shapes created by the tops of buildings, you can create amazing abstracts. Use aperture-priority mode This technique works best with as much…

You’ll often find that buildings known locally for being particularly ugly or brutish can actually make great architectural subjects when viewed through your camera. Harsh lines, grey façades and sharp corners can suddenly become incredibly striking when composed correctly. In fact, creating an effective composition is the most important part of this technique, so make sure that you know exactly what you need to look for in your shot. Look for lead-in lines One of the most useful techniques you can use for this module is a lead-in line. This is essentially a form of composition that creates a line that’s designed to draw your viewers’ eyes through the photo. Traditionally, these can be used to lead the viewer to the subject you’re using as a focal point. However, for…

One of the best things about a narrow aperture is that it tends to be a little more forgiving on focusing. This is because the zone of sharpness (the amount of your image that will be rendered in-focus) has been increased. However, while this is certainly helpful, this doesn’t mean that you can neglect your focusing. For a perfect image, you’ll need to place your focus point a third of the way into the frame on one of the buildings in your shot. This is a technique taken from landscape photography, as it allows for both a sharp foreground and background. If you focus too far into the frame, then the immediate foreground will lack the detail required for a great architectural shot. However, don’t forget that the very top…

For your homework, we’re asking you to shoot one abstract architecture photo. Your image should be shot in JPEG format with a narrow aperture, be composed using lead-in lines, and be focused a third of the way into the frame. It can be shot in colour or mono, but it must be unedited (except to be resized to the 10MB limit). Once you’ve got your photo, upload it to camera-school.com/module-3. Make sure you’ve uploaded your shot before 1 August. BEFORE YOU UPLOAD • Have you exposed for the building, not the sky? • Have you used a narrow aperture? • Have you focused a third of the way into the frame? • Have you used lead-in lines? WATCH THE VIDEO Visit camera-school.com/how-camera-schoolworks to learn how to resize your image to…

Panasonic is well known for its 4K Photo modes, which allow you to capture up to 30fps and choose a shot to extract as an 8MP still. It also includes the Post Focus mode, which allows you to change your focus point after taking the shot. The mechanics behind this are very intriguing, but also very simple. In much the same way as the burst modes take a series of photos, so too does the Post Focus mode. However, instead of fixing the focus, this mode moves the focal point between each shot. This essentially means that you have one repeating image, though several different focal points to choose from. Due to taking multiple images in quick succession, camera shake can play a part, though this can be overcome by…

Camera: Panasonic Lumix GX9 Lens: 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 O.I.S. Kit price: £689 Effective resolution: 20.3MP Sensor: 17.3x13mm LCD: 3in 1240k-dot tilting touchscreen Shutter: Bulb, 60-1/4000sec mechanical, 1/16,000sec electronic Autofocus: 49-point DFD contrast detection AF ISO: 200-25,600 (expanded to 100-25,600) Shooting speed: 9fps in AF-S, 6fps in AF-C for up to 30 RAWs Video: 4K UHD 30fps, 1080p Full HD at 60fps Pop-up flash: Yes Other features: 3D Focusing, L. Monochrome D Photo Style, Multiple Exposure, 4K Photo Battery life: 250 shots Card type: SD, SDXC, SDHC Size (WxHxD): 124x72x47mm Weight: 450g Web: panasonic.com…

With film photography going through a resurgence, there’s never been a better time to talk about archiving negatives. These clear acetate pages from Javerette will each hold seven strips of five frames, once developed and cut down, and include ring binder edges, making them ideal to protect and organise your shots. The clear construction also makes ideal contact sheets, meaning you can preview the shots without having to expose them to dust or fingerprints. It features side-loading pockets for easy insertion. javerette.com…

GROWING UP IN A SPORTS-MAD FAMILY, I NEVER really stood a chance of being interested in anything else. I found that I could explore the worlds of politics, equality, culture and photography, all while enjoying the buzz that surrounds a big match. The first event I ever photographed was a handball game when I was 16. I quickly fell in love with the challenge of capturing the perfect image in that fast-paced, low-light environment. The practice I gained in those matches not only helped me to develop my skills, but it also kickstarted my interest in minority sports. That’s where I’ve really focused my work in the past few years, as I love the honesty and community you find within them. In 2016 I moved from Manchester to Cornwall to…