Table of contents for March 2021 in Digital Camera Magazine

With its long nights and short days, winter may not feel like the most ideal season to enjoy an activity so dependent on light, but canny photographers will see this time of year as an opportunity. And there will be extra rewards for those who apply the learnings from this month’s in-depth feature on low-light photography (p60). But if taking your daily exercise at the coldest times of day doesn’t really appeal, then Stay at Home (p43) offers some new projects to enjoy indoors – or turn to Camera College (p72) to discover how to convert your kitchen into a studio for capturing incredible images of water drops and fruit splashes. Fresh inspiration also awaits on the pages of Photo Active (p16), and Hotshots (p84), where you can enjoy the…

STEP 1 ENTER THIS URL www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc239 Enter the URL above into the destination bar of your internet browser – we’re using Google Chrome, but other browsers work in a similar way. Please do not enter it in any search field or search bar (see the examples above). This will take you to a page on our website. STEP 2 START YOUR DOWNLOAD Just click the highlighted link Here you’ll find all the files, videos and resources to accompany this issue of Digital Camera. Scroll to just underneath the image and click on Download the disc for Digital Camera 239 and your download will start. It should only take a few minutes on most broadband connections. STEP 3 ACCESS YOUR FILES Open the .zip In your Downloads folder, or wherever you…

Most of my working life has been spent in the graphic design industry. Traditionally trained in the early 1980s as a ‘drawing board, ink and paper’ graphic designer, I quickly needed to embrace technology at the dawn of the desktop publishing revolution. I’ve been hooked ever since turning on my first Apple Mac. Now, almost 40 years on, my iPhone and iPad are my creative tools of choice. I own a basic Canon EOS DSLR which, it has to be said, I only occasionally pick up now. I had always assumed that I needed the highest resolution, the best lenses and the most expensive filters to be able to create print-quality images. With smartphone technology moving at such a pace, however, I’m learning that’s not necessarily the case – certainly…

FREE camera bag wor th £69.99! Get this great Vanguard shoulder bag by subscribing today at: www.magazinesdirect.com/dcm/veo38 or call 0330 333 1113 and quote ‘Veo38’ Make sure you use this URL or quote the code on the phone: other offers are available that do not include the shoulder bag gift * Offer closes 31 March 2021. Offer open to new UK subscribers only. Pricing is guaranteed for the first 12 months and we will notify you in advance of any price changes. Please allow up to six weeks for delivery of your first subscription issue (up to eight weeks overseas). Your gift will be delivered separately within 60 days after your first payment has cleared. Gifts only available to subscribers on the UK mainland. Gift not available with a digital…

If you’re looking for a classic low-light subject with an instant wow factor, look no further than capturing light trails. Find a safe position above or alongside a road, and aim to shoot at dusk, when the sky is still blue rather than pure black. This gives you a shooting window of around 20 minutes, so make sure you’re on location at sunset. You need to be ready to shoot as soon as it becomes dark enough, but a glow remains in the sky. The main image here, however, was purposefully shot after dark to capture a black sky that contrasts against the red lights on the cranes. PRO KIT SHUTTER REMOTE A shutter remote is essential for shooting light trails: releasing the shutter by pressing the shutter button will…

Shooting handheld is a great way to remain inconspicuous and move quickly in city locations; the resulting scenes are often atmospheric but natural-looking. Street photographers regularly shoot this way, but it’s an approach that all photographers can adopt to capture the images they’re aiming for. Shooting without a tripod in low-light conditions sounds challenging because it can require high ISO settings, but modern cameras can easily shoot usable images up to ISO 6,400 – so there’s no reason to be afraid of cranking up the sensitivity of the sensor. PRO TIP WHICH LENS? For handheld shooting in low light and at night, a 50mm or 35mm f/1.8 lens or similar is ideal because of its light-gathering capabilities, thanks to its large maximum aperture. Wider lenses gather more light due to…

■ There are several commercial options that enable you to control the drops, and to regulate factors such as the interval between drops and the lag between the water dropping and the flash being fired. You don’t need that sort of kit when you’re starting out, though: a water bottle with a pinhole in the base, or a pipette suspended above a glass or a bowl, will do just fine. To regulate the flow of water when you’re using a bottle, stick a piece of electrical tape over the hole. Make a hole in the lid and stick a piece of tape over that, adjusting its position to speed up or slow down the flow of drops. Water beauty If you want to focus on water drop collisions like these,…

Missed focus If your drop shots are looking soft, place a pencil in their path and manually focus on the lettering on that. You may need to fine-tune the focus several times over the course of a session, especially if you’re using a home-made rig. Wet gear Water and electronic camera gear do not mix well! If your flashgun is within the splash zone, place a plastic bag loosely over your flash to protect it. You’ll need to take regular breaks so that the your flashgun doesn’t get too hot. Water marks If your lens is close to the water surface, there’s a risk that you’ll end up with small water marks on the lens. These can be irritating to remove, so fit a lens hood and drop a cloth…

PHOTO CHALLENGE Closing date: 4 March 2021 Liam Simpson In issue 237 of Digital Camera, we challenged our readers to shoot their best food photography photo. Well done, Liam – you have won a copy of Affinity Photo. Second place: Mike Jolley This shot could easily grace any food magazine – well-composed and styled, this photo uses bokeh to excellent effect. Third place: Jo Griggs “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” says Jo, who is clearly as skilled a cook as she is a photographer. Join us on Facebook! We’ll reveal the winner of issue 238’s Light Trails reader challenge in a live stream on 4 March at 5.30pm GMT. www.facebook.com/digitalcameraworld…

Winner Phil James “I shot this at Alvie Estate in the Cairngorms, Scotland, on a very cold day. I used my trusty Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with an EF 600mm f/4 lens. I took this photo at 1/250 sec, f/4.5 and ISO 250.” Phil has won 12 months’ membership to The Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers. The Societies director Colin Jones says: “The wintery image of the red deer represented the competition well, and is a deserved winner.” 2nd Place Kevin Pigney “I took this photograph in my local public park. I loved the way the autumn leaves and late-evening sunlight complemented the squirrel and brought out so much detail. I took the shot lying down, as this gives a more intimate perspective and allows the lens…

With over a decade as a writer and photographer behind him, James knows exactly which Photoshop and Lightroom tools and techniques matter most. FILE & VIDEO www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc239 There are lots of tools that can help your images pop out of the screen or from a print, but few have as instant an effect as Clarity. Available in Camera Raw and Lightroom, Clarity works by increasing the contrast in midtones, the range of tones that sit either side of the middle grey point in an image. By increasing midtone contrast, the brighter parts of the midtone range become brighter, and the darker parts go even darker. Understanding how it works isn’t all that important. All you need do is open an image and experiment with Clarity to get a feel for…

The latest photography news from around the globe SAVE THE DATE! 6-7 MARCH, 2021 Following on from his appearance in issue 238 of Digital Camera, the leading portrait photographer Rankin has been confirmed as the headline speaker of Spring Shoots, The Photography Show & The Video Show’s online festival. Rankin will take to the virtual Super Stage to discuss his approach to his portrait series that focused on the UK’s NHS during 2020’s lockdown. Other big names speaking on the Super Stage include Magnum photographer Nanna Heitmann, street photographer Joel Meyerowitz, the fine-art photographer Brooke Shaden, and Tim Flach, who will discuss his animal portraiture. Register for free to access dozens of talks and demos to help you find inspiration and perfect your craft, from the comfort and safety of…

www.nikon.co.uk Specifications Sensor: 45.7MP full frame CMOS, 35.9 x 23.9mm Image processor: Dual-core Expeed 6 AF points: 493-point hybrid phase/contrast AF ISO range: 64 to 25,600 (exp. 32-102,400) Video: Uncropped 4K UHD up to 30p, cropped 4K UHD up to 60p Viewfinder: 3690k-dot OLED EVF, 100% coverage, 0.8x magnification Memory card: SD UHS-II, CFexpress (Type B) / XQD LCD: 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen, 2,100K dots Max burst: 10fps mechanical shutter Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C, mini HDMI, GPS, microphone, headphone Size: 134 x 101 x 70mm Weight: 615g body only (705g with battery) The Z 7II is the follow-up to Nikon’s first fullframe mirrorless camera: the Z 7, launched in 2018. With a 45.7-megapixel full-frame sensor at its heart, the Z 7II is Nikon’s new flagship mirrorless camera,…

If you go for the Pro version reviewed here, it works out at about twice the price of Lightroom. Lightroom is subscription-only, of course, but you can get a subscription to Capture One 21 too, and it’s twice the price of the Adobe Photography Plan at $20/£20 per month. Alternatively, you can buy a perpetual licence for $299/£299. We always like to point out that ‘perpetual’ licences don’t include version updates. Sooner or later you’ll need to pay to upgrade to a newer version, so subscriptions (which include updates) do make a lot of sense. Lightroom has a whole after-market in presets; Capture One has Styles. Most are sold direct from the Capture One website, but there are Capture One bundles with Styles included alongside the program. There are other…

It’s no surprise that the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens takes its place as a ‘trinity’ zoom. Favoured by both professional and enthusiast photographers all over the world, it’s fabulous for shooting action sports, wildlife, weddings and other events, and even portraits. The availability of short, medium and fairly long telephoto focal lengths, combined with a fast and constant aperture, enables a tight depth of field and rapid shutter speeds. It’s no surprise, then, that every full-frame camera manufacturer who wants to be taken seriously creates its own 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. There’s a rich history of this type of zoom for Canon and Nikon DSLRs; current models are the result of numerous refinements over the years. That goes for Sigma and Tamron competitors as well as own-brand lenses. For Canon, Nikon, Panasonic…

Lens mount Nikon F Nikon’s latest 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for DSLRs has an excellent reputation for premium performance. Compared with the previous edition, it has an uprated optical design that features a fluorite glass element, six ED elements, one HRI element and the bonus of Nano Crystal Coat. The revised dual-mode VR system has automatic panning detection plus a Sport mode that doesn’t interfere with the viewfinder image and avoids a slowdown in continuous shooting. A dual-mode autofocus system gives priority to either automatic focusing or manual override. Performance Sharpness and contrast are excellent, throughout the zoom range, but the Sigma Sports lens goes toe to toe with the Nikkor for sharpness in real-world shooting, while matching other aspects of image quality and autofocus speed. Sharpness In the lab and…

Lens mounts Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma Sigma’s long-running 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM lens was a popular, budget-friendly option for Canon and Nikon shooters. The replacement Sports edition is completely redesigned, with a new optical path that features 24 elements in 22 groups, incorporating nine FLD elements and one SLD element. There’s also a well-rounded aperture based on 11 diaphragm blades. The new optical stabiliser has switchable static and panning modes, the latter working in landscape, portrait and even diagonal orientation. Performance Sharpness and contrast are spectacular, even when shooting wide-open. Autofocus is rapid and accurate and, while stabilisation isn’t quite as effective as in the Tamron G2 lens for static shots, it proved better for panning during our tests. Sharpness Close-range lab results don’t look overly impressive, but…

For Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony mirrorless full-frame cameras, there’s no beating the own-brand 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses on test. The Nikkor Z 70-200mm is the pick of the crop, and delivers the best image quality and performance of any lens in the group. But all of the lenses for mirrorless cameras are currently very expensive and, now more than ever, value for money is a major consideration for potential buyers. For DSLRs, the Sigma Sports lens matches the competing Nikon F-mount zoom in pretty much every aspect of handling, performance and image quality, and edges ahead of the Canon EF lens. That’s no mean feat considering that the Sigma is little more than half the price to buy. All things considered, it’s our overall winner for quality, performance and value…

Chloe Dewe Mathews Photographic artist After working in the feature film industry, Chloe dedicated herself to photography. We get an insight into her fourth book, which will also form an exhibition. Page 134. Björn Persson Wildlife photographer Having spent years travelling the world to create renowned images of wildlife, Björn has also raised money for conservation projects and non-profits. Turn to page 10. Kitty Clark Photographer She may have diversified her practice over time, but photographing the magical bonds of families will always be close to Kitty’s heart. Page 16. Nicholas Goodden Urban photographer Maintaining creativity during pandemic lockdowns is no easy thing for someone used to working outdoors. Find out how Nicholas has coped on page 26. Kerena Bamrolia Photographer Creating diverse and inclusive editorial photography is a key…

10 things to shoot, edit or create this month, including sci-fi composites, mono magic and linescapes They say don’t work with children, or animals. I can’t comment on the latter, but I’m here to argue a case for the kids. It’s the photographer’s job to capture raw emotion and connection – and there’s no-one on Earth more uninhibited than a five-year-old who’s been given free reign to play. I love shooting with families; I started photography as a ‘mum tog’, wanting to capture the little details and intricacies of my baby’s new life. Over time, my work has strayed in other directions – small business branding, weddings, models – but family photography still has my heart. I prefer unposed, unscripted captures that speak to the soul, and there are few…

When you have an opportunity to shoot some clouds against a blue sky, it is worth taking some photos. I have been taking street shots on my daily walks during lockdown, as the opportunity to have fewer people in your shots is greater during these strange times. These skies can be transformed in Camera Raw, which is a good program to process images in. This quick tutorial shows how to use the Black & White Mix Panel to enhance your blues, so you can create moody images with plenty of impact. Using compositional guidelines like leading lines and perspective, you can create images that draw your eye into the moody skies. Have a go: you might become a black-and-white convert! Create a monochrome masterpiece 1 Switch the Profile Open your…

My journey into photography started 50 years or so ago, when film and slides were all the rage and black-and-white ruled the roost. Initially inspired by my father’s photos, my younger brother and I have accumulated well over a hundred years of photography interest between us. I live for photography; in return it gives me a life. Never a day goes by when I am not thinking about imagery in some form or other. Nature, art and design have always interested me; I enjoy nothing more than being out in nature and trying to expose some of that within my photography. My abstract work reflects a section of that while grounded at home. ‘Love Is’ initially started life as a macro image to show flowers in water droplets; it was…

USE YOUR FREE TIPS CARD! The days may be short and the nights long, but rather than throwing in the photographic towel when the light begins to fade, think of the coming of dusk as a long list of opportunities that could easily keep you shooting until sunrise. Low-light conditions can bring normally mundane scenes bursting to life – and with the sun setting earlier in the day than in other seasons, you don’t have to wait until the middle of the night to take advantage of darkness. The idea of waiting for light levels to drop may sound counterintuitive when photography is all about recording light, but with the more extreme camera settings you need to use in these conditions – such as long exposures or high-ISO and wide…

Cities are busy and buzzing places throughout much of the day and night, but it’s when the sun goes down and the lights come on that they become visually alive with colour and contrast. Buildings and structures immediately become more interesting, and as this can occur as early as 4.30pm in the winter months, you don’t have to wait too long for the magic to happen. As with most landscape and cityscape shoots, the secret to success is to be on location and ready to shoot earlier than the time you intend to start. You will get the best results shooting when there’s still a slight glow and detail in the sky, so start shooting as soon as the blue hour begins after sunset. PRO SHOT Albert Bridge Set against…

■ To get the rapid flash rate you need for this type of photography, you’ll need to use a remote flashgun. It’s even better if you have two, as you can position one on each side of your set-up for a balanced result. You can achieve a similar result using one flashgun, though, by placing a sheet of crumpled kitchen foil on the opposite side to act as a reflector. Set the flashgun to Manual (M), as this will give you consistent control over the flash power. A low power rating means that the flash will fire and recycle more quickly. Not only does this give you crisp splashes and drops, it allows you to fire rapid bursts of shots. You’ll need to work in a dark room, as this…

■ While you’ve got your water studio set up and ready to go, why not try your hand at the classic ‘fruit splash’ shot? Although you can use a glass for this style of image, a small fishtank or a glass container with flat sides will ensure there are no distortions. It will also lead to less mess and allow you to capture a cleaner splash without the edges of the container in the frame. I’d recommend using a piece of black velvet or card for the background when you’re starting out, as it’s much easier to remove any unwanted air bubbles, drips and debris when you process the image. (See the opposite page.) Fill the tank to half or threequarters level. Change it regularly during the photo session, particularly…

With over a decade’s experience as a writer and photographer, James is also an accomplished image editor – and an expert in Affinity Photo. FILE & VIDEO www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc239 SPECIAL OFFER! 90-day free trial Try Affinity Photo and get 50% off if you purchase affin.co/WeWantToHelp When you first add a Gradient Map adjustment in Affinity Photo, the default effect is a psychedelic mix of red, green and blue that will be of no use to anyone. But don’t let that fool you into thinking the command is worthless – in fact, it’s one of the most powerful tools in Affinity Photo for tinting your images. A Gradient Map adjustment allows you to add colours to your highlights and shadows, as well as any part of the range in-between. Whether you want…

What is a tilt-shift lens? It’s a specialist lens that alters the angle and position of the lens mechanism in relation to the camera’s sensor. In a normal lens, the plane of focus is parallel to the sensor, but a tilt-shift lens allows you to change it. The change of the lens angle in relation to the image plane is the tilt, while the movement of the lens parallel to the image plane is the shift. What’s it used for? A tilt-shift lens is traditionally used by architectural photographers because it allows you to avoid the distortion of converging verticals that typically occur when shooting tall buildings. However, it’s also used purely for creative effects by photographers wanting to create an interesting dynamic in landscape photography by blurring areas and…

While the resolution of the SL2-S’s 24MP sensor is a reduction on that in the SL2 (47MP), there are performance bumps in other areas: sensitivity has been increased to ISO 100-100,000 (from ISO 100-50,000), and the continuous burst with the electronic shutter has been bumped up to a blistering 25fps (from 20fps). The five-axis IBIS of the SL2 has been carried over, rated to the same 5.5 stops of shake compensation, as has the 225-point contrast-detect AF system. leica-camera.com; £3,975/$4,895 (body only)…

www.gopro.com Specifications Sensor: 20MP lens system Image processor: GP1 Stills: 20MP Video: 5K at 30p, 4K at 60p, 1080p and 120-240p Memory card: microSD/SDHC/SDXC Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB Type-C Size: 71 x 55 x 34mm Weight: 158g If you’re a taker of selfies, a vlogger or an adventure filmmaker, GoPro’s new flagship camera is made for you. There was a time when action cameras were primarily for capturing sports, but the new GoPro Hero9 Black pushes in a new direction by including a front-mounted LCD ‘selfie’ screen to challenge the DJI Osmo Action and the Akaso Brave 7 LE. However, there’s still plenty on the Hero9 Black for the all-round photographer. Key features The Hero9 Black has a 23.6MP sensor, which means it can capture video at 5K in…

www.canon.co.uk Specifications Mount: Canon RF Full-frame: Yes Autofocus: Yes Image stabilisation: No Lens construction: Six elements in five groups Diaphragm blades: Seven Minimum aperture: f/22 Minimum focusing distance: 0.30m Maximum magnification ratio: 0.25x Filter size: 43mm Dimensions: 69 x 41mm Weight: 160g The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is exactly what Canon’s RF ecosystem needed: an affordable nifty fifty. When the Canon EOS R launched in 2018, it was accompanied by the astonishing – and, at over two grand, astonishingly expensive – RF 50mm f/1.2L USM. Until this year, the RF system was dominated by prestige lenses and premium-grade optics – but little in the way of everyday glass that people can actually afford. The RF 50mm f/1.8 STM fills one of the few remaining glaring gaps in the EOS…

Lens mount Canon EF Canon has stuck firmly with its popular formula in updating its top-flight 70-200mm zoom. The barrel is a slightly different shade of grey, but the only notable upgrades boil down to coatings. An ASC (Air Sphere Coating) has been added to the 19th element in the optical path, to further reduce ghosting and flare, and fluorine coatings are applied to the front and rear elements, to repel moisture and grease. Performance Compared with the previous edition of the lens, Canon has downrated the claimed effectiveness of the image stabilisation system from four to 3.5 stops. That puts it more in line with the results of our own lab testing. The new lens is equally impressive as its predecessor for sharpness and contrast, along with offering super-fast…

Lens mount Nikon Z This Z-mount 70-200mm zoom has a stellar optical design that includes two aspherical elements, six ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, a fluorite element and an SR (Shortwavelength Refractive) element. Dual coatings include both Arneo and Nano Crystal Coat. The lens isn’t just a feast of fine glass. Autofocus is incredibly rapid yet virtually silent, based on two synchronized stepping motors. There’s highly effective five-stop optical VR, based on voice coil motors. Trick features include an OLED display for viewing various shooting parameters. Performance It’s simply the sharpest lens in the entire group, by quite a margin, not only in the central region of the frame but right into the edges and corners. Vignetting is minimal and there’s excellent resistance to ghosting. Sharpness There’s incredible sharpness on tap,…

Lens mounts Sony FE Sony’s FE 70-200mm f/4 lens is an impressive performer, but the newer f/2.8 G Master really aims for glory, adding an ultra-high tolerance XA (eXtreme Aspherical) element for greater control of colour fringing and enhanced bokeh. Like the Sigma Sports lens, it features 11 diaphragm blades to maintain a very well-rounded aperture. The autofocus system features both ring-type ultrasonic and dual linear motors. Performance The Sony combines excellent sharpness and contrast with soft and dreamy bokeh. However, despite the advanced autofocus system, focusing speed proved slower in our tests than with competing lenses. The stabiliser gave a disappointing two-stop effectiveness, although it’s boosted when used in conjunction with sensor-shift stabilisation. Sharpness Centre sharpness is largely excellent, but corner sharpness is pretty average. Fringing Short 1.0 Long…

9 ALL-NEW TIPS CARDS Our collectable shooting tips cards enable you to carry handy settings and suggestions around in your kit bag, ready for when you need them. This issue, get wallet-sized advice on long exposures, fruity colour, architectural silhouettes, the blue hour and much more. Star Trail Kit for Photoshop Another chance to get the star trail actions first offered as the digital gift in issue 219. Now you can turn any night landscape inspired by this issue’s cover feature into a long exposure that reveals the rotation of our planet. NEW-LOOK TIPS CARDS! 9 subjects Techniques Settings Kit list Buyer’s Guide ebook 254 pages of the latest camera and lens reviews, plus buying advice for accessories! See the Gifts folder in your download. 16 STARBURST BRUSHES digitalcameraworld.com/dc239…

James W Fortune gained an interest in photography at the age of 14, thanks to the built-in camera in his first mobile phone. What started as something that was simply a fun way to be creative developed into a keener interest when his grandfather gave him his old film camera, a Pentax MX. James went on to study photography and film through college, completing his BA Hons degree at Edinburgh Napier University in 2012. Photography has been a staple of his life for 15 years, and he has worked as a full-time photographer and occasional camera assistant in video shoots since 2017. He is proud to be an Ambassador for Formatt Hitech and a Pathfinder with f-stop. Passionate about nature and the outdoors, James often explores his local coastline and…

The worst thing you can ask of an urban photographer is to stay locked inside. But such is life: it throws unexpected events and challenges at us, and it’s up to us to rise to them and adapt. After all, creativity needn’t end as soon as we step indoors. So when lockdown was imposed on us in 2020, I decided that it would not stifle my need to create. I would find a way to create an entirely new ‘London’ series without going out, using and recycling existing photos from my archive that had not previously been used or published. What became obvious is that a photographer should never aggressively delete photos from their hard drives; I’ll admit I may have been guilty of this at times. Of course, you…

While I’m on my leisurely walk, I’ll always take my camera and be on the lookout to capture some new photographs. Being a landscape photographer, I find myself more in tune with the elements and landscapes around me. I am always keeping an eye on what the weather is doing, where the sun is and how the light is changing, while looking for leading lines I can use to create strong compositions. Going out for a walk and exploring new locations is the best way to train ourselves and better our landscape photography skills. During these difficult, unpredictable times we’re living through, I have found that more people are getting out for exercise and taking photographs, which is fantastic to see. www.jamesmaloneyphotography.com Instagram: @jamesmaloney photography Five steps to being creative…

1 ‘Sunrise in Outer Space’ by Gary Peal “I took this shot following your project on shooting oil and water in issue 237. I set up my iPad with a multi-coloured screen on full brightness, placed a box of pasta at either end, and (dangerously) balanced a jug of water across the boxes so that the light from the iPad shone upwards through the jug. I added oil in gradually and waited to see what shapes formed, then applied a polarising filter to my M. Zuiko macro lens to create some abstract colours (using a tip from another previous issue). Before long, the large bubble formed and I shot several images, all handheld at f/3.5, moving the camera in and out until I got as sharp a focus as I…

There’s something so pleasing about cool blue colours in landscape photography, which is perhaps why many photographers shift the hues in their images towards blue regardless of the time of day their images were taken. This is an aesthetic choice, but nothing beats shooting during ‘the blue hour’, when scenes look naturally blue. The blue hour, like the better-known ‘golden hour’, isn’t literally an hour in duration. It’s simply the name for the short period of time before sunrise and after sunset where predominantly blue wavelengths of light scatter into the sky, and bathe scenes in cool blue light. There’s something calming about the quality of light at this time of day; and by adding a three-, six- or even 10-stop ND filter, exposure times can be extended to minutes,…

Turning night into day is a surreal technique that captures what appear to be well-lit scenes… but the major giveaway that something different is at play is that stars will be visible in the sky. This is a unique form of astrophotography that breaks the established rules for creative effect. Astrophotography is usually best shot when the moon hasn’t risen, so that the stars are more visible in the night sky, but with this technique you actually want the moon to be in the sky – and the bigger it is, the better your shot will turn out. The larger the moon phase is, the more of its light will be reflected down to the landscape. You’ll want the moon itself to be out of shot, however – either out…

■ Like telling a joke, the key to water-drop photography is getting your timing right. Whether you’re going for water drop collisions, ‘dancing domes’ or a more ‘solid’, sculptural take on the subject, as shown here, the moment you trip the shutter and fire the flash is important. Be prepared to fill multiple memory cards when you’re shooting water drops, as the misses will definitely outnumber the hits. Set your camera to its continuous drive mode and switch off any features that may slow down your shooting rate. You may be able to achieve a faster burst if you use a DSLR viewfinder rather than the Live View screen, for example. To avoid inadvertently nudging the camera, use a remote release to take the pictures. The trick is to capture…

■ As well as using different backdrops or adding lighting gels to the flashgun to introduce colour to your drop shots, you can, of course, use coloured liquid – although this does mean you’ll have to take extra precautions to protect everything nearby from splashes. Fruit cordial, food colouring and even paint can be used to good effect. Milk can provide a good base for the colour, but clear liquids offer a more subtle rendering. Once you’re happy with your set-up, try mixing the colours, using drops that are a different colour to the liquid they are falling into. Milkshake flavouring was used to create this shot. A little milk was added to the water in the jug to turn it cloudy and make the colour stand out more.…

Don’t trust the image on the Live View screen or EVF for judging the exposure – it often appears brighter than the underlying shot. Use the histogram to gauge the exposure instead. If you’re shooting milk or backlit water drops, the histogram should have a peak on the right (bright) side, without being pushed off the edge. Berry good This histogram has a large peak on the right for the milk, and a small peak on the left for the berry.…

■ This month we’re looking for your finest water-drop and splash shots. Whether you opt for simple water drops, fruit splashes or something more elaborate, we’re looking for pictures that capture the decisive moment. We’ve set out the basics for the main techniques you’ll need, but there are lots of creative ways you can approach this challenge. All we’d ask is that the images need to be relatively small in scale – we’re not chasing images of waves crashing onto a beach, but pictures that have been shot in your own makeshift desktop studio at home. We’d love to see some of your behind-the-scenes set-up shots, too. To enter your best liquid art shot (one per reader, please), email your entry to digitalcamera@futurenet.com, putting ‘Liquid Art’ in the subject line;…

Jon is a professional photographer and writer. He also provides one-to-one and smallgroup tuition in both digital SLR and Photoshop image-editing skills. FILE & VIDEO www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc239 Whether you use them on a candle flame, a setting sun or a street lamp, starburst effects are a great way to add atmosphere to any night shot that has light sources in the frame. They occur naturally under the right conditions when you use a medium to narrow aperture, but when the effect is stored as a brush, you can use them to enhance any image in just a few clicks. On this issue’s download, we have a brush kit with 16 effects, and they’re simple to install and use. First, copy the DCM Starburst Effects.abr file to your computer. To get them…

James is a professional photographer who specialises in landscape and portraits. He’s an advanced Photoshop user and has created hundreds of tutorials. FILE & VIDEO www.digitalcameraworld.com/dc239 WATCH THE VIDEO! Using blur in your images can perform a wide range of functions, depending on how the blur has been applied. Motion blur, changing the depth of field and even defocusing the lens are three of the main ways of controlling blur in-camera, but some techniques can only be applied during post-processing. We’ll take a look at four techniques here with two that can only be applied during post-processing, with the additional two being possible in-camera but with the use of specialist lenses. While mimicking lens effects during processing is rarely as good as the real thing, we’re sure you’ll agree that…

Go to www.digitalcameraworld.com for the latest news, reviews & techniques Sony says its new optic will offer edge-to-edge quality and top AF performance, courtesy of two XD linear motors. Optical configuration incorporates two ultra-high precision XA elements, two ED elements to suppress chromatic aberration, and Sony’s Nano AR Coating II to control flare, while an 11-bladed circular aperture will deliver the best bokeh quality. The minimum focus distance is 0.27m (AF) or 0.25m (MF) for a maximum magnification ratio of 0.23x. Relatively compact for a pro lens with these specifications, the FE 35mm f/1.4 G Master is 96mm long, 76mm wide and weighs 524g. www.sony.com; £1,599/$1,398…

Windows Requires: Intel or AMD CPU with two cores (four cores recommended); 8GB of RAM (16GB recommended); Windows 8.1 64-bit, Windows 10 64-bit macOS Requires: Intel Core i3 or higher (four cores recommended); 8GB of RAM (16GB recommended); macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later, macOS 11 (Big Sur) www.captureone.com Capture One 21 Pro is an image cataloguing and editing program that offers a broadly similar set of features to Lightroom Classic. It is roughly twice the price of Lightroom, but it’s designed for professional workflows, either with tethered studio shooting in ‘sessions’ or for large-scale image cataloguing, organising and editing. Capture One also has a more powerful layers-based approach to local adjustments, advanced colour controls and a raw processing engine which produces crisper output than Camera Raw and Lightroom. Capture…

www.fujifilm.co.uk Specifications Lens mount: Fujifilm X Autofocus: Yes Full-frame: No Image stabilisation: Yes Lens configuration: 16 elements in 12 groups Max. aperture: f/4 Number of blades: 9 Minimum focus distance: 35cm Max. magnification: 0.25x (Telephoto) Filter size: 72mm Dimensions: 78 x 89mm Weight: 440g The XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR is a really interesting standard zoom for Fujifilm X-mount cameras. Fujifilm has now made five standard zooms for its X-series cameras. The XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ is a low-cost compact retracting zoom for Fujifilm’s lower-end models, which seems to have replaced the older XC16- 50mm f/3.5-f5.6 OIS II lens. Mid-range Fujifilm cameras usually come with the neat XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS, which is a bit more upmarket, while pros will gravitate towards the big and heavy XF16-55mm f/2.8 R…

Lens mount Canon RF Uniquely for a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, the Canon RF lens has a similar telescoping design to relatively low-budget 70-300mm telephoto zooms, with an inner barrel that extends at longer zoom settings. It’s remarkably short at the 70mm zoom setting, making it easy to stow away, and it’s fairly light, but the design makes the lens incompatible with Canon’s 1.4x or 2.0x teleconverters. Performance There are certainly no minus points in terms of performance. The floating autofocus system, based on dual Nano USM motors, is amazingly fast and virtually silent. The five-stop image stabiliser works brilliantly well, helping to make the most of the lens’s inherent sharpness. And sharpness itself really is excellent, even when shooting wide-open and throughout the entire zoom range. Sharpness It’s much sharper…

Lens mounts L-Mount We’re big fans of Panasonic’s 70-200mm f/4 zoom, which delivers superb image quality and all-round performance in a comparatively compact, light and affordable package. This f/2.8 lens is about 50 per cent heavier and more expensive, as you’d expect from faster glass. Upgrades include a more advanced optical stabiliser with switchable static and panning modes, which combines with Panasonic in-body stabilisers to give up to seven-stop performance. Performance Autofocus is very fast and virtually silent, and image quality is mostly very good with highly attractive bokeh. However, while centre-sharpness is impressive, especially at shorter zoom settings, edge- and corner-sharpness is comparatively lacklustre, especially in comparison with Panasonic’s 70-200mm f/4 lens. Sharpness Centre sharpness is very good, but there’s a big drop-off towards the edges. Fringing Short 0.11…

Lens mounts Canon EF, Nikon F This Tamron G2 (Generation 2) lens feels every inch a pro-grade offering. Its optical design has been refined to increase sharpness and contrast, while reducing colour fringing, ghosting and flare. The autofocus system is uprated for faster, more accurate performance, and the Vibration Compensation system boasts five-stop effectiveness with three switchable modes. A key update over the previous edition is that the G2 is compatible with Tamron’s 1.4x and 2.0x tele-converters. Performance As advertised, the autofocus system is very fast and operates with excellent precision. Image quality is gorgeous, although shots are marginally less sharp than with the Nikon and Sigma f/2.8 lenses. Stabilisation is great for static photos, but less impressive for panning shots. Sharpness It’s not quite as sharp as the Nikon…