Table of contents for November 2018 in Practical Photography: Lite

BLACK & WHITE HAS the power to transform even the most mundane scenes into fascinating documents of time and place. In many hands, the above image would have been little more than a snapshot, shared on social media and forgotten moments later. In Matt Hart’s hands, however, it becomes an immersive tonal experience that encourages us to take a seat and enjoy the ride. Starting on page 32, Richard ‘Monochrome’ Collins takes a detailed look at this timeless medium’s enduring appeal, delving into its rich history and cribbing advice from the UK’s best black & white exponents, including Matt, Steve Gosling and Andrew Farrington. Step into a magical world of mono...…

Camera Buying Guide Unsure about which camera is best for your needs? Our ebook includes reviews, spec and prices for every interchangeable lens camera available right now. New additions include Nikon’s Z6 and Z7 full-frame CSCs. Retro film rebates Give your digital images an analogue makeover with our exclusive pack of 15 custom film rebates. Turn to page 90 for a full step-by-step user guide. Photoshop video lessons Harness Lightroom’s RAW power to convert to mono, use the Crop Tool to recompose your images, and get the most from your free film rebates.…

Zeiss CSC Cryptic information has been reported to be coming from the Zeiss camp. The renowned lens manufacturer is rumoured to be creating a possible mirrorless CSC. No details have yet been released, but the best guess would be for a fixed lens compact, possibly with a full-frame 35mm sensor and 35mm f/1.4 lens. This would mark a first for the company, and would be on-par with the Leica Q. zeiss.co.uk Canon 90D We’ve been waiting for the 80D’s upgrade, and believe it should be very close. Thought to keep many of the core features, it will boast the same 24.2MP sensor, but ship with the latest Digic 8 processor. This should increase the AF tracking response, as well as give it a boost in ISO performance. However, we don’t…

THE MODERN digital photographer enjoys a freedom that any practitioner from the film era could scarcely imagine. In-camera processing, plus the gamut of filters, effects and editing options available in post-production, mean that an image can be presented in a huge range of different styles and finishes. From subtle tweaks in colour balance all the way through to creatively artistic reinterpretations of the original photograph, the options are almost endless. And yet, for all these choices in how to present the final image, the most popular and enduring edit is still the simple desaturation to mono. The mono appeal Why does black & white still entice photographers? Undeniably, a large part of the appeal is that it links directly to the history of photography. For roughly 100 years every photograph…

“I have always loved black & white images from the first shots my parents took of me to watching black & white TV. I was probably one of the strange people that didn’t like it when colour TV came along. I still prefer to watch black & white films – one of my favourites is Angel-A, directed by Luc Besson, just for the amazing lighting. I used black & white film in my cameras up to 14 years ago when I slowly moved over to digital. I think that’s why I just learned to think and see in black & white and look for texture and tone, and the way the light fell on the subject. “I strive to get deep blacks to bright whites and all the tones across…

“Many photographers select a wide-angle as a matter of course when shooting landscapes. Not surprising really as this lens seems perfect for capturing the grand vista in front us. It also offers a greater depth-of-field resulting in a sharper picture from foreground to background. However, using a longer lens will bring a different dimension to your images. It allows you to compress perspective, a great technique when shooting a series of hills or rows of trees. A long lens also enables you to isolate details and show a clear focal point in your image. So next time you’re in the great outdoors try shooting some long lens pictures and bring some variety and interest to your landscape imagery.” • Award-winning landscape photographer Chris Upton is a Fujifilm X Series ambassador.…

MAKE YOUR SELECTION Affinity offers a handful of tools which allow you to create selections, ranging from quick and easy, to extremely precise and complex. This is a key area when it comes to creating intricate composites. THE MIGHTY PEN The Pen Tool allows for the most precise selections, letting you fine-tune the direction of travel, as well as create pixel-perfect curves and spot-on cut-outs. LAYER MASKS Layer Masks allow you to hide an individual Layer’s effects from the rest of the image, while retaining the information should you change your mind at a later date – an essential for complex composites. LEARN TO REFINE Refine allows you to alter your selections after the fact, going as far as offering a Matte Brush, which makes Affinity do the hard work…

BLACK & WHITE HAS A timeless quality that removes colourful distractions and lets you concentrate on tone, contrast, shape and mood. Mono is also an area that Lightroom Classic CC excels at, as you can take full advantage of the extra data collected and retained by the RAW file format. This is lost when you convert to JPEG and edit in Photoshop. Although we’re converting to mono, with our method the colour data is still there in the background and can be used to great effect to change the brightness of areas in your picture, even when it’s drained of colour. We’ll also show you how to protect your original RAW files with Virtual Copies, creating multiple edits from the same RAW file without substantially increasing the file size. Lightroom…

One incredibly powerful use of the Crop Tool is to input a specific Width, Height and Resolution, essentially allowing you to resize your images as you crop, rather than cropping and then resizing – it’s a fantastic time-saver. Choose the W x H x Resolution option from the Aspect Ratio Preset drop-down list and then enter in the desired values. You could also choose the Front Image preset in Photoshop, or Use Photo Ratio in Elements – this will give you the original Width, Height and Resolution, so you can make a substantial crop. It will then be upscaled back to the original dimensions so that the size of the image doesn’t change.…

You’ll need to wait for the sun to set before you can start painting with light outdoors, but start earlier and use the remaining daylight to prepare for your shoot. Torches are an essential accessory that will help you find your way around the location after dark, and they can also be used to inject light into the scene. Find an easily accessible public place to do your light painting and ask a friend to come along with you. Not only is it safer to shoot at night in a group rather than alone, they can also act as an assistant – ask them to hold a light so that you can focus easily, or get them to stand in the frame while you do your light painting to create…

WITH DRAMATIC lighting ripped from Renaissance oil painting techniques and inspiration drawn directly from Tudor portraiture, Rory Lewis’ star-studded images are irresistible to the eye. The task of capturing a true likeness can be a daunting burden when working with any sitter, let alone one with millions of devoted fans. However, Rory’s combination of exemplary technique and dogged determination to pursue his vision has created a powerful portfolio of beautifully realised portraiture. How did you first become interested in photography? I’ve never actually studied photography. Instead, I read History at Kings College London. While I was studying, I decided to take a course in History of Cinema and was introduced to the wonderful cinematography of German Expressionist cinema. While this may not have necessarily been the most straightforward route into…

Canon M50 £650 When we reviewed this camera earlier in the year we were impressed by its Dual Pixel AF autofocus and the 5-axis in-built image stabilisation. It also boasts a 24.1MP sensor and a Digic 8 processor, all at a great price point. Our only concern was the poor lens range currently on offer. canon.co.uk Fujifilm X-T2 £1249 While this model is getting a little long in the tooth – there’s a new version coming out very soon – it is still one of the best CSC options for the more serious enthusiast. Packing a 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS sensor plus a great AF system this camera delivers pin-sharp images even in testing conditions. fujifilm.eu/uk Sony α 7 III £1999 We loved the a7’s excellent image quality, fantastic autofocus system…

\\ MODULE 1 ARTISTIC NATURE Issue: June 2018 CLOSED On sale: 10 May 2018 Homework deadline: 6 June Marks announced: 20 June \\ MODULE 2 MINIMALIST LANDSCAPES Issue: July 2018 CLOSED On sale: 7 June 2018 Homework deadline: 4 July Marks announced: 18 July \\ MODULE 3 ABSTRACT ARCHITECTURE Issue: August 22018 CLOSED On sale: 5 July 2018 Homework deadline: 1 August Marks announced: 15 August \\ MODULE 4 MONO STREET Issue: September 2018 CLOSED On sale: 2 August 2018 Homework deadline: 29 August Marks announced: 12 September \\ MODULE 5 MOVEMENT Issue: October 2018 CLOSED On sale: 30 August 2018 Homeworkdeadline: 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 Perfect for being able to capture a variety of different subjects, the 12-40mm f/2.8 kit lens is the equivalent of a 24-80mm focal range on a full-frame sensor. To capture stunning portraits, set your focal length to 40mm (80mm equivalent). This will allow you to photograph a beautiful portrait free from any of the distortion that comes with wider focal lengths. Best for portraits If portraiture is your burning passion and you’re ready to invest in a dedicated lens, then why not try the 45mm f/1.8 prime. With an equivalent focal length of 90mm on a full-frame sensor, this lens is a fantastic way to capture amazing portraits. With a minimum aperture of f/1.8, you’ll be able to pair beautiful bokeh with a pin-sharp focal point.…

Once you’ve shot your stunning portrait you may be tempted to call it a day and let your model go home. However, your job isn’t done just yet. While your image may look perfectly fine on the back of your 3in LCD screen, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s totally sharp. Save yourself the trouble of having to set up a reshoot for a second attempt by carefully inspecting your favourite shots before you pack up and decide your work is done. Press the Play button to bring up each image you have taken and then use the magnification dial (or button) to zoom in. Move around your photograph and inspect your main subject in order to make sure that it’s perfectly sharp.…

Nikon has categorically said its future doesn’t lie solely with the Z-mount. It’s simply another avenue to help it stay in the game. With that sentiment, the F-mount will not only receive continuing support, but will also receive new products in both the DSLR and lens ranges. This is a massive bonus for those who aren’t yet ready to ditch their current gear and jump head-first into the world of mirrorless. It’s also great news for Nikon users who are invested in the lens system, and see their camera progression remaining in the DSLR market.…

With the major camera companies releasing a slew of new cameras and lenses, our first thoughts always turn to carrying solutions. The humble camera backpack, which is anything but these days, comes packed full of chunky dividers and spacious compartments, making finding the right one incredibly tricky. So this month we’ve decided to dedicate an entire group test to finding the perfect backpack. Whether you want a multi-purpose day bag or something that will double as a fashion statement, we’ve got you covered. These are our top ten picks for the best backpacks on the market. #10 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AFRICA M £105 THIS VISUALLY APPEALING BAG personifies the Great British spirit of adventure with its old world canvas and leather design. It’s rugged, though at 1440g, not overly heavy. There’s…

Steve Gosling Describing his signature style as moody, atmospheric and minimalist, Steve has built quite a reputation for his elegant mono work. Fade to grey on p39 Jade Sellick Undergrad Jade travelled solo into the Mongolian steppe to observe and document the region’s nomadic herders. Read her story on p162 Rory Lewis Gandalf one day, Captain Kirk the next – Rory’s life as a celebrity portrait specialist is nothing if not varied. Join the lofty world of A-listers on p102…

THIS IS A COLUMN ABOUT KIT. HOWEVER, I cannot promise that it will contain the intricate technical details you might expect from a landscape photographer. The most common question that comes up if I bump into another photographer out in the field is, “So, what are you shooting with?” Innocuous, right? Well, it would be if part of me didn’t immediately panic about my camera’s credentials. For the most part, of course, I answer and there’s a nod that either signals approval or indifference. Earlier this year, on the Isle of Harris, after a particularly exhilarating morning shooting a hail storm, a lovely chap who I’d shared the scene with asked me which lens I was shooting with. Upon inspection, he took a sharp intake of breath and exclaimed, “Hopefully…

Most digital cameras have the option to output files in black & white. This can be a useful tool for reviewing each shot to see if it works as a mono image, but has its limitations in terms of the final photograph. For a start, outputting in mono only means that you may not be able to convert the image back to colour if you desire. But most importantly, no matter how good a camera’s processing is, it cannot compete with dedicated editing for mono using all of the data contained in a RAW file.…

“I was brought up shooting on black & white film, so I learnt to see the world in shades of grey. And that has stuck with me to this day – even though I might be seeing the world in colour through the viewfinder my brain is interpreting the scene in monochrome. I’ve taught myself to ignore the distraction of colour, for there are times when colour doesn’t add anything to the landscape or worse, just seems to get in the way. “My personal style is very graphic and minimalist as I take a reductionist approach to composition – removing elements to simplify the design of a photograph as much as I can. Black & white images are essentially about line and shape, pattern and tone and I like condensing…

“When I first set eyes on David Bailey’s black & white portraits from the late sixties, I felt an urge to emulate the simple yet intense familiarity which they exuded. At the same time, I had no inkling of the work of Julia Margaret Cameron from almost 100 years prior, which would go on to influence me even more. I quickly found that the Bailey ‘look’ had as much to do with people skills as it did with the technique of photography and that Margaret Cameron was most probably the opposite of that. “When I take a photograph of anything, I treat it like a portrait – an investigation, or insight into what is in front of me. Shooting in black & white can strip away the reality and render…

1 Increase the focus Wildlife shots may not be the obvious choice for a monochrome treatment, but they can work really well. Black & white photography’s unique ability to strip away all the distracting colours that abound in nature can really make a wildlife subject ‘pop’ when it might otherwise by lost in the scene – particularly in the case of those animals that enjoy some natural camouflage. In this shot, a red squirrel has been turned ‘grey’ with a fantastic monochrome edit that really separates the subject from the environment, uses the graphic nature of black & white to draw the viewers’ attention to the animal’s eye and adds an almost metallic dimension to the reflection in the water. 2 Seek out textures When black & white naturally breaks…

The Fujifilm X-T20 features a 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans III sensor, UHD 4K video and 325-point autofocus. Fujifilm’s XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ is the smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom lens in the X series and offers a 35mm equivalent focal length of 23-69mm. Our four winners will also become camera reviewers, with a guest slot on our website, where your first impressions will be shared with thousands. • Visit fujifilm-x.com for more info.…

AHUMBLE CROP IS THE easiest way to totally change the look and feel of your pictures. It’s always best to try and perfect your composition in-camera, but when you start the editing process you may realise you have some dead space you’d like to lose, or perhaps you’d like to try a different aspect ratio or even reposition where your focal point sits. It’s all possible with Photoshop’s Crop Tool, so this month we’re examining its capabilities so you can use it to its full potential. The Crop Tool Options bar explained ASPECT RATIO This menu allows you to constrain the Crop Tool to a particular shape. Choose Original Ratio (called Use Photo Ratio in Elements) to set the dimensions to that of the original. If you want a more…

SOME OF THE MOST iconic images of the 20th century have seen people forego the luxury of colour, instead opting to concentrate their focus on perfecting the contrast and tonal range. Whether you want to create gritty portraits, convey a feeling of total loneliness or even evoke an ethereal other-worldly quality in your shots, monochrome is usually the best way to go. Of course, you could just set your camera to use its built-in black & white photo mode, but this will mean you’re limited to shooting in the JPEG format, and it will also discard all colour information, meaning it’s not possible to retrieve a colour version of the image at a later stage, or work up your mono conversion in a different way if you don’t like the…

POWERFUL TORCH A humble hand torch is a very versatile light painting tool that allows you to shine your light where you want to illuminate the scene while the shutter is open. A torch with an adjustable focus is even better. FLASHGUN & COLOURED GELS Using the test button on a flashgun, you’ll be able to fire it off-camera to light up large swathes of your scene. You can also get coloured flash gels to put on front of the flashgun so that the flash light takes on the colour. EL WIRE STRING LIGHTS These battery-powered lights come in a variety of sizes and colours. Dragging them through your scene while the shutter is open will create a colourful and spooky mist. You can pick them up for around £5…

Technique 1 Add a burst of sunshine Open your picture into Photoshop and go to Layer> New>Layer then hit OK. Navigate to Edit>Fill and set the Contents to Black, change the Blending Mode to Normal and set the Opacity to 100%, then hit OK. Now go to Filter>Render>Lens Flare and in the menu that appears set the Lens Type to 35mm Prime and set Brightness to 100% then hit OK. Draw on your canvas where you want the flare to appear and then change the Blending Mode of this Layer from Normal to Screen. You can reposition the flare with the Move Tool or hit Ctrl+T to put it into Free Transform Mode to resize and rotate it. We placed the flare over a mountain in this image to make…

Photographer: Rory Lewis, a portrait photographer based in various locations in the UK Aim of project: To create a body of vivid and thought-provoking portraiture Location: A variety of studios across New York, Los Angeles and London Duration: I first began this photo project in 2014 and have been working on it ever since Hours spent: I’ve easily spent around 400 hours shooting and retouching. I also reckon I’ve taken around 8000 RAW images throughout the project See more of Rory’s work at his website: rorylewisphotography.com…

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. How can I be more creative with my shots? I’m in a rut with my photography. I feel I understand the technical side but I struggle to produce really creative images. Is there a way to inject some of this into my work? Malcolm Daniels, Aberdeen Richard says: You’ve raised an issue that affects a lot of photographers Malcolm. The technical aspect of photography can be easily taught, but creativity doesn’t come from a manual. While there’s no A-B-C of shooting creative images, there are a few…

Quick Shot While shooting full manual is great, sometimes you just need to grab a quick shot without messing around. Good presets here are: Aperture Priority, ISO 400, All AF Points, Single Shot, Auto WB and RAW. Low Light Another situation you might find yourself in where full manual could be too fiddly is where there’s a lack of light. Go for this preset: Shutter Priority, ISO 3200, Center Point AF, Single Shot, Auto WB and RAW. Action If you need to quickly capture some action, such as fast-moving sports or just a group of active kids, try this preset list: Shutter Priority, ISO 640, AI Servo, Continuous Fast shooting mode, Auto WB and RAW.…

You can roam far and wide, capturing incredible vistas or stark architecture, but sometimes all you need for an amazing photo is your camera, a willing model and a window. With flash photography being so popular, you may wonder whether it’s possible to shoot a great portrait without investing in a flashgun. However, there’s nothing like the subtle shadows and gentle illumination that you can achieve with natural sidelighting. For the final module of Camera School, we’re asking you to capture a window-lit portrait. Deceptively simple, this technique will particularly test your focusing and composition skills, so make sure you read our instructions carefully. Use aperture-priority mode As with the vast majority of close-up portraits, you’ll find that you get the best results when you use a wide aperture. This…

Frame your subject correctly For this month’s project, we’re asking you to compose using the rule-of-thirds and power points. If you’re not sure what these are, imagine your image is split into a 3x3 grid. The rule-of-thirds dictates that your focal point must be placed somewhere along one of the lines running through your frame. However, power points are a little more specific than this, as these are the four places where the rule-of-thirds lines intersect. We want you to place your focal point on one of the top two power points. This will create a powerful portrait that draws your audience in. If you’re not sure what part of the image should be your focal point, we’ve got a simple guideline that you can follow. In the vast majority…

While a wide aperture is by far the best option for a really striking portrait, it’s unfortunately much less forgiving on your focusing than a narrow aperture tends to be. This is because the zone of sharpness (the amount of your image that will be rendered sharp) has been greatly reduced. As a result, creating an accurate focus is even more critical than usual. In order to craft the perfect focus, you should first set your camera to Single-Point AF mode. This means that rather than having multiple AF points, you have just one that you’re able to move around and place wherever you like. This is perfect for the shallower depth-of-field that you’ll be shooting with for this technique. While it may be tempting to leave your camera in…

COMPOSE EFFECTIVELY Frame up your shot using the rule-of-thirds for an effective composition. FOCUS ON THE FOCAL POINT For accurate results, choose Single-Point AF and position your focus point. GET THE RIGHT EXPOSURE Use exposure compensation to adjust the brightness of your shot. For your homework, we’re asking you to shoot one portrait using natural light. Your image should be shot with a wide aperture, be composed using the rule-of-thirds, and have one clear focal point. It should be in colour and unedited (except to be resized to the 10MB limit). Once you’ve got your photo, upload it to camera-school.com/module-6. The deadline is 25 October, so make sure that you’ve uploaded your shot before then. Good luck and have fun! BEFORE YOU UPLOAD • Have you shot a well-exposed image?…

EASE OF USE Each bag has been tested to ensure it has space for a camera and lens, as well as additional lenses and accessories. They’ve also been tested to see how easy they are to use in real-world conditions. COMFORT, QUALITY AND VALUE We also tested and rated each bag for its comfort on the shoulder with a full load, which can get quite heavy. Furthermore, ratings were gauged to take into account the quality of the construction, and the current market price and representative value for money.…

If you haven’t seen a Lensball, then we demand to know where you’ve been this past decade! This small, highly-polished crystal ball from the Netherlands may not show you the future, but it does offer you the ability to get creative with your shots. Although the concept of shooting through glass balls is nothing new, Lensball is the first to introduce a high quality crystal version. There are even two options to choose from – the Lensball Pro, which has an 80mm diameter and 650g weight, or the cheaper 60mm Pocket version, weighing 250g. While it’s very much a niche product, and one that has been used extensively, the price-tag ($35 for a Pro or $25 for the Pocket) is very attractive and the results are undeniably fun. Both versions…

The largest of the Skyline range, this shoulder bag features a denim-look material, chunky internal dividers and enough room to pack a DSLR with two additional lenses. There are also four mesh pockets, two internal and two external, as well as a large front zip compartment. This compact bag is ideal for days out or city shooters. It features a single strap, which has a handy non-slip texture. You can even remove the internal dividers and use this as a regular fashion bag – great value for money. tenba.com…

The Practical Photography team celebrate All Hallows’ Eve with a quartet of bewitching camera projects that’ll scare your socks off. • Louise ‘Cursed’ Carey takes inspiration from local legend to inspire her latest fashion shoot. Dress code: witch’s hat and broomstick. • Kirk ‘Spooky’ Schwarz creates a living zombie doll with this eerie shoot to ’shop idea. • Dan ‘Mysterious’ Mold brings the dread with a dramatic new light painting technique. • Richard ‘Cadaver’ Collins gets into character for a series of ghostly selfies. Contact us if you have any problems with your free gifts practical.photography@bauermedia.co.uk Practical Photography, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA…

TOWARDS THE END OF LAST SUMMER, I moved from my old house, at the edge of a small village, to a new-build in a more urban setting. The garden I left behind was large and wild, with mature trees and dense hedges where it bordered arable farmland. Over the years I had managed the habitat to encourage wildlife and it had repaid me with wonderful encounters and some of my most successful images. In complete contrast the new garden was relatively small and totally barren – three fences and a heap of poor-quality earth. Once I had settled in, I levelled the soil, removing weeds and sifting out debris ready for seeding the following spring. The house is an end plot near to a busy road but fortunately, between the…

Black & white photography has endured into the digital age and shows no signs of losing its appeal, despite the huge number of editing options now available. Mono images have a unique power to enthral the viewer and presenting your work in black & white adds a sense of gravitas to instantly raise it to the realm of fine art. GRAPHIC COMPOSITION CREATES A PURITY OF VISION Stripped of the distracting influence of colour, this image becomes a study in pure graphical composition. Lines, shapes and textures are emphasised, adding to the majesty of this stark landscape. TONALITY UTILISES LIGHT & SHADE FOR IMPACT With colour removed, it is the variation in tones that define this image. From the deep shadows that line the water edge, through the mid greys…

PHOTOGRAPHS OF PEOPLE, whether formal, natural or candid, have always had a special appeal. The fascination with capturing a sitter’s essential character has been a mainstay of photography since the very earliest days of the craft, and where those pioneering images were black & white by necessity, the portraitist’s love of mono has endured through the era of colour film and into the digital age. Portraits presented in black & white are somehow raised in stature when compared to colour images, as if the simple act of desaturation adds instant gravitas and a ‘fine art’ distinction. Why go monochrome? So why are black & white portraits so compelling? It should certainly be acknowledged that there’s some intrinsic historical influence – old photos were black & white so black & white…

IF THERE’S ONE AREA OF photography that’s synonymous with black & white it is the arena of street and reportage. There’s obviously a lot of history behind this – when the very idea of taking candid pictures of people in public first became a recognised artform, colour photography was still in its infancy and not practical for using in the fast-paced ‘shoot and run’ arena inhabited by the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Weegee and Brassaï. As a result, any contemporary photographer who wants to tap into the history of street photography will do well to consider a monochrome approach. This historical aesthetic extends to the more serious medium of reportage photography, whether as a documentary tool or much of the war photography produced in the latter part of the 20th…

LOOK, IN THE SKY. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a billboard for the latest Hollywood superhero flick. Watching fully-grown men being flung through skyscrapers, or going toe-to-toe against gigantic aliens is just good fun, and the inspiration behind our final Affinity Photo instalment. Throughout the series so far, you’ve learned how to edit landscapes with the Develop and Tone Mapping Personas, you’ve gone through complex colour grading using some of the best tools on the market, and you’ve mastered the art of black & white conversions. One thing we’ve yet to cover, which Affinity Photo does incredibly well, is the art of creating selections. Powerful features such as the Pen, Selection Brush and Flood Select Tools are perfect for making complex cut-outs – essential for…

YOU’D BE HARD-PUSHED to find a smartphone that can’t shoot a panorama. Pointing the camera at one end of the scene and moving it towards the other as you take a series of images, it’s then magically stitched together to produce one long vista that includes every detail in between. They can be great fun to experiment with. Our quirky miniature planet cleverly manipulates these long panoramic images, rolling them up and bending them around to make the two ends meet. If you already have a panorama that you’ve taken on a phone you can jump straight ahead to Step 5 to get started. But if at all possible, it’s best to shoot on a DSLR or CSC for optimum picture quality and better results, so we’re showing you how…

THERE’S A DARK, magical quality to night photography that you just can’t replicate with images taken in broad daylight. Due to an absence of light, exposure can be tricky. We’ll be using a technique called painting with light, where you lock off your camera on a tripod, dial in a long exposure of around 30 seconds and then use a variety of light sources to ‘paint’ in shapes, dramatic light and spooky figures. It’s an exciting technique that’ll get your senses firing on all cylinders, and along the way you’ll learn how to achieve pin-sharp focus in the dark, and understand the effects of different light sources such as flashguns and torches. For this shot the light mainly came from special EL (electroluminescent) wire to create the red mist, but…

• Bright lights can cause havoc with your night vision, especially if you’re trying to frame up in the dark. Many cameras have the option to dim the LCD brightness and this is hugely beneficial for low-light shooting. • You want to capture the movement of your light source, but if your whole frame looks blurry then it’s likely the camera has been knocked during the exposure or camera shake was transferred to the image when you pressed the shutter button. To avoid this, activate the self-timer mode. This can usually be set to 2, 5 or 10secs and it will help to eliminate camera shake.…

FILM IS FIRMLY BACK IN FASHION, SO here’s a way to achieve that classic emulsion look with your digital files. We’re giving away a pack of 15 film rebates this month that you can use to frame your pictures. You’ll find them in the Free Gifts folder on your disc or download, and all you need to do is follow the step-by-step below to see how you can resize your images to fit them inside. To finish the effect, we’ll show you how to apply digital noise in Photoshop as a filter effect to mimic the style of high ISO film grain and tone your pictures to make them look suitably muted in true Instagram fashion. Just find an image you want to work on and a rebate you like…

When I look back at these portraits, I can see a marked difference between the soldiers who have recently passed out and those who have been veterans of conflict. It’s impossible to look at these images without sensing that you’re viewing a living history. The British Army’s regiments date back to 1661, so I wanted to capture its historical character and proud legacy of diversity. The British Army recruits from across the Commonwealth, so I’ve worked with soldiers from all over the world. There is so much history, the legacy of which is an eclectic mix of battle honours, uniforms and highly unique regimental traditions. My aim is to create a historical record of the British Army.…

Here’s our pick of some unusual lenses that are sure to boost your creativity. • Lensbaby Spark £80 This lens has a bellows system that allows you to alter the plane of focus. lensbaby.com • Thingyfy Pinhole Pro S £55 Pinhole photography is great fun and really creative and this lens adds a bit of quality control to the method. thingyfy.com • Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat f/2.9 £399 Based on a late Victorian era design this manual focus lens produces dreamy soft focus at wider apertures. lomography.com • Lensbaby Twist 60 £159 The second entry from Lensbaby is a more traditional sort of lens but still one for the creatives. It produces a ‘swirly’ blur at the edge of the frame and some heavy vignetting that really makes your subject stand…

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 portrait. Check out page 125 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’re using natural light, 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 SELECT…

It’s important that you know exactly what you’re including in your frame. Avoid including distracting details, such as posters on the wall or the sofa your model is sitting on. You’ll also want to try and find a neutral background – either white or cream would be best. We also want to see a simple headshot, so avoid including your model’s shoulders or waist. By simply focusing on their face, the audience will be able to fully appreciate the mixture of light and shadow. Just remember that you want your audience to only focus on the model’s face, so there shouldn’t be anything to distract from that.…

1 Set your focus mode Switch your camera to its autofocus mode and then go into your menu to select Single AF. This means your camera will focus once when you half-press your shutter, but it won’t continuously refocus. You may want to check your manual for instructions on how to set S-AF, as it can vary between different cameras. 2 Select the focus point Go into your camera’s AF Area menu and select Single-Point AF. Now you have just a single AF point active, so you can move it around and place it squarely onto your focal point. To do this, just use the D-pad on the back of the camera while looking through the viewfinder, or on the back screen while using Live View. 3 Focus and shoot…

• You specialise in fashion and portraits – what is it that you find so fascinating about people? The underlying thing that drives my work is a combination of story and feeling. Having worked in various genres during my career, it has always been working with people that enables me to capture feelings, and fashion allows me to create stories and narratives within my work. • What are the key ingredients to successful portrait photography? I would say that the key ingredient to any kind of photography is a passion for your subject. There are many things I don’t shoot, purely because I have no real interest in them. When photographing people, it’s important to understand that 95% of your results will come from your skills as a person, rather…

Beyond the three sleek S-Line Nikkor Z-mount lenses which will find their way to market in 2018, Nikon has announced a much wider line-up. This includes the 58mm NOCT f/0.95, an ultra-wide aperture manual focus lens. The company is also slated to release a full Holy Trinity by 2020, which will include a 24-70, 70-200 and 14-24mm f/2.8, as well as a 50mm f/1.2. You can also use 360 F-mount lenses with the FTZ adapter. Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S This general purpose walkabout zoom lens offers a traditional 24-70mm focal length and fixed f/4 aperture throughout the range. It features both a Nano Crystal and Fluorine Coat, which promises excellent optical performance. Despite being light and compact, you’ll find 14 elements in 11 groups, including two ED, one of…

As far as backpacks go, there’s little to separate these. They all have bags of room, pun intended, and can accommodate most types of kit with ease. Laptop users are well catered for, as are those who demand a way to mount their tripods. The constructions are all of an equally impressive nature, and many give you the option of removing the internal compartment to turn your bag into a normal day bag, and in some cases, turn the insert into a small shoulder bag. With so little to separate them, we suspect aesthetics will play a major part in your choice. “THE MANFROTTO MANHATTAN FEATURES A TRULY EXCELLENT BALANCE BETWEEN KIT AND PERSONAL STORAGE SPACE” And the winner is... Of course, every month there must be one that rises…

SWORD STYLE LIGHTS AREN’T NEW, WITH WESCOTT’S Ice light being the prime example. However, while that’s more ‘sleek lightsaber’, the NanGuang is reminiscent of the guiding light you’ll often see used by airport runway staff. Aesthetics aside, this handy creation can definitely stand on its own two feet, thanks to its ability to display a full RGB spectrum of colours, for an incredibly reasonable price. An even grouping of 176 LEDs can represent 360 individual colours, making this light incredibly versatile. Utilising the hard light option at 5600K will give you a mighty output of 1290 lumens, or 1133 lumens at 3200K, which is the equivalent of tungsten light. This power does drop significantly when you’re selecting alternative colours, however, with green offering 820 lumens, red boasting 430 lumens and…

Strip boxes can offer unique lighting solutions for studio shooters. The restricted flow of light makes this a much sought-after softbox, great for adding dramatic rim lights and perfect for sports and dance images. The S-Fit Ezybox is an incredibly well-built version, with a quick setup RapidExoframe design and 6:1 area with included grid. While others are available at a much more budget-friendly price, there’s no arguing with the quality at play here. manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite…

VISUAL FORMS OF STORYTELLING, SUCH AS animation and film, have fascinated and captivated me from a young age. However, my passion for photography developed later in life. I studied film production at Bournemouth Film School, where I specialised in cinematography. It was here that I found an appreciation for stills photography and its ability to enchant an audience. As I delved deeper into creative narratives, I soon found that most of my inspiration was coming from true accounts of real people and their extraordinary adventures. It was at this point that I decided to focus on documentary media and transferred to Falmouth University to study Marine and Natural History Photography. I’ve been fortunate enough to go on some amazing adventures, both locally and internationally, in pursuit of visual storytelling. My…