Table of contents for June 2020 in Practical Photography: Lite

IF EVER PROOF WERE NEEDED that you’re a seriously talented bunch, this issue is surely it. A few short weeks after posting a message on our Facebook group, asking you to share your lockdown-inspired photos, we’ve been able to compile no less than 45 pages solely dedicated to your photography. That’s a third of this issue! It seems that your creativity is inversely proportional to the surreal limitations we currently find ourselves bound by and to say we’ve been blown away would be an understatement – we’ve even brought back a long-forgotten Digital Photo section just to house images inspired by the floral special in the spring issue (see p18). See the big ‘Reader takeover’ stamp on the front cover? You’ll see that dotted around this mag – and chances…

The art of flowers by Mark Phillips When I saw the flower projects in the Spring issue of the magazine I thought that there was no better time to try out this creative indoor technique. After reading the article, I reached for the glycerine to see how easy it was to use. I was amazed at how straight-forward it was to position the drop wherever I wanted it to be. The advice said to start using an aperture of f/5.6, but my positioning meant that this resulted in too shallow a depth-of-field, so I narrowed the aperture to f/16 to bring more of the flower into focus. I would highly recommend giving these flower projects a go, especially now that we’re all going to be spending more time indoors taking…

FOLLOW YOUR NOSE. YOU’LL SMELL ’EM before you see ’em. These words from a helpful local have to be one of the most bizarre pieces of advice I’ve received in any of my quests for wildlife. When I visit any location, whether for the first time or hundredth, I always absorb knowledge from people I bump into. On occasions this has led me on a wild goose chase, but more often than not it’s helped me greatly. On this occasion, I was out looking for wild mountain goats. While I did eventually get close enough to understand the local’s reference to their smell, I had spotted the goats first through my binoculars from some distance away. “WHEN I VISIT ANY LOCATION, I ABSORB KNOWLEDGE FROM PEOPLE I BUMP INTO” Isolated…

1 NIKON D750 FROM £1130 A lightweight full-frame 23MP camera, the D750 is a solid choice for astrophotography, with good ISO capabilities giving lower noise levels in your shots. It’s now been superseded by the D780, meaning you can pick one up at a good price. nikon.co.uk 2 SAMYANG 14MM F/2.8 FROM £350 The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 is an astrophotographer’s dream with its super-wide focal length and wide maximum aperture at a low price. The trade-off here is that it doesn’t have autofocus, but that’s not the end of the world for photographing stars as you’ll be manually focusing most of the time anyway. samyanglensglobal.com 3 SIGMA 100-400MM F/5-6.3 FROM £650 Offering a great focal range, ideal for most long-lens astrophotography, the Sigma’s maximum aperture isn’t as…

LIGHT POLLUTION V ASTRO Light pollution is at its worst in large densely populated urban areas. To get the best results plan your trip to a National Park or other dark sky sites. TIP GET UP HIGH Getting up higher above a lot of the light pollution will result in cutting out some of the dreaded skyglow for clearer images with more stars.…

Mark McNeill is a photographer based in Lancashire but can often be found shooting the moon in the Lake District  and Northumberland. How did you get started? I have been interested in photography for a good 15 years now, but my love of astrophotography started around six years ago. I had been shooting the sunset at Ribblehead Viaduct, and as darkness came I was stunned by just how many stars I could see. I started shooting and was hooked. Back then I was using a Nikon D600 and D7100 with the 24-70mm and an old Sigma 17mm wide-angle lens. What kit do you use now? I now use almost entirely different kit. My bag these days contains a Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6 with a selection of lenses…

1 Set up in position On a new moon or similarly dark evening, find your location and set down your tripod. It’s best to do this while it’s still light out and you can see the horizon. Attach your camera to the tripod and frame up your shot. Use an app such as PhotoPills to see where the Milky Way is going to rise to ensure it’s going to be within the frame. 2 Set the focus Once the sun has set, switch focus to manual and turn the focus ring to infinity. Power up Live View and zoom in on the stars. Adjust the focus until your stars are pinpoints of light and you’re happy they are sharp. Be careful not to knock your composition while doing this. Re-adjusting…

How do you describe what you do to the uninitiated? Commercial photography is a broad church… My job is to make mundane objects look magical. When you think about most products, such as a bottle of vodka or a pair of sunglasses, when you pick those items up in the shop, they look kind of ordinary. Through careful manipulation of light, colour and form I have to make them look desirable. In other areas of photography that I operate in, such as beauty and fashion, the objectives are slightly different, but the process is similar in that I consider what will be most visually appealing and hold the viewer’s attention. Do you have a definitive style, or does it change and adapt according to the brief you’re working to? Many…

ABSTRACT SHAPES CAN be found all around us – we just have to look at familiar objects from a different perspective. Chances are, your home is brimming with photographic opportunities just waiting to be discovered – you just haven’t had the need to look for them until now. To get you started, here’s some homespun inspiration from PP reader Paul Smailes, who showcases his ability to create and photograph his own abstract shapes using something as simple as paper. Paul explains: “The original idea for these images came from seeing some paper abstracts on the Photocrowd website. I really liked the effect and wanted to try and put my own spin on the technique – experimenting with different media such as paper, card, cloth and, eventually, a PVC material. I…

When aiming for a completely black background by shooting against walls, paper, card or lightboxes, there are often subtle imperfections showing that could be removed in a few easy steps in Photoshop. There are a number of ways that you can remove these distractions to create a smooth backdrop to your still life photos, but the most effective way is by using the Clone Stamp Tool. Hold Alt and press on a dark area close to the detail you’d like to remove. Release the Alt key and start to paint over the element you’d like to remove from your background. Alternatively, follow these steps with the Brush Tool.…

With the basic effect of adding the glitch completed, you can choose to finish off the image in any way you like. First, add contrast by duplicating the image (Ctrl+J), and then, in the Layers palette, change the new layer’s Blending Mode to Soft Light. To add a vignette effect using a Levels Adjustment Layer, go to Layer> New Adjustment Layer>Levels and drag the White Output Level left, then paint black into the mask to hold back the darkening effect in the centre of the image. Finally, perk up the colours using Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Vibrance, and moving both sliders right.…

Making Presets for Lightroom can lead to a much quicker workflow, and is the first step towards a consistent style. First, go to your Develop module and look on the left-hand side for a drop-down called Presets. Clicking the arrow will expand the list to show your existing Presets, including the built-in effects. To create your own, simply edit any image as you would normally, using the Develop tabs as required, such as Basic for exposure tweaks or HSL for colouring. Once you have achieved your desired results, go back to the Presets tab and click the plus sign, followed by Create Preset. Add a title, and group if required, and ensure all boxes, except Transform, are ticked. Click Create, and this Preset will be saved for future use.…

SONY α6100 Kit price: £749 Lens: PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Effective resolution: 24.2MP Sensor: 23.5x15.6mm LCD: 3in 921k-dot flip-up touchscreen Shutter: Bulb, 30sec-1/4000sec Autofocus: 425-point phase detection ISO: 100-32,000 (50-51,200 expanded) Shooting speed: Up to 11fps Pop-up flash: Yes Video: 4K 30fps, 120fps at 1080p Other features: Creative Styles, Picture Effects, Real-time Animal Eye AF, Eye AF, Zebra Stripes, Focus Peaking, Interval timer, 1:1 square aspect ratio, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Focus Magnifier Battery life: 380 shots Card type: Single SD card slot Weight: 396g Size (WxHxD): 120x67x59mm Web: sony.co.uk PROS + Plenty of control options + 120fps video in Full HS 1080p CONS - Flip-up LCD blocks hotshoe - Complicated menu system HANDLING FEATURES IMAGE QUALITY VALUE FOR MONEY OVERALL SCORE PROS + Easy to use for any skill level…

EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS NEW WAYS TO GET CREATIVE AT HOME ■ Chris shows just how easy it is to paint with light using nothing more than a torch and a few well-chosen household objects. ■ Adam makes a splash with a glass of water, flashgun and a very accurate aim. ■ Kirk looks to the stars for an evening of back garden astro and time-lapse video. BONUS VIDEOS ENHANCE YOUR BEST IMAGES Glitch your portraits, and improve colour with RAW PRESETS 30 ADJUSTMENT EFFECT PRESETS Turn to p104 to find out how to use these one-click actions EBOOK COMPLETE BUYERS’ GUIDE Concise reviews of every current DSLR and CSC EBOOK LIGHTROOM EDITING GUIDE 42 pages of RAW editing advice and step-by-steps Problems with your free gifts? Email us at practical.photography@bauermedia.co.uk and…

MACRO #1 Focus stack a fruity subject IT’S A TRYING TIME FOR MANY photographers, especially for those who primarily shoot outdoors or portraiture. Lockdown and social distancing measures have forced us into seeking inspiration in and around our homes, resulting in a plethora of opportunities that would’ve previously gone unexplored. Gary Clark (instagram.com/ garycreativefocus) has taken this time to try out some new techniques. “Staying in is a great opportunity to develop skills in other areas. I have been meaning to trial my Nikon D850’s focus shift mode for a while and spending so much time indoors has provided me with the freedom to give it a go. I opted for a fruity focal point and started by placing four blueberries onto an A3 sheet of black Perspex sprayed with…

Alasdair MacLeod has been shooting since 1988 and is a staff photographer for a leading Scottish  newspaper. He got bitten by the astrophotography bug four years ago and has been hooked since. How did you get started? I first got into astrophotography when I shot a moon time-lapse back in 2016, on a full moon rising up over Glasgow. Shortly afterwards I captured a meteor shower in the Galloway Forest. I had the bug. Every month for the last three years I’ve always attempted a full moon time-lapse. My first camera was a Nikon F4 (film camera), but my kit when I started shooting the night sky was a Nikon D4S and D810. What kit do you use now? “A GOOD WIDE-ANGLE LENS WILL HELP GET IN THE FULL CIRCULAR…

1 Plan your approach Use an app such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris to find out what phase the moon is in, when it rises and sets, and where it will be in the sky at any given time. For texture, a waxing or waning moon is great, however a full moon is the brightest and easiest to shoot. 2 Set your focus Set your camera up on a sturdy tripod with a long lens attached – 200mm or longer. Set focus to single AF and place your focus point over the moon. Half-press the shutter button to find your focus, then lock it off into manual to prevent you losing the focus while you set your exposure. 3 Expose for the moon The moon is comparatively much brighter than stars,…

Mark Coull picked up photography four years ago. Since then he’s discovered a love of astrophotography and  can often be found photographing deep space objects from his back garden in the north east of Scotland. What kit do you use? I currently use a Fujifilm X-T2 with 55-200mm lens. I have both the Move Shoot Move and Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro star trackers. I prefer the mobility of the MSM for wide-field astrophotography and the Adventurer Pro for deep space astrophotography from my back garden. It’s vital to have a sturdy tripod that can hold the weight of my camera body and lens too. How do you get your shots? “STAR TRACKERS ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT WITH AFFORDABLE OPTIONS OUT THERE” To plan my shots from my back garden, I…

WORKING WITH liquid has its fair share of unpredictability, but that can often result in some pretty impressive and intriguing photographs. From freezing the motion of objects being dropped into water to long exposures, water has proved to be a constant source of inspiration for photographers, but only when you start to combine different liquid substances do you start to achieve some truly unique outcomes. John White explains his approach to staying inspired indoors. John explains: “Think differently – it’s so much fun. Most people aren’t aware of the photographic opportunities within their own home and all it takes is something to spark that creativity. Take a quiet, slow stroll around your house, pick things up and really concentrate on their finer details. Imagine what a potential shot might look…

Chris Parker PP’s deputy editor is an experienced tutor, landscape photographer and videographer. Kirk Schwarz As PP’s technique and gear editor, Kirk knows the best kit, and how to get the most out of it. Adam Atkins PP’s features writer is an accomplished professional sport and travel photographer. Can you explain all the different focus modes? Q I’ve upgraded from using a phone to a DSLR but can’t seem to get sharp images. Can you help me wrap my head around all the different focus modes? Sally Shearer, Truro Adam says: At first glance, focusing can look overwhelming with so many variables to keep track of. There is a lot of science that goes into how and why focusing works like it does, but we won’t go into that here.…

AS MY WORK TOOK ME TO EXOTIC destinations around the world, my photography went from casual interest to full-blown passion. Wherever I went, I captured different subjects – rolling meadows, buzzing city streets, fantastic castles and serene lakes – to show my family and friends. For a long time, my travel depended solely on where my work took me, though since involving myself in photography workshops, it now also depends on the location of the photo tours. Browsing one amazing photo after another online fires up my imagination. Then, with my curiosity piqued, the urge to visit a particular destination becomes a compelling desire. This has led me to explore parts of Europe and Asia, including Japan, Norway, Iceland, Italy and Slovenia, which are a photographer’s paradise. I spend a…

Our ratings Every product is rigorously tested to bring you the most thorough reviews. Outstanding Excellent Solid Poor Terrible Our product awards These accolades are reserved for exceptional products with unrivalled performance, build quality & value for money. TIPA member Practical Photography is a founding member of TIPA, the largest international photography awards body. Find out more about their work at tipa.com Your free ebook! Camera Guide There are 96 more camera reviews on your disc/ download – that’s every DSLR and CSC model available now.…

The night sky is a source of endless magic, mystery and marvel, and with the advent of modern digital cameras, high ISO tolerance and fast-aperture lenses, we don’t just have to gaze in wonder any more. Now we can capture the scene in front of our eyes, doing justice to its beauty despite the challenges that distance and low light levels present. Capturing a classic Milky Way scene or a stunning full-moon shot relies on skills and using the right kit, so here we’ve identified all you’ll need to set you on your way to shooting images that are out of this world. GET STARTED WITH ASTRO SHOTS Check out our guide to capturing stunning astrophotography on p36.…

AS IMPORTANT AS A GOOD CAMERA IS, the right lens choice is equally so. Since you will effectively be taking photos in the dark, often pushing your sensor to stretch into higher ISO territory, a lens with a fast aperture can clamour back stops of light and allow you to shoot at a lower sensitivity and gain better picture quality. Ideally, you’ll be looking for lenses with an aperture of at least f/2.8, but if you can go even wider, you’ll find the additional stops pay dividends. Another area you will need to consider is focal length. Since many astro shooters thrive in areas with interesting foreground, you’ll be wanting a wide focal length that wouldn’t be out of place in your landscape kit bag. Wider lenses also allow you…

Woodland wonder by Rich Walker This image was taken last spring. Bluebell season had just kicked off, so I headed to a local forest to see what I could get. I always struggle with woodland photography, but after exploring the area, I found it easier to look for a simple composition. In the end I found a shot with the trees and the rising sun coming up behind them, and I knew I could capture a nice starburst effect. Canon 80D | 24mm | 1.5sec | f/19 | ISO 100 Rich Walker is an amateur photographer from Plymouth, Devon. Specialising in landscapes, he also enjoys shooting architecture. facebook.com/richwphotos Jumping spider by Lee Frost Jumping spiders are my favourite species to photograph. I think it’s the way they hunt that excites…

I WRITE THIS COLUMN FROM THE RELATIVE CALM but inevitable strangeness of a national lockdown. As our country, our world, comes to terms with the new normal of isolation, us landscape photographers are no exception. The coronavirus crisis started to become more pertinent while I was tucked away in a lovely part of Torridon, Scotland. It was difficult to imagine anywhere more isolated and we felt rather insulated from the creeping fear. In fact, we joked that perhaps we should just stay put in Scotland, not realising the scale of what was about to occur. Inevitably, we had to return to reality, but for me it was even more traumatic. On the long drive home from Scotland I received news that my father had died suddenly and every moment since,…

The 0-GPS1 is a handy GPS unit that can pair with any Pentax DSLR camera sporting the Astrotracer function. It uses the GPS data and the camera’s in-built shake reduction system to move the image sensor in line with the stars tracking across the sky. It acts in a similar way to a Sky Tracker but without moving the whole camera, allowing you to shoot at longer exposures before stars start to streak in your image. It’s more compact than a full astrotracer, but at a sacrifice to versatility.…

Gareth Mon Jones is an award-winning landscape and astrophotographer from Anglesey. He loves  shooting from the hills of Snowdonia to the beaches of Anglesey. How did you get started? I started shooting astrophotography about six years ago. My first camera was a Nikon D5100 coupled with the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens, which got me well and truly hooked on the stars. What I think caught me and has kept me passionate about astrophotography is the adventure of it - heading out into the night and overcoming the challenging subject matter armed by the light of my head lamp. What kit do you use now? “A GOOD STURDY TRIPOD TO PUT MY PRIZED POSSESSIONS ON AT NIGHT” I now use the Nikon Z 6 mirrorless camera coupled with an Laowa 15mm…

1 STAR TRAILS The pole star, around which the stars appear to rotate in your images, is static in the sky and visible all year round. The best advice is to shoot on a clear evening, looking north in the Northern Hemisphere and south in the Southern Hemisphere. ■ When to shoot: All year round. Shoot on a clear evening and during a new moon. 2 THE MILKY WAY The Milky Way can be shot at any time of year but the most spectacular part, the Galactic Centre, can be seen as you face south (in the Northern Hemisphere) and is visible at night during the summer. In the winter it only pops above the horizon in the day and isn’t visible. ■ When to shoot: Aim for Milky Way…

DO YOU FIND YOURSELF scratching around for creative ideas for your next shoot now that you’re spending more time indoors? These are certainly unprecedented times that we all face, but that doesn’t mean your photography needs to suffer. We’ve been in touch with some of our wonderfully talented readers to find out how they are keeping their creative juices flowing with their imaginative indoor photography ideas. With their help, we’ve found four fun-filled projects for you to try at home. Whether it’s making your own abstract shapes or creating a miniature world that takes your fancy, there’s never been a better time to learn or improve on a new technique. So before you put your camera away, read on to reignite your creativity.…

WHEN IT COMES TO this wonderfully creative genre of photography known as diorama, size matters. This process involves transforming a life-sized location or object into a miniature scale model. So if you’re looking for inspiration for a fun and creative way to take photos indoors, look no further than Michael Bland’s own take on this creative art form. Michael explains: “No matter what genre of photography you are interested in, there is inspiration to be found all around you. When this unprecedented situation that we find ourselves in arose, I knew that I would need to look for new ideas, so I ran a quick Google search for indoor photography ideas and came across a unique style called diorama. One particular Japanese artist that specialises in this genre, Tatsuya Tanaka,…

I’d seen many versions of this image prior to my visit. I was in Amsterdam for one night only and knew what I wanted to capture, but not where to go to capture it. After walking the alleys of Amsterdam in the extreme cold, I stumbled on it almost by accident. Once there I knew exactly how to shoot it – one long exposure to smooth out the water, verticals absolutely straight, and one shorter exposure for the lights. In post I wanted to process it almost like a monochrome image, with daubs of coloured lights in the windows and reflections. This is an image very close to my heart.…

ENTRY-LEVEL CSCs are fast becoming a hybrid of nifty photo features and pumped-up video specs that bridge the appeal for photographers and vloggers alike. It’s in this vein that we find the Fujifilm X-A7 and Sony α 6100 – two flip-screen mirrorless cameras that boast 24MP sensors, impressive spec sheets and capable video features. The question is, which is more deserving of your money? Stills performance Both cameras give 24MP of resolution, a compact build and a 180° touchscreen. The Sony opts for a 3in 921k-dot flip-up LCD, while Fujifilm offers a huge 3.5in 2760k-dot vari-angle screen that flips out to the side. Both will allow you to compose stills and video of yourself, though the Sony design limits the use of a hotshoe, so microphones are out. The Fujifilm…

AVE YOU SEEN THE SKY AT NIGHT? IT’S very, very dark. That’s why any astro shooter worth their salt will tell you that good low-light performance is an extremely desirable trait in their cameras. With ISO set to between 1600 and 6400, having a camera that keeps up is a must for cleaner shots. Another huge draw is Live View. Using the rear screen on your camera to zoom in, rack your focus and see when you get peak sharpness in your stars is a huge boon. Each of our choices features this, and you’ll find useful options such as focus peaking to increase your chances of pin-sharp stars. While the Sony and Nikon mentioned here carry great advantages, no astro list would be complete without a nod to the…

SMARTPHONES have proven themselves useful in all manner of situations. Always on hand, they’re fully featured to support our photography endeavours, giving us the ability to capture and share shots online in an instant. They also allow for image editing on the go. Some of our chosen apps even support RAW editing, and all have the necessary tools to make a range of edits. Whether you’re working on an iPhone or iPad, you will find something in this selection of apps that brings a familiar range of tools, instant results with trendy presets and more. They’re available for free, or very little outlay, and also have optional premium features available to unlock their full potential. Snapseed Free This fully-featured free editor offers a wide range of tools, overlays and…