Innehållsförteckning för No. 269 från Digital Photographer

I’m often fascinated by the personality traits that all photographers seem to have in common. Creativity is the obvious one but, in recent years, adaptability is proving itself an essential characteristic for those working at the pro level. We might have started out assuming we’d become a specialist in just one genre, such as portraiture, landscapes or weddings, for example, but the reality is that if you can use a camera, you can turn your hand to anything. This is illustrated perfectly by Mel Esson, with whom we met in Aberdeen for our Shoot Like a Pro feature this month. On a shoot for his multi-faceted business, Mel demonstrates the common skills that are required for many types of photography. Read the feature starting on p14. Next up, Ross Hoddinott…

Read our full review p110 Sony has announced the a6700, the long-awaited addition to Sony’s popular hybrid APS-C camera range. The a6700 features Sony’s E-mount, which has over 70 lenses in its roster, and a compact design that’s ideal for hybrid content creators and weekend shooters. It uses a 26MP APS-C BSI CMOS sensor from Sony’s Exmor R range, which is capable of ISO 100-32,000 (80-102,400 extended) and is supported by 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) with up to 5-stops of correction. It also uses a combination of Sony’s latest Bionz XR processor and a separate AI chip for autofocus and image processing, with speeds of 11fps. Autofocus includes Sony’s latest subject recognition and tracking categories. Also on the spec sheet is Super 35 6K oversampled video and it can…

Before turning professional, many of us imagine ourselves becoming a specialist in one genre of photography. The idea that our days will be taken up exclusively by shooting one type of subject, or for a highly niche client, is probably the biggest misconception of life at the professional level. This will often be influenced by our personal preferences and creative interests. It can be a surprise to learn that, while some photographers do, indeed, make a career out of working in a narrow, specialised field – those we are likely to notice first, due to their visibility online, for example – for most, it’s versatility and adaptability that will ultimately underline the success of our businesses. With a great diversity of subjects comes a further unique set of challenges, however.…

Backlighting is particularly well-suited to shots of nature, helping to highlight exquisite details, such as the tiny hairs on a dragonfly’s body or the transparency of a lacewing or butterfly. Backlighting can produce dramatic results with contrast, depth and an emphasis on shape and form. Morning and evening are best for shooting naturally backlit subjects, as the sun is low in the sky and the light is warmer. To minimise highlight clipping while getting the best contrast, you’ll need to carefully position yourself to shoot toward the light’s direction. However, it is normally best to exclude the sun itself from the frame and attach a lens hood to reduce the risk of flare. On dull, overcast days, consider using a small LED device, or even the torch on your mobile…

Travelling light is key, even when it comes to your camera gear. However, you don’t have to compromise on functionality. There are various ways to achieve your objectives with minimal yet versatile gear. Most important is to know how to make the most of what you have, using your gear to its fullest potential. Make sure you pack the essentials, including your camera, lens, extra batteries and an SD card. If you’re looking for a camera that’s perfect for travel photography, the Sigma fp L weighs just 427g (0.94lbs) and is perfect for framing on-the-go moments without weighing you down. When travelling, it’s always a good idea to pack more than one memory card. Not only do they protect against data loss due to any damage, but they also allow…

Discover the captivating world of cinematic portrait photography, and transform your images from ordinary to extraordinary. The cinematic portrait technique is a unique and compelling way to create stunning visual narratives that capture the essence of your subject in a truly magical way. With its distinctive blend of lighting, composition and storytelling, this approach adds depth and emotion to your portraits, captivating your viewers. While mastering cinematic portraits may initially seem challenging, the skills acquired in this journey will dramatically enhance your everyday photography. From overcoming common issues, including dull lighting and uninspiring composition to harnessing the power of evocative storytelling, you’ll learn how to bring your creative vision to life. By experimenting with different camera settings, props and lighting techniques, you’ll discover your own style and develop the ability…

Lightroom’s Masking tools have been around for a while and have become an integral part of many photographers’ workflows, but it’s easy to overlook some of the more recent features because the older tools do such a great job. Subject, Sky and Background Masking are AIpowered and – with a little help – can produce incredibly precise masks: perfect for lifting a flat image to show its true potential. What you’ll be using Masking tools Global adjustment tools The Masks Panel Linear Gradients Selection-based masks 1 Basic adjustments To get started, the image needs to be globally processed, to take it as far as possible before introducing masks. At this stage, you can also apply Lens Corrections, if required, Noise Reduction, HSL and so on. The aim is to achieve…

In the previous issue of Digital Photographer (268), we looked at the first steps a photographer needs to take on the road to becoming a part-time or full-time professional. Once you have worked out which areas of the medium you’d like to specialise in, it’s time to look for your first assignment. By following our tips about gaining experience, networking and marketing yourself in Dan Mold’s feature in the previous issue, you will have improved your chances of attracting the attention of prospective clients. But once people have made initial inquiries, you need to make sure you are prepared to adjust your creative approach for the challenges of professional-level photography. Here, nerves often set in, as you form a mental picture of what it will be like shooting to a…

What do you love about food photography? Both food and photography have always been big parts of my life. I was previously a chef before I had a complete change after 30 years in the hospitality industry. In June 2021, I won an Instagram food competition run by Nikon, which totally surprised me. My prize was a Nikon Z 5, and that was the start of my belief in myself and my photography. I will always be grateful to Nikon and its food photography ambassador Donna Crous for all their support. I simply started by photographing what I had cooked and posting the results on Instagram. This turned into getting more followers and, eventually, photography jobs – the rest is history. Along the way, I also found a local greengrocer…

Filters are particularly useful for getting the correct exposure in landscape photography, such as the image on the right. But if you’re looking to invest in a filter system, then purchasing a decent filter holder is essential – these make it quick and easy to change between individual filters, and you can also stack filters on top of each other. While they may seem cumbersome at first glance, square filter holder systems can be easier to use than a collection of screw-in circular filters, as you can switch between different-sized lenses. Some types of filters work much better in a square system – for example, graduated Neutral Density filters, where the photographer needs the flexibility to be able to move the gradient up and down in the frame. Here are…

The L-mount lens mount alliance now has two new members. After Leica, Sigma, Panasonic, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and DJI, the sixth member will be ASTRODESIGN Inc, a Japanese manufacturer of high-end audio-visual equipment. The seventh member will be Samyang (Rokinon in the USA), the world-renowned manufacturer of some of the best camera lenses available right now. It doesn’t come as much surprise that Samyang has joined the L-mount alliance, as the company already manufactures lenses in pretty much every other commercially available lens mount. It now seems likely that we’ll see some of Samyang’s existing full-frame lenses being produced in L-mount variants. The L-mount standard was first announced at Photokina in 2018, with the founding members being Leica, Panasonic and Sigma. The aim of the L-mount was to provide…

1 Control focus depth The subject’s surroundings will make or break your close-up. Messy, busy backgrounds with lots of distracting vegetation will dilute the impact of your photo. One option is to select a wide aperture to generate a shallow depth of field and throw the subject’s surroundings out of focus. 2 Isolate the subject Subject selection is important. Look for flowers and insects that you can easily isolate. The more distance you can place between your subject and its background, the easier it is to achieve nicely diffused backgrounds and attractive bokeh. 3 Compress the scene Often a low perspective will help – it is trickier to isolate subjects from their backgrounds when you’re shooting from a more elevated viewpoint, looking downward. Longer focal lengths foreshorten the perspective, so…

Use colour to really make a splash in your macro photos Don’t underestimate the impact and influence of colour in your close-ups. Many insects – particularly butterflies, ladybirds and beetles – are brightly coloured and add colour impact without any assistance. But if you can combine a vibrant subject with a colourful backdrop, your images are bound to grab attention. Flowers are the most obvious provider of colour, but deep blue water, sky or verdant leaves and grass are equally capable of producing an impactful wash of colour behind your subject. In some instances, you might even be able to introduce an artificial backdrop, such as a piece of coloured card or material. Personally, I favour natural backdrops, using a shallow depth of field to create a nicely blurred, diffused…

Online search engines such as Google are great tools for allowing us to explore famous landmarks and architecture around the world from the comfort of our sofas. But these images may affect our compositions of wellknown subjects – and the danger is that we arrive in a location and create an identical photograph to everyone else. Focus on new perspectives, approaching familiar subjects with a fresh eye. Plan enough time for each attraction to leave your photographic point of view and experiment with angles. To achieve captivating perspectives, disengage from the usual eye level. One effective technique is to photograph from a high vantage point. Often, you will find art galleries with tall windows or cafes with outdoor terraces – these are perfect for elevating your photographic point of view.…

Insert Still life This is a nicely arranged scene, however, it doesn’t really stand out visually and is easily forgotten Main Set back in time The overall photo has been enhanced by the increased haze and grain, giving it a nostalgic, vintage look As photographers, we are advised to use the lowest possible ISO value to prevent distracting noise from creeping into our photos. But in some cases, this noise can actually add an intriguing and visually appealing effect. Skilfully combine an element of grain into your scene and you can achieve an analogue effect that visually recreates images taken with a vintage camera. However, this method presents us with a rather unusual challenge in that we have to try not to overexpose a frame in normal daylight conditions. But,…

A shallow depth of field can focus the viewer’s attention on the main subject. Blurring the background and keeping the subject in focus is a popular choice for portrait photography and can help you avoid distracting and cluttered backgrounds. This effect can be achieved in-camera by working with a wide aperture, but it can also be enhanced or created using Live Masks in Affinity Photo 2.0. What you’ll be using Inpaint function Elliptical mode Selection tool Pixel layers Live Filter 1 Select the subject To begin with, choose the primary subject of the image and ensure that it is as sharp and clear as possible. To do this, use the selection tool and create a selection of the subject. Zoom in on the image for optimal results and correct it…

Sean Weekly Sean Weekly is a professional wildlife photographer and photography guide based in Portishead, UK. His work has been internationally published by Canon UK, BBC Wildlife Magazine and The Times among others. As well as capturing the world of wildlife, he runs exclusive wildlife workshops and one-to-one mentoring lessons. seanweekly.com @seanweekly Life is full of surprises, especially when it comes to wildlife photography. Sean Weekly knows this all too well. Despite enjoying a successful career as a photographer, Sean’s journey has been anything but predictable. His path led him from the military to Singapore, where he first discovered a world of diverse nature and wildlife. Living among long-tailed macaques and encountering reptiles and tropical birds on a daily basis, Sean’s passion for wildlife grew effortlessly. “It was a different…

For our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best macro detail images and, after working through all the entries, the winners have been selected. As a prize, the winners will each receive a licence for Affinity Photo professional editing software. Congratulations to all of the winners – as usual, the standard of submitted images was very high and it was a difficult task to select the best ones. 1ST PLACE WINNER Not-So-Silent Hill Photographer: P.Yo Photography Our comment: What an atmospheric shot! There are many options for shooting a scene such as this – the conventional way would have been to light the insect from the front to make the most of the texture. The choice of backlighting is inspired, with the near-silhouette allowing…

REVIEWSPrice: £2,349/$2,199 Rumours of a Nikon Z 8 mirrorless camera, fitting somewhere between the Nikon Z 7 II and Nikon Z 9 in the range, have been doing the rounds for years. The manufacturer is touting the Nikon Z 8 both as the ‘true successor to the Nikon D850’ and a ‘baby Z 9’ – and these are both fair descriptions. Indeed, it looks and feels like the Z-series equivalent of the D850, with a similar shape, yet squeezes almost all the high-end specs of the flagship Z 9 into a smaller (and more affordable) body. The Z 8 may be the best Nikon camera we’ve seen – but how does it stack up against its rivals from other brands, such as the Sony A1 and Canon EOS R5? Kicking…

DOWNLOAD TEST SHOTS https://bit.ly/DPH269 PRICE: £1,749/$1,699 FOCUS DISTANCE: 0.26m WEIGHT: 794g Build and handling This lens has a tough act to follow. We were mostly impressed by the original FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS, with a couple of reservations. A key attraction of choosing an f/4 zoom over an f/2.8 is that it’s more compact and lightweight. That was certainly true of the original and the Mark II takes downsizing a step further, shaving 15 percent off the length and 46g off the weight. Even so, it comes complete with a removable tripod mounting ring that maintains an excellent balance when using a tripod or monopod. An internal zoom isn’t featured, which is not ideal when using a gimbal, as the centre of gravity shifts at different zoom settings. However,…

The greater the limitations in a project, the better the results. I believe in the transformative power of restrictions, and how they can drive our creativity and lead us to astonishing outcomes. Some time ago, I challenged myself to explore these limits by locking myself in the dining room of my house for two hours. I carried only a basic pocket camera, leaving behind my phone and any contact with the outside world. I wanted to see what I could achieve in such a confined space with such simple resources. At first, it seemed like a dull task. I was surrounded by the same objects, walls and furniture I had seen a thousand times before. But then, I decided to focus on the subtle details and the interplay of light…

Nikon completes its budget notquite-trinity with a cut-price 70 180mm f/2.8 tele-zoom. That max focal length is a bit odd, but it’s cracking value for a fast telephoto zoom and the ideal accompaniment to Nikon’s budget wide-angle and standard zoom f/2.8 lenses. Nikon has announced the Z 70-180mm f/2.8, a fast all-purpose telephoto zoom that’s around half the price of its S-line Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S ‘trinity’ lens. Like the S-line lens, this one has a fast, constant f/2.8 aperture that’s great for portraits, lifestyle, sports, nature, landscapes, cityscapes, events and more, even in low lighting conditions. Its maximum zoom is a little shorter at 180mm and it doesn’t feature image stabilisation either, though it does boast weather-sealing, quiet focusing and suppressed focus breathing, which makes it a good…

To help your macro shots stand out from the crowd, try capturing some element of subject behaviour. Invertebrates don’t display the same character or expression as feathered and furred creatures, making it harder for photographers to capture engaging, interesting shots. But if you can capture your subject ‘doing’ something – for example, moulting, mating, laying eggs or flying – your shots are more likely to grab the viewer’s attention. These types of active images usually rely on good subject knowledge. Google your subject’s life cycle, habitat and food plants to gain a better understanding of its habits. Then, ideally, take time to study the subject in person – this will help you to anticipate or react to photogenic behaviour. For example, photographs of dragonflies and damselflies emerging from their exoskeleton…

Words by: Kim Bunermann When embarking on a new adventure, your camera is the ideal companion for capturing memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. Travel photography is a thrilling but difficult genre that demands mastery of various styles, including landscape, architecture, portrait and street photography. All of these elements are essential in achieving the main objective of travel photography – to tell the story of your trip and capture the essence of a place. To accomplish this, your images should aim to reflect the distinctive aspects of the location, showcasing its unique beauty, while also portraying the mood and feeling of the culture and people. Together, these aspects evoke a sense of the place that differentiates it from documentary photography, which aims to capture a society more objectively…

After your trip, you are likely to have many hundreds of files to sort through. Geotagging will help keep track of them, but it’s best to take a moment during your trip to delete any failed shots and keep the number of images under control. To avoid editing the photos for days afterwards, it’s best to create presets for different lighting situations. This way, basic adjustments of brightness and contrast can be quickly optimised. When fine-tuning, consider working on the colour temperature of the images to reflect the location. When travelling to different regions, the sun has a different effect on the environment due to its position. This example is evident in most movies, which have a distinctive visual look depending on the setting. If the story takes place in…

Artificial intelligence is a contentious issue in photography, not least because AI has been trained using photos taken by real photographers. Generative Fill, currently available only in Creative Cloud’s Photoshop (Beta) download, can successfully add, remove and change elements of a photo using AI, so we’re going to look at a couple of the things it can do. Generative Fill requires an internet connection. What you’ll be using Photoshop (Beta) Generative Fill Variations Text prompts Selection tools Meet the editing pro James Abbott is a professional photographer and photography journalist, specialising in shooting and editing techniques. He recently released his first book, covering professional image-editing skills in both Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo. @jamesaphoto www.jamesaphoto.co.uk 1 Install Photoshop (Beta) If you have a Creative Cloud Photography Plan subscription, open the…

Displaying your images in an exhibition is a fantastic opportunity to show off your photography skills but hanging a few select prints on a wall in a gallery or even at home can have a similar effect. If you are considering displaying your work on a gallery wall, it doesn’t have to be a large space – small areas can be just as effective. But if you want your wall to look its best, there are a few things to consider during the planning stage, such as how to arrange your images. One of the most difficult aspects is visualising the end result. Thankfully, there are numerous online services available that help you create your vision. ArtPlacer, for example, enables you to try out various layouts. Upload a photo of…

Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023 Launched in 2011, the Food Photographer of the Year Awards are open to professionals and non-professionals alike. The FPOTY celebrates the best in food photography from around the world, with categories covering everything from styled food for magazines and depictions of the reality of food production to food growing in a natural setting. It has a prize pool of over £10,000, including £5,000 for the overall winner. To view all the winners and enter next year’s competition, visit pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com…

96 Filter holders For more creative control when shooting long exposures, you’ll need filters – and a filter holder to keep them in place. Check out these four best buys for ease of use and practicality. 104 Nikon Z 8 The Nikon Z 8 is an impressively powerful camera that has been pitched as either the spiritual successor to the D850 or a baby Z 9. Adam Waring tests it to discover which it is 108 DJI Inspire 3 DJI’s Inspire 3 drone is a flying monster but for the same price as a new family car, who is it built for? Adam Juniper takes it for a spin 110 Lenses Every month, we take two professional optics out into the field and test them. Here, Matthew Richards tries out…

Price: £13,419/$16,499 Website: dji.com If anyone is counting, the DJI Inspire is probably due to receive an award for being the industry’s ‘Most Changed Drone’. In its first iteration, it had a white shell, much like the iMacs of its day, and featured an impressive 4K camera, however, it still felt like a high-end consumer device. Since then, the Inspire has grown up. There was a Pro edition, then the metallic Inspire 2 introduced interchangeable lenses and high-budget film production teams took notice. Even so, the cash-rich enthusiast could dip into their pocket for a cheaper edition, recording to a budget-friendly MicroSD card. A ProRes license and recording to DJI SSD were optional. But now, the Inspire 3 has gone professional and we’re looking at a nocompromise device for pro…