Innehållsförteckning för No. 395 från Photography Week

Welcome to the world’s No.1 weekly digital photography magazine. If you’re already a reader, thanks for your continued support and involvement; if you’re new to Photography Week, you’ve come to the right place! In addition to expert advice, brilliant tips and step-by-step tutorials, every issue features interactive galleries of the best new photos, how-to videos on essential shooting and editing techniques, and in-depth reviews of the latest camera kit. But that’s not the whole story. Photography Week is more than a magazine – it’s a community of like-minded people who are passionate about photography. To get involved, just follow any of the links below and share your shots and comments – your photo might even appear on our cover! JOIN THE PHOTOGRAPHY WEEK COMMUNITY AND START SHARING! FACEBOOK http://bit.ly/39py9lg TWITTER…

SET UP A TABLE-TOP STUDIO Position a table near a window, but not one that’s in direct sunlight, because this will result in harsh shadows and blown-out highlights in your images. Place a box at the back of the table and tape a thin sheet of coloured cardboard in place so that it curves down onto the table (see above). Use a long-stemmed vase or a clamp to secure the flower in place, so that it’s bathed in the soft natural light from the window. DECIDE ON THE DEPTH OF FIELD With your camera on a tripod, compose your image roughly, then move the flower rather than the camera to fine-tune the shot. If you’re using a dedicated macro lens (see the ‘What you need’ boxout, right), don’t just set…

1 LIGHT BOX A light box is essential for this kind of photography. If you don’t have one, they can be picked up second-hand through online auction sites relatively cheaply, or if you’re more adventurous you can try making your own – all you need is a sheet of glass, some tracing paper and an angle-poise lamp. 2 RIGHT-ANGLE VIEWFINDER While not essential for this project, a right-angle viewfinder will make composing your shots a lot easier. With the camera suspended between the legs of your tripod it can be quite awkward to frame your shot. If you don’t have a right-angle viewfinder, Live View is a good alternative. 3 MACRO LENS You’re working fairly close to the subject and you’re limited by the height of your tripod – particularly…

HANG UP THE FLASHLIGHT Start by finding an open area of ceiling. If you don’t want to put a pin in your ceiling, suspend the flashlight from a light fitting; this will affect how smoothly the flashlight rotates, but it will be very secure, which is important considering that you’ll be placing your camera underneath. Higher ceilings are better because they enable you to use a longer piece of string, which means the flashlight will rotate for longer. Tie the flashlight to a length of string, then tack the other end of the string to the ceiling. SHOOT STRAIGHT UP Fit the widest lens you have on your camera and mount it on a tripod. Point it straight up, ensuring that when the flashlight is hanging still, it’s right in…

Photography Week has joined up with GuruShots – the “world’s greatest photography game” – to print the best images from a series of photo challenges. These are the winning and commended images from the ‘Macro World’ challenge: MICHAEL GERHOLD, AUSTRIA Top Photographer https://bit.ly/2UtTxAO KARLHEINZ REICHERT, GERMANY Top Photo https://bit.ly/39SDBNe KYERTON, UNITED STATES Guru’s Top Pick https://bit.ly/2w7B3wQ FRANCOIS DUMINY, SOUTH AFRICA Honourable mention https://bit.ly/2UWfgka MARIA SHAIGEN, RUSSIA Honourable mention https://bit.ly/2R1YiQ9 FRANTIŠEK RIEGER, CZECH REPUBLIC Honourable mention https://bit.ly/2JvjKZI BRYLE TRISTAN GAYLOR, UNITED STATES Honourable mention https://bit.ly/3bCEElu JOEY HARPER, UNITED STATES Honourable mention https://bit.ly/3dIFzCR LUKA SHARABIDZE, UNITED STATES Honourable mention https://bit.ly/2xCOyoF ROBERT CHARLES WOODS, JR, PHILIPPINES Honourable mention https://bit.ly/2UR8XxX BRADFORD RICHMAN, UNITED STATES Honourable mention https://bit.ly/2JvbqJb Honourable mentions GIULIANA VEGA, ITALY https://bit.ly/3bGbx0O BARBARA SINGER, UNITED STATES https://bit.ly/3bCFaQs CIPRIAN MANOLESCU, IRELAND https://bit.ly/3dOANnx GIL SHMUELI,…

Gradients are often thought of as a tool for graphic designers. After all, why would photographers need a tool that creates a straightforward blend between one colour and another? When they’re utilised in the form of Gradient Maps, however, gradients can be a powerful tool for toning and tinting your photos. A gradient map works by mapping colours onto the tonal range of your image, from shadow tones on the left of the gradient to highlight tones on the right, so you can tint shadows with one colour and highlights with another. You can use gradient maps to create all kinds of tonal effects, from vintage washes to dramatic colour shifts. If you’ve used the Split Toning controls in Camera Raw or Lightroom, you’ll be familiar with the concept of…

Tamron has unveiled its latest fast telephoto zoom for Sony mirrorless cameras. The development of the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD was announced in October last year, and it’s the third of a trio of fast constant-aperture f/2.8 zooms for the popular Sony E mount. The new lens offers a shorter focal range than the classic 70-200mm f/2.8 favoured by pros and enthusiasts, but Tamron says this has enabled it to make a lens that’s 45% smaller than would otherwise have been the case. The optic is the smallest and lightest in its class, measuring just 149mm in length (when barreled down to the 70mm setting) and weighing just 810g. The 70-180mm f/2.8 features Tamron’s first ever linear motor AF drive mechanism, VXD (‘Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive’), which the manufacturer…

1 AN INTERESTING, FLAWLESS FLOWER When you’re buying flowers for a still-life shoot, look for an arrangement with a variety of textures, shapes and colours, so you can experiment. Warmer colours such as reds and purples work well in winter, while yellows and blues are more summery. Be choosy too – try to find the bouquet with the most pristine flowers, without any bent petals or crushed stems. 2 A THIN SHEET OF COLOURED CARDBOARD Placing coloured cardboard behind your subject is an ideal way to both provide a clean, uncluttered background and introduce colour to your image. It’s worth buying a few different hues so that you can use a shade that complements, or clashes with, your chosen flowers. A4 sheets are okay, but A3 offers more scope in terms of the…

1 SMALL FLASHLIGHT A pen-shaped flashlight, such as a Mini Maglite or LED Lenser (available from most good DIY and outdoor suppliers) is perfect for this project. If possible, try to find a light that enables you to take the rotating cap off, so that the light isn’t confined to a very narrow beam – a narrow beam is fine when the torch is pointing straight at the camera, but it won’t look as bright when it’s pointing off to the side. 2 LENGTH OF STRING Use a length of string or thread to hang the flashlight from the ceiling, fixed in place with a drawing pin. To get smooth, even light trails, the flashlight needs to be suspended so that the string lines up with its main axis. If the flashlight…

The Covid-19 pandemic is presenting huge challenges for photographers – most obviously it’s limiting our opportunities to actually go out and take photos – but it’s also creating interesting new opportunities, and has even led to the emergence of a new photographic genre, the ‘deserted cityscape’. Photographers have seized the chance to capture photos and video of their home cities as they’ve never been seen before, with normally bustling streets, and attractions that are usually overrun with visitors, eerily deserted. Click the link to watch a video of Paris shot by director Benoit Millot. Meanwhile, Hungarian photographer Milan Radisics took a different approach, collecting public webcam images of deserted Italian locations (http://tiny.cc/8m8omz), while filmmaker Dan Denegre shot drone footage of San Francisco (http://tiny.cc/zr8omz). WATCH THE VIDEO http://tiny.cc/1n8omz…

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR… 1 Some apps partner with desktop versions and others are solely for mobile use, although you can share images. 2 Few decent apps are free. Some require an in-app purchase to unlock tools, others have a one-off price. 3 Looking for inspiration? Many mobile apps come with a range of preset effects that can be extremely good. 4 Do you need powerful tools like curves and layers? Many apps have them, but they may not work as well on mobile. 5 Most apps will work directly with your device’s camera roll; Adobe’s apps may also work with Lightroom. Affinity Photo for iPad £19.99/$19.99 http://affinity.serif.com Platform: iPad | Presets library: No | Layers: Yes | Editing tools: Yes | Desktop software synchronisation: Yes Affinity Photo for…

Back in the day of film cameras, creative home photo projects, such as shooting water splashes and light trails, tended to be more miss than hit. It used to involve hours of trial and error, plus days of waiting for your shots to be processed to see if all your hard work had paid off. It all took time, effort and money, and there was no guarantee of getting decent images at the end of it. Thanks to the immediacy of digital photography, you can now fine-tune timing, lighting and composition on a frame-by-frame basis to be sure of getting professional-looking shots. In this feature, we’ll show you how to set up and shoot four classic home photo projects in a fresh and original way. With the help of step-by-step…

SET UP YOUR TRIPOD Remove the central column of your tripod and reattach it the ‘wrong’ way around with the head hanging below the center. This will enable you to take pictures of the flat surface of the light box more easily. Place the tripod over the light box and attach your camera. If you’re working on a small table top, make sure the tripod is secure by applying some gaffer tape around the feet to fix it in place. PREPARE THE FOOD Use a clean, sharp knife to slice the fruit and vegetables as thinly and evenly as possible – any unevenness will affect the tonality of your image – then place them on the light box. If you’re using multiple slices, arrange each slice carefully so that together…

1 GLASS CONTAINER A flat-sided glass container such as a small fish tank or large vase is ideal – make sure it’s big enough to drop your object into. Avoid curved glass, as you’ll get unwanted distortion effects. 2 COLOURED BACKDROP A piece of coloured cardboard is perfect as a backdrop. Try to choose a shade that complements the colour of the object you’re dropping for added creative impact. 3 OFF-CAMERA FLASH This technique relies on off-camera flash. Use a cable, such as the Nikon SC-17 used here, to connect your flash to your camera. There are a variety of other tools that can do this too. 4 FLASH DIFFUSER Use a diffuser to soften the harsh flashlight. At a pinch you could even try a piece of tracing paper…

To find out how you can get Photography Week delivered straight to your device every week for just a few pennies, simply search for Photography Week on any of the platforms below AVAILABLE ON YOUR DEVICE NOW! https://apple.co/2RjoI0a http://bit.ly/2txbB2B http://bit.ly/36kQ7TC *Available for a limited time only. Standard subscription offer varies across platforms/devices – please refer to specific store for the most up-to-date offer…

1 HOUR Smart triggers enable you to do more with your camera. They differ from a standard cable release in that they’re controlled by what you’re shooting. The Hähnel Captur Pro triggers we used for this shoot (£100/$120) can be triggered by an infrared beam, light or sound, and even by a laser. Along with these advanced functions, they feature a long-exposure Bulb mode and interval timer. Smart triggers are ideal for shooting split-second events which your human reactions simply aren’t quick enough to catch; you could set them to react to light, for capturing lightning, for example. In this tutorial, though, we’re using the infrared beam to trigger the shutter at the exact moment a falling balloon full of water bursts on a knife blade. This requires the two…

N-PHOTO N-Photo is a monthly magazine for Nikon photographers, and is packed with technique and Photoshop video lessons every month. http://bit.ly/3atHLfO https://apple.co/2TNE26T DIGITAL CAMERA WORLD A monthly magazine that aims to improve your photography with an inspirational mix of amazing images and how-to articles. http://bit.ly/2RER7g6 https://apple.co/2RBrZqG PHOTOPLUS PhotoPlus is a monthly magazine for Canon photographers that features expert advice, tips and video tutorials on all things Canon. http://bit.ly/30FoOlQ https://apple.co/2vaIdzw PRACTICAL PHOTOSHOP Improve your Photoshop skills with the monthly guide to creating stunning images. Each issue comes with expert video lessons. http://bit.ly/2NJASNx https://apple.co/2tGYBam…