Innehållsförteckning för No. 422 från Photography Week

1 ASSESS THE AMBIENT LIGHT Here we have a pretty background with light trickling through the trees. Because all the ambient light is coming from behind the subject, she appears dark when we expose the shot for the background. 2 USE A SOFTBOX To keep flash subtle, you want it to be soft, and to get soft light you need a relatively large light source – in this case a 84cm softbox. This will reduce the harshness of the flash, while giving us control over the direction of the light. 3 POSITION THE FLASH CLOSE Keeping the softbox close to the subject increases the softness of the flash. A handy reference for soft light is to make the light distance one to two times the size of the softbox –…

One of the great advantages of using a studio is that, with full control over the lighting, we can shape the light in any way we need and produce bespoke effects with ease. We can change the look of the lighting by simply swapping the modifier – the size of the softbox, for example – or by adding a gobo between the light source and the subject. These actions can also be performed in the field, but there are several things to consider. When working in a confined environment, the choice of diffuser becomes even more important. The size, shape and angle of the softbox, or the decision to use a softbox or umbrella, will all affect the softness and spread of light. When you can’t put more distance between…

Although it may be viewed primarily as a photo-editing program, Photoshop has all kinds of powerful graphics tools that cater for other uses, and not least of these are its 3D tools. Photoshop offers an array of tools that let us manipulate 3D shapes and composite them into our 2D photos. Master a few simple skills and you’ll be able to create 3D composite scenes like the fantastical street scene we’ll create in this video tutorial. It’s also handy if you’re planning on helping to plan and build some sort of architectural project Photoshop’s 3D modelling tools are fairly limited compared to dedicated 3D software like Cinema 4D – you can only make rudimentary shapes and simple objects. However, you’re also able to open common 3D files, so you can…

Price: £4,199 / $3,899 Look at the specs of the EOS R5 and you soon realise that Canon hasn’t held back here. Let’s start with the sensor. At 45MP, it’s a match for the Nikon Z 7, and a welcome jump in resolution from the 30MP EOS R. Those extra pixels mean the sensitivity range doesn’t quite match the EOS R6, but it offers a stop more in its native range than the Z 7. Canon transformed the video market with the EOS 5D Mark II and its Full HD video capture, and it hopes to revolutionise the sector again with the EOS R5’s 8K video-recording capabilities. It’s a first for a mirrorless camera, and even betters the likes of the company’s EOS Cinema line of cameras, with the EOS…

RADIO TRIGGERS Ensure reliable flash-firing in any environment While infrared (IR) triggers are usually effective in controlled lighting environments such as a studio, line-of-sight flash-triggering methods are less reliable in outdoor locations, where ambient light and physical barriers such as trees, walls and high ground can interfere with the optical signal. Radio triggers are therefore the best choice for location shooting, as they have the longest range and can operate without direct line of sight. STROBE OR FLASHGUN? Choose the type of light source based on subject and space Strobes are ideal when you need power – if you’re lighting a large space, for example. There are generally a bigger range of accessories for studio lights too, so you have greater flexibility of lighting styles. Flashguns are far more portable,…

While blending flash with ambient illumination can produce beautifully balanced images, there are times when making the light from your flashguns or strobes dominant in a scene can have huge creative benefits. The use of flash is about far more than simply making the image brighter. Employing an artificial light source allows us to craft the styling of an image, regardless of the natural or ambient conditions, meaning we can keep on shooting at any time of day, or in any setting. By altering the ratio of added light to ambient light, so that the former is the most visible, we can create a style on command. When the flash is dominant we’re no longer using it to fill in shadows created by the ambient illumination – instead we’re setting…

FLASHGUN GOBO A gobo is anything that fits between the light source and the subject to alter the light. Products such as the Lastolite Strobo Gobo bring these popular studio accessories to flashguns, enabling you to create engaging shadows, either across the subject or in the background. FLASHGUN SNOOT Snoots enable the light from a strobe or flashgun to be condensed into a tiger beam for cinematic effects. This can create attractive background spotlights, or can be used to help prevent light spill when using a powerful flash in a small space. FLASHGUN SOFTBOX While a larger light will produce a softer spread, for outdoor portraits, or where space is at a premium, a flashgun with a dedicated clip-on softbox can be more manageable. Opt for a 22 x 22cm…

CALCULATE BALANCE LIGHT Decide how dominant you’d like the flash to be compared to the ambient light. MATCH STYLE If the ambient light is harsh sunlight use less flash diffusion to imitate it, or vice versa as the case may be. RADIO TRIGGERS These units will ensure that you have flash-firing reliability in complex outdoor or indoor locations CHOOSE ANGLE (MATCH SUN, ETC.) Even when you’re overpowering the ambient light, always position the flash at a natural angle, such as aiming down on the subject at 45 degrees. USING FILTERS Add an ND filter to keep the shutter speed below max sync if you need to shoot wide-open in bright sunlight. SHOOT RAW (COLOUR) Raws offer greater colour-control freedom, so the temperature can be adjusted locally. REMEMBER COLOUR Take note…

Price: £1,549 / $1,797 By far the most affordable of the four cameras featured here, the Z 6 can still hold its own against its newer rivals. You certainly won’t be disappointed with the results from the 24.5MP back-illuminated sensor, with the higher pixel count over the R6 providing that little bit more flexibility when it comes cropping. The Z6 can shoot 4K video as well, but it’s probably not quite as strong a proposition as the EOS R6 here. Not only can the EOS R6 shoot at a higher 60p in 4K, it can also capture footage in Full HD at 120p. Vloggers will also appreciate the EOS R6’s vari-angle rear touchscreen, which can be turned so self-shooters can see themselves. The Z 6, on the other hand, opts…

In many circumstances we want the light from our flash to interact with ambient conditions in a way that doesn’t reveal our lighting setup. More often than not, we’ll only use flash to take control of the lighting structure in a scene, enabling us to create a direction that fits our composition and subject. On a fashion shoot in the middle of the day, for example, we might want to make use of the harsh top-down light for the background, but need to soften, shape and spread the subject light. Similarly, in a sunset landscape environmental portrait, we would need to add a fill light, especially if the subject is backlit, but we would then need to match the colour of the flash to that of the background. If we…

1 ASSESS THE LOCATION Before adding flash, assess the location. In this situation, we have a low-contrast sky that leaves the subject flat and dark, while the strong backlighting means it’s impossible to properly expose the subject without overexposing the sky. 2 EXPOSE FOR THE BACKGROUND Ignore the light hitting the subject, and focus on bringing the background exposure down to increase contrast and vibrancy. Here, settings of ISO100, f/5.6 and 1/250 sec have been used. Now the subject is very dark, but the sky is more vibrant. 3 MIMIC THE SUN The sun is a very small light source because it’s so far away. To mimic it, place the flashgun or strobe far away, and keep it bare. In this instance, our Godox AD200 strobe is 4.5 metres away…

1 SET UP YOUR SHOT Put up a seamless backdrop, and position your lights where you think you need them in order to get the effect you’ve envisioned. Always take a few test shots until you’re completely satisfied with the overall look and feel. 2 WORK WITH YOUR TEAM When it comes to creating standout beauty or fashion portraits, your team is an essential part. Whether it’s makeup, hair, styling or the model, the entire team’s contribution is vital to producing standout work. 3 CREATE A MOOD You’re telling a story through lighting and styling, and the way you light your subject will determine how the viewer feels. Don’t be afraid to direct your subject as to what you want to accomplish from the shoot. 4 PLAY WITH LIGHT Change…

Price: £2,499 / $2,499 The EOS R6 is designed to be Canon’s versatile all-rounder. Unlike in its Nikon rival, the Z 6, Canon has taken the decision to go for a pretty modest pixel count at just 20.1MP, compared to the Z 6’s 24.5MP sensor. It’s closely related to the sensor in the EOS-1D X Mark III, and while it’s not going to resolve quite the same amount of detail as the Z 6, the payoff is excellent ISO range and performance. Paired with Canon’s latest DIGIC X processor, the native ISO range tops out at 102,400 – a stop more than the Z 6, although both have an expanded sensitivity ceiling of 204,800. Elsewhere, though, the EOS R6 has borrowed much of the high-end technology that’s also found in…

Price: £2,699 / $2,795 When the Z 7 and EOS R arrived two years ago, the Z 7’s 45MP easily outperformed the 30MP sensor in the EOS R, but with the arrival of the EOS R5, the Z 7 no longer has things all its own way. The two cameras sharing the same resolution, give or take the odd pixel, while the EOS R5 has the slight upper hand with its native sensitivity range, which is a stop more than the Z 7’s 25,600. The Z 7’s video specs aren’t quite as impressive as the EOS R5’s either. The ability to record in 4K at up to 30p is a solid option, but like its Z 6 sibling the Z 7 is slightly hampered by the tilt-angle touchscreen display, which…