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JARGON-FREE GuidEs• Be more confident with flash• How to spring clean your gear • White-balance demystified

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pageS OfeaSY pROjectS

Fab photo ideas to shoot now18

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10 phOtObacKpacKS

TALENTED READERS SHOWCASE THEIR FINEST wilDlife IMAGES plus

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Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag issue 78 DIGITAL SLR 3

ConTenTSDigital SLR, Issue 78

PhoTo TeChnIque4 The 9 golden rules to

shoting spring CoVeR Armed with these tips you’ll spring into action and capture the season in all its glory.

20 Photo Academy CoVeR it’s time to move on from auto white-balance and choose your own presets for creative effects.

32 Take control of landscapes Find out how to use a focal point to give your scenic shots that 3D feel.

38 7 photo projects CoVeR 18 pages bursting with inspiration, ideas and practical tips to improve your photography.

64 how Do I? Hopping mad that you can’t get to grips with guide numbers or flummoxed by filters? Let us help.

68 Take a broader view CoVeR Learn to love your wide-angle lens with our expert advice.

ReADeRS’ ShoTS14 Feedback

Readers’ images critiqued by our panel of pros. Pats on the back all round, or words of encouragement?

26 Reader hero Proving that home turf is often the best shooting ground, stephen Tait focuses on his local area.

58 You Shoot It Wildlife wonders from two talented readers. Next issue it could be your landscape shots…

94 Photoblogs Admire your fellow photographers’ efforts in these two portfolios. Have you submitted yours yet?

equIPMenT

75 Photo backpacks CoVeR Which of these top ten kitbags will you pack up your troubles in and smile, smile, smile?

80 If you buy one thing… each issue we recommend a must- have bit of kit. This issue the circular polariser is under the spotlight.

82 Reviews Fancy a new three-legged friend or a third-party flash? Check out our tests before you splash the cash.

ReGuLARS 36 Subscribe

save money – and the trip to the shop to buy your fav photo mag.

86 next issue What you can look forward to.

98 Wordsearch & win! Only 19 words stand between you and your chance of a prize.

WelcomeA friend of mine is a serious photographer, who is fortunate to travel frequently to various exotic locations with his camera.

He’ll quite often rub my nose in it and send an image from his ‘office for the day’ – invariably a crystal clear lake or trendy city centre. While it must be nice visiting plush locations with bags of the latest kit, grand expeditions with the camera isn’t what photography is about. in my book at least!

Creative photography is filling a rainy sunday afternoon by taking an something you have in the house and turning it into a picture. if you share this school of thinking, this is the magazine for you. We’ve got 18 pages bursting with Photo Projects. You won’t need pricey kit – one of our projects will even shows how to save cash. share your images with us on our website or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DsLRMag).

Along with some wild animal images in our gallery, we also share reader stephen Tait’s passion for photographing his home turf, Northumberland.

As the snow has finally disappeared and green shoots are springing up, we’ve dedicated this month’s Rules feature to spring photography. it’s a fantastic season to shoot – full of life and new beginnings. Bluebells blooming or lambs bouncing, you won’t be lost for something to line up in front of your lens. enjoy the issue.

Matty Graham, [email protected]

We like to make promises here at Digital SLR magazine. It means you’ve got something to judge us by and we’ve got something to live up to. Listed here are some promises that we’ll stand by in this and every issue of the magazine. If you don’t think we live up to these promises, tell us.n We’ll make sure every issue is full of easy to follow advicen We’ll never fill all our pages with images taken by professional photographers using equipment you can’t affordn We’ll never test equipment that costs thousands of poundsn We’ll always print lots of pictures by our readers

the digital slr promise

February 2013 issue winnersCongratulations to Stephen Wathen from Wimbourne and Michael Hilton

from Cheshire, who each win a fanastic Tamron 18-270mm lens.

I enjoyed a fun evening capturing this shot, using nothing more than confetti. Learn the technique on page 52.

Learn how to capture the year’s freshest season on page 4.

DSLR-78-003 (WELCOME)hbljcMG.indd 3 1/3/13 15:09:10

4 DIGITAL SLR issue 78 Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DSLRMag

In association with

One subject. THE nine rules you need to know. Welcome to the ultimate definitive guide

The nine rules to...

ShootingSpring

Wave goodbye to winter and head out into the greenery of springtime. Drew Buckley explains how to capture this bright and breezy season in all its glory

Spring is all about a burst of colour, so try to dominate the scene with a single

bold colour. Yellow daffs, bluebells, even a sea of crisp white snowdrops can invigorate and attack the senses with colour overload. Although these types of images can be close-ups, sometimes they fall into the landscape category.

If you stuble upon a large patch of daffs, try zooming in with your kit lens so that aall you can see in the viewfinder is a sea of yellow. If you can’t zoom in, then don’t worry, you can always crop the image later on the computer. Some DSLRs even offer basic editing features, like cropping, in-camera – so you can save a little time and do away with the computer altogether.

Look for colour Rule

1

DSLR-78-004-012 (THE RULES)hb 2rpMG.indd 4 1/3/13 07:59:54

issue 78 DIGITAL SLR 5 Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

In association with

One subject. THE nine rules you need to know. Welcome to the ultimate definitive guide

ShootingPICTURE SETTINGS

Shutter speed: 1/80sec

Aperture: f/16

ISO 100

Lens: 18-55mm

Notes: Want to find a bluebell

wood in your area? There are

websites that will give directions.

Try www.visitwoods.org or www.

woodlandtrust.org.uk

Drew Buckley Pembrokeshire snapper and regular contributor, Drew shoots landscapes and nature, along with running location-based workshops

Meet our expert

DSLR-78-004-012 (THE RULES)hb 2rpMG.indd 5 1/3/13 08:00:11

Feedback In association with

Expert advice and ideas to help you improve your pictures


COMPOSITION IDEAS // SHOOT BETTER LANDSCAPES // PORTRAIT TIPS // WILDLIFE CREATIVITY // GETTING ACTION SHOTS // IMPROVING TECHNIQUE // EDITING ADVICE // MACRO MAGIC //

Camera: Canon EOS 1100D

Lens: 18-55mmExposure settings:

1/320sec at f/11 ISO 100

INFO

The sign is cut-off, which would have helped to identify the location.

DSLR-78-014-019 (FEEDBACK)hbrpMG.indd 14 1/3/13 08:03:01

Expert critique Feedback


Matty Graham Editor A photojournalist for over ten years, Matty is particularly enthusiastic about action photography.

Roger Payne Editorial director Roger has recently completed a 365 project, so is well-placed to dish out advice on your images.

A select group of really clever photographers who have loads to say…Our panel of experts:

Ian Fyfe Technical writer Ian is a Sony shooter who likes shooting all sorts, but particularly enjoys getting in close for some macro shots.

“I am doing a GCSE photography course and I was lucky enough to get a Canon EOS 1100D from my parents. During half term I went to Brighton to take pictures of the pier. It was an overcast day but the sun was coming through.

We’d been reviewing composition at school and I was keen to put it into practice. I was looking at the rule of thirds and leading lines. I also like the two people in the bottom of the photo as it gives the scene a sense of scale.”

Ian FyFE

We always think of beaches as places to go on bright summer days, but that shouldn’t stop you taking your camera to the coast in less favourable conditions – as Amy’s image shows, piers make for great subjects in these conditions. The two figures draw your eye to the choppy surface of the water and light reflecting from it and show you how big the pier is.

since the people are what your eye is naturally drawn to, i think placing them higher in the frame would have increased the overall impact of this shot. They’re well placed from the left-hand edge of the frame, one third of the way in, but being further up would make the composition more pleasing to the eye, and cut off empty space in the sky. More careful framing would also have avoided the sign being cut off on the left of the image, which would have helped to confirm the location.

As far as technique goes though, Amy’s done a great job. The exposure is the right level to keep detail in the highlights on the water and to emphasise those broken clouds over the pier, and the horizon line is nice and level. By using an aperture of f/11, everything’s stayed sharp too.

amy Hollis Brighton

Get live feedback on your shots!Want our experts to give their opinion on your images? Head over to our Facebook page and look out for our live Feedback Friday sessions.

The next session is Friday 22 March. all you need to do is post the image you’d like critiqued and we’ll reply with some positive and constructive advice. Why not give it a go? Our tips could be the push you need to improve your photos.

Facebook.com/DSLRMag

Mark Bauer Pro landscape photographer Based on the south coast, Mark specialises in atmospheric images of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Drew Buckley Pro landscape photographer Pembrokeshire snapper Drew shoots landscapes and nature, along with running location-based workshops

Great job with exposure – it’s kept the detail in the highlights on the water.

➔

DSLR-78-014-019 (FEEDBACK)hbrpMG.indd 15 1/3/13 08:03:16

Understanding your camera’s white-balance features will help improve the overall quality

of your images. Let’s learn a little more…

Take conTrol of colour

MoDule fIVe

PHOTO ACADEMY

20 DIGITal Slr issue 78

YOUR DSLR

A-Z

Uman perception is really quite amazing. You don’t always notice, but the quality of light

is constantly changing. Which means that when you’re standing outside in sunny weather, the colour of light is different from when it’s cloudy. and the colour of light at noon is different again from the colour at dawn or dusk. Wherever you’re looking, your brain compensates for the colour of light.

the modern DSLr is really sophisticated and well equipped, so it’s easy to take colour for granted and let the camera make all the decisions for you. and it will make a pretty good job of it, but it’s not quite as clever as our own perception.

if you shoot away without thinking about how colour affects

your pictures, letting your camera do everything, you’re making photography very dull. the world is a colourful place, so how you use colour says a great deal about you as a photographer.

Some people prefer the world to be subtle, full of pastel shades; others like the world to be a vibrant place, with saturated colours. Understanding colour in this way is an important element to becoming a better photographer. purposively controlling colour puts you more in control of your images, makes you more creative, and quite simply, it’s more fun. that’s what we’re going to prove with this photo academy module.

Get to grips with the basics of white-balance and colour control

H

DSLR-78-020-025 (PHOTO ACADEMY 5)hbljcMG.indd 20 1/3/13 08:06:11


Master white-balance Photo Academy

SHADE WHitE-BALAncE PRESEt

GeTTinG accuraTe colourevery type of light has a given colour temperature, with red at the low end of the scale and blue at the high end. it’s not so important to know that the colour temperature scale is measured in Kelvins (K), or that noontime sunshine is around 5500K. But it is useful to understand that your DsLR’s sophisticated white-balance feature knows this. it can counterbalance different colour temperatures of light, for example adding blue when the light is red, or red when the light is blue (red and blue cancel each other out to produce a neutral colour). The majority of auto white-balance (AWB) systems do this fine, but they’re not infallible, so you may prefer to set white-balance manually.

To set the white-balance (WB) for yourself, select the white-balance preset symbols, such as Daylight, Cloudy and Tungsten – these set the camera’s white-balance to a specific Kelvins value. each setting neutralises a colour tint as long as the light source matches the setting. For example, an ordinary household light bulb with a filament is a tungsten bulb

if you shoot without thinking about how colour affects your pictures, letting your camera do everything, you’re making photography very dull

Above When shot with auto white-balance, this image looked fairly blue and cold. But by switching to a warmer WB preset, the image

changes dramatically and looks warmer.

Auto WHitE-BALAncE White-balance presets explained Shade 7500K – Standing in the shadow of a building or a tree with open sky above you, the light is very blue so this preset adds the highest amount of red.

Cloudy 6500K – Cloudy light is bluer than bright sunlight. This setting adds red.

daylighT 5500K – The middle value for a bright, sunny day. it’s also the setting for electronic flash.

FluoreSCenT 3800K – This setting adds a little blue to cool down the temperature of fluorescent strips and energy-saving bulbs, and also a little magenta (purple) to neutralise any green cast.

TungSTen 2800K – an orange-red colour temperature, so the setting compensates with a lot of blue.

DSLR-78-020-025 (PHOTO ACADEMY 5)hbljcMG.indd 21 1/3/13 08:06:43

Dedicated Digital SLR reader, Stephen Tait, has spent years photographing his hometown of Newcastle and its surrounding areas. We find out what’s behind

this passion for his local area


Our friend in the

NORTHDSLR-78-026-031 (READER HERO)hbRPljcMG.indd 26 1/3/13 08:09:33

Many photographers have a favourite area or location that they will visit, time and again, just to capture more images of the preferred

scene. this location could be somewhere you stumbled upon during a holiday, or it could be a well-known view that you made a pilgrimage to. For 40-year-old machinist, stephen tait, his favourite area is the north east, which funnily enough, is lucky because that’s where he lives.

“photography is something I’ve always been interested in and I actually started taking pictures back in the days of film. My first camera was a Christmas present and

I didn’t buy my first digital camera until 2009. Learning the basics on a film camera is a very different experience to working with a digital camera. rather than seeing the result on the LCD screen a second after taking the photo, you’d have to wait days or even weeks to get the prints back from the lab, so it’s a much slower learning process,” says stephen, who couldn’t wait to put his first DsLr, a Canon eos 550D, into service.

“When I was shooting film I didn’t have a car, but by the time I bought my Canon DsLr I had some wheels, so rather than photographing areas within walking distance, it meant I could take a drive and visit more locations. I started

photographing more and more locations in northumberland and it was still a lot more affordable than using a film camera. I remember I once attended an air show and took 13 rolls of film with me – I shot the lot!” explains stephen, wincing as he recalls the resulting processing fees.

he has since upgraded from the eos 550D to a Canon eos 7D and has also beefed up his kitbag. “I was using the eos 7D’s kit lens, but now I also use a tamron 70-300mm and a 50mm prime lens. I also have some filters including a Lee Filters 10-stop for really long exposures. My most recent buy is a tamron 18-270mm, which I find incredibly useful.

issue 78 DIGITAL SLR 27 Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DsLrMag

stephen Tait Reader Hero

Our friend in the

NORTHDSLR-78-026-031 (READER HERO)hbRPljcMG.indd 27 1/3/13 08:09:45


Adjust your compositionChoosing a wider angle and including more foreground helps to create perspective. The ancient circle around the church provides a useful leading

line, guiding the eye towards the subject. Placing the main focal point off-centre – according to the rule of thirds – has improved the balance of the composition. Most cameras can overlay a grid like the one below – just press the Display or info button.

5

Find a locationit’s much easier to find a strong composition if there’s an obvious focal point in the scene, and Knowlton

Church in Dorset – a ruined church set in a Neolithic Henge monument – certainly fits the bill. it’s a very atmospheric location and has a reputation for being one of the most haunted places in Britain.

1Shoot a first attemptWith program mode (P) selected, the camera sets aperture and shutter speed, giving you no control over exposure or depth-of-field. The result is a

picture which is a little pale and washed out, and which doesn’t have a wide enough zone of sharpness – both the immediate foreground and the background are soft. Not much thought has gone into the composition, either, with the church too central in the frame, and the lack of perspective clues gives a rather flat result.

Switch to A or Av While program mode is useful for snapshots, the camera

won’t always choose the right settings for landscape photographs. The best exposure mode to use for landscapes is aperture-priority (A or Av) mode, as you select the aperture, and can therefore control the depth-of-field.

2

3

“While program mode is useful for snapshots, the camera won’t always choose the right settings so use aperture-priority mode instead”

Crack f-numbers Flummoxed by f-numbers? Here’s one way to pick the right

aperture. Think of a line of people. To get one person to be in focus, select f/1. For eight people to be in focus, you’d pick f/8

and so on until f/22 would keep them all in focus.

Choose a small apertureThe smaller the aperture, the more depth-of-field you get. Remember though, that a smaller aperture

means a larger f-number (eg. f/16 is a smaller aperture than f/8). With wide-angle lenses, f/11 or f/16 will usually give enough depth-of-field. A smaller aperture means that the camera will set a longer shutter speed to get the correct exposure, so it’s essential to mount the camera on a tripod.

4

Take Control Add depth to landscapes

There’s no detail or colour in the sky with our first attempt.

f/4

f/16

Switch on your Live View mode to get a better look at the rule of thirds grid.

DSLR-78-032-035 (TAKE CONTROL)hbljcMG.indd 34 1/3/13 08:13:15


Focus manuallyTo get maximum depth-of-field, you need to pick the

focus point, rather than leave it to the camera, so switch to manual focus mode. Focusing about a third of the way into the scene will maximise depth-of-field, and for really accurate focusing, use Live View again to zoom in on your focal point to make sure it’s sharp.

6Wait for the right lightThe right light is essential for creating a 3D look, and the best light is usually provided by low sun at the

beginning or end of the day. This will create depth by casting shadows across the scene, and highlighting form and texture. in this picture, by lighting one side of the church and leaving the other in shadow, it gives a much more 3D look to the building than in the previous shot. However, it still isn’t quite right – the sky is a little too bright and lacks detail, which has a detrimental effect on the 3D look.

7

Add depth to landscapes Take Control

finAL iMAge

NEXT MONTH: Perfect your

panningAdd some energy to your action shots by learning

this great technique

FINAL SHOTThe addition of the filter really adds a professional touch to my image. There is now detail and colour in the sky which, when coupled with the foreground interest and sharpness throughout the frame, help give my image some depth and perspective.

All these steps are easy to attempt, so give them all a go the next time you stumble upon a photogenic location to see what images you can capture.

Wide-angle lenses Using a wide-angle lens exaggerates perspective, enhancing an image’s depth. It has the additional

benefit of increasing depth-of-field. Don’t worry if you don’t have a wide-angle lens though, the wide-

end of your 18-55mm kit lens will still capture ample foreground interest. If you’d like to know more about

wide-angle photography, turn to page 68.

Use a filterWhen there is a big difference in brightness between the

foreground and the sky, camera sensors can struggle to capture detail across the whole tonal range. A graduated filter, which is dark at the top and clear at the bottom, darkens bright skies, reducing the contrast range so that the camera can record detail in the whole scene.

Having more detail in the sky in this final shot makes a huge difference to the 3D look of the scene, and the overall impact of the image. Waiting for the right cloud formation – with clouds stretching to the corners of the frame – also helps.

8Affordable filters

You may think that an ND grad filter is the preserve of a professional

photographer, but the truth is that filters can be bought for sensible money. A grad filter can be bought for as little as £25-£30. Brands to look out for are Lee Filters, Hoya and Cokin. If you don’t have a filter, you could choose to shoot

multiple images, exposing for the sky and then the foreground before merging them together in software to create an

HDR photo.

DSLR-78-032-035 (TAKE CONTROL)hbljcMG.indd 35 1/3/13 08:18:56

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Proj-ect 1

– Chasing the

light // Project 2 –

Coastal scenes // Project

3 – Human element // Project 4 –

Graduated filters // Project 5 – Polarising

filters // Project 6 – Bad weather, great shots //

Project 7 – Landscape blog // Project 8 – Famous plac-

es // Project 9 – Early mornings // P

roject 10 – Portrait skills

// Project 11 – Seeing the light // Project 12 – Face facts // P

roject

13 – Candid camera // Project 14 – Family portraits // P

roject 15 – Captur-

ing young children // Project 16 – Shoot a friend at work // P

roject 17 – Shoot a

wedding // Project 18 – Living history // P

roject 19 – Planting a wildlife garden // Project

20 – Feed the birds // Project 21 – Macro bluebells // P

roject 22 – Garden close-up still life //

Project 23 – Digiscoping for beginners // Project 24 – Setting up a home studio // P

roject 25 – Found

fine art // Project 26 – Macro people // P

roject 27 – Build an aquatic studio // Project 28 – Pond photogra-

phy // Project 29 – Vintage-look studio lighting // P

roject 30 – The vintage look // Project 31 – Shoot a nude

portrait // Project 32 – Extreme sports // P

roject 33 – A trip to the past // Project 34 – Fly fishing // P

roject

35 – The art of dance // Project 36 – Food photography // P

roject 37 – Capturing horse portraits // Proj-

ect 38 – Capture the band // Project 39 – Shoot sport // P

roject 40 – A picture a day // Project 41 – 50mm

prime lenses // Project 42 – Try a new lens // P

roject 43 – Late night tales // Project 44 – Shoot an eclipse

// Project 45 – Traffic trails // Project 46 – Light graffiti //

Project 47 – Framed to perfection // Project 48 –

Make a photobook // Project 49 – Kitchen macro: flowers // P

roject 50 – Hiring a studio // Project 1 – Chas-

ing the light // Project 2 – Coastal scenes // P

roject 3 – Human element // Project 4 – Graduated filters //

Project 5 – Polarising filters // Project 6 – Bad weather, great shots // P

roject 7 – Landscape blog // Project

8 – Famous places // Project 9 – Early mornings // P

roject 10 – Portrait skills // Project 11 – Seeing the light

// Project 12 – Face facts // Project 13 – Candid camera // P

roject 14 – Family portraits // Project 15 – Cap-

turing young children // Project 16 – Shoot a friend at work // P

roject 17 – Shoot a wedding // Project 18 –

Living history // Project 19 – Planting a wildlife garden // P

roject 20 – Feed the birds // Project 21 – Macro

bluebells // Project 22 – Garden close-up still li

fe // Project 23 – Digiscoping for beginners // P

roject 24 –

Setting up a home studio // Project 25 – Found fine art // P

roject 26 – Macro people // Project 27 – Build an

aquatic studio // Project 28 – Pond photography // P

roject 29 – Vintage-look studio lighting // Project 30 –

The vintage look // Project 31 – Shoot a nude portrait //

Project 32 – Extreme sports // Project 33 – A trip to

the past // Project 34 – Fly fishing // P

roject 35 – The art of dance // Project 36 – Food photography // P

roj-

ect 37 – Capturing horse portraits // Project 38 – Capture the band // P

roject 39 – Shoot sport // Project 40

– A picture a day // Project 41 – 50mm prime lenses // P

roject 42 – Try a new lens // Project 43 – Late night

tales // Project 44 – Shoot an eclipse // P

roject 45 – Traffic trails // Project 46 – Light graffiti //

Project 47 –

Framed to perfection // Project 48 – Make a photobook // P

roject 49 – Kitchen macro: flowers // Project 50 –

Hiring a studio // Project 1 – Chasing the light // P

roject 2 – Coastal scenes // Project 3 – Human element //

Project 4 – Graduated filters // Project 5 – Polarising filters // P

roject 6 – Bad weather, great shots // Project

7 – Landscape blog // Project 8 – Famous places // P

roject 9 – Early mornings // Project 10 – Portrait skills

// Project 11 – Seeing the light // Project 12 – Face facts // P

roject 13 – Candid camera // Project 14 – Fam-

ily portraits // Project 15 – Capturing young children // P

roject 16 – Shoot a friend at work // Project 17 –

Shoot a wedding // Project 18 – Living history // P

roject 19 – Planting a wildlife garden // Project 20 – Feed

the birds // Project 21 – Macro bluebells // P

roject 22 – Garden close-up still life // P

roject 23 – Digiscoping

for beginners // Project 24 – Setting up a home studio // P

roject 25 – Found fine art // Project 26 – Macro

people // Project 27 – Build an aquatic studio // P

roject 28 – Pond photography // Project 29 – Vintage-look

studio lighting // Project 30 – The vintage look // P

roject 31 – Shoot a nude portrait // Project 32 – Extreme

sports // Project 33 – A trip to the past // P

roject 34 – Fly fishing // Project 35 – The art of dance //

Project 36 – Food photography // Project 37 – Capturing horse portraits // P

roject 38 – Capture

the band // Project 39 – Shoot sport // P

roject 40 – A picture a day // Project 41 – 50mm

prime lenses // Project 42 – Try a new lens // P

roject 43 – Late night tales // Proj-

ect 44 – Shoot an eclipse // Project 45 – Traffic trails // P

roject 46 – Light

graffiti // Project 47 – Framed to perfection // P

roject 48 – Make a

photobook // Project 49 – Kitchen macro: flowers // P

roject

50 – Hiring a studio // Project 1 – Chasing the light //

Project 2 – Coastal scenes // Project 3 – Hu-

man element // Project 4 – Graduated

filters // Project 5 – Polarising

filters // Project 6 – Bad

weather, great

shots //

FULL OF EASY-TO-FOLLOW GUIDES, ESSENTIAL TIPS AND INSPIRING SHOTS

INCLUDING: PORTRAITS LANDSCAPES WILDLIFE CLOSE-UPS

FILTERS WEDDINGS KIDS STILL LIFES SPORTS LOW LIGHT

DSLR-78-036-037 (SUBS).indd 37 1/3/13 15:24:52


Photo Projects >> Natural light portraits

MEGA PROJECT

Find a light sourceAny window will do, but the light quality will be different depending on the time

of day. ideally, some of the light should be coming from above your subject’s eye level so their face is properly exposed. Also try to make sure the background is tidy or at least photogenic.

Set up your cameraWith your camera in aperture-priority mode (A or Av), set the widest aperture

of your lens. For a kit lens, this will be around f/3.5. The wide aperture will help to isolate your subject from the background and create a nice out of focus look on any objects in the distance.

Try using a reflectorif you’re shooting your subject side-on to the window, try using a reflector to

fill in the shadows on the dark side of the face. Reflectors can be bought from just a tenner but, don’t worry, you can also make one by simply sticking some kitchen foil onto a piece of card.

Experiment with posesTry experimenting with different poses and locations. seating your

model facing the window can give nice, evenly lit results. if they are slightly uncomfortable, ask them to focus on something outside the window. The more relaxed they are, the better the shots will be, so keep practising.

Take some test shotsWith portraits, it is usually best to ensure the eyes are in focus, so review

your shots and zoom in, making sure that your subject’s eyes are sharp. if the shot is blurry, try increasing the isO of your camera to around 400, which shouldn’t add any digital noise.

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5

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1Position your subjectPosition your subject so they are comfortable and in the best light. if

the light is too harsh, move them further away from the window. if you do move away from the window, sit them on a chair – light ‘falls’ as it enters windows, so you’ll want them lower down.

2

Seeing in black & white >> If you have image-editing software, try converting your shots to black & white. Alternatively, you can change your DSLR’s picture mode to B&W and capture monochrome shots in-camera.

“Reflectors can be bought from just a tenner, but you can also make one by sticking some foil onto a piece of card0

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Photo Projects >> Natural light portraits

A stunning portrait using the minimum of kit. Why not give this technique a go and then

share your results on our Facebook page

(www.facebook.com/ DSLRMag)?

Final image

What you’ll need> DSLR

> Kit lens

> Window

DIFFICULTY RATING

EASY

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In association with Make Life Simple ™

you shoot it“My first image is of a wild otter on the River Stour in Blandford, Dorset. I was incredibly lucky to see this stunning animal at close quarters after it caught a large tench in a flood pool near the main river. The otter brought the

tench up into the reeds and I slowly approached it and got within ten feet of it . The otter continued to eat the fish in front of me, a truly special wildlife encounter.”

“My second image is of a wild mandarin duck, one of 20 of these stunning birds that seem to winter in a local park in Yeovil, Somerset. They certainly brighten up the low winter light.”

Paul Dibben

The otter brought the tench up into the reeds. I approached and got within ten feet of it

RIGHT Amazing wildlife images like this don’t happen by accident and to be in with even a chance of bagging a great photo, some intense preparation and even greater patience are needed. As a photographer, you’ll have to get to know the location like the back of your hand and observe the behaviour of your potential subjects. Lastly, the truth is you simply can’t get too close to a subject like this, so a big lens like Paul’s is a must.Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 300mm with 1.4x converter, 1/200 at f/5.6, ISO 400

BELOW If creeping alongside a river, stalking otters, is a little too much for you, there are subjects that won’t run away at the slightest twitch. Take this colourful mandarin duck, for example, who could be coaxed closer with a handful of breadcrumbs. Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 300mm with 1.4x converter, 1/250 at f/5.6, ISO 500

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issue 78 DIGITAL SLR 59 Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DSLRMag

you shoot it

Send us your best shots and you could bag a PNY memory card for your trouble. These talented readers did just that

100%READERS’

IMAGES

DSLR-78-058-061 (YOU SHOOT IT)hbljcMG.indd 59 1/3/13 08:37:29

How do I?Picture-taking problems solved

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DSLRMag

✓ Add a watermark

✓ Clean my lens

✓ Take pictures in low

light or darkness

✓ Freeze water

This month’s

topics include:

Please send questions via email to: [email protected]

Thanks for your question, Neville. For selling, there is a range of options, and the best place depends on what sort of photos you have and whether you want to sell them digitally or provide

prints. Your description sounds like you mean stock libraries – there are many of these, and some will take any photos, some are very selective. You’ll only receive a fraction of the sales price if you do sell through these though.

The other main option is having your own website – there are a number of template services that let you sell your photos through them. These charge a monthly subscription, but some are really good value and you might well make your money back and more.

What’s the best place to sell images online? Should I add watermarks to images loaded onto the Internet?Neville Daytona, Facebook page

Sell my images online?HOW DO I…

64 DIGITAL SLR issue 78

Adding a watermark is a good way of preventing people printing your images, so it’s a good way to protect your work. They can spoil your images though and make it look unprofessional – a large watermark across the centre in a font like Comic sans won’t give a very good impression. A discreet watermark in the corner, or a faint one, is usually sufficient. Perhaps a better solution is to make sure that only low-resolution images are available to view online – if you resize images to 72 pixels per inch and about 1000 pixels along the longest edge, then these images will still fill many screens but are no good for printing at a useable size.

A large watermark across the centre in a font like Comic Sans won’t give a very good impression

DSLR-78-064-067 (HOW DO I)hbljcMG.indd 64 1/3/13 08:39:05


Your questions answered

HOW DO I…

If there’s loose dust on the front of your lens, then the best way to clean it is to use a blower, for example from Hama –

this is just £10 and it means you can remove any dust without even touching the glass, so there’s no risk of damaging or scratching it. It’s also great for blowing dust out of the back of the lens or even from the inside of your camera body if you’re really careful.

For dirt that’s less moveable, a lens cloth is the simplest option. Be sure to use a microfibre cloth, because a normal cloth (or your jumper or tissue!) can scratch the lens. Still wipe carefully, because hard pieces of grit can scratch as you move them. It’s also best not to use any cleaning fluid because they can leave a residue that you can’t see, but might affect your images.

If you’re ever in doubt about stubborn dirt on your lens or on your camera, it’s best to have it looked at professionally to avoid the risk of damaging it. Don’t just stop at the lens though – flick over to page 46 to learn how to give your whole kit a spring clean.

Clean my lens safely?What’s the best way to give my lens a bit of a clean?Steve Hope, Facebook page

HOW DO I…

I'd like to capture some nice photos when it gets dark, can you give me some advice please?Tony Hodgkinson, Facebook page

Our best advice is ‘with a tripod’. With almost any subject at night, there won’t be much light, so you’ll need a long shutter speed – a tripod’s essential if you don’t want the camera to move. if you need a fast shutter

speed, for something that’s moving for example, then increase the isO sensitivity, but this can cause graininess in the image. Also, if your photo includes the sky, it’s best to take it while there’s still some light left. This will leave the sky dark blue rather than an expanse of black. if you’re looking for subjects, why not try some lit-up landmarks, or some light trails?

Thanks for the question, Tony – don’t forget to post some of your night shots so we can see how you got on!

Take quality images in low light?

Don't leave it too late. Set up your tripod before the sun sets to get some colour in the sky.

Use a microfibre cloth but wipe carefully, because hard pieces of grit can scratch as you move them

DSLR-78-064-067 (HOW DO I)hbljcMG.indd 65 1/3/13 08:39:20


KATA DR-467£75

Website: www.kata-bags.comDimensions: 48x35x27cmWeight: 0.97kg

Do you ever wish you could have a camera bag that gives you space for more than just your photo gear, and that you can use as a normal bag when you don’t want to take your kit with you? This bag could be the answer. The bottom compartment’s for your kit, but there’s a separate top section for your everyday items, your shopping, or whatever else you want to carry. Even better, the camera section is removable, so the whole bag can be used as a normal backpack. It also holds a 17in laptop in its own compartment, so you could even take your camera to work alongside your computer and lunch, and go snapping in your suit at the end of the day.

PERFECT FOR... versatility

CRumpLeR QuICK eSCApe SLInG£64

Website: www.intro2020.co.ukDimensions: 27x43x17cmWeight: 1.40kg

When you’ve scraped together enough money and got yourself a DSLR, you’re probably loathed to shell out another load of money on a bag for it. But if you know it’ll last you a long time, the initial outlay is less painful and it seems like more of an investment. And that’s certainly the case with this bag. It’s made from durable 1000d Chicken Tex Supreme hyper performance fabric, and has a ripstop lining to prevent minor rips spreading. What’s more, it comes with a 30-year guarantee, so it will outlast your DSLR. The soft Nylex lining protects your kit too, and the sling design means it’s easy to get into when you’re out and about.

PERFECT FOR... durability

LowepRo FASTpACK 250£69

Website: www.lowepro.comDimensions: 31.5x24x46cmWeight: 1.64kg

When you’re out in the field with your camera, the LCD screen on the back is fine for a preview, but if you want to see your pictures larger while you still have the chance to take them again, having your laptop with you is handy. It also means you can back up your photos while on the move. This bag has a dedicated pocket for up to a 15in laptop, and it has a mesh waist belt to make it easier to bear the extra weight. Side access also makes it easy to get to your camera gear and laptop without taking the bag off your shoulder. Now you can edit images while out on location without having to squint at that LCD screen.

PERFECT FOR... carrying a laptop

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Top 10 Camera bags

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Camera bags Top 10

MAnfRoTTo AGILe V SLInG£55

Website: www.manfrotto.co.ukDimensions: 41x31x20cmWeight: 1.04kg

We’re all guilty of leaving our tripods at home because it’s too much trouble to carry it, even when we know that we’d get better pictures if we made the effort. Manfrotto is one of the most popular brands of tripod, and this bag is designed to make it easy for you to carry a ’pod with you. On one side, there are specific straps for securing a full-size tripod, but if this is still too much, there’s a dedicated internal pocket for one of the company’s pocket series models. The sling bag design gives you easy access to the rest of your kit just by swinging it round to the front. With this bag, there’ll be no excuse for shaky pictures again.

PERFECT FOR... carrying tripods

LowepRo pRo RunneR 300 Aw£84

Website: www.lowepro.comDimensions: 33x19x44cmWeight: 1.40kg

While negotiating your way to the boarding gate at the airport or packing up your car for the family holiday, you don’t want a kitbag that takes up too much space. And at your destination, you don’t want to bash the natives with your bag every time you turn around either. This bag is designed for crowded airports and city streets – it’s slim, but still holds a camera and three or four lenses. There are plenty of pockets for accessories too, including a tripod, and there’s even room for your mobile and MP3 player. And even if the weather’s not quite what you hoped, the rain flaps and All Weather cover will keep your kit dry.

PERFECT FOR... holidays

4 5

4

5BeST foR hoLIDAyS

BeST foRhoLIDAySLOWEPRO PRO RUNNER300 AW

if you’re jetting off abroad with your kit, you’ll want to carry it on board the plane with you to keep it safe – if you check it in, you run the risk of it being lost or damaged. The Lowepro Pro Runner 300 AW is within size limits for cabin luggage, so you won’t get to the airport and find you have to check it in or leave it behind.

Be careful if you’re thinking of clipping on accessories to the attachment loops on the outside though, since this could make it bigger than you’re allowed.

DSLR-78-075-079 (TOP 10 BAGS)IFljcMG.indd 77 1/3/13 16:01:13

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reviews Readers and staff deliver definitive verdicts on kit, courses & services

✓ Cameras ✓ Lenses ✓ Accessories ✓ Courses ✓ ServicesDigital SLR

Genesis Speedlight SP692thiRd-PaRty FLaShGun

Want a high-spec flashgun but on a modest budget? Third-party flashguns can often prove feature packed and good value for money. Matty Graham discovers if Calumet’s Genesis SP692, half the price of normal flashguns, is worth investigating...

compared to 50 from the SP692) – is around £300 more than the Genesis. Quite a difference.

But while it may win on price and comes close to equally the Canon in terms of power output, how does it match up in the features stakes?

The answer is somewhat surprising! First up are the more common features that you would expect to find; the unit has E-TTL (Through The Lens) which helps the camera meter and delivers the correct amount of flash to light the scene. Also present is a Manual mode, where the power of the flash can be adjusted incrementally for a precise exposure. All fairly standard stuff up to now, but as I continued to explore this affordable unit, I was greeted with more advanced features.

A backlit LCD screen helps users operate the flash in the dark and a beep (which can be turned off) confirms when a button has been pressed.

The Genesis also features thermal circuit protection, ensuring it won’t overheat during heavy use and the keys can be locked to prevent any settings being changed by accident.

An external power pack can be connected to extend the life of the batteries and there is also a PC socket to allow the flash to be triggered off-camera. A light tells the user when the unit is ready to fire and there is a flip-down diffuser, as well as an additional diffuser cap that comes as standard in the box. This cap

alone would cost an extra £5-£10 so you’re saving even more money! Finally on the features front, the unit can also be triggered wirelessly, automatically firing off when another unit is triggered.

My one niggle with this flashgun is the hotshoe connector, which features a wheel-screw mechanism, rather than a quick-lock version, but seriously, for £149 I could easily live with that!

While it’s nice to have all these features, they count for nothing if the results look bad, so I tested this flashgun in a variety of different situations. By shooting with the unit on and off the camera and also during daylight and low-light conditions, the Genesis delivered consistently good lighting for

W hen it comes to buying an external flashgun, it’s traditionally been the case

that photographers tend to buy from their own brand – for example, Canon users will purchase a Canon flashgun and Nikon users will stick to Nikon flashguns. However, in recent years, the number of third-party external flashguns has increased, offering photographers alternative kit, usually at a much more affordable price.

The SP692 is an excellent example of this new generation of flash units that come with a high spec and a low price tag. If we go by Guide Number, which is the measurement name given to the flashgun’s power output, the closest Canon equivalent – the Speedlite 580EX II (with a Guide Number of 58,

82 DIGITAL SLR ISSuE 78

The Genesis gave consistenly good lighting for my subjects

Reviewer: Matty Graham

How much? £149

Website: www.

calumetphoto.co.uk

Product in a sentence:

Highly spec’d external flashgun

for Canon and Nikon cameras

DSLR-78-082-083 (FLASH REVIEW)hbRPMG.indd 82 1/3/13 08:52:17

digital slr magazine issue 78 - sampler

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