FEEL-GOOD PHOTO SKILLS Learn how photography can help yourmental health with ourinspiring stories and advice Issue 211• Dec 2023 Learn to take greatshots from castlesto waterfalls WONDERFUL WELSH SCENES YOUR STRESS-BUSTING GUIDE PLUS BUYERS’ GUIDES • PHOTO STORIES T&Cs apply + internet connection required 196 PAGES WORTH £10.99! FREEVIDEOGUIDES VIEWTHE VIDEOS FREE LIGHTROOMEBOOK Watch our expert guidesto improve yourskills FREE VIDEOS TO FOLLOW ONLINE • Greatvideo tutorialsforyou – see page 5 for details BEST-BUY SPEEDLITES Light up your life with new Canon flashguns SUPER TEST BIG INTERVIEW CREATIVE IMAGERY Chris Priestley on why Canon always clicked with his photography
Scan thisQRcode to get ourFREE DigitalCamera World newsletter everyweek day! FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/PhotoPlusMag DIGITAL CAMERAWORLD www.digitalcameraworld.com TWITTER www.twitter.com/PhotoPlusMag INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/PhotoPlusCanonMag TheCanonMagazine 3 • We’re the only photomagazine in the newsagentthat’s 100% DEDICATED TOCANONEOS CAMERA USERS sowe’re 100% relevantto your needs. • WE’RE 100% INDEPENDENT andwe caterfor EVERY CANON EOS DSLR OR MIRRORLESS PHOTOGRAPHER from beginners to enthusiasts to pros. •We’reCANON ENTHUSIASTS and, with our contributors,we offer years of EXPERT EOS EXPERIENCE. •We’re more than just a print mag; YOU CAN BUY PHOTOPLUS FOR ANY DIGITAL DEVICE WORLDWIDE via Apple iTunes, Zinio, Magzter, Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, PocketMags or PressReader. •We offer THE VERY BEST CANON TECHNIQUE & PHOTOSHOP VIDEO GUIDES – see our Canon Skills section. •We’re proud to use THE WORLD’S TOP CANON PHOTOGRAPHERS and experts.Meetthemon page 6. Peter Travers Editor OUR GUARANTEE XMAS OFFER! Subscribe now & get a free Lowepro bag worth £95! Page 40 FEEL-GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY Find out how your photography can help improve your mental health with our essential guide Page 28 Our lives are full of ups and downs. Even more so over the past few years with all that’s been going on around the world. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at times. It’s also easy to overlook just how beneficial photography can be to your mental health. Just getting out with your little Canon camera in the countryside or a local city for some fresh air can boost your mood, yet it’s the added mindfulness of focusing on photographing the scene or subject before you that can really improve your state of your mind. In this issue’s big guide, we look at how photography has a positive impact on all of our lives, with inspirational stories and images from professionals and amateurs. Start feeling better and lift your spirits by turning to page 28. Canon landscape photographer Drew Buckley shows our PhotoPlus Apprentice some of his favourite Welsh scenic hotspots, teaching her how to take great shots of everything from castles to waterfalls, on page 8. In our brilliant Canon Skills section, from page 45, we have more photo projects with video guides for you – how to use the latest exposure blending techniques to boost your landscape shots, perfect your panning techniques, and take amazing night photos with added light painting skills. We speak to photographer, videographer and director Chris Priestley about how Canon has always clicked with his creative approach, page 62. Plus we have more of your Photo Stories, on page 70, Canon School starts on page 74, followed by EOS SOS on page 80, where we answer all of your latest technical questions. In Super Test, we light up your life by testing eight of the latest Canon Speedlites, on page 88. Also get your FREE Teach Yourself Lightroom ebook worth £10.99, download details on page 5. Welcome Getty/ imageBROKER/AVTG
CONTENTS ESSENTIALS 20Inspirations The winning images taken on Canon cameras from the International Portrait Photographer of the Year competition 2023 28Feel-good photoskills Discover how shooting with Canon camera can instantly improve your mood and offer you a welcome well-being workout 40Christmas Subscription Offer! Subscribe to PhotoPlus today and receive a Lowepro camera bag worth £95 70Photo Stories One reader looks to the night sky to capture a comet, while another works with the stars to produce music promo shots 107Next Issue Find out what you can expect in next month’s packed issue of PhotoPlus 114Focus Point Your letters, stats and web news – stay up-to-date with the world of PhotoPlus CANON PROS 08The Apprentice Canon Pro Drew Buckley heads for the hills to show our Apprentice the sights of South Wales for a scenic special 42David Clapp Column When you’re making Russians see red, it’s time to pack up your tripod and leave St Basil’s Cathedral well behind you CANON SCHOOL 74Part 33 Canon School Our Canon expert Marcus Hawkins shows how to work with slower shutter speeds to produce sharp shots when indoors 78Software Solutions Why are so many photographers missing out on the EOS Utility? When the free download extends your capabilities! 80EOS S.O.S Brian answers your technical questions NEWTESTS 86Canon RF 10-20mmF4LIS STM Dan Mold reviews Canon’s preproduction model of the world’s widest full-frame rectilinear lens with autofocus 88SuperTest: Super Speedlites :H WHVW WKH EHVWEX\ ÁDVKJXQV IRU Canon cameras, large and small, to suit a range of requirements and budgets 100Buyers’ Guide Stay up-to-date with the facts and ÀJXUHV IRU DOO WKH ODWHVW &DQRQ (26 '6/5 DQG mirrorless cameras plus more than 200 lenses 4 08 70 STRESS-BUSTER GUIDE FEEL-GOOD PHOTO SKILLS Learn how photography can help your mental health with our essential tips and pros’ and readers’ inspiring stories 88
ISSUE211 DECEMBER 2023 READ THE TUTORIALS… THEN WATCH OUR EXPERT VIDEOS Tutorial 1 Edityour RAWsin Lightroomto polish up them to perfection Tutorial 3Giveyour landscapestheInfrared treatmentin Affinity Project 3 Learn to paintwith light at nighttoturn buildings into haunted houses Project 2 Track and pan amoving subjectformore dramatic action photos 6 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY TODAY TheCanonMagazine 5 1.Toviewyourfreeebook,gotoourwebpageat http://downloads.photoplusmag.com/pp211ebook.pdf Pleaseenterthisinyourinternetbrowserbar(notintoGoogle) andallowtimeforthehi-resebooktoappear.2.Ontheweb pagethatappears,youcanviewtheebookPDFinyourinternet browser.3.Youcaneitherviewtheebookthereor,ifonyour computer,clicktheicontop-righttodownloadit.Onamobile device,clicktheshareiconandSaveToFiles(orsimilar). ACCESS YOUR FREE EBOOK HowtogetyourfreeTeachYourself Lightroomebook–downloadittoyour mobileorcomputer Tutorial 2 Find out aboutthe clever AIface-masking tools in Photoshop CC 46 Project 1 Find the best exposure blendmethod for betterlandscapes 62 Wherever you see this icon, there’s an accompanying video link to follow online LOOK OUTFOR THIS! VIDEOGUIDES#211 AFFINITY PHOTOSHOP LIGHTROOM ALLOFOUR VIDEOGUIDES ANDTHE INFORMATIONPROVIDEDARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND NOT ENDORSED OR SPONSORED BY CANON OR ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED WATCH T L HE VIDEOS INKS TOVIEW VIDEOSONLINE ONTHE PAGES! VIEWTHE VIDEO 56 58 60 50 52 46 WORTH £10.99
Our contributors Ben Andrews, Phil Benton, David Clapp, Drew Buckley, Siân Elizabeth, Marcus Hawkins, Nick Hanson, Sean McCormack, Catherine O’Donnell, James Paterson, Paul L Peterson, Chris Priestley, Tamara Raw, Matthew Richards, Lauren Scott, Brian Worley Meet the team... Who we are and ourfavouriteCanon contentin this issue… 6 www.digitalcameraworld.com Naomi Reiter Canon photographerNaomi created a comment on modern life; a family split by socialmedia.PAGE 27 Chris Priestley Canon photographer and directorChris on howhe gets attention on social channels with hiswork.PAGE 62 Brian Worley EOS expertBrian answers yourtoughestCanon EOS technical questions, and rates yourimages.PAGE 80 Drew Buckley Canon proDrewheads for the hillswith our Apprentice to capture the beauty of SouthWales.PAGE 8 Marcus Hawkins This issue, learn howto improve yourindoor photographywithMarcus’s expert advice.PAGE 74 Nick Hanson Award-winningphotographer Nick tackles hismental challenges by picking up his camera.PAGE 34 Steven Christie Steven lives forlivemusic and creates promo shots for his favourite bands and artists.PAGE 72 Siân Elizabeth Portrait photographer Siân battles ill health by focusing on photographic projects and exhibitions.PAGE 36 Matthew Richards Technical writer • R5 photoplus@futurenet.com “A little light goes a longwaywith the latest Speedlites fromCanon and other brands. For Super Test, I’ve been checking the best options for winterilluminations.” PAGE 88 James Paterson Technique writer • 6D MkII james.paterson@futurenet.com “The perfectlandscape image is often amerger of bracketed shots, so this issue I showyou ways to use exposure blending, masking and HDR skills.” PAGE 46 PeterTravers Editor • 5D MkIV & R6 peter.travers@futurenet.com “Iwas proud to puttogether our big guide this issue, going in-depth into alltheways photgraphy can have a very positive impact on our mental health.” PAGE 28 Dan Mold Deputyeditor • R & 7DMkII dan.mold@futurenet.com “Thismonth Imade full use ofthe longer nights to createmy own Halloween-inspired haunted house composite photo using a fewfun light painting skills!” PAGE 52 This issue’s contributors… PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine Future PLC QuayHouse,TheAmbury,BathBA11UA Editorial EditorPeter Travers peter.travers@futurenet.com DeputyEditorDan Mold ArtEditorMartin Parfitt ProductionEditorChris McGine LabManagerBen Andrews HeadofDesignDean Usher Photography All copyrights andtrademarks are recognizedandrespected PhotographyStudioPhil Barker Advertising Mediapacks are availableonrequest GroupAdvertisingDirectorMatthewJohnston matthew.johnston@futurenet.com•07974408083 AccountDirectorMatt Bailey matt.bailey@futurenet.com•+44(0)3303906272 UKCommercialSalesDirectorClareDove clare.dove@futurenet.com International licensing PhotoPlus is available forlicensingandsyndication.Tofindoutmore, contactus atlicensing@futurenet.comor viewour available content at www.futurecontenthub.com.HeadofPrintLicensingRachel Shaw Subscriptions Newsubscriptionordersortorenewemailhelp@magazinesdirect.com or call0330 333 1113 or youcanvisitwww.magazinesdirect.com SubscriptiondeliverydisruptionremainswithinUKandInternationalnetworks. 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8 www.digitalcameraworld.com THEAPPRENTICE CANONPRO DREW IS a professional photographer based in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Drew happily turns his hand to all sorts of genres,with landscape,wildlife, astrophotography and timelapses being just a few. He runs workshops throughoutthe year and has been published in awide range of publications. He also wrote and took the images for his book Photographing SouthWales and took the photographs forthe book WilderWales. See hiswork at drewbuckleyphotography.com NAME: DREW BUCKLEY CAMERA: CANON EOS R5 BASED in Berkhamsted, Lyndsey has been shooting family and child portraits forthe past six years. She often finds herselfin some beautiful outdoorlocations whenworkingwith her clients, and while she knows howto take a top portrait, she admits she’s a bitlost when it comes to landscapes. So,we’ve paired her upwith top Canon professional photographer Drewfor a masterclass on photographing outdoors scenes in South Wales. NAME: LYNDSEY ABERCROMBY CAMERA: CANON EOS R5 APPRENTICE
TheCanonMagazine 9 Canon pro landscape photographerDrewBuckley takes reader Lyndsey around some of his favourite Welsh scenic photo spots
THEAPPRENTICE 10 EXPERTINSIGHT CIRCULAR POLARIZER FILTER A CIRCULARpolarizerisn’t called‘circular’because ofits shape, it’s actuallydue tothe etchedpatternon the glass.Polarizingfilters cutout scatteredpolarized light,whichreduces light flowby abouttwothirdsof a stopatitsmaximumsetting, thoughtheirmainuses are toboostblues inskies and alsotame reflections in glass andonwater. TOPGEAR#1 Wide-anglelens DREW carries a few key optics with him at all times to cover any eventuality. He loves Canon’s L-series lenses because they’re built for professional use and are weather- and dust-resistant. His Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM has a broad zoom range, making it super-versatile and an ideal lens to keep on all day when travelling light. When he needs a wider angle of view, he reaches for his Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM. BULBMODE YOU MAY have noticed that the longest shutter speed available usually tops out at 30 secs in the main Manual, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes. With neutral density filters that block out lots of light, you might often find yourself needing to shoot for much longer than this, so the solution is to use Bulb mode. The conventional method would be to use a shutter release cable and lock it off until your exposure time was up, but Drew loves the Bulb timer mode on his Canon EOS R5 that allows you to input custom exposure times without needing a shutter release cable. TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT Drewapproved ofLyndsey’s useofManualmode butsuggested using Exposure Simulation,too MANUALMODE LYNDSEY was familiar with the Manual mode on her Canon EOS R5 because she’s used to working with it when shooting portraits with flash. Drew suggested staying in Manual mode for landscapes, too, as it will give her total control over the three exposure parameters: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. To begin, he dialled in a low ISO of 100 for good image quality and to help achieve longer shutter speeds with a lower light sensitivity. He then dialled in an aperture of f/11 to strike a good balance between lens sharpness and a deep depth of field. EXPOSURE SIMULATION AS LYNDSEY usually uses flash when shooting portraits, she has the Exposure Simulation setting switched off as this would make her LCD screen and viewfinder too dark to compose with. Drew noticed this and suggested she turned Exposure Simulation on while shooting landscapes because it will provide a much more accurate idea of how the exposure will look when dialling in the various settings and adding filters.
SHOOTWITHAPRO 11 Lens Canon RF 24-105mmF4LIS USM Exposure 3.2 secs, f/16, ISO50 HOT SHOT #1 DREW’SCOMMENT We started at Carew Castle, on the opposite side ofthe river, sowe could capture the castle’s reflection. The forecastwas overcast but we met up early and therewere a fewholes in the clouds that made for some dramatic sunlight. I set up on my tripod and used a polarizing filterto controlthe reflections and a graduated neutral density filterto balance the bright sky. I lowered my ISO and closed the aperture to f/16 to restrict light flowto give me a long shutter speed of 3.2 secs, justlong enough to inject a bit of motion in the moving clouds andwater.
12 www.digitalcameraworld.com THEAPPRENTICE HOT SHOT #2 TOPGEAR#2 Full-frame Canon EOS AFTER USING a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR as his workhorse for many moons, Drew upgraded to the Canon EOS R5 when it was launched back in 2020, and has now completely upgraded all of his old EF lenses to their new RF equivalents, too. The EOS R5’s full-frame sensor has a 45MP resolution, which is more than enough detail and even gives him scope to crop in a little if needed. ELECTRONIC LEVEL DREW USES the electronic level on his Canon EOS R5 to help him make sure his horizon is perfectly straight and level, because a wonky horizon is the first thing people notice when looking at a landscape. To access it on your Canon EOS, you can press the Info button to cycle through its modes until the electronic level appears. You can then recompose until the electronic level turns green, which indicates your horizon is straight. EXPERTINSIGHT RULE OF THIRDS THE RULEofthirds is a simple compositionaltrick youcanturntoas a safebetwhenyou’re framing up.Theprinciple is todivide yourlandscape into nine equalboxes andthenplace yourhorizonon oneofthe gridlines, andyour subjectononeof the intersectingpointswhere twolinesmeetto strengthenyour composition.This is a great technique toaddtoyourrepertoire,butremember rules aremade tobebroken, sodon’tbe afraidto break away fromthe ruleofthirds if youcansee a better composition.
TheCanonMagazine 13 SHOOTWITHAPRO DREW’S TOP 10 TIPS FOR STUNNING SCENIC SHOTS 1 My Menu Pressthe Menu button on your Canon EOS and head to My Menu. Drew hasset up his My Menu with settings he needs quick accessto,such ascard formatting, interval timer,shutter mode and ISO sensitivity. 2 Shoot RAW JPEG images arecompressed files and processed incamera; totakefullcontrol,shoot in the RAW format soyou can apply yourown editing at yourcomputer. 3 Carrying your kit Drew is a brand ambassador forF-Stop and uses a Tilopa 50 Duradiamond backpacktocomfortably transport allof hiskit when hiking long distances. 4 Battery grip Drew uses a Canon BG-R10 battery grip for his Canon EOS R5 camera, which enables him toload up two LP-E6NH batteriesso hecan shoot for much longer. It also makesiteasier toshoot in the portraitorientation. 5 Clean your kit If you’veinvested in expensivekit, it paystolook after it. Regularlyclean your lenses and filters with a microfibrecloth or air blower toremove any moisture or waterspray, and clean yourcamera sensor with an air blowerorsensor-cleaning swab toremove dust. 6 Histogram Yourcamera’s histogram showsyou thefull range of tones, from deep shadowson theleft to bright highlightson theright. Makesureyou adjust your exposuresothat you capturetherangeof tonesyou need for a balanced image. 7 See in black & white If you want toshoot a scenein black and white, it’s worth enabling the Monochrome Picture Style, asthis showsyou a mono preview when shooting in Live View. Shoot in RAW and you keep thecolour image data, too. 8 Photography apps Drew uses a bunch of appson his phoneto help him checkthe weather and tidetimes. He also usesthe LEE Stopper Exposure Guideto workoutexposures when working with neutral density filters, and he makes useof PhotoPillsto workout the best angle of light throughout the day. 9 Use the Self-timer Drew recommends using thetwo-second self-timer modeforsharpershots,sothat you don’t nudgethe camera when you presstheshutter button. 10Switch IS off Switch Image Stabilization off when shooting on a locked-off tripod to achievethesharpestshots. LYNDSEY’SCOMMENT Carrying onwith ourtour of Drew’s favourite scenic spots in South Wales,we next headed to Paxton’s Tower. The lighting had gone flat, so Drewsuggested using a strong ND filterto slowdown the exposure time and add some drama to the sky. The toweris three-sided, so you can line up the doors and windows to see the landscape behind, butfor this shot, I liked the contrastfrom this angle, where theywere blacked out. Framing up on a tripod, I used a graduated ND filterto darken the sky and a 10-stopND filterto achieve a whopping 90-second exposure time. Lens Canon RF 24-70mmF2.8LIS USM Exposure 90 secs, f/16, ISO50
14 www.digitalcameraworld.com THEAPPRENTICE TOPGEAR#3 Professional tripod DREW USES a Kingjoy C86 carbon fibre tripod, which is a professional four-section tripod capable of handling up to 30kg and weighing just 2.4kg. It can reach 156cm and folds down to just 57cm with twist locks that allow for a quick setup. Drew has paired it with a Benro Induro BHD2 ball head, which can be locked off or unlocked with a single dial for super-fast setup, and has an Arca-Swissstyle mounting plate that is compatible with his Kirk L-bracket. EXPERTINSIGHT L-BRACKET DREW USESanL-bracketonhisCanonEOSR5to mountittohis tripod.He’s currentlyusing aKirk L-bracketdesignedtofithisCanonEOS5DMark IV DSLR,buthefinds itworkswell enoughonhis mirrorlessR5tonotwarrant splashingoutona newupgrade.Thebig advantageof anL-bracket is that youcanquickly switchyour camera’s orientationfromportraitorlandscape andkeep the centreofgravitydirectly above the tripod’s head,helping tocomposemorequickly and balance camerasontripodsmore effectively. HOT SHOT #3 DREW’SCOMMENT We could see the ruins of Dryslwyn Castle in the distance, so I thoughtI’d showLyndsey howa telephoto lens can help landscape photos. Iframed up using my Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM lens and zoomed in to a focal length of 400mm to achieve a strong compositionwhere the castle was large enough in the frame to be an obvious focal point. I used a tripod for a sharp shot,then setISO100 for bestimage quality and an aperture of f/9 for a deep depth of field.
TheCanonMagazine 15 SHOOTWITHAPRO TELEPHOTO ZOOMLENS IN ADDITION to shooting landscapes, Drew also has a passion for wildlife photography, including the puffins on Skomer Island over summer, which are local to him. Therefore, Drew has a wide selection of powerful telephoto optics, such as the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM. While landscape photography is synonymous with ultra-wide lenses and far-spanning vistas, there are times when a telephoto lens can be a better option, as you can zoom in on your focal point to cut out distractions and make it the star of the show. Lens Canon RF 100-500mmF4.5-7.1LIS USM Exposure 1/80 sec, f/9, ISO100 DREW’S TOP 3 LANDSCAPE SHOTS Pro photographerDrewsharessomeof hisfavouriteimagesofthe greatoutdoors GLENNEVIS LUSH, green woodlands and flowing waterfalls epitomize this beautiful glen in Scotland. RHOSSILI I LOVE capturing the best of the wild flowers in the summer and this sunset over Rhossili was a magical moment. STRUMBLE SEAS THE MOODS of the coast are captured in this stormy winter image on a sunny day at Strumble Head Lighthouse.
16 www.digitalcameraworld.com THEAPPRENTICE SHUTTER SPEED SHUTTER speed would be more accurately called exposure time, as the shutter curtains are fired at a fixed rate, while this setting actually changes the length of time that the camera sensor is exposed to light. A wide aperture, high ISO and sunny conditions help achieve a fast shutter speed to freeze action, such as the rushing water here. A slow shutter speed is achieved with filters, narrow apertures, low ISOs and low light levels, and enables you to keep the sensor open for several seconds, or even minutes. This creates enough time for you to turn moving elements like water and clouds into an ethereal blur. TOPGEAR#4 Lens filtersfor landscapes ADVANCEMENTS in software editing have become remarkably good in recent years, however there are still certain things that are difficult to replicate in post-production. Drew uses a range of filters from LEE and Kase, including neutral density (ND) filters that block light flow, enabling long exposures to blur moving water and clouds, as well as graduated ND filters that are only dark at one end – which are useful for pulling back detail in bright skies. He also uses a polarizer filter to boost blue skies and reduce reflections on glass and water. EXPERTINSIGHT SHOOTIN ALL SEASONS “I LOVE TOrevisit someofmy favourite local landscape locations throughoutthe year as the scenes lookwildlydifferentwhenflowers arebloominginspring, leaves turngoldeninautumnoritis all covered insnowinwinter,” saysDrew.”Here’s animage Itookofthe same landscape lastwinterwhenthe areahada lightdustingof snow, whichmakes itlook totallydifferent andcomeswithitsownchallenges. Alotoflandscapephotography ispatience anddetermination; if you visitthe same scene enoughtimes, youwill eventuallybe rewardedby theperfectlighting andweather, sodon’t giveup!” 1/1000 sec 1/8 sec 1/60 sec 4 secs WINTER AUTUMN
SHOOTWITHAPRO DREW’SCOMMENT There’s a big lone tree on the river bank at Dryslwyn Castle that makes for a brilliant minimalist landscape. Itwas overcast but therewere a fewgaps in the clouds. Itwas just a case of setting up on the bridge,waiting forthe rightlight, and making sure no carswere driving past us as their movement caused camera shake. I used my Canon RF 24-105mm F4L and zoomed into 70mm so the treewas a decent size in the frame, and used a 6-stop ND filterto block out some light and achieve a long exposure to blurthewater and clouds. HOT SHOT #4 Lens Canon RF 24-105mmF4LIS USM Exposure 6 secs, f/16, ISO50 TheCanonMagazine 17
18 www.digitalcameraworld.com THEAPPRENTICE SHOT OF THE DAY! DoyouneedhelptotakeyourCanonphotographytothenextlevel?Letusknowwhatgenreyou’dlikehelp withandwecouldpairyouupwithatopprofortheday!Sendanemailtophotoplus@futurenet.comwith ‘PhotoPlusApprentice’inthesubjectline,andincludeyourCanonkit,telephonenumberandaddress. BEOURNEXT APPRENTICE
TheCanonMagazine 19 LYNDSEY’SCOMMENT With the sky clouding over, Drewsuggested itwould be a good time to try long exposures ofwaterfalls, ofwhich there are no shortage in South Wales. We headed to the Elidir Trail and after a short hike reached this stunning cascade, Sgwd Ddwli Uchaf. Drewexplained that in the comingweeks, itwould become even more colourfulwith autumnaltones. Using all of the tips and tricks Drewhad taught me, I set up on a tripod and used a polarizerto remove glare from thewater,then added an ND filterto achieve a long shutter speed of one minute to blurthewater nicely. DREW’S VERDICT Itwas greatto be able to showLyndsey some of my favourite hidden gems around South Wales for landscape photos. Shewas a fantastic Apprentice and clearly knows a thing ortwo about photography – yetIwas still able to showher some simple tips she can use to capture a brilliantlandscape shotthe nexttime she finds herself outdoors in a photogenic area. Iwould suggest she invests in a high-quality tripod and varied filter set. Thesewould stand herin good stead, as many ofthe techniqueswe ran through on the day relied on using a sturdy tripodwith filters such as a polarizer, neutral density and graduated ND filters. NEXT MONTH CITIES AT NIGHT Lens Canon RF 24-70mmF2.8LIS USM Exposure 60 secs, f/11, ISO100
20 www.digitalcameraworld.com STUNNING IMAGERY FROM THE WORLD OF CANON PHOTOGRAPHY
FANTASTICCANONPHOTOGRAPHY 01 DESTROY TOGETHER BY HAIKUN LIANG CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENTAL The Spring Festival is a major traditional festival among Chinese people. In Deqing County, Zhaoqing City, China, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, people take turns lighting firecrackers and ‘throwing lions’ until the lions are blown to pieces, praying for peace in all seasons and abundant grain. Lens Canon EF 16-35mmf/2.8LII USM Exposure 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO800 TheCanonMagazine 21 Haikiun Liang /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023
All ofthe images in this month’s gallerywere taken on Canon EOS cameras and made itinto the Top 101 shots entered into the International Portrait Photographer ofthe Year 2023. The IPPOTY 2024 contest opens next year, check itswebsite regularly for entry and prize details and for your chance towin: www.internationalportrait photographer.com 22 02 03 Mohammad Radi /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023 Hamed Alghanboosi /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023 02 LAILA BY MOHAMMAD RADI CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENTAL Mohammad has taken a brilliant portrait of young girl Laila from Kashmir. He’s used flash with a large softbox overhead for beautiful even lighting that has provided a lovely catchlight in his model’s eyes. His aperture of f/8 also means the image is perfectly sharp, while the background is far enough away that it’s been knocked out of focus so not to distract. Lens Canon EF 24-70mmf/2.8LII USM Exposure 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO100 03 VARANASI WOMAN BY HAMED ALGHANBOOSI CATEGORY: STORY Hamed took this image of an elderly woman in Varanasi, India. The colour palette is subtle with an overarching cooler blue toning that contrasts well with the warmer colours in the lady’s headscarf. Hamed used flash and a large softbox positioned to one side forinteresting sidelight which has boosted contrast, creating shadows in all of the wrinkles and pores in the woman’s face. Focus is spot-on, with the eyes razor sharp, perfectly highlighting her wistful stare. Lens Canon EF 24-70mmf/2.8LII USM Exposure 1/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO640
FANTASTICCANONPHOTOGRAPHY 04 CONTEMPLATE BY MARGARET METCALFE CATEGORY: CHARACTER Margaret took this shot of a gladiator contemplating his fight using a friend who had grown their hair out over lockdown and looked the part. She told us: “I studied the portraits of old masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and da Vinci, paying attention to theirlighting techniques, composition, and posing styles. Understanding the visual language of these portraits has helped recreate the atmosphere and mood in my own shots.” Lens Canon RF 28-70mmF2L USM Exposure 1/160 sec, f/9, ISO160 04 TheCanonMagazine 23 MargaretMetcalfe/TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023
INSPIRATIONS 24 www.digitalcameraworld.com 05 05 GOLDEN GIRL BY STEPHEN KANGISSER CATEGORY: CHARACTER Stephen’s bold and eye-catching portrait has a clever use of contrast with deep blacks and vibrant gold highlights that pop out around the frame, such as the jewellery, headwear and makeup. It’s certainly not your average studio portrait, and it’s clearto see this image is a culmination of the photographer, model and make-up artist’s individual talents adding up to a particularly unique portrait. Lens Canon RF 70-200mmF2.8LIS USM Exposure 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO125 Stephen Kangisser /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023
All ofthe images in this month’s gallerywere taken on Canon EOS cameras and made itinto the Top 101 shots entered into the International Portrait Photographer ofthe Year 2023. The IPPOTY 2024 contest opens next year, be sure to check itswebsite regularly for entry and prize details and for your chance towin at: www.internationalportraitphotographer.com TheCanonMagazine 25 FANTASTICCANONPHOTOGRAPHY 06 07 06 QUIET CONTEMPLATION BY JULIAN ELLIOTT CATEGORY: CHARACTER “The lady featured in the photograph is called Mrs Song. She is one of the most famous faces in Vietnam having been photographed a few years ago in an image entitled Hidden Smile which went viral. My challenge was to notreplicate another photographer’s work but come up with something new. I noticed the afternoon light pouring into the greenish-blue frontroom and thought that if she could be sat in the right place the light on herface would be superb. I didn’t have any flashguns orreflectors so just used the natural light pouring into the room.” Lens Canon EF 24-70mmf/2.8LII USM Exposure 1/100 sec, f/8, ISO400 07 THE CAMEL DRIVERS FAMILY BY PETER HICKSON CATEGORY: FAMILY Petertook this top photo in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India not farfrom the Pakistan border. He told us: “It was winter and we’d camped out in the desert overnight. We’d arranged to meet with the desert people early the next morning to take advantage of the soft morning light. I was trying to capture the closeness of the relationship between the camel driver and his camel, and the importantrole of the women, while at the same time demonstrating the overriding importance of family.” Lens Canon RF 24-105mmF4LIS USM Exposure 1/125 sec, f/11, ISO200 Peter Hickson /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023 Julian Elliot /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023
26 www.digitalcameraworld.com INSPIRATIONS 08 THREE GENERATIONS BY BRENNAN FINIGHAN CATEGORY: FAMILY Brennan has cleverly taken this top family portrait showing three generations in age order all with the same lighting in his studio. A 300mm lens is an interesting choice for portraits, commonly used forfar away wildlife, but in this scenario has helped him compress the perspective to create the illusion that his three subjects are closertogether. The uniform lighting, black and white conversion and dark backdrop add extra contrast and make this shot a timeless family photo. Lens Canon EF 300mmf/2.8LIS II USM Exposure 1/160 sec, f/11, ISO320 08
All ofthe images in this month’s gallerywere taken on Canon EOS cameras and made itinto the Top 101 shots entered into the International Portrait Photographer ofthe Year 2023. The IPPOTY 2024 contest opens next year, be sure to check itswebsite regularly for entry and prize details and for your chance towin at: TheCanonMagazine www.internationalportraitphotographer.com 09 HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL BY NAOMI REITER CATEGORY: FAMILY Naomi’s entry to the Family category caught our eye, as she wanted to document the impact of modern digital technology on our children. It shows her clients’ children occupied with various bits of tech, including wireless headphones, a virtual reality headset and tablet, while seemingly ignoring the pets, books and dance trophies dotted around the frame. It’s a poignant family photo with a twist that shows the harsh reality of the age we live in. Naomi explains: “Sitting together but without connection. This family portrait is a comment about this world and the endless demands of a life around online presence, appearances, devices and the distractions of social media.” Lens Canon EF 24-70mmf/2.8LII USM Exposure 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO400 10 WORK SPACE BY STEVEN SHAFFER CATEGORY: CHARACTER Steven used a wide-angle 17-40mm lens to capture dancer Ayako Hasebe Lloyd in the balcony of Lexington Opera House just afterretiring from her performing career with the Lexington Ballet Co. He tells us: “Ayako spent many years performing with her dance company in this space. Now, she teaches ballet to countless young people who hope to perform on this stage.” Lens Canon EF 17-40mmf/4L USM Exposure 1/30 sec, f/4.5, ISO1600 09 10 FANTASTICCANONPHOTOGRAPHY TheCanonMagazine B 27 rennan Finighan /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023 Naomi Elliot /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023 Steven Reiter /TheInternational Portrait Photographerof the Year 2023
YOUR STRESS-BUSTER GUIDE Getty/ JuanMaria Coy Vergara 28 www.digitalcameraworld.com Learn howphotography can help your mental health with top pros’ tips and readers’ inspiring stories here are many different reasons why we all decided to first pick up a Canon camera and starttaking photos, but it’s perhaps often overlooked just how good photography can be for the soul. Justthe simple act of getting outin nature with your camera can lift your spirits if you’re not having a good day. Thankfully, mentioning mental health these days doesn’t come with such a stigma attached like it did 5, 10or 20years ago.After what we all experienced during the global pandemic and various lockdowns, and now with current financial worries, we’ve probably all have been affected in some way or other over recent years. So this issue we are looking at allthe positivity in photography, with inspiring stories from both amateur and professional photographers who have used their photography to help them overcome personal challenges, such as anxiety and depression, and combatloneliness. So turn over the page to find out how your Canon photography can help improve your mental health if you’re ever struggling at any time. T
BOOSTYOUR MOOD TheCanonMagazine 29
30 www.digitalcameraworld.com MENTALHEALTH Pack your kit bag and head for the hills to raise your mood as well as your heartrate Mastering the skills to capture stunning seascapes can represent a triumph PHOTOGRAPHY is a constant learning process and, even if you don’t realise it, you’re probably working towards a few goals right now. This might be a short-term goal like conquering Manual mode on your Canon camera for taking Achieving goals and improving skills long-exposures of a seascape, or a long-term ambition like attracting \RXU ÀUVW SD\LQJ FOLHQW &UHDWLYH ambitions and overcoming your challenges can provide a sense of purpose when we’ve felt a little lost in other aspects of our lives. Socialisewhile you shoot FOR SOME, photography is a chance to engage in a little me time, but for those who seek it, there’s a strong social element too. Whether you chat to like-minded photographers online, embark on photoshoots with a friend, attend group photo workshops or join a camera club, there are lots of easy ways to connect with others. Increase your shots – and your steps! IT’S NO secret that creative activities can have a positive impact on mental health – and photography ticks the most moodboosting boxes! Photography allows us to convey meaning, express feelings and immortalise special moments. This is hugely EHQHÀFLDO LQ LWVHOI 3OXV SK\VLFDO DQG PHQWDO health are intrinsically linked, and many genres encourage photographers to get out and about. Whether you’re climbing mountains, walking through cities or simply strolling through your local countryside, you’re going to be racking up those steps. And with your camera in hand, it probably won’t feel much like exercise either. BOOST YOUR MOOD It’s amazing just how wholesome photography can be for our wellbeing and creativity Getty/Matt Camp
TheCanonMagazine 31 Capturing cityscapes not only expands your portfolio and opens up your world, but also offers opportunities to meet new people and encounter new experiences Quality street SOME EHQHÀWV DUH JHQUHVSHFLÀF IRU H[DPSOH landscape and wildlife photography provides an excuse to experience the many health-boosting qualities nature has to offer. Travel photography serves to broaden horizons and immerse oneself in other cultures. And street, documentary and portrait photography are a great way to meet and interact with new people in local cities. “Travel photographyservesto broaden horizons and immerse oneself in other cultures” RESTOREYOUR FOCUS Getty/ GeorgeWJohnson
32 www.digitalcameraworld.com MENTALHEALTH Getty/ HenriLehtola Alonebutnot lonely “I’VE BEEN working from home for more than 20 years now, so I was a bit ahead of the curve on that one. I mostly love it but there are times when my world feels very small ² P\ KRPH RIÀFH XVHG WR EH WKH utility room. Photography is literally the key to a door for me. Getting out and about with my camera, even for an hour or so to photograph local birds, helps me to remember I’m part of a bigger picture and fends off any feelings of loneliness. And unlike many hobbies, digital photography doesn’t cost anything ‘per session’, after the initial purchase of the Canon kit and recharging of batteries.” Matthew Richards, our technical writer and photo journalist Just spending 20 minutes a day photographing birds in your back garden can engage your mind Why photography is nowmytherapy Canon photographer Phil Benton shares his story of overcoming mental health problems and using his photography projects to bring joy to others: “When Iwas 19 I developed ME and I have been chronically fatigued for almost 40 years. So,when the pandemic hit and the lockdowns followed, I could empathizewith the problems many peoplewere facing. Iwas determined to use my photography to bring people joy during the pandemic and started adding inspirational quotes to my photos – they’ve gone down a storm. Mywork means more to me than money – it’s my therapy, and the fact it also brings joy to other people is the icing on the cake. For my shot, The Lights, I spotted a full moonwhile driving home and decided to showallthe light sources in the scene, including the full moon and both lighthouses.” Boost your self-esteem RESEARCH by SANE (a leading UK charity providing emotional support and information to anyone affected by mental illness) suggests that taking part in creative activities like photography can help people with depression, anxiety and PTSD by boosting self-esteem, reducing stress and combating loneliness. People don’t think twice about maintaining good physical health, so this month set aside a little time for a wellbeing workout. To start, simply pick up your camera… Sunsets and sunrises can be challenging but well worth the trips,reminding us ofthe soothing power of nature “Taking part in creative activitieslike photography can help people with depression” THAT FEEL-GOOD FACTOR Discover how using Canon cameras can be greatfor boosting mindfulness, offering a wellbeing workoutfor a better life
FRAMEOF MIND Exploring and shooting scenery on your doorstep will put you in a better frame of mind Escape to the country THERE ARE KXJH KHDOWK EHQHÀWV WR VLPSO\ JHWWLQJ outside in beautiful locations, getting some fresh air, and having a break from our busy schedules and lifestyles. Taking your camera gives you an excuse to walk, seemingly aimlessly, around the countryside looking for photo ops. We get a sense of great accomplishment when we take a nice photo. If it’s a sunny blue-sky day, you’ll be boosting your vitamin D and serotonin levels. But what about camera settings? Use a standard zoom lens, shoot in Av mode at f/8 and Auto ISO, and forget about it! TheCanonMagazine 33
34 www.digitalcameraworld.com MENTALHEALTH Itworkswonders “TEN MONTHS ago my personal life turned upside down, however getting out with the camera has worked wonders. Sometimes I will go out for a walk with just the camera and one lens, and then there will be times where I would go out to capture a particular shot I had in my mind. Being out with my camera, standing in the landscape, takes my mind off all my worries. It can work wonders for the mind, body and soul.” Nick Hanson, award-winning landscape photographer www.nickhanson.co.uk Express yourself I’VE OFTEN felt that battling depression and living with ADHD is like watching your life spiral out of control – you often can’t stop it. Photography KHOSHG PH ÀQG VRPH VRUW RI FRQWURO WKDW I needed, gave me a way to express myself and show the world how I saw it. It gave me a chance to step back and appreciate those smaller, more joyful moments. Whether that was in building a set or the simplicity RI D EORRPLQJ ÁRZHU LQ VSULQJ Tamara Raw, Canon portrait photographer and model Photography offers a great way to help you focus on yourself and to be creative PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE KEY Inspiring stories of how photography has been a lifesaver for you
TheCanonMagazine 35 CALMWITH CANON Finding an outlet PHOTOGRAPHY saved my life. Having dealt with depression and addiction, photography gives me an outlet to express my mental health. From self-portraits to express what I am feeling inside to using things I learned in PhotoPlus and applying them to my craft. I use creativity as a tool to help my mental health and, to be honest, when I am using my camera I am at my happiest. Photography isn’t just my craft, it’s part of my recovery. Paul L Peterson, Canon photographer Landscapes can draw the eye and ease the mind when your wellbeing needs a boost “When I am using my camera I am at my happiest” “Photographyisn’t justmy craft, it’s part ofmyrecovery”
www.digitalcameraworld.com MENTALHEALTH Shooting by the sea IT CAN be very relaxing witnessing sunrises and sunsets by the sea, you can almost feel your blood pressure drop, and the tension release from your shoulders, as you breathe in the sea air, taking photo after photo of the beautiful scene. If you’re shooting at sea level, while waves lap gently around your feet, just remember to dig your tripod legs into the sand for added stability when using slower shutter speeds to artistically blur the motion of the water. Lost in the moment ”WHEN I received my diagnoses of ME and endometriosis before the pandemic, I thought I wouldn’t be able to carry on with photography. Surprisingly, I have leaned into it even more, by adapting to my physical restrictions, focusing on personal projects to help with my mental health and using this time to print and exhibit work. Photography can help you to be present and focus on what’s physically around you, really making you take note of the environment you’re in and yet, at other times, it can distract you, getting lost in the moment behind the lens.” Siân Elizabeth, pro beauty & portrait photographer Immerse yourselfin personal projects and capture the beauty ofthe moment STRESS-BUSTING SHOOTS Overcoming both physical andmental challenges by taking photos to put you in the right head space
TheCanonMagazine 37 Time spent on the beach can lower your blood pressure as you relax with serene scenery and calming waves at sunset Camera skills at home “I HAVE a friend who is 95 years old, virtually housebound and has no interest whatsoever in daytime TV. Sitting in a chair all day with nothing to do can be a real killer for mental health, but he’s recently rediscovered his love of photography. Even though he doesn’t get out and about, he’s fascinated in the latest cameras, how they work, and what they can do. Taking photos indoors and occasional wildlife in the garden, and tinkering around with cameras and lenses all keeps him in a positive frame of mind.” Alan Musgrave, amateur photographer You don’t need the latest kitto take great photos at home. Even an older Canon EOS DSLR will bag you greatresults of still life setups indoors and garden wildlife at home “He doesn’t get out and about but he’sfascinated in the latest cameras” POSITIVITYINPHOTOGRAPHY Getty/ Chalabala
38 www.digitalcameraworld.com MENTALHEALTH Learn to develop your skills and explore the world of photography as a way to connect with others PAUL Wareham, Marketing Director of Wex Photo Video, says: “Photography can be so much more than a hobby; it’s a powerful tool for conveying emotion. By giving those ZLWK PHQWDO KHDOWK GLIÀFXOWLHV access to masterclasses, equipment and ongoing support, we want to connect them to a wider community; help develop their self-esteem and give them a channel for self-expression.” Three community groups have Connectwitha community signed up to be a part of their programme including Arts Network in London, creativeShift in Bristol and START Centre in Greater Manchester. Wex Photo Video will host in-person photography masterclasses to educate participants about the art and the science of photography, develop their skills and techniques as well as show how photography can be used as a creative outlet to destress and unwind. The masterclasses will be led by professional photographer Daniel Regan (www.danielregan.photography) who uses the power of photography to IDFLOLWDWH GLIÀFXOW FRQYHUVDWLRQV DQG explore complex emotional experiences on the transformational impact of arts on mental health. Even better, participants in the programme will be provided with Canon EOS cameras to use, and their photos printed out in special journals. Plus Wex Photo Video will provide online resources so people can continue to explore the world of photography. PHOTOGRAPHY ON PRESCRIPTION How social prescribing photography can help improve your mental health Daniel Regan: Jennifer fromAlopecia Uncovered
TheCanonMagazine 39 EXPLORETHE OUTSIDE Bright, sunny days will always lift your spirits as well as capturing the scenes for posterity Socialprescribing A NEW programme has been launched as a pilot by Wex Photo Video to make photography available on prescription for those struggling with mental health. Supported by the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP) and accessible through social prescribing, the project will provide patients and community groups free access to photography masterclasses and Canon camera equipment, with the goal of improving their mental health. NHS doctor and Mental Health ambassador Dr Alex George, who endorses social prescribing, supports the project. He says: “Social prescribing can boost self-esteem and improve your mental wellbeing. Having recently taken up photography, I can say ÀUVWKDQG WKDW WKHUH LV VRPHWKLQJ WUXO\ UHPDUNDEOH about being behind the camera. The saying goes that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ – that’s exactly what makes photography such a powerful outlet for self-expression.” Resources & support We’re not medical experts so please do seek professional help if you need guidance with your mental health or any other issues that we’ve touched on in this guide. And remember, there’s no shame in asking for help. www.sane.org.uk Also see ‘photography has the power to improve our mentalwellbeing’ at bit.ly/sane_photo Wex Photo Video Photography as a Therapeutic Tool https://events.wexphotovideo.com/ photography-as-a-therapeutic-tool NHS Every Mind Matters www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters Samaritans www.samaritans.org “Call us any time, day or night – free from any phone, call116 123. Orwrite us an email. Sometimes writing down yourthoughts and feelings can help you understand them better. Email jo@samaritans.org. An emailresponse may take several days.” Digitalcameraworld.com We have lots ofinspiring articles about why taking photos improves your wellbeing at our brilliantwebsite, such as this article via quick link bit.ly/dcw_wellbeing Getty/ AlexSava
42 www.digitalcameraworld.com THECLAPPCOLUMN NEXT MONTH SWEDEN Q , PDGH P\ ÀUVW WULS WR 6W 3HWHUVEXUJ DQG 0RVFRZ 7KH DUFKLWHFWXUH RI WKLV FRXQWU\ KDV DOZD\V IDVFLQDWHG PH ZLWK LWV LQFUHGLEOH SDODWLDO PDVWHUSLHFHV OLNH WKH +HUPLWDJH DQG 6W %DVLO·V &DWKHGUDO :KHQ P\ ZLIH·V VFKRRO RUJDQL]HG D WULS WR WKHVH IDEXORXV FLWLHV , ZDV GHHPHG UHVSRQVLEOH HQRXJK WR DFFRPSDQ\ WKH JURXS DV DQ DVVLVWDQW ² DQG , ZRXOG DOVR EH IUHH WR SXUVXH P\ RZQ DJHQGD On arriving in Moscow, we stay in the popular Hotel Cosmos. It looks like it could also be a nightclub from the gaudy red strips of neon and mirror balls. The following day’s excursions are to ecclesiastical sites, ending with a trip to the GUM department store, which has some superb symmetry. I have planned a day on the underground, with the intention of shooting more precision symmetry on the platforms of fabulous art deco stations. One in particular has Stalinist imagery and is high on my list. I have a new (in 2006) Canon 5D, an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, an adapted Contax 35-70mm f/3.4 and an EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM in my kit bag, plus I also need a tripod, because these places are not particularly well lit. I arrive at the Ploschad underground station and exit the train. The platform is busy and after the crowds disperse, I get a chance to examine the beautiful bronzes. There is a man with his arm around a GRJ D ÀHOG ZRUNHU ZLWK D VF\WKH DQG many more, all of which could be photographs in themselves. With the platform now empty, I swiftly put up my tripod, thinking out my shot as I do. It’s going to need 20 seconds at least if I am to keep the ISO low, and the aperture will need to be at around f/11. I assemble everything, swap to portrait orientation and take a shot. Then the unexpected happens. In the dying seconds of the exposure, a large policeman walks into the frame. He is surprised to see me and engages me in Russian. I try to explain I am English and he asks me for my passport. “No passport,” I reply. “Passport…” he demands. ´3DVVSRUW DW +RWHO &RVPRVµ , FRQÀUP “Passport…” We are getting nowhere. Then the fear KLWV PH KH·V OLQNLQJ KLV ÀUVW WZR ÀQJHUV together, the global sign for “I am going to arrest you if you don’t give me your passport.” I grab my guide book. Perhaps I could order him a beer and get myself out of this. The sweat is forming on my brow as I grapple with tourist phrases. He takes the book from me and strangely we now seem to be working together. Bored of this dumb English guy, he gestures me away. I dismantle my tripod faster than I ever have and extend my hand in gratitude. He stares at me so I head to the escalator. As I ascend slowly to my new-found freedom, a wave of relief causes me to break a nervous smile. Out on the street, I walk into Red Square. There is St Basil’s Cathedral, ÁRRGOLW DQG EHDXWLIXO LQ WKH EOXH KRXU Leaving my tripod low, I grab my EF 70-200mm f/4L lens, at f/11, compose a portrait shot, and during the eight-second exposure, I see a man walking towards me. He opens his wallet. His ID says KGB. “Get your tripod, your camera and leave now, or I will arrest you,” he demands. I immediately do as he says. Safely back on the bus later on, the kids delight in my tales of nearly being imprisoned twice in one day. Almost arrested twice in Moscow A trip on the Moscow underground nearly ends in dire consequences, and then an hour later, it happens again! Moscow, Russia. 15:44pm. 17 October 2006. “Getyourtripod,your camera and leave now, orI will arrestyou” DAVID CLAPP Canon professional photographer DAVID CLAPP has been a full-time Canon professional photographerfor15 years and forthe last12 he has lead exciting workshops. He regularlyworks for Canon UK and is represented by Getty Images. Visitwww.davidclapp.co.uk for a portfolio of inspiring photos and information on all of hisworkshops.
CANONPROCLAPP TheCanonMagazine 43 David managed to grab this shot of St Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square before nearly being arrested Lens Canon EF 70-200mmf/4LIS USM Exposure 8 sec, f/11, ISO200
TheCanonMagazine 45 Welcome… THIS month we have a plethora of photo projects and editing tutorials for you to sink your teeth in to. Starting on page 46, James runs through the differences between luminosity masks and HDR, so you can use the best techniques to improve your landscapes. On page 50, I show you how to practise your panning shots to inject motion into your sports and action images, making them even more eye-catching. Over on page 52, I’ve been getting into the Halloween spirit and show you how to shoot and edit together a fun spooky light painting image using your free start files. If you’d rather brush up on your editing skills, we have three great image-editing tutorials this month, starting with Sean’s RAW conversion using Lightroom Classic CC (page 56), while James runs through AI face-masking tools in Photoshop (page 58). For all things Affinity, go to page 60, where you’ll find how to apply an IR look. WHENEVER YOU see thisicon,you’ll find an accompanying videoto watch online,soyou can follow along. You can view thevideoson a smartphone, tabletor computer. Seethelinks on the project pages. VIEW THE VIDEOS Sharpen up your photography skills with our all-new photo projects and expert guides DanMold Deputyeditor dan.mold@futurenet.com VIDEOGUIDES#211 HOW TO VIEW OUR VIDEO GUIDES ONLINE ALL OF OUR NEWPHOTO PROJECT AND IMAGE-EDITING VIDEOS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE VIA THEWEB LINKS ON PAGES 46-61! VIEWTHE VIDEO New projects with video guides FollowourCanon camerawalkthrough guides and Photoshop editing videos 58Tool School Find out aboutthe cleverAI face-masking tools in PhotoshopCC 60Affinity Photo Give yourlandscapes the infrared treatmentinAffinity 46The perfect blend Find the best exposure blend method for betterlandscape images 52Spooky nightscenes! Paintwith lightto turn buildings into haunted houses 50 Pan for perfection Track and pan amoving subjectfor dramatic action photos 56LightroomClassic CC Edit yourRAWs in Lightroom to polish themup to perfection
46 www.digitalcameraworld.com THE MISSION Learn howto shoot bracketed exposures and compare HDR and Luminosity Masking techniques Time needed One hour Skill level Intermediate Kit needed Camera, tripod, Photoshop CC PROJECT 1 WATCHVIDEOONLINE http://bit.ly/pp_211_1 VIEWTHE VIDEO High Dynamic Range vs LuminosityMasking Both of these exposure blending techniques canworkwonders on your landscapes, so JamesPaterson helps you decidewhich is best for you f you’re into landscape photography, you’ve probably heard of HDR imaging. It involves using software to blend a set of bracketed exposures into a single image with a high dynamic range, which enables us to display detail in very bright and very dark areas. It’s especially useful for sunrise or sunset landscapes, as the sky is usually so much brighter than the land, so recording a balanced exposure without using HDR can be a challenge. However, there is a second option that’s perhaps less practised, but potentially more effective. Luminosity Masking is similar to HDR in that it lets us blend bright and dark frames, but it’s more of a manual process of layering and masking images in Photoshop, using the luminosity of different areas to create seamless blends. As such, it has a steeper learning curve than HDR, but with greater control comes results that are often more nuanced. Both HDR and Luminosity Masking are forms of exposure blending, so we need more than one exposure to work with. This is where bracketing with your EOS camera comes in. But there’s more to it than simply engaging your Canon’s bracketing mode. Read on and we’ll explain everything. I DOWNLOAD PROJECT FILES TO YOUR COMPUTER FROM: http://downloads. photoplusmag.com/pp211.zip
TheCanonMagazine 47 EXPOSURE BLENDING 01 WHAT IS BRACKETING? Bracketing is setting your camera to shoot three, five, seven or nine frames while it varies the exposure to allow in more or less light, giving images of differing brightness. It opens the door to exposure blending, and provides a safety net against clipped highlights or shadows, and the luxury of picking the best exposure if one will suffice. 02 SOLID TRIPOD When shooting bracketed sets, it’s always best to use a sturdy tripod so that all the frames are in perfect alignment. Try to avoid touching the camera between frames. If you don’t have a tripod to hand, you might be able to get away with hand-holding your camera, but keep as still as possible and fire off your set rapidly. 03 FRAMES & INCREMENTS Set up bracketing in your camera menu. You can choose the number of frames, and set the increments between each. To keep things simple, set the increments to +1 and -1 stops and shoot eitherthree or five frames. Three is fine for normal lighting conditions, while five is betterin high contrast or when shooting into the sun. 06 USE A TIMER One of the easiest ways to set your camera off when shooting a bracketed set is to use a two-second timer. Most cameras automatically fire the bracketed set in quick succession after the timer without you needing to touch the camera body or mess around with any buttons between frames. 05 MOVEMENT IN THE SCENE Any movement in the frame, such as blowing branches, fast-moving clouds or – in this case – rolling seas, can cause a mismatch when it comes to blending your exposures later, so try to avoid it if possible. A long shutter speed of a few seconds can help to smooth out rough seas and make frames easier to blend. 04 MODES MATTER Bracketing behaves differently depending on your exposure mode. If in Aperture Priority (Av) or Manual Mode, the shutter speed automatically varies over the set. But in Shutter Priority (Tv), the aperture varies instead. Typically, you’ll want to avoid Tv mode, as a varying aperture means inconsistent depth of field. ESSENTIAL SKILLS BEST PRACTICE FOR BRACKETING Howmanyframes, howmanystops andwhich exposuremode doyou usefor bracketing photos? 04 03 01 06 05 02
48 www.digitalcameraworld.com PROJECT 1 WATCHVIDEOONLINE http://bit.ly/pp_211_1 VIEWTHE VIDEO 01 TRY AN HDR Highlight the images in Adobe Bridge, right-click and Open In Camera Raw. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+A to select them, right-click and choose Merge To HDR. Adjust settings to suit. Hit OK. A new HDR DNG image is created, which you can edit with Camera Raw’s tonal tools. 03 RUN THE ACTION Download the supplied Action set(see above left). Go to Window>Actions in Photoshop. Click the flyout menu and choose Load Actions. Once done, click the Luminosity Mask 5 Levels action and hit the play button. This creates channels for different levels of luminosity. 05 PAINT A MASK Reveal the layer that has a darker sky, then go to Layer >Mask>Hide All. Grab the Brush tool, set colour to white and brush opacity 50%, then paint over the sky to gradually reveal the darker, more vibrant colours in the highlights. Once done hit Cmd/Ctrl+D to deselect. 02 TRY LUMINOSITY MASKING Highlight the bracketed frames in Adobe Bridge, then go to Tools>Photoshop>Load Files Into Photoshop Layers. Highlight all the layers and go to Edit>AutoAlign Layers. Choose the most balanced exposure, drag this layer to the bottom and hide the others. 04 TARGET THE HIGHLIGHTS Go to the Channels Panel (Window>Channels) and click on the different channels for highlights. Choose the one that targets the brighter parts of the sky. Hold Cmd/Ctrl and click on the channel to load the white parts as a selection, then click on the RGB channel. 06 REVEAL SHADOW DETAILS Go back to the Channels Panel and click through the shadows channels. Choose one that targets the deepest shadows. Cmd/Ctrl+click it. Go to the Layers Panel and reveal the brightest layer. Add a black mask and paint white to reveal more detail in the shadows. TOP TIPS BLENDING YOUR EXPOSURES Learn howto useHDRand LuminosityMasking, and decidewhich is betterforyourworkflow FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD You can download your freestart filesfrom http://downloads. photoplusmag.com/ pp211.zip We’ve provided five images brackets01.jpg to brackets05.jpg ifyou wanttotrythestepson therightwith ourimages. There’s also a free Action setyou’ll need for Step 3 – thisisin the downloads foldercalled ‘Luminosity Mask 10 Free Actions.atn’ DOUBLE PROCESSING Ifyou forgettoshoot a bracketed set,you could try double processing. Thisinvolvesrunning thesameimagethrough Adobe Camera Raw twice, processing itonce fortheshadows, and onceforthe highlights. Open an imagein Camera Rawand adjust tonesfortheshadows, then hold Shift and click the Open Object button to open itin Photoshop as a Smart Object. Right-click thelayer and choose NewSmart Object Via Copy,then double-click thethumbnailofthe copytosend it backto Camera Rawand process itforthe highlights. Hit Done,then blend your two different processes withmasksorluminosity blending techniques.
TheCanonMagazine 49 EXPOSURE BLENDING TOP TIPS THE PROBLEMWITH HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGES TOP TIPS ENHANCE YOUR SUNSETS Trythesesimpleediting tricksto boostthose beautifulsunsettones 01 PAINT COLOURS IN SOFT LIGHT Make a new layer in Photoshop and set the Blend Mode to Soft Light. Grab the Brush tool, hold Alt and click to sample a colour from the sunset. Using a soft-edged brush, paint around the coloured areas of the sky to enhance the colour. Lower the layer opacity. You can repeat for another colour if you like. 02 USE CHANNEL MIXER Add a Channel Mixer adjustment layer in Photoshop. Select Output Channel: Red, then set Red +200, Green -50, Blue -50. Next, go to the Blue Channel and set Blue +200, Red -50, Green -50. Adjust the layer opacity to control the strength of the effect, and paint black on the layer mask if you want to hide it in areas. 03 TWEAK CAMERA CALIBRATION Open your image in Camera Raw and go to the Calibration Panel. Try increasing the Red Primary Saturation slider to about +40 and set the Red Primary Hue to -10. Then go to the Blue Primary and increase Saturation to +20 and set Hue to -5. Experiment with the saturation strength to get the effect you want. HDR HAS a bad reputation because of the over-the-top look we often see, but that has more to do with slider-happy editing and the awful presets in HDR editors. Think of HDR more as a tool than an effect. As a tool, it lets us expand our dynamic range, create 32-bit images and allows greater flexibility when pulling detail out of highlights and shadows. But as an effect, it’s often associated with radioactive colour saturation and gritty, hyper-real details. As forthe technique, there are lots of HDR apps, like Photomattix, which we used to merge this set. HDR is often more suited to urban scenes, architectural photography and interiors, as the hyper-real effect doesn’t seem as severe compared to scenes of the natural world. Ultimately, the problem with HDR is the lack of control in how yourimages are blended, and control is exactly what Luminosity Masking gives you. Terrible presets and overcooked images have givenHDRa bad name, but as a tool itcan be hugely useful
50 www.digitalcameraworld.com THE MISSION Masterthe panning technique for dynamic action and sports shots Time needed One hour Skill level Intermediate Kit needed • Canon EOS DSLR or mirrorless • A short telephoto zoom lens • A monopod Perfectyour panning shots Inject speedinto your action shots by adding moredramawith some motion blur –Dan Moldhits the streets to showyouhow... 02 USE A MONOPOD While not essential, a monopod comes in very handy for panning shots as it helps reduce any motion on the vertical axis, so you’re left with justthe panning motion on the horizontal axis. You could also use a tripod with one leg extended instead. 03 IMAGE STABILIZATION If yourlens has an IS ON/OFF switch,turn this offto stop it correcting the blurthatis essentialfor a panning shot.Some lenses, like ourCanon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L, have differentIS modes; in this case choose Mode 2, which only corrects vertical movement. 01 CAMERA SETTINGS Put your camera into Shutter priority (Tv) mode, and set the ISO to 100, then frame up on your scene, and dial in a shutter speed of around 1/30 sec, noting the aperture. Now go into Manual mode and enter the same settings to lock them off. STEP BY STEP ADD A SENSE OF SPEED Followourexperttipstocreatetherightsortof blurin your action shots ast-paced action can be one of the trickier genres of photography to master. You need TXLFN UHÁH[HV WR DXWRIRFXV and change settings on the Á\ EXW WKHUH·V D KXJH VHQVH of accomplishment when you nail the shot. One way of making your action shots look more dynamic is with a technique called panning. This is where you pan – or move – your camera to track and follow your VXEMHFW VXFK DV D FDU ELUG LQ ÁLJKW or, in our case, a cyclist. This method of tracking your subject WKURXJK WKH YLHZÀQGHU RU /&' screen), paired with a slower shutter speed, results in a shot where your subject should be sharp and the background has been turned into a wonderful rush of motion blur and colour. In this project, we cover the core essentials to help you get started with panning. One extra step you can take that will help with your action photography is to enable back-button focusing. 0DQ\ &DQRQ (26 FDPHUDV have this capability and have a dedicated AF-ON button on the back of the camera that you can assign the autofocus activation to, which means the shutter button is WKHQ SXUHO\ IRU ÀULQJ WKH VKXWWHU and doesn’t interfere with your autofocus. If you’d like to try this RXW JR WR \RXU &DQRQ FDPHUD·V &XVWRP &RQWUROV RU &XVWRPL]H %XWWRQV PHQX DQG VHW WKH 6KXWWHU button to half-press Metering 6WDUW WKHQ VHW WKH $)21 EXWWRQ WR 0HWHULQJ DQG $) 6WDUW 7KLV LV D super-handy method for all sorts of photographic disciplines, but particularly helpful for action and wildlife scenes because you have DFFHVV WR &RQWLQXRXV $) 6LQJOH 6HUYR $) DQG 0DQXDO IRFXV DOO without diving into menus. It’s also worth remembering that you ideally want to start taking shots before your subject passes in front of you, then track them through the frame, only UHOHDVLQJ \RXU WULJJHU ÀQJHU ZKHQ they’ve passed, because this helps you get a smoother panning motion. In a good panning shot, you either have the subject approaching you, or are perfectly side-on; you don’t want an image where you see the back of your subject going away from you. F PROJECT 2 WATCHVIDEOONLINE http://bit.ly/pp_211_2 VIEWTHE VIDEO PRO TIP Whileyou can track fast-moving subjects with a group of AF points and continuous AI Servo autofocus,youmay have betterresultswith the brilliantface and subject detection on newer cameraslikethe Canon EOS R5. You can also changeyour AF Casesin the Canonmenu torefine your autofocus,too.