T INTO DAY Left Night and day At first glance, this image looks as though it was taken in daylight. However, the giveaway that it’s a nighttime shot is the surreal presence of stars in the blue sky What you’ll need Fast wide-angle prime lens Shutter remote Lightroom Classic Photoshop Tripod 51
2 Set manual focus Set your lens to MF mode as this offers more control than autofocus. Also, make sure that image stabilisation, whether optical or in-body, is switched off because this can reduce sharpness when cameras are attached to a tripod. 3 Focus on the stars With Live View turned on, zoom the on-screen image into the brightest star you can see in the sky. Turning on focus peaking is also helpful. Then focus the star until it is as small as possible, which indicates that it is sharp. If you are using focus peaking set to red, the focused star will also have a red outline. 4 Use a star filter If you have a star filter, place it in the filter holder. It’s easier to focus on stars without the filter in place because the filter applies a blurring effect to stars with no effect in the lower half of the filter, like graduated ND filters. That means the ground area remains nice and sharp. 5 Shoot for the stars In manual mode, set the aperture to f/1.8 or wider with ISO at 1,000 and the shutter speed at five seconds as a starting point. You can now adjust the exposure using ISO and shutter speed until the image looks bright enough. For this scene, a shutter speed of six seconds at ISO 640 was ideal alongside f/1.8. 6 Shoot for the ground Remove the star filter and manually focus for landscape photography. Set the shutter speed to Bulb, aperture to f/11 and ISO to 400. Use a shutter remote to manually hold it open. For this scene, an exposure of five minutes was required. Shooting steps 135 26 4 1 Setup in daylight Set up your camera and compose the shot during daylight. Use the virtual horizon to make sure that the camera is level on both axes and use the on-screen grid to assist with rule-of-thirds composition. Here, the exposure was increased so the foreground was clear in the frame before resetting everything. 52 SHOOTING SKILLS
The setup Plan shoots around the moon phase Use an app to identify the best times and weather conditions Planning is at the heart of any landscape shoot, not to mention lots of good luck with the weather. But with the night-forday technique, you need a bright moon – ideally a full moon – and a clear sky. Weather apps are a simple way to judge the weather and Clear Outside is one of the best because of its detailed information about cloud cover. For the location, moon phase, moon rise and fall and its travel throughout the sky, PhotoPills is another useful app and is available for both Android and iOS. The best thing about this app is that you can access all of the information while viewing any location with satellite data from Google Maps to ensure the moon won’t be in your shots. Ideally, it should be to the side of the subject or behind you as you shoot. SHUTTER REMOTE A shutter remote control allows you to release the shutter without causing camera shake. It is also essential for holding the shutter open when shooting in Bulb mode for manually timed exposures STAR FILTER Star filters are designed to make stars appear larger and the NiSi Star Soft Filter is a great option. This isn’t essential kit, but it will make stars look more prominent against the blue sky TRIPOD A sturdy tripod is essential for keeping the camera steady during long exposures. One exposure will only be up to 10 seconds, while the other will be several minutes long FAST PRIME A fast wide-angle prime, such as a 20mm f/1.8, is ideal for this technique. You can shoot with lenses that have a slower maximum aperture, but this means using much higher ISO settings 53 TURN NIGHT INTO DAY
Editing steps 1 Process the first image In Lightroom, process the first image as you would any other – aim to get the detail, brightness, contrast and white balance looking right. Avoid using Luminance Noise Reduction as this can diminish the appearance of the least bright stars. However, using Colour NR is fine. 2 Sync and Export Hold Shift and left-click on the second exposure. Click the Sync button, then Check All and Synchronize to sync settings. You may need to adjust Exposure and White Balance of the second image. Right-click on the two images and go to Edit In> Open as Layers in Photoshop. 3 Auto-Align exposures With the sky image at the top of the stack, select both to make them active. Next, go to Edit>Auto-Align Layers and when the dialogue opens, use the default settings and hit OK. This will align the images to correct any minor camera movements between the exposures. 4 Crop the image If there is space around the image, activate the Crop Tool and make sure the preset is set to Original Ratio before cropping. Turn off the visibility of the top Layer to see how much of the image needs cropping. 5 Select the sky With the sky image active and at the top of the Layer stack, go to Select>Sky. Click on the Layer Mask icon to reveal the sharper ground exposure at the bottom. Use Select and Mask to refine the selection. 6 Make adjustments With the two exposures blended, apply adjustments as required, such as cloning out a camera shadow on the ground. For this image, adjustments to brightness, contrast and colour correction were applied with cloning. 3 4 2 5 6 1 Right Light simple, edit simple Shooting at sunset produces a bright and vibrant image, but the moonlit version has a surreal quality that will cause the viewer to pause and do a double-take 54 SHOOTING SKILLS
BEFORE AFTER AFTER BEFORE 55 TURN NIGHT INTO DAY
Sometimes, the best subjects or most spectacular landscapes are right in front of us but we can’t access them. For example, when passing mountains, cliffs or bridges by car it may be too dangerous to leave the vehicle. Or, if you are travelling by coach or train, there is no way of stopping immediately. Taking photos as you pass is the only option, but this can also offer a new perspective of famous landmarks. Sitting in a car, bus or train has the advantage that the viewing angle is different from the well-known photographs we see all the time. Taking drive-by shots can be a great pastime on longer journeys, so you don’t miss any of the breathtaking scenery and also capture the mood of travelling and adventure. In general, there are two types of drive-by photo. The artistic out-of-focus picture and the ones that are clear and sharp and give a glimpse of the landscape in all its detail. The former has an interesting visual effect that can make us dream of travelling. Here, different exposure times can be used to create various intensities of motion blur. Intentional camera movement can also produce some great effects. To create sharp drive-by images, consider the technical settings needed to develop a sense of speed. Shutter speed has the priority here – the faster the vehicle, the faster this setting should be. Don’t let travelling at high speed stop you from shooting beautiful landscape images from inside a moving vehicle 1 Plan your shoot If you aren’t already on a road trip, then plan your shoot. First of all, you will need a driver. Avoid rainy days and shooting at night. To practice your skills, start with environments where you know the speed limits and when you will reach the scenery. 4 Stay steady Always keep your seat belt fastened, no matter how tempting the scenery. Don’t lean on the car door, especially on bumpy roads. To reduce the risk of blur, select the vibration reduction in your camera menu and work in continuous focus mode. 2 Prioritise settings Avoid motion blur by working with fast shutter speeds, starting around 1/500sec to freeze vehicle movement. Compensate this by using higher ISO values. Work with an f/number of around f/8 to improve the overall sharpness. 5 Clear your view Lower the window to avoid the need to retouch dirt or unwanted reflections. If you can’t, use your lens hood and get as close to the window as possible to reduce reflections. Here, shadows will be hard to recover in editing without causing noise. 3 Select burst mode Sometimes even a second makes all the difference when you are shooting a scene from a fast-moving vehicle. Shoot in burst mode and keep the shutter button pressed down. This way, the camera takes a series of pictures all at once. 6 Shoot, shoot, shoot Ideally, shoot from the side windows in the back seat to avoid including the car mirror in the frame. Take a few test shots and always pay attention to the speed limit so that you get a better feeling for calculating optimal shutter speeds. Capture sharp drive-by scenes Inset Blurry result This picture has no sharpness. The effect is clearly unintentional as the scenery loses detail but lacks energy Main Exciting insights The unique perspective shows the scenery in a different light and the sharpness enriches the overall impression ADAPT TO THE SITUATION If you can’t avoid reflections or shooting in the rain, then get creative. A well-placed reflection or extra raindrops can enhance your image, adding new visual layers and atmosphere. Think differently and play with blurring and sharpness, for example. 56 SHOOTING SKILLS
AFTER BEFORE x2 © Kim Bunermann 57
Main Adjusted in seconds After lightening the headland and rocks in the foreground and darkening the sky, the image has more detail and feels better balanced Insert Imbalanced exposure There’s nothing wrong with this image, but some areas are lighter or darker than they should be so we can adjust the exposure balance further Quickmask is one of Photoshop’s more underused tools; allowing you to make precise selections through painting with the Brush Tool. So, whether you’re cutting out an element of an image or applying local adjustments, Quickmask can be the best tool available for the job. We’re going to use it here to apply precise dodging and burning style adjustments as quickly and easily as possible. Use Quickmask to apply fast and precise local adjustments in Photoshop Make localised adjustments What you’ll be using Palette Color Quickmask Brush Tool Curves Levels PHOTOSHOP TUTORIAL 1 Process the image Make any minor adjustments, such as global adjustments using Adjustment Layers, as well as any cloning work. The aim is to get the image as a whole looking just right before moving on to making more precise localised adjustments. Save your image as a TIFF to maintain Layers. 4 Create a second selection Here, we used a large soft edge brush (Hardness zero percent) along the top section of the sky in Quickmask mode. We created a Curves Adjustment Layer and pulled the Curve down to the right to darken the section of sky to add emphasis to the foreground area of the scene. 2 Paint in Quickmask Press Q to enter Quickmask mode, then press D to set the Palette Colors to black and white. Use X to toggle between the two – black paints in, white erases and brush hardness controls feathering. Next, select the Brush Tool and paint over the desired area of the headland. 5 Apply more adjustments You can make as many localised adjustments as required to make your images look their best. The final adjustment here was to paint over the rocks in the foreground so that they could be lightened alongside a contrast boost using levels. This helped maintain a natural look after lightening. 3 Make adjustments Press Q on the keyboard to exit Quickmask and the red mask will become a selection with marching ants. Create an Adjustment Layer and the selection will add a mask alongside the Layer. For this image, the headland was lightened with contrast added to reveal hidden detail. James Abbott is a professional photographer and photography journalist, specialising in shooting and editing techniques. He recently released his first book, covering professional image editing skills in both Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo. @jamesaphoto www.jamesaphoto.co.uk Meet the editing pro KEY TIP IT’S ALL JUST PAINTING When using Quickmask, black paints in while white erases – just like Layer Masks. Hard brushes create a hard edge while brushes with a soft edge create a feathered edge. Selections created can also be adjusted using Select and Mask. All images © James Abbott 58 EDITING SKILLS: PHOTOSHOP
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Inset Exposed to the right The image has retained detail both in the shadows and the highlights but needs to be darkened to more closely match the original moodiness Main Deep mood Once the exposure has been reduced, the whites brightened and the individual colour channel saturation adjusted, the scene looks moodier 1 Process the RAW file Process your images as usual but without adjusting HSL, using Masking where necessary to apply localised adjustments. To add contrast, use the Medium Contrast preset with the Tone Curve – we’ll use this as a starting point for applying the matte effect in a later step. 4 Adjust colder channels Next, work on the Green, Aqua and Blue channels. Here, Green was increased to -60, Aqua to -40 and Blue to -50. Purple and Magenta aren’t present, so were left at -100. Every image is different, so the channels you need to adjust and the amounts will be unique to that image. 2 Darken the image Reduce exposure by one or two stops using the Exposure slider – this image was darkened by 1.75. Once your image is suitably dark, increase Whites while holding down the Alt/Option key to ensure no highlight clipping occurs. For this image, Whites were increased from +40 to +65. 5 Finishing effects Go up to the tone curve and lift the bottom left corner point up the left side slightly. Click on the next point along and lift it a little to add a matte effect. Now go down to Color Grading and apply a small amount of cyan to the Shadows and a touch of orange to the Highlights. 3 Adjust warmer channels Go down to the HSL controls and click on Saturation before reducing all channels to -100 to desaturate the image to black and white. Then increase the Red, Orange and Yellow sliders to bring back some colour. Here, Red was set to -60, Orange to -35 and yellow to -45. Any image can be transformed into a moody masterpiece, although those with some kind of dark moodiness to begin with will carry a more natural appearance after a reduction in exposure and saturation adjustments. That’s exactly the type of image we’ll work on here, and by darkening the image and saturation control, among other adjustments, we can create an image that looks as if it’s from a movie. Get a moody, desaturated effect with HSL controls Control saturation in individual channels What you’ll be using Basic controls Color Grading HSL controls Tone Curve Masking KEY TIP YELLOW DANGER This technique works for most images, but the amount of desaturation of each colour channel changes from one image to the next. Remember, yellow also affects foliage as well as skin tones so take more care with this channel than the others. LIGHTROOM TUTORIAL All images © James Abbott 60 EDITING SKILLS: LIGHTROOM
AFTER BEFORE 61
Inset Flat lights The neon light is present in the picture, but it is not reflected in other elements and the overall impression is of a rather bland cityscape shot Main Rich in depth The light correction strengthens the ambient light and creates a depth in the image that brings out the details while enhancing the overall atmosphere 1 Adjust exposure Open the Develop Persona option to adjust the Exposure and Shadows sliders. Pay attention to the background darkness and not the city lights as these will be edited in subsequent steps. After this adjustment, the values in the histogram should have shifted to the left. 4 Add Gradient Overlay Stay on the Background copy layer and select the Develop Persona option once again. Now go to the Overlays tab and add a Gradient Overlay by clicking on the second symbol in the right corner. Finally, set the type of gradient from Linear to Elliptical. 2 Select soft light mode After editing the overall exposure, click Develop to secure the adjustments. Change the blending mode to Soft Light to add a dodge and burn effect. If the specific elements are either brighter or darker than 50 percent grey, they will be automatically lightened or darkened. 5 Control the light Click and drag the gradient overlay close to the neon sign and adjust it to its optimal position using the control points. Adjust the feather on the gradient and push it right down to allow a smooth light transition. Go back to the Basic option to adjust the brightness. 3 Optimise background Add a Pixel Layer with Soft Light blend mode and select the Paint Brush tool. Select black in the colour chooser and go over the image to darken specific areas. To further fine-tune adjustments, go to Layer, New Live Filter Layer and select Shadows and Highlights. At night, the urban landscape has a unique mood that can be seen by the naked eye. However, capturing this with a camera can be a challenge, with many factors that must be taken into account and, often, the end result does not reproduce this unique atmosphere. Thankfully, Affinity Photo 2.0 features tools that let you make the most of light sources, improving the quality of your night shots with precise detail. Enhance the light in your shots to add more depth and atmosphere Make light sources pop What you’ll be using Develop Persona option Soft Light mode Pixel Layer Paint Brush tool Shadows/Highlights Live Filter Layer Elliptical Gradient Overlay KEY TIP CLEAN STRAY TUBE LIGHT Intensify the shadows to strengthen the neon light effect for the viewer. Use the Burn Brush tool and set the Tonal Range to Shadow. Zoom in on the image and paint over the affected areas with a soft brush. AFFINITY TUTORIAL 62 EDITING SKILLS: AFFINITY
AFTER BEFORE © John Coletti/The Image Bank via Getty Images 63
Use these five pro tips to boost traffic to your photography portfolio Online platforms and social media are now much more than just a way to present photos – they have become indispensable and affordable PR tools. The only problem is that everyone else uses them too, so how do you make your business stand out from others in this digital jungle? The first step to optimisation is to find out how quickly and under which search terms your business can be found in the world’s most popular search engine – and we all know that means Google. Here, a ‘Google My Business’ profile, with an overview of your services, location and contact details, will help you to be discovered. It is also useful to change the category of your Facebook business page to ‘Local Business’. This way, potential customers can easily find your photography business by adding ‘near me’ at the end of their search term. But there are more tricks to increase visibility and maximise the online experience for customers. Enhance website performance When customers are looking for photography services, they will most likely visit your website first, so provide a simple and self-explanatory user interface to enhance the experience. Keep the design simple and consistent to maintain a professional appearance. One of the most common mistakes photographers make is uploading their images at the highest resolution, which slows down the speed of the page and may put potential customers off. Don’t forget to add a contact form so that people can get in touch with you directly. INCREASE YOUR PHOTO VIEW COUNT Conclusion Whatever you do, think mobile! These days, websites are more often accessed from smartphones than desktop computers, so make sure your site is designed for this. Website providers often show a preview of how the site looks on a smartphone. Optimise the design and content on this basis and avoid overloading the page as it can be overwhelming on smaller screens. Optimise search engines Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is vital to drive more traffic to your business page. SEO is aimed at boosting your website’s position in search results by using keywords in your headlines, alt texts and descriptions and including them in the URL. To find the preferred search terms for photography businesses, use Google’s autocomplete feature or SEO tools such as Siteimprove. 64 PRINT & SHARE
These days, websites are often accessed from smartphones, so make sure your site is designed for mobile © AerialPerspective Images/Moment via Getty Images © Andrea Piacquadio Embed content Embedded content is an effective way to engage your viewers. They work similarly to backlinks but the customer does not have to leave your website to see the content. Videos or images are often embedded to add a visual layer from other platforms, such as YouTube. In general, videos are ideal for giving the customer a good first impression of you and a more personal insight into your work. Photographers can combine this with demonstrations of editing techniques or behind the scene insights. Stay connected Whatever social media platforms your business is on, make sure they are all connected. For example, you can add clickable icons to your website that will take potential customers directly to your Instagram, Facebook or Twitter page. This way, the client can easily follow your work without having to do any additional research. Focus on your three most important social media platforms and avoid adding too many links to give a professional appearance. Integrate backlinks Backlinks are great for directing your customers to content on other platforms, such as your blog, so they can engage with your work in more depth. These should be used especially if there has been a collaboration with another company or photographer. This has a bigger impact on search engine optimisation, as Google will associate your page with other professionals’ websites. However, be careful not to include too many backlinks on a page, as these can distract from your actual content. 65
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Avoid these rookie errors when shooting for stock sites and boost your earnings PHOTOGRAPHY © Kav Dadfar MISTAKES STOCK 67 The golden years of stock photography, when you could earn thousands from your images, may have passed, but if you are a photographer with a library of great images on your hard drive, it might still be worth submitting them to a stock site. You will no longer get rich from a few popular images but with the right type of work and strategy, you can earn a decent extra income.
All images © Kav Dadfar GO PRO 1 Choose the right stock site Before you sign up with a stock site, it’s important to do some research and find the right site for your work and your expectations. Are you happy to sell lots of photos for a few pennies each or would you prefer fewer sales but with a higher average price? It’s important to ensure the stock site that you submit your work to is right for your type of work. If you are a food photographer, submitting photos to a stock site that does not have food publications might not get you many sales. 2 Keep costs low Stock photography is like any other business, and you need to ensure that you can make a return on your investment. For example, if you spend thousands of pounds on a studio shoot, will you make enough sales to not only cover your costs but also make a profit? This is important because the numbers often make most shoots unviable. One of my biggest tips for stock photography is to always ensure that you keep your costs as low as possible. 3 Maximise your shoots To maximise your income, you need to ensure you make the most of each shoot. Whether you are shooting on location or in a studio, learn to work quickly and 68 Left Gateway to success Choose your stock site carefully. Do you want to sell lots of photos for a few pennies or fewer photos for a potentially greater return? Below left Magic moments If you are shooting travel images, shots of popular tourist destinations, such as Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, will be more in demand Right Good composition If your images will be used for a magazine cover, leave space at the top. Likewise, for a double-page spread, leave the centre free Right below Location unknown Don’t forget to tag your images with easily accessible keywords and add information such as the exact location it was taken
STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY MISTAKES 69 capture as many photos as possible. For example, if you are taking a landscape shot, look out for different angles but also other compositions around you, such as close-ups. Stock photography is a numbers game and the more photos you have the better your chances of making sales. 4 Shoot the right content Shooting the right content is important too – ideally, content with the highest likelihood of being licenced. For a travel photographer, these would be destinations that generally get the most coverage in the media. Stock photos from places like France, Germany, Spain or the USA sell far more than obscure far-flung destinations. To be a successful stock photographer it also pays to have a good understanding of the industry you are in. 5 Think about usage Make sure your photos can be used in as many places as possible. Think about the subject you are shooting and also the composition. An example is the cover shot of a magazine that requires a clear area near the top for the magazine’s title. If you compose your photo with the point of interest near the top, it’s unlikely it will be used as a cover shot. If you place your point of interest near the centre in a landscape photo, it will fall into the ‘gutter’ of the magazine and so it’s unlikely that it will be used as a double-page spread. 6 Captions and keywords Finally, I cannot emphasise the importance of good captions and keywords enough. I regularly search for stock photos for my travel magazine, JRNY, and have lost count of the times I have found a photo I want to use, but the caption was missing a location of where the photo was taken. This is critical to ensure that the photo is of the place mentioned in the copy. Or it didn’t include the exact species of the plant or the animal. And I don’t need to tell you that without comprehensive keywords, your images may not even show up when a picture editor is searching for photos.
We profile an expert photographer’s career journey for insight on becoming established in the industry Photo CV Cosmopolitan touch In his business, Thomas helps people create a cosmopolitan feel in their urban photography Charming views Thomas says he aims to capture the charm of a city so that the viewer feels part of the scene Paris catch Creating a body of work can be labour-intensive and time-consuming and requires perseverance Location: Paris, France Specialisms Landscapes Cityscapes Travel To see more of Thomas’s work: thomasspeck.com @thomasspeckphotos Thomas Speck Thomas Speck is an experienced photographer who primarily takes emotive cityscape and landscape images from his current base in Paris, France. Although he has a PhD in Science, he is a self-taught photographer, studying through online mentoring and intensive practice. His images focus on an artistic representation of colour and detail in a painterly style, making the most of directional lighting and colour contrasts in both natural and artificial light. 70 SOCIAL SPACE
When did you start out in your current photo genres? I’ve always been inspired by the contrast between cities and nature. This may come from the place in which I grew up, located in a region between the Black Forest in Germany, the Vosges mountains in France and the city of Basel in Switzerland. In my photography, I want to capture the charm of a city or the beauty of a landscape so that the viewer feels part of the scene. I love the cosmopolitan feel. What challenges did you face as a startup and how did you overcome them? In the beginning, I had some ideas on how a photograph should look artistically but I couldn’t create it that way because I was missing part of the craft. I didn’t know exactly what I was missing – as a self-taught photographer, the challenge was to find the necessary skills and learn them. Then, I had to create a body of work, such as I did in Paris. That turned out to be time-consuming and it took a lot of perseverance to overcome. What key skills are needed for your line of work? Firstly, you need a deep understanding of all the camera gear and proficiency in retouching. But I think the most important skill is artistic – to create a composition that visually captures the overall feeling of the scene. It also takes perseverance, because cityscape and landscape photography means being out in the field no what the weather or the time of the day. It takes patience to repeat the photo as often as necessary but you also need the ability to improvise and adapt to rapidly changing weather conditions. Which social platforms are you on, which are your favourites and how do you use each for your business? Though I still show my photographic journey on Instagram, I don’t use social media as much these days, since there was a move away from still images. In my business, I help people create a cosmopolitan feel in urban and landscape photography through person-to-person communication. It’s more personal to talk and listen to people who have contacted me rather than to drag anonymous social media traffic to a website. What are your future plans? I’ve already done some portrait photography over the years and, eventually, I would like to expand my business more in this direction. Career Path Thomas’s photo kit The essential gear he couldn’t do without for his cityscapes FUJIFILM GFX 100S Whatever kind of photography I’m doing, this is my preferred camera. It has good colour management and captures great detail with its Medium Format sensor. FUJIFILM GF 32-64MM F4 R LM WR My everyday lens in the field (24- 50mm equivalent). Sometimes I wish it could zoom a bit more, but it’s a great lens for my needs. SONY A7R III This was previously my everyday camera but I still take it on travel shoots as a backup camera or with a second lens that I’m missing for the Fujifilm system. GITZO MOUNTAINEER TRIPOD This is a stable tripod that’s really easy to open and close. It’s lightweight, extremely rigid and minimum fuss, which is really useful for when I’m shooting on the city streets. REALLY RIGHT STUFF BH-30 BALL HEAD This is a really easy to use ball head that gives me fast and accurate control and solid support when I’m out and about. Field of vision Landscape photography means being out in the field no matter what the weather or time of day Skills gap As a self-taught photographer, Thomas’s main challenge was to find and to learn the necessary technical skills “ The skill is to create a composition that captures the overall feeling of a scene” 71 PHOTO CV
Is TikTok an effective platform for photographers? I’m over 40, so a bit old for the platform, however, it seems as though many photographers are using it. Should I bother? Anonymous TikTok has really taken off in the last year or so, but it has actually been around since 2016. There are many photographers out there who use it for promotional purposes, but TikTok is really all about video content and quick entertainment. Clips made for TikTok are short, so if you’re going to spend time creating video content, think about how you can do this effectively and in an entertaining and fast-moving way. For example, a behind-the-scenes look at a shoot or a before-and-after photo effect could work well. Your age is irrelevant but the age of your target audience is what you really should be thinking about. TikTok users are generally from a younger demographic and so, if your target audience tends to be a little older, then I would suggest you don’t bother with TikTok. Instead, you should put your efforts into other platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. These are both more photography friendly and aimed at a wider audience. Career advice Not networking Marketing mysteries I’m struggling to build my client base and find the prospect of networking really overwhelming. I’m a product photographer but I’m also a bit of an introvert and I definitely prefer dealing with inanimate objects over people... help! Lucy Rowden Networking is one of those things some photographers find easy, whereas others have to put in a more conservative effort, so don’t panic – you are certainly not alone. Networking doesn’t have to be done in a forced way, it can be as simple as getting to know the people in your community and building genuine relationships with them. People who have gained your trust are far more likely to want to work with you and to get you to photograph their product over a complete stranger. But meeting people and building connections isn’t something that happens overnight, so this is something you just have to keep working on. If you find speaking to new people faceto-face overwhelming but you still want to network online, LinkedIn is an amazing networking platform that has been created specifically to connect businesses. Here, you can showcase what you do and offer your services. Again though, you need to be yourself and genuine in your approach as people will respond far better. If there are companies you want to work with, contact them directly and show them what you can do. Although you may fear being rejected when doing this (don’t worry – every photographer has been there!) you will just have to keep trying before you can get somewhere in this competitive industry. Getting help from an external source can be a vital step for growing your business I’m struggling to market my business and I seem to spend much of my day feeling like I’m going around in circles. What advice would you give to me to help me get out of my rut? Josh Hedges Marketing is complicated and there is no one size fits all answer. For some, spending time on social media is effective whereas, for others, direct networking will work better. There are many different factors at play when it comes to marketing from what area of the world you live in to who your target audience is. Not knowing any of your background information, I find it hard to recommend a strategy as such, however, it sounds as though you may need some outside help. When it comes to running your own business, there are times when you have to bite the bullet and accept that you can’t wing your way through this one. Getting help from a marketing strategist will ensure you get yourself on the right track and come up with a coherent plan that will enable your business to grow. You can then focus on the thing you love best, which I’m assuming is photography! © Eti Ammos/iStock via Getty Images © Claire Gillo In this marketing special, Claire Gillo speaks to an expert in the field and shares her advice on social media and how to network effectively TikTok or not?! Networking resources such as LinkedIn are specifically aimed at helping people connect to other businesses With social media, work out who your target audience is and how much time you want to be spending on making video content © R.Franca/EyeEm via Getty Images 72 GO PRO
Hi Cath, tell us about your business, IPSA, and what it is that you do… I’m a sustainability consultant and marketing strategist for ethical businesses, charities and NGOs. I enable business owners, founders and trustees to navigate complex issues and enable them to seek clarity on their purpose and direction, then I help them get there. Out of the services you offer, what would you recommend to photographers and how can it help their business? Photographers are often great at showcasing their portfolio of work but they aren’t so good at marketing to their target audiences. I’d recommend developing a marketing strategy that will specify their target audience and develop creative routes to target them. What advice would you give to any photographers who are starting out or those who are struggling to bring in work? Photography is a competitive industry and so developing a niche is the key. Whether that’s by targeting a specific audience type, such as agricultural business owners, or by service, for example, food and drink photography. It also helps to specify your target location, for instance, “agricultural business owners in Kent”. In defining those few elements, you’ll already be niching down your offering and will have longer-tail keywords for SEO. Another tip for photographers is to label your images with keywords – both in their title and ALT text as this is something Google will read when its bots are crawling through your website. So, it’s out with arty titles and in with boring, but literal descriptions! What do you think of social media platforms? Are they a waste of time or a vital part of any business? It depends on the audience. If your target audience is hanging out on social media, then it’s a no-brainer. Whereas if your target audience is off-grid regenerative farmers, then you’re more likely to get a better return by spending time networking in the right circles and being introduced to the right people. Marketing strategist Cath Harris has some top tips for growing your business How should I market my business? For more information on Cath’s work, visit: www.ipsaconsulting.co.uk and follow on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/cathharris1 Above Working environment Cath Harris is an advocate for the environment. Her Devon-based company, IPSA, works with a variety of clients, from ethical businesses and charities to NGOs x4 © Claire Gillo 73
danielcostaphotography.com Nikon D810 Nikon 16-35mm f/4 USM Formatt Hitech Firecrest Pro 1.8ND Firecrest Ultra 0.9ND Grad Sunwayfoto T2C40C tripod XB44 tripod ball head WHY SHOTS WORK February 2020 Silence of Eternity KIT: WEBSITE: DATE: NAME: f/16 30 sec ISO 64 © Daniel Costa Daniel Costa is a professional landscape, seascape and urban photographer from the town of Sintra in Portugal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located inside the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Daniel is a brand ambassador for both FormattHitech and Sunwayfoto, and has travelled to 23 countries around the world over the past few years. He has published two books and now focuses on writing magazine reviews and articles and on running photography workshops and tours. Daniel Costa “ Share the beauty of our planet and highlight the importance of preserving it. Be your biggest competitor, challenging yourself each day to be better than you were yesterday.” CONTROLLED GLOW Daniel used an ND filter to control the exposure of the scene. “I chose the Firecrest Ultra 0.9 ND grad to avoid overexposure and control the powerful glow coming from the sun at the left side of the frame,” he says. The golden tones give the image its warmth, contrasting with the otherwise cold colours contained in the frame. In this way, the viewer is drawn to the striking patches of sunshine on the mountains. CENTRE COMPOSITION With this composition, Daniel has captured all the elements together to create a scene with a sense of harmony, isolation and stillness. The shot was taken at Lago di Limides, a beautiful lake in the Italian Dolomite mountains. “As soon as I arrived at this magical place, I had an inexplicable sense of peace,” Daniel says. “It was crucial to choose a composition where I was able to include my favourite things – the reflection that evokes silence and serenity, the magical sunlight, the clouds that direct the viewer’s gaze, the whole mountain range in its grandeur and the trees that give the image its sense of scale.” PRO ANALYSIS 74
LEADING CLOUDS Daniel opted to use two ND filters, which opened up a broader range of visual possibilities. “Using the Firecrest Pro 1.8 ND filter meant that I could keep the shutter open for longer,” he says. This proved crucial for the final result as it meant he could work with long exposure to stretch the clouds and make the frame more homogeneous. In stretching the clouds, Daniel could create several leading lines to the centre of the frame. MIRROR IMAGE Reflections in the water create a mirror image of the mountain scene, giving it both symmetry and a sense of calm. “It always surprises me how the stillness of water and the silence of nature blend perfectly to create a peaceful and meditative mood,” he says. “The reflections hold the audience’s eye and also convey the silence.” Daniel prefers to shoot his landscape photography during the golden hour of early morning or late afternoon. “One of the biggest advantages is that during sunrise and sunset, the wind usually calms down, which gives much better reflections,” he says. 75
With a precise sense of timing, light and composition, Jignesh Chavda documents life on India’s streets STREET All images © Jignesh Chavda Words by: Kim Bunermann IS LIFE 76 INTERVIEW
Jignesh Chavda is a self-taught street, travel and nature photographer and curator by profession. Based in Ahmedabad, India, Jignesh has a flair for candid situations and his philosophy when it comes to photography is “be patient and anticipate the shot”. A finalist in the Environmental Photographer of the Year competition, Jignesh’s work has been published on many platforms locally and internationally, including India Photo Art, Better Photography, Shutter, Street Photography, Eye Shot, nature.org and many more. @jigg_s Jignesh Chavda Pictured Love is in the air “I took this picture of a couple by the riverside,” says Jignesh. “I converted it to black and white because I liked the scale of the negative space. The silhouette in the centre made it more dramatic” 77
P icture a street scene in your mind – narrow bustling lanes, vibrant colours of people in local dress, vehicles of all types, maybe a traditional market featuring all kinds of exotic produce – and there’s a good chance that the scene you’re imagining could be a snapshot from India. A modern, multicultural, yet traditional nation, Indian society comprises people from many different religions and ethnicities speaking a variety of languages and observing a wide range of traditions. Streets in India are more than just a route for traffic, they are places where work and social life come together and major interactions take place. For the past six years, Jignesh Chavda has been documenting life on the streets of India. With his fine appreciation of the effect of light, he offers an extraordinary view of Indian culture and its people through his lens. For Jignesh, photography is more than just a medium for documenting people and places. It enables him to convey his impressions and visually represent his personal reflections of a rapidly changing society. “In India, you can say home is where the work is,” says Jignesh. “In my hometown of Ahmedabad, every home has a story, every house has a shop and the people do business in a festive mood.” By combining creative compositions with unusual elements and layers, Jignesh creates memorable photographs that instinctively captivate the viewer. His work focuses on everyday human life and working people, but also near-extinct art and ancient traditions. Hey Jignesh, what first inspired you to pick up a camera and start photographing on the streets of India? It’s all about the feeling. Wherever I am, when I feel something, I take a photograph. There’s something poetic about street photography. It’s not just about being there at the right time, it’s about imagination, feelings, observation and many more things. A row of colourful houses or balconies, people displaying their emotions – old people or young children – candid moments, traditions, rituals, festive activities and many more. All these subjects inspire me to capture photographs on the streets of India. I like to combine and merge all these things together in one image. I love watching cinematography as an inspiration for framing, but the best way 78 INTERVIEW
STREET IS LIFE to be inspired is to go out and experience new things that we can bring to our vision and subjects. I love coming across other artists and genuine street photographers. Would you describe yourself as a typical street photographer? Maybe. I would call myself a candid street photographer but, for me, street photography is varied in how it looks and how it’s made. It shines a light on people and areas that are often neglected or ignored. We may pass these places on a daily basis, but somehow Above People at work “A group of electricians repairing the power line after a cyclone hit the city,” says Jignesh Above right Stairway of shadows “Sometimes perfect frames already surround us. We just have to use our mind to see them” Jignesh’s kitbag 1. Sony Alpha 7 III 2. Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG ART lens 3. Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 lens 4. Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS LENS 5. Kamron MC UV Slim ND 67mm filter 6. Zeiss T* UV 67mm Filter 5 1 4 JIGNESH’S ADVICE One way to overcome initial shyness is to approach strangers on the street and ask permission to photograph them. It’s a good way to familiarise yourself with the feeling of being vulnerable in public with a camera in your hand. 6 2 3 79
80 INTERVIEW
street photography allows us to see beyond that, into the detail and depth that often goes unnoticed. On the other hand, I approach a place or situation with as few preconceptions as possible and simply try to respond visually. In your photographs, so many factors often come together all at once, including timing, lighting and composition. How do you create these interplays? Whenever I go out on the streets, I give myself time to feel the location by simply putting my camera down and relaxing, looking around me and taking in everything there is to see. Then, I choose one element and try to discover all of its various aspects. For example, on a busy street, I observe the light and see how it shines on people, flowers and the sidewalk. I watch it fall through tiny holes in grates, between the leaves or even gaps in doors and windows. Gradually, you will discover that observing just one element provides you with innumerable photographic opportunities. Capturing that kind of image with so many factors means that you need your eyes to be looking everywhere – looking into all areas of composition and an intense observation of what is going on. Taking just one great picture takes a lot of courage, time, patience and repetition. Observation is the key, so I also prefer being in the process as an observer instead of being part of the scene. There are so many intricate layers when I compose the image. Sometimes I work with the basic rules of composition, such as the rule of thirds, but then again, I often break them too. I try to include foreground interest to create depth with light play but I always go with my instinct. I rarely go out with a concrete idea of looking for something specific. I alternate between static moments where I choose an interesting space and light and wait for something to happen within the frame and more dynamic situations where I approach the subjects that interest me directly. Crowded and dynamic places are great to photograph because of the multitude of situations and people that you encounter. Pictured Holy smoke “An old man smoking as a flock of birds passes by” 81 STREET IS LIFE
Below Sankhya Yogis “Sankhya Yogis engaging in the Rann Utsav (Basant Panchami) festival of music and dance in Muli in the province of Gujarat” Right Tribal dance “Adivasi tribal men have their faces and bodies decorated and wear ornate headgear as they dance to celebrate Holi festival at Kavant” Below right Street seller in Gujarat “The Chitra Vichitra Mela is an annual festival to mourn recently departed family members at the river in Gunbhankhari, Gujarat” How do you decide whether a photograph will look better in black and white? Sometimes, I prefer to convert photographs into black and white when the composition offers powerful contrast, geometrical feelings, noise and leading lines. Here, engaging and striking light play a big role. Black and white photography often has a more powerful and appealing visual language in its own way. What camera are you photographing with and what do you like about it? I work with a Sony A7III camera with a 35mm full-frame CMOS image sensor. I photograph with a Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG ART lens and a Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 lens but when I’m capturing candid moments, I prefer to use the 35mm lens. With this focal length, I can especially take portraits up close and adjust the angle for good lighting. How important is it for you to show Indian traditions through your lens? For the last three or four years, I have been travelling around the country so that I can experience and feel the culture and traditions more closely. I have a deep connection to Indian tradition and culture because of the foundation behind it – there is so much history and knowledge behind these ceremonies and I’m proud to represent them to the world through my lens. These customs are a tool of well-being and this is one of the photographic themes that I aim to show to the world. Your photographs have their own unique signature, how do you bring your creativity in when documenting the scene? When I am out on the street, I don’t have a precise subject in mind, unless I am following a project. I believe that you have to ‘feel’ photographs – it is a mental process. My eyes and mind are constantly processing and when I start to feel something, I know that is the right moment to press my shutter. “Street photography shines a light on people and areas that are often neglected or ignored” 82 INTERVIEW
For me, the action of the scene together in a combination of elements I have chosen to focus on as a photographer, such as geometric lines or light and shadow, is a recipe for great photos. I love to combine extraordinary creative compositions and uncommon elements. This makes a documentary photo stand out and be memorable, drawing the viewer in. What are your next ambitions or goals in terms of your photography? I don’t set myself goals, I just try to do my best to represent traditions that haven’t been seen before and capture the hidden charm of voices and art. In that respect, I will be working on some further documentary projects in the coming years that will hopefully raise awareness of people and our environment. 83 STREET IS LIFE
The Gallery International Garden Photographer of the Year 2023 84 THE GALLERY
The International Garden Photographer of the Year continues to be one of the world’s most highly respected photography competitions, particularly within the genres of garden, plant, flower and botanical photography. The competition is organised by Mirror Plate Media and supported by The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London. The main exhibition is usually held annually at Kew, with a rolling programme of touring exhibitions in the UK and around the world. For more information, visit igpoty.com International Garden Photographer of the Year 85 Pictured Fallen Orchid Flowers Claire Carter’s study of dead orchid flowers won first place in the Beauty of Plants round © Claire Carter
86 THE GALLERY © Timothy Burgess © Juuli Salo © Tony North “IGPOTY covers garden, plant, flower and botanical photography”
Above Spring at Hermannshof “Springtime in the Hermannshof garden, Weinheim, is a delight,” says Richard Bloom Below Calathea Wolfgang Wiesen also won for his shot of a Calathea lancifolia leaf, which was enhanced with a Topaz Labs filter Opposite, below Stormblown These perpetually windswept trees, located at Slope Point, New Zealand, were shot by Tim Burgess Below, left Veronicastrum with Seed Umbrellas Wolfgang Wiesen’s monochrome study of seeds came third in the Beauty of Plants round Opposite, top right Blue-tailed Damselfly Tony North finished third place in the Wildlife in the Garden category with his shot of a damselfly on a purple loosestrife Opposite, top left Spring Awakening “The tiny flowers are beautifully highlighted against the soft, dark background,” says photographer Juuli Salo 87 © Richard Bloom © Wolfgang Wiesen © Wolfgang Wiesen
© Gianluca Gianferrari © Christine Blanchin dos Santos © Ridhima Singh © Manuela Göhner THE GALLERY 88 Left Blue Tajinaste Tony North won the Breathing Spaces category with his shot of mountain-top flora with a breathtaking landscape view Below, bottom left Veliki Slap Foliage Gianluca Gianferrari came in second place with his image of The Big Waterfall in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia Below left Autumn Leaves “The last rays of the sun illuminated the autumncoloured leaves of the beech trees,” says Manuela Göhner Below Summer Lithography Christine’s shot involved overlaying a dandelion seed head on a background she had taken in Stockholm Below left Born from the Earth Taken in Skogar, Iceland, Ridhima Singh says these turf houses are a perfect symbiosis of people and plants Below right Glowing Mushrooms “Every time I observe mushrooms, I see them as magical,” says finalist Nicolo Cavallaro of his macro study Below, far right Heather and Bracken Veteran Digital Photographer writer Mark Bauer won first place in the Wildflower Landscapes category © Tony North Right Copper on Blue “It was a beautiful evening with no wind, which was perfect for both flower and insect photography,” says Julie Pigula
89 © Nicolo Cavallaro © Mark Bauer © Julie Pigula
90 YOUR IMAGES WIN! SAMSUNG 256GB PRO PLUS MICRO SDXC MEMORY CARD WITH SD ADAPTER Every issue, one Digital Photographer reader wins a Samsung 256GB PRO Plus MicroSDXC memory card with SD adapter. Boasting up to 160MB/s and 120MB/s read/write speeds, the card is perfect for high-res stills and Ultra HD video. It is the go-to card for the modern content creator using mirrorless, smartphone, action cam and drone cameras. Find out more at samsung.com/uk/ memory-storage
91 About the shot: “Nelliyampathy Forest Reserve is blessed with immense flora and fauna, so I planned a photography trip there last year. An alarm call from the forest separated a young Bonnet macaque from his family. Fear, anxiety and sudden loneliness made the young monkey immobile. The breeze gave me a small opening through the foliage and the morning rays meant I had a dramatic light so I could nail this shot.” Photographer: Ajith K Jose Title: Sunlight kissing through the foliage Location: Nelliyampathy, Kerala, India @akj_ajith Every issue, we’ll be sharing the best images from our Instagram community. Tag us on @dphotographermag for a chance to appear as our Shot of the Month. Tag us @dphotographermag for a chance to feature here SHOT OF THE MONTH
Who doesn’t love a portrait shot? For this round, use flash or natural light to create subtle portraiture that tells a story. Enter at www.photocrowd.com/digitalphotographer from 7th April for a chance to win a licence to Affinity Photo editing software (worth £49 for Mac or Windows). Affinity Photo is a toolset for modern photography professionals. Whether you’re editing and retouching or creating multi-layered compositions, it has the power and performance you need. Affinity Photo has non-destructive editing, RAW processing, real-time edits and colour management as standard. Winners will be notified by email and can choose between Mac, Windows or iPad versions. The winning images will be revealed in issue 267 of Digital Photographer, on sale 13th June. WIN! Prizes from Affinity Enter our Painterly Portraits contest before 27th April for a chance to win Affinity Photo, a new pro standard in photo editing 1 ST PLACE WINNER Photographer: Jay Birmingham Our comment: What a dramatic shot! This image represents everything we love about golden hour – great colour, detail and depth. The foreground rocks are beautifully highlighted. We love how the clouds seem to be illuminated from both above and below and the sun is perfectly exposed too. Well composed and shot. THE BEST OFGOLDEN HOUR The winners of our latest contest with Photocrowd have been revealed F or our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best golden hour landscape shots and, after working through all the entries, the winners have been selected. Both crowdvoted and expert winners will win a licence to Affinity Photo professional editing software. Congratulations to all of the winners – as usual, the standard of submitted images was extremely high and it was difficult to select the best ones. Snowdonia Sunrise LEARN MORE Want to learn how to shoot fantastic images at golden hour? Don’t miss Ross Hoddinott’s feature on golden-hour landscapes in the next issue of Digital Photographer, on sale 16th May. 92 PHOTOCROWD COMPETITION
Lonely 2 ND PLACE Photographer: Marjan Taghipour Our comment: There is a truly cinematic element to this scene. The colour, light and framing all make it feel like a still from a Cecil Blount DeMille movie. The composition of the lone figure is perfectly arranged and the exposure on the sand dunes is spot on. Technically perfect and equally creative, we love this interpretation of the brief. Untitled 3 RD PLACE Photographer: Kieran Stone Our comment: Many of the best golden hour landscapes don’t actually feature the rising or setting sun – and this shot brilliantly demonstrates the point. It would have been tempting to incorporate the sun into the frame, but this would have made exposing the water and maintaining a natural colour balance difficult. It is nicely exposed and the choice of shutter speed is ideal. “ Colour, light and framing make it feel like a still from a Cecil Blount DeMille movie” 93
Or get it from selected supermarkets & newsagents Ordering is easy. Go online at: Whether you’re new to photographing urban life or a keen enthusiast, it’s a challenge to turn the energy of a city into a stunning shot. Discover expert advice, camera techniques and more to improve your urban images PRO TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SHOOTING IN THE CITY ON SALE NOW
Our team of trusted and expert reviewers score gear thoroughly to help you make better buying choices. Digital Photographer’s awards are given out when a product really catches our attention. Here are our three most used accolades. Some of our product reviews also have in-depth lab data, graphs and scores. This means that the kit has been subjected to more rigorous testing. Lens tests are carried out using Imatest, and cameras are tested in our laboratory using DxO Analyzer hardware and software to check the image noise and dynamic range. Our ratings Product awards Lab testing Don’t go there Could be better Solid performer Excellent bit of kit Best on the market Kit The expert and independent reviews of gear we’ve bagged this issue intro EDITOR'S CHOICE BEST VALUE AWARD INNOVATION AWARD 104 Canon EOS R8 Evolution or revolution? Expert Gareth Bevan discovers if the latest Canon mirrorless offers a true bargain for the price compared to its other R-series siblings, the EOS RP and R6 Mark II 108 MacBook Pro 16 M2 Max 2023 Can any laptop really be worth the price of the latest Apple MacBook Pro? We put it through its paces to find out how it measures up 110 Lenses Every month, we take two professional optics out into the field to test their performance. This issue, we test the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM and Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM 112 Accessories It’s the little things that can enhance your photography. We’ve rounded up ten of the best photo gadgets and gifts to add to your kitbag 96 Top crop-sensor cameras Full-frame isn’t the only option for pro photography. Check out our roundup of the very best APS-C and Micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras and discover the best option for speed, quality and weight 95 KIT INTRO
96 REVIEWS
Size matters but bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Downsized APS-C and Micro Four-Thirds cameras not only shed some of the weight but they have hidden talents too It’s often assumed that creative and enthusiast photographers prefer full-frame and even medium-format cameras for their ability to deliver a tighter depth of field and enhanced image quality at high-sensitivity settings. But that’s not the whole story. For travel, walkabout and candid street photography, smaller is better. Crop sensor bodies naturally have smaller image sensors, typically of either APS-C or Micro Four-Thirds format, along with a smaller, more lightweight construction. The same goes for their companion lenses, resulting in complete kits that are not just easier to carry around, but also enable you to shoot more inconspicuously. The advantages don’t end there. While a tight depth of field is often preferable in portraiture and still-life photography, the opposite can be true in landscape and architectural photography – or, indeed, any time you want good front-to-back sharpness in a scene. And there’s certainly nothing inferior about the build quality, autofocus and metering performance, speed and outright image quality for some of the latest mirrorless crop sensor cameras. There’s another bonus for action, sports and wildlife photographers in that the crop factor gives you an effective boost in telephoto focal lengths. For Fujifilm X and Nikon DX system cameras, it’s 1.5x, and a marginally greater 1.6x for Canon. Compared with APS-C format cameras, the rather smaller size of Micro Four-Thirds image sensors in OM System and Panasonic bodies results in a 2.0x crop factor. The result in all these cases is that you can get fantastic telephoto reach without needing a relatively huge, heavyweight super-telephoto lens. We’ve picked out a fab four of crop sensor mirrorless compact system cameras that go large on performance, handling prowess and image quality, while keeping size and weight to a minimum, all at reasonable purchase prices. Let’s take a closer look. TOP CROP CAMERAS 97 GROUP TEST
Canon EOS R7 It’s not an overly ‘small wonder’ but the relatively chunky EOS R7 packs a lot in 98 REVIEWS Although it’s still relatively small and lightweight, the EOS R7 is more than an inch deeper than the other cameras in the group and nearly 50 percent heavier than the OM-5. In fairness though, the larger depth is mostly due to it being the only camera in the group with a full-sized sculpted hand grip, whereas the Nikon Z fc, for example, doesn’t have one at all. But what you lose in slimness, you gain in handholding comfort, further boosted by a particularly effective 5-axis image stabiliser that gives up to an 8-stop benefit, depending on the lens you’re using. The R7 has big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of the EOS 7D Mark II, a particularly ‘pro-grade’ crop sensor DSLR. It manages this in some style though, inheriting a raft of high-end features from Canon’s latest fullframe mirrorless bodies. As such, it has a highly advanced autofocus system based on deep-learned AI, with an uncanny ability for seeking out and tracking people, animals, birds and vehicles. And when the light is all but gone, autofocus doesn’t miss a beat, with a range that stretches all the way down to -5EV. The Canon goes large on image resolution too, with a 32.5MP sensor that only loses out to the 40.2MP Fujifilm X-T5 in this group and easily wins out over the Nikon and OM System cameras. As with the 7D Mark II, the R7 is a sporty little number, this time featuring a 15fps maximum drive rate, which rises to 30fps if you switch from mechanical to electronic shutter mode. The control layout and handling are fairly typical of a Canon body, although the joystick controller at the rear doesn’t feel entirely intuitive, as it’s set at the centre of the upper rotary control dial. As is par for the course, this mirrorless model lacks the large top panel info screen and rank of direct-access control buttons of its 7D Mark II predecessors. But, ultimately, the R7’s tenacious autofocus and beautiful image quality make it a force to be reckoned with. Camera specs 100 200 400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 10 0 20 30 40 50 60 Signal to noise Dynamic range Resolution The R7 eases ahead of the Z fc and OM-5 for resolution and scores well for dynamic range at low ISO settings. Signal-to-noise performance is a little lacklustre at medium to high ISO settings. CONTROL LAYOUT Direct-access controls for shooting parameters are limited but the ‘Quick’ menu is intuitive. The rear joystick configuration may not be to everyone’s taste MONITOR SCREEN The 3.0-inch variangle touchscreen has full articulation so it can be viewed from the front of the camera for vlogging and selfies. The 1.62 megapixel resolution is more generous than in the Z fc and OM-5 VIEWFINDER The EOS R7 has a 0.39-inch OLED viewfinder with a 2.36 million dot resolution, matching the specs of the Z fc and OM-5 PRICE: £1,349/$1,499
EDITOR'S CHOICE GROUP TEST It’s often said that a camera body is only as good as the lens mounted on it. Whereas the Canon and Nikon line-ups of native APS-C mirrorless lenses are still sparse, the longstanding Fujifilm X system includes a huge array of high-quality optics to suit many shooting scenarios and budgets. Those lenses are put to full use by the X-T5’s highperformance fifth-generation 40.2MP X-Trans CMOS image sensor and powerful X Processor 5 engine. In terms of megapixel count, the X-T5 is a clear crop sensor winner, beating many full-frame cameras too. Naturally, image quality and overall performance are about more than megapixels. The X-T5 backs up its high-resolution sensor with effective in-body stabilisation, and a similar deep-learned AI autofocus system to that of the EOS R7, with advanced seeking and tracking facilities for wide-ranging subjects. You can be sure of freezing sports action too, with the usual 1/8000th maximum mechanical shutter speed rising to an outrageous 1/180,000th in electronic shutter mode. The continuous drive rate is equally impressive for such a high-megapixel camera, topping out at 15fps and 20fps in mechanical and electronic shutter modes respectively, although the advertised 39-shot RAW buffer depth can last for little more than a second. Like the EOS R7 and Z fc, the Fujifilm’s construction features a magnesium alloy chassis and high-quality polycarbonate parts, complete with plentiful weather-seals. The X-T5 ups the ante in the viewfinder stakes, with a larger and more high-res unit, and leads the field for the resolution of its rear LCD. Unlike the others in the group, the Fujifilm ‘only’ features a tilt facility for its touchscreen instead of full articulation. However, it tilts both vertically and horizontally and is quick and easy to use. Direct-access buttons and dials are plentiful but some of the dials need to be handled with care, as it’s easy to nudge them to a different setting accidentally. Overall, the X-T5 is an epic camera that really delivers. MONITOR SCREEN At 1.84 million pixels, the 3.0- inch touchscreen leads the group for resolution. But the vertical/horizontal tilt mechanism doesn’t enable viewing from the front of the camera CONTROL LAYOUT Somewhat similar to the Nikon Z fc, the X-T5 has an array of conventional control dials on its top panel that add retro charm along with quick access to important settings Camera specs 100 200 400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 10 0 20 30 40 50 60 Signal to noise Dynamic range Resolution With its 40.2MP image sensor, the X-T5 wins for resolution, although fine detail is lost at high ISO settings due to smoothing of image noise. Dynamic range is good at low to medium ISO. Fujifilm X-T5 With a huge megapixel count and blistering performance, the X-T5 is a stunner PRICE: £1,699/$1,699 VIEWFINDER Compared with the others on test, the X-T5 has a bigger 0.5in OLED that boosts the resolution to 3.69m dots 99
100 REVIEWS The retro Z fc is sure to evoke a sense of déjà vu in Nikon shooters of a certain age The second DX (APS-C) format mirrorless camera in Nikon’s Z system, the Z fc, is essentially the same under the skin as the earlier Z 50. But the skin itself is different. Whereas the Z 50 was designed for the digital age, the Z fc has styling that’s a throwback to the Nikon FM2 film camera of the 1980s. Indeed, much attention to detail went into recreating the same look, to the extent that those old enough to remember the original will feel they have taken a trip down memory lane. Originally available in silver and black, the Z fc is now available in an all-black finish. Although this Nikon camera looks rather dated (but in a good way), it’s pretty much up to date in its tech specs and performance. Sure, the megapixel count lags behind that of the EOS R7 and X-T5 but, at 20.9MP, it also edges marginally ahead of the OM-5. The Z fc has a capable OLED viewfinder and a fullyarticulated rear touchscreen – the latter was lacking in the Z 50, whereas the newer Z 30 has no viewfinder at all. As with the other cameras on test, the Nikon features hybrid phase/contrast detection autofocus, aiming for speed and consistent accuracy. It works well, including for tracking people and animals, despite lacking the deep-learned AI characteristics of the Canon and Fujifilm cameras. There are 209 phase-detection points on the image sensor, losing out to the 425 points of the X-T5 and 651 automatically selectable points of the R7, but overtaking the 121 points of the OM-5. In some areas, the Z fc looks like a poor relation. Whereas the other cameras in the group feature IBIS with maximum effectiveness of 7-8 stops (lens dependent), the Nikon has none, instead relying on the optical stabilisation of attached lenses, which is no use for lenses that lack stabilisation. It’s also the only camera in the group to lack an automated image sensor cleaning mechanism. Back on the plus side, the Z fc is a joy to use for those who like hands-on photography, and it delivers pleasing image quality. MONITOR SCREEN As with the OM System OM-5, the rear touchscreen has a 3.0-inch size, 1.04 megapixel resolution and full vari-angle articulation CONTROL LAYOUT The Z fc’s control layout is a bit of a Marmite moment – you’ll either love it or hate it. However, if you like instant access to important shooting settings, then you’ll probably love it VIEWFINDER There’s a good range of info options in the 0.39-inch OLED viewfinder, which has a typical 2.36 million-dot resolution Camera specs 100 200 400 800 1600 3200 6400 12800 25600 10 0 20 30 40 50 60 Signal to noise Dynamic range Resolution Despite its modest megapixel count, the Z fc retains plenty of fine detail even at medium to high ISO settings, where dynamic range and signal-to-noise performance also remain good. Nikon Z fc PRICE: £899/$857