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Spring 2015
Issue 99

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Issue #99
Spring 2015

The Apprentice................. 8
We enlist the help of Team GB Olympians to
help our Apprentice shoot water sports

Your Letters.....................18
Another mailbag bursting at the seams

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4 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

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PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 5

Meet the team

Meet the

PhotoPlus, Future Publishing


Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA
Editorial +44 (0)1225 442244
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The PhotoPlus team

Who we are, what we do and our standout moments from the past 99 issues
Peter Travers
Editor EOS 5D Mk III

Adam Waring
Operations editor EOS 7D

Its our 99th issue! Ive worked on every


one since issue 1, and its been a real
pleasure. One of my favourite past
memories is shooting skiers in the
Alps, then sledging down after!

Im normally tied to the desk doing all


the hard work, so I love escaping the
office on Apprentice shoots. My
favourite? Shooting a bikini-clad
model in sunny Cyprus, of course!

peter.travers@futurenet.com

Peter Travers Editor


Adam Waring Operations editor
Hollie Latham Technique editor
Martin Parfitt Art editor
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Advertising & Marketing

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Hollie Latham
Technique editor EOS 60D

Martin Parfitt
Art editor EOS 600D

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Antony Edmonds

James Paterson

Marcus Hawkins

Simon Butterworth

Pro sports photographer


Antony coaches our
Apprentice in the art of
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a little help from the Team
GB Olympians Page 8.

Our resident Photoshop


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The names Hawkins,


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The PhotoPlus Apprentice

Paddling
forgold!

Worlds best white-water pro teaches our Apprentice how


to capture action shots of fast-paced slalom paddling
Words Hollie Latham Location shots Adam Gasson

8 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Your chance to shoot with a pro

THE PRO...
Name: Antony Edmonds
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Sports photographer Antony is
based in Guildford and is one of
the worlds leading photographers
in the field of paddlesports. He is the official
photographer of the British Canoeing team at
national championships, international selections,
World Cups and World and European
Championships, and photographed the British
sprint and slalom canoeing events at the 2012
Olympic Games. For more on Antonys work see
his website: www.aephotos.co.uk

THE APPRENTICE
Name: Mick Child
Camera: Canon EOS 7D

Mick, 49, is a railway overhead


line engineer from Bedford,
and is the founder and events
organiser for Paddle for Good, a fundraising
organisation that raises money for a range of
charities through kayaking and canoeing
challenges. As a member of Viking Kayak Club
in Bedford, Mick often shoots stills and makes
short films of fellow kayakers. With a passion
for paddling and photography, he was eager
to learn some top pro tips!

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 9

The PhotoPlus Apprentice

ANTONYS TIP

Raw power

PhotoPlus Technique assessment

Its sink or swim time!

Mick was already


shooting in Raw,
which was
fantastic, says
Antony. Its
crucial when
shooting in
inconsistent light
conditions,
especially where white water is
involved, as clipped highlights can
be recovered in post-processing.
I also suggested Mick set Auto White
Balance with the changing weather
and light conditions too; by shooting
in Raw this can easily be tweaked
later, if needs be.

Antony ensures Mick is on course with his camera settings to ensure he doesnt find himself up that creek without a paddle!

Av mode

Shooting fast-moving subjects in Aperture Priority mode (rather


than Shutter Priority) may not be the obvious choice but its great for
keeping a consistent wide aperture (eg f/5.6) to control the depth of
field in your images to isolate your subject, says Antony. Your
camera will then adjust the shutter speed to suit the light conditions
but make sure you keep an eye on it, if the shutter speed drops below
1/1000 sec, increase the ISO to achieve a faster shutter speed.

10 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Exposure compensation

White water in bright sunlight can fool your cameras light meter,
making it almost impossible not to underexpose your shots, says
Antony. Before the paddler comes, I point my camera at the water to
take a quick reading to see how much positive exposure compensation
I need. Its unlikely youll capture all the detail in the highlights and
shadows, but its more important to make sure your subjects face is
correctly exposed as their expression is your main focal point.

Your chance to shoot with a pro


MICkS TIP

Detail shots

Antony pointed out that you can


get great shots even before the
action starts, says Mick. We
wanted to capture the drama
unfolding in front of us, starting
with a shot of the athlete and coach
surveying the course. As they
looked around we waited for the
moment for them to look in our
direction, in order to capture their
intense expressions and body
language as the coach pointed out
the tricky obstacles. Shooting
at 200mm with a wide aperture
I was able to isolate them from
the background course furniture,
to make them stand out while
leaving some obvious context.

Micks comment

Antony suggested taking a shot of part of


the course to set the context. A lot of slalom
paddling shots are close-ups of the athletes,
taken amidst the action, so its always good
to be able to set the scene and show the
complexity of the course. We shot this from
a bridge using a wide-angle lens, and I set
an aperture of f/8 to add some depth to
the scene. Once we knew a paddler was en
route, Antony got me to brace my camera
using the bridge for support to minimise
any movement. I then focused a third of the
way up the course and waited in anticipation
for the kayaker to come to that focus point
before taking the shot to add interest.

Lens: Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM A


Exposure: 1/1000 sec at f/8; ISO400

EXPERT INSIGHT

Shutter speed

1/200 SEC
1/8000 SEC

To capture sharp, crisp images your shutter speed needs to be at


least 1/1000 sec, says Antony. We were shooting the majority of
our images wide open, so with all that light entering the camera,
you should get a fairly fast reading. In overcast conditions you may
need to increase the ISO in order to achieve a faster shutter speed.
Some people are worried about pushing the ISO too high because
of image noise, however, reducing grain can be easily done in
post-production, whereas a blurry image is no good to anyone!

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 11

The PhotoPlus Apprentice

EXPERT INSIGHT

know the course as


well as the athletes do!
With careful positioning we had the
opportunity to capture a variety of shots as
the kayakers came down the drop towards
this gate. Understanding the sport gives
you a great advantage as youre always one
step ahead of your subjects, says Antony.

So take the time to study the line the


athletes take and the paddle strokes they
use (this will be similar among top-class
athletes). By anticipating the athletes
movement you can avoid angles where the
paddle or poles are likely to cover the face.

kILLER kIT OF THE PROS #1

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM


This lens is great for shooting two key
images, says Antony. The first is to
establish the scene and add context (see
Hot Shot #1). I also use it for close-up work
near the slalom gates to capture the twists
and turns the paddlers face getting
through the gates without touching them.
You really need to ensure youve got a
really fast shutter speed for these shots,
as movement is far more noticeable in
wide-angle lenses.

12 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Your chance to shoot with a pro

Lens: Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM A


Exposure: 1/1250 sec at f/3.2; ISO400

Micks comment

MICkS TIP

For this shot we lay on our fronts


to get down low so that we were as
near to eye-level as possible with the
kayakers, who were only a few feet
away negotiating the gate. By coming
out wider we were able to capture
the interaction between the paddler
and the gate, while still capturing
their facial expression, says Mick.
Antony got me to engage focus as
soon as they came down the drop so
I was ready to fire off some shots at
the optimum moment as they came
through the gate.

Watch the face


Take notice of where the
athletes focus. This will not
always be the same as the
direction they are travelling in,
says Mick. They look at the
poles when approaching them,
and towards the next major
obstacle when leaving a gate.
You need to ensure you can
always see their face as its the
main point of interest.

kILLER kIT OF
THE PROS #2

Canon EF 70-200mm
f/2.8L IS II USM
This is my go-to lens for
slalom kayaking. With a
constant f/2.8 maximum
aperture, it produces beautiful
background blur, which is
great for isolating subjects
to make them stand out.
When I need that extra reach
I often combine it with a
Canon EF 1.4x extender.

ANTONYS TIP

Back-button focusing
The advantage of setting
your focus to either the
AF-On or * back buttons
is it isolates focus from
the shutter. Hold down
your chosen AF button
to focus, then fire the
shutter at the optimum
moment without
worrying about refocusing. Combined with AI Servo to focus track the
moving subjects, Micks success rate improved dramatically!

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 13

The PhotoPlus Apprentice


kILLER kIT OF THE PROS #3

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM


My telephoto 400mm lens has
exceptional build quality and
weather sealing to protect
against dust and moisture,
so it copes well with the
rigours of sports
photography, says
Antony. It gets me
close-up action shots,
plus the 400mm focal
length and wide
maximum aperture of
f/2.8 compresses the
perspective and blurs the
background to eliminate
the background clutter,
making the subjects really pop
out from their surroundings.

Micks comment

The pressure was on to capture a sharp shot of this two-seater canoe,


as it contained Olympic gold medalists Etienne Stott and Tim Baillie.
I set an aperture of f/5.6 to try and get both athletes in focus and
increased the ISO to ensure I had a fast enough shutter speed. Im really
pleased with the result, its a great front-on shot of the guys coming
through the gate, and Ive managed to capture both their faces and
their paddles either side of the gate. Their facial expressions show real
determination and concentration, which is what makes this shot!

Lens: Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM


Exposure: 1/1250 sec at f/5.6; ISO250

14 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

ANTONYS TIP
Keep you eyes on the prize
With such a long lens it can be difficult to
pick up the athlete when looking through
the viewfinder. Mitigate this by keeping
both eyes open until you know that theyre
about to pass through the frame. Doing
this also saves you from moving your lens
about too much, which can be exhausting
when shooting with the heavy 400mm.

Your chance to shoot with a pro

Antonys
paddle
portfolio
Professional sports photographer
Antony Edmonds shows off three
of his best canoeing shots from
the Olympic Games

Control in the
midst of chaos

Canoeing is all about a mixture


of power, determination and
concentration. I think this close-up
image sums it up nicely.

kILLER kIT OF THE PROS #4


Monopod

ANTONYS kIT LIST

Antony uses a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV


and a Canon EOS-1D X, plus the following
selection of kit
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM
Canon Extender EF 1.4x II
Canon Speedlite 580EX II (x3)
Phottix trigger
Profoto B1 lights (x2) and softbox
Westcott umbrella
Manfrotto monopod
Vanguard tripod
CamRanger wireless remote
Arca-Swiss L-Bracket

I use a
monopod
to take the
weight of
heavy
telephoto
lenses, such
as the
Canon EF
400mm
f/2.8, says
Antony.
When
panning the
camera, set
the lenss
Image
Stabilizer to
Mode 2, if
available; this switches off stabilisation
in the direction of camera movement
to avoid confusing the IS system.

Panning for perfection

Panning can be hit-and-miss, but


when it works its well worth it.
Here I used a 400mm lens at 1/15 sec
to capture one of my favourite images
from the Olympic finals.

GBs first Olympic slalom


canoe gold/silver medal

After 20 years of trying, GB was


the first nation to get a slalom
gold and silver medal in the same
event. This image is the culmination
of years of training and planning,
all coming right on the day!

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 15

The PhotoPlus Apprentice

Lens: Sigma APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM


Exposure: 1/2500 sec at f/3.2; ISO160

16 | PhotoPlus Spring 2014

Next issue Travel architecture photography

Mikes comment

This is one of my favourite


action shots from the
shoot. As the canoeist
has just come down a big
drop he is focusing on
the gate in front of him,
which grants an excellent
facial expression for us to capture. Using the
70-200mm lens I was able to get in close to focus
on the athlete and cut out any distracting
background clutter. By setting a fast 1/2500 sec
shutter speed I could freeze the action and get
a pin-sharp shot. Having fallen in love the
70-200mm lens on the day, I have now several
items up for sale to fund buying my very own!

Antonys verdict

Mick was an excellent


Apprentice he was
eager to improve his
photography and picked
up new techniques fast.
When good paddlers hit
a drop they produce nice
spray, and if their
technique is spot-on you can capture an excellent
pose, as Mick has here [1]. By engaging focus
just before he comes down the drop then firing
the shutter, Micks spot-on timing has captured
the athletes face in sharp focus [2], and
positioning the canoeist off-centre gives a more
interesting composition [3]. Theres also plenty
of detail in the white water and no sign of clipped
highlights, with a nice, balanced exposure on the
athletes face [4]. Its a gold medal for Mick! n

[1]
[4]

[2]

[3]

THANkS TO EVERYONE!

Many thanks to Lee Valley White Water Centre


This top-class venue offers a range of white water activities,
from canoeing and kayaking to white water rafting. It is also the
home and training ground to Team GB, where they won gold
and silver in canoe slalom at the 2012 Olympics. Many thanks
to the centre for giving us access to shoot and to Team GB for
allowing us photograph them during their training session.

Be our next
Apprentice!
Do you need some help to take your
Canon photography to the next level? Let us
know what youd like help with and we could
pair you up with a top pro for the day. Send us
an email to photoplus@futurenet.com with
PhotoPlus Apprentice in the subject line,
and include your telephone number and address.

PhotoPlus Spring 2014 | 17

PhotoPlus Mail Box

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18 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

We helped South
African reader Malco
lm
find some top photo
spots on his UK visit

Catch up on back issues, in both print & digital editions see page 106

Could you kindly inform me if you have


had any reviews in PhotoPlus on
telephoto macro lenses, in particular
the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS
HSM Macro? Also any reviews on
tripods? I dont have an iPad or
Android tablet for digital editions, by
the way, as we use a Windows PC.
Paul Jones Harold Wood
We tested telephoto macro lenses,
including the Sigma 105mm macro
lens back in issue 85s Super Test
where it won both Best on Test and
Best Value!
Youll find our latest tripods
Super Test in issue 97. For a printed

Your Letters
back issue go to www.
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magazine-back-issues and search
for PhotoPlus. However, we only
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the other hand, never go out of
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zinio.com and search for PhotoPlus.
For more details on back issues,
turn to page 106.

Silver surfers
I read Michael W Morris letter in the
December 2014 edition of PhotoPlus
and agree that many people find
themselves in the same situation.
I struggle with enhancing my images
and cannot use the instructional
videos, which are often issued with
your magazine. If you could print an
article for us Silver Surfers it would be
very welcome.
Mrs K Hall email
Our readers range from complete
novices to advanced enthusiasts,
and we do try to cater to everyone.
We will be expanding our Skills
section in the new-look PhotoPlus
next issue, and will be tagging each
tutorial with the skill level required.

tell us about
your club!
Starting next issue, were
looking for camera clubs around
the world to write in and tell us
about yourselves. Tell us what
your club is called, where youre
based, your clubs website, how
many regulars you have, how
often you meet, and what sort of
Canon D-SLRs and lenses you
use, and what you like to shoot.
Email us now at photoplus@
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Club in the subject header.

Lifesaver!
Firstly I would like to thank you for a
great magazine. I started buying from
issue 22, and look forward to it every
month. Issue 96 has been a lifesaver
for me. Your Canon Lens Skills series
is going to be of great assistance,
as all the portrait lens advice and
techniques have been of great
assistance with a party shoot I did
over the weekend.
Kevin Campher Namibia n

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In this low-light
photography tutorial
youll learn how to take photos
at twilight and capture the
subtle tones and colours of the
landscape after the sun has set
or before its risen http://ow.
ly/K6Mc7 PhotoPlus
Spring photography ideas: 17
amazing and inspiring tips and
tricks to try this http://ow.ly/
Kcy3o PhotoPlus

I got charged at by a
duck when I got a bit
too close to her babies this is
the last photo I got before falling
over backwards and
legging it, she was one
angry mama!

Ruth Mashiter
Never
mind the
photographer, save
the kit! Les Hoare
Ive done it all, from
climbing fences,
bridges and hanging off ceilings
to get the shots! All with no
ropes or helmets! Me and my
camera gear survived too!

Sohail Chaudhry

Our Canon Lenses series of features proved invaluable to PhotoPlus


reader Kevin have any particular skills guides helped you out?

Photography is not
without its perils as
this shot of PhotoPlus editor
Peter Travers being swamped
by a wave at Portland Bill in
Dorset goes to show! (Dont
worry, both Pete and his
camera kit lived to tell the tale...)
So tell us about your most
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exploits PhotoPlus

new! shot of the month


From next issue, were inviting
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best shots to be featured in our
new-look letters page. In addition
to the image, also include 50 words
about the story behind the shot,
and details of the Canon D-SLR

and lens used, plus the aperture,


shutter speed and ISO settings
used. There will be a special prize
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putting Shot of the Month in the
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Better photo tips: 60


of the most amazing,
surprising, incredible bits of
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read http://ow.ly/K1oO5

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PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 19

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PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 21

PhotoPlus Inspirations

22 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Great Canon photographers in action

Snowshoe Journey by Steve Field

This image was shot in the mountains near Sarajevo, Bosnia,


in winter. Wed spent a very cold night in a chalet that had been
dug out of the snow by a couple of locals. When we woke it was
still very cold but the sky was cloudless and the air still and clear.
We set off after breakfast, and although it stayed clear and
bright the wind got up, and soon we were snowshoeing in
gale-force winds. When walking I generally shoot on the hoof as
with this shot, so my cameras are in chest-mounted holsters for
quick access. It was very bright, so even at ISO100 the shutter
speed was 1/1250 sec. To create the atmosphere and drama that
I wanted I used Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 to convert to monochrome.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm
f/4L IS USM Exposure: 1/1250 sec at f/8; ISO100

Stunning imagery from the world of Canon photography


PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 23

PhotoPlus Inspirations

RIGhT

Journey along the


Dalton Highway by
Martin Smart

Alaskas Dalton highway, or North


Slope haul Road, is one of the USAs
most isolated roads, and our
journey took us over 400 miles,
from just north of Fairbanks to
Deadhorse, near the Arctic Ocean.
We encountered very little traffic,
apart from huge trucks thundering
along in both directions supplying
the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, and
indeed this was the reason the
highway had been constructed back
in 1974 to support the TransAlaska Pipeline System, to which
it runs parallel. The image was
photographed a few miles south
of Coldfoot, one of only three towns
along the route, and in the distance
the Brooks Range Mountains are
clearly visible.
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm
f/4L USM Exposure: 1/2500
sec at f/4; ISO800

24 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

LEFT

Red Sunset by Diogo Barroso

This picture was captured when I was sailing around


Formentera, Spain. This area is well known for its
beautiful sunsets but Ive never witnessed such a red
sky. While waiting for the boat to align with the sun,
I did a few test shots to get the colour that I desired.
Then all I needed was a bit of patience and luck,
which thankfully paid off!
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm
f/4-5.6 IS II Exposure: 1/2000 sec at f/6.4; ISO100

RIGhT

Lough Neagh Sunset by


Gregory McStraw

I live on the southern shore of Lough


Neagh, Northern Ireland, and I get to
see some wonderful sunrises and sunsets.
This shot was taken during the winter
months when the whooper swans visit.
I set up the composition I wanted with
the reeds in the foreground. I set a fast
shutter speed because of the wind.
After a couple of shots I noticed the
swans flying towards me I knew I
had a fast enough shutter speed and
just hoped they would come into focus.
I think the swans make the shot and
I am amazed at the journey these
birds make every year to get here.
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Lens: Canon
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/8; ISO100

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 25

PhotoPlus Inspirations

ABOvE

The Night Train by Stephen Spencer

The Night Train was a photo born out of two ideas. On one cool, clear, dark and moonless September evening
I headed for North Wales with the intention of capturing some Milky Way shots with my 6D. As the night unfolded,
I remembered a shot Id taken some months earlier of the Welsh highland Railway, heading into the Snowdonia
mountains. I thought the two shots might combine well. My first attempt exposed the sky and mountains well,
but the track was completely underexposed. Luckily, I had a torch, and, with a little experimentation, managed
to expose the sky and railway tracks with a burst of torch light, all in the same shot!
Camera: Canon EOS 6D Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Exposure: 30 secs at f/4; ISO6400

LEFT

Journey to the Future


by Jackson Teo Choon Hong

I took this photo on a rather warm Saturday morning,


I woke up from the soaring temperature and decided to
go out for a drive. I set my tripod up in the middle of the
back seat area. For successful light trails while driving,
a 3-4 sec exposure time was required. I set a mid-range
aperture of f/8 to add enough depth to ensure the
interior of the vehicle was in sharp focus. I then set up
an off-camera flash behind my cars gearbox and fitted
a purple gel and fired it using a wireless trigger.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
Exposure: 3 secs at f/8; ISO100

26 | PhotoPlus March 2015

PhotoPlus Inspirations

ABOvE

BELOW

Kayaking on Spencer Pond by David Brownall

Journey to the Clouds by Neil Gosling

The photo was taken of my wife Sarah early one morning on Spencer Pond
in Maine, USA, while we were looking for moose. The moose are easiest
to find eating in the water during the months of June and July. however,
at that time the bulls are growing new antlers that are not fully developed.
So we went in August when they are more beautiful, but unfortunately in
August the bulls are in the woods looking for girlfriends! So we never got
the shot I envisaged Sarah kayaking past a big bull moose standing in
the water, but this comes a pretty close second!
Camera: Canon EOS 400D Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Exposure: 1/640 sec at f/5.6; ISO400

All the images in this gallery


were entrants to the
PhotoPlus Journey
competition hosted on
Photocrowd a website where
a public vote on the best-liked
images is pitted against expert
opinion. To enter our current
contest, and vote on your
favourite photos, simply visit
www.photocrowd.com

28 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Touring the Sogn og Fjordane area of Norway, we were returning from Balestrand.
It was an interesting journey picking our way through fallen rocks, driving rain
and gale-force winds. At the Nystlsvatnet lakes western extremity, this archetypal
Norwegian scene presented itself. I wanted to capture that Nordic essence and
portray a journey through the mountains into the clouds and the void beyond.
It was blowing a gale with intermittent, horizontal rain hand-holding the 300mm
zoom proved interesting. Utilising Image Stabilization and controlling my breathing
was vital to help capture a sharp shot.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
Exposure: 1/100 sec at f/6.3; ISO100 n

Top Canon Secrets!

!
y
l
n
o
S
o
E
r
u
o
y
r
Fo

Canon

Obtain your licence to shoot with


our secret skills, and unlock the
potential of your EOS D-SLR to
instantly improve your shots
Words: Agent Marcus Hawkins

Good morning 007, take a seat


Now, although there are no shortcuts
to great photographs, there are plenty
of top-secret skills to help you fasttrack your photography techniques. Not all of them
are obvious, though. A Canon cameras instruction
manual may be comprehensive, but there are some
things it doesnt tell you or if it does, it doesnt
emphasise them enough.
So weve compiled a bumper collection of camera
secrets that every Canon photographer should
know. From ways to sharpen your camera setup so
that you can react faster to photo opportunities, to
nuggets of insider knowledge that are normally only
earned after spending weeks, months or years
getting familiar with a Canon D-SLR.
Many of these shooting secrets are relevant to
the entire EOS range, from the beginner-level 1200D
up to professional heavyweights like the EOS-1D X
and the 5D Mark III, but weve also made it clear
where a tip is only pertinent to a particular model.
Some of the tips might at first appear
insignificant after all, can remapping one or two of
your cameras control buttons really make a big
difference to your pictures? But we use these tricks
all of the time. If only one of them saves you time or
increases your odds of getting a photo, then thats
got to be worth a shot So, before you can say
Never Say Nikon Again, we reveal 24 settings every
secret Canon agent needs to know...

30 | PhotoPlus Spring
Xxx 2012
2015

For your EOS only

PhotoPlus
PhotoPlus
Spring
Xxx 2012
2015 | 31

Canon
001 Quantum
of ISo-less
If you need to capture action or
record an image in low-light,
increasing the ISO to give a faster
shutter speed is often desirable. But did you
know that higher ISO sensitivities actually
reduce both the buffer size which affects the
amount of pictures that can be taken before
the camera starts to slow down and the
maximum amount of shots that can be saved
to the memory card? With this in mind, its
worth shooting in small, controlled bursts at
high ISOs, rather than keeping your finger
firmly on the shutter release.

002 Canon royale


My top secret is to create a set of picture styles
that you can use when youre shooting video. EOS
movies are essentially moving JPEGs, with all the
image-processing settings locked in when you record them.
The problem is that the picture styles that come pre-loaded
on your camera arent particularly well suited to video. To
capture more detail and give you more scope when it comes
to editing, you ideally need a low-contrast picture style.
Canon has introduced a new one Video Camera X-series-look that can
be download from www.canon.co.jp/imaging/picturestyle/file/
videocamera.html. But why not cook up your own unique recipe using
Canons Picture Styles Editor? Your bespoke picture styles can be applied
to stills as well, reducing the amount of time you need to spend messing
around with colours and shadows when you process the images.

Hollie Latham Field agent

Picture Style Editor is available on the CD that came bundled with your
Canon EOS D-SLR and can also be downloaded from Canons website

32 | PhotoPlus Spring
Xxx 2012
2015

003 Tomorrow
never dials
On a D-SLR that has buttons with
dual functions such as the 7D
Mark IIs AF DRIVE its very easy
to press the button and turn the wrong dial
on the camera, adjusting the other setting
instead. Theres a secret to remembering
which dial to turn, though: the function on
the left is controlled by the Main Dial, while
the function on the right is controlled by the
Quick Control Dial on the back of the
camera. Once youve registered that,
youll never make a mistake again

For your EOS only

004 Felix light-meter

DPP detects which ALO setting was used when the shot
was taken, although you can adjust the strength later

Canons Auto Lighting


Optimizer (ALO)
function helps to
control contrast and opens
up shadows and darker areas
to reveal detail that may
otherwise have been lost. However, the effect isnt always desirable.
Although you may apply negative exposure compensation or use
Manual mode to create a dark image, for instance, the picture can still
appear too bright with ALO active. So, consider deactivating it for
exposure-critical work, such as when youre using Auto Exposure
Bracketing or shooting a range of shots that you want to merge into
an HDR image. Bear in mind that ALO is only applied when images are
saved as JPEGs it has no effect on Raw files, although the preview
image will show its effects.

005 no camera
body does it better
By default, your cameras shutter release button activates
both autofocus and metering. But all current EOS
cameras allow you to remove the autofocus activation
from the shutter release and assign it to the rear * button instead.
Separating the focus and metering in this way has a number of
advantages: the lens wont refocus if you lift your finger off the
shutter release and you can use AI Servo mode as if it was One
Shot, taking your finger off the rear button when you want to lock
the focus. More advanced bodies have an AF-ON button that can
also be assigned in the same way in fact, assigning the focus
function to both rear buttons means that you wont be fumbling for
the correct one and missing shots.

BEForE CorrECTIon

AFTEr CorrECTIon

Leave more room at the edge of the frame when you intend to apply lens
corrections and carry out heavy edits, such as fixing converging verticals

006 The
wide-angle
is not enough
Lens Distortion Correction is available in
imaging software such as Lightroom or
Canons Digital Photo Professional, as well
as on EOS D-SLRs that offer Raw image processing.
Its a useful feature that can help to automatically
straighten bowed lines, and its effects are
particularly noticeable when youre using a wideangle lens to shoot seascapes with a clearly defined
horizon or close-ups of buildings and architecture. If
youre planning on using this feature then its worth
framing shots slightly wider. Otherwise, you may find
that details at the edge of the picture are lost as its
tilted and cropped when corrections are applied.

PhotoPlus
PhotoPlus
Spring
Xxx 2012
2015 | 33

Canon
007 The living
highlights
If your pictures contain prominent, strong
colours, use your cameras RGB histogram
rather than the brightness histogram to
judge the exposure. The RGB histogram
gives an indication of the brightness of the
three primary colours in an image. If one of
the colour histograms is clipped on the
right, it means that the colour will be
over-saturated. You cant always tell this
from the brightness histogram, as its
closer in size and shape as the histogram
for the green channel.

You can select the RGB histogram in the blue


Playback menu on any EOS D-SLR its available in
the automatic shooting mode, as well as the more
advanced semi-automatic and manual ones

008 Q division
Canons menu system is, for the
most part, intuitive, but there
are ways to make adjustments
more rapidly. For a start,
all current EOS
D-SLRs include a
green My Menu
option, which
enables you
to register
frequently
used menu
options and
access them
all in one place.

However, did you know that when youre


viewing the regular menus you can use
the Q button to jump to the first page of
each section? Equally useful is the INFO
button. Press this when the cameras in
shooting mode in order to cycle through
the various information screens.
Eventually youll come to a screen that

looks like the Quick Control Screen. With


this visible, you can rotate the Mode Dial
and quickly check the settings for each
shooting mode if you do this with the
regular Quick Control Screen, the display
will turn black each time you switch
mode. To make further adjustments,
simply tap the Q button.

009 A viewfinder
to a kill
The secret to accurate exposures when youre
shooting without looking through the
viewfinder? Block it. Whether youre shooting
long exposures using Bulb mode or self-portraits with
the self-timer, its worth covering the viewfinder to
prevent stray light from affecting the exposure. This is
good advice even if youre shooting in Live View mode.
The majority of Canon D-SLRs come with a rubber
eyepiece cover that attaches to the camera strap,
although the 1D X has a built-in viewfinder blind.

34 | PhotoPlus Spring
Xxx 2012
2015

For your EOS only

0010 Sky falling


The built-in electronic level, which is available on EOS
cameras from the 70D and above, has a margin of error that
increases as the camera is titled. This is no secret: Canon
makes this clear in its instruction manuals. You could carry out tests
to determine any potential errors on the level of your own camera, but
for critical work where you need an image to be plumb-straight, wed
suggest activating the grid
display, either on the Live
View screen or in the
viewfinder of compatible
cameras. Another trick is
to use the AF points in the
viewfinder zoom in and
line up the subject with
their edges before
recomposing the shot.

0011 In-SPECTrE
the image
The SET button can be
customised with a host of
different functions, although
the lineup available differs between
cameras in the EOS range. One very
useful option to assign for cameras
with the play and magnification
buttons on the left-hand side of the
rear screen (such as the 7D Mark II
and 5D Mark III) is Magnify/Reduce.
This acts like the magnification
button, allowing you to blow up details
in the image to check for sharpness,
either during playback or in Live View.
The beauty of this is you can check
the image one-handed, rather than

having to press the buttons on the left


of the camera. In the playback menu,
check Actual size (from selected
point) in the Magnification option,
as this enlarges the detail to
approximately 100%.

0012 live View


and let die
One trick I use is to
set the Monochrome
picture style for black
and white, even when shooting
Raw. This provides a black-andwhite preview of the image,
during Live View or when
viewing the image, even though
the Raw file is saved with all the colour
information intact. When using this technique,
try adjusting the contrast and toning options
to suit your taste and get the preview as close
to how you will
adjust the Raw
file later.

Angela Nicholson
Quartermaster

Set the Monochrome picture style for a better


idea of how the image will look when converted

PhotoPlus
PhotoPlus
Spring
Xxx 2012
2015 | 35

Canon
0013 Drive modes
are forever
Canons silent drive modes are excellent, but
they have a couple of trade-offs. First, theres a
very slight increase in shutter lag compared with
normal drive mode. Second, the continuous shooting
frame rate is reduced. This has implications for sports,
wildlife and other types of photography that require a fast
performance. Its also worth switching from silent mode
to regular high-speed mode when using the HDR (High
Dynamic Range) shooting mode, available on some Canon
D-SLRs, as any movement between the frames is less
likely to register in the final image.

0014 Another
way to dial

0015 Dr no (more
blurred shots)

Your Canon D-SLR


offers precise control
over exposure, with
aperture, shutter speed and
exposure compensation
adjustable in increments of
1/3 or 1/2 stops. ISO is also
selectable in 1/3 stops on
cameras from the 70D and
upwards in the EOS range, however, you dont
always need that fine level of control. When it
comes to the point of needing to turn your
film speed up, you want to do it quickly and
usually by two stops at the very least. So try
using the ISO speed setting increments
Custom Function to change the setting to
1-stop increments, and youll be able to react
faster to changing conditions.

The majority of zoom


One way around this is to get into
lenses made today arent
the routine of always checking the
true parfocal zoom
focus after youve zoomed. Live
lenses which stay in focus as
Views magnification function can
theyre zoomed but rather theyre
help here. Alternatively, set the
varifocal. This means that the focus
focus mode to AI Servo so that the
shifts at different focal lengths.
camera can readjust the focus as
This shift may be hidden when you
you zoom.
shooting with a
wIDE: In FoCuS
narrow aperture
to give a large
depth of field, but
it can lead to soft
pictures and it
has the potential
to cause problems
when you zoom
while recording
video footage.

Adam Waring Special operations

TElE: FoCuS hAS ChAngED

Increase your ISO in full-stop increments so


you can react to changing light levels quicker

36 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

As you zoom
into a scene
the focus can
shift, leading
to a soft image,
particularly
when shooting
video footage

For your EOS only

0016 The man with


the golden flashgun
A pop-up flash is limited when it comes to power and reach, but
there is a trick to making its output reach farther: increase the ISO.
Although it doesnt boost the flash output, it does amplify the
signal from the sensor, making it appear as if the flash is more
powerful. Increasing the ISO can also speed up the recycling time
for the flash when its being used at close distances, as it
doesnt have to pump out as much light. This trick also
applies to hotshoe flashguns, too.

0017 Moore
sharp images
The choice of aperture you set on the
camera has a crucial effect on the
sharpness of your images. Larger
apertures, such as f/22 and f/32, increase the
depth of field or the amount of front-to-back
sharpness there is but the trade-off is a softer
look to pictures. For the optimum quality stick to
the apertures in the middle of the range offered
by the lens, and avoid framing the subject so that
theyre close to the edge of the frame lenses
deliver their best quality towards the centre.

0018 never say JPEg again


If youve read PhotoPlus for long
enough, youll know that were always
banging on about the advantages of
choosing Raw rather than JPEG under the
Image Quality setting. Although they need to
be processed before you can print or share
them easily, Raw files hold more picture
information and enable you to save multiple
JPEG versions of the image, each with a

lAnDSCAPE PICTurE STylE

completely different look. However, even if


you shoot in Raw, the preview and histogram
displayed on the cameras rear screen are for
a processed JPEG version of the shot, and
areas that appear too bright or too dark may
actually be recorded correctly in the Raw file.
For a more accurate indication of the Raw
files exposure level, set the Neutral picture
style this is much closer to the real thing.

nEuTrAl PICTurE STylE

PhotoPlus Xxx 2012 | 37

Canon
0019 Taken,
not blurred
One Shot AF mode is designed to take
sharp pictures of stationary subjects,
while AI Servo AF constantly adjusts the
focus to keep a moving subject sharp. So whats
the best way of taking sharp pictures of a subject
that randomly flits between being stationary one
second and up-and-running the next? You can, of
course, select AI Focus mode. Here, the camera will
flit between One Shot and AI Servo autofocus,
depending on when it detects movement. But who
wants to leave it to chance? One trick, which you
can use on the 70D and upwards, is to create a
custom control for the DoF (depth of field) preview
button one which allows you to switch from One
Shot to AI Servo while its held down.

0020 Mr white
(balance)
Canons Auto White Balance (AWB) performs
well most of the time. It may produce an image
thats a little cool on somtimes, and warm on
others, but its rare that colours are grossly out of whack.
And if you shoot Raw, you can easily adjust the white
balance later when you process your images in ACR.
However, a subtle shift in the camera position or zoom
setting can cause the AWB setting
to tweak the colour temperature.
This can be a problem when youre
shooting a sequence of pictures as
you wont be able to apply a single
white balance adjustment to all of
the images youll have to process
them individually. The secret here
is to manually set a white balance
the setting will be consistent,
even if it is slightly wrong, allowing
you to apply a global change to a
batch of images.

Peter Travers Secret agent


AWB is a good option for mixed
lighting, but setting a white
balance manually either using
a preset, creating a custom white
balance or dialling in a colour
temperature makes batch
processing easier

38 | PhotoPlus Spring
Xxx 2012
2015

0021 golden
eyepiece
You may need to periodically make
adjustments to the small dioptric
adjustment dial behind the viewfinder
eyecup. Its easy for the dial to be shifted out of
position when youre packing the camera away, and
the viewfinder will lose a touch of clarity. The secret
here is not to look at the image in the viewfinder as
you make adjustments, but rather the readout at
the bottom of the viewfinder and the AF point
overlay. Once they snap into focus, its job done.

For your EOS only

0022 you only live View twice


Many EOS cameras can
automatically adjust the
brightness of the rear screen.
However, using manual adjustment
(available in the yellow setup menu) can
give brighter results, making it easier to

manually focus and compose shots in Live


View mode particularly in low light when
the Auto setting tends to tone down the
brightness. Setting this option manually
enables you to match the brightness of the
rear screen to that of the computer screen

you use to edit your photos too, which can


make for a smoother workflow (or fewer
surprises when you process your images,
at least), although the only way to gauge
exposure with a degree of accuracy is by
using the histogram as well.

0023 goodnight, sir


When taking pictures in the
dark in Aperture Priority mode,
you may notice 30 blinking in
the viewfinder, because the camera
cant set a shutter speed slow enough.
Switch to Bulb and youll be able to keep
the shutter open for as long as you need
but exactly how long is that? To find
out, switch back to Aperture Priority,
then increase the ISO until you get a
shutter speed reading. Now all you have

0024 Batteries
die (another day)

to do is work backwards in stops to


determine the correct shutter speed for
Bulb mode and your original choice of
ISO. Remember that each time the ISO
is halved, the shutter speed has to be
doubled: if youve increased the ISO by
four stops (from ISO100 to ISO1600) to
get a shutter speed of 20 secs, then the
exposure time will need to be extended
by four stops (from 20 seconds to
320 seconds) at the lower ISO setting.

Keep track of battery power


with the cut-out: blue means
charged, black is empty

If you have more than one battery for your


camera, then attach the covers so that you
can quickly tell which ones are fully charged
and which have been drained. Position the batteryshaped window blue on a recharged battery, and
black on an exhausted one. This trick isnt really a
secret Canon offers this advice up front in its
instruction manuals but its not something that
everyone makes use of, or is even aware of. After all,
who reads every page of a camera manual? n

PhotoPlus
PhotoPlus
Spring
Xxx 2012
2015 | 39

Sharpen your skills with our expert guides

Skills

Online videO

To view our videos, click on the


Watch the Video
badges that
Watch
appear
the videO
alongside the
http://bit.ly/PP_99
tutorials.

Everything you need to perfect your photos

Hollie Latham
technique editor

hollie.latham@futurenet.com

New video guides!

Follow our PhotoshoP and d-slr videos

welcome...

ith spring finally upon us weve


made the most of the sunny
days and headed outdoors to
bring you three fantastic photography
projects. First, i head up to the top of Bath
abbeys tower to capture the stunning
views of the streets below with a tilt-shift
lens, transforming a busy city scene into a
toy town. But if youd rather escape the
hustle and bustle, why not head to the
beach to try a sunset shot with a difference?
By taking several exposures as the sun
disappears over the horizon, and combining
them in Photoshop, you can create a cool
segmented effect. Finally, in this months
Masterclass, we show you how to shoot an
optical illusion with a magic mirror
we also have two additional Photoshop
elements tutorials for you to try. Convert
your images to monochrome using a
gradient map, and learn how to combine
the past and present by blending two
images of the same scene together.

the past
the Color
52 Combine
and present
64 Master
Range tool
in Photoshop Elements

ProjECt

in Photoshop Elements

ProjECt

your shots
a city
Shoot segmented
46 Convert
42 Transform
to monochrome
view into a toy town 48 sunset scenes
in Photoshop Elements

in Photoshop Elements

in Photoshop CC

maStErClaSS
Shoot a
66
spellbinding
composite with
a magic mirror!

in Photoshop Elements

PhotoShoP ElEmEntS/CS/CC
the latest versions of Photoshop elements,
Cs and CC have significant differences
from previous versions, with a redesigned
interface and major changes to the way
adobe Camera raw works. we are now
producing most of our tutorials with these
newer versions, and while its possible to
follow the lessons in older versions with a
little adaptation, we recommend upgrading.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 41

Skills Create the toy town effect

PROJECT
Your guide

Hollie Latham

Transform a
city view into
a toy town

WaTCH
THE vidEO

http://bit.ly/PP_99

sing a tilt-shift lens can offer a number of


effects to transform your photography without
the need to resort to editing software. It offers
a huge amount of control over the depth of field and
perspective in an image. These specialist lenses allow
you to move elements in the lens in relation to the
sensor. The shift function keeps the lens parallel to
the sensor, but moves it up, down or from side to side,
to control the perspective of your image, while the tilt
movement rotates the plane of focus, increasing or
decrease the amount of the scene that is in focus.

These lenses are popular with architecture and


interior photographers; the classic use of a tilt-shift
lens is to use the shift movement to correct
converging verticals, and the tilt mechanism to
extend the depth of field for incredible sharpness.
However, in this project were going to have a bit of fun
and use the tilt function to instead create a very
narrow band of focus, for a toy town effect. We
headed to the top of Bath Abbeys tower to capture
the stunning views across the picturesque Georgian
city, with a Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 lens in hand.

Hollie Latham

Shift the plane of focus using a tilt-shift


lens to produce a cool miniature effect

STEP BY STEP Welcome to Toytown!

Checklist
What youll need

Tilt-shift lens High vantage point


Photoshop Elements

How long itll take


One hour

The skills youll learn

How to use a tilt-shift lens


How to process your shots
How to replicate the toy town
effect in Photoshop

42 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Get high

The miniature model village illusion is achieved by


pointing the camera down at the scene and then
tilting the lens to create a narrow band of focus. Youll
need to shoot from a high viewpoint, but where the
people and vehicles are not so small as to be
unrecognisable dots; a tall building is ideal.

Key settings

Well be shooting handheld so we can angle the


camera freely. The tilt-shift miniature effect is
most pronounced when setting your camera to Av
mode and using a wide aperture. This will also ensure
that youve got a fast enough shutter speed to freeze
moving vehicles and people.

Photoshop Elements

Super Tip!

Tilt the lens

For best results set the tilt mechanism to the up


position; this means that the plane of focus moves
in the opposite direction to the way that the subject is
positioned, producing an extremely shallow area of
sharp focus. You can lock its position in place with the
lock wheel on the other side.

Metering

Tilting or shifting the lens can confuse your


cameras metering system due to light leaks that
occur when the lens parts move. So its best to take a
reading before adjusting the tilt, then dialing in some
negative exposure compensation to arrive at a similar
exposure; take a test shot to check exposure.

For best results


your point of
focus should be
centralised so that
both the foreground
and background areas
appear obviously
blurred to help create
the miniature effect.
Make sure youve got
an interesting subject,
such as vehicle, group
of people or statue in
the plane of focus area
to draw the
viewers eye.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 43

Skills Create
Xxxxx xxxx
the toy town effect

Phrase Book
Exposure
compensation

Manual focus

Due to the mechanics of a tilt-shift lens, you have


to focus manually. The tilt function allows
front-to-back depth of field; you can shoot at any large
aperture and everything in a plane is in focus. Tilt the
lens up slowly and youll see the plane of focus reduce.

Edit in Raw

Open tilt_start.dng into ACR. Set Exposure to


-0.90 to reduce clipped highlights, Shadows to
+50 to lighten shadow detail and Vibrance to +20 to
boost colours. Grab the Crop tool, set Ratio to 2 to 3,
and crop out the white car coming into frame.

This enables you to


increase or decrease
the recommended
exposure in 1/3 or
stop increments. A full
stop doubles or halves
the exposure. Hold the
Av +/- button and use
the Main dial to
brighten or darken the
image or use the
thumbwheel on more
advanced cameras.

Fake the tilt-shift toy


town look in Elements

A specialist tilt-shift lens will set you back at least


1,000, so heres a quick way to fake the effect!

Duplicate the background

Add a mask

Open fake_start.jpg into Elements. Drag the Background


layers thumbnail up to the Create New Layer icon at the
top of the Layers palette. You now have non-destructive, editable
Background copy layer to work on.

Click the Add Layer Mask icon at the top of the Layers panel.
Select the Gradient tool, click Edit to open the Gradient
Editor and pick the Foreground to Background preset. Select the
Reflected Gradient icon and ensure foreground colour is black.

Blur the scene

Add a gradient

With the Background copy layer thumbnail selected go to


Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the Radius to 9.0 pixels
and click OK. These blurred pixels will be the out-of-focus areas
that appear in front of and behind the narrow plane of focus.

44 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Draw a small, slightly diagonal gradient over your point of


interest to reveal a slim band of sharp pixels on the layer
beneath. To modify the mask, paint on it with a black brush to
fine-tune areas in focus or with a white brush to blur pixels. n

Skills Photoshop Essentials

watch
the video

http://bit.ly/PP_99

Your guide

Claire Gillo

Make mono magic!

Try our advanced mono conversion technique using adjustment layers

hile Photoshop CS and CC allows


you to convert images to black and
white using an adjustment layer,
Photoshop Elements doesnt have this
option. The biggest benefit of using an
adjustment layer is that you can individually
tweak the colours in the image, giving you far
more control over the final outcome.

Adjustment layers are also non-destructive,


meaning you can return to tweak the
adjustment whenever you wish.
The basic way to convert your image to
black and white in Elements is to go to
Enhance > Convert to Black and White, but
you are limited in what you can do. For
starters, the feature only works by applying

Tweak in Camera Raw

the effect to a layer (rather than an


adjustment layer), and in the pop-out panel
there are only three colour channels to
adjust (red, green, and blue). However, weve
come up with a clever workaround technique
using a Gradient Map and Hue/Saturation
adjustment layers, and well share the secret
with you in this tutorial!

Add a Hue/Saturation layer

Open the start image in Adobe Camera Raw to boost the tones
and contrast. In our example we set Exposure to +2.05 to bring
out the detail, Contrast to +27, Shadows to -38, Whites to +25, Blacks
to +33 and Clarity to +25 to boost the midtone contrast. Finally, use
the Crop tool to tidy up the composition. Click Open Image.

Next, add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. We can use the


Channel drop-down menu to adjust the colours individually, as
you would when converting to mono in Photoshop CS and CC. Start
by altering the Master setting. As youll notice when you push the Hue
slider left or right, it brings out different colours in the image.

Add a gradient

Tweak the channels

In the main Elements editor add a Gradient Map adjustment


layer. In the pop-out panel, click the drop-down arrow to open
the Gradient Picker and select the Black, White preset from the list.
Youll notice your image changes immediately to black and white.
Now click the Background layer thumbnail in the Layers panel.

46 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Click the Channel drop-down menu. From the list we can now
tweak the Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue and Magenta channels
individually. In our image the most prominent colours are Red and
Yellow, so these are the two that will have the most effect. Adjust the
Hue slider +36 in the Red channel to and -147 in the Yellow channel. n

Photoshop CC

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 47

Skills Segmented landscape project

WaTCH
THE vidEO

http://bit.ly/PP_99

Your guide

Tom Welsh

PROJECT

Create a segmented
landscape effect
Portray the passage of time by displaying multiple images
in a single frame with our segmented landscape technique
Checklist
What youll need

Tripod Remote shutter release


Photoshop CS or CC

How long itll take


3 hours

The skills youll learn

How to set up your camera for


a segmented landscape shoot
How to quickly open images
onto separate layers
How to use the Polygonal Lasso
to select segments of a scene

48 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

ou may have tried your hand at time lapse


photography, where the same scene is shot
at regular intervals over several hours or
even days and then assembled into a movie that
replays the sequence in a matter of seconds, giving
the effect of greatly speeding up time.
But how do you showing the passing of time within
a single, static image? Well show you how! This
segmented landscape technique involves shooting
the same subject over time, like a time lapse, but
then displaying different segments of the individual
images in the final shot. This works best in scenes
where changes are gradual and requires a degree of
patience as youll have to shoot the scene at regular

intervals over a significant period of time this could


be done over the course of a whole day, or a sunset or
sunrise to show more concentrated changes in the
light and colours in the sky. The timing between
shots could be done scientifically at set intervals,
or simply aesthetically, by eye.
To put the technique to the test, we visited the
picturesque Durdle Door on the Dorset coast to
shoot one glorious sunset. The shooting, though
time consuming, is fairly straightforward; piecing
your images together is the tricky part. But well
show you how to assemble your different shots
together using Photoshop layer masks to create
these abstract images with ease.

Photoshop CC

Tom Welsh

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 49

Skills Segmented landscape project

Phrase Book
Polygonal Lasso
The Polygonal Lasso
shares a compartment
with two other lasso
tools, and you can
cycle between them
by tapping Shift+L.
The regular Lasso
enables you to draw
a selection freehand
while the Magnetic
Lasso attempts to
cling to edges. The
Polygonal Lasso, by
contrast, creates a
straight line from the
last point plotted with
each mouse click. Hold
Shift to lock the next
point horizontally,
vertically or diagonally
at 45. This comes in
handy for ensuring the
top and sides of your
triangle are perfectly
straight. If you plot a
point in the wrong
place, hit the Delete
key to erase it.

Picking your spot

First of all, youll need to decide where to shoot


from; think about how the light will change the
scene through the duration of your shoot. Shooting at
sunset or sunrise will give the most dramatic results in
the shortest time, as the light changes fairly rapidly.

Keep it steady

As youll need to take each shot from the same


position over a fairly lengthy period of time,
a tripod is vital. Ensure its well out of the way of the
public, to minimise the risk of it being knocked over.

Consistency is key

As all the images are to be merged together, the


trick is to keep them consistent yet varied. Use
the semi-auto Aperture Priority mode, so that the
depth of field and ISO remains constant, with the
camera setting an appropriate shutter speed for a
good exposure for each shot.

Create a layered document

Youll need to open up all the images you plan on


using onto separate layers in a single Photoshop
document. The quickest way to do this is to select all
the images in Bridge, then go to Tools > Photoshop >
Load Files into Photoshop Layers.

Super Tip!
.

Its a good idea


to work out
how many images
youre going to use
before you start; that
way you have a good
idea of how much
space to give each
segment. But dont
worry too much about
having perfectly even
segments, just
do it by eye.

50 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Leave it be

Its best to avoid touching the camera as you take


each shot, as doing so may introduce camera
shake. Use a cable or wireless remote release, or even
the 2-sec Self-timer. Its also wise to disable any image
stabilisation on your lens as, when mounted on a
tripod, IS can introduce blur as it attempts to
counteract movement that isnt actually there.

Mask the layers

Add a layer mask to each individual layer, except


the bottom one, and mask it (either go to Layer >
Layer Mask > Hide All, or click the Add Layer Mask icon
in the Layers panel, then hit Ctrl+I to invert it) so that all
these layers are hidden. Click on the layer mask of the
topmost image (rather than the layer itself) to select it.

Photoshop CC

Super Tip!

Make a selection

There are many ways to reveal images with


masks, but for this task the Polygonal Lasso
(found in the lasso compartment in the Tools panel)
is best. Draw a triangular shape from the bottom-left
by clicking three points, then complete the selection
by clicking on the starting point. Go to Edit > Fill and
choose White from the drop-down menu. Click OK.

Piece it all together

A slice of the lighter topmost layer is revealed.


Now repeat Step 7 for the next layer down,
remembering to click on the layer mask, rather than
the layer, each time. We found it easiest to draw each
triangle by eye, following the edge of the segment
before it. Repeat this process for every layer mask.

Mis-match the segments

Once all the segments are in place, you can


fine-tune each individual image by selecting it in
the Layers panel. Use tools such as Levels to add punch
and Colour Balance to boost the tones, so that there is
a clear difference between each frame.

We had some
lovely sunshine
at Durdle Door, but
you cant rely on this
when heading
outdoors for a shoot
that may last several
hours. The weather
can catch you out, so
check the forecast and
prepare for the worst.
But bad weather can,
of course, provide very
dramatic and
compelling images.
So, as well as taking
waterproof clothing for
yourself, take a cover
for your camera too
this can be as simple
as bin bag to pop over
the camera
between shots.

Finishing touches

Once you have a clear difference between the


frames, select all the topmost layer and hit
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E to create a merged duplicate of all the
layers on top of the layer stack. Add the finishing
touches by dodging around the arch and sand in the
foreground to highlight them with the Dodge tool, and
use the Burn tool to tone down the bright sky.

Try experimenting Slice and dice your image for a unique look
Once youve finished your image, try different ways to display
the segments. There is no right or wrong way to lay them out
so experiment! We also tried a more random triangle effect
and a patchwork using all the images many times over.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 51

Skills Photoshop Essentials

watch
the video

http://bit.ly/PP_99

Your guide

James Paterson

Blend old and new!

Merge past and present by combining two versions of the same scene

ith a little preparation and basic


Photoshop skills, two versions of
a scene taken decades apart can
be merged together to create a compelling
blend of old and new. It makes for an
enjoyable photo project that involves a little
detective work you have to find the exact
spot where the original photo was taken,

Plan with Street View

then figure out things like camera angle and


focal length so your new shot lines up with
the old scene. Sometimes this wont be
possible. For example, Piccadilly Circuss
famous statue of Eros sits outside the
entrance to the tube station nowadays,
its steps scattered with weary tourists,
but once it was at the centre of the Circus.

Before setting out to find the scene, try doing a little detective
work with Google Street View to find the spot it was taken. This
way you can check if any buildings have been built up or torn down
and get a rough idea of where to point your camera. For Street View,
go to www.maps.google.com, search for your location, then drag the
little yellow man at the bottom-right of the display onto the street.

52 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

So in some cases its impossible to compose


everything just as it was in the original
photograph. But the closer the compositions
match, the easier it is to blend them later.
And if matching things like perspective
and camera height proves tricky, we can use
Photoshop Elements to reshape the scenes
to fit comfortably together.

Trace over the old photo

Scan or take a picture of the old photo. Measure your cameras


LCD then display the old image on screen at the exact same size
(using a smartphone for this makes it easy because you can pinch to
zoom until it matches). Place a piece of acetate over the screen, then
trace over the outlines of the major landmarks. You can then stick the
acetate over the cameras LCD to use as a guide when taking the shot.

Photoshop Elements

Line it up

Blend the scenes

Head out to find the right spot. With the acetate over your
cameras LCD, switch on Live View, then line up the scene using
the traced guides so that it matches as closely as possible. A zoom
lens is useful, so you can zoom in and out while moving back and forth
and up and down until the perspective looks right.

Click the Add Layer Mask icon in the Layers panel. Grab the
Gradient tool, set a black-to-white linear gradient, then hold Shift
and drag a line along the middle of the scene to add a gradient to the
mask. Next grab the Brush tool, and paint to fine-tune the blend, using
black to hide the layer and white to reveal it.

Watch the skies

Fine-tune the perspective

Study the lighting in the old photo. It may not be possible to


match the light direction and shadows (our old scene of
Piccadilly Circus looks like it was shot on a cloudy day, while we were
met with bright sunshine). But if you can, try to shoot the new scene
under similar light at a similar time of day.

Double-click the bottom layer in the Layers panel and click OK to


unlock it. Grab the Move tool and highlight the lower layer, then
click the bounding box to transform it. Resize until it matches the old
half of the scene. Ctrl-drag the corner points to adjust the perspective
and press Enter to apply. Use the Crop tool to tidy up the edges.

Combine the images

Tweak the colours

Open both new and old images into Photoshop Elements. Go to


the old photo, then grab the Move tool from the Tools panel and
check Auto Select Layer and Show Bounding Box in the Tool options.
Drag the corner of the box to resize it to match the other image, and
lower the layer opacity to fine-tune the alignment, if necessary.

Grab the Quick Selection Brush and paint over the blue sky to
select it, then click the Create Adjustment Layer icon in the
Layers panel and choose Hue/Saturation. Lower Saturation to -100
and increase Lightness to match the skies. Finally, add a Photo Filter
adjustment layer on top of everything to help it gel together. n

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 53

ee t!
Fr -ou
ll
pu

Your
essential guide

How to master

Macro

Lets get creative with


close-ups! We have a trio
of macro photography
projects that guarantee
brilliant results with a
few everyday items youll
find in your kitchen
PhotoPlus September 2011 | 55

Essential guide Master macro!

Frozen
flowers

Create super-sharp,
frosty art, whatever the
temperature is outside

ou can add a cool twist to the most familiar of


flowers by shooting them in encased in ice. The
process is as straightforward as it sounds, but
there are a few tricks you can use to get the best results.
First, if you want the clearest, blemish-free frozen
block, then use cooled boiled water as this contains less
oxygen. Alternatively, if you prefer the distressed look,
use ordinary tap water, as weve done here. The bubbles
and fissures can add a distinctive look to your pictures.
Ice and sharpness go hand in glove, so take steps
to give your shots added bite. Canons macro lenses are
incredibly sharp bits of glass, so consider hiring one for
the job. We used the EF 100m f/2.8L IS USM, with the
Image Stabilizer turned off as the lens was mounted on
a tripod. Narrow apertures will increase the front-to-back
sharpness, although avoid the narrowest ones available
as these will make details appear soft. Use Live View
to manually focus on the edge of a petal or the frozen
bubbles, and fire the camera with a remote release.

Experiment with the angle of


the flashgun for best results

Put your photography on ice

Use your freezer to help create ice-cool macro images of flowers

Freezing time

Start by filling a tray or plastic tub


with a few centimetres of water and
freezing it. Add the flower face down, then
add more water to cover the flower. Make
sure the bloom is entirely covered by water,
otherwise any exposed petals will start to
discolour. You may need to weigh the
flower down to do this. The ice may crack
when you add more liquid but this can
add interest. To remove the block, run
warm water around the side of the tub.

Set up

We set up our shot in the bath the


white surface makes a great reflector,
and its easy to clean up afterwards! Place
the ice block on a glass bowl or upturned
vase, so the light backlights the ice, then
place the camera directly above it. Keep the
back of the camera parallel with the flower to
maximise depth of field. Hold an off-camera
flashgun on the opposite side to the camera,
angled down to light the white surface
underneath the ice, as well as the flower.

Lighting

We set the flashgun, attached to the


camera hotshoe with a remote cable,
to manual flash to ensure a constant
output; E-TTL flash can get fooled by bright
reflections and there are plenty of those
with ice and a white bath. We set it to 1/2
power, and moved the flash closer or
further away to adjust the strength. The
camera was also in Manual, with an
exposure of 1/160 sec at f/14, ISO100
providing the bright exposure we wanted.

The bubbles from frozen tap water


certainly add interest to the shot,
but if you want to get rid of them use
cooled, boiled water instead

Essential guide Master macro!

Fine-art food
Short of pictures for your kitchen wall?
Find inspiration inside your fridge

f you have an old slide lightbox at


home, this is a novel way to put it
to good use. If you dont own one,
just do what weve done here and
backlight a piece of glass we simply
used a shelf from the fridge!
The best subjects for this simple
project are ones that you can cut
very thinly and which are translucent
onions, citrus fruit and cucumbers
are good examples. Youll need to
position the camera at a fairly low
level to get frame-filling shots of
these small subjects with a closefocusing macro lens. If your tripod

has a centre column, reverse it and


attach your camera so that its
hanging between the legs, pointing
downwards, then position this
directly over your lightbox. Use
a remote release to fire the camera
or activate the self-timer instead.
For precise focusing, switch to
Live View and manual focus. You
can always switch back to viewfinder
shooting to extend the battery life,
but activate the Mirror Lockup
function if you do, as this will give
sharper results. Alternatively, use
your camera tethered to a computer.

A slice of the action

Make a lightbox to backlight your fruity subjects

Makeshift lightbox

For a bright, even backlight, we


supported a sheet of glass on stacks
of books and DVD cases. We taped white
paper to the back of the glass to diffuse the
light from a flashgun placed underneath it,
which was in turn attached to the camera
using a coiled remote cord. Canons basic
cord is very short, so we had to add a
beanbag to the flashgun to keep it in place.

Camera settings

We used a macro lens and shot in


Manual mode, with a narrow aperture
(f/18), low ISO (100), and slow shutter speed
(0.3 sec) so the ambient light added a little
front illumination. We used flash exposure
compensation to increase the flash exposure
by 2-3 stops. This meant that the background
became bleached-out white, but this ensured
that no texture in the paper was visible.

Final touches

To give an artier finish to this picture


of a bog-standard red onion, we
processed it in Photoshop, reducing the
saturation, brightening the whites and
increasing the clarity option, which subtly
increases the contrast. We also viewed the
image at 100% and cloned out any small
fibres and dust spots. A square crop suited
the circular subject, before adding a thin
black border, ready for printing out.

Thinly sliced fruit and vegetables look


fascinating and reveal a huge amount
of detail when photographed up close

Essential guide Master macro!

Soap film

Theres no need to get in a lather


when it comes to shooting these
vivid macro abstracts and its
all good, clean fun, too

he results of this macro project might appear exotic, but


the technique and equipment required are deceptively
simple. The oily patterns of light-interference colours are
caused by light reflecting from each side of soap film. They bands
of colour change in size and shape as the tension changes on the
surface, creating intricate and vibrant liquid art.
Like the previous setups, youll need a tripod-mounted camera
and a dedicated close-up lens like our EF 100mm macro. But you
could use extension tubes on a short telephoto lens or close-up
filters to achieve similar results (see page 90 for more details).
The other essentials are household detergent, a few drops of

Create your own soap opera

How a sheen of washing detergent can produce a kaleidoscope of colour

Soap mix

Add a generous squirt of washing-up


liquid to a bowl, along with a splash of
warm water and glycerine. The more
washing-up liquid used, the more intricate
the patterns created. Try a ratio of around
80-20 detergent to glycerine. Load up your
bubble wand and tilt it to offload any drips.
Now transfer this to your setup we
wedged our coat hanger under a beanbag
at the edge of a table, which was covered
in black cloth.

Manual mode

Work in Manual mode for consistent


exposures. The holy grail of macro
photography is a combination of a narrow
aperture (for good depth of field) and a
reasonably fast shutter speed (for sharp
photos). Our exposure was f/16 at 1/60 sec.
But you need plenty of light to achieve this,
so we increased the sensitivity to ISO800
and opted to use a flashgun. As direct flash
wont work for soap film photography, we
bounced it off a white wall.

Live View focus

The camera can have a hard time


focusing close up, so slide the lens
focus switch to MF (Manual Focus) and
activate Live View. Repeatedly dab the
button with the magnifying glass symbol
to zoom in and out of the image. If you have
a hard job locking onto the film surface to
begin with, try focusing on a bubble at the
edge of the frame and fine-tuning from
there. Be prepared to change the focus
point as new patterns emerge.

These incredible
intricate patterns are
caused by the surface
tension on a film of soap

Master macro!
glycerine, a wire loop we bent a coat
hanger into shape and black paper or
black cloth to act as a background.
Keep the loop fairly small to start
with, as this will extend the life of the
film. Ours was around 10cm in diameter.
Have everything set up near a bright
window, or alternatively create a
tabletop setup and use bounced flash or
a lamp to provide the illumination. Youll
have to spend time moving the frame to
find the sweet spot where you can see
the patterns and achieve even
illumination across the film.

Starting out

Technical problems

Shooting in Raw

Initially the film will have ribbons of


colour drifting across its surface,
but these will eventually break and distort.
If the frame is angled downwards, youll
notice the patterns originate along its top
edge, so bear this in mind when composing
your shots. Although youll want to fill the
picture with colour, you may be forced to
include parts of the frame in the shot if your
lens isnt long enough or doesnt focus
close enough.

If you dont have a flashgun, you can get


great results using other light sources,
such as an anglepoise lamp or daylight.
However, these lower light intensities can
bring some compromises. To use a narrow
aperture and maximise the depth of field,
you may be forced to use a higher ISO
(reducing image quality) or a slow shutter
speed (risking blurred images, as shown
here.) You can get around the latter by
waiting for a lull in the movement on the film.

As always for creative photography,


its better to shoot in Raw than JPEG
particularly when colour is so important
to an image. With the improved dynamic
range and the flexibility to fine-tune the
exposure, Raw gives you the peace of mind
to focus on the focusing and composition
when youre taking the pictures. Try
different white balance settings and apply
varying degrees of noise reduction, if
youve taken the photos using a high ISO.

Best angle

New compositions

Smarter colour

To avoid shadows from the wire loop,


you may be have to shoot the soap
film from a slight angle rather than head
on, although youll sacrifice some depth of
field here. With the camera locked on a
tripod, its easiest to move the soap frame
itself to find the best angle the addition of
glycerine means the film is pretty robust.
In fact, tapping the frame or blowing across
the film to agitate the surface can create
more elaborate shapes.

Take time to move away from the Live


View screen and keep an eye on areas
of the film that arent covered by the lens,
as this will enable you to spot potential new
compositions. The shapes forming dont last
long, so when it comes to reframing and
refocusing, youll need to be as fluid as the
patterns themselves if youre gong to capture
them. Watch out for a darker area with no
colour like this the film is becoming thinner
at this point and will soon burst.

In addition to applying global colour


adjustments, Raw processing
software, like Adobe Camera Raw or
Lightroom, gives you fine control over the
individual colours in an image. Keep an eye
on the colour histogram if you push the
saturation or lightness too far, you may end
up clipping that colour channel and losing
some fine detail within it. Be subtle with the
slider adjustments and zoom in to view the
image at 100% to spot any problems. n

Skills Photoshop Essentials

Your guide

George Cairns

Master the Color


Range selection tool
Overcome tricky selection challenges by tar geting a specific range of
colours in an image and then altering them with an adjustment layer

he Color Range command is a close


cousin to the Magic Wand tool, which
can also sample and select similar
colours anywhere in an image. Unlike the
Magic Wand (which is in the Tools panel),
the Color Range command hangs out in the
Select menu at the top of the workspace.
Color Range is similar but superior to the
Magic Wand. When you click with the Magic
Wand it creates an instant marching ants
selection marquee based on the colour of
the sampled pixels. With the Color Range
command you also end up with a selection

64 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

marquee, but you have much more visual


feedback about which pixels are selected.
Clicking the Color Range commands
eyedropper tool samples the target area and
selects similar colours throughout the
image. Unlike the Magic Wands marquee,
you can preview which colours are part of a
current selection as white patches.
Unselected areas show up as patches of
black. This makes it much easier to see how
your selection is shaping up. For example, if
you need to select a models green coat then
you can click the Color Range commands

Add to Sample Eyedropper tool on varying


shades of green until the coat looks pure
white in the preview window. You can then
convert the white preview into a selection
marquee and use an adjustment layer to
make the coat another colour.
As with the Magic Wand, you can use the
Color Range command to add to or subtract
from a selection to fine-tune it. The white
patches will change to display the refined
selection. You can also increase the
sensitivity of the eyedropper so that it
includes a wider range of similar pixels.

Photoshop CC

Change the seasons using Photoshop


Use the Color Range command to enhance a range of colours in a scene

Were going to fast-forward the


season in our woodland scene,
using the Color Range command
to select the lush greens in the
image and give them a warmer
colour palette of autumnal
yellows and reds.
In the walkthrough below well
show you how to use the Color
Range commands Eyedropper
tool to sample the leaves in this
image and create an initial
selection. Due to light and shade,
the colour of the leaves will vary,
so youll learn how to increase
the sensitivity of the eyedropper
so that it captures a wider range
of colours. Youll then convert
the selection into a layer mask
so that only the desired areas will
turn from green to red.
Once youve followed our
three steps to make a selection
a russet red, you could click back
on the Background layer and
summon the Color Range
command once again, then
sample a range of the more
yellow leaves to make a new
selection. For this layer, you
could use a new adjustment
layer to give the yellow leaves
a browner hue.

STEP BY STEP Convert a summer scene to autumn

Make a selection

Open a woodland photo and go to


Select > Color Range. Keep Localized
Color Clusters clear so that you can select a
wider range of unconnected leaves. Grab the
eyedropper and set Fuzziness to 42. Click the
main image to sample some green leaves.

Increase the range

Set the Selection Preview to Grayscale


to see a larger version of the image.
Include more varying shades of green leaves
if you like by increasing the Fuzziness value.
The whiter areas will get grow, while
unselected areas will remain black.

Change the colour

Click OK to turn the sampled areas into


a selection marquee. Create a Hue/
Saturation adjustment layer. Drag the Master
Hue slider to -50 to change the selected
range from green to russet. Paint on the
mask to stop the effect on the grass. n

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 65

James Paterson

Skills Magic mirror Masterclass

66 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Segmented scenic shots See page 48

WaTCH
THe video

http://bit.ly/PP_99

Your guide

James Paterson

Shoot magic
mirror images

Get creative with reflections and discover how to create a


spellbinding composite image by replacing a mirrors surface
Checklist
What youll need

Mirror (large, oval and ornate)


Reflector Photoshop Elements

How long itll take


2 hours

The skills youll learn

How to replace a mirror surface


with the empty scene behind
How to expose and compose for
consistency between frames
How to blend layers with
selections and masks

eflective surfaces are a reliable


way to add intrigue or create
symmetry in your compositions,
whether its a mountain reflected in a
lake, a street scene caught in a shop
window, or a landscape glimpsed
through a cars wing mirror. Reflections
show the world beyond the edges of the
viewfinder, a natural frame-within-aframe. And this makes it all the more
captivating when we see an unnatural
reflection like the one in the mirror here.
This image is actually two separate
shots one with the model, the other of
the empty scene. By using a tripod, we
can keep both frames in alignment, then
remove the face of the mirror to reveal
the empty scene behind. Its very easy
to achieve, and the result is a striking
portrait that forces you to look twice.

The best Photoshop effects often


have a subtlety about them that if
you'll excuse the pun adds another
layer of meaning to the image. At first
glance the reflection in the mirror here
looks natural, but on closer inspection
its revealed to be the empty scene
behind. This is something even a
complete Photoshop novice could
achieve; all we have to do is place the
image with the model on a layer above
the empty scene, then cut a hole in the
mirror to reveal the area below.
Selections and layer masks prove
very useful here, allowing us to quickly
select the mirror, then remove the area.
Its surprisingly simple. So if youre
feeling in a reflective mood, read on to
find out how to shoot and edit your own
stunning mirror portraits.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 67

Skills Magic mirror Masterclass

STeP BY STeP

Reflect on this
Learn how to shoot the mirror images
you need for a captivating composite
Use a tripod
Whenever you need to
shoot more than one
frame in alignment, youll need
to use a tripod. Tripods can
also help you fine-tune your
composition by giving you
extra time to think about
the framing. You could, for
example, include out-of-focus
foreground areas, as weve
done here. This could be a wall,
tree, or if you get down low
the ground. These soft areas
add depth and help draw the
eye in towards the subject.

Consistent exposure
Whenever you want to blend two or more exposures
while keeping the lighting consistent between
frames, the safest option is to use Manual mode. This
way, once you've taken a couple of test shots and settled
on a combination of aperture, shutter speed and ISO,
there's no danger of anything changing between shots.
We shot at 1/100 sec shutter speed, f/4 aperture and
ISO800. The wide aperture produced a shallow depth of
field, so the foreground and background were nicely blurred.

68 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Plan ahead
If your model is semi-clothed, like
ours, then be sure to get everything
set up beforehand. Settle on a composition
while the model is fully clothed, then finalise
your exposure settings. Your model won't
be happy stood around half-naked waiting
for you. Doubly so if its a chilly afternoon,
like our shot here!

For your EOS only: Top secret tips! Page 30

Position the mirror


Try asking your model to hold the
mirror in different positions to give
you more options later, and experiment
with the angle of the face and eyes to
change the mood of the pose. We
eventually chose a side-on pose here, as
the profile of the face had this beautiful
backlighting from the sun behind.

WiTHouT RefleCToR

Try a reflector
For this shot, the
sun was behind
the model to the left,
and diffused slightly
through the trees. It
produced beautiful
backlighting over the
hair, but left the face in
shadow. We bounced
the sunlight back at
the models face using
a large silver reflector,
off to the side on the
right and hidden from
view in our shot.

WiTH RefleCToR

Shoot the empty scene


Once you have a good selection of
poses to choose from, ask the model
to step out of the scene, switch the lens to
Manual focus so that the focus doesnt
accidentally engage, and fire off a shot of
the empty background. We can then cut out
the surface of the mirror to reveal the
empty scene in Photoshop.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 69

Skills Magic mirror Masterclass

Phrase Book

STeP BY STeP Combine images in Photoshop

Layer mask
A layer mask allows
you to mask part of
a layer to reveal the
underlying layer. Its
just like an eraser in
that you can paint
to remove parts of
a layer, but with the
added benefit that no
pixels are ever deleted,
theyre just either
hidden or revealed.
To add a mask, click
the Add Layer Mask
icon in the Layers
panel, then, once the
mask thumbnail is
selected, you can paint
with black over the
image to hide areas, or
white to reveal them.

Open in Camera Raw

Open both mirror_before images in Photoshop


Elements. As theyre Raw files, theyll open in the
Camera Raw plug-in. Before making any changes,
check Select All at the top left so that any edits are
applied to both images at once. Use the Basic panel to
improve the tones: set Temperature 5700, Tint +7,
Exposure -0.20, Contrast +10 and Shadows +20.

Super Tip!
If you want to
book a model
for a nude shoot, then
do your research first.
Some models will be
happy to pose nude
or semi-clothed, while
others will not. If you
book models direct
through sites like
Model Mayhem (www.
modelmayhem.com),
theyll usually state
in their profile where
they draw the line.
In some cases, the
model might be happy
to pose for implied
nudity. This is the
route we took.
The model is wearing
pants and a strapless
bra, but because of
the posing and the
positioning of the
mirror, the nudity is
implied rather
than explicit.

70 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Apply sharpening in Raw

Add +18 Clarity to crisp up the details, and


Vibrance +28 to boost the less-saturated colours.
Next click the Detail tab and double-click the Zoom tool
to zoom to 100% view. Set Sharpening Amount 75,
Radius 1.3 then hold Alt and drag Masking to about 66
to mask the sharpening from softer areas. Set
Luminance 28 and Detail 40 to tone down image noise.

Copy the model in

Grab the Crop tool and crop in slightly tighter to


the figure, then when youre happy with the
Camera Raw settings, click Open Images. Go to the
image with the model, then go to Select > All. Press
Ctrl+C to copy, then go to the other image and press
Ctrl+V to paste the image in.

Align the layers

Bring up the Layers Panel (Window > Layers)


and lower the opacity of the top layer to 50%.
Double-click the Background layer and hit OK to make
it editable. Grab the Move tool and nudge the bottom
layer into alignment using the arrow keys. Use the
rocks on the wall as a guide. When youre happy,
bring the top layers opacity back to 100%.

Select the mirror face

Grab the Quick Selection Brush and paint over the


surface of the mirror to select it. Once you have a
decent selection of the area, zoom in closer and check
the edges. Hold Alt and paint to subtract parts of the
selection if you need to. Go to Select > Refine Edge.
Set Radius 2px, Smooth 20, Feather 1px and hit OK.

Fine-tune the edges

Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide Selection. Grab


the Brush tool and zoom in close to check the
edges of the mirror. If any areas arent perfect, you can
highlight the mask thumbnail on the top layer then paint
with white to reveal parts of the mirror or black to hide
areas. The reflector we used is visible through the foliage,
over on the right, so paint black to remove it too.

Next issue Five projects in our all-new Skills section!

Super Tip!

Paint a hazy surface

Ctrl-click the mask thumbnail on the top layer to


load a selection, then go to Select > Inverse. Click
the Create New Layer icon, then grab the Brush tool.
Choose a large, soft brush tip and set colour to white,
then paint loosely around the edges to add a hazy
surface to the mirror. Then, if you like, lower the layer
opacity to tone it down. Go to Select > Deselect.

Retouch the portrait

Click the Create New Layer icon then grab the


Spot Healing Brush tool and check Sample All
Layers in the tool options. We can use this layer for
non-destructive retouching while sampling from all the
layers below. Zoom in close to the face and paint with
the tool to remove blemishes and tidy up stray hairs.

Eye catching!

The eyes are a portraits most vital


element, so should they always be
directed towards the camera?

Dodge and burn

Go to Layer > New Layer. In the Layer options,


choose Mode: Overlay then check the Fill with
50% grey... box and hit OK. Grab the Brush tool and hit
D to set colour to black and press 1 to set brush opacity
to 10%, then paint to darken the edges and add a
vignette. Hit X to switch to white and paint to brighten
some of the highlights on the right.

Many images
will benefit from
subtle dodging and
burning by lightening
or darkening different
areas. Here weve
achieved this by
painting white and
black on a grey layer
set to the Overlay
blending mode.
However you dodge
and burn, the
important thing is
knowing how to guide
the viewers eye
around the image by,
for example, lightening
the subject and
darkening distracting
edges. Our eyes are
naturally drawn to
bright areas first, so
think about this when
choosing what to
accentuate or
de-emphasise
in your images.

Blur the edges

Highlight the top layer and press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E


to merge a copy of all layers, then go to Filter >
Blur > Lens Blur. Set Radius 20 and hit OK. Click the
Add Layer Mask icon in the Layers panel then grab the
Gradient tool. Select the Radial Gradient style from the
tool options, choose the Black, White preset then drag
a line from the centre to add a gradient to the mask.
Glance at any magazine cover portrait and, chances are, the subject will be looking
straight at the camera. Why? Because eye contact is arresting, it grabs attention.
If, on the other hand, the eyes are looking away, it creates a more thoughtful mood.
So consider whether your subject should be looking at the camera. If not, think
about the angle of the eyes. Gazing into the distance suggests a purpose, while
looking down feels thoughtful and looking up suggests hope or optimism.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 71

Workshop
Welcome to the Canon D-SLR photography service centre

PROBLEM #43

How do I get more from


metering modes?
We shed some light on
the dark art of taking
an exposure reading
with your EOS D-SLR

e touched on metering modes in


the previous instalment of
Workshop, but were going to look
at them in more detail this month. The
choice of metering is the starting point for
exposure, and getting familiar with how your
camera sees the bit of the world youre
pointing your lens at can make the
difference between a detail-rich picture and
an image thats too dark or burnt-out bright.
Every Canon D-SLR, from the beginnerfriendly 1200D to the professional 1D X,
includes the same basic metering modes:
Evaluative, Centre-weighted Average and
Partial. The majority of EOS cameras also
offer a Spot metering option. These four
metering patterns all work in the same
manner: they offer through-the-lens (TTL)
metering, which means that they measure
the light level reflected into the lens by the
scene or subject. Evaluative and Centreweighted Average take all of the picture into
account, while Partial and Spot measure a
progressively smaller section of the image.
Evaluative metering mode is the default
setting, and its the one that the majority of
photographers rely on day in, day out. Its
whats known as a pattern metering mode;
rather than take one meter reading from the
whole picture area, Evaluative splits the

72 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

The metering sensor sits near


the viewfinder; this one, taken
from a 70D, has 63 zones laid
out in a 7x9 grid, and Evaluative
metering uses all of these zones
to determine an exposure
scene into a series of small zones and
takes a reading from each of these. It
compares the brightness levels between
these zones and also factors in aspects
such as any extreme contrast or extensive
bright or dark areas, the distance at which
the lens is focused and, in some cases,
colours or faces, before determining an
optimum exposure. In effect the camera is
applying its own exposure compensation so
that you dont have to although in reality it
often needs a helping hand to get the
brightness bang on.
Although Centre-weighted Average
metering also uses the whole image
projected by the lens, it doesnt run through

the same extensive set of calculations


before reaching an exposure value. In fact,
the only adjustment it makes is, as the name
suggests, to give greater priority towards a
large area in the centre of the image. If the
subject is off to the side or the middle of the
picture is much brighter or darker than the
rest of it, then you may end up with
unexpected results.

Spot the difference

The Partial and Spot metering modes both


use a much smaller amount of the image and
as a result offer more precision when it
comes to setting the exposure. Most Canon
cameras have these meters fixed at the
centre AF point in the viewfinder, and this
has implications for the way in which you use
them. If the area you want to meter from isnt
covered by the centre spot, youll need to
move the camera so that it is, take an
exposure reading, lock that setting in and
then recompose your picture.
Depending on the camera model, Partial
metering covers anywhere from 10% to 6%
of the viewfinder, whereas Spot is much
finer, only detecting 4% to 1.3%. It would
appear that Spot is the smarter choice as it

Five steps to metering a subject

Get to grips with the key camera settings


involved in taking an exposure reading

4. ISO

1. Shooting mode

The choice of ISO essentially determines how sensitive


to light the sensor is. You can set this manually or
choose the Auto ISO option to let the camera adjust it
according to the lighting.

To adjust exposure, youll need to be in one of the Creative Zone modes:


P: you can change both aperture and shutter speed
Av: you set aperture, the camera sets shutter speed
Tv: you set shutter speed, the camera sets aperture
M: you set both the aperture and shutter speed

2. Camera meter

Lightly tap the shutter release to activate


metering. Youll see the aperture and
shutter speed spring into life in the
viewfinder. This exposure is based on the
area being metered and the ISO setting.

5. Exposure lock

To prevent the exposure


from changing when you
change the composition,
press the exposure lock
button. If youre using
Evaluative metering, keeping
the shutter release pressed
halfway has the same effect.

3. Metering mode

You have a choice of up to four metering


modes on your EOS camera (see these
over the page). To shift between them,
press the button marked with this
Evaluative metering icon and rotate the
Main dial or use the Quick Control Screen.

enables you to pick out a much smaller detail


from which to take an exposure reading, but
you need a good eye for tonality when you
choose this option. The reason for this is that
camera meters are calibrated to 18%
midtone grey or a subject that reflects
18% of the light that falls on it. This midtone
value is indicated by the marker in the middle
of the exposure scale you can see in the
viewfinder or the cameras displays. If the

Spot meter is covering a midtone, then


youre good to go, but if youre taking a meter
reading from an area thats brighter or
darker than midtone, then you may need to
make some adjustments.
The key thing to remember is that your
camera measures reflected light. A bright
object reflects more light than a midtone
object, while a dark area absorbs more light
than a midtone one. If youre taking a

Evaluative metering
is the default setting,
that the majority of
photographers rely
on day in, day out

STEP BY STEP

Using Exposure Simulation

You dont have to rely on the brightness histogram to judge the exposure the rear display provides an excellent guide

Exposure simulation Obtain a reading

The brightness of the Live


View image reflects the
exposure, although some EOS
cameras enable you to switch off
this function or assign it to the
depth of field button via the Live
View shooting menu.

You may notice the image


getting brighter or darker
as you move the focus frame
around; Live View uses Evaluative
metering, and biases exposure to
this area. Metering a bright part
gives a reading of 1/8 sec at f/11.

Move the focus area Magnified view

However, moving the focus


frame to a darker area
gives an new exposure reading of
1/4 sec at f/11. The image on the
display has become brighter to
simulate the longer exposure,
and brighter result.

Tap the zoom button to


enlarge the area covered
by the frame. If you then take a
picture, the exposure is locked at
the area initially covered by the
frame the aperture and shutter
speed turn orange as a warning.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 73

Metering patterns
Most Canon D-SLRs feature a 63-zone metering sensor.
Evaluative metering measures the light in all these
areas, while Partial and Spot metering use the zones
concentrated around the centre of the image only. Higherend EOS cameras feature a dual-layer metering sensor,
with the first layer measuring blue-green light while
the second measures green-red light. This is designed
to reduce exposure errors caused by the colour of the
subject. The 7D Mark II introduced a new 252-zone dual
layer metering sensor for even greater precision, while
the 5DS and 5DS R feature the most advanced sensor in
Canons lineup: a 150,000-pixel RGB sensor that detects
colours and the type of scene youre shooting.

EvaLUaTIvE METERIng

PaRTIaL

A reliable metering patten to use


in good light and for subjects that
average out to midtone.

More forgiving than Spot when


metering a specific area, as you
dont need to be quite so precise.

Midtone madness
The meter inside your camera is tuned
to 18% reflectance or the amount of
light thats reflected by an object that
has a midtone value. This is why some
photographers take a meter reading from
a grey card and then set the exposure
manually. However, Evaluative metering
goes a step further and intelligently
adjusts the exposure to take account
of different brightness levels across the
entire picture.
However, Evaluative does weight the
exposure towards the AF point(s) that
have achieved focus. This means that if

BLack
ck
Ba gROUnd

youre focusing on part of the scene thats


very light or dark in tone, then that area
may be underexposed or overexposed
accordingly. In this example, we focused
on the centre of the white flower and you
can see that Evaluative metering has
reduced the exposure to bring it closer to
mid-grey in tone. Notice that changing the
background makes little difference to the
exposure. Evaluative is doing its job, and
recognising the subject we want to expose
for its just that the brightness of the
subject itself that has thrown it, resulting in
a slightly underexposed shot.

gREY
ck
Ba gROUnd

WHITE
ck
Ba gROUnd

To fix the underexposure shown here, use exposure compensation or set the exposure
manually, but note that changing the background has little effect on the exposure.

74 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Seeking
compensation
You can override the standard exposure
set by the camera meter and make a
picture brighter or darker with exposure
compensation. You can only use this in
Program, Aperture Priority or Shutter
Priority it doesnt work in Manual
or any of the fully automatic modes.
Although the scale in the viewfinder,
shooting menu and Quick Control
Screen only shows from -2 or -3 to +2 or
+3 exposure compensation, you can dial
in up to 5 stops each way. In fact, if you
activate the cameras Auto Exposure
Bracketing (AEB) function as well, you
can set up to 8 stops of compensation.
Remember to reset the compensation
after youve finished taking pictures, as
otherwise subsequent pictures may be
totally under- or overcooked!

Flash metering

SPOT

cEnTRE-WEIgHTEd

Locked at the centre AF point and


best used alongside exposure
lock or Manual exposure.

Largely ignores the edge of the


frame, so often works well for
backlit subjects that are fairly big.

meter reading from a bright object, then


you need to add more light to keep it bright
in the photo. Do the opposite when
metering a dark object take light away,
essentially, to keep it dark. If you dont, then
the camera will assume that the bright
object or the dark object should appear as
a midtone in the image.
This is where your cameras exposure
compensation comes in. By rotating the
rear Quick Control dial (or pressing the
button marked Av +/- and then spinning
the top Main dial) you can override the
cameras meter. By shifting the indicator
to the right of the exposure scale, the area
being metered will be rendered brighter.

Shift it to the left of the midtone marker


and the area will be made darker.
As we mentioned earlier, Evaluative
metering effectively applies exposure
compensation we say effectively
because you wont see the exposure
indicator move up and down on the scale
although there are some situations
where you need to manually make
adjustments. For instance, it can struggle
in low light and when the subject is very
small in the frame. Although you may get
better results by dialling in some exposure
compensation, start small a shift of 1/3
to 2/3 stop may be enough to hit the
exposure sweet spot.

Canon cameras use E-TTL II flash metering


as standard. This measures the light
coming through the lens and automatically
adjusts the output of
the flash to match the
brightness of the subject.
As with Evaluative,
E-TTL II flash doesnt
always get it right. It can
switch the flash off too
early when faced with a
bright, reflective subject,
for instance, or pump out
too much light for a dark
one. Use flash exposure
compensation to make the
flash exposure brighter or
darker accordingly.

If your camera doesnt have a flash


exposure compensation button, set the
value using the Quick Control Screen.

5 hints and tips for...

EOS 7D Mark II
1 Locked and loaded
If you keep inadvertently
knocking the AF Area
Selection lever around the
Multi-controller, you can
lock it by sliding the Multi
Function Lock switch to the
right. You can also lock the
Main dial, Quick Control dial
and Multi-controller.

Every month we highlight an EOS camera


or type of lens and provide priceless
advice to get more from your gear

3 Easy long exposure

2 Manual fix

Normally when you zoom


with a floating max aperture
lens (such as f/3.5-5.6) in
Manual mode, you can end
up with a picture thats too
dark or bright. The 7D Mark
II has a custom function
that shifts ISO or shutter
speed to compensate.

The 7D Mark II introduces a


Bulb Timer, which enables
you to preset the length
of exposure so that you
dont have to keep an eye
on the camera countdown.
To deactivate it, switch to
a different shooting mode
and then back to Bulb.

5 Power tip

4 Watch the battery

If you have GPS enabled, the


7D Mark II will continue to
receive a signal even when
switched off; this will drain
the battery faster. You can
check the remaining power
in the yellow setup menu,
and can register up to six
batteries to the camera.

Another potential 7D Mark


II battery drainer is the
interval timer shooting
option, as the camera will
not automatically power off
between shots, and if youre
ambitious with the frame
count and the interval then
you may run out of juice.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 75

Peter
Travers
Editor
Hollie Latham
Staff writer

Adam Waring
Operations
editor

Angela
Nicholson
Head of testing

Matthew
Richards
Technical
contributor

Our experts tackle your Canon D-SLR and photographic problems


CAMERA SKILLS

Whats the best way to


balance flash with daylight?
Ive often heard that using a flashgun for
outdoor portraits can make shots look
better, but Im struggling to get naturallooking results. What are the best settings to use?
Jake Bradley Cobham

For outdoor portraits, a burst of fill-flash can banish unsightly shadows while
also warming up skin tones to make them look more radiant and lively

76 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Peter says To make the best of any weather,


a little flash can go a long way. On bright, sunny
days, a flashgun can fill in the shadows and
soften the overall lighting effect, which is why its often
referred to as fill flash. On gloomy days, where the
lighting is soft but may look rather grey and cool, a flash
can warm things up and produce skin tones that are
more radiant and vibrant.
To keep things simple, you can often get good results
by switching everything to automatic. For example, P
(Program AE) auto exposure mode should enable the
camera to give fairly accurate metering for the whole
scene, while auto TTL (Through The Lens) flash
metering will generally delivery the correct intensity
of flash to illuminate people in the foreground. However,

Canon queries? Email us at photoplus@futurenet.com


if the person youre photographing is off-centre in the
frame, and the central region is more distant, youre likely
to end up with too much flash power, overexposing the
person. This is because flash metering concentrates on
the central area of the frame. The easiest solution is to
zoom in and fill as much of the central region as possible
with the persons face. Now press the FEL (Flash
Exposure Lock) button the star button on most
cameras, but the M-Fn button on some models. This will
take a flash metering reading and lock it into the camera,
for a correct flash exposure. Zoom out again, swivel the
camera to compose the image, and take your shot.
Going a step further, the Av (Aperture value) shooting
mode is particularly good for fill-flash photography. In its
default mode, unless youve changed anything in the
flash control or custom functions settings, the camera
will set the ideal shutter speed for any aperture that you
dial in, completely ignoring the fact that youre also using
a flashgun or the cameras pop-up flash. You should
therefore get an effective exposure setting for the overall

scene. However, you may need to take care selecting


the aperture and perhaps altering your ISO (sensitivity)
setting to enable a shutter speed thats fast enough to
avoid camera-shake, but not so fast that it exceeds the
maximum flash sync speed of the camera, which will be
1/200 or 1/250 sec, depending on your camera model.
For ultimate control, try using manual settings for both
exposure and flash. Switching to M (Manual) shooting
mode, you can then select an aperture and shutter
speed that gives a correct exposure for the overall scene.
Use the metering indicator in the viewfinder as a guide
and, if necessary, increase or decrease the exposure
value (like using positive or negative exposure
compensation in P, Tv or Av modes) to make the whole
scene look lighter or darker. Similarly, alter the flash
power manually, increasing or decreasing the power
setting to make the foreground brighter or darker relative
to the overall scene. Review the results on your cameras
LCD and adjust exposure and flash settings until youre
happy with the balance.

STEP BY STEP Get a better balance

Av mode

Exposure compensation

The Aperture value mode yields particularly


good results for fill flash in outdoor shots. The
cameras metering system ignores the fact that youre
using flash, so areas in the middle distance and the
background should be well exposed, even though
theyre beyond the working range of the flashgun.

The flash will only have much of an effect on


foreground objects when shooting outdoors in
daylight. You can make more distant areas of the scene
lighter or darker by using positive or negative exposure
compensation. In Manual shooting mode use a slower
or faster shutter speed respectively.

Sensitivity settings
In very dull lighting conditions, Av mode can result
in slow shutter speeds or long exposures. This can
make for blurred results, either due to camera-shake,
or because the person youre photographing moves
slightly during the exposure. Increase the ISO setting,
if necessary, for a faster shutter speed.

Flash compensation
Once youre happy with the brightness of the
background, you can make the main foreground
object (the person in a portrait, for example) brighter
or darker by using positive or negative flash exposure
compensation. Alternatively, switch to Manual flash
mode and adjust the strength for the best results.

Quick Fix
See-through
Windows

Ive got a new


laptop with
Windows 8.1 installed.
Unlike on my old
computer, Im no
longer able to preview
Raw files directly in
Windows Explorer.
Mark Harding Chester
Angela says
You need a small
program called a
codec (coderdecoder) to view Raw
files in Windows. Go to
the Microsoft website
at www.microsoft.com
and type raw codec in
the search box, then
navigate to the
Microsoft Camera
Codec Pack page,
where you can
download a codec
that works with many
makes and models
of digital camera,
including all Canon
EOS cameras.

Quick Fix
Which hood?

Ive bought a new


Canon lens and it
came without a hood.
The genuine Canon
one looks pricey, but
Ive seen inexpensive
alternatives online.
How can I tell whether
I need a round or
petal-shaped hood?
Phil Scott Eastbourne
Hollie says
Petal-shaped
hoods can only be
used on lenses where
the front element
doesnt rotate during
focusing. Youll need
to find out the part
number for the
genuine Canon hood,
then buy a direct copy
of it, to ensure that it
fits your lens.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 77

CAMERA SKILLS

How do I shoot over crowds?


I tried taking some shots from a crowd by
holding the camera above my head and
aiming as best I could. The composition on
many left a lot to be desired but the main problem
was that all my shots were really dark. Whats the
reason for this?
Jenny Larkin Telford

Angela says Unlike a digital compact camera


that bases its autofocus and metering directly
from the image projected onto its image sensor,
a D-SLR has separate autofocus and metering modules.
Theres a lot to be said for this, especially when it comes
to the speed of autofocus performance. One drawback,
however, is that light entering through the viewfinder at
the rear can affect the metering and therefore cause
exposure errors. In your case, it sounds like you probably
had the sun behind you, and that it was shining into the
viewfinder when you were holding the camera above
your head, therefore fooling the metering system and
giving rise to dark (underexposed) images.

Canon D-SLRs generally come with a viewfinder cap


on the camera strap. You can mount this over the
viewfinder when using a tripod, or any other time youre
not blocking light from entering the viewfinder by
shielding the camera with your face. Some high-end
cameras have a blanking plate within the viewfinder,
which you can close by operating a lever.
A particularly good workaround with any current or
recent Canon D-SLR is to switch to Live View shooting
mode when you want to hold the camera above your
head and shoot over obstacles, or when youre in a
crowd of people. In Live View mode, autofocus and
metering work in the same way as with a compact
camera, so you dont need to worry about light entering
through the viewfinder.
The system works even better in cameras that have
vari-angle LCD screens. These give the added bonus
that you can twist the screen for comfortable viewing
from pretty much any angle, and accurately compose
the shot when holding the camera high up, low down,
or even facing you for a self-portrait.

What to
look for

Gimbal heads
Hollie says
Support your
heavy telephoto glass
1 A gimbal head
enables smooth
panning and tilting
while keeping lenses
centred to avoid
overbalancing on a
tripod or monopod.
2 Gimbal heads are
ideal for tracking
action, especially birds
or aircraft in flight.
3 Top quality gimbal
heads tend to cost
between 350 and
500, but check the
maximum load rating
is sufficient for your
camera and lenses.

Using Live View, especially in cameras with a vari-angle LCD screen that you can twist to view more
easily while holding the camera aloft, enables easy composition as well as accurate light metering

4 Quality brands
include Benro, Custom
Brackets, Induro and
Wimberley. Manfrotto
makes a long lens
monopod bracket
that works in a similar
way and is cheaper to
buy, at around 130.

EDITING SoFTWARE

How do I get rid of colour fringing?


My cameras auto
correction for
colour fringing
doesnt seem to work
when I process Raw files
in Photoshop Elements.
Is there a workaround?
Kieran Doyle Belfast

On the menu

With genuine Canon lenses,


auto correction to
colour fringing correction
work, process your is available in the shooting menu.
Raw files in Canons Digital
Its applied automatically in JPEG
Photo Professional.
mode, and flags Raw image files.
Adam says For the

78 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Open in DPP

In Digital Photo Professional,


Raw files that are flagged
with colour fringing correction will
be adjusted automatically when
opened or converted.

Manual edit

To apply correction manually


later, click the Tune button
in the Lens aberration correction
section and tick the Chromatic
aberration checkbox.

Email all your questions to photoplus@futurenet.com


CAMERA SKILLS

How do I set Custom mode?

Whats rear focus?


Ive seen some
lenses advertised
as having a rear focus
mechanism. What
does this actually
mean, and how does it
differ from a regular
focusing system?
Jerry Lomas Boston

Ive been trying to set up one of the Custom


shooting modes in my 5D Mk III, so that its
based on the Manual mode. However, after
I shoot, it fails to indicate M when I review the photo,
and seems to revert to Av or TV mode. Is Manual
mode precluded from being registered?
Phil Hughes Australia

Hollie says In your 5D Mk III, you should


definitely be able to register the Manual
shooting mode as a Custom setting, along with
a great many other shooting and menu functions. To
do this, select Manual shooting mode, and all the other
settings you wish to use as a starting point (including
ISO, AF mode, metering mode, etc), and then use the
Register settings option in the Custom shooting mode
menu item. Finally, select position C1, C2, or C3 to store
the setting. Manual shooting mode should then be set
automatically whenever you select either C1, C2 or C3
on the Exposure Mode dial whichever custom setting
you registered it to.
A complication can arise if you have the Auto update
set menu option (found just below Register settings
and Clear settings) set to Enable. In this case, if you
subsequently switch to Av or Tv mode while using the
Custom setting that you initially registered, the change
of mode will be automatically stored as the new
preferred value, and initiated next time you select the

Quick Fix

Make all your changes to the shooting setup, then


register the custom settings, but disable Auto update
set to avoid your saved settings being overwritten
Custom shooting mode. Any other shooting functions
and menu functions that can be stored in the Custom
mode will also have their values overwritten if you alter
them while using the Custom mode. Its usually therefore
best to switch Auto update set to Disable, so that any
changes you make while using a Custom shooting mode
are not stored, and when you select the Custom
shooting mode next time around, it defaults to your
original stored bank of settings.

Angela says
Camera lenses
are constructed from a
complex arrangement
of internal glass
elements. Those
mounted towards the
rear are generally
rather smaller and
lighter than those at
the front, especially if
theyre fast telephoto
lenses, where the front
elements can be very
large. By moving the
smaller, lighter
elements at the rear of
the lens to adjust
focus, autofocus can
be much speedier.

CAMERA SKILLS

Which super-telephoto lens?


Ive been thinking about buying the
Tamron 150-600mm lens that won
the Best Value award in issue 94s
Super Test of super-telephoto lenses. Ive
just noticed that Sigma has also launched
a 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens so Im wondering
which is the better buy?
Vic Drake Harwich

Matthew says The Sigma 150600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM S lens


hadnt been launched when we ran the
Super Test in issue 94, but has now become
available. Its actually the first of two new
150-600mm lenses from Sigma, and the more
upmarket of the pair. Its rather heavier and
pricier than the Tamron SP 150-600mm
f/5-6.3 Di VC USD, at 1,500 and 2.86kg,
compared with the Tamrons 900 and 1.95kg.
The Sigma is more sophisticated, with an
optional USB dock that enables customisation
of some of its controls, a zoom lock switch

that can be used at any zoom length, and


weather seals throughout, rather than just a
weather-sealed mounting ring thats featured
on the Tamron.
Image quality is quite similar from the two
competing lenses but, in our tests, the Sigma
proved a little sharper, especially towards the
longer end of its zoom range. n

The new Sigma 150-600mm S


(Sport) lens is a little sharper
and more sophisticated than
the equivalent Tamron, but its
a fair bit heavier and pricier

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 79

Your Photos

YourPhotos
Get professional feedback on your favourite photos

Geelong Pier

By Will Dower

Canon EOS 5D Mk III


Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Aperture f/2.8
Shutter speed 1/50 sec
Will says Im a 72-year-old
professional musician who has
come to D-SLR photography
late in life. Three years ago I purchased
a Canon 600D with kit lens, which
I trained on, making good use of the
tutorials and tips in PhotoPlus. Recently
I made the leap to the 5D Mk III with the
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L lens. In January,
my wife and I were holidaying in Geelong,
in the Australian state of Victoria. As we
were driving around the bay I spotted
the pier just coming into the beautiful
light of the golden hour; the sunset was
bouncing off the clouds and throwing
a magenta glow over the subject, which
I couldnt resist capturing, so I set up my
camera on a tripod and fired off a bunch
of shots. Apart from a little warming up
in Lightroom 5 Ive done minimal
post-production on this shot, as Im
attempting to master the art of nailing
shots in-camera.
Peter says This is a
wonderful sunset shot Will,
and youve certainly nailed
it in camera! While you can put a lot of
planning into golden hour photography,
its often just a case of being in the right
place at the right time, and thats
certainly the case here. The image is
well focused, and perfectly exposed to
capture detail from the shadows to the
illuminated areas on the buildings; the
only thing Id have done differently would

80 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

T
SHOH
OF T TEH
MON

have been to move the camera left


slightly to leave more space between
the end of the pier and the edge of
the frame. The colours are, indeed,
spectacular, but Im actually going
to suggest converting the image to
mono not as an improvement or
a correction, but just as a different
treatment to think about for this kind
of subject. There are lots of interesting
shapes and patterns in the pier that
are rather overpowered by the striking
pinks, and converting to mono
emphasises these and creates a very
different, fine art feel. Ive converted
two duplicate layers to mono using
Elements Convert to Black and White
dialog, and combined them using a layer
mask. With the colour removed theres
not much interesting detail in the sky,
so Ive made it completely black to
create dramatic contrast with the
highlights and midtones in the pier.
I used the Infrared preset in Convert
to Black and White to turn the sky mostly
black, and a black brush to complete the
job, and used the Scenic Landscape
preset to bring out the detail in the pier
and buildings. Ive used a layer mask
to reveal the black sky, and other dark
areas of the layer to create contrast.
Ive then used a Levels adjustment layer
to further boost the contrast in selected
areas, and Ive also cropped the image
to exclude some of the cars and
distracting details on the right.

Email your photos to photoplus@futurenet.com

Meet our panel of experts

STEP BY STEP

Now try this...


How Will can transform his
golden hour shot in Elements

Peter Travers

Adam Waring

Hollie Latham

Peter is our expert on Canon


photography, and heads out with his
trusty 5D Mk III at every opportunity.

Adam fell in love with photography


when he was a teenager, and
specialises in landscapes and travel.

Hollie enjoys shooting portraits,


and shes our resident expert on
all things Photoshop.

Editor

Staff writer

Operations editor

Convert to mono

Duplicate the Background layer


and go to Enhance > Convert to
Black and White. Choose the Scenic
Landscape preset and click OK.
Duplicate the Background layer
again, and convert to mono with the
Infrared preset. Paint the sky with a
black brush to make it fully black.

Combine mono layers

Hide the top layer, click the Infrared


mono layer, and select the sky with
the Quick Selection tool. Show the
top layer again, add a mask to this
layer, and press Ctrl+I to invert the
mask and reveal the sky on the
Infrared layer. Tidy up the mask.

Create more contrast

Photo Critique
1

Perfectly exposed to capture colour and


detail, from the highlights to the shadows

Nicely focused to keep the fine detail


in the pier and buildings pin-sharp

Composition could be shifted slightly


to leave more space to the left of the pier

2
1

Paint on the mask with a small black


brush to reveal dark details on the
Infrared layer to create contrast.
Add a Levels adjustment layer, set
Shadows to 15, Midtones to 145 and
Highlights to 200 to boost contrast,
then paint black on the mask to hide
clipped shadows or highlights.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 81

Your Photos

Charlie
on the
Rocks
By Rich Alderson

Canon EOS 5D Mk III


Sigma 24-105mm f/4
DG OS HSM A
Aperture f/4.5
Shutter speed 1/200 sec
Rich says This is a
shot of my friends son,
Charlie, on a section of
the Kitchener mountain bike trail
in Sherwood Forest called
The Rocks. This was my first
experiment with the wireless flash
transmitters. I set up the shot with
the sun lighting the scene from
the left, and balanced this with
two flashes on the right, using
High Speed Sync mode to obtain
a fast-enough shutter speed to
underexpose the bright sky.
I pre-focused on the rock and
waited for Charlie to ride through
the scene. We had planned to take
some more dynamic shots, but
my bike chain snapped so we had

to walk two miles back to the


car through the snow!
Adam says This is
a nice shot, Rich, and
youve done a great job
of balancing the ambient lighting
with the flash, considering this
was your first time using wireless
transmitters. Its just a shame
your shoot was curtailed,
because the shot does lack that

Magenta on Green
By John Thirkell

Canon EOS 40D


Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6
Aperture f/5.6
Shutter speed 1/320 sec

feeling of dynamism. However,


you can create the impression of
speed even if your rider is going
relatively slowly, by having them
adopt a more dynamic pose, and
it would look better if you could
see Charlies face, especially his
eyes looking focused and
forwards. It would also help if you
could see more of the trail hes
going to land on. And by using a
slower shutter speed you could

have captured slight blur in rider


to convey a sense of speed.

John says I got into


photography about
three years ago after
a family break in Wales. Over the
past year Ive started to take
things more seriously and have
been doing a training course to
improve my technique. I was
drawn to this flower because of
the way the sunlight was bringing
out the purples in the leaves.
I wanted to create a shallow depth
of field to make the leaves stand
out, which I achieved by
combining the f/5.6 aperture with
a focal length of 180mm. I used
the rule of thirds to position the
flower in the left of the frame.

be due to a gust of wind, as your


shutter speed of 1/320 sec at
180mm is fast enough to avoid
camera shake. But it may equally
be that the sharpness of your old
75-300mm lens may not be
brilliant at f/5.6; you could try
shooting at f/6.3 or f/8 for better
sharpness, increasing your focal
length to maintain the shallow
depth of field. I also find the three
dead flowers at the base of the
plant unattractive and distracting;
you could have done a little
gardening and bent them out of
the way for the shot, or as theyre
dead simply removed them.

Peter says This is a


lovely shot, John. Its
well exposed and
composed, and the purple flower
stands out strikingly against the
green backdrop. Your focusing is
pretty good; however, the leaves
arent perfectly sharp. This could

82 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Your flash settings help to create


a well-exposed action shot
Good decision to pre-focus the
shot to get the biker fully sharp
Nicely composed, with the
subject riding into the frame
The image lacks a feeling of
dynamism, but you can fake this

Nicely composed and the shallow


depth of field is very effective
Well exposed to capture detail
and subtle tones in the leaves
The leaves appear slightly soft
viewed at 100% magnification
The three dead flowers below the
main subject are a distraction

Email your best photos to photoplus@futurenet.com

Shore Lark
By Geoff Pain

Canon EOS 70D


Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L
IS II USM
Aperture f/2.8
Shutter speed 1/1600 sec
Geoff says I took this
shot of a shore lark at
Rossall Point, near
Fleetwood in Lancashire. These
particular birds are something
of a rarity in this area, and this
one had been present since
early December, so a friend and
I decided to go and have a look in
the New Year. The bird had been
frequenting a picnic area but had
been scared off by walkers and
had temporarily relocated itself
to the beach, which was a more
photogenic site in my opinion.
The 300mm focal length enabled

me to keep my distance from the


bird, and I cropped the image to
make it bigger in the frame.
Hollie says This is
great long-lens bird shot
Geoff the 300mm
focal length and f/2.8 aperture
have given you a lovely depth of
field to help your subject stand
out from its rather cluttered
surroundings. The birds pose,
with its head turned towards you,
is nice and engaging too. The
image is well exposed, but there
isnt a great deal of colour in the

STEP BY STEP Now try this...

ACR edits

Go to File > Open in Adobe Camera Raw,


navigate to the image and click Open.
In ACR set Temperature to +5, Contrast
to +20, and Clarity and Vibrance to +25.
Crop the image as shown.

scene, so Ive boosted the colours


and contrast to add a little punch
to the image. Ive started out in
ACR, as its Temperature and
Vibrance sliders do a subtle but
very effective job of warming the
image and boosting the colours.
Ive also cropped the image a little
tighter in ACR, before taking it into
Elements Expert editing mode,
where Ive tweaked the contrast
with a Levels adjustment layer.
Finally, Ive cloned out the
distracting piece of pink litter
in the foreground, to give a
more natural look to the scene.

NEw LOOk
YOuR PHOTOS!
Next issue in the new-look
Your Photos we will be
showcasing a selection
of the best reader images
and stories. If youd like to be
considered, send 3-5 of your
best shots with 300 words
on the story behind the
shot(s) to photoplus@
futurenet.com with Your
Photos as the subject line.*

How Geoff can fine-tune his shots colours


and contrast in ACR and Photoshop Elements

Tweak contrast

Click Open Image to open it in the main


Elements editor. Add a Levels adjustment
layer, and set Shadows to 8, Midtones to
1.10 and Highlights to 225. Press
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E to create a merged layer.

NOTE: By submitting an image you: (a) grant Future Publishing Ltd permission to publish it free of charge in the UK and foreign editions of our photographyrelated magazines (print & digital), and on our photography websites; and (b) confirm that you have the right to submit the image and that Futures use of the
image as set out above will not infringe the rights of any person. You agree to indemnify Future against any liability it suffers as a result of using your image.

Retouch the shot

Select the Clone Stamp tool, and check


Sample All Layers. Zoom in on the small
pink object thats cluttering up the
foreground, and Alt-click on similarlooking pixels from nearby to clone it out.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 83

The Canon magazine

Introducing the new, bigger and better...

ere not only celebrating our 100th


issue next month, were also going
to be bigger and better than ever!
From next issue well be known as
PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and
we have some fantastic new articles to help
you get more out of your Canon EOS DSLR
and your photography. With 148 pages,
and bigger page size, well bring lots of great
new regulars including top Canon pro
interviews, more in-depth tests, a
complete Canon DSLR and Canon-fit lens
buyers guide, a new Canon School
section including in-depth advice and Q+As,
a new Photo Stories section showcasing
readers work, plus a free Video Disc and A4
tips cards every issue! And well still be at the
same great price, making PhotoPlus: The
Canon Magazine better value than ever!

New caNoN techNIcal advIce

New Canon School including an in-depth


Q+A, Canon software, and top tech tips
84 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

New caNoN pro INtervIew

Every month well chat to the worlds best


Canon pros and show off their top shots

New more IN-depth tests

Reviews will include vigorous lab test data


to help you make informed purchases

new issue on sale 28 april


plus!
Big phoTo
gear giveaway
worTh over
5000!

go to
www.myfavourite
magazines.co.uk/
photoplus100
and subscribe befo
12 april to receivere
issue 100!

New complete buyers guIde

Every current Canon EOS DSLR and every


Canon-fit lens listed, with full tech specs

New bIgger & better projects


More shooting projects for you to follow,
plus new Photoshop and DPP tutorials

For a sneak preview of PhotoPlus issue 100 go to: http://downloads.photoplusmag.com/pp100.pdf

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 85

Skills Xxxxx xxxx

86 | PhotoPlus Xxx 2012

The latest Canon-fit kit tried and tested

Independent advice to help you buy smarter

Angela Nicholson
Head of testing

angela.nicholson@futurenet.com

help me Buy
close-up gear
Page 90

Welcome...

super test! home


studio lighting

Page 96

The PhoToPlus
raTings exPlained
When it comes to reviewing products and
services in PhotoPlus, we tell it like it is.
Were totally independent from Canon
and will never give someone a good score
just because they advertise. Eyes right
for a guide to our specific awards

Only the best of


the best receive
our coveted award

Buy for the best


combination of
quality and value

Given to the kit


youve used and
rated the highest

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 87

Gear Update
ProMediaGear
Tomahawk

Web: www.promediagear.com
Price: 249/$299
A sturdy support that provides both stability and freedom
of movement when using a large lens is paramount,
which is why gimbal heads are favoured by many sports,
wildlife and aviation photographers. The Tomahawk is a
ball head gimbal attachment, rather than a full-blown
head, so it requires an Arca Swisscompatible ball head, such as the
ProMediaGear PMG, in order to work,
and fits to the head in the same way as
a quick release plate. Smooth motion is
provided by the use of steel bearings
rather than solid bushes, and this
movement can be locked easily if
needed. At under half the price of a
dedicated gimbal head the Tomahawk
is well worth a look.

Lee Filters Pouch

Web: www.leefilters.com Price: 38/$56


Lee Filters kit is expensive, but if looked after well it should last
for many years. However, as many landscape
photographers know, keeping hold of
your precious filters in
sub-zero temperatures is
often easier said than done.
This bag isnt a solution for
clumsiness, but helps keep
your filters organised in a
pouch that fits comfortably
onto a belt, enabling
quick-and-easy access when
needed. High-quality
materials and design reflect
the Lee Filters brand, so
whether on your belt or in a
kit bag, this pouch will offer
your filters the protection
they deserve.

GearUpdate

Introducing the latest bumper crop of digital photography goodies


Gloxy Power Blade
Web: www.digitaltoyshop.co.uk
Price: 170/$TBA

Bearing more than a fleeting resemblance to a prop


from Star Wars, the Gloxy power blade is a versatile
constant light stick. The illuminated pole design and
handle make directing light to lift shadows easy,
and the built-in ten-level power adjuster on the
handle enables you to adjust the brightness quickly
and as needed. The Power Blade also features four
modes, from constant light to flashing sequences
that are designed for light painting, which
gives plenty of scope for experimenting.
The blade is powered by an
interchangeable battery pack
that lasts for up to one hour
of full-power use, or
ten hours at the
lowest setting.

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM A


Web: www.sigma-imaging-uk.com Price: TBA/$TBA

Sigma has announced a new addition to its Art lens range designed for full-frame cameras (and also
fully compatible with Canon APS-C-sensor cameras). The 24mm focal length provides a wide 84.1
degree angle of view, which is perfect for landscapes, while the large (f/1.4) aperture should appeal
to photographers who want to get creative. Sigmas 30mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses in this range
have already proved optically excellent, so we expect great image quality from this wide-angled
version. The lens has 15 elements in 11 groups, which include both FLD and SLD glass to reduce
distortion and chromatic aberration. Minimum focus distance is 25cm and the filter size is 77mm.

88 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

New kit coming your way


LowePro ProTactic 350AW
Web: www.lowepro.com Price: 170/$199

Aimed at the high-end enthusiast and pro, this backpack provides


photographers with a bag that can be fully customised to their needs. The bags
exterior is made from tough, weather-resistant material, and the straps have
been sown in flush to the outside to create plenty of loopholes to attach
additional kit, such as tripods. The inner compartments can be accessed in four
different ways, depending on how you configure the inside, giving plenty of
flexibility. Theres also a separate 13in laptop section and
several handy small exterior pockets. The straps and
back feature ActivZone, to help avoid a sweaty back
when carrying the bag for extended periods.

Broncolor Siros

Web: www.broncolor.com Price: 828/$999


Broncolor is known for quality studio flash kit and,
although normally aimed at the pro market, the Siros
models have a price and feature set that
will appeal to pros and enthusiasts
alike. There are two power options
400w or 800w which come with
or without Wi-Fi, plus two wireless
trigger options. The standout Wi-Fi
feature enables you to connect to
an iPad app to control the flashs
power remotely, which makes
working with the Siros exceptionally
easy and accurate.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 89

Gear Help Me Buy a Macro Alternative

Help me buy a...

Macro Alternative
We help a reader discover how to take close-ups on the cheap

ike other specialist genres of


photography, macro requires
specific optics to do the job.
However, this comes at a cost;
a top-of-the-range macro lens, such
as the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM,
will set you back nearly 700! Luckily,
there are a number of much cheaper
alternatives available. So, whether its
fancy flowers or creepy-crawlies you
want to capture, you can achieve good
results without spending a fortune.
There are various attachments you
can add to your lenses to increase the
magnification. Some of the methods
well be looking at include reversing
your lens, joining two lenses together,
adding extension tubes between
your camera and lens or even
something as simple as
screwing a close-up filter
to the front of your lens.
All of these options vary
in price but still remain
relatively cheap, and
in some cases can
actually give as much
or often greater
magnification than
a true macro optic.
However, there are
drawbacks to using
these macro budget

options; some pieces of kit dont pass


the electronic connections between
your camera and lens, which requires
manual control and a bit more thought.
Image quality is often reduced and
vignetting can occur, and depth of field
is reduced to mere millimetres.
PhotoPlus reader Trefor Roberts
wanted to see which of these
close-up options was best
for the job, so we helped
him put a selection of
macro alternatives
tothetest

THE READER
Name: Trefor Roberts
Camera: Canon EOS 70D

Trefor, 53, is a retired area sales


manager from Hampshire who
has a passion for bird and wildlife
photography. He bought his first
Canon SLR 20 years ago, but its been
within the past six years that Trefor has
dedicated much more time to his photography.
He spends a lot of time using long telephoto
lenses to capture fast-moving wildlife from afar,
but now wants to try his hand at macro
photography to get much closer to his subjects.

90 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

We help you choose new kit

THE ExpERT
Name: Hollie Latham
Camera: Canon EOS 60D

Hollie is always on the lookout


for alternative kit to shoot with.
She has an artistic eye, and is
willing to experiment with new
lens options to get creative results.
With budget in mind, she was just the
person to source a range of macro alternatives
for our lucky PhotoPlus reader.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 91

Gear Help Me Buy a Macro Alternative

Coupling Ring
(72mm to 72mm)

Web: www.srb-photographic.co.uk
Price: 12.95
Holllie saysCoupling

ringsenableyouto
connecttwolensesby
theirfiltermountsandare
availableindifferentsizestofita
varietyoflensfilterthreads
(thoughifthelenseshave
different-sizedthreads,youll
needtouseanadditional
steppingring).Mountonelenstoyour
camerainthenormalway,attachthe
couplingring,thenattachthesecondlensin
reverse.Bothlensesneedtobesetattheir
widestavailableaperture,otherwisethere
willbeextremevignetting.Itsalsovitalto
steerclearoflong,heavylensesastheywill
placetoomuchstrainonthefiltermount.
Trefor saysThiscouplingringis
certainlyalow-costoption,and
convertstwolensesintoavery
powerfulclose-uplensforextreme
magnification.Butaswellasrequiringapair
oflenses,itprovedverytricky;thedepthof

fieldwasreducedtomillimetresandfocusing
accuratelywasntatalleasy.Composingthe
shotwasratherunintuitivetoo,asyouhadto
twistthefocusandzoomringsinthe
oppositedirectionasyoureusedto.

Enablesextremesuper-macroclose-ups;
goodvalueformoney;sturdyfit
Focusingandcomposingtricky;requirestwo
lenses;filterthreadsneedtobethesamesize

Kood Close Up
Filter Set (72mm)
Web: www.koodinternational.com
Price: 49
Hollie says

Thissetofthree
close-upfilters
comeinstrengthsof+1
(weakest),+2and+4
(strongest),andcanbeused
individuallyorstackedtoget
evencloser.Astheysimply
screwontotheendofyourlens,
allelectronicfunctions,such
asexposuresettingsand
autofocus,workasusual.
However,toreachevena
modest1:2magnificationratio(half
macrosize)onan18-55mmkitrequires
allthreefilterstobestackedtogether.
Trefor saysThesefilterswere
straightforwardtouseandaquick
fixtoincreasemagnification.Iwas
abletoshootwithoutatripod,andbeingable
tousetheusualfunctionsofmycamera,
suchautofocusandhavingcontroloverthe

92 | PhotoPlus Spring
April 2014
2015

depthoffield,madelifeeasy.Iwas,however,
concernedaboutthequalityofmyimages
whenstackingallthreefilters,andvignetting
becameapparent,butthisdidgivetheimage
anartyfeel.Thesetisgoodvalue,andcomes
inaneatboxthattakeslittleroominmybag.

Quickandeasytofitanduse;fullcontrolofall
lensfunctionsisretained;nottooexpensive
Requiresdifferent-sizedsetstofit
differentlenses;imagequalitysuffers

We help you choose new kit

Lensbaby Macro
Converter
Web: www.lensbaby.co.uk
Price: 41

Hollie saysIfyouwant

thatcreativeLensbaby
lookinyourmacro
shots,looknofurtherthan
theLensbabyMacroConverter.
Itworksinasimilarwayto
extensiontubes;theconvertersits
betweentheLensbabybodyandopticto
enableyoutogetreallyclosetoyoursubject.
Includedisan8mmand16mmextension
ringthatyoucancombinetogeta24mm
ring.Themacroconvertersarecompatible
withallLensbabylensbodiesandopticsand,
dependingonwhatoptic,cameraand
converteryouuse,youcanachievefocusing
distancesbetween0and8.13inches.For
thistestweusedtheLensbabyComposer
ProwiththeSweet35optic(35mm,f/2.5).
Trefor saysIvehadaLensbabyin
thepastandoncethenoveltywore
offIsolditon,soIwasabit
sceptical.Ifoundthemacroconvertertobe
abitofafafftousefromstarttofinish.Itwas

fiddlytoassembleandyouwouldneedto
ownaLensbabyalready,whichifyoudont,
isanadditionalcost.Onceitsallsetupyou
havetosettheaperturemanuallyonthe
Lensbaby,whichwasntobvious,and
focusingiscompletelymanualtoo,sotaking
adecentshotprovedalittlebittricky!The
cameracantmeterproperlyifyoutiltthe
Lensbaby,soeachtimeIadjusteditIhada

completelydifferentexposure.Thatsaid,
onceIgotthehangofitIdidgetsome
interestinglookingclose-upimages.

betweenyourcameraandlensandthenyou
shootasnormal.ThisupdatedmarkIIversion
iscompatiblewithallEF-S,EFandTS-E
lenses,theresnomessingaroundwith
steppingringsfordifferentsizes.IdidfindI
neededtooverexposeslightlywhenusingthe
extensiontube,butthatwaseasyenoughto
adjust.Itsoneofthemoreexpensiveoptions

onthetest,butIthinkitswortheverypenny,
andisagreat-qualityCanonproduct.

Offerstheabilitytoproducecreativeshots;
compatiblewithallLensbabyoptics
Fiddlytouse,withmanualfocusingand
aperture;givesinconsistentexposures

Canon EF12 II
Extension Tube

Web: www.canon.co.uk
Price: 60

Hollie saysCanon

offerstwoextension
tubes,theEF12IIand
EF25II,whichsitbetweenyour
D-SLRbodyandthelensto
increasethedistancebetweenthe
lensandthesensor,enablingyouto
focusmuchcloser.Butthetrade-off
isthatyouwontbeabletofocusat
longerdistances.Thenumberofthe
extensiontubedenotesthelength,
sothe25mmgivesagreater
magnificationthanthe12mm.Thisis
reflectedinthepricewiththeEF25IIcosting
115,comparedto60fortheEF12II.As
extensiontubescontainnoglass,thequality
ofyourlensispreserved,butitwillrequire
morelighttoobtainacorrectexposure.
Trefor saysWhatIlikeaboutthis
extensiontubeisthatautofocusand
exposurearefullyfunctional,soits
likeshootingwithamacrolens.Itsquicktofit

Easytouse;imagequalityisretained;
compatiblewithallCanon-fitlenses
Moreexpensivethanmanyoptions;essentially
justahollowtubewithelectricalcontacts

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 93

Gear Help Me Buy a Macro Alternative

Kooka EOS
Auto Focus
Reversing Ring

Web: www.srb-photographic.co.uk
Price: 100

Hollie saysTheKookareversing
ringenablesyoutomountyour
Canonlensinreversetoachievea
greatermagnificationwhilealsotransferring
allofthecontrolfunctions.Innormaluse,
thelargeobjectyouseethroughthelensis
reducedinsizeinordertorecorditonthe
sensor.Byusingthisreversingringand
mountingyourlensinreverseyoucan
achievetheopposite,sosmallobjectsare
increasedtomuchlargerinsize.Whenusing
azoomlenswithafocallength,forinstance,
of28-105mminreverseposition,youcan
achievemagnificationratiosof1:7atthe
105mmendto2.8:1atthe28mmsetting.
Trefor saysThisproductwas
straightforwardtoassemblewith
thelensinreverse.Itfeltsturdyand
goodquality,theconnectingringwasmade
ofaluminiumandthefinishedsetupfelt
secure.Thekitcamewiththreestepping

The bigger picture


MACRO MAGnIFICATIOn
Truemacrophotographymeansshooting
atamagnificationratioofleast1x,which
isoftenrepresentedas1:1.Thismeans
thatifyouphotographasmallobjectat
thelenssclosestfocusdistancesetting
youllberecordingtheobjectatlifesize
ontheimagesensor.Somemacrolenses
andmacroalternativescanactually
achievegreatermagnification.

LET THERE bE LIGHT!


Usingmacroalternativesandattaching
additionalpiecesofkittoyourlensdoes
haveitsdrawbacksandoneofthemis
thereductioninlight.Withsuchclose
focusingdistancesyoumaynotbeable
touseflashsuccessfully,sotryusing
areflectortobouncesomelightback
intoyoursubject.

DOnT bE FOOLED
Manyzoomlensesclaimtohavemacro
functionality,butinrealitywhiletheycan
focusreasonablyclosely,bynomeans
cantheyreproducetruemacroimagesat
1:1.Youlloftenfindthatwhattheydooffer
isamagnificationratioof1:4or1:2
whichisjustquarterorhalflifesize.

94 | PhotoPlus Spring
April 2014
2015

ringstofitarangeoflenssizes58mm,
67mmand72mmwhichwasveryhandy
asIwasntlimitedtousingitwithjustone
lens.Iwasgobsmackedatthelevelof
magnificationthismethodproduced;itwas
veryimpressiveindeed!Allthelensdatais
transmittedtothecamerabody,including
autofocus,however,Ifounditeasierto
switchtomanualfocusandmovetheplant

untilitcameintosharpfocus.Considering
themagnificationthisproductcanoffer,it
representsgoodvalueformoney.

TREFORS VERDICT
Ihadagreatdaytestingouttherangeof
macroalternatives.Theproductsvaried
wildlybothinpriceandthewaytheyfunction,and
itsgoodtoseewhatyoucangetforyourmoney.
Thecouplingringisabudget-friendlyoption,
however,composingandfocusingwastricky.
Likewise,IfoundtheLensbabymacroconverter
veryfiddlytoassembleanduse.TheKood
close-upfiltersetwasaquickandeasysolution
butimagequalitywasaconcernonceyou
startstackingthemtogether.The
Kookareversingringwasvery
impressiveandexcellentvaluefor
money,butthewinnerformeis
Canonsextensiontube.Itwas
quicktofitandthecamera
andlensfunctionasnormal
soonceIstartedshooting
IforgotIwasusingit!Itsa
goodqualityproductand
offersreasonable
valueformoney.

Impressivelarger-than-life-sizemagnification;
goodqualitybuild;preservesautofocus
Trickytofocus;themostexpensiveoption
testedbutstillcheaperthanamacrolens

Gear Super Test

Studio Lights
Constant lighting or something a bit more flash?
We compare the most appealing and budgetfriendly options for the digital studio

hink studio lighting and youre


probably thinking flash heads.
Massed ranks of amateur and
professional photographers prefer
them, simply because they give more
bang per buck. Flash heads tend to be
reasonably compact, lightweight
and manageable, while delivering
plenty of power because the flash
itself only lasts for a split second.
The popular monoblock design
philosophy puts the light plus all
associated electronics and control
interface within a single unit. All
you have to do is plug it into the
mains and youre away.
For a more traditional approach,
constant lighting rigs for photography
have tended to be big, heavy and
expensive, requiring much more electricity
yet giving far less light output. Apart from
solutions that use fluorescent tubes,
theyve also typically run very hot and were
certainly less than ideal if youre not a fan
of the sweaty look in portraiture. But sizes
and weights have been massively reduced
with the advent of constant lights based on
quartz halogen bulbs, or even LED panels.
Prices have come down and constant
lighting has become more worthy of
consideration. Moreover, constant lighting
is an absolute necessity if youre shooting
video. So lets take a closer look and
see which flash and constant lighting
solutions best suit your needs.

Our eight on test


Flash heads
1

Interfit EX200 Ti

2 Lastolite Lumen8 400w

180/$275
210/$350

3 Elinchrom D-Lite RX 4

245/$355

4 Bowens Gemini 500R

400/$650

Constant lights
5 Bowens Pixel Zoom Light

260, $450

6 Elinchrom Zoom Scanlite Halogen

295, $490

7 Manfrotto Spectra 1X1 MLS1X1F LED

520, $660

8 Calumet Pro Series Daylight 576 LED

575, $900

96 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Canon-compatible kit on test

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 97

Gear Super Test

How we
tested

To test the relative


power of each light,
we fitted them with
standard reflectors
(none for LED lamps),
but without modifiers.
We measured the light
intensity at a distance
of two metres with
a Sekonic L-758D
Digitalmaster light
meter. Measurements
were taken throughout
the range of power
settings for each light.
For halogen lights,
we measured the light
intensity with different
wattage bulbs and at
either end of the zoom
range. Our required
for a correct exposure
table shows the
aperture required for
a correct exposure at
ISO100 and 1/125 sec;
narrower f-stop ratings
indicate greater flash
power. For flash heads,
the recycling time was
also measured after
discharging a
full-power flash.

98 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Quick-fire or constant?
Here are the most important factors to bear in mind
when choosing a lighting solution for your home studio

lash heads give plenty of power and theyre


easy to control, but thats not the whole story.
A big attraction of constant lighting is that
what you see is what you get. The effect of even
subtle movements in the position of a light and,
even more so, the relative movements of different
lights in multiple-light setups, are immediately
obvious. Even though most flash heads have a
proportional setting that roughly matches the
brightness of modelling lamps to the power setting
of the flash itself, the effects of small changes are
less obvious than when using constant lamps.

Take it slow

Even the latest constant light technology cant


compete with the raw power of flash. Its not
generally a problem for still-life photography,
where you can use slow shutter speeds or even
long exposures. In this case, you dont need a
whole lot of light, especially given the excellent
low-light performance of the latest Canon D-SLRs.
The relative lack of power can actually be an
advantage where you want to use a very wide
aperture to minimise depth of field. You can
struggle to achieve this with flash heads, even
at their lowest power setting. The flip side is
that, with the greater power of flash, you have
more flexibility over what modifiers you can use,
like brollies and softboxes to soften the light.
Another attraction of constant lighting is that
you dont need to sync or trigger the heads,

as theyre naturally on constantly rather than


delivering a flash that needs to be synchronised
with the opening of your cameras shutter. That
avoids the need for trailing wires between the
camera and a light head, or the use of a wireless
trigger system involving a transmitter and receiver.
Its worth noting that many modern cameras dont
actually have a sync terminal, so you also need a
hotshoe adaptor for cable-based synchronisation.
With constant lighting, youll also bypass the
need for a flash exposure meter, as you can simply
use the cameras built-in metering system. With
flash heads, a flash meter is really a
must, especially when you need
to set up the relative power
of multiple heads.

Top secret tips! See page 30

The need for speed in portraiture


The speed of a flash studio light setup adds real versatility

he primary use of studio


lighting for many of us is
portraiture and, here, slow
shutter speeds can be a problem.
Even if the person youre shooting is
particularly good at sitting perfectly
still and holding their breath, its
hardly conducive to natural, relaxed
expressions. Flash wins out over
constant lighting because, even
though the camera shutter speed
will typically be around 1/125 sec,
the duration of the flash itself can be
as little as 1/1,000 sec or briefer. This
will effectively freeze any movement,
even for action portraits where the
person is dancing or jumping around.
Youll also find that flash heads
enable narrower apertures, which can
be a major bonus for group portraits.
We often think that wide apertures
and shallow depths of field are good
for portraiture but, when you want to
get two or more people sharp in a
studio environment, a relatively large
depth of field is essential. Apertures of
f/11 or narrower are often required.
Unlike with constant lighting, you have
to wait for flash heads to recycle after
each pulse of output but, in most
cases, this will require less than a
couple of seconds, even when the
heads are used at maximum power.

Unlike dazzling
constant lights, the
relative dullness of
a flash head (apart
from during the
very short burst
of flash) makes
for more
comfortable
portraiture

Super Tip!
Constant lights
based on halogen
bulbs tend to have a
colour temperature thats
equivalent to tungsten
room lighting. This can be
useful when combining
photographic lamps with
ambient indoor lighting.
Flash heads are typically
balanced for daylight. In a
studio environment, their
power will tend to
completely swamp any
room lighting but, if you
want to see the effect of
the lighting setup, youll
often want to switch
lights off anyway, so that
the modelling lamps give
the only illumination.
Some LED panels include
dual sets of daylight- and
tungsten-matched lamps,
in alternating pattern, so
you can switch
between the two.

STEP BY STEP Get set up to shoot with studio lights

Flash settings
Constant metering
White balance
Youll need to set the shooting mode
With constant lighting, you can use
and constant lights only really
2 your cameras built-in light metering 3 Flash
1 to Manual when using flash heads.
have a nominal balance for daylight
Many photographers set the sensitivity to
ISO100 and the lens aperture to f/8, for
optimum image quality. A shutter speed
of 1/125 sec should enable sufficient time
for the studio lights to trigger.

system in the usual way. Av mode works


well, automatically adjusting the shutter
speed for your chosen aperture. If you
need a faster shutter speed, increase the
sensitivity as necessary.

or tungsten. For the best colour rendition,


its well worth using a grey card, or even a
sheet of white paper. Place it close to the
target, shoot it and use the image to
create a Custom white balance.

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 99

Gear Super Test


FlaSH HeadS

Bowens Gemini 500R

Elinchrom D-Lite RX 4

www.bowensdirect.com

www.theflashcentre.com

ith its strong metal


casing and chunky
build, the Gemini
500R is more than twice the
weight of the competing
Elinchrom flash head at 3.4kg.
Its quiet too, designed to
dissipate heat without the use of
a cooling fan. With a rating of
500Ws, it has the highest power
rating of any flash head in the
group. Indeed, its 250W
modelling lamp is just about
bright enough for use as a
constant light source, without
even firing the flash.
Theres no built-in wireless
radio receiver, but plug-in

receiver cards
are available
ice
Target Pr
for both the
Bowens
Pulsar and
PocketWizard radio
triggering systems. Optical
slave triggering options include
a Smartcell mode that ignores
pre-flash pulses when using a
flashgun as a master.
Despite its high-end power
rating, the Gemini gave no more
maximum illumination than the
Elinchrom 400Ws and even the
Interfit 200Ws flash heads in
our tests. However, the overall
range is generous, equating to
f/4.5 to f/25. Power
adjustments are
precise and intuitive,
relying on two click
dials, one for full
f-stops and one for
1/10th f-stops,
complete with a digital
display. Recycling
times are also pretty
swift, at up to 1.3
seconds after a
full-power flash.

Strong build; quiet operation; optional


Travelpack for battery-powered operation
Heavy to carry around; expensive, with no
noticeable increase in maximum brightness

100 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

400

87

wiss precision
engineering comes to the
fore in the D-Lite range
and, despite being the smallest
and most lightweight flash head
in the group, this 400Ws edition
is heavy on high-end features.
It also feels particularly robust.
Unlike the competing Bowens
head, Elinchroms Skyport
wireless receiver is built-in.
Youd need to buy the
transmitter module separately
for wireless triggering, but its
included in various kits based
on the D-Lite RX 4 head.
The controls are supremely
intuitive and easy to use, despite

offering a wealth of
custom options if
ice
Target Pr
you so desire.
Advanced optical
slave modes enable
the head to be triggered
from flashguns, even when
theyre set to red-eye reduction
mode. Brollies, softboxes and
other modifiers are plentiful and
equally as well-made and
durable as the head itself.
The recycling time edges
ahead of the Bowens Gemini
500R to become the fastest of
any flash head in the group, at
1.2 seconds after a full-power
flash. The 150W modelling lamp
isnt quite as bright but
still gives plenty of
illumination for
adjusting lighting
setups. The Elinchrom
matches the maximum
light output of the
Bowens but power
cant be turned down
as much, the aperture
range in our tests
equating to f/7.1
to f/25.

Lightweight yet rugged; advanced features


and real ease of use; very fast flash recycling
Flash output is still quite bright, even
when set to its minimum power setting

245

94

Macro alternatives See page 90

Interfit EX200 Ti

Lastolite Lumen8 400w

www.interfitphotographic.com

www.lastolite.com

his Interfit 200Ws flash


head has a rather lower
power rating than the
competing 400Ws and 500Ws
heads on test, so its interesting
to see how it compares in terms
of performance. Similar to the
Elinchrom D-Lite lighting range,
Interfits EX200 Ti has a built-in
wireless receiver and, when
bought as part of a kit,
you also get the Interfit Dynamic
Ti Trigger. For 35 ($50), this
enables you to control all of the
main functions of up to seven
separate Ti flash heads from
one centralised unit. The flash
heads themselves are available

in 200Ws
and 400Ws
ice
Target Pr
options.
The EX200
Ti feels a bit less
robust than any of the
competing flash heads.
However, theyre tough enough
for the home studio and, like all
other heads in the group, the
main flash tube and modelling
lamp are both user-replaceable.
The Interfit manages to
match the maximum light
output of the Elinchrom 400Ws
head and even the Bowens
500Ws head, while also edging
ahead of the Lastolite 400Ws
head. However,
recycling time after
a full-power flash is
the slowest, at two
seconds. For wideraperture or shorterdistance shooting, the
Interfit also matches
the Bowens in giving
the joint least
illumination of the flash
heads at its minimum
power setting.

Plenty of brightness despite its relatively low


power rating; smart optional radio trigger
Build quality doesnt feel as sturdy as the other
flash heads in the group; slow flash recycling

180

82

ike most flash heads at this


price point, the Lumen8 is
available on its own or as
part of a twin-head kit. There
are also single-head kits, with
a good-quality air-damped
lighting stand and either a brolly
or a softbox. However, this is the
only flash head in the group for
which a wireless receiver isnt
either built-in or available as an
optional extra. Instead, Lastolite
markets a basic radio trigger,
the receiver of which plugs into
the flash heads sync socket.
Since its original release, the
head has been updated. It now
features an auto-dumping

facility, so you
dont need to
ice
Target Pr
manually fire
the flash after
reducing its power
setting, and the flash
tube is now user-replaceable,
bringing the Lumen8 into line
with all other flash heads in this
test group. The overall build
feels tough, and theres a
high-quality feel to the casing,
switches and other external
parts of the head. At 3.3kg,
its very nearly as heavy as
the Bowens thats on test.
The Lumen8 is the only flash
head in the group to feature a
rotary power knob that
gives continuous
adjustment rather
than step-changes
(typically 1/10th
f-stops). As such, its
more tricky to make
precise adjustments.
Maximum light output
is also a little down on
competing flash heads,
even the lower-rated
Interfit 200Ws head.

Good build quality and competitively priced;


some useful upgrades in this new version
Maximum light output is disappointing; lacks
built-in or optional radio triggering system

210

78

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 101

Gear Super Test


ConStant liGHtS

Bowens Pixel
Zoom Light

Calumet Pro Series


Daylight 576 LED

www.bowensdirect.com

nlike the competing


Elinchrom halogenbased head, this Bowens
lamp doesnt use a cooling
fan to help blow away the heat.
It certainly runs hot with its
standard 300W halogen bulb
fitted but, in the unlikely event
you want less maximum power,
you can fit a 150W bulb instead.
A similarity with the
Elinchrom halogen head is that
the Bowens features a zoom
mechanism, in this case
enabling a range of 115 degrees
flood to 95 degrees spot, when

www.calphoto.co.uk

260

used in
conjunction
with the built-in
reflector. Optional
accessories include a glass
daylight correction filter,
diffusion filter, and four-leaf barn
doors. This really only covers
the basics. The heads build
feels reasonable but rather less
sturdy than the Bowens flash
head thats on test.
The halogen bulb has a
tungsten colour temperature,
but a key advantage over the
Elinchrom is that the Bowens
features a dimmer
knob. However, even at
the maximum power
setting and with the
head zoomed to its
spot setting, youre still
likely to require an
aperture of f/2.5 when
shooting at ISO100 and
a shutter speed of
1/125 sec, with the
head positioned two
metres from the target.

Colour temperature is good for adding to


regular indoor lighting
Runs very hot; theres little power on offer
when compared with flash heads

102 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

ice
Target Pr

72

oth this and the


Manfrotto LED-based
lamp have a daylight
colour temperature, rather than
tungsten. Another big plus point
of LED over halogen is that the
head runs much cooler, thanks
to the greater light-to-heat
efficiency of LEDs.
In fact, the total power drain
of this unit is a mere 45W. Apart
from better carbon credentials,
this also opens possibilities for
powering the head from a
rechargeable battery pack that
you can buy as an optional

ice
Target Pr

575

extra. Given the


fairly light weight
of the head, its
therefore ideal for fill-in
lighting at outdoor locations.
A diffusion dome is supplied,
and coloured filters that cover
the face are available separately.
The dimmer knob enables any
output from full power to
completely off.
The 30.5x30.5cm square
lamp has a higher maximum
illumination rating than the
Manfrotto LED head. However,
we found it to give an almost
identical amount of
maximum output,
corresponding with an
aperture requirement
of f/1.6 in our twometre test. Theres
nothing to choose
between the colour
fidelity of this and the
Manfrotto head,
despite the Manfrottos
higher CRI (Colour
Rendering Index).

Cool-running and efficient LED technology;


optional battery pack for outdoor use
Rather expensive to buy; quite heavy and
a little on the chunky side for an LED lamp

75

next issue Prime lenses

Elinchrom Zoom
Scanlite Halogen
www.theflashcentre.com

ike the Bowens constant


light head thats on test,
the Elinchrom also comes
with a 300W bulb for standard
use. It runs somewhat cooler,
thanks to a built-in fan to move
air through the head. The
biggest bonus of this is that
the head can be used with
Elinchroms full range of
reflectors, softboxes and
brollies, without the risk of
them melting or catching fire.
However, with a typically
modest light output with the
300W bulb fitted, its often less

Manfrotto Spectra
1X1 MLS1X1F LED
ice
Target Pr

295

than ideal
to further
reduce the
amount of
illumination by adding
modifiers.
To beef up the output, you
can also run the head with a
650W bulb but, in this case,
youll certainly feel the heat
pouring off the head. Elinchrom
says that no modifiers can be
used in this configuration, apart
from basic metal reflectors.
Using a standard 21cm
reflector, the angle of lighting
coverage extends from
20 degrees to 50
degrees. Using the
300W bulb, the
maximum light
intensity equates to
an aperture of f/2 in
our test setup, whereas
a 650W bulb enables
a narrower aperture
of f/3.2, or a
correspondingly faster
shutter speed.

Fan-cooling helps to enable the use of


softboxes and other light modifiers
however, modifiers cant be used with hotter
650W bulbs for maximum brightness

79

www.manfrotto.co.uk

his LED lamp gives flood


coverage with dimmable
output, thanks to an
adjustment knob at the rear.
Dimming comes without any
flickering or alteration of colour
temperature, the lack of flicker
being especially important
when shooting video.
A plate on the rear enables
the mains power supply to be
clipped securely in place but,
as an optional extra, you can fit
a V-Lock or AB-fitting style
battery pack, for fully portable
use. The Manfrotto is more

ice
Target Pr

520

slimline and
lightweight
than the Calumet
lamp but feels equally
robust. A range of gel colour
correction filters are available,
for balancing the output with
artificial light sources.
There are no modifiers
available for the lamp but this
is only to be expected, given the
modest maximum brightness.
It also lacks a diffusion dome,
as supplied with the Calumet
LED lamp. Even so, the light has
a soft quality when positioned
close to the target.
Theres nothing in
it when it comes to
performance between
the two LED heads on
test. Both gave an
identical maximum
brightness, although
the Manfrotto has
slightly less wide-angle
flood coverage, at
50 degrees to the
Calumets 60 degrees.

Slimline, lightweight design; just as much


brightness as the higher-rated Calumet lamp
Lacks the diffusion dome supplied with the
Calumet, but this isnt really an issue

80

PhotoPlus Spring 2015 | 103

Gear Super Test

Studio Lights at a glance


Name

Bowens Gemini
500R

Elinchrom
D-Lite RX 4

Interfit
EX200 TI

Lastolite
Lumen8
400W

Bowens Pixel
Zoom Light

Calumet Pro
Daylight 576
LED

Elinchrom
Zoom Scanlite
Halogen

Manfrotto
Spectra 1X1
MLS1X1F LED

Web

www.bowens
direct.com

www.theflash
centre.com

www.interfit
photographic.com

www.lastolite.
com

www.bowens
direct.com

www.calphoto.
co.uk

www.theflash
centre.com

www.manfrotto.
co.uk

Type

Flash

Flash

Flash

Flash

Constant
(halogen)

Constant
(LED)

Constant
(halogen)

Constant
(LED)

Colour temperature

Daylight

Daylight

Daylight

Daylight

Tungsten

Daylight

Tungsten

Daylight

Maximum power

500Ws

400Ws

200Ws

400Ws

150/300W

45W

300/650W

45W

Power range

5 stops

5 stops

5 stops

5 stops

Up to 5,700
Lux

Up to 3,460
Lux

Up to 12,500
Lux

Up to 1,400
Lux

Power adjustment

1/10th f-stops

1/10th f-stops
(custom)

1/10th f-stops

Stepless

Stepless

Stepless

Via bulb
change

Stepless

Tested power range


(2m)

f/4.5 to f/25

f/7.1 to f/25

f/4.5 to f/25

f/5 to f/22

f/0.5 to f/2.5
(300W)

Off to f/1.6

f/2 (300W)
f/3.2 (650W)

Off to f/1.6

Max recycling time

1.3 seconds

1.2 seconds

2.0 seconds

1.6 seconds

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Modelling lamp

250W

150W

100W

100W

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Fan cooled

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

Wireless RF trigger

Optional extra

Built-in
receiver

Built-in
receiver

No

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Dimensions

38x17x13cm

26x19x14cm

37x20x13cm

41x22x14cm

18x16x10cm

38x35x9cm

25x21x16cm

35x35x5cm

Weight

3.4kg

1.5kg

2.1kg

3.3kg

1.7kg

1.9kg

1.2kg

1.4kg

Target price

400, $650

245, $355

180, $275

210, $350

260, $450

575, $900

295, $490

520, $660

Verdict

87%

94%

82%

78%

72%

75%

79%

80%

The most glaring conclusion, so to speak,


from this group test is that studio flash heads
deliver far greater illumination and versatility
for the home studio. And of all the flash heads
on test, the Elinchrom D-Lite RX 4 delivers the
best blend of plentiful power at a keen asking
price, along with a built-in receiver for wireless
triggering, advanced customisation options,
and wonderfully simple yet wide-ranging
controls. Its lightweight enough to be
supremely portable, and enables use of
excellent, wide-ranging Elinchrom light
modifiers and other accessories.
The Bowens Gemini 500R flash head
runs a close second to the Elinchrom and is
sturdily built, if a little heavy. Its wireless
triggering receiver is sold as an optional
extra and, despite its greater 500Ws rating,
it didnt deliver any greater illumination than
the Elinchrom. The Interfit EX200 Ti is
surprisingly powerful for a 200Ws head, and
the optional Ti smart trigger is worth the extra
if youre thinking of using multiple heads.

104 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

Five things we
learned in this test
Some heads are available in twin or even
triple packs, complete with stands and
accessories. It can be cheaper to buy complete
kits if youre starting from scratch.

For constant lights, the difference


between hot halogen heads and
cool-running LED heads is remarkable.

Despite having less power output than


flash heads in photographic terms,
constant lights can be dazzling and cause
pupils to narrow in portraiture.

For constant lighting, the


Calumet and Manfrotto LED panels
are more desirable than the halogen heads.
They give almost as much illumination as the
halogen-based lamps but are very much
cooler-running and require far less electrical
power. The availability of optional battery
packs gives them an added bonus for
lightweight portable use, especially when
shooting video as well as stills.

The use of modifiers like brollies,


softboxes, snoots and honeycombs
may be unavailable with halogen constant
lights, where the heat may cause them to
melt or catch fire.

You can often swap between different


halogen bulbs of different wattages for
varying the power of constant lights, but you
have to wait a few minutes for them to cool
down after use.

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NOV 2014

Essential D-SLR settings!


Key Canon camera
controls that will instantly
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l Apprentice: dazzling
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read your magazine on any deviCe:


106 | PhotoPlus Xxx 2012

Issue 92
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l Essential eight-page
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Test: specialist lenses
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Lenses for landscapes


learn new techniques to
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Learn the easy way to
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PhotoPlus
PhotoPlus
Spring
Xxx 2012
2015 | 107

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PhotoPlus
PhotoPlus
Spring
Xxx 2012
2015 | 113

Shot in the Back

My favourite shot

Landscape Canon pro Simon Butterworth tells us the


story behind his award-winning Blue Fields aerial shots

This is part of my Blue Fields series,


which won the Professional Aerial
category in the 2014 International
Photo Awards. It was shot from a
small plane flying at 4,000 feet above Shark Bay
the westernmost point of mainland Australia
and shows salt pans full of sea water connected
by canals and earth dykes. The purpose of the shot
was to capture an intriguing abstract effect, which
reveals the subject only after careful study.
Three factors were vital to create the feeling of
unreality I was looking for. The first was lens choice;
using my Canon EF 70-300mm f/4/5.6L IS USM
meant I could flatten the perspective with a fairly
long focal length 180mm in this case. The second
was time of day; it was shot in the early afternoon

114 | PhotoPlus Spring 2015

so there are no signifying shadows to give away


unwanted visual clues. Last was the angle of
shooting. I figured it was important to aim straight
down if possible; this was helped enormously by the
pilot who had removed the rear doors of the plane
for me being perched on the rickety old seat was
pretty scary at first, but I rapidly got to relish the
precarious situation!
Using my Canon 6D with the ISO set to 800 at
f/6.3, I was able to achieve a fast enough shutter
speed to counteract vibrations from the plane and
keep my images beautifully sharp at 1/1200 sec.
Once I got the Raw files onto the
computer at home I only needed to
tweak the Curves in Lightroom to add
contrast, and the image popped!

Simon
Butterworth
www.simonbutterworth
photography.com
Age: 56
Location: Scottish
Borders
Semi-pro for: 5 years

9000

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