Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Photo Magazine Winter 2020 PDF
Photo Magazine Winter 2020 PDF
Photo Magazine Winter 2020 PDF
TONY BECK
Hummingbirds
in Flight
PORTFOLIO: JOHAN SORENSEN
MICHELLE VALBERG
The Fine Art of Photo Décor
and more!
Focal Point
BY JACQUES DUMONT, PUBLISHER | jdumont@zakmedia.ca
T he 25th Anniversary
Celebration Continues!
Our 25th Anniversary celebration con- More than 100,000 readers across Canada will share
tinues with an issue filled to the brim this issue of PHOTO News–it will be the largest circulat-
with great ideas for spectacular sum- ed photo magazine in Canadian history… and we are de-
Join the mer photos. We asked our resident lighted to provide a forum for our readers to display their
conversation! photo magician, Michel Roy, to explore work–through our Reader’s Gallery and PHOTO News
new perspectives–and he revealed the Challenge sections, and on our flickr® group.
magic of POV… it’s a new way to look
facebook.com/ at familiar scenes and subjects! With Win a Trip to Hong Kong!
PHOTONewscanada Hong Kong, Asia’s “World City” offers a multitude of ex-
Spring showers bringing Summer
flowers, we sent Christian Autotte into periences… there is something for everyone!
the field to share some techniques for The PHOTO News team explored Hong Kong in April to
twitter.com/ rainy day photography, and we asked create images to inspire readers to participate in our 25th
PHOTONewscanada Anniversary Challenge–“The World Through My Lens”.
our award-winning travel specialist
Michael DeFreitas to reveal the secrets Our team, comprising photographers Michelle Valberg,
of attention-grabbing images. Kristian Bogner and Michael DeFreitas, toured the scenic
Tune in to our NEW Our PHOTO News team travelled the locations to compile a spectacular portfolio of images which
YouTube Channel: will appear in a special section of PHOTO News–Fall 2016.
PHOTO News
world to bring you an issue filled with
Canada TV exotic images. Dr. Wayne Lynch took a Hong Kong is one of the most dynamic cities on earth–
bumpy flight into the Falkland Islands and one of the easiest to navigate. With over 150 years
Visit the website at to photograph penguins, and Tony Beck of colonial influence woven into 5,000 years of Chinese
www.PHOTO News.ca
went to the tropical rainforest to show culture, this city offers you the opportunity to experience
Join the flickr® group at us how to shoot hummingbirds. Kris- a vibrant living culture featuring a unique fusion where
www.flickr.com/groups/ tian Bogner took a different approach, ‘east-meets-west’.
PHOTONewsgallery/ Hong Kong has fantastic shopping. Only minutes
pushing the limits of new technology in
Questions or his article on high ISO imaging. from the city centre, you can discover stunning natural
comments? Please send beauty, gorgeous views, idyllic islands and serene beach-
me an e-mail at
With all of these great ideas for
editor@zakmedia.ca images, we asked Michelle Valberg to es. Every corner in Hong Kong is filled with a surprise!
show readers the art of photo décor– With so much to see and do, Hong Kong offers a fan-
giving us some very impressive ideas tastic holiday experience that you’ll remember for your
for printing, framing and displaying lifetime as you share your photos and memories with
our best work. family and friends.
Contents
32
PORTFOLIO
Johan Sorensen -
The Fine Art of Fashion Photography
Paint girl. Lumix GH 4, Leica 42mm 1.2 lens, 200 ISO, 1/160 second, f/8. Lighting - 64 inch soft box.
12 22 26
SPECIAL REPORT MICHEL ROY WAYNE LYNCH - DESTINATIONS
Canadians win big in the Sony World Photography The Magic of Points of View Falkland Island adventure
Contest
Aurora Lite Bank has re-defined the softbox You can quickly install or remove a soft grid
grid. Available for Square, Rectangular, Octa to create a new look in seconds. Let’s take a
and TERA softboxes, Aurora Lite Bank soft look at the results:
grids (also called “egg crates” or “louvres”) Image 1 was taken with an Aurora Lite Bank
will fit the most common softbox sizes. Firefly XL 120 and LUVO120 grid; Image 2
Photographers love softboxes for the ap- was shot without the grid. The shadow on
pealing catchlights, and their ability to direct the background is more pronounced and
and wrap light around the subject with soft, the shadows on the face are deeper with
smooth shadow transitions. But what if you transitions that are more contrasty.
want a slightly harsher, more contrasty Looking at the closer portraits taken with
look? More defined shadows? More direc- the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 di VC USD (Im-
tional light? ages 3 and 4), the contrast and sculpting
50° soft grids from Aurora Lite Bank attach are more apparent with the grid installed,
easily with heavy-duty Velcro™. The grid while the shadow behind the subject is
directs more light forward with less “wrap”. greatly reduced without the grid.
Using soft grids doesn’t change the catch-
light – the grid is practically invisible.
Another great advantage of using a grid
with a softbox is that the highlights are still
soft – the contrast only applies to the shad-
ows. A beauty dish would create larger, more
specular highlights and change the charac-
teristics of the hair.
Another great reason to add soft grids to
your softboxes is to direct light onto a back-
ground without spilling onto your subject,
you can also add a grid to your strip light to
avoid flare in your lens.
Aurora Lite Bank Soft Grids are available
now in a range of prices from $115.99 to
$699.99, depending on shape and size.
For more details, please visit
Image 3: no grid Image 4: with grid www.auroralitebank.ca
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URCE FO
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PORTFOLIO
Eye of an
: VICTOR LIU
Artist
s
PHOTONew
TONY BECK
Wildlife Phot
ZZ
MICHELLE
VALB
Grizzlies of ERG
the Khutzeym
MICHAEL DEFR ateen
EITAS
Photos on
the
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Plus:
VOLUME 25, NO. 2 / SUMMER 2016
KRISTIAN BOGN
Fashion PhotER
ography
Photo by
and more!
ZZ
for tips and News.
www.photonews.ca
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Visit
PHOTO News
TONY BECK
Hummingbirds
in Flight
PORTFOLIO: JOHAN SORENSEN
MICHELLE VALBERG
The Fine Art of Photo Décor
and more!
Made in Switzerland. Inspired by you. Siros L works perfectly with existing broncolor systems
- without special adapters. And Siros L can be operated
Featuring the latest lithium-ion battery technology, a
with the free “bronControl” app for seamless integration
single 28.8v battery can charge a Siros400L for up to
with Siros and Siros S.
440 full power flashes!
Without the app, Siros L is still simple and intuitive to
The ECTC technology from our high-end Scoro and Move
use with the “Twist Function” rotary controller.
powerpacks is added to Siros L to enable flash durations
from 1/19,000s (t0.5). Plus it guarantees constant colour Siros L is available now as single monolights or in a
temperature over the entire power control range. complete kit with backpack, umbrella and softbox.
Siros400L Siros800L
Flash duration with optimum colour with optimum colour
t0.1 (t0.5) temperature temperature
min power 1/6’200s (1/11’300s) 1/4’400s (1/7’400s)
full power 1/400s (1/1’200s) 1/250s (1/700s)
Charging time 0.03 – 1.2 s 0.03 – 2.7 s
Siros800L Number of 440 at full power 220 at full power
flashes per
battery charge
Power range up to 9 f-stops up to 9 f-stops
2 – 400w/s 4 – 800w/s
Modeling light 3,000°K 25watt LED
Siros400L
Dimensions 32 × 13 × 18 cm 36 × 13 × 18 cm
Weight 3.7kg (8.1 lbs) 4.3kg (9.5 lbs)
(incl battery)
www.broncolor.ca
10 PHOTO News
New Products
The new Genus Solar Eclipse ND Fader represents the next gen-
eration in camera accessories - a dual purpose filter comprising a
variable Neutral Density filter and a Circular Polarizer - ideal for both
photography and videography, you can now carry one filter instead
Genus has introduced a new all-in-one Production Matte Box Kit that of two!
covers nearly all the camera/lens requirements for media acquisi- The easily rotatable rings allow you to fine-tune the amount of light
tion. Designed for lenses from 52mm to 114mm, this versatile sys- entering your lens and the Circular Polarizer element rotates to find
tem is ideal for the latest generation of larger sensor cameras as the perfect position of polarization. This lets you expand your crea-
well as broadcast and film cameras. tive options. You can create motion blur in your photos by increasing
The Matte Box can be used in Clip-On Mode or Bar Mounted. It fea- exposure with ease - or enhance your videos by reducing depth of
tures two filter stages - the front filter tray is fixed and the rear tray field to achieve the “film look”.
rotates 360 degrees, ideal for graduated and polarizing filters. The Optical glass elements are HD laser treated. The super-thin ex-
rotating filter tray can be locked in a set position. The Swing Away panded front element minimizes vignetting. The Genus Solar
Mounting Bracket port/dock is attached to the Rayshade, for easy Eclipse ND Fader features Variable Neutral Density from 2-8 stops,
access to the lens. superior colour fidelity and optical clarity, and a rotational exten-
sion handle.
Available June 2016 in 77mm
For information please visit www.genustech.ca
Breathing
Color Allure
With the new Breathing Color Allure aluminum photo panels
you now can create metal prints with your inkjet printer. Us-
ing archival inks, the images will last 100+ years. Available now
at affordable prices! For more information check out the video
at www.breathingcolor.ca/introducing-allure and visit the
The Production Matte Box Kit includes: website at www.breathingcolor.ca
• Production Matte Box Rayshade
• Top Flag (optional Side Flags)
• 2 x Filter Trays (rear tray 3600 fully rotatable)
• 15mm Rod to Matte Box Mount Bracket (Centre to Centre
60mm)
• 114mm DoNut
• 82mm ScrewIn Adapter Ring
• Interface DoNut 82mm to 114mm
• Set of 82mm StepUp Rings (52mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm,
72mm, 77mm)
Available now. For information please visit www.genustech.ca
Unretouched image shot with the
Olympus PEN-F and M.Zuiko 25mm f1.8
using Color Profile 2 by Olympus Visionary
John Sterling Ruth.
20151016
12 PHOTO News
Canadian Photographer
Scores Major Wins
The ninth annual Sony World Photography Competition received a record-breaking
230,103 entries from 186 countries for the Professional, Open & Youth, and National
categories. The major category winners were announced at the awards gala in London,
UK on April 21 - I was fortunate to attend to cover the event for PHOTO News.
LOCATION SHOOTING
WITH PANASONIC LUMIX
By Johan Sorensen
Congratulations to the winners of the PHOTO News “A Shot in the Dark” Challenge, who participated in
the contest thread at our flickr® group at www.flickr.com/groups/PHOTO Newsgallery/
Our winning photographer will receive a special prize – a Lumix LX100 from Panasonic Canada, our
PHOTO News Challenge sponsor for 2016.
You could be the winner of the next PHOTO News Challenge and have your photo published in the
Autumn issue – for more information please see page 66.
Winner
Luigi’s Place
Lou Montana, of Newmarket Ontario, shot this Venice
scene with a Nikon D7100, handheld, using a 50 mm
f/1.8 lens at 1/15 second, f/13, ISO 4000. “This calm
street scene shows another side of Venice; far from the
hustle and bustle of the tourist zone.”
Watching from
a Rooftop
Jean-Philippe
Castonguay of
Montreal, Quebec,
shot this image after
finding higher ground
looking toward Coal
Harbour in Vancouver.
“I used a Nikon D600
with an 18-35mm wide
angle lens at 18mm,
30 seconds exposure,
f/16, ISO 320.”
Origami Flight
Stéphane Germain of Montréal, Québec, captured this
image of an origami montage with a Sony A6000 and
Zeiss E 16-70mm/4.0 lens, shooting hand held at 16mm,
1/40 second, f/4, ISO 640. “This delicate and intricate
paper spiral was suspended in the Japanese pavilion
during Montreal’s Botanical Garden most recent Gardens
of Light exhibition, in October 2015”.
Making Memories
Brad James of Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, captured this image of a sea stack at sunrise in Chance Cove,
NL using a Nikon D610 and 24-70mm lens at 24mm, shooting at f/13, 1 second exposure, ISO 100. "I used the rocks
and wave motion as a leading line into the image and waited for the perfect moment when the sun peeked over the
rocks to create a sun burst".
Buntzen Lake
Dan Jokic of New West-
minster, BC captured this
image of Buntzen Lake
in Anmore, BC with a
Sony A6000, shooting at
1/250 second and f/8.0,
ISO 100. “It was one of
those wonderful foggy
spring mornings”.
Images featured in the PHOTO News Reader’s Gallery are selected from the photo pool at the
PHOTO News flickr® group – why not take a look, join the group, and post a few pictures! Summer 2016 19
www.flickr.com/groups/PHOTO Newsgallery/
Upwards Flight
Eric Rossicci, of Surrey,
B.C., captured this
image with a Canon
lDX and 500mm Canon
prime lens, shooting at
1/800 second, f/4, ISO
1200. “I took this shot at
Boundary Bay in Ladner
B.C. as the sun was
setting, and this Eagle
who was perched on a
stump decided to take
flight. I had my eye on
him all the time waiting
for his next move, he
didn't disappoint me
and suddenly took
off. I was ready for it
and took the shot. I
was lucky as his wing
covered the setting
sun, allowing a proper
exposure. I worked
on this image with
Corel Photopaint 8 and
finished off with ACDSee
Pro 6”.
Blue Morpho
Susy Coutu from L’Assomption, Quebec, captured this
image of a Blue Morpho butterfly with her Nikon D750,
a Nikon 105mm macro lens, a Nikon 1.4x teleconverter,
and a macro ring flash, using spot metering and shooting
at 1/125 second, f/22, ISO 200. “The Montreal Botanical
Garden is a great place for shooting macro”.
SUPPORTED BY:
My Lens” A TRAVEL THEMED PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTEST CELEBRATING OUR
25th ANNIVERSARY
GRAND PRIZE Return economy airfare for two from a major airport in Canada to Hong Kong courtesy
of Cathay Pacific; 4 nights accommodation in Hong Kong courtesy of The Langham
Hong Kong; selected tours courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board; a Nikon D5500
with a 18-55mm VR II Lens Kit and a Vanguard Kinray 53 Purple Backpack (Model
VAK53PR) and Vanguard VEO 234 Monopod (Model VAVEOAM234). Total approximate
retail value of the grand prize is $7500.
SECOND PRIZE A Nikon COOLPIX AW130 and a Vanguard Kinray 48 Purple Backpack (Model VAK48PR).
Total approximate retail value of the second prize is $590.
THIRD PRIZE A Nikon COOLPIX AW130 and a Vanguard Kinray 43 Purple Sling bag (Model VAK43PR).
Total approximate retail value of the third prize is $510.
Points Of View
In many situations the
difference between a snapshot
and a spectacular image can
be as simple as changing
your point of view.
No, we don’t want you to alter your pol-
itical preferences, or change your phil-
osophy on the origin of life or the ques-
tion of global warming–to achieve
better photos we just want you to view
your subject from a variety of perspec-
tives. Editor Norm often tells readers
to “dance around the subject”, looking
for different angles of view, changing
lighting conditions, and the interaction
between the subject and the surround-
ing environment.
Bio
Michel Roy, from Quebec City, is the
owner of Digital Direct Photos & Videos,
specializing in a full range of photography
and video from corporate assignments to
weddings. For a visual adventure, visit the
website at www.digitaldirect.ca.
Summer 2016 23
I run through a quick checklist for every Here are my favourite ways to use the magic of POV to create
photo opportunity as I approach the great images:
subject: how does the subject look from
a high angle; from a low angle; would Juxtaposition
it be better to show the subject as it re- Shooting a subject from a different angle will have more im-
lates to the surrounding environment, pact than the typical view encountered in everyday life. Lying
or zoom in for a close-up; are there on the ground and looking up at a dog will have much more
elements in the scene that add to or de- visual impact than looking down on the dog. An eye-level shot
tract from the composition; can I take of a bird is always going to be more powerful than looking up
advantage of leading lines or colourful at a bird perched in a tree.
elements to draw the viewer’s eye to the
main subject? All of these questions, Shooting From Eye Level
and more, flash through my mind as I Shooting an image from eye level is the easiest way to emo-
prepare to create some POV magic. tionally connect a viewer to your photo. This is by far the most
In the classical era of photography, frequently used POV technique for portraits and environ-
most images were shot from ground mental photos of people.
level up to the photographer’s eye level;
today, with people shooting iPhone “sel- Become the Subject
fies”, GoPros capturing images from Explore the perspective of a scene from your subject’s point of
angles that are only possible with re- view. This means that you shoot the action from the angle of
mote triggered cameras, and drones the subject. For example, imagine a Grand Prix racer’s view
buzzing around to capture a bird’s eye of the track–and apply the concept to a wide variety of situ-
view, people are used to seeing the ations. This is a simple but very effective approach to many
world from an entirely new perspective. photo opportunities.
To compete with these extraordinary
new perspectives, the creative pho- Hotel Normandie through Percé Rock
tographer has to be prepared to use a On a corporate assignment, The Normandie Hotel in Gaspé asked me to shoot some fresh
range of techniques and equipment– photos for an advertising campaign. The hotel has been photographed many times from the
with the goal of producing an image beach, but the owner was delighted to see the property from a different perspective. One of
the main attractions of this hotel is the view of the Percé Rock. The lighting and the time of the
that captures the magic of the moment. day was crucial to the image, so I took a boat out just before noon to have light on the right side
of my subject, and I shot lots of pictures with my telephoto lens so the hotel appears right in the
middle of the Percé Rock.
24 PHOTO News
Michel Roy | Special Feature
Crazy angle!
I have lots of photos of Northern gannets flying. If you visit Bonaven-
ture Island in Quebec you can see more than 250,000 birds in a small
area! You can take the same picture as everyone else, or you can
search for a fresh perspective. I used a telephoto lens to capture the
birds in flight, and then I switched to a 15mm lens to take photos of
the birds as they flew just a few feet above my head. Make sure you
do not disturb the natural environment or the animals, but if you have
access to a cool angle, go for it!
Photo Destination
BY WAYNE LYNCH
Falkland Islands
Adventure
Summer 2016 27
Bio
Author Wayne Lynch is one of Canada’s foremost wildlife
and nature photographers. His latest book, the 58th of his
career, entitled Penguins: The World’s Coolest Birds, will be
released by Firefly Books in October 2016. Rockhopper Penguins Calling
32 PHOTO News
Portfolio
JOHAN SORENSEN
Born in Sweden, Johan spent much of his childhood in Paris where he discov-
ered his interest for photography. Moving to Canada at age 20, Johan studied
photography at Humber College of Art, and soon found success as a commercial
photographer, which gave him the opportunity to pursue his own artistic style.
Johan’s photographs have been exhibited throughout North America and
Europe garnering international acclaim. The winner of many awards, includ-
ing Best Commercial Photographer of the Year (Awarded by Kodak), Winner
of French Photo’s Charm Category Annual Contest (published in French Photo
as a cover), and the Best in Class Award for Figure Study by PPO, among many
other awards.
Johan’s work has also been published in countless magazines including
PHOTO SELECTION, French PHOTO and PHOTO News.
For more than 18 years, Johan has shared his skill and his love of photog-
raphy with students at Humber College in Toronto. Constantly perfecting his
craft, his efforts as a photography instructor were recently acknowledged when
he received the Continuing Education Teaching Excellence Award from Hum-
ber College for his outstanding work.
We asked Johan to share a few of his favourite images, and his thoughts on
professional fashion photography.
Bio
For more images and an update on current projects,
follow Johan Sorensen on Facebook
www.facebook.com/JohanSorensenPhotography
Summer 2016 33
Cloud photo
I shot this using the sunlight
and contrast of the cloud as
a natural backdrop.
1/800 second, f/16, ISO 200.
34 PHOTO News
Ice Queen
I used a 64-inch soft box
and a Speedotron.
f/8, 1/160 second, ISO 200.
Blue Girl
Lumix GX8, Leica 42 mm
1.2, f/8, 1/160 second,
ISO 200.
36 PHOTO News
Fan Girl
Photographed with a Lumix GX8 Lens Leica
42 mm 1.2, f/8, 1/160 second, ISO 200, using
a 22-inch silver dish from the side and two
lights on background.
Summer 2016 37
Portfolio | Johan Sorensen
As a fashion photographer it is im-
portant to know how culture impacts
fashion and many of the trends that
are created. What is happening polit-
ically, socially, or economically with-
in a country or culture influences and
can be seen in the latest fashion trends.
A perfect example of this was during
WWII, when women suddenly became
responsible for working in the factories,
and the fashion industry started creat-
ing boxy, padded jackets and pant suits
for the women to wear socially, and this
reflected the changing roles of women
in North America. Today, you can fly to
the Middle East or India and see women
wearing colourful, fashionable head
scarves that once were more sombre
looking. Fashion is always evolving; it
is a reflection of life and culture.
Fashion Photography
is a Team Effort
A fashion photographer never works
alone. The photographer will work with
a team which often consists of a fashion
stylist, hairstylist, and makeup artist.
The team will assist the photographer
in executing and creating the image that
the photographer wants to portray. I like
my fashion images to be simple in tech-
nique, but complex and powerful in com-
position which incorporates lighting.
Trampoline photos
Capturing the height of
the jump at the apex as
the model bounced on
a trampoline. I used a
64-inch soft box and two
lights on the background,
shooting at f/8, 1/160
second, ISO 200.
38 PHOTO News
Portfolio | Johan Sorensen
Red Stockings - I used fill flash with a 36 inch octabox, shooting at f/16, 1/160 second, ISO 200.
Alien Bee, Paul C Buff, Einstein and Vagabond are not CSA approved lighting gear so we have to
be very careful not to mention or appear to promote those products.
Lighting
I usually use a six foot Octabox and a reflector, or I combine it with
36 inch strip lights and maybe a spot light. I prefer to work with one
light only to keep the flow of the shoot and allow me to focus on
model and clothing. Simplicity is the key to beauty.
High Heels
I shot this photo with the Lumix GM1 My greatest influences have always been Richard Avedon, who
and LUMIX G VARIO 12-32mm lens, f/8, was the main fashion photographer for Vogue Magazine from
1/160 second, ISO 1600. 1966 to 1990; Irving Penn, who was the father of modern fashion
photography; and George Hurell, a glamour photographer in Holly-
wood during the 1930s and 1940s. They have created what we
call today, the “modern fashion photography look”. I incorporate
their lighting techniques and great composition into my images,
learning from the masters themselves is the foundation for fine
fashion photography.
40 PHOTO News
Perspectives
BY KRISTIAN BOGNER
Drummer Girl
I shot this image
hand held at
ISO PHOTOGRAPHY
an incredible
ISO 12,800 on
the Nikon D5. In
order to push the
camera ISO and
still get a really
P R A C T I C A L
clean image, I
made sure that
my exposure was
perfect in camera.
I focused on the
eyes of the girl
using single point
focus selection to
draw the viewer
into the image.
Nikon D5, AF-S
Nikkor 70-200mm
f/2.8 ED VR II lens
at 130mm, f/4 at
1/400 second at
ISO 12800.
Bio
Kristian Bogner is a
commercial, archi-
tecture, adventure,
fashion, sports
photographer, and
brand Ambassador
for Nikon Canada,
Broncolor Canada, ISO Sensitivity–An Introduction
and other suppliers. In my opinion the biggest advancement in photographic tech- needed to produce a desired image is
For some inspiration
and more pro tips nology within the last few years has been in the ISO capabil- determined by the ISO sensitivity of
check out ities of digital cameras. Photography is built on the three pil- your digital camera sensor. Whenever
kristianbogner.com lars of exposure: shutter speed, aperture and ISO sensitivity. you double the ISO, for example from
or attend one of Shutter speed and aperture are controls for adjusting how 200 to 400, the camera needs only half
his photography
workshops: much light comes into the camera, while how much light is as much light for the same exposure.
photographicrockstar.
com
Summer 2016 41
Man Mo Temple
I shot hand-held with a high ISO setting at the beautiful Man Mo Too much high ISO noise reduction can soften or over-
Temple in Hong Kong because many temples do not allow tripod use.
I set my aperture to f/5.6 to get a lower ISO and used a 14mm focal
smooth the image and make it look worse than the original
length for the perspective as well as the great depth of field. I used noise. Again, test these different settings with your camera,
in-camera Active D-Lighting set to NORMAL to help make the smoke zoom in to 100% and evaluate which works best for you. Note
and other mid-tone details pop. Nikon D5, AFS-Nikkor 14-24mm that one of the many benefits of shooting in RAW is that you
f/2.8G lens at 14mm, f/5.6 at 1/80 second, ISO 3200. can change your high ISO noise reduction setting after the
fact without losing any image quality.
Horse Racing
Another hand-held shot, I needed an ISO of 8000 in order to be able
to shoot at 1/2000 second at 500mm with this big but lightweight
lens. At 500mm I would recommend a minimum of 1/2000 second
for a sport like horse racing in order to avoid any camera shake and
movement from quick panning. A monopod would have been useful
in this situation to help balance the lens and reduce any movement.
Nikon D5, AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens at 500mm,f/6.3,
1/2000 second, ISO 8000.
Summer 2016 43
Kristian Bogner | Perspectives
quickly changing.
For instance, if you are shooting
from a moving vehicle or if fast mov-
ing clouds are providing varied sun
and cloud shadow conditions or really
in any situation where the exposure is
dramatically changing very quickly, yet
you want to maintain a specific depth
of field and shutter speed. Some cam-
eras will also let you manually set a
maximum ISO for Auto ISO and it will
flash or tell you when you have maxed
out on sensitivity settings within your
acceptable range and you might need
to reduce shutter speed or open up your
aperture by a stop or two.
Lazer
The D5’s new focusing system is very
accurate shooting in very dark conditions.
For this shot I pushed the camera to 10,000
ISO and I set my saturation to FULL in the
D5 picture control settings. Nikon D5, AF-S
Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II lens at
90mm, f/4, 1/400 second at ISO 10,000.
44 PHOTO News
Kristian Bogner | Perspectives
Bird
I knew I would need an extremely fast shutter speed to freeze the bird in action, so I set the camera to 1/4000 second
and aperture to f/9 to ensure enough depth of field if the bird moved a different distance from the camera. I turned
the camera to AUTO ISO and the D5 meter set the ISO automatically to 1250. With AUTO ISO you can use exposure
compensation if you have to make micro adjustments. Nikon D5, AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II lens at 200mm,
f/9, 1/4000 second, AUTO ISO at 1250.
High ISO to Increase Flash Power Use ISO to Freeze the Action
As a commercial photographer, high High ISO can be a key aspect to getting amazing sports or any
ISO capabilities have been a game fast action images. Don’t be afraid to push your ISO to really
changer for me and if you ever shoot stop the action. Remember most fast sports require at least
with flash it can be for you as well. The 1/2000 second to freeze the action, especially with a long
same flash at 800 ISO is now 8 times lens. Increase your ISO to make sure you can get there and
as powerful as it was at 100 ISO. That follow the other tips in this article to fine tune and check the
means that even a single small flash quality and noise levels to find your perfect balance.
can light up an entire room that at
one time only large and very power- Upgrade
ful studio lights would have been able I normally encourage that photographers make the most of
to achieve. Additionally, for shoots like their existing equipment, but ISO is one area where cameras
fashion photography or weddings, you are getting better and better each year, even in the base mod-
can shoot with a bit higher ISO and re- els. If your digital SLR is more than a few years old and you
duce the flash output to preserve battery want to really utilize ISO capabilities over 1600 ISO you might
life and speed up recycle time. I recently want to consider a newer model.
did a fashion shoot with my Nikon D5 I hope this encourages you to take your ISO capabilities
at 400 ISO and Nikon SB-5000 radio to the next level and to get better images with greater ease in
controlled flash at only 1/4 power with a any situation.
soft box on it and I couldn’t believe how
fast it recycled for the entire shoot. High
For more fashion photography tips and videos check out
ISO can also make lower cost LED video Kristian’s photo blog at kristianbogner.com or sign up for
or continuous tone lights an option for one of his photography courses in the Rocky Mountains and
many shoots. throughout Canada at photographicrockstar.com
46 PHOTO News
TECHNIQUE
BY MICHAEL DEFREITAS
Drawing Attention
Utilizing frames and leading lines help to focus attention
As I waited for the sunrise to wash over Guatemala’s I relocated my tripod behind a palm
tree and composed the shot with a few
Tolimán Volcano, towering over Lake Atitlán, I reviewed palm fronds wrapping around the top
the composition on my camera’s LCD screen. Sandwiched and sides of the scene. The silhouetted
branches added a bit of drama (like
between a large expanse of clear sky and open water, the peeking through the bush) and helped
volcano seemed isolated and unappealing. I needed to find draw the viewer’s attention to the vol-
cano. A shallow depth of field softened
a way to create more interest and focus a viewer’s gaze
the frond’s impact. Happy with the re-
on the lovely light hitting the top of the volcano. sult, I moved a few more times, finding
other things to “frame” the volcano.
In previous columns we discussed
the rule of thirds and how it helped to
focus a viewer’s attention to the area of
the image you wanted to emphasize.
Frames or borders are other tricks pro-
fessional photographers use to draw
attention to a particular area of an im-
age. They have the same impact as
framing/matting a picture to hang on a
wall. The frame/mat forces viewers to
seek out the subject within the frame.
It quickly draws the viewer’s attention
into the image and onto the subject.
We all have
a natural
tendency
to follow
lines, so
using them
to “point”
to centres Looking out a window at Port Lockroy, Antarctica.
of interest D800, 28mm, f/8, 1/50 second, ISO 100.
in your
photo can
produce
more Framing can be obvious (like using a window or other window frame didn’t overpower the scene
“hard” object), or it can be subtle (like a red rose amid a back- I utilized a fairly shallow depth of field
dramatic ground of green foliage). The “frame” does not have to com- and focused on the scene outside, which
images. pletely surround the subject to work well. Sometimes, a bit of rendered the window frame dividers out-
framing across the top or along the sides works just as well. of-focus. The hardest part of the shot was
Arches, windows or doorways make great frames. For best waiting for all of the subjects to cooperate.
results I try to keep the frame out-of-focus. Using leading lines is another simple
On a recent trip to Antarctica I used separate panes of an technique to help you focus attention or
old wooden window at the British Port Lockroy research cen- draw a viewer’s eyes towards an import-
ter to frame the flag, shed and penguin. To make sure that the ant area of the image. We all have a natural
tendency to follow lines, so using them to
“point” to centers of interest in your photo
PRO TIPS A FEW EXTRA FRAMING TIPS can produce more dramatic images. Like
frames, leading lines can be obvious (like a
road or trail leading up to some mountains)
• Don’t let the frame or leading line become the focus of the image unless that or subtle (like someone pointing or looking
is your intent. Try making frames soft or silhouetted and have your leading towards your point of interest). I try to use
lines pointing to something interesting. as wide a depth-of-field as possible so the
• For greater impact, try to place the main subject of your image on one of the lines and what they are pointing to are all
“rule of thirds” intersections or lines within the frame or the scene.
in focus.
• Most framed and leading line shots require a medium wide-angle lens (some-
thing in the 28mm-35mm range). A really wide-angle lens tends to make
Last year in Las Vegas I was having
your point of interest too small and distant and your framing large and some difficulty coming up with a ‘dif-
imposing (because it’s closer). ferent’ image of the iconic “Welcome
• Leading lines such as roads, trails and paths tend to work best when shot from
a low angle. This makes it easier to place both sides of the road or path in the
lower corners.
Summer 2016 49
Michael DeFreitas | Technique
Red Rock
Canyon National
to Las Vegas” sign. Then a small bus Leading lines tend to work best when they originate in Conservation Area,
of tourists pulled up and I got one of one of the lower corners of your image and run diagonally Las Vegas, Nevada.
them to help me out. I positioned the upwards towards the center of the image. Roads, paths and S curve leading line.
young girl in the lower right of the trails provide strong leading lines especially if you can pos- Nikon D800, 35mm,
f/16, 1/125 second,
frame and used her extended arm ition both sides of the road or path in the opposite lower cor- ISO 100.
holding up her camera to point the ners of your scene. “S” curves (like a road or trail) also pro-
way. Not an award winning shot be duce strong leading lines. Using the curving road in Nevada’s
any means, but different. Red Rock Canyon helped to lead the viewer’s eyes from the
China’s iconic Great Wall is one of the bottom left corner of the frame to the park’s signature moun-
most photographed subjects on earth. tains in the distance.
Getting an interesting photo, however, The most difficult part of using leading lines and frames is
can be difficult as many photographers finding them. It takes a bit of practice to visualize them, so be-
run the risk of having the scene speak fore your next trip abroad, practice finding and using frames
for itself. As I walked the wall last sum- and leading lines around your neighbourhood.
mer, I looked for ways of using aspects of
the wall to create greater impact.
I decided to try and use both fram-
ing and leading line techniques to ac- GEAR UP
centuate the wall snaking across the
emerald green mountainsides. I used Ready To Take It To The Next Level?
an arched opening in one of the guard Frames and leading lines tend to work better for vertical shots. Sometimes
posts along the wall as my frame and it takes a while to compose the shots, and holding your camera in the vertical
the ramparts as my leading line. position for extended periods is tiring. Luckily, most DSLR camera manufactur-
ers make vertical grip attachments that screw onto the bottom of your camera
body. The grips have similar ergonomics to your camera’s regular side grip and
include a shutter release button, making it much easier to compose and hold ver-
ticals shots without contorting your arms. Vertical grips typically run $200 -$250.
50 PHOTO News
BY MICHELLE VALBERG
PHOTO DÉCOR
Printing, Framing,
and Display
I knew he was there. I could feel him, even if I couldn’t see him.
I adjusted my eyes through my camera lens and after blindly
focusing for a microsecond, there he was: a powerful male polar
bear, peering at me silently from behind a snow-covered spruce
tree near Churchill, Manitoba.
I don’t know what tipped me off to this nanuq’s presence—maybe
a slight shaking of snow off the tree as he positioned himself to
watch me. Whatever it was, it was enough. My camera whirred
and I captured the moment.
Summer 2016 51
A combination of framed
fine art, metallic and matte
canvas pieces at Michelle
Valberg's Arctic Kaleido-
scope exhibition at the
Trinity Art Gallery in the
Shenkman Arts Centre in
Ottawa, Ontario.
ON ASSIGNMENT
BY PETER K. BURIAN
What’s In My Bag
AND WHAT’S IN MY POCKET?
In late spring, I travelled to England to shoot stock images
of iconic scenes in London and further afield.
What’s in my bag?
My choice of camera was the new Pana-
sonic Lumix DMC-GX8. This is a 20.3
MP semi-pro model in a splash and dust
proof magnesium alloy body. At full
resolution, it can shoot at 10fps (6fps
with AF-C) and the nearly silent AF sys-
tem is highly effective. As a bonus, this
camera can record 4K or full HD video.
For the standard lens, I chose the
Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 As-
pheric (24-70mm equivalent) with an
Ultra ED and four aspherical elements
and POWER O.I.S. stabilizer. Like the
camera, this 305 gram model is splash
and dust-proof, always an asset during
spring in England. For extra reach, I
selected the compact and lightweight What’s in my pocket?
(520 gram) Lumix G Vario 100-300mm
f/4-5.6 (200-600mm equivalent) tele- Every serious photographer I know carries a small high-qual-
photo. Extras included a DMW-FL360L ity camera with built-in lens that can fit into a jacket pocket
flash, polarizing filters, extra SD cards or purse. This take-anywhere camera is useful whenever it’s
and a Visible Dust cleaning kit. not practical to carry a full camera bag. For this trip, I picked
Summer 2016 55
Evaluation
The kit that I had selected for this trip
proved to be versatile and highly com-
petent. The very small Lumix DMC-
ZS100 got more of a workout than I had
anticipated. The resulting images were
fine for 11x17 inch reproduction.
The water-resistant construction of
the DMC-GX8 and the 12-35mm lens
was useful on a rainy evening while I
was shooting city scenes while the VEO
tripod enabled me to get razor sharp
photos inside the dark Warwick castle.
The resulting low ISO images are suit-
able for 16x24-inch prints.
The Vanguard bag was ideal in both
the backpack and the sling configura-
tion. I had been warned that pick-pock-
ets were active during the changing of
the guard at Buckingham Palace, so the
sling position offered more security than
would be possible with a backpack style. These photos–made at the same location at 16mm and at 300mm–illustrate
the versatility of a wide angle to telephoto lens. (In Oxford, UK At f/10; ISO 320;
Nikon D7100.) (c) 2016 Peter K. Burian
56 PHOTO News
TECHNIQUE
BY CHRISTIAN AUTOTTE
Let it Rain
For many people, the art of photography is a fair weather activity–
only to be enjoyed when the sun shines brightly overhead. In the real
world, we are surrounded by photo opportunities, and some of the
best pictures ever made were shot in the worst possible weather.
More advanced cameras, usually The right camera bag can make or break your enjoyment
considered as “pro” or “semipro”, are of a rainy day excursion. Your bag should be as waterproof as
weather sealed. While it may be re- possible if you plan to go walking in the rain. Some outdoor
garded as an advantage, do not put too enthusiasts will keep moisture absorbing material (silica
much trust in the viability of those seals. gel) inside the bag, which can be a good idea with cameras
Weather seals are meant as a protection that are not weather sealed. Bring along a microfibre cloth to
against moisture and not a guarantee wipe drops of water off the front of your lens. At the end of your
that shooting all day long in pouring rain adventure, open the bag to let it dry, and check and clean the
can be done with impunity. Keep in mind equipment.
that not all lenses are weather resistant. A clear blue sky doesn’t add much to a landscape, but dark
Fortunately, cameras can be outfitted skies and slashing rain or heavy snowfall can result in dra-
with rain gear. The simplest accessor- matic pictures. One thing bad weather can do is create a new
ies look like large plastic bags with a type of perspective by blurring out distant details. This creates
draw string that can be fixed around a an impression of depth that can be achieved no other way. This
lens shade. Add a clear filter for protec- is a well-known effect of fog, but it can be just as dramatic in
tion and no rain or snow can harm your heavy snow or rain.
valuable equipment. I always carry a rain Shutter speed can be important when shooting the ele-
cover in my gadget bag and in all my ments. A shutter speed that is too slow will make falling rain
A rainy spring day years of shooting in the rain I have never or snow virtually disappear. If the effect you want is similar
and a macro lens lost a camera to bad weather. Obviously, to that of fog, set the camera on a tripod and reduce the shut-
mounted on a changing lenses in a downpour is not ter speed. For a different effect use the fastest shutter speed
tripod, that’s all it
took to shoot this
a good idea. Consider using a zoom or possible, increasing the ISO if necessary. This is one situation
beech bud and rain two bodies equipped with different focal where the increased grain of a high ISO may actually improve
drops. 100mm length lenses. On the other hand, be- the final result. Fast shutter speeds will make individual drops
macro 1/60 second ing limited to one focal length can be a or snowflakes visible; try experimenting by bracketing your
at f/10, ISO 640 stimulating challenge to your creativity. shutter speed settings.
58 PHOTO News
Christian Autotte | Technique
In macro photography, especially with flowers and other Subjects are not limited to the nat-
plants, rain can add a richness of colour that makes picture ural environment. Rain drenched city
pop. The water drops themselves create an added touch. Some streets can create interesting reflec-
photographers “cheat” by spraying a fine mist of water on tions. Take along a tripod and your
flowers, but the effect is not the same. On a rainy day, leaves night shots of puddles and shiny streets
and petals absorb water all day long, they become engorged can result in stunning images. During
and they look fuller and healthier. Simply spraying water on dry the day, look for people and how they
flowers can never duplicate a rainy day. Cloudy days also pro- cope with the elements: kids having fun
vide a softer and more even light, ideal for macro photography. or grownups trying to run away from it
It is not always necessary to get your feet wet in order to all. Find some colours to contrast with
shoot in the rain. It can be done from under the protection of the dreary day: umbrellas and colourful
a porch or inside a house. Shooting from a parked car is also rain coats are classics.
possible. Shots can be made through an open window; for a Whether you shoot landscapes,
different look, try shooting through a rain splashed window. macros, or environmental portraits,
don’t let a bit of foul weather ruin your
day. Pick up your camera and have fun!
SoftBox III …
Snoot XTR
Equipment used get this shot:
• One LumiQuest SoftBox III
• One LumiQuest Snoot XTR
“I regularly use multiple flashes with
• Two Speedlights
different modifiers on each flash. It’s
all about getting light and shadows
Check your Inbox for how I want them.”
PHOTONews Flash or Will Prentice
see www.photonews.ca for details Photographer • Brand Specialist - Lighting
on how Will created this photo from an
8 image focus stack.
Phalaenopsis Orchid
Shouldn’t you?
www.lumiquest.ca
60 PHOTO News
Technique
BY TONY BECK
Photo by Nina Stavlund
Hummingbirds
in Flight
Hummingbirds inspire us all. Whimsical names like Ruby Topaz,
Purple-throated Woodstar, Flame-throated Sunangel or Swordbill can
easily power our imagination.
Tiny, animated and tame, they’re like nature’s fireworks, ca- birds, they have the fewest feathers, the
pable of exploding into vibrant colours and ornate features. fastest heart rate, they can fly back-
With more than 350 species described, all occurring in the wards, and they can hover in one spot for
Americas, they have evolved into creatures with extreme extended periods. If that’s not impressive
appearances and capabilities. The familiar Ruby-throated enough, some species of hummingbirds
Hummingbird of Eastern North America can flap 200 wing have ornamented head feathers, long tail
beats per second during courtship, the fastest flutter on rec- streamers and brilliant iridescent plum-
ord. At a little more than 5 cm (2 inches) the Bee Hummingbird age that can change colour depending
of Cuba is the smallest bird on the planet. Compared to other on the angle of light.
Although most hummingbirds live
in tropical America, they have adapted
to a variety of habitats–from the forest
Bio
edges of Northern British Columbia, to
the gardens of Tierra del Fuego, to the
Puna regions of the high Andes Moun-
tains. Wherever flowers bloom, there
is likely some type of hummingbird
adapted to them.
Freelance photographer
Tony Beck describes
himself as a “naturalist”,
specializing in a wide
variety of wildlife and
nature subjects. Based
in Ottawa, Ontario,
Tony and his wife Nina Female Green Thorntail - Green Thorntail is
Stavlund operate a small a small hummer regularly found in Central
company called "Always America. When your subject is in bright
An Adventure" offering a sunlight you’re less likely to need fill flash.
variety of photography, But, make sure the sun is behind you. With
nature, birdwatching and optimum light conditions, you can almost
tourism related services freeze the wing beats with a shutter speed
including workshops, of 1/1000.
courses, excursions and Camera: D3s; Lens: AF-S Nikkor 300mm f4
short trips. with TC14E teleconverter
For more information ISO: 400; Shutter: 1/1000; Aperture: f8
please visit
alwaysanadventure.ca/
Summer 2016 61
Antarctic tern
It is easy to set up a hummingbird feeding station. Nectar
feeders are inexpensive and readily available on the commer-
cial market. To concoct hummingbird nectar, just mix one part
sugar to four parts water and bring it to a boil. You should keep
unused nectar refrigerated. Maintain the feeders with regular
cleaning, and change unused nectar after two or three days.
Make your property wildlife-friendly with native flowers and
a few thick bushes that provide small animals with cover and
safety from predators. Search the web for feeding strategies
and plants best suited for your region.
Capturing good photos of these little powerhouses takes
practice and effort. Some of the most dramatic images come
from small portable outdoor set-ups complete with a blind, a
couple of synchronized flash units, reflectors and an artificial
backdrop. Sometimes, photographers include a fresh flower in
the composition for additional colour and effect. Although this
set-up provides amazing results when done properly, it means
working with lots of equipment, and waiting in one spot for
long periods. Even though I demand quality from my work, I
prefer keeping it simple and fun. Fortunately, there are easy Adult male White-necked Jacobin - A familiar hummingbird found
techniques to accomplish this. in much of Tropical America, this male White-necked Jacobin was one
While looking for photo opportunities, I enjoy the flexibility of many coming to a feeding station in the hills of Trinidad. I set the
camera’s exposure on a Flaming Immortal Tree in the background. The
of moving around freely, without being restricted to one spot. bird was in the shadows of the foreground where it was exposed with a
An ideal situation has the bird in bright sunshine with the sun speed light on the camera’s hot shoe.
behind you as your lens points toward your subject. Sunlight Flash: Nikon Speedlight SB910; Camera: D750; Lens: AF-S Nikkor 300mm
allows you to keep the ISO low while maintaining a fast shutter f4; ISO: 200; Shutter: 1/640; Aperture: f7.1
speed. An example of proper exposure for anything reflecting
sunlight: set the ISO to 100 with the shutter at 1/1000 and the
aperture at 6.3. Whatever ISO you set, remember that freez- Telephoto lenses with close focus capability work best. I
ing the wing beats requires speeds in excess of 1/1000 of a often use a 300mm telephoto, sometimes with 1.4 teleconvert-
second. During overcast or low light, raise your ISO before er. This combo lets me focus closer than 2 metres while filling
lowering the shutter speed. much of the frame with those colourful little birds.
Another simple technique is to use a single flash to fill in Less is more when it comes to bird photography. Maximize
shadows caused by natural light. With a speedlight on the cam- aesthetics by avoiding cluttered compositions and distracting
era’s hot shoe you can solve many contrasting exposure issues. hot spots. Select an uncomplicated scene with the bird in close,
Although pop-up flashes built into many DSLRs can work, perfectly in focus, and filling much of the frame. Strive for an
they’re not as effective as a speedlight. Built-in flashes can have out-of-focus natural background. This is easily achieved with
trouble reaching over larger lenses and they don’t synchronize the bird in the open and vegetation in the distance.
to fast shutters. Regardless, they can still be effective. Ethical questions arise when using flash around wildlife.
When using a single flash, I prefer to have the humming- Frequent exposure to intense flash can affect the sight of noc-
bird in shadow with the background in brighter light. Set the turnal animals. The abruptness of flash can also scare timid
camera’s manual settings to properly expose the brighter wildlife. However, animals that visit feeding stations during
background. Set the speedlight to auto exposure. The camera the day get used to photographers quickly. Regardless, be con-
properly exposes the bright background while the flash prop- siderate, not just to the animals, but to other photographers
erly exposes the bird in the dark foreground. The flash should and observers. The animal’s well-being should get priority.
have little or no effect on the background. The flash’s duration Never prevent them from reaching their food, and never cause
is much faster than the shutter and should freeze any details them stress. Learn how to recognize animal behaviours. Your-
it exposes. However, some blur can still occur with extremely heightened wildlife awareness will not only benefit the animal,
fast movement like a hummingbird’s wings. Interestingly, you but your photography as well. One strategy to get them used to
can intentionally blur wing beats for effect by using a slow- camera equipment is by triggering the shutter and flash many
er shutter speed like 1/320 or 1/400. When hummingbirds times before the subject is in close position. This gets them used
hover in a stationary position while activating a slow shutter, to the camera’s sights and sounds while they’re still far away.
the flash reveals every detail in the motionless body while the After a short time, they’ll behave normally.
longer shutter speed blurs the wings. The best news is that these techniques work equally as
Beware of cold shadows caused by a single flash. Usual- well for other small life forms like butterflies, frogs and other
ly these shadows are tolerable, but I sometimes remove them small birds. Now that summer is here, get out there, observe
during the photo editing process. the animals, and have fun sharing your results.
Leigh Miller • http://leighmiller.zenfolio.com
www.cactus-image.ca
Cactus V6 works on any camera with Cactus CB60 Softbox is a fold-
a standard hotshoe or PC sync port able softbox for speedlights that
and with almost any flash. includes 2 removable diffusers.
The included flash mount holds
V6 supports full manual power your flash by the head, not the
control of remote flashes, plus shoe, for security. It features
power and zoom control of Cactus an umbrella mount and S-Mount for
RF60 flashes. studio light modifiers.
Metz 26 AF-2
Small enough to fit in a shirt pocket; powerful
enough to illuminate where your built-in flash isn’t
enough. The Metz 26 AF-2 fits compact system
cameras and small cameras with a hotshoe.
• Simple 4 Button • 30 Lux LED Video Light
Operation Two Levels of Daylight
Simple to Use and Easy balanced light
to See • Easy One Touch
• Illuminated Function Wireless Slave*
Keys Press one button and
Easier to use in low light - your camera takes over -
when you use flash most remotely.
www.metzflash.ca
64 PHOTO News
Printing with
ICC Settings
In the last edition of PHOTO News, I wrote about which printer to purchase and how to
make simple black and white prints, letting the printer do all the work. In this issue, let’s
take a look at printing with downloadable ICC profiles.
In 1993, the International Color Consor- translate the colour data from your camera, and to translate
tium (ICC) was founded with the goal the data again to produce accurate colour on your monitor
of creating and promoting a consistent and in your prints.
standardization for colour across all Manufacturers like Hahnemühle create ICC profiles for all
devices. They realized that a digital of your output devices. These profiles are stored in your com-
photograph is just data, and it needs puter in the colorsync library on a Mac and with the printer
to be translated in order to produce an drivers on a PC. While there will be slight inconsistencies be-
image. The interpretation of the data is tween the printer profiled by the manufacturer and the actual
crucial to colour accuracy. An ICC pro- printer sitting on your desk, downloadable ICC profiles are
file allows your computer to read and getting better all the time, meaning your print will have very
good colour accuracy.
Every printer and paper combination needs a different ICC
profile as every paper requires different ratios of ink to pro-
duce accurate colour. You need a specific ICC profile for each
type of paper that you plan to print with. ICC profiles can be
downloaded from the paper manufacturer’s website. Hahne-
mühle, for example, has a download centre including instruc-
tions on how to install their profiles and the correct settings to
use for each media type.
As I mentioned in the last issue, the shadow and highlight
points will also be different for each printer and paper com-
bination, so make sure you print the same file every time you
try a new paper. The file I print each time can be found here:
www.langaraphoto.com/printertarget.jpg
Once you have your ICC profile downloaded and stored in
your library, you need to set up your printer driver. The media
type is the most important setting here. Media type controls
how much ink is laid down on each pass of the printer head. If
this is set incorrectly, ink may pool on your paper, or you print
will appear too light. In some printers choosing the media
type also sets the printer head height or Platen Gap. The print-
Download ICC profiles from the web. This is
Hahnemühle’s website, where you can find er head height is very important when printing with thicker
ICC profiles for your printer and the media you papers as an incorrect setting may cause the printer head to
have chosen to print with actually hit the paper and could damage the printer.
Summer 2016 65
Once the media type is chosen in the Next, select Black Point Compensation to ensure that
printer driver, ensure the correct image your blacks can be interpreted correctly in your print.
size is set and choose the printer resolu- While not essential in every print, it does make a big dif-
tion. Resolution controls the number of ference when the black in your image does not match the
dots on ink per inch. While 600 dpi is darkest possible tone your paper will handle.
a safe choice for most papers, a higher The last decision you need to make is the rendering in-
number will give a smoother print. tent. Photographers generally use two of the four possible
After your printer driver is set up choices: Perceptual or Relative Colorimetric. Your choice
correctly, you will need to ensure that of rendering intent depends on the gamut of your image
Photoshop or Lightroom is controlling and the gamut of your printer-paper combination. Gamut
the colours. In the print dialogue in refers to the different colours your device can display or
Photoshop, you need to ensure that your your printer can reproduce. There are colours that your
Color Handling is set so that Photoshop camera can capture but your printer cannot print. When
Manages Colors. Once this is selected, a colour cannot be printed it is considered to be out of
the ICC profile that you downloaded can gamut. You can check to see if there are any out of gamut
be used as the Printer Profile. In Light- colours in your image by selecting Match Print Colors,
room, this is selected by choosing the and then Gamut Warning at the bottom of the Photoshop
correct profile under Color Manage- printer window. When you select Gamut Warning, some
ment in the Print module. of your image may turn grey in the preview window. If
this happens, you probably want to choose Perceptual
rendering intent. This will move all of the colours in your
Epson SureColor SC-P600 – Photo Black (PK) image and ensure that no colours are out of gamut, while
A General Guide for Printing on Hahnemühle FineArt Papers retaining smooth transitions through the image. There
Installing Profiles
Please refer to your printer manual or our website for a detailed instruction how to install profiles for
is a downside to this choice as all of your colours will be
your printer.
Note: Your graphic-application needs to be restarted if it was open when profiles were installed. New
skewed slightly (although most people will not be able to
profiles will be detected automatically during the start of the application.
see the change). Choosing Relative Colorimetric render-
Settings
Print drivers will vary from printer to printer and from Macintosh to PC but the general setup will be the
ing intent ensures the most accurate colour, but if you
same. Be sure to select the proper profile for the printer, paper and ink combination you are using. In
our profile names you will find the proper combination to use. have colours out of gamut, you risk banding in those sec-
Print with Preview / General Settings: Print Driver / Media Settings:
tions of the print.
1) Source Space: Document 5) Media: Epson Premium Luster Printing with ICC profiles is a step-by-step process.
2) Profile: regarding to your paper and ink
combination
6)
7)
Quality: 4 (1440 dpi)
Each paper that you Start a logbook to record your settings in order to achieve
print with should this consistency in your prints.
have a data sheet.
Pay special attention
In the next issue of PHOTO News, I will be discussing
to the printer driver creating custom ICC profiles for absolutely perfect colour,
/ media settings as
Note: For traceable printing, please save the settings and recall these settings whenever you print.
Varying these settings could affect the outcome of your image. There are other factors that
can also affect the output, if needed please refer to you printer manual or image manipulation
and showing you some unique papers to try out these cus-
they are crucial to program for additional color management issues. The screen shots may vary in case of different
tom profiles.
02.2015 / Rev. 00
systems.
Macro Magic!
Nathalie Duhaime, of Ste-Adèle, Québec, captured this beautiful image of a flower with the Panasonic Lumix LX 100 that she
won in our PHOTO News Summer 2015 “On Vacation” Challenge. Nathalie set the LX100 for macro at 34mm focal length,
1/400 second, f/5.6 and ISO 200. The image was post-processed using Adobe Photoshop Elements 12.0 for Windows.
“I received this beautiful bouquet of flowers for Valentines’ Day, and one bloom stood out because of its spectacular colours.”
The PHOTO News Canada Summer 2016 Challenge See your pictures in print!
theme is “Macro Magic.”
It is always a thrill to see your pictures in a na-
Your assignment – to photograph a subject at close tional magazine – for every issue, PHOTO News
range - entries must be shot between the 1/4 life size Canada selects reader’s images from the photos
“close-up” magnification ratio and the 1/1 and greater posted in our PHOTO News Canada Reader’s
magnification ratio of the “macro” category. Images may Gallery flickr® group pool – so take a look, sign
be cropped and/or post-processed, and you may submit in, post a few of your favourite photos, and enjoy
images photographed prior to the summer of 2016. our interactive photographic adventures!
The contest is open to all Canadian photographers.
Please enter by joining our flickr® group at www. The PHOTO News Canada Challenge is
flickr.com/groups/PHOTO Newsgallery/ and look sponsored by Panasonic Canada, who
for the Summer 2016 “Macro Magic” Challenge dis- will present a special prize for the most
cussion thread, where you will find additional details, interesting image selected for publication
samples, suggestions, and technique tips. It’s fun, it’s in the next issue.
free, and it’s a friendly environment for photographers
of all ages and skill levels.
The contest deadline for entries for the “Macro Magic”
Challenge is July 15, 2016.