Photography

PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS MAGAZINE | ISSUE 111

MASTERCLASS
INSPIRATION
TRAITS OF
SUCCESSFUL
PHOTOGRAPHERS
BUYERS GUIDE
LOWDOWN ON THE
SONY A7 IV
EXPERT GUIDE
BEST WAY
TO PRINT
YOUR PHOTOS

Ryan Tay
Swee Yuan PHOTOSHOP
Interview
NIKON PHOTOGRPAHER
EASY COLOR
OF THE YEAR CORRECTION

MASTERCLASS
SECRETS OF PERFECT
focal point composition
 Photography
MASTERCLASS
MAGAZINE

EDITORS: PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Gill Roberts Wanda Sheppard cottonbro
Kevin Roberts Nikota Brault Reid Murphy
Annette Potts Moran Engin Akyurt

CONTRIBUTORS: Ryan Tay Swee-Yuan Uus Supendi

Jo Plumridge John Rayner Shahin Khalaji

Ryan Sitzman Peter Foulds Ali Pazani

Krystal Kenney Ivan Zahorui Sandy Millar

Morten Rustad /IǺIVWSR,SPHEV Marco Xu

Jamie Windsor Joey Evans Michael Soledad

Tony & Chelsea Northrup Heinrich Knoetze David Munoz

First Man Photography Luke Marasca Annie Spratt

Photoshop Training 2SRMOE5VSÔ Marcin Skalij

Channel Kelly Foreman Major Tom Agency
David Charouz Robbin Wong
COVER PHOTO BY:
Tina Quillen Kam Idris
Arsham Haghani
Robert Jones Alif Ngoylung"
Ilya Shishikhin Levi Meir Clancy
Egor Kamelev Colton Sturgeon
Matheus Bertelli Michal Matlon
Arsham Haghani Alexandre Pellaes
Arnon Prajakteera- Justin Main
Contact Details: non
Ben Eaton
Email: mail@photographymc.com
Web: Photographymc.com
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/PhotographyMasterclassMagazine
Facebook Group: Facebook.com/groups/PhotographyMasterclassMagazine
Twitter: Twitter.com/MagazinePM
Instagram: @photographymasterclassmagazine

© Photography Masterclass Magazine

05
Editors Choice
A Hand-Picked Selection Of Our
Favorite Photos

24
Expert guide
Best Way To Print Your Photos

33
Masterclass
Secrets of Perfect Focal Point
Composition

50 Featured
Photographer
We speak to Ryan Tay Swee Yuan – a recognized
macro photographer from Singapore. His stunning
images of the insect world have been widely
commended in Nikon Photographer of the Year
and various photography magazine competitions.

15 31 65 69 79
Inspiration photoshop Timelapse Readers BUYERS GUIDE
Traitis Of Hidden Algorithims The East 8K - Gallery The Lowdown on
Successful For Easy Color A Timelapse the Sony a7 IV
Your Best Shots
Photographers Correction Adventure
Showcased
EDITOR’S
NOTE
W
elcome to this edition We bring you an in-depth interview with
of Photography Ryan Tay Swee Yuan – a recognized
Masterclass Magazine macro photographer from Singapore.
His stunning images of the insect
world have been widely commended
in Nikon Photographer of the Year
Having a strong focal point is essential
and various photography magazine
element to a good image. But how
competitions!
to do you work with focal points and
use them in your imagery? In this
And don't miss our lowdown on the
issue of Photography Masterclass
Sony a7 IV! .
Magazine we’ll tell you all you need
to know.
We hope you enjoy this issue. If
you try out any of the techniques
Also in this issue - in our inspiration
mentioned, we’d love you to see your
s e c t i o n , we reve a l t h e t ra i t s of
results, so please do share them
successful photographers. Discover
with us in readers' Facebook Group.
the hidden algorithms in Photoshop
for easy color correction, in a great
Happy Shooting!
video tutorial. And in our expert guide
section, we look at the best way to
print your photos!

Gill

MESSAGE FROM GILL ROBERTS

THE EDITOR
EDITOR’S
CHOICE
A Hand-Picked Selection of
our Favorite Photos

By: Ivan Zahorui

Shot Details: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
at 50mm, ƒ/3.5, 1/160s, ISO 640
Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Jefferson Goldar

Shot Details: Nikon D3400
at 11mm, ƒ/4, 20s, ISO 100
Facebook | Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Joey Evans

Shot Details: GoPro HERO6 Black
at 3mm, ƒ/2.8, 1/120s, ISO 207
Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Heinrich Knoetze

Shot Details: Fujifilm X-T1
at 56mm, ƒ/1.2, 1/125s, ISO 1600
Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Luke Marasca

Shot Details: Nikon D5500
at 200mm, ƒ/11, 1/160s, ISO 2500
Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Monika Proć

Shot Details: Apple iPhone XS Max
at 4mm, ƒ/1.8, 1/2364s, ISO 25
Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Kelly Foreman

Shot Details: Canon EOS 70D
at 100mm, ƒ/11, 1/200s, ISO 1600
Website
EDITORS CHOICE

By: David Charouz

Shot Details: Nikon D750
at 15mm, ƒ/14, 1/25s, ISO 160
Instagram
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Tina Quillen

Shot Details: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
at 105mm, ƒ/7.1, 50s, ISO 100
Website
EDITORS CHOICE

By: Robert Jones

Shot Details: Canon EOS 6D Mark II
at 24mm, ƒ/11, 1/5s, ISO 100
Website
 INSPIRATION
TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL
PHOTOGRAPHERS
By Krystal Kenney
M
any people dream of
being a photographer
and every year thousands
of new photographers
enter the market. But what
makes some of these photographers
more successful than others?
Of course, most photographers know
their gear and how to take a photo.
But other than knowing the technical
details of photography, there are
Photo by: Alif Ngoylung
certain traits that are more important
to certain niches of photography. And
to be successful and at the top of the
market there are a few key things many
successful photographers do that sets
them apart from others. Let’s dive into
each here so you can recognize if you
are already making a few of these
traits part of your regular routines and
decide which ones you need to add to
your skillset.
 INSPIRATION
A CREATIVE MIND
At its core, photography is a creative
and even more an artistic endeavor.
A successful photographer knows
how to examine any subject from
multiple angles and still find a new or
interesting way to present the subject
matter. One of the key components to
a photographer’s success is constantly
growing their imagination and creative
skillset. If you need some ways to find
new inspiration or grow your creativity
try one of these:
• Visit a local museum. It doesn’t even
have to be a photography museum.
It can be a museum of any sort that
you may find inspiring. Whether it
be modern art, impressionism, or
something completely different,
try to find ways to bend your
photography into something new
Photo by: Levi Meir Clancy
based on what you are seeing in the
museum.
• Start a creative mastermind group.
Find other artists in creatives in the
area and set up monthly meetings.
They don't have to be photographers.
It could be even better if they are
not photographers. Instead hang
out with artists from all backgrounds
and exchange ideas and concepts.
This will get your mind moving and
your creativity sparked.
• Try another creative talent besides
photography. Check out sculpture,
painting, and writing. The sky's the
limit! The fact is your brain is like a
muscle and creativity needs to be
worked in many different ways just
like any other muscle needs an array
of exercises to help it grow!
 INSPIRATION
PATIENCE
Most of us have heard of the decisive
moment once coined by French
photography Herny Cartier-Bresson.
Patience is all about the decisive
moment.
It’s about taking the time to wait and
watch. Observe and be flexible with
your time. Don’t push for photographic
moments to happen all the time. Instead
relax and let them come to you. Be in
the moment.
If you want to keep growing as a
photographer and only capturing the
best work that keeps evolving then take
a moment and pause! This is a major
key to your success in the long term.
Here are some ways you can practice
focus and become more patient:
Photo by: Colton Sturgeon
• Meditation is a great way of changing
your perspective and helping you
become more patient. I’m not saying
go join an ashram or become a
monk. But do download the Calm
app or open a YouTube channel and
practice meditation for 20 minutes
a day. You will be amazed at how it
changes your mindset and betters
your photography
• Count to three before you take a
shot. This slows you down, makes
you think twice and helps you to
become more patient. With digital
photography we constantly just
snap away, knowing we won't run
out of film or memory very easily.
But practice being mindful even with
your digital saves.
 INSPIRATION
Photo by: Michal Matlon
STOP WORRYING ABOUT
WHAT OTHERS THINK
OF YOU
Successful photographers don’t pay
any mind to other people's criticisms of
their work. Don’t get me wrong, some
criticism is key to growth. But this
should be constructive.
When we get too wrapped up in
Instagram and what other people
are saying about our work, we start
to lose purpose and why we started
to begin with. It’s important to take a
step back and stop worrying so much
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Here are some great ways to
accomplish this:
• Take a social media break. Many
successful people I know from all
business backgrounds take a break
from social media a couple times a
year. It’s like a detox and helps you
reset your brain and your work!
• Ask people you respect in the
industry to give you feedback. You
want constructive help so you can
change and evolve and not feel bad
about your work!
 INSPIRATION
COMMUNICATION
SKILLS
Great communication skills are key
to being successful. Whether you are
communicating with a client, potential
client, or other photographers in the
industry you have to learn how to
express yourself clearly. People will
respect and listen to you more when
you know how to communicate. And
just as important as communication is
listening to others, don’t be one of those
people who never listens to others and
only talks about themselves.
Try some of these to improve your
communication skills:
• Join toastmasters. Toastmasters
exists all over the world and is all
about practicing public speaking.
Not only will you learn how to feel
more comfortable speaking in front
of others, but you will also learn how
to network and find new work.
• Attend photography conferences.
These conferences are great for
networking and watching some of
the best of the best communicate
their skills and ideas.
Photo by: Alexandre Pellaes
 INSPIRATION
BUSINESS AND SALES
SKILLS
You can be the best photographer in
the world, but if you don’t know how
to sell yourself it doesn’t matter. This is
what most professional photographers
struggle with. They love their job, but
they don’t know how to sell themselves.
Successful photographers are just
as much sales people as they are
photographers. So don’t be shy about
telling everyone you know and meet
who you are and what you do. Or try
one of these to grow your sales skills:
• Try some online business courses.
Websites like Udemy and Skillshare
offer a variety of online courses
where you can learn how to sell
your work. They will also teach you
how to become more confident so
you can sell. The courses are often
affordable, and you can complete
them at your own pace.
• Find a mentor. Reach out to a highly
successful photographer in your area
and offer to help them for free. See
how they work, organize themselves
and sell. This can be the greatest
free way to learn better sales skills.
Photo by: Justin Main
 INSPIRATION

Photo by: Ben Eaton

CONCLUSION Also, consider outsourcing as you grow

There you have it! Some of the top
traits that successful photographers
possess! These are my favorites but
there are a few other things you can
think about as well in the long term
such as becoming more organized.
by using sites such as Upwork to help
you communicate with clients and
even edit.
Lastly, never lose that ambition that
got you started so many years ago!
Keep learning and wanting so you can
succeed more every year!

About the Author:

Krystal Kenney is an American photographer residing in Paris, France. She also runs a
popular podcast about artists with French connections called "La Vie Creative" available
anywhere podcasts can be found. You can see some her work on her website or Instagram.
 INSPIRATION

VIDEO:
TALENT ISN'T ENOUGH -
TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL
PHOTOGRAPHERS
by TONY & CHELSEA NORTHRUP

In this video, Tony & Chelsea discuss the many traits of successful
photographers and how it takes much more than talent to have a successful
career. If you are naturally talented, don't let overlooking other traits hold you
back! If you don't think you're talented, don't worry, there are other things you
can do to compensate and still find success.

About the Author:

Chelsea and Tony Northrup are photographers based in Connecticut. They are the creators of the top-
rated photography book, “Tony Northrup’s DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography”
which features over nine hours of video training and free lifetime updates. To see more of their tutorials
and photos you can follow them on Facebook and YouTube
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 EXPERT GUIDE

THE BEST WAY TO

PRINT YOUR PHOTOS

by Jo Plumridge

P
rinting our photos has fallen
out of vogue somewhat over
the years, with most people
keeping their images stored
online. But there’s something quite
different and magical about actually
seeing a photograph printed and hung
on a wall.

Image: David Munoz

 EXPERT GUIDE
In this article I’m going to run you
through how to prepare your images for
printing and the best way to get them
printed and framed.
PREPARING
YOUR IMAGES
Making sure that you get the best
possible print of your images takes a
little effort but, once you’ve mastered
it for the first time, you’ll find it quick
and easy to do in future!
These are the steps you need to follow:
1. Calibrate your monitor – Without
a calibrated monitor you won’t know
what your image actually looks like (i.e.
how it will look once it’s printed). Once
you’ve calibrated your monitor initially,
you’ll only need to check it once a month
or so. Calibrating the monitor means
that you’re balancing and correcting
the colors, usually by using something
called a spectrometer and calibration
software. It sounds complicated but
there are tools available that make it
very simple. The Spyder X Pro is one of
the best on the market and a worthwhile
investment – everyone should calibrate
their monitor whether they’re printing
or not.
Image: Annie Spratt
 EXPERT GUIDE
2. Save your print file in the right color
space – Most of the time you’ll want
to be saving your files in sRGB (some
high-end labs might be able to print
in Adobe RGB). You might wonder why
you wouldn’t use a larger color space
such as ProPhoto. The reason is that
most printers can’t show that wide a
range of colors, leading to dull looking
images.
Image: Marcin Skalij
3. Use the correct dpi – Dpi (dots per
inch) is crucial to getting high quality
prints. Most of the time we view images
at 72dpi on our monitors. But for the
best printing quality your image needs
to be at 300dpi. Dpi refers to the amount
of dots printed in an inch, meaning the
more dots you have, the more detail
there will be.
 EXPERT GUIDE
4. Crop and resize you image – Most
modern cameras have a default aspect
ratio of 3:2 – a perfect ratio for 6x4” or
8x12” prints. But if you want other print
sizes such as 7x5” or 8x10” you’ll need
to crop your image to fit this frame size.
You should always crop and resize your
image to the size you want to print.
5. Sharpen your image – After cropping
and resizing your image you will need
to add a little sharpening. The more
detail the image has and the larger
the image gets, the more sharpening it
will need.
6. Soft Proofing – You can use Adobe
Photoshop or Lightroom to preview
how your image will look in different
color spaces or with different printers.
You can also set up your own presets.
Once you’ve done this you can carry
on making adjustments to ensure that
your image looks the way you want
MXcTVMRXIH
Image: Major Tom Agency
 EXPERT GUIDE
HOME PRINTING
It’s easy to print images at home if you
invest in a specific photo printer. When
it comes to manufacturers it’s really a
two-horse race between Canon and
Epson.
The major cost with home printers
is the ink but if you’re doing a lot of
printing, the cost is still lower than
Image: Robbin Wong
using a printing lab. Nowadays, printers
use individual inks and some now use
bottles instead of cartridges, which are
more economical and less wasteful. A4
printers are fairly reasonably priced but
A3+ printers obviously raise the cost.
I’d recommend the Canon PIXMA
TS6350 for a reasonably priced A4
printer that will produce lovely images
at home.
 EXPERT GUIDE

PHOTO LABS There are loads of different options,

A lot of people prefer to send their
images out to be printed at labs. And,
as long as you’ve prepared the images
correctly at home, this is a stress-free
option! Using a lab also gives you the
option to go for different types of print.
Whilst traditional prints are obviously
available, you can also choose from
different papers for a different look
such as gloss, matt, satin, or even
heavy cotton paper. Canvas prints
are extremely popular as the finish is
very forgiving and flattering – plus
they look great on the wall! Or you
could try aluminium prints, with a crisp
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whether you go to an online consumer
lab or use a professional printing lab.
IN CONCLUSION
A lot of people panic about getting
good prints but, with a little preparation,
it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Following my steps will allow you to
easily produce good prints although
do be aware that every lab and printer
will work slightly differently. But it’s
extremely rewarding to end up with
one of your images beautifully printed
and framed on your wall.

Image: Kam Idris

About the Author:

Jo Plumridge is a UK based photographer, writer and lecturer. She specializes in
portrait, corporate and travel photography, and writes photography, travel and comedy
pieces for magazines, websites and books. You can see some of her work at her website
or follow her on Twitter.
 EXPERT GUIDE

VIDEO TUTORIAL:
THE BEST WAY TO
PRINT YOUR PHOTOS
by FIRST MAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Today we discuss one of the hardest things I have done as a landscape

photographer, producing and writing my own photo book.

About the Author:

I’m Adam, owner of First Man Photography, which is your gateway to capturing beautiful images every
time. We have everything you need to take the next step in your photography journey. With tips, tricks,
reviews and tutorials, we have something for everyone. Follow First Man Photography for the latest
updates on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Medium & YouTube, or get the book.
EDITING

PHOTOSHOP:
Hidden Algorithims For
Easy Color Correction
 EDITING

VIDEO TUTORIAL:
HIDDEN ALGORITHMS FOR
EASY COLOR CORRECTION
IN PHOTOSHOP

by PHOTOSHOP TRAINING CHANNEL

Discover the hidden algorithm to easily color correct or color

match in Photoshop!

About the Author:

Jesús Ramirez is a digital graphics expert, speaker, and educator specializing in Adobe Photoshop. With over
16 years of professional design experience, he has worked with clients such as Adobe, Microsoft, Motorola,
and Conde Nast. He is best known as the founder of the Photoshop Training Channel. You can find his articles
and tutorials in many well-known publications and blogs, including the Adobe Creative Cloud Blog, Adobe’s
Create Magazine, and Photoshop User Magazine. He has been a speaker at many industry related events
worldwide. Follow more on YouTube, Instagram, his website, Behance and TikTok.
 MASTERCLASS

MASTERCLASS
SECRETS OF PERFECT
FOCAL POINT COMPOSITION

By: Ilya Shishikhin

Instagram
MASTERCLASS

By: Egor Kamelev

Instagram
MASTERCLASS

By: Matheus Bertelli

Instagram
MASTERCLASS

By: Arsham Haghani

Instagram
MASTERCLASS

By: Arnon Prajakteeranon

Shot Details: Sony α7 III,
at 85mm, ƒ/1.4, 1/125s, ISO 250
Portfolio
MASTERCLASS

By: Cottonbro
Website
MASTERCLASS

By: Reid Murphy

Website
MASTERCLASS

By: Engin Akyurt

Instagram
MASTERCLASS

By: Uus Supendi

Facebook
MASTERCLASS

By: Shahin Khalaji

Instagram
MASTERCLASS

By: Ali Pazani

Sandy Millar
MASTERCLASS

By: Sandy Millar

Instagram
 MASTERCLASS

SECRETS OF
PERFECT FOCAL POINT
COMPOSITION by Jo Plumridge

Photo by: Arsham Haghani

A
focal point is an essential element in every photograph. But what is a
focal point? Put simply, a focal point is the point of interest in an im-
age and the area that’s the centre of attention for your viewer. When
we choose our focal point, we’re essentially saying to our viewer, “Hey,
this is where I want you to look”. But how to do you work with focal
points and use them in your imagery? In this article I’ll tell you all you need to
know.
 MASTERCLASS
FOCUSING
Before we even talk about focal points,
we need to talk about focusing. Choosing
your focal point means that you need to
be telling the camera where to focus. So
you must have control over your camera’s
AF (autofocus) points. Modern cameras
come with a huge variety of AF points and
ways to control them, so it’s really easy
these days to pick the right point.
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my camera set to the central AF point.
Some cameras also allow you to select
a group of AF points at once or have
touchscreens so you can quickly touch
your LCD screen to focus.
SELECTIVE FOCUS AND
DEPTH OF FIELD
Looking now at ways to work with focal
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MRGVIHMFP]IǺIGXMZI[E]XSJSGYWEXXIRXMSR
onto your focal point. Selective focus
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to guide the viewer’s gaze to your focal
point, blurring out everything else so it’s
blindingly obvious where the viewer’s
focus should be!
To do this, you need to understand how
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selective focusing. A large aperture (e.g.
J MW E WQEPP HITXL SJ ǻIPH [LIVIEW E
small aperture (e.g. f22) is a large depth
SJǻIPH
For selective focus you’ll be using smaller
HITXLW SJ ǻIPH Ƴ [LMGL ETIVXYVI WIXXMRK
you choose exactly will depend on your
lens’ range and how large your subject is
/ how much of it you want to get in focus.
As a general rule of thumb, I rarely shoot
above f4 / f5.6 for head and shoulders
portraiture. Remember that everything not
on the same focal plane as your subject
will be out of focus! This is probably the
simplest way to emphasize your focal
point.
THE RULE OF THIRDS
The Rule of Thirds is one of the simplest
and most fundamental photography
rules, and is worth learning (not that I’m
saying you can’t break it at a later date!).
Equally spaced lines, both vertically and
horizontally divide your grid into thirds.
And where these lines intersect is where
you place your focal points.
It’s often used in landscapes, where the
focal point of the image (for example a tree
or a house) is placed at the intersection
point. The human eye will automatically
PSSOEXXLIWIMRXIVWIGXMSRWǻVWXWSTPEGMRK
your subject at one of them automatically
helps it become the focal point of the
image.
LIGHT, COLOR AND
CONTRAST
How a focal point is perceived is also
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focal point is brightly colored, or deeply
toned if you’re shooting in monochrome,
it will draw the viewer’s attention. This will
be heightened if the rest of your images
has more muted tones or colors.
Another simple way to draw attention to
your focal point is to pick a scene with
just two colors, with one acting as your
background and the other as your focal
point.
 MASTERCLASS

Eyes are drawn to bright things, so you can objects such as trees and houses. Large
use light and contrast to help highlight objects and objects with text also hold a
your focal point. Find the brightest part strong visual weight.
of the image and place your focal point
there to show your viewer that it’s the On the subject of people and animals,
most important part of a scene. remember that it’s essential that the eyes
are sharp if said person or animal is your
This is an occasion where you can use hard subject matter and acting as your focal
light (around midday or with a directed point. A portrait of any kind with soft eyes
EVXMǻGMEP PMKLX XS ]SYV EHZERXEKI EW MXƶW loses all its visual impact.
IEWMIWXXSǻRHWXVSRKPMKLXGSRXVEWX[LIR
the light is hard. You can hide distracting
elements in the shadows and emphasise
MULTIPLE FOCAL POINTS
your focal point with the light areas.
Most of the time you’ll probably be using
Make sure that you use angles that avoid
a single focal point, but it is possible to
shooting directly into the sun, so that your
have multiple focal points in one image.
WLSXWEVIRƶXSZIV[LIPQIHF]ǼEVI
The key to this is to still make one focal
point your primary one, with the others
Light, color and contrast are all particularly
becoming secondary, tertiary and so on.
important when you’re photographing a
You can use any of the tips we’ve talked
landscape. This is because landscapes
about to add slightly more visual weight
KIRIVEPP] YWI E PEVKI HITXL SJ ǻIPH ERH
to your primary focal point, ensuring that
hyperfocal distance (which establishes
EZMI[IVƶWI]IKSIWXLIVIǻVWX8LISXLIV
where to place your focus in order to get
focal points can then lead your viewer
the largest amount of your shot in focus).
through the image. Having multiple focal
Therefore, you need to use colors and
points that all have the same visual weight
light to direct and focus your viewer’s eye.
is confusing for a viewer – they will be
unable to ascertain quickly where their
VISUAL WEIGHT gaze should settle in an image and this
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Some elements in a photograph naturally
carry more visual weight than others.
What do I mean by visual weight? These
IN CONCLUSION
are the elements in an image that will
Having a strong focal point is essential to
immediately attract a viewer’s attention.
a good image. Without it an image has
And that means they’re ideal for your
no obvious way to engage a viewer! But,
focal point.
just to be awkward, do remember that a
viewer’s response can vary from person
The most obvious element with strong
to person and that their perspective is
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subjective. As a photographer you want
PSSO EX E LYQER ǻKYVI FIJSVI ER]XLMRK
to use your skills to communicate your
else in an image, followed by animals and
vision to the viewer.

About the Author:

Jo Plumridge is a UK based photographer, writer and lecturer. She specializes in
portrait, corporate and travel photography, and writes photography, travel and comedy
pieces for magazines, websites and books. You can see some of her work at her website
or follow her on Twitter.
 MASTERCLASS

VIDEO TUTORIAL:
8 IMPORTANT COMPOSITION TIPS
FOR BETTER PHOTOS
by JAMIE WINDSOR

So, you’re looking to improve your photography and you’re (rightfully) told that composition is
the key to a great photo. You proceed to read up on compositional rules and you realise there’s
a lot to learn. The rule of thirds, the golden spiral, the phi grid, the Fibonacci sequence,
leading lines, arabesques and dynamic symmetry. It all looks very complex and confusing.
The problem is that composition is a massive subject and learning all the grid systems and
ratios is only one tool in your visual toolbox. So let me give you 8 simple tips to get you started
on improving your composition.

About the Author:

Originally from Bath, England, Jamie Windsor now lives and works in London as a filmmaker
and photographer. He runs a YouTube channel and his photographic work can be found at
jamiewindsor.com.
 PHOTOGRAPHYMC.COM

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 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER:
RYAN TAY SWEE YUAN

In this issue, we feature Ryan Tay Swee Yuan – a recognized macro photographer
based in Singapore. Ryan has the patience and skill needed to capture stunning
images of the insect world and has been widely commended for his images in Nikon
Photographer of the Year and various photography magazine competitions.
Hope you enjoy!
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

DANCING ON THE RIBBON

 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER
Photographic Speciality/Style:
I like nature wildlife photography,
especially macro subjects. I love to
capture the images of the subjects
interacting with their environments.
I am not into entomology (the study
of insects) so a visually appealing
image of a commonly seen dragonfly
that tells a story excites me as much if
not more than routine full-body shots
of less common species. Most of my
subjects are frequently seen insects
MRcMRKETSVI
LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Short Bio:
I am born and bred in Singapore and
have been in the corporate world for
almost 30 years. I did freelance event
photography in the early years of my
career but stopped after I got married and
work become increasingly demanding.
As a natural extension to nature wildlife
photography, I started doing pet
portraits and providing photography
services in support of charities. In June
2021, I launched camerakakis.com to
formalize this initiative. Camerakakis.
com offers photography services and
in return, donates the proceeds to the
EHSTXIHcGLEVMXMIW
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

BASKING IN THE MORNING SUN

 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER
How did your love of photography start?
I started photography as a teenager
when I joined the school’s photo club.
I shot mostly school events and some
candid street shots. It was a casual
hobby and I didn’t spend much time
SRcMX
In 2016, over a casual lunch, a friend
showed me his pictures of insects and
I was intrigued by the amazing macro
world that a macro lens can bring us
into. That is a wonderful world otherwise
not visible to the naked eyes. My friend
invited me to join a macro outing with
the Nature Photographic Society of
Singapore (NPSS). At that time NPSS
organized informal macro photography
outings (iMOG) almost every Saturday
and it was a great way for me to learn
from many seasoned macro shooters.
These iMOGs certainly rekindled my
passion for photography!
LIFE ON THE EDGE
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

BALANCING ACT
 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER
What’s your long-term
ŤĚŇƒŇŤĚĞÏƭ±ķÆЃĞŇĻů
There is a lot for me to explore and learn
in photography as an art form. I hope to
develop a recognizable personal style
and to produce works that tell a story
and inspiring. It’s a long journey!
I set up CameraKakis.com in June
2021 to provide photography services
for a good cause. The word “kaki” is a
Malay word for close friend or buddy,
so I hope the initiative can take off to
have more photographers joining me
in doing good with photography.
Where does your photographic
inspiration come from?
Any visual form of art can be a source of
inspiration; these can be scenes from
movies or paintings that capture my
FIRE IN THE BELLY
attention. I look out for elements (use
of lights, composition, colors, etc.) that
make these visual images mesmerizing
and try to adopt them in my works.
œĚ±ƒƐƾŇƣĮÚƐDžŇƣƐÏŇĻžĞÚåŹƐƒŇƐÆåƐDžŇƣŹƐ
greatest achievement (or achievements)
ĞĻƐDžŇƣŹƐŤĚŇƒŇŤĚDžƐƒŇƭÚ±ƒåů
I came in 6th place in the Wildlife
category of the Nikon Photographer of
the Year 2021 Award. To be recognized
by a team of international experts was
a big encouragement for me.
However, to be invited as a featured
photographer in Photography Master
Class magazine is an even bigger honor
to me and I am flattered. Thank you for
appreciating my works.
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

COMES FULL CIRCLE

 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER
What’s your favorite photo you've ever
taken & why?
Colorful Dreams - the simple reason is
that my wife, Joyce Cheong, loves it!
It was from an outing that I could not
find any bug after spending a couple
COLORFUL DREAMS
of hours along the river. Just when
I thought it was going to be just another
Sunday morning walk, the light on a
field caught my attention and I was
rewarded with this! I love the colors
and the unexpected outcome made
the image all the sweeter.
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

CHASING DREAMS
 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER
œĚ±ƒŸžƐĞĻžĞÚåƐDžŇƣŹƐīЃƐƱďů
While I use full-frame (Sony A7m3
and A7m4) for my photography
assignments, I prefer the APS-C
system for my birds and macro shoot
to get that extra reach.
For macro, my default set-up is Sony
A6500 with a Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x
Ultra Macro lens. The focus magnifier
and focus peaking of a mirrorless
system help a great deal during
manual focusing. I use a Godox TT685s
flash with a homemade diffuser for my
macro shots.
RED ON WHITE
In addition, I have a Nikon D500 with
Nikkor 200mm f/4 for in-flight insects.
It’s a heavy set-up but the extra reach,
autofocus, and high frame rate make it
easier to shoot in-flight insects.
I also pair my Nikon D500 with a Sigma
150-500mm for birds and other wildlife.
œĚ±ƒŸžƐ ĞĻžĞÚåƐ DžŇƣŹƐ ÚŹå±ķƐ īЃƐ Ʊďů
I am quite happy with my kit for macro
photography but the Sony A1 and
Sony 600mm f/4 GM would be nice
JSVcFMVHMRK
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

I AM COMING FOR YOU

 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER
Which piece of kit could you give up?
If I must pick one, then it has to be
Godox TT685s flash as I am quite happy
to just shoot with natural lights.
What words of advice would you give
ƒŇƭÆåďĞĻĻåŹžů
Shoot, review and get feedback,
WLSSXcEKEMR
Social media connects photographers
all over the world. There are many
interest groups on various social media
platforms, do post and invite critiques
and comments. Participating in online
photography competitions is also
a great way to see how your works
resonate with others.
For macro photography, sometimes we
have to spend a few hours in the field.
The environment is often less than
friendly, especially in hot and humid
Singapore. It can be frustrating too as
we can’t get the subjects to pose for
us. Hence it is important to love the
photography process and your sub-
jects, and see the outcome as a bonus.
In this way, you are most likely to find
joy in each outing even if the images
turned out to be less than ideal.
BALLS OF DREAMS
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

LIVE THE DREAM

 FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Follow more of Ryan Tay Swee Yuan's work on

Instagram and his website
 TIMELAPSE

THE EAST 8K
A TIME-LAPSE ADVENTURE
by MORTEN RUSTAD

T
his time-lapse video takes EQUIPMENT USED
you on an adventure
through China and Hong Camera: Nikon z7
Kong, through the beautiful Drone: DJI Mavic 2 Pro
landscapes, the traditional Motion control: SYRP Genie II Pan Tilt
villages and the bustling mega cities. Linear Kit
All in 8K resolution. Big thanks to To-
masz Dudzinski for making a custom Thanks to Syrp for sponsoring this video.
track to this video. Produced by VJUS.
 TIMELAPSE

BEHIND THE SCENES:

MORTEN RUSTAD’S
“THE EAST 8K
TIMELAPSE ADVENTURE
A behind the scenes look
on how it was put together

BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO: MAKING OF THE EAST

EPISODE 1 - HONG KONG
 TIMELAPSE

BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO: MAKING OF THE EAST

EPISODE 2 - ZHANGJIAJIE

BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO: MAKING OF THE EAST

EPISODE 2 - FENGHUANG
 TIMELAPSE

BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO: MAKING OF THE EAST

EPISODE 4 - LI RIVER & LONGJI RICE TERRACES

About:
Follow Morten Rustad's adventures on his website, Facebook and Twitter.
 READERS GALLERY

READERS
GALLERY
Your Very Best Shots Showcased

EARLY MORNING
By: Wanda Sheppard
Shot Details: Sony α7R III
at 45mm, ƒ/8, 1/60s, ISO 200
READERS GALLERY

SNOW HORSE
By: Wanda Sheppard
Shot Details: Sony α7R III
at 200mm, ƒ/4, 1/2000s, ISO 1250
READERS GALLERY

FLYING COLORS
By: Nikota Brault
Shot Details: Canon EOS Rebel T8i
at 21mm, ƒ/4, 1/320s, ISO 100
Instagram
READERS GALLERY

HOLDING BACK TIME

By: Annette Potts Moran
Shot Details: Nikon D7500
at 40mm, ƒ/9, 1/6s, ISO 100
Instagram
READERS GALLERY

By: John Rayner

Shot Details: Olympus XZ-1
at 24mm, ƒ/2.8, 1/160s, ISO 250
Instagram
READERS GALLERY

IRISHMAN CREEK ROADMAN'S HUT

By: Peter Foulds Photography
Shot Details: Canon EOS 6D Mark II
at 28mm, ƒ/8, 1/30s, ISO 100
Instagram
READERS GALLERY

FOGGY MORNING 97 NORTH

By: Wanda Sheppard
READERS GALLERY

QUIET CONTEMPLATION
By: Wanda Sheppard
READERS GALLERY

FROSTED
By: Wanda Sheppard
 PHOTOGRAPHYMC.COM

YOUR VERY BEST

SHOTS SHOWCASED
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in the pages of Photography
Masterclass is easy.
In each issue we’ll feature some
of our favorite Photography
Masterclass Reader photos.
Visit our website here to submit
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FIND OUT MORE

 BUYERS GUIDE

THE LOWDOWN ON
THE SONY ALPHA
7 IV
By Ryan Sitzman

W
e’ve all had to learn about
a lot of new concepts
ever since the COVID-19
pandemic entered our
lives. I would have never thought
that I would need to have a basic
understanding of mRNA vaccines,
viral loads, infection curves, and
oxygen saturation levels. Yet here we
are two years later, and all of those
have become common terms that we
WTVMROPIMRXSIZIV]HE]cGSRZIVWEXMSR
 BUYERS GUIDE
However, there’s one COVID-related
phrase that I would be content to
never have to hear again: “In these
uncertain times…” You’ve likely also met
its cousin, “In these unprecedented
times...” Usually, those two phrases
are used to introduce bad news, as in:
“In these uncertain times, your bank
has made the difficult decision to
lower the interest rate on your savings
account to negative 7.5%” or “In these
unprecedented times, we know that
you’ll appreciate that we have reduced
our supermarket’s daily opening hours
to 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., for your
health and safety.”
So why am I talking about these phrases
that most of us would just as soon
forget, in an article about the new Sony
Alpha 7 IV? Well, after researching this
camera, the main underlying thought
that I had was something along the
lines of a subtle, “Oh, that’s nice.” I don’t
mean that in a condescending way,
either - it’s genuinely nice.
It’s nice that we can count on Sony to
release a new camera right on schedule.
In these uncertain times, it’s nice that
Sony didn’t delay this camera’s launch
by several years, and that it didn’t stress
us all out by naming it the Omega 2
MCM or the Sony XTREME Nacho Blast
or whatever. After all, the Alpha 7 III
came out about three years ago, and
what comes after III? That’s right, IV.
Nice and certain.
It’s also nice that we can rely on the
Alpha 7 IV (which I will mostly refer to
as “a7IV” from here on out) to make
noticeable improvements upon the
Alpha 7 III (a7III), but not so much so
that the a7III pales in comparison, or
that the a7IV costs twice as much. The
a7IV is a better camera, of course, but it
should still feel very familiar to anyone
who has used an earlier Alpha 7 model.
At approximately $2,500 for the camera
body, the a7IV is also reasonably
priced in relation to the ~$2,000 a7III.
-S[cRMGI
Image: Marco Xu
 BUYERS GUIDE
Ultimately, the Sony a7IV is neither a
revolution nor a revelation - instead, it’s
an evolution, the logical next step for
the Alpha 7 series. But that’s not to say
it’s not an excellent camera - because
it is excellent. It’s just not here to set
the world on fire.
Of course, the one downside of all
this predictable niceness is that when
it comes to a product review article
like this one, there’s a bit less zip and
pizzazz than we might get if we were
looking at a completely new product.
If you know about the previous Alpha 7
cameras, you’ll probably have a pretty
good idea about what to expect from
the a7IV. Therefore, we’ll take a quick
look at the features and then move
on to the analysis section, wherein we
consider who this camera is made for,
and whether it might work for you.
To get the stats and specs out of
the way: the Sony Alpha 7 IV is a
33-Megapixel hybrid camera, in the
sense that it is geared toward both
still photography and videography.
The 33 Megapixels stat is a healthy
jump from the a7III’s 24.2 Megapixels.
It can shoot 10 frames per second in
burst mode, and it shoots 4K video at
60p. Its autofocus tracking capabilities
are improved compared to the a7III,
although it doesn’t quite match all
of Sony’s more expensive flagship
cameras in performance.
Those specs, while respectable, are still
pretty much in line with what one would
expect from this camera family, and it
stacks up well against the competition,
which is mainly the Canon EOS R6. It
doesn’t blow the Canon camera out of
the water, but it also doesn’t lag behind
in any major areas.
 BUYERS GUIDE
The specs tell part of the story, but
the most noticeable changes and
improvements are mostly related to
the a7IV’s usability and handling. Sony
has been busy making small tweaks to
the a7III to make its successor stronger,
faster, and better than before. This is
apparent when looking at this camera
on the inside as well as on the outside.
In terms of the camera’s guts, the
autofocus on the a7IV is quite a bit
better than the a7III. When shooting
video, it can reliably track subjects as
they move, and all you need to do is to
tap the screen to lock on to a subject.
The video quality itself is also
improved, although it’s still not quite
up to par with the quality you’d get
from the Sony Alpha 7S III or the Alpha
1, especially when it comes to slow-
motion performance. Of course, those
Image: Michael Soledad
two cameras also cost significantly
more. For a mid-range camera, though,
the a7IV is still very good.
Another big software improvement
is Sony’s updated menu system,
which is much more user-friendly and
more akin to the menus on Canon’s
cameras. The improved menus are also
complemented with a fully articulating
touchscreen. Most previous Sony
cameras have only had a tilting screen,
and Sony only started incorporating
touchscreens on their mid-level
cameras relatively recently. Hopefully,
we can expect to see these two features
on all future Sony cameras.
When looking at the a7IV from the
outside, one can immediately see the
Sony Alpha 7 family resemblance, but
there are also a few subtle differences
here as well.
 BUYERS GUIDE

First of all, there’s not actually a “IV”
after the “7” on the front of the camera.
I don’t know why that stands out to
me, but it does. Maybe Sony figured
they should get out of the Roman
numerals game while they still could,
before people get confused and start
calling the next iteration the “Alpha 7
Vee” instead of the “Alpha 7 Five”? In
any case, it’s a bit weird since its badge
now looks like the first-generation Sony
Alpha 7, but perhaps that will deter
dumb, inattentive thieves.
There are a few other body differences
as compared to earlier models, such
as a larger, more ergonomic grip, and
an autofocus joystick. The joystick is
perhaps somewhat less useful since you
can also focus using the touchscreen,
but I’d wager that there are people out
there who strongly prefer
one option over the
other, so it’s nice to have
both features available.
There is also one additional hardware/
software capability worth mentioning,
and that is that you can essentially use
the a7IV as a webcam. You just need to
connect the camera to your computer
via a USB cable, and your computer
can recognize it as a webcam; you can
then directly begin streaming video.
That’s not ground-breaking, although
it does seem much less cumbersome
than what you would need to do to
shoot or record streaming video with
many other cameras or setups. When
it’s used with the fold-out screen,
which lets you monitor video from the
front of the camera, the a7IV becomes
a real capable vlogging camera.

The a7IV now boasts 4

control dials, and all of
them are programmable.
Personally, the vertical
dial on the back of the
camera has always
been an inconvenient,
unergonomic nuisance,
and I’ve rarely used it on
my Sony camera. That’s
why it’s nice to have a
dial in the front that you can control
with your index finger, as well as two
dials in the back that you can control
with your thumb. Again, this is surely
just a personal preference thing, but I
always loved using those dials on my
older Nikon cameras, so it’s cool to see
Sony incorporating and expanding on
that concept.
 BUYERS GUIDE
Unfortunately, the “Product Showcase
Mode” is not available on this camera,
even though other less-expensive
Sony cameras offer it. That’s the mode
where the video focuses on a speaking
person until the speaker holds an object
in front of the camera, at which point
the focus shifts to the object. I thought
that was a cool and logical feature on
the Sony ZV-1. Although it would have
been nice to see it on the a7IV, it’s not
quite a “must-have” feature for me.
Which brings us to our final question:
Is the Sony Alpha 7 IV a “must-have”
camera? And if so, who should be
considering this camera?
If you’re a professional or simply a
committed Sony user who only wants
the best, then this probably will only
show up on your radar in passing,
since you probably already have or are
looking at a higher-end Sony camera
like the Alpha 1 or the Alpha 9. It might
be more interesting to you if you have
an a7III or an a7II. Upgrading to the a7IV
could well be worth it, especially if you
can sell your older model for a good
price, which could help offset the cost
of the a7IV.
About the Author:
Ryan Sitzman splits his time between the coffee fields of Costa Rica and the
mountains of Colorado. You can find him on one of his several websites.
Image: Michael Soledad
The a7IV seems to be particularly
appealing to those who are looking
for their first full-frame mirrorless
camera, or for people moving to Sony
from a different camera brand. That
is particularly true for those who will
shoot mostly video, as the improved
autofocus and articulated touchscreen
give the a7IV a noticeable boost over
the a7III.
However, one surprising benefit of the
a7IV could turn out to be that it just
might make the a7III more accessible
in terms of price. This is only a hunch,
but I’m guessing that if lots of users
upgrade from the a7III to the a7IV, then
it may push down the price on a used
a7III so that it’s even more competitive,
at least in terms of cost. And the a7III is
still an excellent camera also.
While we may be living in
unprecedented and uncertain times,
we can at least take a bit of comfort in
the fact that Sony is keeping on keeping
on, reliably making popular, capable
GEQIVEW&RHXLEXƶWTVIXX]cRMGI
 BUYERS GUIDE

VIDEO
SONY A7IV REVIEW:
AMAZING! (VS A7 III)
by TONY & CHELSEA NORTHRUP

Literally nobody was expecting this! Tony & Chelsea Northrup review the Sony
a7 IV against the previous generation camera, the Sony a7 III. They test it for
portraits, sports, landscape, travel and wildlife. The new 33 megapixel full-
frame mirrorless camera is a BIG upgrade in several ways, but might not be
worth the money for some photographers.

About the Author:

Chelsea and Tony Northrup are photographers based in Connecticut. They are the creators of the top-
rated photography book, “Tony Northrup’s DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography”
which features over nine hours of video training and free lifetime updates. To see more of their tutorials
and photos you can follow them on Facebook and YouTube
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