Photography News Issue 53

With The Photography Show this month, issue 53 is the biggest of the year, full of news, reviews and interviews. We’ve got creative techniques to help give your people pictures more impact, plus we chat to Paulina Duczman, a world-renowned portrait photographer. We also share our first impressions of the latest from Fujifilm, following the X-H1 launch event in Lisbon!

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Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

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First tests Get to grips with awhole host of exciting newkit. Turn to page 61

Lighting academy Great flash photos are easy using Elinchrom’s new ELB 500 TTL. See page 50

Fujifilmwants DSLR users

New Fujifilm flagship, the 24.3-megapixel resolution X-H1, is the first X-model to feature in-camera shake reduction. A powerful set of video features has been added and its beefed-up, restyled body enhances its appeal to DLR users. There’s also a new film simulation mode called ETERNA for still andmovie shooting. The newly developed, very advanced in body image stabilization (IBIS) system works on five axis on all XF and XC lenses, whether or not they have IS built-in. The benefit, depending on the lens, is up to an impressive 5.5EV. For video makers the X-H1 has a host of features seen as essential now, including being able to shoot at 200Mbps, F-Log recording and a 400%dynamic range. flagship with impressive still and video features Fujifilm’s relentless march on the mirrorless market continues, with the arrival of a new

Canon has triplets Canon’s exciting news comes in the form of three cameras, two entry-level DSLRs and a top-of-the- range EOS Mmirrorless camera. The EOS 2000D and 4000D are perfect for those taking their first steps in DSLR photography but still wanting a great shooting experience and the latest wireless connectivity for picture sharing. With an EF-S 18-55mm lens they are priced at £469.99 and £369.99 respectively. The 24-megapixel EOS M50 mirrorless model is the first from Canon featuring 4K video, a vari- angle touchscreen and its latest image processor, the DIGIC 8. The EOS M50 with the EF-M 15-45mm lens is priced at £649.99

Its restyled body features a 25% thicker magnesium alloy body shell, 94 environmental seals and a super tough finish. It also incorporates a top-plate LCD info panel, an AF ON button and a very quiet mechanical shutter.

The Fujifilm X-H1 is priced at £1699 body only. Turn to page 62 for a more detailed look at the X-H1.

canon.co.uk Continue reading on page 3

fujifilm.eu/uk Continue reading on page 3

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

News

FujifilmwantsDSLRusers

The

Fujifilm

X-H1

Canon’s latest round of new products shows its continued commitment to DSLR photography while keeping an eye on the growing mirrorless market too. Let’s start with the EOS M50, a 24.1-megapixel CMOS sensor mirrorless model that features 4K video, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and a vari-angle touch monitor. It has an impressive skill set with the ability to shoot at 10fps, a maximum ISO of 25,600 and Dual Pixel CMOS AF for accurate focusing in challenging conditions. It is also the first Canon to f e a t u r e CR3 14- bit Raw c a p t u r e and a C-Raw option that Resolution 24.3 megapixels Sensor 23.5x15.6 APS-C X-Trans CMOS III Storage 2 SD/SDHC/SDXC cards Image stabilizer In body with up to 5.5EV benefit ISO range 200-12,800 default, 100-51,200 expanded Continuous shooting 11fps with mechanical shutter (with VPB-XH1 grip), 8fps without, 14fps with electronic shutter Viewfinder 3.69m dots OLED, eye sensor Monitor 3in touchscreen Movie recording 4K (4096x2160) up to 15mins, full HD for 20 mins Dimensions (wxhxd) 139.8x97.3x85.5mm Weight 673g body with battery Contact fujifilm.eu/uk At-a-glance spec

Fujifilmupdates

24.3-megapixel, top-of-the-range mirrorless camera with in-body five-axis image stabilizer and an impressive array of video functions. Its larger handgrip and LCD information panel on the top-plate also give the X-H1 amore DSLR look and feel. The sensor and processor combination are the same as that found in the X-T2, so it is a known quantity in terms of resolution and ISO performance. However, there are significant upgrades in the X-H1. A first for Fujifilm is the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system that can give up to 5.5EV benefit with non-IS lenses. The claimed benefit does vary depending on the lens the camera is paired with. Autofocus has been enhanced in the X-H1 to give improved AF tracking in continuous focusing mode and better low- light performance with accurate AF down to -1EV. It is also better equipped to handle subjects such as those with very fine detail – animal fur, for instance – with speed and accuracy. The X-H1’s body has been beefed up; a 25% thicker exterior and 94 environmental seals give impressive dust and water resistance.

Fujifilm X-T20 and GFX 50S owners have firmware updates to look forward to. On the X-T20 key benefits will include improved continuous focusing, enhanced touchscreen operation and Fujifilm X Raw Studio support. This update will be available in April. In March we will see the GFX update and here the benefits are the addition of focus bracketing, 35mm format mode and H mount adaptor G compatibility.

Body layout has also seen a facelift with a top-plate LCD info panel and a larger hand-grip. The exposure compensation dial has gone to be replaced by a push button right next to the shutter button. The Fujifilm X-H1 is priced at £1699 body only or £1949 with the

Vertical Power Boost VPB- XH1 grip. This grip takes two extra batteries to greatly extend shooting capacity. We have a more detailed look at the X-H1, including its video feature set, in First Tests in this issue.

Canon has triplets

David Parry, product intelligence consultant, Canon

“The EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D are the new entry- level cameras from Canon, between them replacing the EOS 1300D in the range. It’s part of our drive to make DSLR photography more affordable: the 1300D did very well for us, but we saw a need for an even better-priced alternative. The new cameras are designed to be really simple to use, come with seamless Wi-Fi connectivity and, deliberately, are not massively menu driven, making them intuitive to use. Both also come with simple, in- camera feature guides. “The EOS 2000D is above the 4000D in the range, and its new 24.1-megapixel sensor is one of the biggest changes from its predecessor. The 4000D retains the 1300D’s 18-megapixel sensor, but we’ve taken off a few things that the beginner might not find absolutely necessary to keep the price down to a minimum. So button markings are printed on, as opposed to being raised, the LCD is a bit smaller and the lens mount is

Canon’s two new cameras are aimed at aspiring DSLR photographers.

The EOS M50 is available body only at £539.99 or £649.99 with the EF-M 15-45mm standard lens. Aimed at the aspiring DSLR shooter is a pair of APS-Cmodels, the EOS 2000D and the 4000D. The EOS 2000D is the more highly featured of the two and uses a 24.1-megapixel sensor, while the EOS 4000D uses an 18-megapixel sensor. Both feature Wi-Fi for wireless smart device connectivity with Canon’s Camera Connect app. The EOS

2000D and 4000D are available body only at £369.99 and £329.99 respectively, or with the 18-55mm lens at £469.99 and £369.99. The final Canon launch this month is the Speedlite 470EX-AI. Priced at £499.99 this flashgun is the world’s first with AI Bounce, an Auto Intelligent (AI) function designed to make flash photography easy and deliver spot-on results time after time.

made of high-grade plastic as opposed to metal. The flash is also a pull-up version, while the one on the 2000D flips up automatically. “These are all things that won’t affect performance, but they help to keep the price down, and that in turn we hope will encourage more people to get into serious photography.”

gives full Raw flexibility in file sizes that are 30% to 40% smaller.

canon.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Elinchromgo TTL Lighting specialists Elinchrom has launched its first product featuring TTL flash metering. The ELB 500 TTL is a pro-quality, battery- powered portable lighting system andwhile it boasts the option of TTL flash that is just one of many great features avalable.

New from ThinkTank

ThinkTank’s gear carrying solutions include the StoryTeller series, available in three sizes – 5, 8 and 10 – designed for mirrorless and full-frameDSLR cameras. The 8 and 10 also have tablet pockets. These off-the-shoulder bags made from premiummaterials offer quick gear access and high protection levels and at good prices. The 5 costs £60, the 8 is £65 and the 10 is £80. Also from ThinkTank is its latest Modular Belt system, v3.0. The latest pouches offer faster gear access as well as good protection so are a great solution if you want to get weight off your shoulders and to the waist. There is a full complement of pouches for lenses and accessories with the belts priced at £39 and pouches from around £25. latest

The compact power pack houses a rechargeable lithium battery that can deliver 400 full-power flash bursts from a single charge and a great many more at lower settings, and this power can be distributed through one or two ELB 500 TTL heads. With two heads in use, output is fully asymmetrical within the 7EV power output range. Each lightweight head has a 2.5m connecting cable and accepts Quadra (Q) lighting accessories or full-size Elinchrom-fit modifiers via the Q-Reflector Adaptor Mk II. The ELB 500 head features a daylight-balanced LED modelling light that is powerful enough for video shooting as well as assessing the effect of the flash. Output is rated at 500Ws and there is plenty of power on tap even when it comes to working in bright sunlight in high speed sync mode up to 1/8000sec. Flash duration

is 1/3400sec in normal mode, but switch to action mode and you get 1/20,000sec. To access TTL and HSS, you need the optional Skyport Transmitter PRO radio trigger (Canon and Nikon first). For manual flash all existing Skyport Plus and Plus HS units will

work – Skyport Plus HS triggers will give TTL/HSS with a firmware update, again Canon andNikon first. Existing Phottix Odin II (Canon and Nikon) will give manual and TTL flash functions. The ELB 500 TTL To Go kit includes a pack, battery, snappy

cover, power lead, charger, 18cm reflector, location bag and one head, and costs £1499. We’ll have a full test on the ELB 500 TTL in the next issue of PN , out from 9 April.

snapperstuff.com

elinchrom.co.uk

Marumi add twoNDs

Marumi’s line-up of glass ND filters has grown by two with the launch of the DHG Super ND 500 and Super ND 1000 that can hold back 9EV and 10EV of light respectively. Both claim to give totally neutral results and are coated to repel oil and water. There is a new coating to combat flare

and ghosting too. Finally, the filter mounts have a satin finish to prevent vignetting. The new NDs are available in filter sizes from

49mm up to 82mm with prices starting from £45.18 for the ND500 and £49.62 for the ND1000 version.

kenro.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Sigma Art sensation

Leading independent lens brand Sigma has made a whole raft of product announcements. Let’s start with the widest, the 14- 24mm f/2.8 DG HSMArt. Available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts, this lens will be available thisMarch and will sell at £1399.99. As you would expect from an Art lens, this ultra-wide’s optical construction boasts plenty of exotic glass. There are three FLD elements, three SLD elements and three aspheric lens elements to help deliver outstanding image quality and minimal distortion. The second new arrival into the Art family is the 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM, the longest Art lens of this aperture we have seen thus far. With 17 elements in 12 groups including three FLD and two SLD glass elements, this lens claims to offer great sharpness and a beautiful bokeh effect so this lens has the potential to be the ideal portrait lens. It will be available in Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Sony E mounts, but there is no price or availability date yet, and that also applies to the next Art lens, the 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro which will be offered in Canon, Sigma and Sony E fittings. This lens uses a two group focusing

ABOVE Sigma’s 70mm f/2.8 macro lens. RIGHT Sigma’s 14-24mm ultra- wide Art series lens is sure to attract many buyers.

mechanism to give consistent high quality throughout the lens’ focusing range. It focuses down to 25.8cm to give life-sizemagnification. The 105mm f/1.4 and 70mm f/2.8 are compatible with Sony E-mount cameras with full-frame sensors and these two will be joined by seven more Art optics. No launch date has been confirmed but Sony E owners can look forward to choosing from the

14mmf/1.8, 20mmf/1.4, 24mmf/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.4 and 135mm f/1.8. These lenses are currently available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma fittings, so we already know how good they are. We’ll publish prices and launch dates for these products in Photography News as soon as the details are released.

sigma-imaging-uk.com

Two from Tamron

Tamron announced a high- spec compact telezoom that will be in shops from April. The 70-210mm f/4 Di VC USD features a 20 elements in 14 groups construction, will be available in Canon and Nikon fittings and is priced at £699. Key features include a 4EV benefit VC image stabilization system, a 67mm filter size and minimum focus distance of 95cmgivingamagnification ratio of 1:3.1. The front element has a protective fluorine coating and the lens boasts a moisture- resistant construction. Zooming is handled by an internal system so the lens’s exterior size is constant and AF is handled by a high speed dual micro processing unit for fast responsive focusing performance. Tamron’s second new arrival is the 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD for Sony full-

frame mirrorless cameras. RXD stands for Rapid extra-silent stepping drive which means you get very quiet focusing; so perfect for shooting video. There is no price for this lens yet and it won’t be in the shops until mid 2018.

intro2020.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

News

PermaJet range grows

Fotospeed’s Signature range has expandedwith the addition of Cotton Etching 300. It was developed in partnership with fine art photographer Doug Chinnery and this matt, textured finish has a wide colour gamut and the ability to render pin-sharp detail. It is a 100%cotton paperwith a crisp white base and is acid free. A 25-sheet box of A4 costs £34.99 and 25 A3 sheets is £67.99. There’s a First Test on Fotospeed’s new material in this issue. Fotospeed gets a new Signature

News in brief

PermaJet’s already extensive range of inkjet media has grown by one. Photo Lustre 310 is a premiumheavyweight paper with a bright white base, wide colour gamut and high Dmax, making it perfectly suited to colour and monochrome output. Its 310gsm weight makes it the most robust paper in PermaJet’s Digital Photo range and its instant dry resin coating is enhanced with UV protection and good scuff, water and fade resistance. Its premium weight, luxurious lustre finish and output characteristics offer plenty of potential to discerning photographers. The paper is making its debut at The Photography Show so drop in on the PermaJet stand to check out the newmaterial for yourself.

Sekonic’s newmeter The Sekonic Flashmate

fotospeed.com

L-308X is a multi-function, compact light meter aimed at still photographers and video makers. It has a new backlit LCD screen and it offers intuitive operation It has a price off £215 and is available this month.

johnsons-photopia.co.uk

permajet.com

SRB’s new holder

Samyang go fast

Pentaxupgrade Pentax’s full-frame K-1 has been updated. The Mark II has the same sensor as the previous model at 36.4 megapixels with an optical low pass filter-free sensor. Noise performance is said to be very good and the top ISO is 819,200. For super high-resolution shooting the K-1 Mark II has version II of Pentax’s Pixel Shift Resolution system. This captures four shots of the same scene by shooting four shots one after the other and then merges them to give a single high-res file. The K-1 Mark II will be available from the end of March at the body price £1799.99. PNY’s big SSD PNY’s CS900 is a solid state drive (SSD) with 960GB capacity and a fast read/ write performance too – write speed is quoted at 515MB/s. Its lightweight design is also shockproof so ideal for using large files on the move with the reliability of SSD. ricoh-imaging.com

Samyang’s latest lens is a 50mm f/1.2 for Canon full-frame cameras. This is the third lens in its premium XP line-up, joining the 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.2. The 50mm f/1.2 features 11 elements in eight groups and includes aspherical and high

refractive lenses to deliver a top performance. Ultra multi- coating helps to control flare and ghosting. The lens is price at £799 and is available from this month.

intro2020.co.uk

Accessory specialist SRB has a new holder for 85mm size filters. The Elite lite filter holder is made from a single piece of aluminium, weighs just 65g and costs £19.95. Adapter rings are easy release and the holder can be used on

wider-angle without vignetting by removing one of the holder’s filter holding slots. There’s a full test of SRB’s new Elite lite holder in this issue. lenses

srb-photographic.co.uk

pny.eu

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

News

News in brief

Photo 24 2018 It’s time to put your name down for a very special day of imaging in London with Photography News and Fujifilm. With camera loans, special shoots and photo walks, Photo 24 is not to be missed

Photography is often a solitary pastime, but Photo 24, now in its sixth year, gives keen shooters the chance to join together and enjoy a day out with their cameras in London, one of the world’s most photogenic cities. And it’s all free – but you do have to apply and places are limited. To apply for a place, go to our website, photographynews.co.uk, click on the Photo 24 link and fill in the form. You have until 12 April to apply and then we will hold a randomballotforallapplications.If you get a place you will be notified the week commencing 23 April and you will be given a deadline to confirm your attendance, what walks and shoots you wish to join and what Fujifilm cameras you want to borrow for Photo 24. Camera loans are free but you will need to leave a credit card or driver’s licence as security. Although Photo 24 is a free 24-hour long event, that does not mean you have to shoot and be on your feet for the whole of that time. If you just want to do a few hours (or a few hours on each day) that’s perfectly fine. Once you have secured a spot on Photo 24, how you use that time is entirely up to you but we get manywho are really up for the challenge of staying up for the whole of the event. There will be contests, walks and shoots during Photo 24, and again it is up to you whether or not you get involved in these.

New fromZeiss Zeiss’s Loxia family has

gained a new member. The manual focus Loxia range is for Sony A full-frame sensor cameras, and this lens offers users a compact wide-angle solution alongside a quality performance. The 25mm f/2.4 is available from this month at a price of £1189.

What you decide to photograph is entirely up to you too, and much might depend on how often you get to the capital with your camera. Iconic buildings – old and new – bustling markets and busy street scenes are just a few things to enjoy. Or you may decide to come along to try something you haven’t done before. This might be night photography or street candids. Whatever you want to shoot, technical advice will be available throughout and that includes a phone helpline that is available for the whole of the event. Should you need spurring on, there will be Photo 24 contests with fabulous Fujifilm prizes to be won. This includes our new 24- hour challenge where every hour, on the hour there is a subject theme to shoot. Themes will vary in difficulty from dead easy upwards and we want shots uploaded to

social media. Again, a prize awaits the best shot. Details of the contests will emailed directly to successful Photo 24 applicants, as will advice on what to bring, meeting points and other key information. So, if all this appeals the first step is to get

your Photo 24 application in and then keep your fingers crossed. Also look out for more Photo 24 news in the next issue of Photography News , out from 9 April.

zeiss.co.uk

photographynews.co.uk

• Registration opens 12March • Closing date for applications 12 April • Successful applicants notifiedweek commencing 23 April • Deadline to accept your place 8May KEY DATES

X-Rite update X-Rite’s i1Studio, its £450

colour management solution, has been updated. Version 1.1 allows profile reminders, has a sepia mono profile and ICC profiles can be saved.

xrite.com

Blanket coverage Olympus updates

Owners of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, OM-D E-M5 Mark II and PEN-F can gain performance improvements by updating their cameras to the latest firmware. The specific benefits vary from model to model so with

the OM-D E-M5 Mark II you get the Bleach bypass art filter and focus stacking functionality, while with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II you get these and several more features including Small AF target and improved Pro Capture mode. To perform updates you need to install the Olympus Digital Camera Updater from its website and connect the camera to the computer.

A new service from my-picture. co.uk means you can get your favourite photographs printed onto a flannel fleece blanket, ideal as a personalised present or as unique home decor. Three sizes are available: 100x75cm, 150x100cm and 200x150cm at prices of £15, £20 and £32 respectively. Delivery is free on orders over £45 to mainland UK addresses. The ordering process is simple too, and to start, just prepare your image and upload it via the website. My-picture.co.uk has a whole range of products from canvas and acrylic prints to photo cushions and mugs and mouse mats.

Olympus.co.uk

The latest Olympus firmware updates offer more functionality.

my-picture.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Get inspired

Visit The Photography Show As you read this, you are either in time to make it to the NEC for TPS, sitting there in the hall or simply too late and you’ll have to wait until next year. If you do make the show, here are some things to look out for in addition to the Super, Outdoors and the Live stages

On the RØDEMicrophones stand You can’t get high-quality sound from your camera’s built-in microphone, so you need a decent external accessory like the VideoMic PRO+ from RØDE Microphones, stand H65. “The VideoMic Pro+ is a new benchmark in on-camera microphones,” comments Damien Wilson, RØDE and Freedman Group CEO. “We have listened to our customers and are delivering the microphone they’ve asked for, with features such as the built-in battery door, automatic power function and a Li-ion rechargeable battery included.” The VideoMic Pro+ ships with the LB-1 li-ion rechargeable battery, 3.5mm TRS cable, micro USB cable and is now available at authorised RØDE dealers. It is priced around £133. rode.com Get your colour management right and save cash with Datacolor’s latest offers that run until 9 April on its online store or through its retail network. Savings are available on the Spyder5PRO (save £40), SpyderCHECKR (£35), Spyder5CAPTURE PRO (£79) and Spyder5STUDIO (£133). Save on Datacolor

Fotospeed will be announcing the winner of its popular #fsprintmonday competition. Toby Herlinger, Fotospeed’s sales and marketing director, said “We’re delighted to see the return of the Fotospeed Photographer of the Year. We were blown away by the hundreds of entries we received last year so knew we had to bring it back. We can’t wait to showcase the winning images atThePhotography Show and hopefully inspire photographers to understand the power of print.” Nikon Nikon will be showcasing the award-winning D850 and has a host of brand ambassadors talking about their photography. Nature worker Richard Peters, car photographer Amy Shore and Helen Sloan who shoots stills for Game of Thrones are three to look out for.

X-Rite Learn why colour management is so important in your workflow on the Color Confidence stand (C81). Pro photographer Frank Doorhof will be hosting demos covering the latest X-Rite colour management tools and how to achieve accurate results during a shoot. x-rite.com

Canon There is a busy programme of speakers on Canon’s Live Stage, starting at 10.30am on each day of the showwith the last oneat 3.30pm. Speakers include Chris Packham, Clive Booth and Rosie Hardy. Fotospeed As well as showing examples of its new Cotton Etching 300 paper,

Panasonic Lumix GX9

Panasonic’s latest addition to its Micro Four Thirds system is the Lumix G9, a compact 20.3-megapixel camera. The Live MOS sensor is optical low pass filter free and designed to deal with wide dynamic ranges. The camera’s contrast AF system is designed for speedy operation even in low light and includes Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus (DFD) and Pinpoint AF

to help deal with a full range of subject matter. The Lumix GX9 is on sale this month at a body only price of £699. Panasonic have also unveiled a telezoom. The Leica DG Vario- Elmarit 50-200mm f/2.8-4 ASPH will be available in June priced at £1599.99.

panasonic.com

datacolor.com

Sonyadds to its full-frame range

TheSonyA7RIIIisacompactfull- frame camera centred around a newly developed 24.2-megapixel back-illuminated Exmor CMOS sensor. It offers an ISO 100 to 51,200 range (expandable to 50- 204,800) with a claimed 15EV dynamic range at lower settings, a 693 phase detection AF point system covering 93% of the imaging area and 425 contrast

AF points. Continuous shooting up to 10fps is possible with the mechanical or electronic shutter and the body houses a five-axis optical image stabilisation system with a claimed 5EV benefit. Body only price is expected to be £2000 and will be available from this March.

sony.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

Tell us your club’s latest news, email: clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

Clubs

Camera club news If your club has any news that you want to share with the rest of the world, this is the page for it. Your story might be about your club’s success in a contest, or a member’s personal achievements; it could be about a group outing you had recently or when the annual exhibition is on show. Any news is eligible for inclusion, so club publicity officers please take note of the submission guidelines and get your stories in

How to submit

Deadline for the next issue: 29March 2018

We need words and pictures by 29 March 2018 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 9 April 2018. Write your story in a Word document (400 words max). Please include contact details of the club, exhibition or event: website, meeting times, opening times, whatever is relevant. Images should be JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension, any colour space, and image credits should be included. If the story is an exhibition or event, please send a picture from the exhibition (not the publicity poster) or

one from the event. If it includes people, please identify them. Attach the Word document and JPEGs to an email and send to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

HagleyCC

BattlePS

Hagley CC is hosting photographer Rosie Hardy for her talk, 365 Days of Creativity. She is a fashion, portrait and conceptual art photographer and a Canon ambassador, and will be showing some of her portfolio, focusing on her creative style of fantasy inspired self-portraits, and giving an insight into her creative process and editing flow. Her work is on rosiehardy.com. The talk is on 10 April at 8.30pm, at Hagley Camera Club based in Holy Trinity Church Hall, Wordsley DY8 5RU. Tickets are available in

advance for £9 or £10 on the door and include entry into the charity raffle. All proceeds will go to the Tim Bacon Foundation, supporting cancer charities. To buy tickets in advance or make donations for the raffle, please contact chair@hagleycameraclub.co.uk.

Battle Photographic Society is holding its annual exhibition in Battle Memorial Hall, High Street, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AQ on 27 May between 10am and 5pm and 28 May between 10am and 4pm. Entrance is free and light refreshments will be on sale all day. Everyone is welcome. A variety of members’ prints will be on show and it is an excellent opportunity for visitors to chat to experienced photographers and to find out more about Battle Photographic Society and its activities. Meetings are held weekly fromSeptember toMay at the Memorial Hall starting at 7.30pm.

hagleycameraclub.co.uk

Right: Canon ambassador Rosie Hardy is hosting a talk at Hagley Camera Club.

Chard CC City of London & Cripplegate PS

Runninguntil 25March is theCityof London&Cripplegate PS’s biennial exhibition entitled Moments in Time, taking place at the London’s Barbican Library. The show is free and the show is on Level 2, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Opening times are Monday and Wednesday 9.30am to 5.30pm; Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am to 7.30pm; Friday 9.30am to 2pm; Saturday 9.30am to 4pm; closed Sundays. The showreflectsmembers’ wide-rangingphotographic interests –from landscape, architecture and portraiture to urban and travel photography. Also on show are images from the final stage of the Society’s project to photograph the Livery Halls in the City of London. cityandcripplegate-ps.org

battlephotographicsociety. co.uk.

Leigh-on-SeaCC

Park Street CC Lastmonth the Park Street Camera Club held their annual Creative Cup competition and it was won by previous winner Rosemary Wenzerul with her image Asleep on the Beach, which was inspired by the sight of the oddly-shaped flat stone on the beach. It reminded her of the old fashioned potato headdolls. The clever bitwas thinkinghowa living star fish could be introduced to the composition to simulate the arms and legs of a sunbather. Then it was only a matter of positioning tiny shells and pebbles to create the eyes andmouth. The fact that she did all this in-camera rather than in editing made the picture so much more appealing. Park Street CC meet at St Stephen Parish Centre, Station Road, Bricket Wood, St Albans AL2 3PJ. Meetings are on Thursday nights 7:45pm for 8pm.

Chard Camera Club held their Peter Partridge panel competition on 15 February in the memory of their past club membership and competition secretary Peter Partridge who was taken from them last year having battled with cancer. Members were invited to submit up to two, three-image panels depicting a theme of their choice. The judge, John Foulkes, had a hard task selecting one winning panel and it turned out to be quite a close run at the final selection. Overall winnerwasmember JohnBaileywith a set of images telling the story of the Royal Mail from postbox to delivery.

The club hosted the 53rd Annual Essex Inter-Club Projected Images Competition on the 22 February. Eight clubs submitted six images each on which judge Paul Adams ARPS commented and scored out of ten points. Benfleet and Chelmsford tied for top place with 55 points each but it was Chelmsford who took home the Shield having scored two 10s, one more than Benfleet. Half a point behind was Photofold and from their entry Paul chose Barry Harrington’s image of Phillipa as his personal choice of best DPI. Leigh-on-Sea Camera Club meet on Thursday evenings at Leigh Community Centre at 7:45pm.

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Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

Stories behind the images A Life in Pictures Celebrated fashion and advertising photographer Tony McGee’s stellar career has seen him turn his camera on a wide range of iconic names, and the stories behind the images make fascinating reading

It’s fair to say that Tony McGee’s life would have been very different had he not discovered photography at an early age. A natural aptitude for the camera coupled with an outgoing and approachable demeanour opened all kinds of doors for the boy from west London, one of a family of eight children, who went on to work for some of the world’s leading fashion magazines and to hold up a mirror to some of the most iconic people of his generation. “I’ve always had a fondness for photography,” he reflects. “As a boy I had a happy family life and the camera became, for me, a symbol of good times, because it would always come out when there was a celebration going on, such as a birthday or some other important family milestone. “I acquired my first serious camera while I was at the Boys’ Club off Vauxhall Bridge Road playing one of regular games of snooker. My father had loaned me some money to buy a special cue, and I was playing with it when this tall and rather spotty youth came up to me and said ‘that cue is mine.’ When I refused to give it to him he offered me a camera wrapped in a jumper, which he said he’d found in a dustbin. I told him that I’d put a roll of film through it to see if it was any good and, if it was, then we’d have a deal. It worked fine and the swap was done.” Tony was just 12 years old at the timeandhequicklybecamebesotted with his new love. Remarkably, just four years later, he became a fully-fledged professional fashion photographer, and by the age of 17 he was shooting covers for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue . He’s never looked back since then, and to listen to him reeling off stories about the people he’s photographed, the places he’s been and the experiences he’s had it’s clear to see just how much photography has influenced his life, and he’s every bit as excited by it all today as he was back then, just starting out. His incredible career was brought into sharp focus at a recent Olympus-sponsored exhibition in the foyer of the ultra-swish ME London Hotel in The Strand, where thewallswerehungwithaselection of shots taken at different stages of his life, featuring celebrities such

as Bryan Ferry, Naomi Campbell, Wham! and Kate Moss. The biggest section was taken up with a series of shots of David Bowie, emphasising the close professional relationship between the star and the photographer. Every image had its own incredible story, and to walk along the line of pictures and hear the story about how each one came about was to be given a very privileged insight into what was really going on at the instant the shutter was fired. The Olympus connection was particularly apt, since Tony has been a user of the these cameras throughout most of his long career. “BackinthedayIwouldnevertravel anywhere without a half-frame Olympus PEN-F,” he recalls. “The Zuiko lens on it had real quality, and was as sharp as anything. And the camera was really compact, would shoot 72 pictures on a roll of film and could slip in a pocket or a bag really easily. “I can honestly say that just about every other photographer I knew at that time had one of these cameras, and they were a way to record things as you travelled about.” These days the connection is still as strong as ever, although the PEN has now given way to a state-of- the-art mirrorless Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, which comes with a host of cutting-edge features, such as a 20.4-megapixel Live MOS sensor, 121 all cross-type on-chip phase detection focus points andup to 60 frames-per-second shooting speed. And like the film cameras of old it’s a compact marvel, with a body that weighs in at a mere 500g. Along with Tony, a number of other professionals have chosen toworkwith this flagshipOlympus model, and more information can be found at the ‘It’s not you it’s me’ website. THE BOWIE CONNECTION Tony photographed David Bowie over a number of years, and has a wide selection of shots of him through many stages of his career. A great admirer of the musician, the first encounter Tony had with the star was as a member of the audience at a 1973 gig at Earl’s Court. Many years later he had a face-to-face meeting at a private cocktail party hosted by theatrical impresario and producer Michael

David covers hismouth twice, 5November, 1989, 21.15 Over the course of my long career I’ve been fortunate to photograph David Bowie on several occasions. This photograph, however, is definitely one of my favourites. We all gathered together in the famous abandoned Rainbow Theatre in London, a rock 'n' roll venue that David had played on many occasions during the 70s. Unknown to both myself and David’s team, the theatre had become a refuge for homeless men. As David took up his position on my set he was amazed to be greeted by 50 or so homeless characters, who were whistling and applauding himwith friendly banter. It was when one of the homeless guys shouted that he was ‘not as pretty as the girl in the photo behind him’ that David burst into laughter and covered his mouth and that of the photo behind him. He then collapsed into shock and embarrassment.

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

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KateMoss inmyMercedes 280SE3.5 convertible, 8May 1988, 14.16 I took a call from the super-agent Sarah Doukas (the CEO of StormModel Management) to ask if I would see a new face that she had considered representing. I was shooting for Vogue Italia that day and KateMoss arrived at my London studio. I invited her to sit andwatchmy shoot, a portrait sessionwith the young athlete LukeMassey. She only had one or two Polaroids of herself to showme. I suggested that I shoot a few photos of her and Luke and parked outside the studiowithmy new Mercedes 280SE 3.5 convertible, a car that I had just purchased from the artist David Hockney. Kate, Luke andmyself jumped into the car and drove to one of my favourite spots in Regents Park. I only shot one roll of filmand every one of the ten frames of Kate was a winner. She went on, of course, to become amodern icon of our time.

Naomi Campbell inmyLondonstudiowearingrubbergloves, 8 May2010, 16.44 Ever the professional, Naomi was bang on time and at 9amshe flew intomy London studio. Shewas in a great mood and all her favourite team, including Lucinda Chambers, were gathered to support her. Naomi chooses and onlywears what shewants to put on. For some reason this two-piece swimsuit fromPrada also came packaged with a pair of silver vinyl gloves. She immediately put this outfit on and exclaimed to everyone that this would be the first – and only – occasion that shewouldwear a pair of rubber gloves. BravoNaomi!

GeorgeMichael andAndrewRidgeley, 7July 1984, 17.33 The very last photo taken of George and Andrew as Wham! They were very sombre and barely spoke to each other. They split a few hours after this photo was taken in my London studio. George had earlier decided to launch a solo career and, of course, the rest is history. This is a never before published image.

White, where the photographer was introduced to Bowie by Jerry Hall and Coco Schwab. The two immediately bonded, building a friendship that would span for more than 30 years. A few days after their first meeting Tony was contacted by David’s record company and the first of their many photographic shoots together was arranged. Their first collaboration was to shoot all of the publicity for the Let’s Dance tour in 1983, and their photographic relationship continued well into the 90s. One of Tony’s portraits of Bowie is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, while he also photographed one of Bowie’s most famous covers for The Face magazine, which is regarded by

GQ magazine as one of the most the influential magazine covers of the 80s. Bowie was photographed by McGee on a number of occasions, and Tony would personally take the contact sheets from the photoshoots to the singer who would then sign off on the images and put gold stars on the images of his choice. “I last saw him three days before he died,” says Tony. “I consider him to be probably one of the most inventive musicians of the last eighty years. To have worked with him on such a personal level was an enormous honour.”

The camera TonyMcGee uses

extraordinary camera that now allows a photographer or filmmaker to do almost anything you want with it. It is simply loaded with wonderful options and the M-ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses are second to none. Delicious clarity and contrast with a very ’motion picture’ like bokeh. The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II has now become my pride of place onmy carry on bag for any international assignment.”

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is the brand’s flagship camera so it is rich in cutting edge features demanded by enthusiast and professional photographers. Its headline features include a 20.4-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, the ability to shoot full-size Raw files at 60 frames-per-second and a 121 all cross-type phase detection AF sensors to give super- fast, deadly accurate focusing in all sorts of lighting. And you get all this in a compact camera body plus the system support of Olympus’s family of M-ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses. As Tony McGee say: “The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is an

itsnotyouitsme.co.uk @MELondonHotel #ApresWithAView @OlympusUK

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

CameraClubof theYear in associationwith

It is Round 5 already and the last chance to qualify for this year’s Camera Club of the Year in this year’s epic competition. What we are looking for this month is great interpretations of natural beauty Camera Club of the Year 2017-18

conditions are also available on the website. Any club or group is eligible to enter so long as there are at least five members. Online groups, internal company clubs and those clubs not affiliated to the PAGB are eligible to enter. Once you have signed up, go to ‘Members’ on the top menu bar and you will see ‘CCOTY’ (Camera Club of the Year 2017-18) on the drop- down menu. Select that, then register your camera club and followtheupload instructions. JPEG files should be at least 1500 pixels on the longest dimension and, preferably, in the sRGB colour space. Please make sure that your files are the right size. We have this year seen several entries that were very low resolution and received low scores. A club can only enter one set of five images and the five images must be from five different members. Failure to enter five shots will mean the missing shot(s) scores zero points, so it is crucial to enter the full number of images. After the closing date, each picture will be scored out of 20 points by the experts at Photography News and the highest scoring club will qualify for the final. In the event of tied scores, for those two clubs we will ignore the

Words byWill Cheung

There are plenty of contests, salons and challenges for camera clubs and photographic societies that get huge support – and rightly so because they challenge their members and there’s the chance of glory. Our Camera Club of the Year contest is a serious challenge, and those five clubs that qualify for the final shoot-out this May will have to face something very different if they are to walk off with the title. ‘Daunting’, ‘stressful’ and ‘scary’ were some of the words used by the members of New City Photographic Society before going on to win last year’s shoot-out. To win, your club first has to qualify for the final by coming top of the pile in one of the five monthly rounds, and this is the last chance to enter. Once we know the five finalists, the details of the shoot-out will be released simultaneously to them. Your club’s competition secretary (or whoever is going to enter each month) must sign up at photographynews.co.uk. Terms and Meet the new top-of-the-range Fujifilm X-series camera, the X-H1. With a remodelled body including a 25% thicker magnesium alloy shell, 94 seals and durable top coating, the X-H1 is designed to perform reliably in challenging conditions. The body’s design has evolved, too, with a larger handgrip that will attract DSLR users. Gone is the exposure compensation dial to be replaced by a push button, so now compensation is set by pressing this and adjusting the input dial. In the dial’s place is a large, full info LCD panel so it is very easy to check your camera settings at a glance. Also new on the body is an AF-ON button perfect for current DSLR users who prefer to autofocus using a rear thumb button rather than the shutter release. Big news is Fujifilm’s new five-axis in-body image stabilisation system called IBIS. This system gives five-axis IS on some non-IS lenses or a total of five-axis IS with IS-equipped lenses. IBIS even gives three- or five-axis IS on non-Fujifilm lenses, such as those from Zeiss. The degree of benefit offered by IBIS depends on the lens fitted but up to 5.5EV is possible. Helping to shoot pin-sharp pictures at low shutter speeds is an ultra smooth shutter release and a shock-free, very quiet shutter. About Fujifilm

highest and lowest scores and average out the three remaining scores – the club with the highest averaged score wins. If scores are still tied, all five scores will be averaged out. When the issue with that month’s result is published, the scores for every picture entered will be published on the website and each member can see howwell they have done. There is no monthly prize apart from qualifying for the final shoot-out, and once a club has qualified for the final it need not enter again. Of course it can do so for the challenge and pictures will still be scored, but there is no

reward for winning in this instance. In effect, because each monthly contest is self-contained, ie. it is not a league systemover the period of the contest, you do not have to enter every month – perhaps it is a theme the club is less strong at. Clearly it makes sense to give yourself as many winning chances as possible, however. So, good luck. Read the entry details again, check out the theme and start gathering your entry. Qualify for the final and your club could be joining us for a very special photography event, with the title of Camera Club of the Year 2017-18 to be won.

X-H1

Above The FujifilmX-H1 is a highly capable stills camera but it is also a seriouslywell equipped 4kmovie camera.

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

CameraClubof theYear

in associationwith

Theme 5: natural beauty

Of all the subject themes in this year’s Camera Club of the Year contest, this round is probably the broadest and open to so many different interpretations. So, what is natural beauty? Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. If your club is full of members who love landscape photography then your entry could comprise five simply awesome scenic shots. But it might be that your club holds a strong hand of portrait or wildlife workers and that’s where your entry will be drawn from. The thing to bear in mind is that the entry is not judged as a portfolio and images will be judged individually, so don’t feel a need to submit a rounded selection. Just make sure, whatever the subject, that the content, composition, seeing and technique are beyond reproach.

IMAGES Showus what natural beautymeans to you and your club couldmake the final.

Closing date 1 April

Score

Caister Photography Club

Leicester Forest Photographic Society

Midlothian Camera Club

Dorchester Camera Club

Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club

Norwich & District Photographic Society

Peterborough Photographic Society

Eastbourne PS

Eastwood Photographic Society

Medway DSLR Camera Club

New City Photographic Society

Preston Photographic Society

Steyning Camera Club

Thewinner: Theme 4: Fantastic light

Synergy

Ayr PS

City Photo Club

Frome Wessex Camera Club

Wow! It was a three-way tie at the top of the leader board this month with Caister CC, Leicester Forest CC and Midlothian CC. To decide the roundwinner, we took off the top and bottom scores and averaged out the remainder, with the result that Caister CC has qualified for the final shoot-out so well done to its members and commiserations Leicester Forest and Midlothian for coming so close.

Harpenden PS

Maidenhead CC

Norfolk Photographers Camera Club

Park Street CC

Blandford Forum Camera Club

Windsor Photographic Society

Wisbech & District Camera Club

Bedford Camera Club

City of London and Cripplegate PS

Grantham and District

Trostre CC

Consett PS

Seaford PS

Tonbridge

Wilmslow Guild Photographic Society

Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club

Brentwood & District Photographic Club

WWPS

Beckenham Photographic Society

Dunholme Camera Club

Correction: Last month, our results showed that Wilmslow Guild Photographic Society scored 85 when it fact it should have read 86. Apologies for any inconvenience caused to Wilmslow Guild and its members.

Harlow PS

Axholme Camera Club

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