Photography News 16

We’ve got all the kit covered in issue 16, with a host of lenses on test and a handy guide to carbon fibre tripods. This month’s Camera class teaches you how to deal with difficult portrait exposures and how to improve contrast in Lightroom. Also in this issue: we talk to Joe Tree about the Lovers of Light photo competition with a number of fantastic images on show.

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Nikon’s new angle Kicking off 2015 in style, Nikon launches DSLRwith tilting, touch-sensitive screen, plus two new lenses

Keeping you up to date with must-know news All the latest gear launches fromCES plus news of a great Pentax competition

Must-read verdicts on the latest zooms and primes Fujifilm, Olympus, Nikon, Samsung& Canon lenses tested Camera Club of the Year – has your club entered yet? If not, you’re missing out on a £5000 prize pot!

Nikon has launched the D5500, a DX-format DSLR complete with a vari-angle touchscreen. The D5500 also stands proud technically with a 24.2-megapixel sensor and an ISO range of 100-25,600. If you’ve been following the range, you’ll notice this latest model is significantly lighter and slimmer than its predecessors, but it’s also fitted with an improved grip for better handling. If you’re after just the body, it’ll cost you £630 and you’ll get a choice of black or red; with the 18-55mm VR II lens (black or red) it’s £720 and with an 18-140mm VR lens (black) it costs £900. Nikon also announced the availability of the AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens. This telephoto benefits from a Phase Fresnel element, which makes the lens lighter and smaller without affecting

image quality. It has VR technology that lets you shoot at speeds of up to 4.5 stops slower, whilst a new sport VR mode facilitates panning to capture fast-moving subjects with superb clarity. This top-end telephoto costs £1640. Last but not least, there’s a telephoto zoom to shout about, the AF-S DX Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II (£280). It’s neat and compact, measuring just 83mm at its shortest length, which makes it a great pairing for the D5500.

π To find out more about these new Nikon products, go to www.nikon.co.uk.

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 16

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Latest photography news

Fujifilmsets the standard

Fujifilm has added a top-spec XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR standard zoom to its range of X-series lenses, which will be available this February for £900. Its focal length is equivalent to 24-84mm in the 35mm format, with a constant f/2.8 aperture. It boasts 17 elements in 12 groups and that includes three aspherical lenses and three ED elements to optimise lens performance and ensure edge to edge sharpness at all apertures and focal lengths. Focusing is swift and quiet thanks to the lens’s twin linear motor and internal focusing design. It’s weather resistant with seals at 14 locations and functions perfectly at -10°C, so it’s ideal for the X-T1 which has the same protection. We saw a preproduction sample at CES on an X-T1 and it made for a balanced combination. We look forward to testing it in PN when samples permit but if the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 (tested in this issue) is anything to go by, it will be a cracker.

Canonextends pocketableranges

box thinking: it’s square and fits in your palm, with a tilting touchscreen and creative filters. The slimline new IXUS models, the 160 (£99.99), 165 (£129.99) and the 170 (£149.99) all have a 20.2-megapixel sensor and a range of optical zoom capabilities. The PowerShot SX530 HS and N2 along with the IXUS 165 and 160 are available now with the remaining releases available in February.

Canon has released seven PowerShot and IXUS models. The SX530 HS (£329.99) has an astounding 50x optical zoom, the SX710 HS (£329.99) can take you up to 30x closer, whilst the SX610 HS (£229.99) offers 18x optical zoom. All three feature auto zoom, intelligent IS, Full HD movie capabilities and Wi-Fi connectivity. The PowerShot N2 (£289.99) is a camera born from out-of-the-

π To find out more, go to www.fujifilm.eu/uk.

π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Profile

INTERVIEW

Whilst over at CES, PN editor Will Cheung took the opportunity to chat with Samsung’s head of marketing for imaging, Paul Scott Paul Scott

Interview by Will Cheung

When making a newmodel, do you think about the key specifications of a camera product first or the needs of a photographer ? Of course, like everybody in our industry, we focus on technical specifications. However, what we at Samsung find much more important is how people use our products. What’s the human experience? We work hard to understand what people need andwant; thenwe push the limits of what technology can do and finally we use design, connectivity and innovation to provide people with new experiences and aspirational products. Samsung innovates today to create a better tomorrow based on a deep understanding of what people want. Based on our ‘make it meaningful’ design ethos, we develop products that enable more people to interact with technology in new ways. What is making our innovation significant and meaningful is our unique focus on our consumers. While technological specifications matter, what counts is the ‘human dimension’ of innovation. We want our innovation to give people new experiences, which make them more productive and creative; and provide them with interactivity and media access like never before. This is where our software developers come into their own, making it possible for people to interact intuitively with technology. Our innovation has to be designed for and meaningful to people. It has to be Samsung innovation. Samsung’s core strengths are its innovation and technology leadership. Our extensive consumer research tells us that every person has very different expectations for his or her electronics devices. They are driven by local culture and individual needs and wants. That’s why we don’t believe in one-size- fits-all solutions. Instead, we offer a broad range of solutions and devices, tailored to different user expectations and the requirements of local markets. We manufacture around 90% of the components in our products in our own factories; this ensures not only that they are of outstanding quality, but we can also turn transformative ideas and technologies into world-class products faster than any of our competitors. This also makes us more flexible to not only meet our consumer demands but exceed them. Take for example the NX mini compared with the NX1 or Galaxy K zoom which offers the consumer a variety of photographic solutions for different environments. Whether camera body or the lens, Samsung leads the way in breaking new ground, for example with our i-Function lens What would you say are Samsung’s core strengths?

with the latest H.265 codec to 15fps with continuous autofocus, all wrapped upwith the latest connectivity. With the DSLR market in continuing decline and the growth we are seeing in CSCs it underlines our committed investment to support the changing needs of today’s photographer and videographer. What is Samsung’s design philosophy? We’re living in a new era of product design. At Samsung, we’ve moved beyond just enhancing the functionality or look of products. Today’s devices are the gateways into an experience that goes beyond aesthetics; we try to develop products that enable people to interact with technology in new ways. Our design approach boils down to making meaningful experiences. It’s more than just the hardware, it’s more than just the user interface, it’s about how all of those come together to create a product with a soul. The best-designed technology should be nothing more than a natural extension of our customers’ world. By providing the latest design and technology we arm our customers with the opportunity to take both photography and videography to heights that will exceed their expectations. Our relationship with our customers is a partnership that continues to grow as the NX system evolves. With products like the NX1 and the 300mm lens shown at last year’s Photokina (but yet to be released) plus our continued commitment, we will be at the forefront of every photographer’s and cinematographer’s consideration.

technology which is a unique development in lens production to enhance user experience.

How is your investment in R&D giving you return in terms of innovation? If there is one thing that has made Samsung the company that it is today, then that’s innovation. Our position as a leading global electronics company is the direct result of our commitment in research and technological breakthroughs. This has not come about by chance. Every year, Samsung is making bold investments into research and development; around a quarter of our employees work in R&D. Our deep understanding of consumers flows from the research in our six Design Centres, seven Lifestyle Research Labs and seven Product Innovation Teams around the world. The insights of our researchers have taught us one thing: innovation must not be flat, it must not be uniform. There can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach, nor should technology be dictated by design for design’s sake. What is Samsung’s strategy to sustain growth? Samsung is focused on developing tomorrow’s technology. We innovate to bring people new experiences and ways to express themselves, and through our extensive global research we have unique insights into the needs and aspirations of customers everywhere. Having this backing has provided us with the foresight to focus on photographers’ and cinematographers’ needs and the NX1 has opened up a wealth of new possibilities from capturing 4K

There can’t be a one-size-fits- all approach, nor should technology be dictated bydesign for design’s sake

π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com.

Photography News | Issue 16

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Latest photography news

Keeping it compact

NEWS INBRIEF MEMORY INMICRO Samsung EVO microSD cards are now available in 128GB size. They offer UHS-1, class 10 performance with read speeds of up to 48MB/s. Samsung’s card range feature four-proof technology to protect valuable data – they are heat, freeze, magnet and X-ray proof. The EVO 128GB microSD card costs £92.99 without the SD adaptor and £93.99 with. www.samsung.com ONE FOR ALL Using near field communication you can hook up your Canon camera or camcorder, or use USB for other brands, to Canon’s latest storage device, the Connect Station CS100, to store your pictures and movies in one central location. It’ll be available from June priced at £199. www.canon.co.uk. SUPER SPEED Lexar has microSD cards that offer 1000x read transfer speeds – that’s an impressive 150MB/s. The new cards use 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities are available. www.lexar.com ANSDFORSHARING Toshiba has launched a FlashAir III SD card which acts as its own wireless LAN access point to enable image sharing to your smartphone or mobile device. www.toshiba.co.uk. UHS II technology for this high speed performance and

The TZ57 is just as impressive though, with the same Leica lens capable of a 20x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel sensor. Both cameras can record Full HD video and have Wi-Fi connectivity; they’ll also be available from March onwards. The SZ10 is the last in the line-up of new Panasonic compacts announced at CES. It’ll be available from March and retails at £139.99. For that, you’ll get a tilting screen, 12x optical zoom, 24mm ultra wide-angle lens and Wi-Fi connectivity, amongst other extra creative features and functions.

exterior is a 16.1-megapixel sensor and it also has a 25mm ultra wide-angle lens with 4x optical zoom. It’ll be on general sale in March for £139.99. If you’re on the hunt for a professional standard second camera but lightweight and compact to travel with, the TZ70 (£349.99) and TZ57 (£229.99) will appeal. The Lumix TZ70 is the higher end version, featuring a 30x optical zoom, ultra wide-angle Leica lens and a 12.1-megapixel sensor. You can shoot in Raw and the control ring makes shooting with a compact a little more intuitive.

One of the major announcements where photography is concerned at CES this year came from Panasonic. Good things come in threes and Panasonic’s trio of new releases are certainly a welcome addition to the market, with each technologically targeted at different types of shooters. For the adventurer, there’s the Lumix FT30, a pocket-sized powerhouse designed to withstand falls up to 1.5 metres and temperatures as low as -10°C as well as being waterproof to eight metres and resistant to dust. Behind its rugged

π To find out more about these compacts, go to www.panasonic.co.uk.

Action cameras seem to be the ‘it’ product at the moment, and not one to miss out on the action, Braun has released two models: the Jumper 720p ActionCam HD and the Champion Full HD ActionCam. The £49.50 Jumper is supplied with a waterproof housing – if you’re planning on filming underwater it’s waterproof to 3m. Charge it up via USB and it’ll keep going for 70 minutes, capture still in five-megapixel Double trouble

A selection of exciting cameras has been announced by Fujifilm. The FinePix S9900 and S9800 are bridge cameras boasting 50x optical zooms, giving the equivalent focal length of 24-1200mm in the 35mm format. Both have 16.2-megapixel resolutions and top ISO speed is 12,800. The S9900 is priced at £299.99 and S9800 (it’s basically the S9900 minus wireless connectivity) is £259.99. The X-A2 is an X-series camera for £449.99 and that includes an XC 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS II lens. Its resolution is 16.3 megapixels using an APS-C CMOS sensor and it will be available from March in brown or black. Rounding off Fujifilm’s launches is the XQ2 a quality compact priced at £329.99 and available from March onwards. This has the same sensor as the well-received X30 and comes with a 4x f/1.8 zoom lens Fuji’s latest

resolution through the wide- angle lens and record videos at 720p/30fps. The Champion can also capture five-megapixel images and has a waterproof housing but records in Full HD and also features Wi-Fi. After a full charge, it can run for 60 minutes in Wi-Fi mode or 110 minutes. It costs £110.22.

π To find out more, go to www.fujifilm.eu/uk.

π To find out more, go to www.kenro.co.uk.

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Latest photography news

SamsungNX1 firmware

NEWS INBRIEF FREE INTERACTIVE OLYMPUS MAGAZINE If you are an Olympus camera user and want to get the most from your camera, sign up for Olympus UK’s official online interactive magazine. It’s free and all you have to do is register. Each issue is full of technique advice, expert profiles, great pictures and news of the latest Olympus products. Sign up at www.olympusmag. co.uk .

For all users the NX1’s interface is also upgraded to make it even easier to navigate through and customise the many features.

A whole host of improvements for both still and moving image-makers is available with the updated NX1 firmware, free for download now. Filmmakers can adjust audio levels during filming as well as control ISO.

We’ve been counting down the days until what’s arguably the biggest event in the UK photography calendar, and it’s not long now until The Photography Show gets underway. It’s rolling into Birmingham’s NEC 21-24 March and promises to be bigger and better than ever. As well as the fleet of usual exhibitors offering you the chance to get your hands on the latest gear and chat to the experts, there’ll be lots of workshops and opportunities to get involved with too, from a beginners’ masterclass through to the International Garden Photographer of the Year’s macro tutorial. If you haven’t already got your tickets, use the code PHNWSTPS15 to score a sweet discount (£10.95 instead of the usual £19). Book aheadand save

π To find out more, go to www.photographyshow.com.

π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com.

We’ve caught wind of another collaboration between our sister mag Advanced Photographer and Pentax. The two are teaming up once again, following on from their string of successful on-location photography competitions, to give you the chance to get hands-on with the Pentax 645Z and shoot contemporary portraiture. It’s a not-to-be-missed opportunity to get to grips with one of the highest performing medium- format cameras out there, capturing images in stunning 51.4-megapixel resolution. Adding to its top credentials, the 645Z also has a top ISO of 204,800 and its autofocusing is both fast and accurate. Full details will be announced in issue 54 of Advanced Photographer, so keep your eyes peeled for how to win a place on this exclusive and unmissable event. Watch this space. Pentaxportraits

Get scanning Dedicated to film or got a stack of old negatives and slides in your cupboard? Reflecta’s new desktop 35mm film scanner, the RPS 10M, quickly makes high resolution scans – it takes around seven minutes at full 10,000dpi resolution. The RPS 10M features Magic Touch hardware to remove scratches and dust and to save you

time there’s also an inbuilt transport system for three up to 36 images on film strips. You can hook this scanner up to your PC or Mac and Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 is also included, all for the price of £696.

π To find out more, go to www.kenro.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 16

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 16

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Camera clubs

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

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 achievement; 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

HOWTO SUBMIT

Allow plenty of time. Photography News comes out around the third week of the month. For the next issue, which comes out 16 February, we need words and pictures by 5 February. Write your story on a Word document (400 words maximum) and attach it to an email to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk. In the story please include contact details of the club, exhibition or event – website, meeting time, opening times, whatever is relevant to the story. Images: Yes please, and attach these to the email too. Images should be JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and any colour space. If the story is an exhibition or event, please send a picture from the exhibition (not the publicity poster), the winning image or one of the event. If the picture includes people please identify them on the Word document. Deadline for the next issue: 5 February 2015

Top pro (and part of this year’s Camera Club of the Year prize) David Noton is giving his talk, Chasing the Light, at Clacton CC on Friday 13 February. Noton has been widely published and he is renowned for his stunning landscapes and travel images so if you want to be inspired do get along to the event. The talk, and showing of some of his stunning imagery, will be held at McGrigor Hall, Fourth Avenue, Frinton on Sea, Essex CO13 9EB, and starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £10 each which includes refreshments and are available from Jean Pain at photopains@talktalk.net. Clacton diary date Chase the light with landscape pro David Noton LEFT Much travelled and widely published professional photographer, David Noton is talking at Clacton CC next month and illustrating his talk with his stunning images.

NEWS INBRIEF

HAILSHAM PS’S

COLOUR SHOW An audiovisual

extravaganza not to be missed. The event takes place on 6 and 7 March at Hailsham Community Hall, Hailsham BN27 2AX. Tickets costs £5 each from Eric Lavender on 01323 845569. www. hailshamphoto graphicsociety.co.uk

π To find out more go to www.clactoncameraclub.co.uk.

First year’s success Hatfield-based member of Potters Bar & District PS, Graham Adamson won four trophies in this first competitive year with the society. A naturally delighted Graham said: “I had hoped to be competitive but to win four trophies at once was beyond my wildest dreams. There are some good photographers at the club and to win was very pleasing.” For information about joining the club please call Ann Coldrick on 01438 832504.

Enter Evesham We featured the Vale of Evesham CC’s National Digital Exhibition in issue 4 of PN and now’s the time to enter the 2015 event. There are four digital categories: colour, monochrome, natural history and experimental/creative. Entry closes on 25 February, selections will be made 7 and 8 March, with the accepted images announced on 10 April. The selectors are Sandy

Cleland FRPS, Karen Berry FRPS, Peter Gennard MFIAP and Graham Hodgkiss ARPS.

π To find out more about Potters Bar & District PS, go to www.pottersbarphotosoc.org.uk.

Ladies leading the way at Park Street

π To find out more, go to www.eveshamphoto.net.

The first part of the competition year at Park Street Camera Club has been very much dominated by the ladies with success for Helen Winter, Sue Hipperson and Connie Fitzgerald.

Ealing & Hampshire House PS is hosting a talk by top pro Tim Flach on 12 February at Ealing Town Hall, New Broadway, Ealing W5 2BY. An honorary fellow of the RPS, Flach is world renowned for his creative animal images and if you can make the evening it will definitely be worthwhile. Tickets cost £10, which includes refreshments, and are available from eventsbot.com/ events/eb825824312. SeeFlach at Ealing

π To find out more about Park Street CC, go to www.parkstreetcameraclub.com or email Dave Hipperson on davehip@btinternet.com.

π To find out more, go to ehhps.org.uk.

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 16

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Opinion

BEFORE THE JUDGE Glyn Edmunds Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences. This month, we hear fromGlyn Edmunds

MEET THE JUDGE Glyn Edmunds: Glyn first got involved in photography in 1986 and after initially not showing an interest in judging, he’s now travelled the world with his Home club: Chichester Camera Club Years in photography: 28 Favourite camera: Lomography Fisheye Favourite lens: Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit (for 1986 M6) Favourite photographers: Many members of both the Arena Group and the London Salon. The former hold their next inspirational, weekend seminar 13 to 15 March 2015. Check out www. arenaphotographers. com. Favourite photographic subjects: Street, figure and travel. Awardswon: More than 100, plus 1500 acceptances in FIAP and PSA approved salons around the globe since getting started in 1989. Distinctions gained: ABIPP, AMPA, APAGB, APSA, ARPS, DPAGB, EFIAP/s and EPSA hobby, judging at international exhibitions.

Words by Glyn Edmunds

Why offer to judge in the first place? It is anhonour and a privilege to be invited to assess other people’s photography and it’s an opportunity to give something back

Every photographer’s story is unique. In my own case I was a happy snapper when I met my long-term partner, now wife, Jean Brooks EFIAP/b back in 1986. We first got involved in the club world the following year. I always said that I would never judge, but after a couple of seasons – inspired by the good guys and horrified by the bad – I felt that I should give it a go. We all whinge about judges and judging, but unless we move to letting the computers assess our images as well as capture and print them there will always be a need for more and better judges. I’m passionate about the fact that photographic judges at whatever level should be competent and practising photographers – and preferably those who support the international circuit and visit exhibitions of photography and other branches of the visual arts. We can all relate to the club judge who does not appear to have taken a decent image in the last 30 years and yet still feels that he (sadly it is too often a ‘he’) is qualified to critique our pictures. It’s not a common approach, but whenever I’m asked to judge I always show a few of my own images first. This is not intended as a diversion from the main part of the evening but to provide an insight into my photography and to show I’ma current photographer. Judging should always be positive and encouraging with constructive advice where obvious flaws are present. Most of us are aware of the scenario where a newish member of a club puts in a few images for assessment only to come across a judge who views destructive appraisals as a spectator sport. Often such a member abandons club photography never to be seen again. In such cases it is the judge, not the entrant, who should leave.

international are barred. Great to encourage relative newcomers to competitive photography and the standard was very good. The prints were displayed as an exhibition and each of the three judges independently viewed and marked the images. Irish hospitality is legendary, so it is always great to be invited back to the Emerald Isle. Why offer to judge in the first place? It is an honour and a privilege to be invited to assess other people’s photography and it’s an opportunity to give something back to a hobby which has given me so much pleasure over the years – and you do get the best view of all the images that are presented.

It’s not a regular occurrence, but I can recall a number of occasions where I’ve given the top mark in the beginners’ section to a striking image featuring obvious technical problems. I’ll reference the problems but explain that if you can’t ‘see’ a picture, that is something very difficult to teach. Technical shortcomings are much easier to rectify. There are very clear guidelines in the PAGB handbook on booking lecturers and judges, which most clubs follow. Sadly there seems to be an increasing number of clubs whomiss out some of the essentials like providing clear directions to get to the venue and a mobile phone number for emergencies on the night (which should be switched on). Judging and lecturing has taken us west to Phoenix, Arizona, north to Edinburgh and south to Johannesburg, the latter for the five-day annual conference of the PSSA (Photographic Society of Southern Africa). They had generous sponsorship so four European photographers were flown in. One of our highlights of 2014 was a return visit to Dublin to select a competition for the Irish Photographic Federation (IPF). This time it was the National Shield Competition which has very interesting entry requirements. Clubs are invited to send in a panel of eight colour and/or eight mono prints. Photographers with any letters after their name or more than a handful of acceptances in any

π To find out more, go to www.glynedmundsphotography.co.uk.

Have you seen a photographic judge at work who you’d like to see profiled in Photography News ? If so please drop us a line to opinion@photography-news.co.uk with the judge’s name and, if possible, their contact details. What do you think?

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Advertisement feature Best of bothworlds MANFROTTOOFF-ROAD Manfrotto’s latest backpack offers outdoor photographers the perfect combination

hanger – that can also double to hold walking poles – which can be easily accessed without even needing to take the backpack off. Colour quartet Well thought out and available in a range of four different colours – grey, green, blue and red – the Off-Road backpack is a fine choice for all photographers wanting to combine both their walking and photography passions.

Better still, for those times when you want to travel light on the gear front, the gear section can be completely removed, instantly converting the Off-Road into a full outdoor backpack. Designed for comfort Whatever you choose to carry in the Off-Road backpack, the bag’s design ensures you’ll enjoy day-long comfort. It features a breathable system that keeps the back of the bag away from the body to minimise sweat and maximise comfort. The broad shoulder straps are also holed to improve ventilation while the padded waist strap helps distribute the weight and even features a pocket for a smartphone. Photographers who like to keep their cameras out and ready for action will appreciate the camera support strap, which keeps your DSLR safe and secure, reducing the chance of it being bumped on a rock or generally adding extra weight to your neck. Plus there is a dedicated tripod

Backpacks tend to be one thing or the other. They’re either perfect for carrying outdoor gear or ideal for lugging large quantities of photo equipment, but rarely a combination of the two. That’s all set to change thanks to the new Manfrotto Off-Road backpack, which goes on sale in early February with an SRP of £169.95. Two bags in one Designed specifically for photographers who like to carry generous amounts of both outdoor and photo equipment, the 30-litre Off-Road backpack features a distinct 50/50 split. The bottom half of the backpack swallows a professional-sized digital SLR with a lens attached, plus two further lenses and miscellaneous accessories, while the top half leaves ample space for waterproofs, a torch, maps and, perhaps most importantly, sandwiches. You don’t need to delve through all your outdoor gear to get to your photo equipment, either. The side zip access makes it easy to quickly select the piece of gear you need.

π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 16

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Profile

KarenMcQuaid Karen McQuaid, curator of the Photographers’ Gallery, is in the hot seat this month fielding our questions about this world-first institution INTERVIEW

We’re a broad church so to speak, and that means we have a wide audience who approach the work from varied perspectives; I still get a kick from standing anonymously in the space a day or two after an opening and listening to responses to the shows. What are some of the most memorable exhibitions you’ve curated at the gallery? I’d say Geraldo de Barros was a huge highlight: he is not very well known in the UK and he had such a fascinating and diverse career ranging from industrial design to abstract painting. We showed the experimental photographs he made as a young artist and the very poignant collages he worked on before his death. What was the most popular exhibition? In early 2014 we did three shows concurrently of bodies of photographic work by key cultural figures of the 20th century who were not primarily known as photographers: Andy Warhol, William Burroughs and David Lynch. Their combined cultural weight brought many visitors through the door, but also audiences from the worlds of literature and film who may not have visited us otherwise. How is the gallery funded? A third of our activities are funded by the Arts Council of England, a third by our own enterprises (café, bookshop and print sales) and a third from individual giving, membership, patronage and sponsorship. With potential funding cuts we need to remain agile and responsive in order to remain a space that is accessible for the wide, engaged and growing audiences we continue to build.

only able to happen in a medium specific space. Through the Media Wall, our digital exhibition space, we address the changes in the status and circulation of photography in a broader cultural context. It was the first of its kind in the world, why do you think it took so long for someone to found a photography-only gallery? If you consider the activities of Limelight Photographic Gallery in Greenwich Village through the 1950s and the fact that MoMA, NY established its photography department from 1940 it does seem incredible. It’s hard to say why, but it is clear that the scholarship and seriousness with which photography was treated in the UK in the academy and the cultural institutions took a while to catch up with New York or Paris. Keith Arnatt’s provocative essay Sausages and Food , published in 1982 as critique of Tate’s acquisition policy in relation to photography articulates the frustrations of the time. How long have you been involved with the Photographers’ Gallery and what does your role as curator entail? I’ve been in my post as curator since 2009, and I worked on our talks and events programme before that. With the scale of the team and our integrated approach to programming I was very involved from the beginning in a wide range of the Gallery’s activities, which is one of the great advantages of working in a medium-sized gallery. My role as curator is to feed into our team discussions, planning the future programme and to facilitate the exhibitions that I’m responsible for. This involves everything from formulating a narrative for the show, planning the installation, production, insurance, framing and shipping of the work. I also work with co-curators, lending institutions and our own team to provide a framework around each exhibition that allows our audience to engage with ideas and concerns surrounding the work. There is a lot more besides this, but seeking new practices and developing ways of thinking about photography is, I suppose, the most crucial. What do you enjoy most about your job? Involvement with great photographers and photographic projects I feel should be shared. This can range from working directly with an established photographer on a large mid- career show at the Gallery, to meeting with a photographer with a small scale book at a nascent stage and helping it find form through discussion. Working creatively with the artists and my colleagues here to practically facilitate and deliver an installation that is as considered and complete as possible, and the sense of shared achievement when it comes off.

Years in the photo industry: 10 Current location: London Last picture taken: Yesterday Hobbies: Needlepoint BIOGRAPHY

The gallery set out to establish photography as a serious art form, do you think it has helped to achieve that? The Photographers’ Gallery was set up by Sue Davies who had been working at the Institute of Contemporary Arts where she saw the potential for photography exhibitions. She decided that the UK needed a dedicated space for photography and went about securing our previous home on Great Newport Street which was opened to the public in 1971. It is important to note that photography’s position within the cultural landscape was very different then, with photography placed within the applied/commercial domain and exhibitions of photography not being very common. The Gallery was set up to provide a platform for photographers through exhibitions and to be a centre for the consideration of the medium through its education programme, talks, events, book and print sales. The Gallery has continued to introduce key international photographers to the UK and champion UK based talent. This history and endeavours like our annual photography prize, founded in 1996, all could be said to have helped establish photography within a more receptive cultural landscape. The fact that we are medium specific allows us a lot of breadth in terms of what types of photography we show. We dedicate ourselves to photography in all its forms, applied and vernacular as well as the photo book and the contemporary art photograph. For example we mounted an exhibition of photographs from the archive of the London Fire Brigade which presented wonderfully odd photographs from training manuals, firefighters at their Christmas parties and documentary shots of incidents and their aftermath throughout the London boroughs. It was a treat of a show and perhaps one that was Is there still a place for an exclusively photographic gallery? When youwere younger, what did you want to bewhen you grewup? A foreign correspondent Dogs or cats? Neither Toast or cereal? Both Email or phone call? Email for work, phone calls for friends

I still get a kick fromstanding anonymously in the space a day or two after opening and listening to the responses to the show

π To find out more, go to www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk.

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Issue 16 | Photography News

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

CameraClubof theYear 2014-15

Was your newyear’s resolution to enter our Camera Club of the Year competition?We sure hope so. Details of Round 3 follow, and don’t forget you can still enter Rounds 1 and 2

We’ve had a lovely few weeks admiring the images you’ve uploaded to the Camera Club of the Year pages on www.absolutephoto.com. It’s simply brilliant to see the talent that is clearly encouraged and nurtured by the many hundreds of camera clubs and photographic societies around the country. That’s made choosing our Image of the Month a difficult task. It’s taken a lot of good-natured (ahem!) debate and discussion to reach a unanimous choice, but we’ve done it; and you can see the lucky winner opposite. Remember that you can still enter Rounds 1 and 2 of the competition; you have until the final closing date of 5 May to enter all five rounds. Round 1 is water, Round 2 weather and this round it’s close-ups. We’ll announce the final two in the next two issues of PN , then all you have to do is submit the best five images for each theme for your club to be in with a chance of winning the top prize worth more than £3000: Canon kit and a day with pro David Noton. To qualify for

the Image of the Month, submit your Round 2 weather images by 2 February; for Round 3 you have until 2 March. We look forward to seeing your take on the weather and how you interpret the close-up theme. Good luck!

First, your club’s competition secretary (or whoever is going to enter eachmonth) must sign up at www.absolutephoto.com . Next, click on Members’ Area in the menu bar, then choose Camera Club of the Year 2014- How to enter

15 from the drop-down list. Simply register your camera club and follow the upload instructions.

Thewinning club gets… ... a brilliant CanonXEEDWUX450multimedia projector worth over £3000 to showoff their winning shots and 25 subscriptions to irista, plus an exclusive experience day with international landscape and travel pro, DavidNoton!

SPECS

STREET PRICE £550 SENSOR

20 megapixels, 1in, 13.2x8.8mm CMOS IMAGE DIMENSIONS 5472x3648 pixels ISORANGE 125-12,800, auto AUTOFOCUSMODES Contrast detect, multi, centre, selective single, single, continuous, face, touch, live view SHUTTER 40secs-1/2000sec METERING Multi, centre-weighted, spot SHOOTING SPEEDS 6.5fps MOVIES 1920x1080 (60p, 30p) LCD 3in tilting, 1040k, touch sensitive STORAGE

CANON XEEDWUX450 PROJECTOR

CanonPOWERSHOTG7X Sometimes small truly is beautiful and in the case of the G7 X it’s also powerful. Tucked into its sleek body is the 4.2x f/1.8-2.8 optical zoom (35mm equivalent 24-100mm), which quietly and quickly extends when you press the on/off button. Ready for action in just over a second, it’s a high spec optic and features IS technology, offering a valuable 3EV benefit. For assured shooting even in low light, the G7 X also boasts Canon’s tried-and-tested HS system, which combines with the latest DIGIC 6 processor and 20-megapixel CMOS sensor for excellent image quality. Movies are similarly well looked after, benefitting from 5-axis stabilisation and full HD quality. And with 6.5fps shooting and 31 focus points to choose from, the G7 X will help you land competition winning images time after time. It’s priced at £550 and is in the shops now.

David Noton EXPERIENCE DAY!

CANONXEEDWUX450PROJECTOR+ANEXCLUSIVEDAYWITHDAVIDNOTON The Canon XEEDWUX450multimedia projector, worth over £3000, is Canon’s most compact WUXGA projector. WUXGA stands for Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array, so you get a 16:10 screen aspect ratio and a huge display resolution of up to 1920x1200 pixels. www.canon.co.uk David Noton is one of the world’s top photographers specialising in landscape and travel work. The winning club gets an exclusive day with David where he’ll be hosting a workshop and then providing an illustrated talk on his amazing images. www.davidnoton.com 25SUBSCRIPTIONSTOIRISTA The newway tomanage, organise and share your image files online, irista supports JPEGs and Raws frommost manufacturers and 10GB of storage space is available free on sign-up. The winning club, though, will get 25 free Value subscriptions that have 50GB storage capacity – which is normally £45 for a year’s subscription. www.irista.com

SD, SDHC, SDXC DIMENSIONS 103x60x40mm WEIGHT 304g

π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 16

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Round 3: Close-ups Famous photojournalist and co-founder of Magnum Photos Robert Capa once said: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” This round is all about getting in close

This round is not necessarily about macro photography and, of course, tiny objects recorded in close proximity do count, but close-up here also means the minimum focusing distance of your non- macro lenses too. In turn, this means a very wide range of subjects is available to explore. Good composition is key to every successful photograph and what you include in your images always needs care and consideration. With landscape you can use lead-in lines to guide the viewer to the image’s focal point, while with portraits it is all about using the eyes. Shooting close-ups the disciplines can be slightly different. Lead-in lines, the rule of thirds and the golden section can all work but shooting close-up also demands more consideration of characteristics like colour, texture and the interaction of highlights and shadow details. You also have to be careful what is included in the final composition but even more importantly work hard on what you exclude. Little intrusions can have a massive negative impact on an image so try variations of cropping to see what works best. If you are using an image-editing software like Adobe Lightroom you are working non-destructively and if you make virtual copies (Photo>Create Virtual Copy) you can try any number of variations and compare them before outputting them to TIFFs or JPEGs. Working on the adage ‘less is more’ won’t harm your pictures at all; on the contrary it could give your photographs much more impact so don’t be afraid wield the crop tool and make sure your entries are as strong as possible. IMAGEOFTHEMONTH Colin Jarvis Preston Photographic Society

ABOVE LEFTWhy not shoot everyday objects that you find out and about in a creative manner? Think about the patterns and lines you can create. ABOVE RIGHT You might try a colourful close-up of a blooming flower or other natural subject; notice how sharp the flower is, with use of a shallow depth-of-field. LEFT Choosing one subject and zooming in your lens can create a dramatic effect but don’t forget about your background.

Wow! Thanks to the many clubs and societies who have entered the Camera Club of the Year contest so far. We have had a fabulous response so thank you. With hundreds of images uploaded for Round 1, Water, it was a real challenge picking our favourite but in the end the judges went for this peaceful study. The image’s tranquillity and monochromatic feel appealed hugely. Well done to Colin on his lovely composition. If your club hasn’t entered yet, don’t worry there is still plenty of time to register and upload images. The ultimate closing date for the contest is 5 May 2015, by which time we will have 25 images from every club. Before signing off, apologies to those who experienced teething problems during Round 1. All sorted now, but if you encounter any problems, let us know.

It was a real challenge picking our favourite but in the end the judges went for this peaceful study

Issue 16 | Photography News

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MASTERCLASS: CLOSE-UP David Noton We’ll be tapping into landscape photographer and Canon ambassador David Noton’s fount of expertise to help you and your club bag the top prize. This month, David shares his tips on how to capture close-ups

David’s top tips “If you really need to get that optimum depth-of-field, then a tripod and minimum aperture are going to be necessary. Use mirror lock or live view to ensure there is absolutely no mirror slap or camera movement.” STILLANDSTEADY

AU NATUREL

“Look at what nature is giving you: Mother Nature’s own

compositions are usually the best.”

UP CLOSE “A dedicated macro lens such as the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro is a great tool to have if you’re into close-up work.” “I avoid cropping wherever possible. I try and compose in camera to make use of every pixel available. I think it’s good photographic discipline to train your eyes to see what’s there and compose, frame and crop in camera rather than shooting and then just throwing pixels and information later.” PRIORITY “I tend to work in aperture-priority exposure mode. That’s particularly relevant for close-up work because depth-of-field is usually your first consideration.” APERTURE- CROP IN CAMERA

LEFT David captured this close-up of an elephant whilst on safari in Kruger National Park. Canon EOS 5DMark III, Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM, 1/100sec at f/4, ISO 1600. BELOWPoppy in a field. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon 70- 200mm f/2.8L II USM, 1/1250sec at f/2.8, ISO 100.

on the road in front of us,” he recalls. “I had this huge 500mm lens on my Canon and there was no way I could get all of the elephant in the frame, but I was struck by the wonderful textures of its skin. I went in on the eye, isolating in on that detail and in the picture it works so well.” When asked if he has a favourite subject to capture up close, David seemed to take inspiration from everywhere. “I don’t know where to stop, there can be such great details in rocks, moss and barks but the patterns and shapes in nature are all there provided for us,” he says, “It’s just whether you stop to notice or not.”

the minimum depth-of-field for creative purposes, dropping the background totally out of focus.” Packing a standard or mid-range zoom, such as the high-performance Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM lens, will ensure you’re ready to get up close should the opportunity present itself. To take you even closer, David recommends the Canon 25mm extension tube as a pocket-friendly alternative to a dedicated macro lens. However, for serious macro photographers David says nothing compares to a lens like the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. But when the landscape photographer found himself unexpectedly confronted with an elephant right up close, he had to make use of the lens he had to hand. “We were trying to get back to the camp in Kruger National Park and the elephant was literally

The first thing that comes to mind when David thinks of close-ups is rolling round in the undergrowth. With his Canon EOS 5D Mark III of course. As a celebrated landscape photographer, he’s usually captivated by sweeping scenes but by getting up close there are all kinds of textures, details and colour in nature that can make for just as striking a shot. “What can be equally illuminating and challenging photographically is looking at the world in detail, what’s happening beneath our feet, almost literally,” says David. His Canon EOS 5D Mark III is ideal for capturing these more unusual perspectives. “Low down is quite a difficult viewpoint to work in; live view on my Mark III is really handy to check composition when I’m in a difficult position,” he enthuses. Retraining your eye to hunt for details can seem unnatural, especially when you are more accustomed to looking at the bigger picture. David explains that there are two approaches you can take. “You can try and get everything sharp and show detail in the picture,” he says. “Or you can use creatively selective focus which can be so powerful when working close up, deliberately isolating detail by shooting wide open at maximum aperture and minimum depth-of-field.” Getting the depth-of- field right is one of the trickier aspects of shooting close-up, but David advises to just go with it. “The closer you get, the shallower the depth-of-field gets. I tend to not fight that and actually start using

π To find out more, go to www.davidnoton.com.

Watch and learn

Lowdown is quite a difficult viewpoint to work in; live viewonmy Mark III is reallyhandy to check composition

For more tips, David’s DVD Photography in the Raw offers practical advice on all kinds of subjects from how to read the light to how to capture the best picture in any situation. Copies can be purchased from his website and prices start from £24 and go up to £32.40 for a Full HD edition.

Photography News | Issue 16

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Issue 16 | Photography News

Competitions

Lovers of Light Joe Tree is the founder of daily photo sharing site Blipfoto and judge for the VELUX Lovers of Light photo competition. With entries for the comp still flooding in, we caught up with the photo entrepreneur to find out how the competition was going INTERVIEW

architecture with a sunset background. The feeling, when you get the picture you’re looking for and can share it with other people, is exceptional. Who is your typical entrant? The competition is open to amateur and professional photographers alike. Both winners from the previous two years of the competition have been keen amateurs who use photography first and foremost as a hobby so it’s brilliant to see them rewarded for something they enjoy doing in their spare time. When we launched the competition, we set out to make it inclusive to all keen photographers and hope it encourages them to think about daylight differently. What doyouwant to see fromthis year’s entries? The standard of entry has been excellent both years and continues to exceed all our expectations. We see everything from images of city landscapes and snow-covered mountains, to sea views and forest walks. In some ways it’s nice to face a difficult choice of picking one winner as it means we, as judges, get to see so many brilliant images. We hope to see much of the same this year and as always we’re looking for something that will jump out and ‘wow’ the judges.

hugely impressed with the quality, creativity and calibre of all the entries. I think we were all maybe a little surprised by how difficult it was to choose a winner from thousands of strong shots. Despite being relatively new, the competition has amassed an impressive number of entries (almost 15,000 last year). Why do you think it’s proved to be so popular? The VELUX Lovers of Light photography competition is very unique in that it encourages people to think about daylight and the important role it plays in our everyday lives through photography. It’s not always an easy job to capture daylight but the key is composition and timing. The competition is about capturing that perfect moment and I think this challenge is what inspires our entrants to deliver such a high calibre of entries. Sometimes you have to get up early in the day and catch a beautiful winter sunrise, or wait until later on in the day to catch the sun setting at just the right point. The competition encourages people to use their imagination freely and there are so many ways people can interpret daylight within photography whether it’s capturing a snow-covered mountain lit up by reflections of the sun or a cool piece of

Interview by Megan Croft

The feeling, whenyou get the picture you’re looking for and can share it with other people, is exceptional

The competition is hosted by both Blipfoto and VELUX, how did that collaboration come about? In 2012, we were approached by VELUX to work with them on a photography competition that encouraged people to think differently about daylight by capturing a moment of light through photography. The idea sounded refreshing and exciting, and it felt like a natural partnership as we are both aware of and feel strongly about the impact natural light can have on our daily lives. What’s theadvantageofhostingthecompetition on a website such as Blip? Blip already has a community of people who are incredibly passionate about photography. VELUX Lovers of Light gives them a great opportunity to have their work recognised and at the same time be in with a chance of winning a truly once in a lifetime prize. How is the competition going so far? We have been genuinely overwhelmed by the number of entries we’ve received so far, which has grown significantly year on year. We’ve also been

BELOW Stephen Banks’s photo Winter Surprise took third place in last year’s competition.

Photography News | Issue 16

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