Photography News Issue 52

Our technique feature this month looks at how you can push the boundaries of scenic composition for shots worth a second look, we also reveal theme 4 of our Camera Club of the Year competition and catch up with one of the country’s most successful wedding photographers, Brett Harkness, to chat about his portrait work.

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography news Photography Issue 52 12 Feb – 11 March News Tests Reviews Interviews Techniques Competitions Exhibitions Clubs Produced by

DIGITAL EDITION every month* *at photographynews.co.uk FREE GET YOUR

A Samsung 128GB memory card Enter thecompetition onpage48 WIN!

Break the rules Ignore

Camera club of the Year The latest club to qualify is.... See page 12 for full results

First Tests Lenses, filters and more on test. It all starts on page 36

convention for winning

landscapes. We showyou how See page 16

Smallest and lightest FujifilmX camera yet With a compact bodyform, long list of features and competitive price, the Fujifilm X-A5 is sure to attract many admirers

At the Fujifilm X-A5’s heart is a newly developed 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that includes an Ultra Sonic Vibration cleaning system. The sensor can produce JPEGs, Raws and shoot full HD video. There’s some 4K video capability too. The regular ISO range is 200 to 12,800 and that can be expanded to 51,200, while the X-A5 is the first in this series to feature phase detectionpixels originallydeveloped for top-end X-series models so you also get an Intelligent Hybrid AF system that delivers very fast, accurate autofocusing. The large rear touchscreen can flip up 180° to face forward, making for easy selfie shooting and in this position Eye AF is activated for spot-on selfies. Once you have made your capture, shots can be shared thanks to the X-A5’s low-energy Bluetooth for image transfer to your smart device. Anew compact standard zoomhas been introduced too and it’s an ideal partner for the X-A5. The XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens is the smallest and lightest zoom in the Fujifilm X lens range, covering the most commonly used focal lengths The Fujifilm X-A5 will be available this February as a kit with the XC 15-45mm

Head to the NEC this March for the UK’s biggest photography exhibition. Book your tickets with PN and you’ll save £3 off an adult ticket. Full offer details on page 8.

f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens in brown, pink or black priced at £549. The XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 lens on its own sells for £259 and is available in silver or black.

fujifilm.eu Continue reading on page 3

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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Smallest and lightest Fujifilm X camera yet

Samsung has announced its upgraded SATA solid state drive (SSD) line-up. The 860 PRO and 860 EVO series are the first consumer SSD drives with V-NAND technology and offer industry leading performance in speed, reliability, compatibility and capacity. Both SSDs support up to 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write speeds, so time-saving for image-makers using the the latest high megapixel cameras and shooting 4K video. The 860 EVO will be available in five capacities from 250GB to 4TB, with the 250GB priced at £90.49 and the 4TB at £1324.49. The 860 EVO is available in 2.5in for PCs and laptops as well as mSATA and M2 form factors. Five sizes are also offered in the 860 PRO range, which is available in 2.5in form so suitable The X-A5 might be the smallest and lightest X-series camera we’ve seen from Fujifilm so far, but lurking in that compact, elegant body is a camera bristling with the latest technology and features. The sensor is a newly developed 24.2-megapixel CMOS unit that offers an ISO range of 200 to 12,800 with expansion up to 51,200. You can shoot Raw, JPEGs and Full HD video, plus the X-A5 has some interesting 4K video features, too. You can record Full HD video up to quad speed for slow motion clips, while in 4K there is a Multi Focus setting that automatically stacks images as it adjusts focus, to give extreme depth-of-field. There’s also a 4K Burst function that shoots 15 frames in a second, then you can choose the shot that captures the moment best. The camera features Fujifilm’s famous Film Simulation modes with 11 settings on offer, and in addition there are 17 advanced filter settings to explore, including Fog Remove and HDR Art. Exposures are handled by an advanced TTL 256-zone light measuring system with the option of multi-zone, spot and average settings. Working with this is the usual line-up of program, advanced-priority, shutter-priority and manual modes. Mechanical and electronic shutters are available, the top speed on the former is 1/4000sec while

At-a-glance spec

Sensor 23.5x15.7mm CMOS sensor giving 6000x4000 pixel images. Features ultrasonic vibration sensor cleaning Lens mount Fujifilm-X ISO range 200-12,800, expansion up to 51,200 Shutter range Mechanical: 4secs to 1/4000sec in P, 30secs to 1/4000sec in other modes. B up to 60 mins, time setting: 30secs to 1/4000sec. Flash sync 1/180sec 1/32,000sec in other modes. B 1sec fixed, time setting: 30secs to 1/32,000sec Continuous shooting Up to 6fps LCDmonitor Tiltable 3in touch-screen LCD with 1040k dots Storage 1x SD/SDHC/SDXC card Battery life Up to 450 frames Dimensions 116.9x67.7x40.4mm Weight 361g with battery and card Contact Fujifilm.eu Electronic shutter 4secs to 1/32,000sec in P, 30secs to

on the latter you get speeds up to 1/32,000sec for shooting in bright light with wide-lens apertures. For action subjects, the X-A5 can race through shots at six frames- per-second. The camera’s battery has been enhanced and up to 450 exposures are possible. To go with the X-A5, and also fully compatible with other X-series cameras, is the very compact and lightweight XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ – it weighs a mere 135g.

Covering the 35mm format equivalent of 23 to 69mm, this XC 15-45mm is perfect as a general photography lens, and its compact dimensions make it an ideal partner for the X-A5. Its optical construction features ten elements, including three aspherical and two ED lenses in nine groups, to deliver a high quality performance. To save space, this zoom lens does not have a manual zoom barrel but an electric

zoom motor instead, with two speeds of operation, while an inner autofocusing mechanism gives a fast and silent operation. At the wide setting, focusing to within 5cm of the lens front makes good close-up shots possible. The Fujifilm X-A5 is priced at £549 with the XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens; brown, pink or black are the colour options. The XC15- 45mm f/3.5-5.6 lens sells for £259 in silver or black.

Snappy holsters Samsung’s new SSDs

MindShift has added to its bag range with four OutBound camera holsters designed to protect a single camera kit from the elements, so perfect for the great outdoors. Each features a domed top, adjustable dividers and a large side pocket, while an elements barrier under the zip

keeps dust and moisture away from the holster’s contents. The Outbound Holster 10, which can take an APS-C DSLR, has a guide price of £67.25; the largest is the 50, suitable for a DSLR, fast aperture lens and a flashgun, is priced at £96. snapperstuff.com

for laptops, NAS drives and PCs; as a guide the 256GB version costs £126.49 and the 1TB £433.49.

samsungssd.com

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Nissin gets flash

Now available from Kenro, the all- new Nissin Commander Air 10s joins Nissin’s Air System (NAS). It's an advanced wireless

2.4Ghz flash trigger priced at £161.94, available for Canon and Nikon with Fujifilm, Micro Four Thirds and Sony to come soon. The Air 10s is

designed to work with the NAS- ready i60A and Di700A, as well as any flashguns connected to a Receiver Air R, and optional £59

radio

receiver.

Key features include a 100m working range with TTL exposure control, high speed sync up to 1/8000sec and rear

The Nissin Commander Air 10s, top-end advanced wireless remote.

curtain flash, all controlled wirelessly. It is also possible to control up to eight groups of flashguns and each group can have their outputs and settings adjusted independently. There are nice touches, too: if you are shooting TTL flash the Air 10s memorises the exposure and you can then switch to manual flash with the same settings, with one touch. Looking to the future, the Air 10s has a MicroSD card slot for firmware updates.

Also fromKenro, the compact and lightweight carbon-fibre Nissin LS-50C lighting stand. It extends to 2m, weighs just 575g, and folds down to 48cm. The guide price is £147.50.

kenro.co.uk

Fujifilmgets tough

The FujifilmFinePixXP130 is dustproof, waterproof to 20m, shockproof to 1.75m and freezeproof. Its ruggedness is just one selling point, but there is much more. Images are delivered by a 16.4-megapixel back- illuminated CMOS sensor, the lens is a Fujinon 5x optical zoom with the option of a 10x digital

zoom, and there’s optical image stabilsation to help get sharp shots in low light situations. Its compact and light body (just 207g) also features a 3in 920K dot sensor, eye detection AF and an electronic level, so slanting horizons are a thing of the past. For easy sharing of images, there’s Bluetooth

and Wi-Fi for instant sharing and image transfer to smart phones and tablets – just download the free Fujifilm Camera Remote app to your device. For Instax Share printer users, images can be transferred from the camera directly. The XP130 is available from this month at £199.

fujifilm.eu

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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Fotospeed new finish

News in brief

Fotospeed has developed its new fineart inkjetpaperincollaboration with landscape photographer Joe Cornish. Platinum Cotton 305 is 100% cotton and acid-free, contains no optical brightening agents and claims outstanding archival qualities. Its finish is a

smooth natural white, and features include a wide colour gamut and great handling of fine detail. The new paper is available on Fotospeed’s website. Visitors to its stand at The Photography Show (see page 8 and save £3 on your adult ticket) will be able to buy

off the Fotospeed stand (located at F31). A 25 sheet box of A4 costs £31.99. Also on the stand will be range of talks featuring Charlie Waite, Paul Sanders, and Trevor and Faye Yerbury.

fotospeed.com

Nowon in Edinburgh

At Home Manchester’s HOME Projects is hosting a show entitled Of Flesh and Bone , an exhibition of photography and drawings by photographer Mario Popham and artist Tom Baskeyfield investigating how we shaped and have been shaped by stone. You’ll find HOME at 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN and this show is in the Granada Foundation Gallery, main gallery, open Monday to Sunday, 11 to 8pm. Entrance is free.

homemcr.org

The Close Photography Gallery is a private exhibition space run by commercial photographer Chris Close. On until 28 February is Saying it with Flowers by Rosie Nixon. Rosie has a global following, both for her photography and writing on the subject. She was asked by Google+ to become a member of their elite Google Create team as an expert in her field and even has an orchid officially named after her by the Royal Horticultural Society (Masdevallia ‘Rosie Nixon’). Chris says: “The fact that she is based so near was a happy coincidence as I‘ve recently been

exhibitingworkfromphotographers as far apart as Venezuela, Sweden, France and London.” The gallery is at 48 Howe Street, Edinburgh EH3 6TD, open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm or by appointment.

Leicaprimes Leica’s SL system gains two primes, the APO-Summicron- SL 75mm f/2 ASPH and the APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f/2 ASPH, priced at £3750 and £4100 respectively. Both lenses are available now. The Summicron-SL 35 mm f/2 ASPH and the APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH are scheduled for later in 2018.

Above Two of the stunning horticultural close-ups that have gained Rosie Nixon a global following.

gallery-close.com

Lastolitemaking great light

Studio gear specialists Lastolite by Manfrotto has added two products to its Skylite Rapid lighting panel range. Skylite Rapid panels are portable, quick to assemble, lightweight, and can be used as reflectors, diffusers or to create shade when you need it. The current range has been supplemented by two new sizes. These are theMidi, measuring 1.5m square, and the Extra Large, which is 3m square. Each

aluminium frame disassembles to fit into a neat, portable carrying case and different finish covers are available depending on what you want to achieve. So, for example, in the case of the Midi, to soften light there is a 1.25EV diffuser while the silver/white finish is perfect for bouncing light around. For the Extra Large the only covers available are 0.75EV and 1.25EV diffusers. The two sizes are available as frames and covers

separately and there is a kit option, too. TheMidi frame costs £112.95 and covers are £92.95 each. The Midi kit costs £311.95 and in this you get the frame, the 1.25EV cover, the silver/white reflector and a carrying case. The Extra Large frame sells for £189.95 and covers for £188.95 each, with the kit option (frame and 1.25EV cover) priced at £385.95.

leica.com

Sirui goes to Intro2020 Leading photo distributor Intro2020 has added tripod brand Sirui to its product portfolio, which also includes Crumpler, Hoya and Tamron.

intro2020.co.uk

manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Entry-level Olympus

PNY has a solution to keep the whole family happy on long distance drives. The Family Car Charger can keep everyone’s device powered up from the car’s power outlet (the cigarette lighter) and costs £22.99, which sounds a bargain. The unit features four universal USB ports and delivers enough power to charge all four devices simultaneously. There’s one 1A output for front seat use and then three Smart USB outputs for rear seat passengers. The unit comes with a clip to attach to the back of most car seats to make it accessible to those in the back. PNYget family friendly

News in brief

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 offers the ideal next step for phone photographerswith itsgreat looks, solid build and up-to-date features list. It’s a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera with an ISO range of 200-6400 (expandable to 100-25,600), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for fast picture-sharing and plenty of options to get creative. This includes 16 Art filters,

an Advanced Photo mode for quick access to features like Live Composite and focus stacking, and a whole range of scene modes to have fun with. Add an electronic shutter with a top speed of 1/16,000sec, 121 focus points and a 3in touchscreen and you have a thoroughly modern mirrorless camera. The PEN E-PL9 body only costs

£579.99 and £649.99 with the ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ pancake zoom. The camerawill be available mid-March.

olympus.co.uk

Shardwinners

DeutscheBörse London’s Photographers' Mathieu Asselin, Heather, Canfield, Ohio, 2012 © Mathieu Asselin Courtesy of the artist Gallery is hosting the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation 2018. The four nominated projects will be on display at an exhibition running from 23 February to 3 June. The winner of the £30,000 prize will be announced on 17 May. The Gallery, at 16 to 18 Ramillies Street, London, is open 10am- 6pmon weekdays, 11am-6pm on Sundays, and there’s a café and bookshop on site. Entrance is free before noon and then £4 (£2.50 concessions). Please check the website for full details as the gallery does close for show setting up. thephotographersgallery. org.uk Panasonic and theNT Panasonic is now the official photography partner of the National Trust. For the public one benefit is the chance to borrow cameras and lenses as part of the National Trust Roadshow which is visiting a number of properties this spring. For details follow @LumixUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Shard held a photography contest for the best pictures of its 2017 lights display which was on during December 2017. Over 1400 entries were received and the images were judged by photographer Michael Tomas and Michael Baker, chief executive officer of Real Estate Management. There were three age categories: 11 andunder; 12-17; and aged 18 and over, and the winners were Aqeel Miah, Conor Shiels and Alexandru Ifrim, scooping photography kit vouchers worth £500, £750 and £1500 respectively. The prize package also included various Shard experiences.

pny.eu

Images Two of the winning images from the Shard contest.

the-shard.com

Get your colours right andsavemoney

Buy an X-Rite i1Studio before 31 March and get a free Color Confidence GrafiLite worth £61.27. The X-Rite i1Studio is a pro- level colour management solution offering precise colour management from capture through to output. We tested it in PN 51 and it is very good value even at £450. Now it is

even better value because you get a free GrafiLite which is a daylight- quality viewing device, so perfect for checking prints. This offer is available through a number of photographic retailers so check the website for more details.

xritephoto.com

Get ProfessionalPhoto magazine Enhance your earning power with Professional Photo magazine. Every issue is full of practical advice on how you can take your business further.

ToTheCustomer:Simplycutoutthiscouponandhand ittoyour WHSmithHighStreetretailertoclaimyourcopyof Professional Photo for£3.75 insteadoftheusual£4.75.Thiscouponcanbe usedaspartpaymentfor issue142or143of ProfessionalPhoto onsalebetween1Februaryand28March2018.Onlyonecoupon canbeusedagainsteach itempurchased.Nocashalternative is available.Nottobeused inconjunctionwithanyotheroffer. TotheWHSmithRetailer:Pleaseacceptthisvoucheraspart paymentofonecopyof ProfessionalPhoto onsalebetween1 Februaryand28March2018.Thisvoucher isworth£1plusa2p handlingallowance.Theoffer isvalidtotheconsumerupto28 March2018andmustbereturnedtoyourclearinghousetoarrive no laterthan28February2018(issue142),28March2018(issue 143).Asyourshopbelongstoamultiplegroup,pleasehandle in theusualway.Thisvoucher isnotredeemableagainstanyother itemand isonlyvalid intheUK. Offer subject to availability andwhile stocks last

Issue 142 is currently on sale, showcasing two book projects, looking at what products and trends are going to be hot in 2018 and with not just one, but five lenses on test. Issue 143, available from 1 March, will feature an interview with the Hasselblad Masters Wedding winner Victor Hamke, a review of a brand newmirrorless camera–our lips are sealedondetails! – and a glimpse into the world of Marc Aspland and his inspirational ‘sporting bodies’ images. Take advantage of our exclusive money-saving offer and buy a copy of Professional Photo from WHSmith using this voucher, saving you £1 off the usual £4.75 cover price.

SAVE £1

DONOTMINT RETURN *This offer is subject to availability and is redeemable at WHSmith High Street Stores only. Excludes Outlet Stores, WHSmith Online, ‘Books by WHSmith’ at Selfridges, Harrods, Arnotts and Fenwicks stores, WHSmith ‘Local’ and all Travel Stores including those at airports, railways stations, motorway service stations, garden centres, hospitals and workplaces.

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photo 24 2018 The Photography News annual festival of photography, in association with Fujifilm, rides again – and here’s why you should come along

Photo 24 stemmed from an idea for a few like-minded souls to spend 24 hours shooting together in one of the world’s most photogenic cities. Six years later, Photo 24, in association with Fujifilm, is a massive festival of picture-taking happening on one of the longest days of the year. In 2018, our dates are 29 and 30 June with a 3pm kick-off. The aim, as in previous years, is for photographers to share the experience with fellow togs and indulge a passion for taking pictures. And just to be clear, while many people will do the whole 24 hours, this is not obligatory, so if you only have a few hours to spare, or perhaps want to do a few hours on each day and take your eight hours’ beauty sleep in between, that is perfectly fine. But perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Photo 24’s popularity means we are unable to accommodate everyone, so we will

have until 8 May to confirm you will be taking your place, otherwise we will pass the invitation on. We know many people would like to attend Photo 24 with friends and fellow club members and we will try to accommodate groups; details will need to be supplied at the time of registration. We are in the process of planning this year’s event and more details will be announced very soon. But we do know that Fujifilm is once again offering camera loans (for the whole 24 hours if required), there will be a Fujifilm GFX medium- format fine art studio, and there will be a selection of photo walks. If all that has got you fired up, put 12 March in your diary and ‘non-stop photo-fest’ on 29 and 30 June for the event itself. Look out for more Photo 24 news in the next issue of Photography News , out from 12 March.

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

be holding a ballot. On 12 March, via our website photographynews. co.uk, we will be asking for interested photographers to register; the closing date for applications is 12 April. The ballot takes place soon afterwards and successful applicants will be offered a place on Photo 24 the week commencing 23 April. If you are successful, you will

photographynews.co.uk

Save £3 off adult entry

Visit The Photography Show Join us for the UK’s biggest and best imaging exhibition taking place 17-20 March 2018 at Birmingham’s NEC

With over 200 imaging brands on show – including Photography News – at this year’s Photography Show (TPS), this is 2018’s go-to event for everyone interested in photography. Exhibitors include Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon Sony, Sigma and Tamron, just to name drop a few, and all aspects of imaging are covered. There’ll be plenty of chances to snap up a bargain too. The PN stand will be in the food gallery area so please come along to pick up a free latest issue, say hello or register for our Photo 24 event, which takes place on 29 and 30 June. TPS is also a great opportunity for learning and inspiration, with over 140 free talks covering different genres and techniques over the show’s four days. On the Super Stage you will have the chance to hear from Art Wolfe, Bruce Davidson and Ami Vitale among many others. Super Stage tickets cost £10 per session. New for this year is The Great Outdoors stage, hosting demos and

talks on techniques and ideas to make the most of your photography. Standard adult entry ticket price is £13.95 but you can save £3 by using the code PNEWSTPS18 when making the booking through the TPS website.

photographyshow.com

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Photography News | Issue 52 | 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: 2March 2018

We need words and pictures by 2 March 2018 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 12 March 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

Beckenhamon show

TimPile

Harpenden PS

Harpenden annual Exhibition 2018 takes place 21 April at the High Street MethodistChurch,Harpenden, 10am to 4.30pm Always one of the cultural highlights of Hertfordshire’s events calendar, HarpendenPS warmlywelcomes all to visit its exciting annual photographic exhibition, featuring the inspirational work of many local photographers. Whether you love landscape, portrait, macro, street, sport or natural world, you will find it all in this exhibition. Harpenden PS’s chairman Peter Stevens says: “The society’s annual exhibition is a wonderful showcase of the very best work of our local photographers, many of whom are award-winning, and they will be displaying the best images from their portfolios. Following last year’s record attendance figures, this year’s exhibition promises to be even bigger, and we’re very excited to once again welcome everyone to come along and take a look.” Harpenden PS is always looking for new recruits, so if you are interested in joining the society, friendly HPS members will be on hand throughout the day to answer any questions you might have about membership. PS’s

Beckenham PS’s annual exhibition takes place 15 to 17 February, is free and open from 10am to 8pm (to 5pm on the 17th). It takes place at Beckenham Public Hall, Bromley Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 5JE. Club meetings take place on Wednesdays from7.45pmat St. John’s Church Hall, Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham BR3 3JN. A warm friendly atmosphere awaits if you want to meet others who are keen to enjoy and improve their photography. For enquiries, please contact bpsinformation2017@gmail.com

Beeston CC Beeston CC will be presenting its annual exhibition at Beeston Library (upstairs) from 10 February until 7 March. There will be 63 prints displayed covering all genres of photography, all taken by members of the club. The club meets each Thursday evening, 8pm to 10pm, from September to the end of April at the British Legion, 16 Hall Croft, Beeston, NG9 1EL. The club provides a varied programme throughout the year and visitors are welcome for a small fee which will be refunded if you subsequently join the club. We did a story on art nude photographer Tim Pile’s presentation at the RPS DIG Group last issue, but somehow forgot to mention the date. Apologies for that omission. The event takes place 25March at Woosehill Community Hall, Emmview Close, Woosehill, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 3DA. Doors will open at 10am for a 10.30am start with a 3.30pm finish. Full details and tickets – RPS DIG members £8 RPS members £12, non members £15 – are available from the below web address. Enjoy a daywith the fine art nudework of TimPile. bit.ly/2rAr5B8

Image: Arewe nearly there yet? byDavidRees.

beckenhamphotosoc.org.uk

East Midlands AV group

Sheffield PS Sheffield PS’s annual exhibition is a showcase for the best recent work of its members and is a prints-only exhibition. It will be held at the Sheffield Cathedral from 9 to 18 March, and will be officially opened by professor Vanessa Toulmin, director of City and Cultural Engagement, Sheffield University. Entries will be judged by Bob Dennis of Bebbington Photographic Society. Entry is free, and visitors are asked to be respectful of any services or other activity taking place in the Cathedral. The East Midlands AV group held its annual competition on 13 January. 21 entries were shown on a variety of subject matters and production styles with the task of judging them all given over to guest judge, Jeff Mansell who took valuable time out from preparing this year’s MidPhot annual AV championships. A production by Maggie Imhoff and Malcolm Imhoff FRPS won the Caroline Trophy for best AV with a production

entitled Love Will Remain , which also won The Maggie Imhoff Trophy for the best voiceover and the Foursome Trophy awarded from the audience vote for their favourite AV of the competition. An AV entitled Strike Hard Strike Sure by Keith Watson LRPS was awarded the Ken Abbott Trophy for best runner- up entry and the Elston Trophy for the best intermediate worker.

Last year’s goldmedal winner, Preserving the Cod, DavidByrne. Neath&District PS’s salon Neath and District PS is proud to announce its 2018 UK Salon of Photography. This is the Salon’s fifth year of BPE Patronage and its first with the PAGB. There will be PAGB gold, silver and bronzemedals, NDPS gold,silverandbronzemedalsineach of the four categories. Acceptances are eligible for points towards the BPE Crown Awards scheme. This is a purely digital exhibition with Open Colour, Open Monochrome, Creative and Nature entry categories. As well as medals they will also have PAGB and NDPS ribbons for selectors’ choices, highly commended and commended certificates and each category has its own award for Neathmembers. All are welcome to enter and this year’s selectors are Sue Moore FRPS, BobMoore FRPS and RobMitchell. Entries can be made either online or through postal entry and the site is open for entries now until 21 April. The selection weekend is 28 to 29 April.

emavg.org.uk

harpendenphoto graphicsociety.co.uk

beestoncameraclub.co.uk

Pensive portrait by ColinNew is one of the prints on showat SheffieldPS’s annual show.

Image: DancingQueen by Dries Vanlerberghe.

sheffield-photographer.org.uk

neathphotographicsociety.org

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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CameraClubof theYear in associationwith

Welcome to Round 4 of this year’s epic competition for all UK camera clubs. This month’s contest theme is about great light – and nothing but great light Camera Club of the Year 2017-18

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 in the spring of this year 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, capturing images with a range of Fujifilm camera equipment. To win, your club first has to qualify for the final by coming top of the pile in one of the five monthly rounds. 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 Social networking plays a huge part in modern life and is a key need for many people who love to get their images online as soon as possible. Camera makers like Fujifilm obviously have a big role to play in this, so we are seeing more and more products with wireless connectivity for fast image sharing. The Fujifilm X-E3, for example, has the sort of feature set that we will see more of. It boasts the sort of exciting attributes you would expect of a Fujifilm X Series camera: the X-Trans CMOS sensor has a 24-megapixel resolution, there is a class-leading EVF, the monitor has touch functionality including touch AF and touch shot – all in a small, neat camera body. It has great connectivity, too, and is the first Fujifilm camera with Bluetooth capability. Before you can connect up, you need to install the free Fujifilm Camera Remote app from the App store or Google Play – it’s compatible with many Fujifilm cameras, not just the X-E3 – and then pair up the camera with your smart device. Now images can be reviewed and transferred to your device and from there uploaded to your favourite networking site, and all in a few seconds. Image browsing and transfer is just one of the Camera Remote app’s skills: turn geotagging on and it is possible to download location data from About Fujifilm

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. 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

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-E3

a smartphone and save it with your shots. And as the app’s name tells you, you can adjust camera settings, including exposure compensation, ISO and Film Simulation modes, then compose and take shots wirelessly from your phone/tablet.

Above The FujifilmX-E3 boasts Bluetooth for wireless image transfer to your smart devices.

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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CameraClubof theYear

in associationwith

Photographers can’t take pictures without light, but there’s light and there’s truly awesome light that makes pictures sing. However, it is not that straightforward, because what is great light to a landscape worker is not necessarily what a street shooter wants or what a beauty photographer prefers to work with. It’s very much a personal thing. So in this round we want to see pictures that show the use of great light, regardless of subject matter. A stunning landscape bathed with golden light, a street imagewith awesome contrast and shadows, a sumptuous window- lit portrait or an animal shot with beautiful backlight: anything goes. The light in question can be natural as supplied by our own star, or you might have given it a helping hand with filters. You can also take the man-made route that includes LED lights, flash, street lights or even candles. With such an open theme, there is naturally a great deal of subjectivity here and it’s very open to interpretation. So the first step is just to ask yourself, when looking at pictures to enter: is the light in the shot truly fantastic and would the image be a failure without it? If the answer is no, carry on looking. Finally, when prepping your club’s entry please double-check that the image files are at least 1500 pixels on the longest dimension. No problem if sizes are bigger, but smaller and the images can’t be truly enjoyed by the judges. Theme4: fantastic light

LEFT Shooting into the sun (with care) can give powerful results, especiallywith bold scenes. ABOVE Look for patterns and shadows created by the sun and compose to make themost of any strong shapes. BELOW LEFT Scenic shots always benefit froma low raking sun to pick out texture and detail.

Theme 5: natural beauty

Score

Eastwood Photographic Society

89

Paragon Group

88

Synergy

88

Dorchester Camera Club

87

Midlothian Camera Club

87

Preston Photographic Society

87

ImageZ Camera Club

86

New City Photographic Society

86

Seaford Photographic Society

86

Steyning Camera Club

86

Closing date 5March 2018

Wilmslow Guild Photographic Society

86

Windsor Photographic Society

86

Frome Wessex Camera Club

85

Thewinner: Theme 3: The decisivemoment

Harpenden Photographic Society

85

Maidenhead Camera Club

85

Well done to Eastwood Photographic Society (Glasgow) for winning this month’s round and qualifying for the final shoot-out. Eastwood PS joins Great Notley CC and Eastbourne PS in the final, whichwill take place later this spring.

PICO

85

Trostre Camera Club

85

City Photo Club

84

Exeter Camera Club

84

Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club

84

Peterborough Photographic Society

84

Wisbech & District Camera Club

84

Bedford Camera Club

83

Grantham and District Camera Club

83

Leicester Forest Photographic Society

83

Norwich & District Photographic Society

83

Tonbridge Camera Club

83

Beckenham Photographic Society

82

Blandford Forum Camera Club

81

Brentwood & District Photographic Club

81

Consett & District Photographic Society

81

Medway DSLR Camera Club

81

Park Street Camera Club

79

Axholme Camera Club

78

Dunholme Camera Club

78

Norfolk Photographers Camera Club

78

Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club

77

Caister Photography Club

76

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Technique 16

Break the rules andmake your scenic shots even better Newhorizons

If your landscape photography is in a rut, find some new perspective with these simple scenic techniques. Each one flies in the face of traditional landscaping rules, but is sure to produce eye catching images

1. Forget the foreground

Almost every article you read on shooting landscapes will talk aboutincludingstrongforeground interest. The importance of this is to anchor the view and draw the eye to the subject. Landscapes without it can seem top-heavy, unbalanced, and lacking impact.

It’s a fine rule, but it’s not always required, particularly if the scene has enough mood to support itself alone. This is not an excuse to include bland foregrounds; moreover, it’s about experimenting with how you place the subject, and use

light and shade to draw the eye instead of detail. Along with the light, sometimes a sense of scale is plenty on its own; or you may find a patch of sunlight is enough. Central framing and longer exposures canhelp too, as theyadd to the simplicity of a composition.

Words and pictures by Kingsley Singleton

Left Some will frown at a centrally

Landscapes should be sharp, clear and free from blur, right? Not always. There are times when a mood or a sense of a place is more important than seeing the place itself clearly, and that leads you down a more impressionistic path. In these cases try using multiple exposures or intentional camera movement (ICM) to make a more painterly picture; and by using the two together you’ll make an image that has more distinct parts overlaid with texture and colour. Most digital cameras have a multiple exposure mode, and this can be found in the shooting menu, or sometimes along with the drive modes. Within the menu you’ll be able to choose how many separate exposures go to make up the final image, and how they’re blended, called Auto Gain on Nikon or Multi Exposure Control on Canon. The easiest thing to do is switch the mode on or set it to average; therein the camera Life is full of rules, andphotography is no different. It’s especially true when shooting landscapes; we’re told to compose and focus in certain ways; to avoid some things and seek out others. Here’s the real truth though; good light makes good landscapes. Essentially, it’s easier to make a good image in good light using no rules than it is to force a good image out of poor light using a standard set of ideas. The more important things, always, are balance in the image and emotion. On these pages you’ll find some ways you can shoot landscapes differently. It’s not a complete list, but it is something to think about when you’re out shooting, because each rule-breaker can be used to create great images.

placed subject, but it can work well especially if the lighting

Here’s the real truth though; good light makes good landscapes

and subject shape suits.

2. Make an impression

makes sure the picture isn’t over or underexposed. As for the ICM part, simply slow the shutter to a point where motion blur is picked up during the exposure as you move the camera. To get a slow speed, try shooting in aperture-priority mode (Av or A), setting a high f/number like f/16, and a low ISO setting like 100. You may find you need to shoot when available light is low to get a few seconds in which to move the camera, or fit a neutral density filter. Slow the shutter to create the blur required and build up texture or colour over separate shots, then shoot with the camera locked off to get a subject sharp. Or change the exposure setting between shots. Experimentation is key to success here. Right Practise with multiple exposures and deliberate camera movement to find a formula that works for you.

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Technique

3. Ditch thewide angle lens

4. Add a human element

When we think about lenses for landscapes we usually think wide angle. With wide-angle lenses the field of view is large, and that lets you pack in lots of scenery as well as enlarging details close to the camera to maximise foreground detail. But switch to a telephoto lens and you’ll be forced to be selective. This helps you pick more interesting subjects and discover hidden opportunities. Try shooting in misty conditions and get up the side of hills for

an across country. Look for simple, balanced compositions, following the rule of thirds, and avoid clutter if possible. Just as for wide-angle shots, it’s important to shoot from a tripod; if anything more so, as camera shake is more noticeable at longer focal lengths; if the lens has a tripod collar, use that. If you need to shoot handheld, switch on image stabilisation and steady the lens by leaning on something like a fence. unobstructed view

Above Including a figure in your compositions can add a sense of scale and a point of extra interest.

How many times have you waited for someone to exit a scene before shooting, thinking the scene will be cleaner and simpler without them? The thing is, climbers and hikers will often crop up in shots, and if used correctly they’ll add something, rather than throwing the eye. Human figures can add

a sense of scale and a narrative to a scene that’s otherwise bland and difficult to read; how do you know how big a hill is without someone climbing it? How do you tell the viewer that they’re looking at a wilderness without a solitary figure being dwarfed by it? That’s not to say the figure should be the

subject, they should just support the overall scene. To stop them taking over, make them anonymous: silhouette them against the low sun, or use a shutter speed that will blur their movement slightly; not so much that they disappear, but so that only their shape remains.

Human figures can add a sense of scale and narrative to a scene that’s otherwise bland and difficult to read

Above Use a telephoto lens to compress (flatten) perspective.

5. Aim into the sun

Left Shooting into the sun gives very powerful results, but it needs controlling. Use parts of the scene to shield the

Shooting around dawn and dusk, when the sun is low, improves contrast and gives warmer colours, but it’s less common to shoot directly towards the sun, actually making it part of the composition. Why? Shooting into the sun adds lots of contrast to the scene, and this can be difficult to deal with, leaving blown highlights and deep shadows. On the plus side, as the sun will be the brightest part of the scene, it forms an excellent focal point when there’s little else available, landscapes

while the light will add highlights, picking out pleasing textures in grass or rock. It will also give pictures a great feeling of warmth. To avoid too much contrast, try placing the sun behind a tree, a cloud, or the edge of a hill or rock, lessening its impact. Shooting in this way, combined with a high f/ number like f/16 or f/22 will also form an obvious starburst. To further help control contrast, make sure you shoot in Rawmode, and use the highlights/shadows sliders during editing.

sun to help avoid flare;

this can help with keeping contrast levels manageable.

Shooting into the sun adds contrast to the scene, and this can be difficult

Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards

Gear of the year The Photography News Awards 2017 It’s time for you to recognise brilliant products and outstanding service in our annual Awards. Your votes will decide the winners so please check through our nominations and pick the products and services that you think deserve the ultimate accolade

The is constantly changing and we have more gear options than ever before as progress and innovation continues apace. The aim of our Awards is simple: it’s your chance to recognize awesome kit and wonderful service. We’ve shortlisted products in key categories and then you get the chance to pick what you think deserves to win. It couldn’t be simpler: voting is done online and it’s free. You don’t even have to register to vote. The photographic gear landscape

only categories where we haven’t done any shortlisting are in the service categories like Best Retailer and Best Website Provider. In those you nominate who you think deserve to win. In the case of categories like Best Retailer where there may be a chain of stores, please nominate the name of the store group and the individual shop. To vote go to photographynews.co.uk, follow the Awards link and complete the voting form. You can vote in every category

but if youprefer tovote for just a fewcategories that is perfectly fine too. It’s entirely up to you, and it shouldn’t take more than a fewminutes even if you vote in all categories. Thank you for support.

Closing date for votes is 26 February 2018

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Photography News | Issue 52 | photographynews.co.uk

Awards

WIDE-ANGLE LENS Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Fujifilm XF23mm f/2 R WR
 Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.4E ED

ADVANCED CSC Canon EOS M6 Fujifilm X-T20 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Olympus PEN-F Panasonic DC-GX800 Sigma sd Quattro H

Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM A
 Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM A
 Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
 Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4

MACRO LENS Fujifilm XF80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro Olympus M.Zuiko ED 30mm f/3.5 Macro
 Samyang 100mm f/2.8 ED UMC Macro Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
 Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD Voigtlander E-Mount 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar

CONSUMERDSLR Canon EOS 80D Canon EOS 200D

Nikon D5600 Nikon D7500

Pentax KP Sony A68

PROFESSIONAL CSC Fujifilm X-Pro2 Fujifilm X-T2 Leica M10

STANDARD LENS Fujifilm XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR Fujifilm XF35mm f/2 R WR Olympus M.Zuiko ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO 
 Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM A Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Voigtlander Nokton MFT 25mm f/0.95 II Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8

Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Sony A9

ADVANCEDDSLR Canon EOS 6D Mark ll Canon EOS 7D Mark ll

Nikon D500
 Nikon D850
 Pentax K-1 Sony A77 II

TRIPOD: ALLOY Benro Travel Angel FTA28AB1

COMPACT/BRIDGE Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Fujifilm X100F Fujifilm X70 Leica X-U Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 Sony RX10 IV

Kenro Karoo Compact Tripod (Aluminium) 102 Manfrotto Be Free Aluminium Travel Tripod Nest NT-363AT Aluminium Systematic
 Slik PRO 400DX
 Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 264AT TRIPOD: CARBON-FIBRE Gitzo Systematic series 5 long, 4 sections GT5543LS Kenro Karoo Ultimate Travel Tripod 401C Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon 4-section Nest Traveller NT-6264CK

TELEPHOTO LENS Fujifilm XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR Fujifilm XF50mm f/2 R WR Nikon AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM S Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM A Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4

PROFESSIONAL DSLR Canon EOS 5DS R Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Nikon D5 Sony A99 II

Novo Explora T20 Velbon GEO E543D

CONSUMER CSC Canon EOS M100 Canon EOS M3

MEDIUM-FORMAT Fujifilm GFX 50S

ON-CAMERA FLASH Hahnel Modus 600RT
 Kenro Speedflash KFL101 Rotolight NEO 2 Nissin Di700 Air 
 Pixapro Li-ION580 MK II TTL Profoto A1

SUPERZOOMLENS Fujifilm XF18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
 Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD

Hasselblad H6D-100c Hasselblad X1D-50c Leica S-E
 Pentax 645 Z Phase One IQ3 100MP Trichromatic

Fujifilm X-A3 Fujifilm X-E3 Olympus PEN E-PL8 Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

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