Photography News Issue 39

It’s nearly Christmas, the one time of year when you have a genuine, cast-iron excuse to add a ton of new camera kit to your wish list. Check out our 12 craves of Christmas for inspiration – after all, you’ve been very good this year! This issue also has our roundup of 2016’s biggest photo competitions and a review of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II.

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Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography news Photography Issue 39 28 Nov – 12 Jan News Tests Reviews Interviews Techniques Competitions Exhibitions Clubs Produced by

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A Samsung 64GB Pro memory card Enter the competition on page 76 WIN!

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The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II can deliver 60 full-size Raws in a single second with its electronic shutter. Add a weather-proof body, 20.4-megapixel resolution and a five-axis image stabilisation system and Olympus’s new flagship model looks like a very special camera indeed King of speed

Camera Club of the Year 2016-17 Calling all camera clubs and photographic societies: entry for this year ’ s contest, sponsored by Fujifilm, is now open. Win a monthly round and your club could be joining us for a very special final shoot-out. See page 20 for full entry details

Olympus announced the OM-D E-M1 three months ago but at the time itwas still indevelopment so its specification was subject to change. The camera is now available to pre- order and its impressive features list is confirmed. Most camera brands are striving for ever more rapid shooting rates. For Olympus this meant revisiting its core technologies; thus the OM-D E-M1 Mark II boasts a new sensor as well as a redesigned-from

the-ground-up autofocus system which features 121 cross-point sensors. These innovations have allowed a continuous shooting rate of 60 frames-per-second capturing full-size Raws in single AF with the camera’s Pro Capture mode using its silent electronic shutter. With continuous AF tracking this drops to 18 frames-per-second. Use the mechanical shutter and you get 15 frames-per-second in continuous shooting with single AF.

In Pro Capture, partially depress the shutter button and the camera buffers full resolution files and when the shutter is fully depressed to start shooting, the previous 14 frames are also captured to help you capture the decisive moment. Fast shooting is just one aspect of this astonishing camera so turn to page 3 to read more and to page 54 for a full review of this top CSC.

olympus.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

News

Olympus OM-DE-M1 Mark II

The flagship OM-D E-M1 Mark II builds on its predecessor the OM-D E-M1 and offers a wide range of new advanced features. Key among them is its new high speed AF, which boasts 121-point all cross-type phase detection sensors that cover 75% of the vertical imaging area and 80% horizontally. The camera can deliver 18fps shooting in continuous autofocus or 60fps Raw in single-autofocus with its electronic shutter. You get 15fps with the mechanical shutter. Four AF target modes means autofocus can be set for different situations. Top image quality is delivered by a brand new 20.4-megapixel Live MOS sensor and new TruePic VIII processor and the camera offers a 50-megapixel high-res shot option. The 5-axis in-body image stabilisation system gives a 5.5EV benefit. Fit the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens which has 2-axis IS built-in and you get up to 6.5EV at the focal length of 100mm. In addition to this the Mark II features a high-speed smooth electronic viewfinder and is the first OM-D camera to feature two SD slots, one UHS-II compatible, and

is the first in Olympus cameras to offer 4K video recording. Like other OM-D models the E-M1 Mark 11 has a rugged weatherproof design which makes it splash proof, dust proof and freeze proof. TheMark II’s shutter is rated at 200,000 cycles. Thanks to an improved battery life theOM-DE-M1Mark II offers an extended shooting time anddisplays the battery life as a percentage. The OM-D E-M1 is compatible with a range of Micro Four Thirds lenses and accessories, including the newly available HLD-9 battery grip that can deliver up to an additional 880 shots, priced at £279.99. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II will be available body only for £1849.99 or with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens for £2399.99 from December. With the Olympus Pro Service if you purchase an OM-D E-M1 Mark II you have the choice of three service programmes; StandardPlus, Advance and Elite. Standard Plus is free and offers benefits such as six months extended warranty. See our full test on the OM-D E-M1 Mark II on page 54.

olympus.co.uk

Hands onOlympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

“Exposure was generally very sound too and the system coped especially well with backlighting. The only time I got underexposed shots was when I had a few seconds to photograph horses walking back from the track to the paddock under the grandstand. The bright background sky and the very deep shadows made for a very challenging scene. If I ’ d had time I would have set some compensation because I wouldn ’ t expect any camera to deal with that situation without human help. “Generally, though, the AF, exposure and white-balance systems did very well. In fact I was very happy with JPEGs straight out of the camera. Colours looked spot on and well saturated even with standard colour mode. “I also did some 4K video shooting with and without the IS system engaged to see how effective the IS is. My word, what a difference it made to my footage. Bear in mind I was using the 40-150mm at the long end and I was almost shaking with cold and that combination made my panning footage very jittery but the IS did an unbelievable job of smoothing it out. “I also got the chance to try the Mark II with the 12- 100mm f/4 PRO lens. This new lens has 2-axis IS on board and that works with the camera body’s own IS to give a claimed 6.5EV benefit. In theory a 6EV benefit means you can shoot at 1/2sec and get pictures as sharp as 1/125sec. The image shown on the right was shot indoors handheld from a freestanding position at 1sec at f/18 at 40mm (80mm in 35mm format). As you can see from the enlarged section, it is very, very acceptable. Remarkable. “Frommy short time with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II it is clearly a first-rate CSC that has set new benchmarks in key areas such as continuous shooting speed.”

PN editor Will Cheung got the chance to use the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II at Ascot races on a crisp autumnal afternoon. Here ’ s his report: “After a short briefing on the camera that helped me appreciate what OM-D E-M1 Mark II offered, I got started on working out how to set the camera up in detail. “The menu is seriously extensive, as befits a flagship camera, and it took me a little while to find how to set focus zones and engage continuous AF options, for example. The quick menu certainly helped and while I would have liked more time to customise the camera further, I was ready to shoot after a few minutes of basic set-up. “ I set aperture-priority AE, AWB, single zone AF, ISO 200 and simultaneous Fine JPEG and Raw recording. I had two lenses, the 12-40mm f/2.8 and 40-150mm f/2.8. “ I must say I was impressed by the camera’s robust build and I am a fan of the security given by twin SD card slots which this camera has. The camera feels and sounds lovely. Mechanical shutter noise is low even when fast continuous mode is set and barely audible outdoors. “My personal hit rate with continuous AF tracking could have been higher but I think that was more user and set-up error. In tracking mode, the camera ’ s AF should detect what's moving and track that subject but it didn ’ t always manage that. There is no doubt, however, that the AF system is very fast and when I switched to single AF, my shots were spot on. “Shooting at 15fps is amazing and the 60fps of Pro Capture even more so, and it does mean you get plenty of choice when you go through your shots – on the other hand, you use a lot of card space very quickly.

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

News

New from Nikon

The D5600 is the latest DX-format DSLR from Nikon. Available now, it is priced at f £799.99 for the AF-P 18- 55 VR kit and £989.99 for the D5600 AF-S 18-140 VR kit. The D5600 boasts a 24.2-megapixel sensor, an ISO range of 100-25,600 and a vari- angle touchscreen. It also features SnapBridge compatibility allowing you to shoot remotely and share your shots on the go using the Nikon SnapBridge app. Other features include a refined touch Fn function and a frame advance bar, a feature taken from the D5 and D500 which allows you to scroll quickly through images in playback mode.

Nikon has also announced its winter cashbackpromotion, offering up to £510 on selected Nikkor lenses and DSLR cameras. The offer runs until 15 January 2017. Find out more at nikon.co.uk/promotions.

nikon.co.uk

Filters at Fotospeed Fotospeed is pleased to announce the availability of Kaiser filters. The range includes theKaiser VarioND filter, which can be rotated to adjust the neutral density strength fromND2x to ND400x (2EV to 8EV). Also available in the range are colour filters, polarisers, conversion filters and skylight filters. Prices range from £18.70-£38.99.

fotospeed.com

LikingLeica Leica has unveiled the TL-System camera. Improving on the Leica T camera system the Leica TL features an improved autofocus and an internal buffer memory of 32GB. There are currently six lenses available in the Leica TL portfolio, threeprimes and two zooms, but thanks tooptimizedcompatibility you can also use Leica SL-lenses with OIS and R-System lenses combined with the R-Adapter. The TL is available now in titanium, silver or black finish priced at £1450. Also new from Leica is the special edition APO- Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH lens in red anodised finish. There are only 100 units available worldwide, priced at £7575, which are currently scheduled to be available from 9 December 2016. In other Leica lens news it has introduced a modern version of its classic Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 lens. The new Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 wide- angle lens is ultra-compact and stylish and priced at £1900.

Manfrotto has launched a new range of monopods for both video and photo. The XPRO Monopod+ range consists of five models, while there are six models available in the XPRO Video Monopod+ range. The dedicated video monopod kits feature Manfrotto’s new Full Fluid base and 3D fluid movement to help you achieve compelling smooth footage. The Full Fluid Base can also be purchased separately allowing you to convert the XPRO Photo Monopod+ range for video use. Both ranges include a quick power lock system for rapid set-up and also have rubber leg warmers to increase comfort and grip. Prices for the ranges start from £59.95. More Manfrotto monopods

uk.leica-camera.com

Adding to its line of OM-D accessories Olympus has launched the STF-8Macro flash. Available fromDecember 2016 andpriced at £449.99 this compact and lightweight twin flash offers a guide number of six using one flash head or 8.5 when firing two. The flash heads can bemoved or detached, allowing you to havemore control when lightingmacro subjects and thanks to it being dust, splash and freeze proof you can shoot in all conditions. Mightymacro

manfrotto.co.uk

olympus.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

News

Portrait Pro v15 is a powerful software that lets you improve all aspects of yourpeoplepicturesverysimplyandquickly.Youcanbanishskinblemishes, add or repair make-up and even adjust and improve facial features. Making changes is done with sliders and clicking on your subject’s face, and you can let the software do the work or you can take control manually and make your own presets. If great portraits are your goal, Portrait Pro is an essential software and it can do wonders for your work. There is 50% off this software at the moment so it is available for under £30 but for a limited time you get an extra 10% by using the code PNGIFT. Save onPortrait Pro

portraitprofessional.com

London Stereo

The London Stereoscopic Company has launched the OWL Virtual Reality Kit, which allows you to use it with a smartphone to view online 3D images or those taken by yourself an adapter. The OWL features high-quality optical lenses and a fully adjustable focus. The OWL VR kit is

available for £25. Alternatively you can purchase theVictorianGemsNest Set for £95which comeswith an OWL or the Queen set for £90 which includes the PlatinumOWL Stereoscopic viewer.

londonstereo.com

Macphun’s new Luminar all-in-one photo editor for Mac is available to purchase now. It offers an adaptive user interface, more than 35 fully adjustable custom filters and over 50 built-in presets. Other features include noise reduction, object removal and Raw file support. Luminar can be used standalone or as a plug-in to software such as Lightroom, Photoshop, Aperture and more. Download a trial or buy it for £44. Existing Machphun users can get an additional discount. Luminar release

Introducing its first portable solid state drive, G-Technology has announced the G-DRIVE slim SDD USB-C. Available in 1TB and 500GB capacities it offers speeds of up to 540MB/s and is compatible with Macs. The 1TB is priced at £329.95, while the 500GB is £199.95, and both sizes are available in space grey and silver. G-Technology expands its G-DRIVEportfolio The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers’ (SWPP) convention takes place at theHiltonLondonMetropole, Edgware Road, London W2 1JU, on 11-15 January 2017. A trade show attended bymany of imaging’s biggest names takes place 13-15 Jan and entry for this is usually £10 but if you book now, entrance is free. Visit the website for more details. Get in for free swpp.co.uk

macphun.com/luminar

Photography News has teamed up with expert photographic printers LumeJet to bring you this chance to win £200 to spend on its website. LumeJet is passionate about printing great photographs and uses its own developed S200 printer for high-end photographic and commercial print use. This high-resolution printer features the LumeJet RGB Digital Print Head and Fujifilm professional-grade Crystal Archive materials to achieve a unique, ultra-high quality with extraordinary colour fidelity. Upload your best low light or night shot and you could be the happy recipient of this wonderful prize. Our technique feature is full of hints and tips on the subject of shooting in low light so if you’ve never done it before, now’s the perfect opportunity. Whether you go for a light trail shot, a candid in a dimly lit pub or even a street scene complete with festive lighting, you have to be in it to win it. Upload your entry to flickr.com on bit.ly/2eititO. Only one photograph per person can be submitted and the entrant must be UK-based. Images should be 1500 pixels across and we will contact you if we need higher resolution files to judge or publish. The editor’s decision in this contest is final and for full terms and conditions please see absolutephoto.com. The closing date for entries is 9 January 2017 and the winner will be announced in PN issue 40 out the week beginning 16 January 2017. Win in the night

g-technology.com

lumejet.com

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

News

Scott Sinden was diagnosed with motor neurone disease two years ago, and his poppy image won him a prize in the Disabled Photographers’ Society’s annual competition. “I was shocked and surprised to win a prize,” he said. “It takes a lot of effort to take pictures because of my condition, so to be told I had won an award made me hugely proud.” Another winner was Brian Adam, who has had part of his leg amputated. “I loved the competition,” Brian said, “and it gave me a purpose to get out and about with the camera.” Scott, Brian and other winners attended an awards ceremony at Calumet Photographic’s London Drummond Street store. Disabled winners show their talent

News in brief

Mastering Street Photography Mastering Street Photography is an essential guide to the equipment and technical skills required to help you get the most out of taking street photos. Written by the principal and course tutor of Streetsnappers workshops, Brian Lloyd Duckett teaches you how you to capture candidmoments. Published by Ammonite Press, Mastering Street Photography will be available fromDecember, with a guide price of £19.99. ammonitepress.com exposure in his new book, featuring enjoyable info- graphics. Photo-Graphics: Exposure published by Ammonite Press is available to buy now for £19.99. ammonitepress.com The CatalogueRaisonné Published by Phaidon, Magnum Photobook: The Catalogue Raisonné features the 1300 photobooks that have been published to date by Magnum photographers, offering an insight into 100 of these books including Robert Capa’s Death in the Making (1939), and Henri Cartier-Bresson's The Decisive Moment . It's available now, priced £49.95. uk.phaidon.com iPhotography The Joy of iPhotography by Jack Hollingsworth offers tips on how to approach a variety of subjects when shooting with the world's most popular camera, the iPhone. It's available to buy now at £9.99. octopusbooks.co.uk Exposure explained Award-winning photographer David Taylor helps you understand andmaster

the-dps.co.uk

The Army Photographic Competition winners have been announced with professional army photographer, Corporal Tim Jones being named as Photographer of the Year. His winning images portrayed military life over the past year. Speaking about his win Tim said: “I take photos for my job and at the end of the year I look through my archive and pick out my favourites. I wasn’t expecting it; it’s cool.” There were 13 other awards announced, as well as two runners up and the winners were announced at an awards ceremony held at the Imperial War Museum, London. WinningArmyPhotos

army.mod.uk

Seasons of the British Isles

The winner of the 2016 Thomson Ecology Seasons of the British Isles competition has been named as AlanWarriner. His winning image, entitled 'Fire in the Ice' was taken on an early morning in the Lake District. The winning shot saw Alan collect the prize of £200, plus royalties for the use of his photo. Alan says, “I had some time off and had spent a few days in the Lake District with my camera. One evening I was

passing Bassenthwaite and thought it might be a good location to get a photograph of the sunrise the next morning. When I arrived there was little sign of the sun, but instead the lake had frozen. The contrast between the reeds and the ice caught my eye, and I ended up taking this shot instead." Three runners-up were also announced; John Holt, Linda Pryke and Swales Parry.

thomsonecology.com

Inside theworld’s leading brands

See inside some of the most successful and celebrated brands' headquarters in HQ: Nerve Centres of the World’s Leading Brands . Published by ROADS, this hardback book offers stunning interior and architectural shots of over 50 of the world’s leading firms, such as Aston Martin and Beats Electronics. The book is available now for £40.

roads.co

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

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: 2 January 2017

We need words and pictures by 2 January 2017 for the next issue of Photography News , which will be available from 16 January 2017. 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

Double honour for Wokinghamand East Berkshire Camera Club

Camera Club of the Year The search for Photography News Camera Club of the Year has begun! Look out for announcements about the themes over the next five issues of PN , and details of how your club can get involved. See page 20 of this issue for the latest information.

FarnboroughCamera Clubcelebrates

Farnborough Club celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and held a commemorative event on 25 October, hostingDavidNoton and his Chasing the Light Roadshow. Mayor of Rushmoor, councillor Jacqui Vosper, introduced David and 160 people attended. David’s roadshow was a great event, showcasing his amazing work over the last 30 years, whilst also presenting some of his most recent work. Other events to celebrate the anniversary included a special dinner with Tony Oliver from the SCPF and members from Farnborough’s twinned club in Oberursel, Germany in attendance. The final event will be the 75th Anniversary Exhibition to be held in Princes Mead, Farnborough on 28 and 29 January 2017. Some of the best images from club members will Camera

be featured, along with pictures from Oberursel, as well as displays on the club’s history and historical shots. LeoRich fromthe PAGBwill be attending to present a special 75th anniversary rosette to the best image.

farnboroughcameraclub.org

Left to right Kathryn Graham, Terry Redman, mayor Jacqui Vosper, David Noton and Wendy Collens.

Photography enthusiasts are invited to come along to an open session with Paul Hill at QUAD in Derby on 8 December, 6.30pm to 8.30pm, (tickets £5).  Share your work and gain advice and guidance from Paul, a photographer, author and teacher. The session, part of the FORMAT Photoforum event running until 19 January 2017, is an opportunity to expose your work to an informed audience of fellow practitioners and enthusiasts, and get feedback that may help move the work forward, or even get it published or exhibited. If you want to show your work, please contact Paul in advance at paul@ hillonphotography.co.uk FORMAT Photoforum: open session with Paul Hill

Hailsham memberproduces winningprint

The Kent County Photographic Association (KCPA) holds an annual print competition, the Ross Cup, to encourage the production of prints. This year’s event took place on 30 October. Gay Biddlecombe from Hailsham Photographic Society won the Lakeland Holidays Landscape Trophy for the best landscape print. Her print, ‘Volcanic Dust Descending’, was taken two weeks after the 2010 volcanic eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland. The judge, Walter Benzie Hon FRPS, president of the RPS, said that landscapes depend on fine definition, an interesting viewpoint, timing and maximising the use of available light, and that this image had all the right ingredients.

Two members of Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club have been honoured in this year’s Landscape Photographer of the Year awards. Martin Pickles was commended for his image ‘Temple Island Flypast’. “To get so far is something else,” saidMartin. “It means a place in theAwards book andmy image will be displayed as a print in the LPotY exhibition. The image itself was both a bit of luck – beautiful winter morning, with the geese deciding to fly at that exact moment – and being prepared, ie having my camera set up and ready. I just had to lift the camera, compose, focus and shoot!” Matthew Cattell was named overall winner for his image ‘Starling Vortex’. “Winning Landscape Photographer of the Year has been a dream come true,” said Martin. “This was my second time witnessing the starling roost at Brighton and I knew before I arrived that I wanted to take a photograph from the pier to give the impression of being at the centre of the murmuration. The tones of the sky reflected the cold, winter weather and the wind had whipped up the sea to create large, rolling waves. I didn’t know if I had captured what I wanted until I got home. I was drawn to this particular shot because of the sense of movement created by the birds and waves against the static pier.”

For more details visit derbyquad.co.uk

hailshamphotographicsociety. co.uk

webcc.org.uk

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

13 Interview

Profile Paul Legg Flash gear has changed almost beyond all recognition in recent times, so we caught up with the boss of Profoto, a leading light in the lighting revolution

Many of our readers will have heard of Profoto but the brand might not be familiar to all, so would you mind introducing everyone to what the company offers please? Profoto is the Light Shaping Company. We design and develop light shaping tools that enable the world’s best and most ambitious image creators to be more creative, take better images and turn their ambition into reality. How is business in the lighting market from your perspective? Business is very good. Since start up, Profoto Ltd, the UK subsidiary, has averaged 20% growth year on year. 2015 was a great year with a 40% increase and 2016 is continuing in the same direction. Have you had to increase your prices as many distributors have due to the weak £ and Brexit vote? Profoto Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary and as such, unlike some lighting distributors in the UK, we have direct communication with our owners in Stockholm. Working together we have tried to absorb any cost increases so far. If we do have a price increase it tends to be once annually around January/February. The market for portable lighting has changed enormously and Profoto has played its part with the B1 and B2 off-camera lighting systems. The two systems take different approaches, one with on-board power one with separate battery. What do your customers favour most? Both are both extremely popular. The B2 250 Air TTL with its small compact head utilising both off- camera flash accessories or the standard Profoto light shapers without the need for adaptors or the cord free B1 500 Air TTL monobloc. They are used for multiple applications and some photographers use both. The real beauty is that the image creator can choose which is best for them on a particular shoot. It is worth noting that both the B1 and B2 are supported by a ‘try before you buy’ scheme through our retailers. Profoto equipment is also widely supported by rental dealers. Profoto’s traditional customer has been the pro photographer, but with the B1 and B2 are enthusiasts buying your products? The groundbreaking B1 allowed for a new style of photography thanks to its power, lack of cords, TTL and High Speed Sync (HSS).

How have the new products been received by customers? The D2 Air TTL monobloc has been really well received as it is such a significant step forward in monobloc design. It is a far more capable unit than anything on the market. Profoto market it under the ‘speed manifesto’ and it really is so easy and fast to use with its big LCD panel and Profoto open clasp light shaper fitting. It has a great balance of power and ultra short flash duration – 1/63,000sec in freeze mode. The D2 Air TTL also has a burst mode giving up to 20 frames-per- second capture rate. This allows the image creator to capture 20 versions of the same moment and often that is the difference between capturing a good or a great image. The reception from the market for the Pro-10 has been fantastic. It really does cement Profoto’s position at the pinnacle of flash lighting. Initially our focus with the Pro-10 is the rental market. As I write this we are delivering significant numbers of Pro-10 units to UK rental studios and outlets. What are your customers telling you about what they expect to see in future lighting devices? Image creators want technologically superior equipment but with uncomplicated user interfaces. They require future-proofed camera and computer connectivity and their lighting equipment to be sophisticated enough to more than cope with multiple disciplines. The future looks great for Profoto.

and doesn’t require an extra set of hands or any fighting to fit a softbox or reflector to a Profoto head, but also allows reflectors to be mounted in varying positions giving each reflector multiple light shaping possibilities putting creativity in the hands of the image creator. Your latest product launches, the D2 monobloc and the Pro-10 generator, offer incredibly brief flash durations in freeze mode of 1/63,000sec and 1/80,000 respectively. Why does Profoto feel such incredibly short flash durations are needed? And how have you achieved such flash durations? There are those amongst us who push the envelope. They say, good is the enemy of great. If there’s a limit – they step beyond it. If there’s a boundary – they cross it. This is our speed manifesto. For great image creators, challenges are there to be conquered. For them, speed is more than the ability to freeze a moment of action or matching the fastest camera shutter. It is about setting creativity free. Moving fast, delivering fast, capturing the seemingly impossible – fast. Taking light and shaping something remarkable with it. Setting the bar higher – and then doing it all over again. They redefine their craft every single day and so do we. This is speed redefined. As for how: flash-cutting TTL technology and superb Profoto Swedish design ethos. That’s all a creative photographer really needs to know. The Pro-10 Air TTL and D2 Air TTL just work beautifully, not just once but again and again.

This functionality has brought large numbers of customers to invest in Profoto. Professional photographers, prosumers and enthusiastsareseeingthelimitations in their existing equipment. With respect to TTL in the studio, some brands have stuck with manual only flash while Profoto has embraced it. Why is this and what do you feel the key benefits of TTL flash on studio type lighting units are? It really is the same conversation many people had when AF cameras and program autoexposure modes arrived. If the technology works, why not embrace it? Also, the B1 and B2 deliver significant improvement over speedlights on output power, recycling times and rapid bursts in the studio or on location, plus they are compatible with over 150 Profoto light shapers. Do not forget that with Profoto products the creative control is always the photographer’s decision. If they wish to shoot in TTL or manual they can and with the Profoto Air TTL hybrid mode they can shoot in TTL then switch to manual mode. In hybrid mode the first manual shot will be at the same flash settings as the last TTL shot. With the Canon, Nikon and Sony Air Remote TTL transceivers shooting TTL really is that simple. Looking at your product range, what is your favourite product and why? Wow! That’s a difficult question for me to answer but I would have to say that for its significance in the photographic lighting market, with its ground breaking design, full TTL and High Speed Sync functionality the Profoto B1 500 Air TTL monobloc is my favourite. We certainly have seen a huge increase in sales and a marked increase in awareness of the Profoto brand amongst photographers. Three years since launch the Profoto B1 500 Air TTL and OCF system of light shapers still does not have any competitors. What Profoto product feature are you personally most proud of and why? Even though Profoto constantly sets new standards in technology and design it is the simplicity of Profoto design and ease of use that is the real benefit for photographers. So for me it’s the open clasp 100mm reflector clamp mount on all Profoto heads. This not only makes fitting light shapers exceedingly simple

Biography

Full job title? Managing director Years in the photo industry? Oh this will hurt… 34 years – I started when I was 16! Current location? Stockholm Last picture taken? Southend-on-Sea pier When youwere younger, what did youwant to bewhen you grewup? I always wanted to be a lumberjack… no, as a child I dreamt of being a pilot Dogs or cats? Dogs Toast or cereal? Cereal Email or phone call? Phone call

For great image creators, challenges are

there to be conquered

profoto.com

Try before

you buy

Profoto has an extensive dealer and rental network so if you want to check out its products see its website for your nearest dealer. A Profoto dealer will have ‘try before you buy’ equipment available so you can borrow a B2, B1 or newly launched D2 mains Air TTL monobloc for a couple of days to experience Profoto equipment in a non pressured environment. Profoto will be at next year’s The Photography Show at the NEC too.

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

Profile

Before the judge

KevinWilsonFRPS Each month, a judge or selector shares their thoughts and experiences. This month we speak to KevinWilson, a multi award-winning people photographer

Duringmyprofessionalphotography career, I have been fortunate enough to win many awards and gain the highest photographic qualifications available. I have two Fellowships with the RPS, six Fellowships with the BIPP, an honorary Fellowship with the SWPP, a Fellowship with IPPA and a masters in the PPA. Having won many awards and achieved so many distinctions, I was asked to be a judge and selector. I have chaired the panel and judged the Kodak European Awards in Germany, Spain and theUK. Various organisations throughout Europe have also invited me to participate. Currently, I am chair of qualifications and awards in the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) and for the past two years I’ve been chairman of its national awards. I am also a selector for the RPS on the applied associate and fellowship distinctions panel. Viewing other photographers’ work is a double-edged sword – some you win, some you lose. To successful applicants I am the best judge ever; those that fail naturally take a different view. However, if an applicant is unfortunate enough not to pass, I will endeavour to be honest and open, praise where necessary and point out the issues that need to be worked on. Honest feedback is the only way if an applicant is going to succeed in the future. I would advocate that if possible, the applicant for a live judging should bring someone along with them, for the simple reason that if they have been unsuccessful, they will not hear clearly what is being said or even sometimes disagree. I would put that down to passion and disappointment at the time. When assessing or judging I give my time to the associations freely, often a couple of days at a time, several times a year. Multiply that by three or four organisations and the time mounts up, so judges and selectors do not do it for the money. In my case I want to see new photographic talent bringing exciting and polished work to the day. When I am judging a submission for a qualification, in an ideal world I would prefer to be invited into the assessment room once the whole panel is on display, ready to be viewed. In some cases due to the sheer volume and time involved, it is not possible, therefore, as in the case with the RPS distinctions, I will bow my head and close my eyes as the panel is being positioned. I will then listen to the author’s statement of intent, forming images in my mind – imagining the photographer’s interpretation or whether it will be

a colour or monochrome panel. By doing this, I feel I am allowing the applicant to convey his or her story, then I can open my eyes and view the whole panel. I prefer to view the application as a complete set – do the pictures work together, does the panel tell the story and match the applicant’s statement of intent? Once this has been viewed as a whole, I can then walk forward and admire the pictures, inspecting the panel in finer detail. At least this way I will have viewed the panel with impact in mind, which is always great to see. Occasionally a panel of judges will be split, offering differing views, and that is why I always love working with those that are willing to listen to fellow judges and change their minds, rather than being entrenched in their own opinions. There is nothing wrong in admitting that you may have overlooked something that is relevant to the panel of pictures once it is pointed out. In fact, there is much to applaud when this takes place. Fortunately, judges today are highly skilled and we all listen to different opinions. Organisations like the RPS also offer distinction advisory days and I highly recommend applicants attending one of these to discover the necessary guidelines and also to get expert advice about a submission. You will get feedback about the panel’s suitability, technical quality and presentation too. At the RPS we do get the occasional panel that has been submitted without seeking advice from an advisory day. Only recently during an assessment, I listened to the statement with great interest, conjuring up thoughts of days gone by, from someone that had spent pretty much all their life, living and breathing the project they described so vividly. I openedmy eyes and there before me was a set of photographs that was completely at odds with the statement of intent. Poorly printed and presented, lacking in lighting and composition. It was obvious to me that the applicant had not bothered to seek advice beforehand at an advisory day. On the other hand, I witnessed a panel that was of a disaster, possibly in Saudi Arabia. The photographer had captured the horror of people dying in front of him, possibly at great personal risk to himself from family and friends that did not wish to be photographed. It had huge emotion and great content, but it was let down by printing. Two unsuccessful panels that for different reasons will stay with me for a considerable time.

Biography

KevinWilson FRPS Kevin’s first camera was a Kodak Instamatic that he received on his 21st birthday. He used it to photograph a squirrel from his bedroom window. Years in photography Around 35 years. Many years ago, I was a prolific member of Kinson Camera Club, just outside Bournemouth.. Favourite camera Hasselblad 500 ELX. Today I use a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. Favourite lens Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 II. Favourite photo accessory My Lastolite reflectors, plural because I use several. Who is your favourite photographer? Norman Parkinson. His work was breathtaking and is still current all these years after his passing. I also love Don McCullin, David Bailey and Sebastiao Salgado. What is your own favourite photographic subject or technique? My favourite subjects are weddings and portraits in and around the Dorset countryside. I mainly use available light. If flash is required, I use the Quadra packs from Elinchrom; light, powerful and compact. What awards/distinctions/ medals have youwon? Two Fellowships with the Royal Photographic Society (read the full story for more details).

Print quality has to be one of the biggest problems, especially colour balance, banding and artefacts. Prints can also look inconsistent, mainly through monitors not being calibrated, or using incorrect profiles for the paper. Or it might be the lab that produces them. All such issues could have been addressed at an advisory day. Nobody wants to fail and disappointment is natural. Panel members want applicants to pass and gain their distinction and move to the next challenge. However, sadly many applicants do fail and it is essential that the photographer learns what is lacking and the reasons for an unsuccessful attempt. It is difficult, but honesty and integrity has to be upheld alongwith respect for what has been attempted, no matter how bad. Currently, on the SWPP I am seeing far too many babies in baskets sleeping amid all sorts of props. Many do not meet the required standard because of poor lighting, camera angles not thought out, wrong lens choice and just

sheer lack of photographer input. I try not to mark this sort of work down, preferring to see how well it has been carried out. Unfortunately, the bandwagon that follows the few that are good at this type of work, often fails miserably. I find it sad that judges get bad press from clubs. After all, they are mainly amateur photographers that give their time freely. It is very easy for the audience to sit in judgement while their work is being assessed, then say “what a load of rubbish that judge is”. It’s totally unjustified. I would strongly advise anyone entering competitions or aiming for a distinction to first read the rules and requirements and make the entry the best you possibly can. If you are going for a print submission, print on a variety of different surfaces to see which gives the most effective result. Remember, if there is a fault evident, the judges will see it. Dare to be different and you will prevail.

Image The picture shown here is fromKevin Wilson’s project One Light, One Lens, One Hundred, on people over 100 years old.

What do you think?

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.

kevinwilson.co.uk

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

16 Technique

Find out how photographers are using cameras like Kodak’s Pixpro 360 series to produce astonishing new images and immerse virtual reality video... Reality check Part 3: Creative ideas

VR and 360° refresher

While 360° and VR cameras, like Kodak’s Pixpro series can, at first glance seem very much at odds with traditional photography, they’re actually tools which allow greater freedom in shooting than ever before. After all, many photographers love shooting with extreme wide-angle lenses and fisheye optics anyway, so these cameras are the next step, with possibilities way beyond the reach of even the most extreme fisheye optics you’ll find for DSLRs and CSCs. The Pixpro 360 4K, for instance, has a 235° field of view, which is unmatched by traditional lenses. But the real thrill is in how you view the 360° images, allowing you to put the viewer right in your shoes with a fully interactive and immersive version of the scene. Because while camera’s like Kodak’s Pixpro 360 series can shoot regular stills, the spherical images also created can be scrolled around using a mouse, trackpad, or a VR headset, putting you, almost literally, in the photographer’s head. You’ll also find, that, with a few minutes familiarisation, 360° and VR cameras are very easy to use. Sure, there’s no traditional screen and fewer inputs than you’d find on a regular camera, but functions are neatly accessed using combinations and streamlined menus. It’s also easy to connect the Pixpro SP360 and SP360 4K and 4KVR360 models to your smartphone or tablet using a Wi-Fi connection and use that as the screen; which also lets you change modes and trigger the movie or stills functions remotely.

One of the most amazing things about 360° and VR cameras is the number of applications they have; and how the burgeoning technology of these devices can fire your imagination to produce exciting and surprising projects. This month, in the third part of our introductory guide to 360° and VR shooting, we profile two

photographers Kodak’s Pixpro 360 cameras in their work and see how the camera can be with you wherever you want to shoot, thanks to a wealth of easy-to-use accessories. And if you want to read up on the subject, but missed the first two parts, you can check them out online in issues 37 and 38 of PN at issuu.com/brightpublishing. using

in associationwith

Photographer #1: Asier Arranz on sharing ideas in virtual reality Asier Arranz is a Spanish photographer who’s been working with Kodak’s Pixpro360cameras for some time, andknowshowimportant the technology can be in creating immersive and unusual views of the world. As well as acting as the lead in launching a big project at the IE Business School in Madrid, where he is head of the Technology Lab, he puts his Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K cameras though their paces around Europe, shooting stunningly fresh views of well-known sites, like the Eiffel Tower. “As an emerging technology,” he says, “360° video is growing quickly and VR is an exciting opportunity, allowing new ways of recording that haven’t been tested before. In traditional cinema everything has been done, and a lot of directors have a big prestige; in the 360° shooting there are a lot of empty places for new creative minds.” The project at the IE Business School is called the ‘WOWroom’, and it’s an idea that uses the capabilities of VR cameras like the SP360 4K to facilitate learning and discovery – you can see a video about it here bit.ly/2dsDnyM. In one application, many cameras are used simultaneously to make the biggest immersive videowall in Europe, showing howvirtual reality can aid a working or teaching environment. In another, the VR is used to take the viewer to restricted places that would otherwise be impossible (or at least very difficult), a great example of which is the production line and clean testing facilities for satellites at Airbus. Asier praises the dimensions of the palm-sized Pixpro line and that “using one camera is great for scenes recorded from the viewpoint of the floor or the ceiling of a room, andwhen Iwant toput the camera in themiddle of the air for a full VR effect, it’s easy to mount two SP360 4K cameras in combination. This helps us to create wonderful 360° videos for education at the IE Business School, and although my department has been testing a lot of cameras, for now, the Kodak models deliver the best quality and don’t need any extra time for setting up.”

Asier Arranz on shooting the Eiffel Tower

“For this shot, I found the central point under the Eiffel Tower, and placed the SP360 4K on the ground facing upwards at the structure. I used some exposure compensation to extend the exposure time by +0.3EV, gaining a little bit more detail in the shadows inside the Tower’s legs, without losing the texture in the clouds. Then I took the shoot with the free Pixpro remote app, using a HTC 10 Android device. Easy!

“At home, using Lightroom I fine-tuned the angle to make the picture as symmetrical as possible, and to strengthen the ‘X’ shape. I also rotated the image because I appear in the frame. So putting me upside down means that the focus is the Tower, not myself. Finally, regarding the colour, this picture has a lot of contrast, so monochrome was the best choice, but I also wanted to give it a warmer, smoother feel so added sepia toning.”

Photography News | Issue 39 | absolutephoto.com

17 Technique

Photographer #2: Charlie Case on creating virtual tours of London We caught up with photographer Charlie Case who’s been documenting London with Kodak’s Pixpro 360 cameras to find out how his amazing spherical views and VR footage was captured. Charlie’smotivationwas the sharing aspects VR, which allows others to experience places they can’t visit in person: “Living in London has given us a great opportunity to go to some unique places that just aren’t available around the rest of the UK. I always thought it would be nice to digitally show what certain venues look like when telling stories about them – and the 360° view gives the user a more immersive experience that cannot be replicated using a conventional 2D image or video.” Having shot a variety of footage and styles with the cameras, including time-lapse video, 360° movies and tiny planets he thought this ‘tour’ application would be a great way of using the 360° capabilities. Using the Pixpro SP360 4K Dual Pack, which consists of two cameras mounted back to back (“this is how we were able to achieve true 360°”), Charlie shot a series of short videos in 2880k resolution and a square 1:1 aspect ratio: “this meant we had a choice of frames to pick from in very high resolution and could easily stitch it all together using the Pixpro stitch software.” “Shooting with the Pixpro SP360 4Kis straightforward,”he continues,

“and we just had to consider where the stitch of the two cameras would be and judge how the lighting would affect the output. “We also had to think about the location of the camera as we wanted to position it to get the best view in each bar that was shot, but also give a realistic experience as if the user could be in the room themselves.” To keep himself out of view the cameras and dual mount were positioned on a tripod and shooting was triggered wirelessly using the free Pixpro app, “to control the cameras while I hid out of shot”. With the footage captured, a mixture of post-production software wasusedtocreatethefinaltourswith “Adobe After Effects used to capture the final frame, Adobe Photoshop to remove the tripod and clean up any

stitching and lighting issues, and finally PANO2VR to produce the tour and Adobe Illustrator to create the tour controls.” Charlie told us that reception to the virtual tours has been excellent, particularly when the technology was showcased at this year’s Photokina event, using an iPad for control and a large screen to showcase the project on a much bigger scale. “The bars have also been very enthusiastic and want to use the project for themselves, so it shows how the world of 360 can be really integrated into multiple industries.” And his next project with Kodak Pixpro? “We’ll be exploring the world of 3D 360° videowhich, as you can imagine, takes user immersion to a whole new level”.

Attach it to

anything!

Pixpro 360s have a regular 1/4in screw mount, allowing them to be mounted to almost anything

It’s all very well shooting exciting locations in astonishing VR, but how do you mount the camera? Well, that’s just as innovative. To make the most of the Kodak Pixpro 360 range’s capabilities, each model in the series has a regular 1/4in screwmount on its underside. This allows it to be mounted to almost anything, and if you pick up the Pixpro SP360’s accessory pack along with the camera, you’ll have all you need to get started. The pack lets you easily position the camera on a headband, cycle helmet, handlebars, a surfboard, window pane, and loads more via a selection of adhesive pads. Plus you get a waterproof case to increase its protection from splashes and dust for shooting in those more extreme environments. You can buy the Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K along with the Extreme Pack for around £380, and the latter includes: Standard Housing, Waterproof Housing, Suction Cup, Bar Mount, Vented Helmet Strap for Top Facing, Vented Helmet Strap, Head Strap, Surfboard Adhesive Mount, Flat Adhesive Mount, Curved Adhesive Mount, Extended Arms and Quick Clip. For more information, check out kodakpixpro.com/Europe.

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