Photography Monthly - June 2011

EXPERIENCE LIFE - CAPTURE THE MOMENT
36 PAGES OF LANDSCAPE TIPS & TECHNIQUES
THE BEST OF
BRITISH
LANDSCAPES
ISSUE 122
JUNE 2011
WHAT MAKES A
GOOD LENS?
We answer the question and give
you the advice you need
You could win our bumper prize

with your favourite images
PERFECT PRINT
The art of black-and-white
printing explained,
discussed & dissected
TEST ZONE
REVIEWED
CANON EOS 600D
NIKON 5100D
SAMSUNG NX11
CANON EOS 1100D
PLUS:
OUR ESSENTIAL
TRIPOD HEAD GUIDE
BRITISH LANDSCAPES
The magazine for people who love photography
WWW.PHOTOGRAPHYMONTHLY.COM
75 SECRETS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

3.99
Th e Professionals Choice
Classic
Design
Modern
Technology
O
W
at f
a or
st de
or m
e o
ne ns
ar tra
yo tio
u n
Inspired by the beauty and form of classic cameras from the

past, the FinePix X100 combines all the latest technical digital
innovations in a beautiful, traditional chassis which oozes
class and prestige.
WELCOME
FROM THE EDITOR
JUNE 2011 | ISSUE 122
I HAVE NO FORMAL TRAINING OR EDUCATION IN HOW TO TAKE A PICTURE. I HAVE NEVER ATTENDED
A COURSE AND I HAVE NEVER READ A BOOK TELLING ME WHAT TO DO. So how, I hear you ask, did I
manage to become a professional photographer? Well, quite simply by listening to and reading about professional
photographers. I absorbed what they had to say and had a go myself. I made mistakes and I tried again and again
and again until I started to create images that I was happy with. I was never intimidated by great work or the term
professional. Neither did I feel that a large investment in expensive equipment was the only way I was going to
progress. Its just like football. When I was a kid I wanted to learn from Pel, not just from the other kids in my
class. Thats why every month we assemble a group of photographic Pels to impart the help, advice and
inspiration you and I need to take great pictures.
This month we have decided to turn the lens on the varied landscapes of the British Isles, just to show how
by getting in the car, on a train, on a bicycle or simply by taking a walk, we all have the subject matter reasonably close to hand that we
need to create images we can all be proud of.
Its looking like its going to be a summer many of us will be spending in the UK, so whatever the weather and wherever you are, why
not pick up your camera and on some of the advice in this issue and have a go at creating images to enter into our Great British
Landscapes competition (details on how to enter are on page 67)? For me photography is a lot like football its fun to have a kickabout,
but the more you kick the ball the better you can get. Now whos going to be ref? PM
Grant Scott
Editor, Photography Monthly
EDITORS IMAGE | MATT HALSTEAD

THIS IMAGE | SLAWEK STASZCZUK
COVER IMAGE | SLAWEK STASZCZUK
W W W. P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY.CO M [ 3 ]
CONTENTS
PHOTO MONTH
Every month we feature the best of

our readers pictures that have
been posted in our online gallery.
See pages 15-22.
9-13 Each month we bring you all the essential

news on kit, books and exhibitions.
PHOTO ZONE
82-87 Jessica Lamb finds out the right tripod
head for your photographic needs.
REGULARS
7 FRIENDS
Those who have helped us to put this
months issue together.
44-45 SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscribe to Photography Monthly today.
69 EMILYS PEOPLE
Emily Andersen discusses her experiences
revisiting a personal project.
80-81 FILM SCHOOL

John Campbell brings you the latest news
from the world of film making on your DSLR.
88-89 READERS CHALLENGE

Win great prizes by uploading your images to
the gallery. This month British landscapes.
111 UPGRADE
Your kit questions answered.
122 F STOP
David Ward discusses the artist versus
photographer debate.
TEST ZONE
92-94 NIKON D5100
Kelly Weech reveals her verdict on the latest
addition to the Nikon line-up.
97-101 WHAT MAKES A GOOD LENS?

Neil Turner asks why old glass is still good
glass.
Find out what PM Editor Grant Scott made

of the high-specification EOS 600D.
106-107 SAMSUNG NX11

We take a closer look at the new CSC on
the market.
108-109 CANON EOS 1100D

Sean Samuels reviews the latest entry-level
DSLR in the Canon EOS range.
[4] P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY J U N E 20 1 1
ALWYN R COATES / KARL SHAW / ALEX NAIL
102-104 CANON EOS 600D

70-75 ROBIN BELL:
THE MASTER PRINTER
There is an art to creating great
black-and-white prints from
negatives, which is why we turned
to Robin Bell, one of the best in the
industry, to give us his tips and
advice on how to get the most from
your images.
IN THE JUNE ISSUE
27-66
THE BEST OF
BRITISH
LANDSCAPES
WIN STUFF ON PAGES 22, 25, 67, 77, 88
GO
ONLINE
For great photographer
interviews visit
www.photography
monthly.com
Britain has some

of the worlds
most interesting
landscapes to
photograph, from
long stretches of
coast to snow-covered
mountains and
everything in
between. To help you
to make the most
of your images, we
have words of advice
and tips from some
of the worlds best
photographers.
Find out how they
prepare for shoots
and learn to find new
locations, and the
way they work
with the light to
create amazing
British landscapes.
FRIENDS
MEET THE TEAM
CLARE PARK
Each month we introduce you to the people we work with to produce Photography Monthly
Neil Turner
Robin Bell
Julia Molony
Photographer
Photographer
Darkroom legend
Journalist
David is a regular contributor to

Photography Monthly. He is also
a master of composition and a
veteran tutor, regularly sharing
with his students the years of
experience he has gained working
as a professional photographer.
In Fstop this month, on page 122,
he ponders the age-old debate
about why photographers are not
seen as artists in their own right.
Neil has worked in the photography

industry for more than 25 years.
A freelance photographer, he shoots
for PR, commercial and editorial
clients. He is also a vice-chairman of
the British Press Photographers
Association. In Through the Looking
Glass on page 97 Neil turns to the
experts to find out exactly what
the elements are that must come
together to make a great lens.
Robin Bell is one of Britains most

respected black-and-white printers,
specialising in hand processing the
film and hand printing the images.
Over the years he has printed for
some of the great photographers,
including Terry ONeill, Eve Arnold
and David Bailey. In The Master
Printer on page 70 he reveals how
he goes about creating
great black-and-white prints.
Julia Molony started her career on

the features desk of the Sunday
Independent in Ireland. She is now
a freelance writer covering arts,
culture, entertainment and lifestyle
stories for a number of newspapers
and magazines, including The
Observer and Guardian Unlimited.
In The Master Printer on page 70
she meets Robin Bell to explore the
world of black-and-white printing.
David Ward
GROUP BRAND EDITOR Grant Scott

grant.scott@archant.co.uk
DEPUTY EDITOR Sean Samuels
sean.samuels@archant.co.uk
MANAGING EDITOR Simon Reynolds
simon.reynolds@archant.co.uk
FEATURES ASSISTANT Kelly Weech
kelly.weech@archant.co.uk
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica Lamb
jessica.lamb@archant.co.uk
SPECIAL THANKS Rebecca Shaw,
Karen le Gallez and Mandy Pellatt
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Eleanor Godwin

eleanor.godwin@archant.co.uk, 01242 211092
SALES EXECUTIVE Amy Pope
amy.pope@archant.co.uk, 01242 216054
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GROUP COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Lucy Warren-Meeks, 01242 264783
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PUBLISHING PRODUCTION MANAGER Kevin Shelcott

PRODUCTION TEAM LEADER Mikey Godden
REPROGRAPHICS MANAGER Neil Puttnam
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Photography Monthly is published by Archant Specialist, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB www.photographymonthly.com
www.photographymonthly.com | pm@photographymonthly.co.uk | 01242 211096

Archant Specialist. Archant Specialist is part of Archant Ltd.
While reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in Photography Monthly, that information is obtained from a variety of sources and neither the publisher,
the printers nor any distributor is responsible for errors or omissions. All prices and data are accepted by us in good faith as being correct at the time of going to press.
Pound conversion rates correct at the time of going to press. Advertisements are accepted for publication in Photography Monthly only upon Archant Specialists standard Terms
of Acceptance of Advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising department. All advertisements of which the content is in whole or in part the work of
Archant Specialist remain the copyright of Archant Specialist. Reproduction in whole or in part of any matter appearing in Photography Monthly is forbidden except by express
permission of the publisher.
ABC certified circulation

(Jan-Dec 2010): 17,324
Competition terms and conditions: The closing date for competitions/giveaways is displayed alongside the competition/giveaway online. Employees of Archant Specialist, and those
professionally connected with the competition/giveaway, for example, employees of the sponsor company, are not eligible to enter. Unless otherwise stated, competitions/giveaways
are only open to UK residents. Prizes are as described and no alternatives can be given. The editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Archant
Specialist may wish to contact you in the future, or pass your details to selected third parties, to introduce new products and services to you. If you are sending your entry by text and
do not wish to be contacted, please add the word NO to the end of your text message. If you are sending your entry by post, please tick the appropriate boxes on the entry form.
AUSTRALIA Camera CANADA Photo Life CHINA Chinese Photography FRANCE Rponses Photo GERMANY digit! Foto Hits
Magazin Inpho Imaging & Business Photographie Photo Presse ProfiFoto GREECE Photographos Photobusiness HUNGARY
Digitlis Fot ITALY Fotografia Reflex FotoGraphia NETHERLANDS Fotografie F+D FotoVisie P/F POLAND Foto SOUTH AFRICA
PiX Magazine SPAIN Arte Fotogrfico Diorama Foto/Ventas FV/Foto-Vdeo Actualidad La Fotografa Actual UNITED KINGDOM
Digital Photo Photography Monthly Practical Photography Professional Photographer UNITED STATES of AMERICA Shutterbug
If you need expert advice on which are the best photographic, video and
imaging products, look out for products with the TIPA Awards logo. Every year
the editors of 30 worldwide leading photography and imaging magazines vote
to decide which new products are the very best in their respective categories.
The TIPA awards are judged on quality, performance and value, making them
the independent photo and imaging awards you can trust.
PHOTOMONTH
All you need to know from the world of photography
THE BEST
OF BRITISH
JOHN SWANNELL
AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN
Nude Behind Silk,

Series No 1, 2004.
SWANNELL IS GIVING A PUBLIC LECTURE at

the Royal Geographical Society on 7June in aid
of the National Autistic Society.
The lecture, My World in Pictures, will trace
Johns photographic career from his first days
as an assistant at Vogue Studios through to
his time working for publications such as
Harpers & Queen, the Sunday Times and Tatler.
He is expected to talk about his experiences of
photographing some of the worlds most
well-known faces and to discuss the amazing
places he has visited. Proceeds will go
towards paying for key services and support
for individuals with autism in the UK.
John said: This will be the first time I have
talked in public about the early years of my
career and I will be revealing some previously
unseen photographs as well as some of my more
famous work, including portraits of Diana,
Princess of Wales, and her two sons, Joanna
Lumley, Andy Warhol and Tony Blair.
I am really pleased to be working with the
National Autistic Society and fundraising to help
support people with autism, like my son Charlie,
across the UK.
The lecture, at the Royal Geographical
Society, in Kensington Gore, London, is open to
the public. Tickets cost 15 from
www.autism.org.uk/johnswannell or by calling
Sam Van-Niekerk on 020 7923 5789. PM
WW
WW.
WP
W.HPOTO
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AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
IN A FLASH
Taking advantage of tablet touch screen

technology, Adobe has introduced three
Photoshop CS5 apps for the Apple iPad.
Adobe Color Lava allows users to
mix colours on the iPad to create
custom swatches to transfer back into
MAGIX AG Website Maker 5 software

allows you to build animated Flash
websites. The website is already set up
online, so that all you need to do is
customise and publish it. The online
application enables you to access your
website from any computer, anywhere
in the world. It features an archive of free
website templates, drag-and-drop user
interface, three web addresses, one domain
name of your choice, two sub-domains, five
email accounts and secure web hosting,
including 5,000MB of web space. All for 39.99
from Amazon and PC World. www.magix.com
YEAH BABY!
Photoshop. Adobe Eazel lets digital
artists create rich, realistic paintings
and introduces a new kind of interaction
between wet and dry paints.
Adobe Nav increases workflow efficiency
by letting users select and customise
the toolbar, browse and zoom in on up to
200 open Photoshop files and easily
create new files. The Adobe Color Lava,
Adobe Eazel and Adobe Nav applications
for Photoshop range in price and are
available from the iTunes App Store.
www.store.apple.com/uk
www.photoshop.com
For daily updates on news visit the website

at www.photographymonthly.com
The Lensbaby Composer Pro

features an upgraded swivel
ball and focus mechanism
from the award-winning
Lensbaby Composer system.
The Composer Pros metal
swivel ball design and
refined focus mechanism
deliver ultra-smooth focus
and tilt control, making it ideal for both
photographers and videographers. It is
compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap
System and ships with either the Double Glass
Optic or the new Sweet 35 Optic installed.
Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic is
available now for $300 (180). Composer
Pro with Sweet 35 Optic will be available
soon for $400 (240).
www.lensbaby.com
TRENT PARKE / MAGNUM PHOTOS
A full screen view of the Adobe Eazel and (smaller image) the Adobe Color Lava canvas.
George Street, Sydney, 2006.
The Aquapac submersible DSLR camera case.
PHOTOMONTH
SAFE WHEN WET
EXTREME VIDEO MAKER
TAKE TO THE STREETS
The new submersible camera cases from the

Aquapac range include compact and large cases,
plus a mini case with a hard lens, as well as
another specifically designed for DSLR cameras.
The case is designed to float if you drop it
and to stay waterproof down to a depth of five
metres for up to half an hour. The cases open
and close with a simple twist of three levers.
Each pack comes supplied with a shoulder strap.
Prices start from 25.
www.aquapac.net
For anyone wanting to shoot videos

in extreme conditions, Midlands
XTC-300VP4 1080p XTC video camera is
an ideal choice. It includes mounts and a
submersible case, so no hands are
required to shoot footage in 1080p high
definition. It also has the ability to record
to microSD memory cards (up to 32GB)
and can hold 15 minutes of video per
gigabyte. The camera is priced 199.95.
www.midland-uk.com
More than 100 images taken from the

Magnum Photos archives feature in an
exhibition celebrating the best of street
photography from around the world.
take to the streets is an outdoor
exhibition based in the heart of
Birmingham city centre and will be on
show until 3 July Outside Snow Hill
Station, Colmore Row, Colmore Business
District, B3 2BJ.
www.taketothestreetsbirmingham.co.uk
W W W. P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY.CO M [ 1 1 ]
BURKE + NORFOLK:
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE
WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
THE COMPACT
AND LIGHT, LONG AND
THE SHORT OF IT
This exhibition of new images by British

photographer Simon Norfolk is being shown
alongside those taken by the 19th-century
Irish photographer John Burke to give
a unique historical perspective
on Afghanistan. Burke was
one of the first people to
photograph there from 1878
to 1880 and Norfolks
work responds to Burkes Afghan
war scenes in the context of the
contemporary conflict.
Seeking out the original locations of these
Kabul, 2010.
images or finding modern
parallels in their subject matter, Afghan police receive gun training from US Marines at Camp
Leatherneck, Helmand, 2010.
Norfolks new body of work
depicts local communities,
soldiers and embassy workers,
as well as contemporary sites
such as internet cafs and
wedding halls.
Burke + Norfolk: Photographs
from the War in Aghanistan is
showing daily until 10 July,
admission free, at Tate Modern,
Bankside, London, SE1 9TG,
020 7887 8888.
www.tate.org.uk/modern
The Velbon Ultra REXi L is an

ultra-compact tripod which
measures only 36cm long
when folded, yet reaches a
maximum height of 153cm.
Weighing just 1.3kg thanks
to its magnesium alloy collar
build, it has an impressive load
capacity of 4kg and a solid design.
Its multi-angle legs are especially
useful for macro photography.
The splittable, reversible centre column with
quick-lock lever accepts any tripod head with
1/4in or 3/8in thread so you can make up your
own combination. The price is 149.99.
www.velbon.co.uk
MUST
SEE
MAKING MOVIES
The latest update for Canon EOS Movie
Plug-in-E1 for Apples Final Cut Pro has
arrived. The 1.2 version makes importing EOS
Movie files easier, and enables users to
transfer files from any folder. The free update
offers smoother importing from Canons EOS
7D, EOS 5D MkII and EOS-1D MkIV models.
www.canon.co.uk
We love the images in the

exhibition Making Waves, by
Adrian Peacock, showing at the
Lucy Bell Fine Art
Gallery in St
Leonards-onSea, East
Sussex, from
11 June until
2 July. More
details at
www.lucy-bell.com
WE
LOVE
PHOTOMONTH
ADRIAN PEACOCK / SIMON NORFOLK / ELIZABETH EVANS
The Malvern Hills are alive.
TWICE AS NICE
PUTTING THE GREAT IN

BRITAIN
Fujifilm has launched two

new cameras. The FinePix
Z900 EXR and FinePix F550
EXR are packed with features,
including a 16-megapixel
EXR-CMOS sensor within a
stylish and compact body.
Also included in the
FinePix Z900 EXR is a
5x wide-angle zoom lens,
touch-screen LCD with
improved user interface,
a selection of high-speed
shooting modes and
high-quality video capture.
The Fujifilm FinePix
F550 EXR has a RAW
capture facility, advanced
GPS functions, high-speed
shooting capabilities,
a 15x wide-angle zoom
lens, full HD video
function and an improved
user interface.
With their good looks and
compact designs these two
cameras are a welcome
addition to the market.
The RRP of the Fujifilm FinePix Z900 EXR
is 219 and the FinePix F550 EXR is 329.
www.fujifilm.co.uk
Regular PM contributor Martin Middlebrook has

launched the first photographic archive of
Britain at work and is looking for images that
celebrate the understated pride and passion of
the British nation. He is working with fellow
photographer Elizabeth Evans on the project
and all enthusiast photographers are welcome
to contribute, as is anyone with a story to tell
about their rural community. There is no limit to
the number of images you can submit.
Visit www.greatinbritain.co.uk, register with
the site and then upload your images.
WI
NN
ER
READERS
CHALLENGE
Congratulations to David Hyde for his image

Smile the golden ball which is the winner of
our May Readers Challenge.
The sleek designs and compact bodies of

the Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR (top)
and FinePix Z900 EXR (above), coupled with
impressive specifications, caught our eye.
GALLERY
YOUR IMAGES
Upload your images to www.photographymonthly.com, we choose the best and publish them the following month. Simple!
ED
IT
OR
S
CH
OI
C
IMAGE OF THE MONTH E
I hope you agree with me when I say that
this is a portrait that cannot be ignored.
The penetrating gaze, direct and simple
composition, the tattoos, the jewellery, the
body piercings and his clothes all add up to
what I think is one of the strongest Editors
Choice images I have been able to choose
for quite some while. A perfect example of
portrait photography.
Grant Scott, Editor
Dawn Martin
Ordinary People
Canon EOS 5D MkII
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Yaman Ibrahim
Sunset at Pushkar
Nikon D3
Nikkor 70-200mm VR II
Yaman Ibrahim
Lady in red
Nikon D3
Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8
READERS GALLERY
Svitlana Lysytsia
In the dark
Nikon D90
Nikkor 16-85mm
Sharkawi Che Din

Our heritage
Canon EOS 5D MkII
Canon EF 17-40mm
Daniel Morelli
Set fire to the rain
Canon EOS 5D
Canon 17-105mm USM
Karl Shaw
Haley
Nikon D3s
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8
James Bird
Sunlight
Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro
Sigma 105mm Macro
READERS GALLERY
Edward McKay
Soft sunset
Canon EOS 40D
Tamron SP 70-300mm VC
Bogdan Bousca
Having a smoked fish
Canon EOS 30D
Lensbaby Composer
Barri Elford
Fisher woman, Broadhaven
Nikon D300
Nikkor 18-200mm
Rob Cole
Millennium Bridge reflections
Canon EOS 450D
Sigma 10-20mm EX DC
READERS GALLERY
Chris Ogden
Miles
Canon EOS 400D
Sigma 1850mm
Gary Edgeworth
Duxford Spitfire
Olympus E-410
14-42mm
Terry Hall
Durdle Door
Sony Alpha 200
18-70mm
Pete Zelewski
Fringe benefits
Canon EOS 7D
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L
READERS GALLERY
Rylan Tuohy
Infinity of luminescence
Sony Cyber-shot
F/2.8 Exposure: 1/25
Harry Chamberlain
Icicles
Fuji FinePix 3800
Fujinon 6x optical zoom f/2.8
Roger Roberts
Saab
Nikon D300s
Nikkor 18-200mm
UPLOAD
& WIN!
Darren Athersmith
Giro
Nikon D3S
Nikkor 70-20mm
IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR IMAGES IN THE

MAGAZINE and have the opportunity to win
an 8GB Lexar Professional memory card and
reader, visit www.photographymonthly.com and
upload your favourite images. We will choose the
best work uploaded each month for inclusion
in the magazine, and the Editors Choice will win a
card and reader. SD or CF, the choice is yours.
If you want the ultimate in memory cards, look no
further than Lexars Professional range. Even if
you shoot at machine-gun speeds, theyll keep
up; the 133x SDHC cards can sustain write speeds
of 20Mbps, while the 400x CF cards are even
faster, at 60Mbps and at that rate you will need
their 8GB capacity. Thats room for more than
5,000 RAW files from a 10-megapixel DSLR.
So, if you want to shoot away unhampered,
secure in the knowledge that your pictures
are being stored safely, start uploading
your images to
www.photographymonthly.com
For more details visit www.lexar.com
WIN!
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Prices valid at time of print. Terms & Conditions apply, see website for details.
PHOTO COMPETITION
WIN A BREAK
!
N
I
IN SAINT-MALO, W
A FERRY TRIP OR A
LUXURY FRENCH HAMPER
We have teamed up once again with our friends at FRANCE Magazine to
host a competition which gives you the chance to show us and them the
images you have shot in France over the past year, or those you shoot
in the coming weeks. All you need to do to enter is upload your favourite
images on to the Photography Monthly website. As you can see
below, there are some great prizes to be won, so make sure you enter.
PRIZES
SPONSORED BY
1ST PRIZE
A TWO-NIGHT BREAK FOR TWO PEOPLE IN
SAINT-MALO, PLUS YOUR PICTURE IN THE
FRANCE CALENDAR 2012!
First prize is a fabulous two-night break for two people
in the historic Breton town of Saint-Malo, courtesy of
Brittany Ferries. The winner will travel to Saint-Malo
by ferry and stay in a lovely hotel in the pretty port,
which is famous for its ancient walled town and
cobbled streets. They can stroll around the impressive
fortifications, sample the local seafood or visit the little
shops packed with French specialities. Saint-Malo is
also the perfect base from which to visit the charming
coastline of Brittany, the lovely town of Dinard and
the picture postcard village of Dinan.
Whether you choose simply to sail with

Brittany Ferries or take one of their
award-winning holidays, you can mix and
match any of the Brittany Ferries services from
Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth to France or
Spain, and plan a route thats just right for you.
Sail to France by day, overnight, or go
high-speed and arrive in as little as 2 12 hours.
The winning photograph will also appear in the FRANCE

Calendar 2012 the popular calendar full of high-quality
images which is produced by the FRANCE Magazine
team every year.
Choose to arrive at Caen, Cherbourg,

Saint-Malo or Roscoff.
2ND PRIZE
3RD PRIZE
Enjoy a relaxing overnight cruise to Spain

ideal for touring southwest France.
PORTSMOUTH-CHERBOURG RETURN FERRY TRIP

The second-prize winner will receive a fabulous return
ferry trip for one car and up to four passengers on the
popular Portsmouth to Cherbourg crossing, courtesy of
Brittany Ferries.
A MADE IN PROVENCE HAMPER WORTH 100

This luxury gift hamper, courtesy of Made in Provence,
contains a selection of traditional artisan food and
scented gifts from the south of France, including
truffle-infused olive oil and
balsamic vinegar and a
Provence lavender organic
gift set.
www.madeinprovence.co.uk
Brittany Ferries direct routes to the holiday

regions will save you miles of driving, plus
money on fuel, tolls and overnight stops.
Holidays too! Take your pick from a range of
award-winning gtes, cottages, hotels and
apartments all for less than youd expect.
To find out more visit www.brittanyferries.com
or call 0871 244 1444
HOW TO ENTER
Pictures for this years competition must be in a
landscape format and in colour. Each entrant can
submit up to three images.
To enter visit www.photographymonthly.com

Please be aware that you will need to register to
upload your images to the gallery. PM
M A G A Z I N E
Full terms and conditions are available at www.francemag.com/phototerms Deadline for submissions: 20 July 2011
All prizes are subject to availability. Depending on the contact details you give us, FRANCE Magazine and Photography Monthly may mail, email, or phone you with offers, products or services reflecting your preferences. If you do not
wish to be contacted by us or third parties, please indicate this on your entry.
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SPECIAL
Great British landscapes
GREAT BRITISH
LANDSCAPES
MARK LAKEMAN
GREAT BRITAIN IS A UNIQUE CORNER OF THE WORLD. NOT ONLY DOES THE
LANDSCAPE RANGE FAR AND WIDE, OFFERING MOUNTAINS AND COASTLINES,
LAKES AND FORESTS, FARMLAND AND CITYSCAPES, BUT THE WEATHER MEANS
YOU CAN NEVER MAKE THE SAME IMAGE TWICE. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE ASKED
SOME OF THE TOP LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS TO PROVIDE ONLY THE BEST
TIPS AND ADVICE TO HELP YOU CAPTURE BETTER BRITISH LANDSCAPES.
W W W. P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY.CO M [27 ]
Holwell Lawn, Dartmoor,Devon.

Half a mile from Saddle Tor
and Hound Tor.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR

LANDSCAPE SHOTS
WHAT KIT DID YOU USE
AND WHY?
Most of my kit is second-hand, including
the camera body itself, which is now a
[Canon EOS] 7D. I believe that if you train
yourself in the raw basics and progress, its
the art of photography that drives you on.
None of my lens collection is on the
must-have hit list: a second-hand (SH)
[28 ] P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY J U N E 20 1 1
BIOGRAPHY MARK LAKEMAN

Based in south Devon, Mark Lakeman has been a
finalist in the past two Landscape Photographer of
the Year competitions. His work has also been
featured in a National Theatre Gallery exhibition.
www.flickr.com/photos/lakemans/
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Mark Lakeman
MASTER
COMPOSITION
MARK LAKEMAN
Allow yourself time to settle in when you first

visit a new place. Try to resist the temptation
to start taking images immediately. Sit down
and absorb the atmosphere because often what you
need to do is connect with where you are.
Once you have done this, it will become easier to see
interesting compositions and discover additional
themes and stories for you to shoot. The unusual
is all around us. Its not so much a question
of the correct geographic location as
being in the right place in
your mind.
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC, SH Canon

75-300mm f/4 USM, SH Canon 24-85mm
f/3.5 which is 15 years old and built for Canon
film cameras, and a Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5.
I also occasionally dip into silly focal lengths
if the conditions allow and use my Kenko 2x
convertor, but as my lenses are not top spec
it is a tricky piece of glass to use. The Sigma
10-20mm is the only lens Ive bought new.
I sometimes get creative with filters; I have
a few ND [neutral density] grads and a B+W
ND1000x (again second-hand) but to keep
the cost down I only use the Cokin P series.
My favourite filters are Hoya circular
polarisers, of which I have one for every lens
diameter in the bag. As with most TOGs
[Terrys Old Geezers] I have a lot of photo kit
that stays in the bag and doesnt get used,
but the cable release and spirit bubble are
my most used gadgets, especially as the light
fades and longer exposures are required.
The tripod, a Manfrotto 190X and strange
vertical trigger head, is on permanent loan
from my father. I believe you dont need
to have all the gear to get started and I have
progressed well with the camera kit I have.
I think you learn more by using basic kit,
with its development of compositional
skills that end up dictating your lenses and
camera equipment.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES

YOU?
I have never read my camera manual or
completed any photographic courses,
however I have been fortunate to meet up
with some local TOG celebrities and form
great friendships with them. David Clapp is
a good friend whom I approached a few
years ago through his Non-Workshop
invitation. We share location knowledge and
travel expenses although we spend more
time in the pub than on shoots now! Other
TOG friends include the likes of Lloyd
Cosway, aka DevonShots.com, Adrian Oakes,
Bob Berry and many more. They have all
inspired me in their image capture and
Bantham Cove, Bigbury

Bay, Devon.
Exposure blend of two
images, one at five
seconds and the other at
two seconds.
approach to photography. I have obviously

looked up to the greats such as Charlie Waite,
David Noton and Joe Cornish, but they are
the untouchables. I seem to have more
success utilising community sites such as
Flickr, redbubble and deviantART.
Photographers such as Antony Spencer and
Alex Nail play a part in my direction and
drive; they all are very kind in offering advice
or critiques on my shots or sharing
knowledge about equipment and locations.
DID YOU HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS GETTING
THE IMAGES?
The foggy scene (page 32) is Haldon Forest,
near Exeter, and that morning I was heading
home after a dawn shoot on Dartmoor.
The Exe Valley fills up with fog quite often
but to be there as it breaks up and the sun
pierces through is a rare occurrence. It was
a mad 10 minutes of running around trying

to compose shots as the mist moved and
broke up.
A shot of bluebells is the ultimate spring
prize. To get a strong and unique bluebell
shot in those famous woodlands is almost
impossible. I am so lucky to live in the West
Country and can be in many diverse locations
in under an hour. Dartmoor is very special;
it is a real wilderness but offers incredible
scope to photographers of any experience.
Holwell Lawn (previous pages) is an iconic
local bluebell spot. It is enjoyed by many and
shot by most, so again to capture it
differently is a tricky task. Due to the
prolonged winter the bluebells were very late
and overlapped the hawthorn bloom, a rare
natural diary event, but one I was lucky to
catch before the weather broke last spring.
Westcombe Bay is Devons own iconic
coastal location, up there with Durdle Door
MARK LAKEMAN
If the conditions are right even the most

overlooked location can morph into your own
mythical landscape. I dont really stick to
the rules of thirds or golden hour shooting
as I believe the secret to great images is
good weather at your location. My favourite
conditions are fog or mist and before
sunrise when the colours are true. An image
that opens your imagination or one
that really makes you want to be there is
a successful one.
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Mark Lakeman
I DONT REALLY STICK TO THE RULES OF

THIRDS OR GOLDEN HOUR SHOOTING AS I
BELIEVE THE SECRET TO GREAT IMAGES IS
GOOD WEATHER AT YOUR LOCATION.
pride myself on my local location knowledge.

I always plan my shoots very well and
modern technology is invaluable in this
process. Great weather sites, Google Earth,
phone apps and GPS are all essential in
understanding location potential. I am not
that well-travelled. France and Guernsey
are as far as I have got, but the British
landscape is admired all over the world.
We have a great deal of history and to utilise
that in photography is a real head-turner.
Whether you are shooting old lighthouses,
ancient stone circles or classic architecture
its about the connection you make with your
subject. Read about it before or after so you
appreciate it fully; that way youre learning
all the time as well as building your portfolio.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU

HAVE FOR SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
Planning is the way to avoid wasted

journeys, so reliable weather websites are
utter genius. Sites such as Metcheck,
MyWeather2 and XC Weather are extremely
useful. They all have smartphone apps so you
can check on the move.
Clothing is as important, if not more so,
than your lens collection. I have had to dig
my camera bag out of the snow in sub-zero
temperatures on Dartmoor but the right
clothing meant I was out all day, and stayed
warm too. Strong footwear is another
essential. Spend out on lined and insulated
Wellington boots if you shoot seascapes or
rivers. Comfortable walking boots are the
difference between getting to the
summit before sunrise for a cracking
shot and suffering a twisted ankle.
For more advice and
Respect the location every way,
techniques from the pros
visit the website at
from the moment you arrive to the
www.photography
way
you process your images.
the location. This settles you
monthly.com
Dont trample over wild flowers or access
and allows you to think straight.
restricted land, heed the warning signs and
A landscape photographer should
stay safe. This should also be represented in
be appreciating what is going on around
your final image. Process it as it looked with
them, almost using that connection to their
your own eyes. Dont be tempted by overadvantage. I rarely cook my shots up in
saturating and turning your capture into
Photoshop but try to keep them as close to
cooked-up digital art.
the moment of capture as possible. If you
dont tune in, appreciate the surroundings,
I should say something about the hit list
lens collection or a mid to top-end camera
and capture these as they are, then why are
body, but I will not. If you can afford the
you doing this? The keys to success are
top-end kit, great, go for it. However, think
planning, timing and more planning.
about what you are shooting and whether
Leave in good time, take your time and
you want to be lugging a huge camera bag
appreciate what you have just captured.
full of top-quality glass up that tor or around
those cliffs. My lenses are light, my bag is
never full and I am very careful how I get in
and out of locations. My lenses are
second-hand, as is my camera body, but they
Dorset is great, Somerset is lovely and
are all insured, as am I. Search out the
Cornwall is amazing. Devon, however, offers
right kit for you and what you want it for.
so much more and being a true Devonian I
GO
ONLINE
in Dorset and the Arch of Lands End in

Cornwall. I have a friend to thank for this
image (page 32). He took me to this location
a few years back and we visit at the right
time every year to try to better the
conditions. Interesting weather and the right
tides are important to good shots here; get
them and you cant really go wrong. However,
decent wellington boots are also essential.
As is the case with most of Devons beaches,
access is tricky and taking the path back to
the village of Kingston is time-consuming.
HOW DID YOU OVERCOME

THE PROBLEMS?
To cross a busy road you should Stop, Look
and Listen. The same life-saving rule applies
to all the images I take. I believe if you do
actually stop and look around you, the shots
always present themselves to you; if
you listen, it calms you, tunes you in to
WHAT DO YOU LOVE

ABOUT SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
SPECIAL
Mark Lakeman Great British landscapes
Top glass is heavy, but if I could afford it I

would have some too. The same goes for
software; if you can work with what you
have got, then youre fine. You dont need
the most up-to-date, digital, mindbending
software just to blend or sharpen an
image a tad.
Clean your camera gear well. Your tripod,
bag and even your filters will need a clean
after a trip to the coast or inner-city
captures. Be careful with your kit when on
location; always zip your bag up and dont
rush, because that is how it all goes wrong.
WHAT DO YOU THINK

MAKES A SUCCESSFUL
IMAGE?
A successful image has to make you feel
like you could be there. Its that simple
for me. My family are rarely up at the times
I head out so when I return from the
Somerset Levels after a 4am start, or from
a sunrise on the cliffs in the South Hams,
I can share images that move them and
which they believe are real. An image should
capture a moment in time that can be
shared, believed and felt. My intention is to
capture local landscapes with my own
stamp on them. Being confident that youre
capturing your patch your way is
very important to being recognised as
a serious contender.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR THE
SHOTS?
Most of my images are captured at the
MASTER
CAPTURING
EXTREMES
Judge the best conditions, be patient, and look for
elements that complement or boost the presence of
existing colours. Get to know your in-camera settings.
Experiment with saturation levels, sharpness, colour
tone and contrast. Understand how white balance
works and use it to enhance a scene or shift certain hues
within a shot. Underexpose the highlights in your shot.
This ensures good colour, although darker areas may
need some dodging later in post-production.
In these situations most of the stronger
colours are in the brightest areas of the
image, so its important not to lose
them to overexposure.
detailed end of focal lengths such as f/11 and

above. Try not to dip below f/8 as you will
lose the detail and sharpness of your images.
So I tend to shoot between f/11 and f/16
for landscape images. As I exposure-blend
my images rather than use graduated
filters, I seem to blend at least two or three
images to achieve the natural feel. In doing
this the Exif data is merged or lost in the
post-processing of the capture. I know that
the foggy forest was a single exposure
at f/11 with a focal length of around 20mm
and the Holwell Lawn bluebells were also a
single exposure, at f/16, using the Sigma
18-50mm lens, which on a crop gives you a
35mm feel. The Westcombe Bay image is a
two-shot exposure blend in bulb mode using
a cable release and sturdy tripod in the
shallows. The exposures were around 30
seconds for the sky and background and a
minute or so for the foreground detail,
both at f/11 because the fading light meant
lengthening exposures.
Westcombe Bay,
South Hams, Devon.
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
I do try to keep post-processing to a bare
minimum. It is important to me that I respect
what the camera captured at the location,
not to turn the image into a piece of
saturated digital art instead of a real-feel
photograph. I do use the obvious weapons of
choice such as Adobe CS and Lightroom, but
I dont spend hours tweaking and cloning or
contrasting and producing HDR
super-landscapes. That is not me.
MARK LAKEMAN
Haldon Forest, Devon.

Off the A380, Telegraph Hill, near Exeter.
Brine junction.
Mellon Udrigle, near Laide,
west coast of Scotland.
ADDING DRAMA TO
YOUR LANDSCAPES
AND WHY?
I shoot landscapes exclusively with film
using Fujichrome Velvia 50. A Pentax 67II
was used for all the images here with either
a 55-100mm or a 90-180mm zoom lens.
Thereafter I use a Nikon 9000 film scanner
to produce any digital files I require from
the 6 x 7cm transparencies.
I enjoy the art of making a photograph
with film, the methodical approach and the
blind satisfaction I get from achieving a
great result in a single exposure.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
Light, composition and subject in that order,
with the quality of light being the single
most important ingredient.

YOU?
In landscape terms fine light is what
inspires me most, but fine light is a
woolly definition, because the best light is
that which is most appropriate to the scene
you wish to photograph. I strongly believe
that subject matter and composition
[3 4 ] P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY J U N E 20 1 1
BIOGRAPHY IAN CAMERON

Ian Cameron, a professional landscape photographer
based in Scotland, operates under the banner
of Transient Light. He has written a successful
landscape photography field technique book and sells
framed prints, calendars and gift cards through his
website. His work has been published both nationally
and internationally, and he runs photographic
courses throughout Scotland.
www.transientlight.co.uk
are subservient to fine light but all three
components working coherently will
inevitably produce the best images.
Photographically I find the work of Steve
McCurry and Galen Rowell the most
evocative and stimulating; they are the
primary reason I regard fine light as being
so important.
DID YOU HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS GETTING
THE IMAGES?
Technically no, but physically yes I did, most
assuredly. An Teallach is one of the
most dramatic of Scotlands mainland ridge
walks and it takes a good four hours to the
summit through fairly squelchy ground,
and frankly it isnt the most exciting of
walks into the mountain. Add to this the
logistics of carrying all my photographic
gear, a sturdy tripod and camping
paraphernalia, so that I could take in both a
sunset and a sunrise, and you could easily
Jurassic view.
The Quiraing, Skye, Scotland.
be forgiven for thinking it might not be

worth the effort. That notion is immediately
dispelled around 10ft from the summit
where a jaw-dropping view opens up that
leaves you so spellbound that you forget to
take your camera out and photograph it.
SPECIAL
Cameron
24 hours Ian
of shooting
...SUBJECT MATTER AND COMPOSITION

ARE SUBSERVIENT TO FINE LIGHT BUT ALL THREE
COMPONENTS WORKING COHERENTLY WILL
INEVITABLY PRODUCE THE BEST IMAGES.
WORK
YOUR LOCAL
AREA
IAN CAMERON

THE PROBLEMS?
Resolve, mixed with a lot of planning in
terms of weather and anticipated positions
of sunset and sunrise. Technically the only
real issues were compositional, providing
adequate depth of field and balancing the

existing light with a two-stop, soft-edge
graduated neutral density filter dropped
into the shadowy mountains to add a little
menace to the serrated peaks and hold the
colour and detail in the sky.
You dont have to travel far and wide to

make great landscape images. Consider what
is close to home and all around you.
If you dont have to travel very far you are
more likely to see the location in all weather
and in all light, which means you can build a
greater understanding of the location and
can choose your shots. You might even
consider creating a series of images
of the same location.
IAN CAMERON
Sunset An Teallach.
Summit ridge of An Teallach,
Dundonnell, west coast of Scotland.
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Ian Cameron
WHAT DO YOU LOVE
ABOUT SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
To be honest its a kind of love/hate
relationship I have with shooting
landscapes in Britain, so Id probably qualify
this still further by saying that it is
Scotlands landscapes in particular that
enthral me. The landscapes of Scotland
are more three-dimensional, and generally
a lot wilder and less subject to rules,
regulations and general access.
England is undeniably pretty, green and
pleasant, and the weather plays its
part to ensure this vitality over and above
a great many of its European neighbours,
but it is also crowded, highly man-managed
and cultivated. Access to land and
permission to photograph it are becoming
increasingly problematical with the
scapegoat of terrorism being cited by the
overly zealous in frankly ludicrous
circumstances. The best thing about
shooting British landscapes is that the
weather, seasons and, above all, its
exceptional transient light make repeat
visits to the same location a nevertheless
unrepeatable experience.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU

HAVE FOR SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
Plan your intended shoot meticulously,
paying attention to weather forecasts,
tides, and the position and times of sunrise
and sunset.
Develop a systematic field-based
workflow so you can work methodically in
less than ideal conditions, which will allow
you to capture the moment without it being
compromised by technical issues.
Although there are some fabulous
landscape shots to be taken at either end
of the day dont be confined to these
times exclusively, because great light
can be present at any time.
When shooting landscapes try not to
forsake or neglect the aesthetically
beautiful for the perceived need to find an
original composition; light, weather and the
seasons will provide its own originality.
Be patient. Even with all the planning and
preparation, a great subject and an
outstanding composition, the image will
only ever be as strong as the quality of light
dished out. Learn to accept the fact
that some things are outside your control.
WHAT DO YOU THINK

MAKES A SUCCESSFUL
IMAGE?
My definition of a successful landscape
image is one that captures the essence of
the scene before me in a realistic and

believable way such that it stimulates an
emotional response in the viewer and
transports that person to the scene.
A great landscape photograph should be as
transparent as a glassless window, one you
can step through and walk into.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR YOUR
SHOTS?
Sunset An Teallach, Dundonnell, Scotland:
Shot on a Pentax 67II, 55-100mm zoom lens
at wide end, 0.6 ND soft-edge grad, f/22 at
1/2sec, Velvia 50 film. The camera was
mounted on a Gitzo 3530LS tripod with a
Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head.
Jurassic view, The Quiraing, Skye, Scotland:
Shot on a Pentax 67II, 90-180mm zoom lens
at wide end, 0.75 ND hard-edge grad, f/16 at
six seconds, Velvia 50 film. Again the
camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3530LS
with a Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head.
Brine junction, Mellon Udrigle, near
Laide, Scotland:
Shot on a Pentax 67II, 55-100mm zoom
lens at wide end, polariser, 0.45 ND
hard-edge grad, f/22 at 1/2sec, Velvia 50
film. The camera was mounted on
a Gitzo 3530LS with a Really Right Stuff
BH-55 ball head.
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
I only choose to scan the transparencies
that look good to me. My usual
post-processing routine is crude but works
very well because everything is sorted out
in the field at the time of taking the shot.
I scan to a 16-bit 300dpi RGB Tiff for the
planned output size, make any minor levels
adjustment, reduce to an 8-bit Tiff, sharpen
and output as required. At all times my
original transparency as viewed on a
calibrated light box is my reference for
contrast colour and saturation.
Adjustments to the 16-bit file are made to
mimic the original transparency.
INSPIRATION FROM THE GREATS:

GALEN ROWELL, 1940-2002
American landscape photographer Galen Rowell
pioneered a special brand of participatory wilderness
photography in which the photographer transcends
being an observer with a camera to become an active
participant in the image being photographed.
His emotional connection to his subject matter came
across clearly in his early mountain climbing
photographs that first earned public recognition, but
his landscape imagery, often made on the same
adventures, has proved even more evocative because
of the visual power he created.
www.mountainlight.com
BIOGRAPHY ALEX NAIL

Alex Nail is an aeronautical engineer and landscape
photographer based in Bristol. He photographs
Dartmoor and other UK national parks throughout all
seasons. He also enjoys teaching photography on
Dartmoor.
www.alexnail.com
WORKING WITH THE

AVAILABLE LIGHT
AND WHY?
I used a Canon EOS 20D, 17-40mm f/4 L and
70-200mm f/4 L for these images. I used a
Gitzo Explorer tripod and Really Right Stuff
BH-40 ballhead. This gear produces stunning
results for a reasonable weight (and weight is
an issue, since I regularly go camping).
Maybe this will convince some photographers
that you just dont need the latest camera
for high-quality images (although I now use
a Canon EOS 5D MkII). The 20D can
now be bought for 150 second-hand.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE

ABOUT SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
I cant believe how under-appreciated the
British landscape is and I love the idea of
revealing how magical it can be. Visitors to
my exhibitions have been surprised that the
scene they are looking at is just a few miles
walk away. I love the solitude when out on
Dartmoor, especially while I am solo camping.
There is nothing like waking up to a summer
sunrise on the moor knowing I am the only
one enjoying it. I also like the challenge of
the British weather; the unpredictability adds
a level of disappointment and excitement
that is quite addictive.
Lighting
is everything.
To take
great grounds
a
pavilion
outside the
Taj Mahals
Mogul
images
you to
need
great
light
and in Although
Britain the
from
which
shoot
these
images.
that means
work.
Persistence,
not luck,
weather
washard
foggy,
I climbed
the pavilion
before
is
the key
to good
lighting.
You can
watchin
the
sunrise
while
the area
was quiet;
a rarity
India Broken, not beaten.
Hawthorn tree,
weather
forecast
to your hearts content but
once each
day begins.
Combe Tor, Dartmoor.
ultimately
thelifted
only and
way though
you canthere
reliably
The fog soon
wasget
still a
good along
light is
to river,
get outdoors
a lot.
Thatasmight
wisp
the
that lifted
higher
the sun
mean
accepting
10 trips light
without
any
rose. The
early-morning
illuminated
the
success,
butthe
in the
run, if you
stick
it,
that
are to
compositional
failures. Instead
plan
decent
tripod and
understand
marble and
fog long
still covered
the
riveratbelow
it,
lifting
reveal the fishermen.
I was shooting
with
Fujichrome
Velvia
film and exposure,
used spot ISO,
the
rewards
will the
come.
your shot on a cloudy day or instead arrive a
aperture, shutter speed, camera modes and
metering
to get
exposure right.
couple of hours before sunset. Make sure you
RAW, and read your camera manual.
Scout your images or arrive early. If you do
have good light and youre in a location, the
know where the light will fall.
Using your camera should be instinctive, not
last thing you want to do is rush shots to the
laboured. Technique is the first thing I teach
Master the technical side. Dont sabotage
point where you have beautifully-lit images
your images with poor technique. Buy a
beginners; it frees you up to be creative.
ALEX NAIL
THINK OUTSIDE
THE BOX
WHAT
ADVICE DO YOU
HAVE
FOR
Most images
of theSHOOTING
Taj Mahal in Agra, India, are
BRITISH
taken within theLANDSCAPES?
palaces compound, but I found
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Alex Nail
USE THE
LIGHT TO YOUR
ADVANTAGE
The low light of dawn or dusk often gives the
best landscape images. So get up early and
stay in your location for as long as you can.
Try to arrive in advance of the dawn in the dark
if needs be so you can be set up and ready
to go when the sun starts to rise. For sunsets
arrive at least two hours before to find
the right position to shoot from to
capture the dusk light in
all its glory.
I CANT BELIEVE HOW

UNDER-APPRECIATED THE BRITISH
LANDSCAPE IS AND I LOVE THE
IDEA OF REVEALING JUST HOW
MAGICAL IT CAN BE.
Get off the beaten track. We are all guilty
of taking images from the roadside or path,
or shooting heavily photographed viewpoints.
If you want to take your work to the next
level, put in a bit more effort and try to find
new locations and perspectives.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
Lighting is absolutely crucial. As a general
rule I think its best to shoot around dawn
or dusk. I may shoot under the midday sun
in the summer and overcast days can be

excellent for dramatic shots or
photographing woodland, but the amazing
colour that can be present at sunrise
and sunset can set your images apart.
A good location and composition follow
BE PATIENT
KNOW YOUR FILTERS

NEUTRAL DENSITY GRADUATED
ND filters come in either hard or soft
graduations. The difference between the
two is the severity of the change from
colour to clear and a range of strengths
denoting the light-stopping power of the
filter. This filter selectively adjusts
exposure without affecting colour
balance and enables the use of longer
shutter speeds and wider apertures for
creative purposes.
Sometimes you need to wait hours,

even days, to get the right shot.
The light in your chosen landscape will
always be different and no two shots will
ever be the same. Consider revisiting
a location during a different time of the
day or of the year, do your research
on the area and devise a list of
shots you think would show
the landscape at its best.
POLARISING
Polarising filters eliminate unwanted
reflections and darken skies.
Polarisers also enhance colour and
contrast to tackle the whitish glare
caused by reflected light. The beauty
of this filter is that it can be rotated to
achieve the desired effect.
ULTRAVIOLET
A UV filter is transparent to visible light
and can be left on the lens for nearly all
shots. It absorbs ultraviolet rays without
changing the exposure and with most
images people cannot see a difference
when a UV filter is used. However, these
filters (in particular any that lack
a coating) may introduce flaring and
have a negative impact on contrast and
sharpness, especially when a strong light
source is present.
SKYLIGHT
This very pale pink filter, commonly used
with colour film, is a colour correction
filter which reduces excess blue found in
outdoor scenes. Although some might
argue that it is no longer required with
digital cameras as the white balance
automatically compensates, there is no
harm leaving a skylight filter on all the
time to protect your lens.
INFRARED
This filter blocks out visible light and
allows only infrared light to pass through
your lens. The effect darkens the sky
and green can appear almost white.
Using this filter requires long exposures
and a tripod, so enough infrared light can
get through to achieve the desired effect.
Forest for the trees.

Pine plantation, Burrator
Reservoir, Dartmoor.
closely behind. I find simple, well-structured

images have the greatest impact.

YOU?
Admiration would probably be a better word.
I admire the work of Joe Cornish and David
Ward in the UK and that of Floris van Breugel
and Hougaard Malan internationally. I think
my inspiration comes from a competitive
desire to capture the most spectacular

images of the British landscape that I can.
It is not particularly idealistic but trying to
be the best or be the first, even when I
have a way to go, constantly keeps me going
(particularly since its not achievable).
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
All of my images are edited in Lightroom or
SPECIAL
GET OFF THE BEATEN TRACK. WE ARE

ALL GUILTY OF TAKING IMAGES FROM
THE ROADSIDE OR PATH, OR SHOOTING
HEAVILY PHOTOGRAPHED VIEWPOINTS.
ALEX NAIL
Photoshop to some extent. My goal is always

to re-create the moment and sometimes this
can require some complex processing. If, for
example, I am shooting into the setting sun,
I might shoot three separate exposures and
manually blend them with layer masks
in Photoshop to balance exposure levels.
On the other hand, if I am shooting rivers
or woodland I might only need very minor
adjustments in Lightroom.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR YOUR
SHOTS?
Forest for the trees: 1/45sec at f/11, ISO 100,
70-200mm f/4 L at 122mm;
Broken, not beaten: 1/8sec to 1/60sec (three
exposures) at f/11, ISO 100, 17-40mm f/4 L at
17mm;
Pew Tor: 1/8sec to 1/125sec (three exposures)
at f/11 ISO 100, 17-40mm F/4 L at 17mm.
ANSEL ADAMS, 19021984

Ansel Adams was an American photographer and
environmentalist, best-known for his black-and-white
photographs of the American West, especially in
Yosemite National Park. With Fred Archer, Adams
developed the Zone System as a way of determining
proper exposure and adjusting the contrast of
the final print. The resulting clarity and depth
characterised his photographs and the work of those
to whom he taught the system. Adams primarily
used large-format cameras, despite their size, weight,
setup time and film cost, because their high resolution
helped to ensure sharpness in his images.
www.anseladams.com
Be careful with your exposures, particularly in

areas of high luminance such as glaciers or snowfields.
Altitude and ultraviolet rays can harm exposures,
particularly when measuring incident light with a
handheld device. Bracket more widely than normal.
Watch for digital burnout. In bright sunlight
highlight values will often exceed the dynamic
range of your cameras sensor. A graduated
filter will help, but there is little you can do.
Its better to let the sun cool off and
try a different aspect
or composition.
ALEX NAIL
TIPS FOR
SHOOTING IN
EXTREME CONDITIONS
SPECIAL
MASTER THE TECHNICAL SIDE.

DONT SABOTAGE YOUR IMAGES
WITH POOR TECHNIQUE. BUY A
DECENT TRIPOD AND UNDERSTAND
EXPOSURE, ISO, APERTURE,
SHUTTER SPEED, CAMERA MODES
AND RAW AND READ YOUR
CAMERA MANUAL.
Pew Tor grasses, Pew Tor, Dartmoor. The whole day had been a washout but
an hour or so before sunset I noticed a gap on the horizon which, by the time
I had arrived at Pew Tor, had turned into a dramatic sunset.
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THE PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO
TURNINGPRO
WORLD OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Fran Halsall
FRAN HALSALL
Derwent Edge,
Peak District.
The Salt Cellar boulder,
heather and grasses,
August 2007.
HOW TO WORK
WITH
MUTED TONES

AND WHY?
I have always used various Canon cameras.
Currently I use the Canon EOS 5D MkII, with
which these images were taken using a
17-40mm lens. I use this as my main lens
most of the time. One of the reasons I
BIOGRAPHY FRAN HALSALL

Fran Halsall is a professional photographer and writer.
She is the author of two books, The Peak District
(Frances Lincoln, 2008) and Light and Shadow
(Frances Lincoln, 2010), and is currently working on
a third. She also runs workshops on location in the
Peak District.
www.fran-halsall.co.uk
like the Canon EOS 5D MkII and Canon

EOS-1D is that they both have full-frame
sensors, so when using the 17-40mm you get
a nice wide angle. For the [Froggatt Edge
and Dunkery Beacon] shots this allowed me
to get low and to give a sense of receding
perspective. When youve got detail in the
flowers in the foreground and lots of things
happening in the distance, a wide-angle lens
helps to lead the viewer into the image.
I also have a Canon 70-200mm f/4 without
image stabilisation for picking out elements

within the landscape, such as the detail of
trees, and regularly carry a Canon 100mm
macro specifically for floral details.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
Always plan and know your location.
Ideally you should visit beforehand, having
looked at maps so you can prepare and
know where landforms are, where the sun is

going to be at any given time of year etc.
This is particularly important if you are
shooting mountains or coastal locations
where you may find that if you turn up at
the wrong time of the year areas will be
in shadow, which can be disappointing.
On the day itself it is a case of being
patient and waiting for the right light.
If the sun isnt obliging and the clouds arent
interesting, then dont think all your
FRAN HALSALL
Froggatt Edge,
Peak District.
Purple heather,
September 2010.
SPECIAL
passionate about conservation and I hope
to bring attention to landscapes using
photography as a subtle reminder of how
important, beautiful and amazing these
places are.
DID YOU HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS GETTING
THE IMAGES?
The heather moorland and Dunkery Beacon
image was taken on a windy morning. On the
moorlands I had to sacrifice a little bit of
depth of field which resulted in the horizon
being ever so slightly soft. This was because
I couldnt use a small enough aperture to get
both the flowers in the foreground and also
the hill sharp. Although it is nearly there, its
not perfect.
The Froggatt Edge image was less
problematic; it was mainly a case of waiting
for the light to become a little more intense.
It was quite a hazy afternoon and it was
only in the last few minutes, just as the sun
was about to go down over the horizon,
that a gap opened up in the cloud to the west
to give a decent quality of light. Until that
point it had been quite wishy-washy, meaning
the colours of the flowers really didnt stand
out against the green of the trees.

THE PROBLEMS?
ALWAYS USE
A TRIPOD
A good, sturdy tripod is essential for
landscape photography. Most of the time
the best shots will be captured in
low-light conditions, resulting in longer
exposures. Not only will a tripod
prevent camera shake, it will
also help in composing
your image.
preparations are wasted. You will either

have to go back at another time or be
very patient to wait for the right weather
conditions to materialise; this could
be a few days. The biggest problem is being
patient enough to wait.

YOU?
Originally I trained as a painter so I think
initially my landscape influences were people
such as Turner and Caspar David Friedrich,

who was a German painter of landscapes.
Then, of course, people such as Ansel Adams,
Edward Weston and Joe Cornish, to a
certain extent.
I am fascinated by landscapes as a subject
because I am interested in how they relate to
us on a psychological level. What are the
emotions we get out of landscapes, how does
light change our perception of things
and how does it makes us feel? I am very
Normally in these circumstances I would

want to use f/22 at least but had to use f/16
to get a little bit of sharpness in the flowers,
otherwise it would have been a blurry mess.
This is quite typical when I am working on
moorlands, as they are windy places.
Coming from a painting background, I am
interested in colour, light and the way an
image makes you feel and so it would have
been a tragedy if the foreground hadnt been
sharp. I think the subjects closest to your
attention should be sharp unless you are
deliberately doing something different.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE

ABOUT SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
The biggest problem with the British
landscape is the weather; however, it also
makes things exciting because it is so
dynamic and changeable. You tend to get
more interesting cloudscapes than you would
in somewhere like America. In the desert
states you could wait for two weeks and not
see a cloud, so in essence you want some
interesting weather, but not much. In Britain
we have a lot of variety within a small
amount of space, everything from chalk
downlands to high volcanic mountains in
Scotland, Wales and the Lake District.
For me, I am very interested in the rock
forms that we see throughout the

country, and Britain has some of the best
rock formations in the world.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU

HAVE FOR SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
Know your location and prepare thoroughly

by looking at maps. Try to be at the landscape
the day before you shoot.
Choose the right time of year to shoot the
landscape. If you want to shoot the Exmoor
moorlands you need to be aware that flowers
come out much earlier than those in the Peak
District. Unfortunately a lot of this knowledge
only comes with experience.
Always use a tripod if you want a good
depth of field.
Spend your money on good-quality lenses.
Many people buy a good camera body and
then skimp on the lenses. This is always a
problem because its also down to the optics,
not just the resolution of your camera.
When you are trying to pick out lots of details
within a landscape, you need the optical
distinction you get with better-quality lenses.
Its a clich but be patient and wait for the
right light.
WHAT DO YOU THINK

MAKES A SUCCESSFUL
IMAGE?
Show the landscape as nature presents it and
be faithful to the natural colour and contrast.
You should let the light do all the work for
you. Try not to fake it afterwards, because it
never looks the same.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR THE
SHOTS?
Froggatt Edge, purple heather: Canon EOS 5D
MkII, 17-40mm, ISO 200, f/18, 0.6sec.
Heather moorland and Dunkery Beacon:
Canon EOS 5D MkII, 17-40mm, ISO 200,
f/18, 0.5sec.
The main technique I use is combining two

exposures. In post-production you can
control the shape of the horizon and ensure
the darker and lighter exposures blend
perfectly. This is one of the major
advantages of working digitally. I very
rarely alter the colour of images, but will if
I feel the camera hasnt recorded them well.
Generally, though, the camera is fairly
accurate. I do a little bit of selective
brightening or contrast control using
Lightroom or if its a bit more complicated,
I will use Photoshop. However, I believe that
less is more.
FRAN HALSALL
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
SPECIAL
SPEND YOUR MONEY ON GOOD-QUALITY LENSES.

MANY PEOPLE BUY A GOOD CAMERA BODY AND THEN
SKIMP ON THE LENSES. THIS IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM
BECAUSE ITS ALSO DOWN TO THE OPTICS, NOT JUST
THE RESOLUTION OF YOUR CAMERA.
Heather moorland
and Dunkery Beacon,
Exmoor.
August 2009.
HOW TO MASTER
EXPOSURES
Hard to see.

AND WHY?
I have been pretty fickle in my equipment
usage through the years and have used
whatever I had to hand or felt gave me the
results and look I wanted for an image.
I have shot with Pentax, Bronica, Nikon,
Canon, Panasonic, Zenith, Olympus and
Sigma cameras and lenses.
The camera body for all three images you
see here was an Olympus E-300, an
eight-megapixel camera which is light but
also very robust. I could rely on it in a wide
range of conditions and environments.
The camera features a 4:3 aspect ratio
sensor which matches up to the
645 medium format ratio that I love.
I was using a 14-54mm and a 50-200mm
lens, both of which are fantastic lenses.
To have the convenience of a 28-400mm
(35mm equivalent) setup in two, compact,
portable and high-quality lenses was ideal
for landscapes. The last thing you want is
a heavy kit bag when stomping through the
wilderness in search of images.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
There is only one key ingredient to getting a
successful image the photographer armed
with a good amount of vision, passion and
knowledge. Vision is about being able to see
an unusual quality, angle or focal point in a
scene which captures something unique.
Passion is the bit that drives you on, even
though it is cold in the morning and the
weather is bad when you get up and get out
in search of the wonderful light. Knowledge
is the years of studying technique until you
forget even to think about it, where your
camera has become an extension of
your minds eye. This also means building
a great visual vocabulary by studying
and dissecting images you like in order to
see what makes them great.

YOU?
There are a few photographers who inspire
me, including Joel Meyerowitz, Joel Sartore
and Basil Pao. All of them work in the same
fashion capturing mood and fleeting
moments more than anything else.
Thats what I strive for; an image that
captures the mood and feel of the location.
The biggest inspiration though is
the image which started it all off for me,
The Kiss by the Htel de Ville, taken in
BIOGRAPHY STEPHEN McCURRY

With more than 20 years experience, Stephen
McCurry has travelled the world and created a unique
portfolio which has been used in a range of marketing
and advertising material. He contributes to stock
photography site Alamy, but also sells directly from
www.notofthisearth.co.uk
SPECIAL
Stephen
McCurry
24 hours
of shooting
PASSION IS THE BIT THAT DRIVES YOU ON, EVEN

THOUGH IT IS COLD IN THE MORNING AND
THE WEATHER IS BAD WHEN YOU GET UP AND
GET OUT IN SEARCH OF THE WONDERFUL LIGHT.
STEPHEN McCURRY
THE
AESTHETICS
OF LANDSCAPE
Photography should be the emotion you
capture at the scene. Other landscape
photographers will see through images which
have been over-enhanced, so always be subtle in
your approach. To get the best quality, shoot
at the lowest ISO possible and always in RAW.
Once in RAW, tweak an image to improve
the overall tonal range, contrast and colour
balance, but do not rely on this to turn
an okay image taken in-camera into
a great image.
Paris in 1950 by Robert Doisneau. Though

not a landscape image it was the capturing
of a split-second in time which inspired me
to pick up a camera. Outside of photography
I take a lot of inspiration from cinema,
comic books, sculpture and painting. I think
it is always good to explore ideas and ways
of thinking which sit outside your own
art form, as they increase your depth and
breadth as an image maker.
DID YOU HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS GETTING
THE IMAGES?
The three images here were all part of my
project 1/365 to get one really good image
a day for one year. The biggest problem this
caused was finding the time to get out and
shoot and to keep on shooting. With an
image such as Hard to see, exposure was a
huge problem, with the sky being a lot
brighter than the foreground. Similarly with
Shadow of..., it is the shadow falling on the
land that makes the focus of the image for
me. Patience, perseverance and luck were
the only things which eventually made this
image work so well. Trying to predict how
the shadows would fall and when to release
the shutter, brought into the landscape shot
the elements of street photography that I
love. I am pleased to say Rugged is one of
those images which just fell into place
easily, though the final crop was something
I knew I could only achieve during editing.
see what was captured as what is shown,

but photographers have been using these
techniques for years in the darkroom and
these are ones I have carried with me from
my years of shooting film.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE

ABOUT SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
There is such diversity in the British
landscape. I am fortunate enough to live by
the coast within easy driving distance of
Northumberland, which is one of the least
populated areas of England and features
national treasures such as Hadrians Wall as
well as sweeping mountains and rugged
farmland. It is all very natural and does not
have the manicured look of some of the
more arable farmland around the country.
This ruggedness, combined with rough
Know your equipment. There is no point

turning up to a beautiful setting with
perfect light and then having to figure out
how you change your ISO settings or
how to expose properly for the shadows.
Knowing what a piece of gear can do
will let you push the boundaries of what
you can achieve with it.
Know what you want. Dont leave without
an idea of what you would like to achieve.
Though I am not a fan of pre-planning a
shot, as I like to capture the unplanned little
moments, I still like having a technique to
try or an angle to explore before I get there,
to let me focus my efforts.
Know the basics. Long exposures often
need tripods; smaller apertures allow for
greater depth of field; depth of field extends
one-third in front of the focal point and two
thirds behind it; graduated filters help

THE PROBLEMS?
Shadow of...
Northumberland.
weather, always brings me back. Blue skies

certainly have their place, but the clouds
and light in the landscape are as much a
part of a picture as the rolling hills, forests
and human features. The accessibility to the
country makes it wonderful as well; being
able to drive the length of the country
in one day makes almost anywhere open for
shooting with a little effort.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU

HAVE FOR SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
Know where you are going. There are

a lot of dangers associated with running
about the landscape. Take sensible
precautions, such as letting people know
when and where you will be at a given time.
balance skies in pictures etc. Knowing all

this stuff like the back of your hand means
you will be quicker and work more on the
image than on the act of using a camera.
Know yourself. This one sounds a little
corny, but landscape photography, for me, is
all about solitude, spending time alone and
almost being meditative on the land.
This means you are going to be spending a
lot of time on your own while waiting for the
sun to rise, so you need to know your limits.
A picture from the top of Ben Nevis may
look fantastic but if you are going to be
bedridden for weeks afterwards with the
effort of getting up and down the mountain
then it may be a good idea to concentrate
on how you can achieve a good shot from
the bottom of the mountain.
STEPHEN McCURRY
With Hard to see the solution was threefold.

During the shoot I positioned the camera on
a tripod and then used a graduated neutral
density filter to try to balance the exposure.
I also metered using the digital technique of
shooting to the right.
With this technique you take the exposure
to the extremes of the highlight range.
Digital data carries a lot more information
at the highlight levels than it does in the
shadows (which is where the inherent noise
problems of underexposure occur). In the
edit you can then pull the exposure back
down, keeping lots of detail and very little
noise in the shadows while still capturing all
the information held in the highlight range.
For this technique the histogram on the
camera is invaluable for achieving correct
exposure and it certainly is not a technique
to use for fast-moving subjects. The third
element to the solution was dodging and
burning along with digital graduated fills to
bring the exposure further into line and to
highlight the detail in the crop sufficiently.
I am not a huge fan of extreme digital
manipulation of an image because I want to
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Stephen McCurry
Rugged.
Greenhaugh,
Northumberland.
WHAT DO YOU THINK

MAKES A SUCCESSFUL
IMAGE?
There are three elements of an image I am
drawn to which make it successful for me
light, sky and texture. Even the nicest area
looks infinitely better in the correct light.
The light also helps to achieve a mood in
the landscape and the photographers use
of this is all-important. Skies are like the
topping on an apple crumble; the apple bit
would still be lovely on its own but is lifted
and made into a different experience by the
crumble. The same is true of a landscape:
rolling hills and sweeping valleys will make
a good picture, but a bit of fog rolling over
a mountain top or the sun catching wisps
of cloud in the evening air give so much
more mood. Texture, detail and interest all

keep you looking at an image long after the
initial impact when you get closer to an
image and discover the fine detail in the
crops, the sweeps of a river through the
land and the colours of the heather strewn
through the grass. Its these little elements
which will bring someone back to an
image time and again, as opposed to it
being all style and no substance.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR THE
SHOTS?
Hard to see: Olympus E-300 with 14-54mm
lens at 23mm and f/5.6, 1/60sec, ISO 100.
Shadow of: Olympus E-300 with 50-200mm
lens at 50mm and f/10, 1/200sec, ISO 100.
Rugged: Olympus E-300 with 14-54mm lens

at 27mm and f/8, 1/200sec, ISO 100.
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
I think you cannot help but do some
post-production if you want to get the
best-quality results. I try to get everything
as near to perfect in-camera, but there are
always areas where you can improve on
what you have captured. It never goes near
the levels of HDR; I restrict myself to
touching up dust spots, dodging or burning
and applying digital graduated filters to
bring skies back into a shot. I occasionally
tweak the white balance or apply a yellow,
orange or rose-coloured filter to warm the
image slightly.
The Millennium Bridge.

Known as the blinking
eye, the bridge
straddles the Tyne
and links Newcastle
with Gateshead.
The Tyne Bridge is in
the distance.
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes David Webb
HOW TO ADD
DRAMA AT NIGHT
AND WHY?
Currently, I use a Canon EOS 5D MkII and
a 24-105mm L series lens for the majority of
my work. I love the versatility of this lens as
it gives the opportunity to capture
a reasonably wide-angle scene while also
allowing the opportunity to use the zoom to
concentrate on more detail if necessary. I do
also have the option of using a 100-400mm
L series lens.
I always carry a range of Lee neutral
density and coloured graduated filters in my
bag to help control light levels and slow
shutter speeds. I like the quality of the Lee
filters; however, I have used other
manufacturers products in the past with
good results.
Another essential piece of kit which
accompanies me when Im out making
images is my Manfrotto tripod. It is
invaluable for maintaining a steady camera
particularly when capturing scenes
where the light levels are low. For the
images I also used a cable release
and mirror lock-up. This means I have
minimum contact with the camera, which
helps to produce sharp images.
Personally I love the quality and features
on the 5D MkII and the superb range of
professional lenses available. I find the
21-megapixel camera provides amazing
images and a fantastic amount of detail,
essential for producing quality images and
canvases which can be printed to poster size
without losing detail.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
DAVID WEBB
BIOGRAPHY DAVID WEBB

A self-taught photographer based in the
north-east of England, David Webb has been
featured in various regional publications
as well as being showcased by the BBC.
www.davidwebb-landscapephotography.co.uk
For me, the main ingredient is planning

ahead. I have to have good knowledge of the
area or scene I wish to capture followed by a
pre-visualisation of what I expect from the
scene and the final print. Before stepping
out of the door I check weather forecasts,
sunrise and sunset times, tide tables etc to
get an idea of what to expect.
During the process of capturing a scene
Im working out in my head whether the
image would look better as colour or
black-and-white. Also, Im considering the
final presentation of the image and deciding
on the crop factor, ie as a standard image or
perhaps as a panorama.
It goes without saying that the quality
of light and good composition help to
turn an average picture into something
River Tyne reflections.
more powerful. In turn I hope that the

viewer is feeling a sense of being there.
Taking all of the above into
consideration, I religiously check my
histogram, which gives me an indication
of what the light is doing and allows me
to tweak the levels in-camera.

YOU?
My inspiration comes from my own drive,
passion and thirst for photography and to
produce images that not only give pleasure
to me but also to viewers.
As a photographer I am an artist, except
that I dont start off with a blank canvas;
my canvas the landscape is already
painted for me. As a photographer I am
striving to interpret that scene using my
eyes and technical skills to let the viewer
feel as if they were there.
I am a qualified teacher and provide
photographic tuition to individuals of all
ages and levels of experience. What really
satisfies me is seeing someone develop
their skills and levels of confidence, taking
control of the camera and producing
images that they are really proud of.
Other photographers who inspire me are
Joe Cornish, David Noton, Charlie Waite,
Ansel Adams to name but a few. But I think
a photographer should be inspired by
their own determination and motivation to
produce great images.
SPECIAL
DAVID WEBB
MASTERING
WHITE BALANCE
In some situations you may be faced with more
than one light source; in these cases if your
camera is in auto mode it will try to set something
in between or will shoot the brighter light source,
which is why it helps to be able to set your white
balance. The most precise way is to set it manually by
focusing the camera on a white or neutral colour source
at your location, such as a sheet of paper, and then
pressing the button. The camera then measures
the colour for you and makes the necessary
adjustments. Alternatively you can change
the colour temperature by adjusting
the cameras Kelvin scale to
suit your needs.
DID YOU HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS GETTING
THE IMAGES?
To be honest I had no problems as I know the
area well and had therefore pre-visualised
what I wanted. Had the weather forecast not
been accurate I could easily have gone back
the following day, as the area is a relatively
short drive away.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE

ABOUT SHOOTING THE
BRITISH LANDSCAPE?
As strange as it sounds, I think the
unpredictability of the British weather can be
challenging and therefore stretches my skills
and creativity. There is also so much variety
with the British landscape and weather, so
it can offer something different and magical
every day.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU

HAVE FOR SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
Do your research get to know the area

well, where the best viewpoints are and what
the best time of day is for capturing a scene.
Be prepared and patient. The British
weather can be unpredictable; if it fails to live
up to expectations use the time to recce the
area and make notes ready for your return.
Be prepared to revisit the scene during
different seasons and time of day.
If you want the best from landscapes and
your camera, then its important to move
away from using the automatic function and
to take more control of the camera functions,
aperture, depth of field, shutter speed and
histogram, which will ultimately improve your
photography and help you capture the
beauty the British landscape has to offer.
Strong and interesting composition will
help to keep the viewer interested.
Take a step back from the scene and try
alternative viewpoints.
Wear appropriate clothing.
Waiting for the right time to
capture your scene in our
great climate can involve
waiting around, so
To see more landscape
photos in our gallery
its important to keep
www.photography
warm and comfortable.
GO
ONLINE
WHAT DO YOU
THINK MAKES A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
I think that is quite subjective and personal
to each photographer. For me, a successful
image is one which reflects what I saw,
has a strong viewpoint, is compositionally
interesting and can also hold the attention
of the viewer.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR THE
SHOTS?
Northern lights: ISO 100, f/10 at 15sec,
+0.67 exposure compensation, 24-105mm
lens at 80mm, evaluative metering,
aperture priority.
The Millennium Bridge: ISO 100, f/7

at 25sec, +0.33 exposure compensation,
24-105mm lens at 24mm, evaluative
metering, aperture priority.
River Tyne reflections: Focal length 24mm,
ISO 100; f/11, 13sec exposure, +0.67 EV
applied, Lee ND graduated filter, Manfrotto
DAVID WEBB
monthly.com
SPECIAL
Northern lights.
Gatesheads modern
Sage building and the
iconic Tyne Bridge.
tripod, cable release and mirror lock-up used,

evaluative metering, aperture priority.
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
Techniques consist of converting the RAW
file in Capture One after checking white
balance settings, removing any minor dust

spots and blemishes, and saving the image
as a 16-bit file. I use Adobe Photoshop CS4 to
apply minor localised adjustments using
curves and perhaps a tweak of saturation
levels, before applying a minor amount of
sharpening and finally saving as a Jpeg.
SHINZO MAEDA (19221998)

One of the leading names in Japanese landscape
photography, Shinzo Maeda developed an interest in
both nature and photography in his teens. It wasnt
until his 40s that he became a professional
photographer, founding the Tankei Photo Agency in
1967. His personal style of shooting landscapes won
him several major awards, including the top prize of
Japan Photographers Association. He published 46
books in Japan and eight in other countries.
Falmer, East Sussex.

October 2010.
Saweks initial interest in digital photography arose

from computer graphics, but it soon grew to be
a passion in its own right. Having first tried wild bird
photography, today he concentrates on landscape.
Outdoor photography is a perfect complement to his
love and respect for nature, instilled since early
childhood. Although proficient in Photoshop, he
favours natural-looking landscape images and keeps
any edits to a minimum.
www.pbase.com/bruslaw
SLAWEK STASZCZUK
BIOGRAPHY SLAWEK STASZCZUK
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Slawek Staszczuk
LEARN TO
SHOOT PATTERNS
Learn to appreciate the things we so often
dismiss. Allow your imagination to create
something from the forms and rhythms that
abound everywhere. By shooting wide or cropping
in really tight with a long lens, you can abstract a
textural scene that on first viewing seems to have
no potential, when viewed literally. The value of
abstracting your subject is that you can avoid
a purely illustrative image and create
something more interesting. The beauty of
shooting abstract is that it can
happen at any time of the day
and in all weathers.
HOW TO MASTER
TELEPHOTO LENSES
AND WHY?
In both cases I used a Canon EOS 5D MkII
with a Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX lens.
I daresay the 5D MkII doesnt need any
recommendation when it comes to landscape
photography, and the Sigma is a worthy,
while still affordable, telephoto lens; the two
of them work splendidly together.
WHAT ARE THE

INGREDIENTS FOR A
SUCCESSFUL IMAGE?
The obvious ingredients are of course: an
interesting motif/subject matter, the right
lighting for your particular purposes and a
good photographer to make the best of the
first two. Besides that, there is a secret
ingredient either luck or perseverance.

YOU?
There is one author who some years ago
unknowingly drew my attention to landscape
photography, a very talented Polish
photographer: Marcin Sacha. But I have long
since followed my own path and hopefully
cannot be reproached with being an imitator.
These days, there are quite a few
photographers whom I greatly respect and
admire, but I dont have a guru. I draw
my inspiration from the beauty of nature
and always keep my eyes wide open for
opportunities, which sometimes come in
unexpected forms.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE

ABOUT SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU

HAVE FOR SHOOTING
BRITISH LANDSCAPES?
Dont get fooled and discouraged by the

British weather stereotype. Summers in the
south are often sunny and warm and they
are usually also the worst season for
landscape photography. Volatile weather
can offer great opportunities.
Seven Sisters,
East Sussex.
November 2008.
Dress appropriately and be prepared for a

sudden change in the weather, it's never fully
predictable.
Britain is very densely populated and
visited by a great many tourists throughout
the year. Many iconic locations have been
photographed millions of times, often in

nearly identical frames. Do some research of
the places youre going to visit. There is
always room to get away from the clich;
a new angle, new perspective, new light (the
changeable weather can be a big help here).
SLAWEK STASZCZUK
What I love most about the British landscape

is its diversity. So far I have only visited the
south coast counties (excluding Cornwall),
and had a glimpse of Surrey and East Anglia.
But even within this limited scope I find the
natural and cultural variety invigorating and
inspiring. I cannot wait to explore the rest.
SPECIAL
Great British landscapes Slawek Staszczuk
I DRAW MY INSPIRATION FROM THE BEAUTY

OF NATURE AND ALWAYS KEEP MY EYES WIDE
OPEN FOR OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH
SOMETIMES COME IN UNEXPECTED FORMS.
Try to tackle less popular

locations or objects omitted by
photographers, it may prove very
gratifying.
We usually go to a location with
a specific kind of image in mind.
GO
ONLINE
To see more landscape
photos in our gallery
www.photography
monthly.com
Allow for something unexpected

to happen and take an extra lens
with you so as not to miss a sudden
opportunity; they do present
themselves. Keep your eyes open and
think outside the box.
WHAT DO YOU THINK

MAKES A SUCCESSFUL
IMAGE?
I believe it is good and skilfully captured
lighting, appropriate for the scene, and
strong and thoughtful composition keeping
SPECIAL
Slawek Staszczuk Great British landscapes
Berwick,
East Sussex.
September 2010.
DO SOME RESEARCH OF THE PLACES YOURE

GOING TO VISIT. THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM TO
GET AWAY FROM THE CLICH; A NEW
ANGLE, NEW PERSPECTIVE, NEW LIGHT.
DID YOU HAVE ANY

PROBLEMS GETTING
THE IMAGES?
Berwick, East Sussex (above): Long lenses
are really prone to vibrations which translate
to blurriness in the final image, and the wind
(probably the most adverse circumstance)
hardly ever ceases on the South Downs.
Falmer, East Sussex (pages 62 and 63): It was
almost windless so my main hurdle was
massive lens flare. Telephoto lenses are
susceptible to flare when shooting into the
source of the light, which may be very hard,
sometimes impossible, to counter.

THE PROBLEMS?
Berwick: Luckily enough I wasnt standing on
the very top of the hill when taking the image
of the tractor, which afforded me some
shelter from the gusts. Also, it was only
mid-afternoon and the overall light intensity
allowed a relatively short exposure time.
To ensure maximum stability during exposure
I typically use a cable remote.
Falmer: When the lens hood is inadequate

I try to eliminate the flare by using my
tripod pouch as a hood extension, as I
did with this image.
WHAT WERE THE

SETTINGS FOR THE
SHOTS?
Berwick: 237mm, f/8, 1/640sec, ISO 320,
tripod, remote.
Falmer: 332mm (taken with a teleconverter
1.4x), f/10, 1/80sec, ISO 200, tripod, remote.
Seven Sisters: 13mm, f/10, 1/80sec, ISO 100,
ND grad filter, tripod, remote.
DO YOU DO ANY
POST-PRODUCTION?
I do. I shoot only RAW and do the bulk of
editing work when developing the files.
I keep my edits to a minimum and in most
cases they are narrowed to adjusting the
colour balance (white balance), enhancing
the overall contrast, mitigating chromatic
aberration fringing and vignetting if
necessary, and eradicating spots coming
from dust specks on the sensor. In Photoshop
I normally add a single curves layer to
balance the shadows and highlights in each
individual channel (which I cant do
when developing RAW). With telephoto
pictures, since I take them from hundreds
RESOURCES
THE PHOTOGRAPHERS EPHEMERIS
Landscape photography is about being in
the right place at the right time.
The Photographers Ephemeris is a free
online tool to help with the planning of
landscape photography. It is a sun and
moon calculator so you can see how the
light will fall on the land. Its map-based
which means you are not limited to
a predefined list of locations that often
dont include the places where many
photographers go. With this tool you can
search for any place or position on the
map. Advanced features include automatic
time zone and elevation detection, and
correction for atmospheric refraction and
height above the horizon. It can even
determine when the sun or moon will be
visible behind nearby hills and mountains.
This tool is also available for the iPad to
take on location. It is available to download
from www.stephentrainor.com/tools
or even thousands of metres away, which

compacts the atmosphere heavily and
consequently dims the image, I usually
need to increase the contrast much more
than with wide-angle photos. PM
SLAWEK STASZCZUK
the viewer inside the picture. Im not a big fan

of black-and-white landscape photography, so
I really value the skill of using colour in a
compelling way. I find well-matched colour
juxtapositions particularly captivating.
!
N
I
W
A BUMPER BUNDLE
WORTH 290
Photography Monthly is giving readers the chance to win a bundle of
inspiration and kit worth 290. To enter simply upload your images
of the Great British landscape to the gallery section at
A BUNDLE OF INSPIRATIONAL
LANDSCAPE BOOKS WORTH 140
THE RIDGEWAY, JOHN CLEARE
Running for nearly 90 miles across southern
England, the Ridgeway National Trail is one of our
most ancient cross-county routes. This book shares
the frequent spectacular views of this special
cross-section of England.
THE WELSH COAST, PETER WATSON
From castles in the sand to castles on a clifftop,
the Welsh coast is as beautiful and dramatic as it is
diverse. This book shares the visual delights of this
twisting and endlessly varied coastline.
THE SQUARE MILE: A PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT
OF THE CITY, BEATA MOORE
Writer and photographer Beata Moore reveals the
oldest part of London, the Square Mile, which sits
within the original walled city built by the Romans
around AD50. Beatas images truly capture the

architecture, history and beauty of this small area,
which measures a little more than one square mile.
the world. With invaluable insights into his work and

informative and witty commentary, this book is a
must-have for any landscape photographer.
THE NORFOLK COAST, JON GIBBS

Great Yarmouth-based landscape photographer
Jon Gibbs presents a selection of his dramatic
and evocative images of this remarkable stretch
of coastline.
THE SUFFOLK COAST, JON GIBBS

The Suffolk coast has a varied landscape including
old-fashioned seaside towns, unspoilt fishing
villages and rolling farmland. Photographer Jon
Gibbs captures the magic of this extraordinary
stretch of coastline with his evocative images.
WINTER IN THE LAKE DISTRICT, VAL CORBETT

This book shows the Lake District in arguably its
most scenic season, with snow on the mountains
and frozen lakes and waterfalls.
FULL FRAME, DAVID NOTON
Award-winning landscape and travel photographer
David Noton takes you on an epic journey around
A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF WINDSOR AND ETON,

JOANNA JACKSON
Joanna Jackson captures this quintessentially
English subject through the seasons. Home to
Windsor Castle and Eton College, as well as 1,000
acres of woodland, lakes and gardens, this book
covers them all.
A GIOTTOS VITRUVIAN
TRIPOD WORTH 150
This lightweight and compact tripod
folds down into a neat 40cm and
also converts easily into a
full-size monopod. Inspired
by Leonardo da Vincis
Vitruvian Man, the
Vitruvian has been
designed with reverse
technology legs so
that when collapsed
they fold through 180
to surround the centre
column and head.
The VGR9255 model
is manufactured using
aluminium tubing and weighs
just 1.5kg, making it extremely
portable, as well as versatile.

The tripod castings are made
from a forged aluminium
alloy for strength and the
quick-action twist leg
locks require only a
1/8th turn to lock and
unlock, making it quick
and easy to set up.
It comes fitted with a
compact ball and
socket head that offers
smooth and precise
movement, incorporates
independent pan control and
has a quick-release system. PM
www.giottos-tripods.co.uk
Land's End.raw
No v
14
Land's End
Cornwall
England
Lee 0.9 ND ProGlass

standard filter +
0.9 ND grad filter
(Lee Wide Angle Adaptor
Ring + Filter Holder)
14th November 2007

Evening
Canon EOS-1Ds mk II
16-35mm lens @ 16mm
30 sec @ f22
We used to think of 28mm lenses as wide angle. Now I take it as a matter of course to use my
wide angle zoom at 16mm on a full-frame camera. Vignetting problems with the filter system?
Not with a wide-angle adaptor ring fitted. The ProGlass ND slows the world down for me and the
shutter stays open for a leisurely 30 seconds whilst the ND grad holds back the sky. Check the
histogram, alls OK. The suns dropped beneath the horizon now, game over. Time for the pub.
David Noton
www.davidnoton.com
Tel: (01264) 338599
www.leefilters.com
EMILYS PEOPLE
GO
ONLINE
To read more of
Emilys columns visit
www.photography
monthly.com
EMILY ANDERSEN
Emily is a veteran portrait photographer. A selection
of her images forms part of the National Portrait
Gallerys permanent collection.
This month Emily discusses

how responding to a commission
from The Photographers Gallery
more than 20 years ago has led to
an ongoing body of work.
I BEGAN PHOTOGRAPHING PAIRS OF PEOPLE
WITH A SERIES OF FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS IN
1987 in response to a commission from The
Photographers Gallery for an exhibition called
The Body Politic: Representation of Sexuality.
This was a group show which also included Helen
Chadwick, Jo Spence, John Coplans and Sunil Gupta.
For this exhibition I chose to photograph 10 fathers
and daughters. I asked women I knew whether they
would like to take part and some agreed. For the
exhibition the black-and-white photographs were
printed a metre square, mounted back to back and
framed in Perspex. They hung in a row from the
ceiling with the centre of the photograph at
eye level and you walked between the images.
I have continued this project through to today
and am revisiting some of the pairs 15 and 20 years
later where I can track them down.
One of the photographs from this series was
taken in 1993 and is of Martin and Mimi Richman.
Martin is an artist who makes sculptures using forms
and light. I asked him where they would feel
comfortable being photographed and he suggested
his studio in the Alaska Building in Bermondsey,
near Tower Bridge. The original factory had been
built for treating Alaskan seal fur and was later
re-designed in the Art Deco style by Wallis, Gilbert
and Partners (the same architects who created the
Hoover building in west London). I arrived at the
factory with two Bowens flash lights (1500W and
1000W), two silver umbrellas, three tungsten 500W
lights, a Norman 200B portable flash, light stands,
a tripod and a light meter.
In my camera bag I carried two Hasselblad
500C/M bodies with 80mm and 50mm lenses and
three film backs. The film was Fujicolor 400 ASA and
Fuji black-and-white Neopan, also 400 ASA, and
Polaroid 100 ASA. I used to think I had to bring a lot
EMILY ANDERSEN / JANUSZ PODRAZIK
EMILYS TOP TIPS
Get to know your subjects, I find it works to

photograph while I talk to them.
Familiarise yourself with your lights, and
look at what light is doing to the
photograph.
Change locations until you find the right
one; often the least obvious choice works.
Experiment and take chances.
Bring a sturdy trolley for equipment.
Martin and Mimi.
I USED TO THINK I HAD TO BRING A LOT OF EQUIPMENT

IN CASE IT WAS NEEDED, BUT WITH EXPERIENCE
I HAVE REALISED I CAN OFTEN MANAGE WITH LESS
THAN HALF OF IT.
of equipment in case it was needed, but with
experience I have realised that I can often manage
with less than half of it, unless it is a large shoot.
I met Martin and eight-year-old Mimi for the
shoot. We had access to most of the building, which
was huge with acres of large factory floors and
windows on four sides. The factory was sold a year
later to developers and the one-bedroom flats there
start at 250,000 today.
We wandered around and I took photographs of
father and daughter in one of the large loft spaces,
where they were dwarfed by the architecture;
the light was streaming in and it was hard to find
a position where there wasnt flare. Then we went
outside and again the bright sunshine and
architecture were dominating the photograph. I shot
a roll of colour, two rolls of black-and-white and a
few Polaroids as we were moving around.
We went downstairs to Martins studio and looked
at his light sculptures and decided that it would be
interesting to try a photograph with the ladder,
which had illuminated struts. We set up the ladder
in the basement, where there was no natural light,
and I asked Martin to stand behind the ladder, with
his daughter in front of him. Mimi had chosen her
own outfit for the shoot, including the headscarf.

I had set up a flash and umbrella for this shot, and
when looking at the Polaroid saw that I was blasting
out the interesting, subtle light from the ladder, so
decided instead to use the available light. I put the
camera on the tripod and guessed the exposure
times, as reciprocity means the Polaroid gives
uncertain results. I knew I wanted an f-stop of f/11 to
f/16 to keep the focus and shot a roll with shutter
speeds from 1/30sec to three seconds. The shot that
worked was f/11 at 1.5sec. I literally had seconds
to ask them to move into the right place in the frame
and to keep completely still for the long exposure
before they would lose concentration.
The time spent around the different locations of
the building was the warm-up; as we walked about
I was getting to see how they interacted. When it
came to the shot I knew what I would like from them
and they trusted me enough to follow my direction.
This photograph has been exhibited in the UK
and Germany, been sold as a print and appeared on
the cover of Photography Magazine Korea, in
Foto Pozytyw from Poland, and Emotion magazine
published in Germany. PM
www.andersenphotographic.org
Angela in Provence.
[70] P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY M AY 20 1 1
ALWYN R COATES
THE MASTER
PRO ZONE
The art of black-and-white printing Robin Bell
PRINTER
Without doubt, there is an art to producing great black-and-white
prints. Printers capable of drawing out the innate beauty from a
negative were once in high demand but only a handful remain.
Robin Bell is one of them, having brought to life the images of some
of the worlds best photographers. We sent JULIA MOLONY to his
darkroom in London to find out about his work, but perhaps more
importantly, to ask him what makes a great black-and-white print.
ilver gelatin printing, now an artisan
craft in a digital age, has become so
specialised that only a handful of people
still do it. Its a tough market for printers, but the
very best survive. Which may be why Robin Bell,
standing in his Fulham studio on a bright spring
day, is pleased to say he is entering half a year of
back-to-back commissions.
Theres the National Portrait Gallery exhibition
of the work of 1950s photographer Ida Kar that
he has just printed in its entirety, plus a clutch of
other prestigious jobs a collection of prints for
the Royal Geographical Society, and a John
Thornton retrospective, among others.
Since he set out on his own in the 1980s Robin
has been the go-to man for some of the worlds
best photographers. His back catalogue features
collaborations with the big guns: Terry ONeill,
Eve Arnold, David Bailey and Norman Parkinson,
to name just a few.
I dont do commercial work anymore, he
says. All the stuff that used to pay my mortgage
in the 1980s and 1990s is all digital. The good
thing about that is that my day is full of joy.
I dont have to do humdrum work anymore.
The bad side is that I am poor, because I dont
do the work that used to pay my mortgage.
That sense of joy or pure passion for the job is
discernible in his work. I look forward to every
day Every big, meaty job that I get involved in
is a totally emotional experience. I get very
wrapped up in the subject. I spend all day for
weeks and weeks soaking up these images and
really getting a first-hand experience of them.
This enthusiasm, an aficionados appreciation
of his craft, eventually finds expression in the
end result, which is perhaps why the greats keep
on coming to him.
Some of those negatives from the 1950s, he
says, offering the example of the NPG job he has
just finished, are challenging, to say the least,

but because of the human element, Im injecting
as much character into them as possible. It goes
way beyond a technical exercise. Its a technical
challenge, but thats secondary. The mechanics
are secondary to the humanity.
I think I probably have a gift, and I dont
appreciate where it has come from, he
concludes, flinching diffidently at this small
concession to self-praise. Im always thinking
that Im going to get found out, or suddenly my
brain will seize and Ill stare at a negative and
wont know what Im looking at, and it will
become non-instinctive at that point. But so far
that hasnt happened. I just go with the gift.
That gift has been expertly honed through
years of practice in the industry a hard-won
level of expertise which took seed while he
worked as a photographers assistant in the
1970s (slave labour for 7.50 a week) and
progressed to an apprenticeship served in the
darkroom of printer Gerry Dickens (the
maestro of the day, a printer for all the big
names at the time: Bailey, Clive Arrowsmith and
Justin de Villeneuve). It was there that he
eventually came to recognise what a good print
looked like.
The sine qua non of a good print is soul.
Something that Robin firmly believes cannot be
found in the clinical perfection of digital.
The ability to inject soul into his work, plus a
hefty dose of talent is what distinguishes him
from the rest. He can look at a negative
and know instinctively how to handle it.
Over the years he has established an
identifiable style of printing. No matter what
the subject there seems to be a tonality running
through it, a style of printing. Its not a zappy,
contrasty style; its probably a warm, full,
moody, tonal style.
I LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY DAY

EVERY BIG, MEATY JOB THAT I GET INVOLVED
IN IS A TOTALLY EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE.
Producing a high-quality
black-and-white print from a
digital file can be a difficult task.
Todays inkjet printers can
produce prints which rival wet
chemistry but there are a few
tricks of the trade that will help
you to get even better results.
Always shoot in RAW if possible 16-bit
(per channel) images allow for the
smoothest greyscale tones and greatest
flexibility. It also allows you to
fine-tune the white balance based on
the black-and-white look you want.
Always shoot your images in colour and
convert to black and white in
post-production because this gives more
tonal control over the image.
Conversions which do not take into account
an images colour and subject matter
may create an image which appears
washed out or lacking tonal range.
For advice on how to convert a colour
image to black and white visit:
www.photographymonthly.com/
Tips-and-Techniques/Pro-Zone/Pro-ZoneDavid-Cantwell-black-and-white-portraits
Ensure your resolution is set to 300dpi at
the print size you require.
Sending a black-and-white image to your
inkjet printer to print in greyscale
may produce adequate results but could
leave a slight colour cast. This may not
be visible when you print colour images,
but when you print greytones any shift
in colour will be immediately noticeable
as a warm tinge.
Always ensure your digital file is in
RGB, because inkjet printers do not process
CMYK mode as efficiently.
Greytones on an inkjet printer are made
up from an equal mixture of the colour
inks. For example, 128 red, 128 green, 128
blue produces a mid-tone grey while 200
red, 200 green, 200 blue produces a
lighter shade of grey. If the mixture is not
equal, then you may see a slight shift in
colour in your prints.
One of the most common digital printing
errors is to over-adjust your image in
post-production. Always make an A6 test
print of the original black-and-white
conversion as a point of reference if you
intend making further changes.
Some printers produce prints with
dedicated grey inks. Using these cartridges
will radically improve over-simulated
Actor Daniel
Day-Lewis.
The Queens silver jubilee

celebrations, Fulham,
London, 1977.
NEVER BE TEMPTED
TO USE OLD
DEVELOPER. MAKE
IT UP FRESH EVERY
TIME. I USE PQ
UNIVERSAL, 1-4, FOR
96% OF WHAT I DO.
That, in glossy, is the paper I use most of the

time. And even when I print on resin, which is
usually just for contact printing, I use ILFORD,
Warmtone 44M Pearl. There is a really nice
quality about that as a resin-coated print.
You can get good results on that. But standard
multi-grade papers arent really up to it.
They are either very flat, or the blacks arent
controllable. And they fill in too quickly.
Only with the right materials can you get the
most out of the exhaustive trial-and-error
process that eventually trains the eye. You have
to begin to learn to read the negative so you
IAN BERRY / ALISTAIR MORRISON
Is there a particular process that defines his

approach? I like to get the optimum from the
negative provided, and for me that means
getting rich blacks, without losing the detail in
those blacks; getting nice highlights, but without
losing detail in those highlights and all the tones
that run in between. Now that sounds very basic.
You would think any printer would be looking for
that, but a lot of times they arent.
There are some central tenets to achieving
a good print, which anyone can apply in a
darkroom. It sounds almost too elementary to
mention, he says. You look at your print and you
ask yourself four questions: Is it too dark? Is it
too light? Is it too flat? Is it too contrasty? If the
answer to all those four questions is no, then
youve probably got a good print.
The quality of materials is paramount too.
Never be tempted to use old developer. Make it
up fresh every time. I use PQ Universal, 1-4, for
96% of what I do. And for the other 4%?
You can dilute the developer for a softer result,
or use a different developer or lith developer.
I used to be able to say that chemicals were
cheap and therefore what would you gain by
using old chemicals? But now everything has got
more and more expensive. Compromise is a
false economy, however. Corner cutting gets
you nowhere in this lark, because quality is
everything. You are represented by the finished
print. And if the finished print isnt achieved
because you have saved 70p on chemicals, then
whats the point?
The same rule applies to the quality of the
paper. Depending on the facilities you have in
your darkroom setup, try to get used to printing
fibre-based papers. Its more painstaking to do
harder to wash, longer to dry and then you have
to flatten them afterwards, but by their nature
they are much better quality. And if you are
struggling to get good results, its probably
because the paper is lacking. Your basic
resin-coated multi-grades arent good quality.
ILFORD Warmtone is the way to go for standard
black-and-white printing, you cant do better.
PRO ZONE
greys using a composite of the coloured

inks and eliminated colour casts.
When printing monochrome images,
remember to let your printer know
by setting the correct options in the
driver setup.
Specify the paper type and quality
setting to ensure the best results.
Inks are divided into two primary types:
dye and pigment. Dye inks are commonly
associated with inkjet printers and
generally have more intense colours.
They have a reputation for fading more
quickly, although this is improving.
Pigment inks last much longer but
generally have weaker colours, although
this, too, is changing for the better.
Many photographers are switching to
pigment inks. One drawback is their rather
dull appearance when printing with glossy
media, but pigment ink printers work well
with semi-gloss and matte media, and
produce prints that could last up to a
predicted 200 years.
Most inkjet paper manufacturers offer
ICC profiles a set of data that
characterises a colour input or output
device, or a colour space, according to
standards set down by the International
Color Consortium.
Baryta or fibre-based papers replicate
those treasured by monochrome
darkroom users; they give the appearance
of silver halide papers and support
vast black-and-white tonal ranges.
People often refer to the problem of
metamerism, which is where two samples
match under one particular light source but
not under another. For example, a print can
look greenish in daylight, brownish under
tungsten and magenta under fluorescent
lighting. Generally, this effect is related
to the amount of colour in the inks
used; however to control this you should
consider the following options:
know as precisely and quickly as possible what
grade you are going to print it on to get this
optimum result. You want to get to the stage
where trial and error is cut to a minimum.
Ultimately you dont want to be trial-ing and
error-ing your way to frustration. By this,
one can eventually learn to read a negative with
a feeling for how to balance the blacks.
The aim is to achieve a living black full of
resonance and depth.
A common fault seems to be that if blacks are
achieved they seem to be filling in. So then the
blacks become dead and lifeless. You have to
stop short of letting the black go in too far, but

dont stop so far short that its not black; there is
nothing worse than a grey, muddy-looking print.
That requires reading the negative and knowing
what grade is required, which is something that
you probably only get from experience.
Its amazing, he adds, how many people
dont even get their prints sharp. I think people
seem to believe that the stops on the lens of an
enlarger are for shortening the exposure.
Its nothing to do with that, its to do with getting
a print in focus. The first thing I do when I go to
an exhibition, rather pedantically, is look in the
RIP SOFTWARE
RIP stands for Raster Image Processing
software and has additional features and
functions for more advanced printing
commands not found in a standard printer
driver. It helps to regulate the flow and
application of inks to regulate the overall
tone and colour. Black inks are
carbon-based but the main issue is that
carbon is not a true black, but a dark brown
which tends to look warm in print.
The RIP software adds small amounts of
cyan and magenta to produce a pleasing
corners to see if the grain is sharp. That is

absolutely a prerequisite. So that probably
means stopping down at least twice on your
enlarger lens.
He says he has never handled a digital print in
his life. There is some gorgeous printing done
on inkjets and so on, but I always think of it as
slightly superficial beauty. Just by its nature its
sprayed on to the surface and it just lacks the
depth a little, that beautiful other dimension that
silver gelatin gives, and I dont see how an inkjet
IF YOU WORK IN A
LAB AS I DID, YOU
BEGIN TO SEE WHAT
GOOD PRINTS
SHOULD LOOK
LIKE...
print of any sort, no matter how sophisticated it

gets, can achieve that.
There is a solution, he avers, to bridging the
gap between the time-honoured practices in
which he specialises and the digital revolution.
He has recently started printing from negatives
that are made from digital files.
Theres an arranged marriage between digital
and analogue. If people want a silver gelatin
print, but only have a digital camera, its not the
end of the line. From my point of view it slightly
ERNST HAAS
Football Father,
Salerno, Italy, 1952.
PRO ZONE
overall colour tone. The better-quality

RIPs produce beautiful results and offer
a range of tones, from neutral to sepia.
However, most RIPs are expensive and
require a technical input from the
photographer, such as the use of curves
and profiles to control the inks, and can be
difficult to master.
An RIP called QTR (Quad Tone Rip) can be
bought for about $50 (30) and is available
for Windows and Mac. For more information
about QTR go to www.quadtonerip.com
GREYSCALE INKS
Greyscale pigment ink sets replace colour
ink sets with various shades of grey.
Most of these greyscale inks use carbon as
the pigment for the black ink, with the
lighter inks being various dilutions of the
black. In most cases the Lyson Small Gamut
ink set is a recommended choice for
producing professional black-and-white
prints. If you are really serious about
black-and-white printing it may be worth
considering Lyson Quad Black inks and
investing in a printer dedicated to
monochrome printing. The Quad Black
ink set is toneable, combining three
neutral shades of grey with two channels
of warm and two channels of cool.
This combination gives you the versatility
to tone the image or produce neutral
prints. Remember that these inks replace
the printers colour cartridges so it can be
a costly process to resume colour printing.
You would have to run several
deep-cleaning cycles using the normal
colour ink set to remove all traces of
monochrome ink. www.lyson.com
BLACK-ONLY PRINTING
takes away the creativity, because the negative

you get is pretty much written in stone. Its sort
of a straight print and it certainly doesnt behave
in the same way as a negative produced in a
camera, although its a piece of emulsion-coated
film. So far its a slightly restricted creative
process, but the end look is a silver gelatin print,
which is gorgeous, of course, and has something
no digital print has yet achieved.
The golden rule, then, for photographers
looking to improve the quality of their prints is
one simple, unassailable principle: Shoot film,

he says, baldly. Shoot film and come to Fulham.
Its there, through the rigorous lens of Robins
expert eye that a passion for the art of
photography finds expression in prints of the
highest quality. If you work in a lab as I did,
you begin to see what good prints should look
like, if you are working with a good printer.
If not, you have to educate yourself, with
exhibitions, books, drive and passion. PM
www.robinbell.com
Black-only printing is a unique method

which has several significant advantages.
Using only a single pure carbon black
ink, it is a reliable, inexpensive and easy
way to make prints with the highest
possible archival longevity. It does rely
on good Photoshop skills and
experimenting with different papers to get
good results, but it is the least expensive
way of trying black-and-white printing
without committing to a particular system
or software. It also simplifies the
calibration process. Black-only printing
creates the density range by varying
the space between the ink dots, allowing
more bare paper to show between
the dots in the lighter zones. You have
to look really closely to detect a small
amount of mid-tone graininess.
While black-only printing is monotoned,
some warm to cool variation can be
achieved by using different papers,
similar to the warm and cold-toned papers
used in darkroom printing.
S AGAIN!
CANSON WIN
ING
AT
R
96%
11
rch
Photoplus Ma
Group Test
See our 3 minute video www.theimagefile.com/about
PODCAST
In case you missed them
WERE ON YOUR
WAVELENGTH
Thanks to everyone who has listened to our monthly podcasts

over the past two years. In case you missed any, they are available
via the website and can be downloaded from iTunes.
JANUARY 2011
MASTERS SPECIAL PODCAST

In this months masters special podcast, Sean
speaks to Steve Bloom about his creative
approach to photographing wildlife, his career
and the future of photography.
DECEMBER 2010
ISSUE PODCAST
Grant and Sean speak to British professional
photographer Jake Chessum, who has shot many top
rock bands and celebrities, about his approach to
capturing group portraits. Jake shares his passion
and advice to help you take better photographs.
TAKEN FROM PM, MAY ISSUE
MASTERS SPECIAL PODCAST

In this months special podcast, Sean speaks to our
Lighting Master, Neil Turner, about how he uses
flashguns to add depth and atmosphere to family
and group portraits. PM
JUNE 2011
THE
BACK
CATALOGUE
SPECIAL PODCAST
ISSUE PODCAST
NIKON MASTERMIND FINAL
The Editor of Photography
The final contestants of our
Monthly, Grant Scott and
Mastermind quiz, sponsored
All of our podcasts featuring
deputy editor Sean Samuels
by Nikon, go head to head to
photographer interviews and
speak about the latest
see who will win the Nikon D3s worth
industry news specials
developments in the world of
are available online at
4,200.
www.photography
photography and what makes a
monthly.com
great British landscape. Goes live on
MARCH 2011
18 May 2011.
ISSUE PODCAST
MAY 2011
ISSUE PODCAST
The Editor of Photography Monthly, Grant Scott,
and deputy editor Sean Samuels speak about their
experiences shooting 24 hours a day.
APRIL 2011
ISSUE PODCAST
The Editor of Photography Monthly, Grant Scott,
and deputy editor Sean Samuels speak about the
latest releases and innovations from the world of
photography and the interesting people and
products present at Focus on Imaging 2011 at
Birmingham NEC.
Grant Scott and Sean Samuels speak to

National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson
about his wonderful landscape work made
in the Hebrides. They also discuss the latest
news from the world of photography.
FEBRUARY 2011
MULL
IONA AND
STAFFA
Malcolm MacGregor has produced his

second book of landscape photography in
Scotland, entitled Mull, Iona and Staffa.
He has travelled these three Hebridean
islands to capture their incredible light and
his images feature mountains, hills, the
coast, rivers, waterfalls and frozen hill
lochs. The text describes the life, history
and legends of the islands. For your chance
to win a copy, worth 16.99, enter our
contest at www.photographymonthly.com
ISSUE PODCAST
Grant and Sean discuss their time at the CES Show
in Las Vegas and reveal all their favourite things,
releases and dishes from Sin City.
SPECIAL ISSUE
TEST ZONE AWARDS SPECIAL PODCAST
Grant and Sean discuss the winners of this
years Test Zone Awards, as featured in the
December issue of the magazine.
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ROCK STEADY
Ensuring you capture smooth footage with your DSLR can be an interesting challenge, which is
why this month JOHN CAMPBELL takes a look at some simple accessories to give you the
support you need to produce visually stunning films. He also has some great films to watch.
BIOGRAPHY
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

NIKONS D5100 HD DSLR CAMERA can
autofocus during video recording, which is a real
attraction for film makers, and being available for
less than 800 makes it even more interesting.
With video recording at 1080p at 24fps and 30fps,
it has a 3in side-mounted articulated display, which
more and more film makers are asking for on
entry-level cameras. It has an ISO ranging from 100
to 6400 and comes with an 18mm to 105mm lens.
www.nikon.co.uk
Still from No Reservations.
Here is a quick roundup of where DSLRs are
breaking into the mainstream:
The idents between programmes on the FIVE
USA TV channel have all been shot with DSLRs.
The American food documentary series No
Reservations, which follows celebrity chef Anthony
Bourdain, was shot with a Canon EOS 5D MkII by
the Travel Channel. Bourdain wasnt convinced at
first, but by the end of one days shooting had
changed his mind. His director has now decided to
shoot the entire series with DSLRs, saying
Still from 30-Minute Meals.
Bourdain was impressed at how the 5D MkII had
really increased the shows production values.
Jamie Olivers daytime cookery show 30-Minute
Meals has also been bitten by the DSLR bug as the
main footage has been intercut with sequences
shot on a 5D MkII.
US vampire show True Blood on cable channel
HBO is probably the best thing on the box, so I was
delighted to hear they shot sequences for the most
recent series on a 5D MkII. Although an avid
viewer, I admit not noticing a thing when watching. Still from True Blood.
TIP OF THE MONTH

ALL YOU DIY BUFFS who love creating cheap
solutions to problems should check out Johnny Chung
Lees $14 creation. Instead of paying a lot for a camera
stabiliser, why not build one? Granted, this version may
not be as smooth as the manufactured ones, but its
ideal for newcomers to film making.
http://littlegreatideas.com/stabilizer/diy
Philip Bloom is a tour de force of the convergence
movement who has helped inspire photographers and
film makers alike to move forward and embrace this
development in both our worlds. With a huge dose

of fearlessness he embraces new technologies.
On his blog, he has written a piece dealing with how
he got involved in film making, showing how it is grit
and determination that help drive you forward as
a film maker. It is a must-read for all you wannabe
directors out there, with part one geared more
towards young hopefuls and part two to come for
career changers and such. Better and more
informative than a costly one-day course!
http://philipbloom.net/2011/03/31/
how-do-i-get-into-this-filming-lark-and-makemoney-from-it-part-1/
John Campbell received his MA in film from

the International Film School, Wales.
He won the cinematography award at the
Bristol International Film Festival for a
short film called Blue Morning You in 1999. He now works
as a freelance film maker for public bodies and arts
organisations across the UK and mainland Europe.
FILMS TO WATCH
SHANGHAI 5
Although a bit long at 23 minutes, Charles
Lanceplaines documentary is a prime
example of what can be achieved with
minimal DSLR kit, great locations and a group
of people willing for us to see their world.
This is an interesting look at skateboarding in
China from the participants point of view.
http://vimeo.com/17700447
ARCANE ROOTS
Arcane Roots have just released their first
album, Left Fire, and due to its success the
band made a music video for the single You Are
for Kerrang! magazine. Shot for a budget of $0
and thats not a typing error this video
perfectly accompanies their great sound. It was
shot with a Canon EOS 5D and a 7D by a crew
of two in just two days. Watch out for stunning
slow-mo and great use of depth of field, which
shows the outstanding quality of DSLR footage.
http://theconvergence.co.uk/2011/03/how-to-produce-amusic-video-for-0-arcane-roots-you-are-kerrang/
FILM SCHOOL
Shooting film on your DSLR John Campbell
KIT CHECK
Camera stabilisation is a necessity in film making,
as are logistics and planning, especially with
added equipment, as this process can quickly
become costly. This month I have put together
three cheap ways of improving your ability to
shoot film as steadily as your wallet will allow.
My first pick is the Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 Fluid Video Monopod, which is
a useful bit of kit for any photographer or film maker to have. It is fitted
with a fluid head, which means that when you pan-and-tilt, the friction
normally caused by this movement that could make the camera judder is
greatly reduced. In addition you get a compact four-section monopod
and a long sliding plate to help you balance your camera on the monopod.
This bar helps to make pan-and-tilting movements even smoother.
The monopods height when fully extended is 200cm; at its closed length,
it is 76.5cm great for attaching to a backpack and at only 1.91kg it
wont add too much weight to your pack. The 561BHDV-1 takes a maximum
load of 4kg, which is more than enough for a DSLR and a few accessories.
It is a great price too at only 168.46.
www.manfrotto.com
Film making on DSLRs has spawned a wide variety of shoulder mounts.
The problem with these devices is they can become very costly, but they
are invaluable. The indiRAILSpro DSLR sm rig is far from costly, at only
$369 (222). It has 18in carbon fibre rods with an offset shoulder pad and
a new extendable handle system for more control and adaptability.
This rig can be configured for any body or shooting style, and the handles
and pad can be removed so it can be used studio style on a tripod.
The shoulder pad includes a counter-weight block which will accept
further accessories such as microphone transceivers and battery packs.
www.indisystem.com
A key problem
Robert Bensons LCD
Wireless Monitor.
facing a lot of film
makers shooting video
on DSLRs is the small
LCD screen on the back
of the camera not just
the size, but where it is
located. It can make it
hard to follow focus, as
many DSLRs ability to
focus continuously is
turned off once you have entered movie
mode. This is generally okay if you are an experienced
camera operator, but you will always want the ability to alter
focus manually. A wireless monitor, which you can mount on a rig or
use handheld, will quickly improve your film making. Robert Bensons LCD
Wireless Monitor with custom transmitter features a rugged enclosure
around the LCD. It is built out of carbon fibre compounded polycarbonate
and has a 7in digital LCD screen. The custom transmitter, a top and
bottom frame, one set of carbon fibre rods, a rail pad and a set of snap
holders cost only $279.99 (168), which really is a great deal.
www.cpmfilmtools.com
Overall, these three bits of kit have come in at well under 600. So for the
same price as a mid-level lens, you will have a robust set of equipment
that can really improve your filming.
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PM
WHERES
YOUR HEAD
AT?
WHAT IS A BALL AND SOCKET HEAD?

Ball and socket heads are one of the most popular types of tripod head for photographers
today. The ball rotates within the socket around a single point in all directions. Typically, ball
and socket heads are compact in design and simple to use, making them a great choice for
travelling photographers.
The world of tripod heads can

be a confusing place filled with
a range of products and prices
which could lead you to make
expensive mistakes. So we
asked JESSICA LAMB to do
the hard work for you and
explain the types available and
the appropriate choices,
depending on your budget and
what you want to shoot.
GITZO SERIES 5
SYSTEMATIC BALL HEAD QR
The Series 5 Systematic from Gitzo can support an
amazing 30kg in weight, making it useful for longer lenses
and heavier equipment. It would be ideal for
wildlife/nature photography. The aluminium head features
an ultra-strong hydraulic ball locking system that provides
peace of mind that your camera equipment will stay
securely in place. The Gitzo Series 5 also has a spirit level
for accurate camera positioning.
349.95, Weight: 720g, Load capacity: 30kg,

Height: 10.1cm, Quick release: Yes.
www.gitzo.co.uk
ADVANTAGES: A ball and socket head is simple and quick to use and, unlike other types of
head, usually have only one adjustment knob to operate. The ball and socket design provides a
great range of angles at which your camera can take images.
DISADVANTAGES: There is the risk of dirt getting into the socket, which can hamper the
movement of the ball. If this happens, it would need to be taken apart and cleaned. Also, when
the friction knob is released care is required to ensure the camera doesnt fall in its position;
this could be a problem with heavier equipment.
MANFROTTO 498RC4 MIDI BALL HEAD WITH

RAPID CONNECT
SYSTEM
The 498RC4 model has the same
features as its predecessor, the 488,
but also has a quick release 410PL
camera plate system. The head has
a second safety catch which provides
added security for your camera
equipment; the lock stops the plate
from being released accidentally.
This model from the Manfrotto range
has two spirit levels for precise
positioning on both the vertical and
horizontal axes. Though bigger in size
than the other heads in the Manfrotto
range, the aluminium 498RC4 is still
light and portable, making it perfect
for both amateurs and professionals.
BEST FOR
SAFETY

www.manfrotto.com
PHOTO ZONE
Tripod heads Jessica Lamb
3 LEGGED THING B3s BALL HEAD

BEST FOR
The B3s ball head from 3 Legged Thing is compact, solid

and neat in design, making it perfect for the travelling
photographer. The B3s features a pan lock and ball lock,
giving you effortless stability and allowing you to adjust
the position of your camera with ease. The B3s ball is
made from magnesium alloy and features an Arca Swiss
release plate. The B3s is available in three colours.
LOOKS

www.3leggedthing.com
BEST FOR
EASE OF USE
CAN I FIT
A TRIPOD
HEAD TO
ANY
TRIPOD?
Most heads
GIOTTOS BALL HEAD

SERIES II, MH 1300-652
Following on from the Ball Head series 1, the MH 1300-652
provides the same great support with some additional
features. Movement through all three axes is controlled
from just one locking lever, with an additional friction
lever. The latter allows you to control the friction on
the ball while unlocked, so you can adjust the head to
suit the weight of your camera equipment.
The MH 1300-652 has a spirit level to assist with
positioning. This model from the Giottos range comes
with a five-year warranty.

VANGUARD SBH-30
The SBH-30 is made from solid magnesium alloy and is
surprisingly light. This particular head from Vanguard
features two spirit levels on the side of the plate for
accurate adjustments and offers additional angles
through its ability to tilt from -35 to 90. The ball is
secured using a single locking mechanism and the plate
features a safety lock.

Height: 8cm, Quick release: Yes.
www.vanguardworld.co.uk
featured
here come with a
3/8in quick release
camera plate, which
is standard fitting
for tripod heads
today. If you find
that a head you
have bought will not
fit on to your tripod,
then separate
release plates are
available in various
sizes from most
camera retailers.
WHAT IS A PAN-TILT HEAD?

A pan-tilt head has separate axes and controls for tilting and panning, and each is individually
adjustable. This means each axis can be controlled without the risk of affecting the other.
Pan-tilt heads come in two types: two-way (pan and tilt) and three-way (pan, tilt and lateral
tilt). These heads are particularly useful for macro photography and film making.
ADVANTAGES: A pan-tilt head provides panning and easy positioning for stills or video.
DISADVANTAGES: Pan-tilt heads can take longer to set up than a ball and socket
head, for example, and are not as smooth as fluid heads.
MANFROTTO 804RC2 BASIC PAN TILT

HEAD WITH QUICK LOCK
Manfrottos 804RC2 is a three-way photo head constructed from ultra-durable technical polymer.
This head has a unique spring feature which helps in its tilt motion to ensure smoother movements.
The comfortable grip handles allow you to manoeuvre the angles with ease.

www.manfrotto.com
GITZO G2272M SERIES 2

LOW PROFILE HEAD
BEST FOR
BUILD
The Gitzo G2272M Low Profile

Head has been engineered to
guarantee smooth and precise
control through its three
independent axes. The height of
the magnesium head has been
reduced to avoid the possibility
of any overbalancing.

www.gitzo.co.uk
VELBON PH-157Q 3-WAY

PAN-TILT HEAD
BEST FOR
VALUE
The Velbon PH-157Q features a three-way pan-tilt head

allowing you to achieve a range of angles with ease.
This model has a large and comfortable pan handle,
making it easier to position and angle your camera.
This head from the Velbon range is constructed from
die-cast metal but is surprisingly light.
37, Weight: 580g, Load capacity: 5.4kg,

www.velbon.co.uk
SLIK SH-704E
GO ONLINE
BEST FOR
EASE OF
USE
For more kit

and gadget news,
visit the website
www.photography
monthly.com
The Slik three-way head has separate locks for both

tilt and pan movements. This head is extremely light
and would be ideal for photographers on the move.
The SH-704E has rubberised grips for accurate and simple
positioning of the camera.
59.99, Weight: 290g, Load capacity: 2.5kg,

www.sliktripod.co.uk
PHOTO ZONE
WHAT IS A FLUID HEAD?
GO ONLINE
For more kit
and gadget news,
visit the website
www.photography
monthly.com
Fluid heads are great for shooting both stills and video. The head features a sealed chamber
containing fluid cartridges which allow for the amount of tension needed depending on the
weight of your equipment. Fluid heads generally allow 360 panning and rotation that is
superior to any other type of tripod head. Designed to offer smooth movement, fluid heads
are perfect for bird-watching and shooting films.
ADVANTAGES: Precision and freedom of movement extend your creative possibilities.
DISADVANTAGES: Can be larger than other types of head, so not as portable.
BEST FOR
VALUE
SLIK 504QF II
VELBON FHD-61Q
The FHD-61Q is marketed as a fluid pan head; it works as a
pan head with the smoothness of a fluid head thanks to
the internal oil cartridges. A comfortable handle allows
you to adjust the position of your camera easily.
This model from the Velbon range is constructed from
aluminium and would be ideal for shooting both stills
and video.
75, Weight: 910g, Load capacity: 2.5kg,

www.velbon.co.uk
BEST FOR
WEIGHT
Simple in its design, the 504QF II is both functional and easy

to use. This three-way fluid head from Slik is specifically
manufactured for video use but can also provide great
positioning options for shooting stills.

www.sliktripod.co.uk
GITZO FLUID HEAD G2180

The G2180 is designed to be lightweight and compact,
making it ideal for outdoor use. The head is made from
a new material developed by Gitzo called Soulid 238
which is 30% lighter than magnesium. The G2180 has
a smooth movement thanks to its integrated fluid
cartridges and highly accurate counterbalance system.

www.gitzo.co.uk
GIOTTOS MH5001 FLUID

3-WAY
The MH5001 is made of aluminium alloy and coated in a
protective lacquer. Hydraulic pressure provides precision
when you are positioning the camera. The three-way head
is operated by robust and easy-locking handles which
allow comfortable and simple adjustments. This model
features a quick release safety button, attaching and
removing the camera quickly.
65, Weight: 900g, Load capacity: 6kg,

PHOTO ZONE
MANFROTTO 701HDV
PRO FLUID
BEST FOR
PROS
Developed specifically to support the latest camcorders

the 701HDV is perfect for shooting films as well as stills.
Several locks and knobs allow for better control over the
camera placements and the larger sliding plate
can position the camera depending on its centre of
gravity to avoid overbalancing.

www.manfrotto.com
GO ONLINE
For more kit
and gadget news,
visit the website
www.photography
monthly.com
VANGUARD PH-22
This three-way fluid pan head from Vanguard is light and
easy to use and offers 360 panning. It has two spirit
levels and handles for accurate and quick positioning.
The Vanguard PH-22 is made of magnesium alloy.
BEST FOR
VALUE

www.vanguardworld.co.uk
SPECIALIST TRIPOD HEADS

These tripod heads might not be products you would want to use every day but they can provide absolute precision and advanced shooting options.
BEST FOR
CREATIVITY
GITZO
GH375OQR
QUICK
RELEASE
OFF-CENTRE
BALL HEAD
This off-centre ball head from Gitzo
works on the same basis as other ball
and socket heads, the only difference
being that it provides a 90 lateral tilt.
This head is ideal for creative
photographers; it is made of magnesium
and can be used with most tripods from
other manufacturers.
MANFROTTO
405 PRO GEARED HEAD
The 405 Pro geared head offers pan, frontal and lateral tilt.
Each motion has its own easy-to-use grip knob and dial
specifying the degree at which you are tilting the camera.
This head from Manfrottos range is made of aluminium
and is suitable for use with most tripods. The 405 Pro allows
you to disengage the gears so you can place the camera
approximately by hand and then re-engage the gears for final
positioning. These heads are brilliant when precision
is paramount and would be ideal for architectural and
still-life work.
295.99, Weight: 1.6kg, Load capacity: 7.5kg,

www.manfrotto.com
254.95, Weight: 790g,

Load capacity: 8kg, Height: 13cm,
Quick release: Yes.
www.gitzo.co.uk
BEST FOR
PRECISION
TAKING
PICTURES
THE GREAT BRITISH LANDSCAPE COMPETITION
For this months readers challenge we thought we would
share some of our readers images as well as our own to give
you even more encouragement to enter this months special
edition competition. If the images here have the right effect
and do inspire you, find out all about the competition and the
great prizes you could win by turning to page 67.
To enter and for full terms and conditions, visit

Barri Elford
Pier dusk
Bart Hoga
Lone tree, Yorkshire Dales
Ian Blair
Lavender sunrise
Sarah Waddams
London skyline reflections
READERS CHALLENGE
Upload to our gallery to win prizes British landscapes
PM TEAM PICTURES
JESSICA LAMB EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY
During a gorgeous day last September I
took advantage of the weather and went
for a stroll in the Cotswolds. When I got to
the top of a hill I lay in the grass and
snapped this image of Cheltenham and the
surrounding countryside.
KELLY WEECH FEATURES ASSISTANT

PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY
This image was taken in woodlands in the
Cotswolds too. I used a zoom lens and
created the sense of movement by using
a slow shutter speed and tripod, and by
moving the focal length while the shutter
was open. I shot this on a Canon EOS 20D.
GRANT SCOTT EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY
READERS PICTURES
I cant remember where I shot this

image but I do remember when. It was
at the end of an interiors shoot for
House & Garden magazine. I walked to
the end of the garden of the house and
found this idyllic setting.
Simon Bull
Viaduct
Alfie Kerrigan
Sunset
Lukasz Szyszka
White cliffs and house
SEAN SAMUELS DEPUTY EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY
The countryside in West Sussex near the
South Downs is one of my favourite places
in England. This image was taken on a hot
summers day close to the village of East
Dean. My eye was caught by the way the
light was creating great patterns.
For more readers images and to upload to the

gallery visit the website at
Enjoy Pea Soup.
Learning to navigate through thick fog, in poor visibility or

in fading light can be fun. Whats more, once mastered,
reliable navigation skills will leave you feeling more
confident on the hill so youll be able to go further off the
beaten track, taking your adventures to another level.
At Plas y Brenin, our highly experienced, qualified and
enthusiastic instructors will help learn to navigate from
scratch or help you fine tune your existing navigation
techniques into highly dependable skills. We run weekend
and week-long courses in mountain navigation all year
round, catering for beginners and experienced
practitioners alike. We even run courses dedicated to GPS
along with a Complete Navigation Week which allows you

to develop your GPS skills alongside traditional methods
for a rounded understanding of mountain navigation.
If youd like a copy of our 72-page brochure listing over
200 courses and holidays, e-mail brochure@pyb.co.uk,
call 01690 720214, or visit our website on www.pyb.co.uk
w w w. py b. c o . u k
Plas y Brenin The National Mountain Centre Capel Curig Conwy LL24 OET Tel: 01690 720214
Fax: 01690 720394
Email: info@pyb.co.uk
TEST ZONE
ONLY THE VERY BEST KIT
Each month we bring you the reviews you need to make sure you buy the right equipment, for the right reasons
VOLTAIC FUSE
SOLAR CHARGER
8 REASONS TO BUY
TOP
TIP!
For more news and
reviews on the latest
kit and technology
visit the website at
www.photography
monthly.com
We recently came across the

Voltaic fuse solar charger which
will recharge almost all electronic
devices using just the power of
the sun. It is the ideal accessory
for photographers on the move.
1
THE POWER OF THE SUN
This panel enables photographers to charge any

battery-powered device in any location. When you
are not in the sun, the battery can be charged
using the USB Power Cable or an optional AC travel
or DC car charger.
2
ECO-WARRIOR
Solar power is a renewable, sustainable source

which not only helps the environment but
also enables you to enjoy your modern technology
wherever you are.
Voltaic also has a range
of solar backpacks
and bags. Alternative
adapters are available
as well to suit a variety
of electronic devices.
To view the range visit
www.voltaicsystems.com
ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY
The panel has two 1in straps and a 3/4in strap with
four male and female clip sets. The male clips will fit
standard buckles found on backpacks and the female
clips can also be attached to any loop, such as those
found on tents.
4
LIGHT AS A FEATHER
Weighing in at 600g, including battery and solar

panels, this bit of kit wont slow you down.
5
ALWAYS CONNECTED
The charger connects to devices via a USB port,

but also includes five standard adapters for
different connection slots. Optional adapters are
also available, including Nikon and Canon camera
battery cradles.
6
BUILT TO LAST
The 600D shell fabric is made from recycled PET

(soda bottles), making the panel waterproof and
UV resistant.
7
EASY ACCESS
The panel is part of a pack that offers 0.8 litres of

storage space for the Voltaic battery, and all
your adapters and cables, as well as a mobile phone
and small camera.
8
FOR THE FASHIONISTA
The Voltaic fuse solar charger is available in

eye-catching silver, chic charcoal and dazzling
orange. It is priced 129.99 and available from
www.electroniczone.co.uk PM
FORMULA 5100
As a non-Nikon user KELLY WEECH jumped at the chance to discover what she might be missing out
on with the latest addition to the Nikon line-up, the D5100. With the opportunity to try out Goodwood
racing circuit in West Sussex, go up in a biplane and visit a sculpture park, she knew that nothing would
test the cameras capabilities more than a day packed with fast cars, action and low-light situations.
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, THE NIKON D5100

WITH AN 18-55MM LENS FELT COMPACT AND LIGHT.
Its smooth curves fitted perfectly in my hands
and it felt incredibly comfortable. The key
shooting controls are at your fingertips and
the layout appears less cluttered than that of
the Nikon D5000. It is packed with features
for shooting either stills or full 1080p HD
movies and carries functions inherited from
the Nikon D7000, such as a similar
16.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor with
the EXPEED 2, as well as an extending
equivalent of ISO 25600 and 14-bit RAW
shooting. These features were previously
found only on more expensive Nikon models.
The new HDR (High Dynamic Range)

function, which combines two exposures to
create one image, includes detail in highlights
and shadow to create a good overall exposure.
I found it worked well, especially on my visit
to the nearby sculpture park. The woodlands
feature more than 80 sculptures; many of
these are under tree cover which gave me a
good opportunity to see how the camera
handled lower light situations and thankfully I
found it delivered the results I had hoped for.
The exposure differential is selectable from
auto, 1 EV, 2 EV and 3 EV and it can be set on
high, normal or low. It is ideal for stationary
subjects such as landscapes and still lifes.
The 3in vari-angle LCD
screens improved high
resolution, 921,000-pixel TFT
(thin-film transistor) gave
great results and the side
hinge is a welcome addition,
making it easier to shoot with
a tripod.
The D5100 is the first Nikon
DSLR camera to offer special
effects and while I was
initially dubious about how
effective this mode would
be, what impressed me most was being able
to use it to shoot full (1080p) HD movies,
which Ill discuss later. The seven special
effects are: selective colour, low key, high
key, colour sketch, miniature effect,
silhouette and night vision. Nikon has
made it easy to access these via a mode
dial on the top of the camera.
I particularly liked the low key and
miniature effects. Both were great in
different situations; the miniature effect
acts as a mock tilt-and-shift lens to
produce interesting results. However, it
became increasingly frustrating not to be
able to compensate exposures and other
customisations that a more advanced
photographer would be accustomed to.
But for those new to DSLRs this may not be
an issue, nor will the fact that these modes
only record Jpeg files.
I FOUND THE D5100

INCREDIBLY EASY
TO GET TO GRIPS WITH
AND I WAS ABLE
TO BEGIN SHOOTING
STRAIGHT AWAY.
While the camera is slimmer and sleeker
than its predecessor, which is good news for
people with small hands, I do feel the overall
build quality doesnt quite reflect the price
tag of 669. In an ideal world the same
magnesium alloy build of the Nikon D7000
would have been nice (although this body has
an RRP of 1,099.99 it can now be picked up
for around 800 if you look carefully enough).
As a non-Nikon user I found the D5100
incredibly easy to get to grips with and I was
able to begin shooting straight away. It was
able to capture good exposures in a variety of
conditions and produced images rich in colour,
detail and sharpness. The 11-point autofocus
system performed well, as did the white
balance, especially when shooting cars on the
Goodwood circuit travelling at more than
100mph. In this difficult situation 4fps let me
capture expressive, in-focus action shots.
Nikon has made it

easy to switch
between shooting
stills and movies
with the D-movie
button, which is
located next
to the shutter
release.
TEST ZONE
Camera review Nikon D5100
THE SEVEN SPECIAL EFFECTS ARE: SELECTIVE COLOUR,

LOW KEY, HIGH KEY, COLOUR SKETCH,
MINIATURE EFFECT, SILHOUETTE AND NIGHT VISION.
Although these features can be associated
with certain stereotypical shots, I wanted to
experiment and appreciate how they could be
applied. The bottom line is that for some
situations the modes will be very effective,
such as when I used low key to photograph
the interior and details of the car. The blacks
were rich and this mode avoided the glare I
was presented with when using program
mode. However, I found with colour sketch
that it was difficult to get an image I could be
proud of. I think this mode needs a subject
with strong graphic shapes to enhance the
effect, otherwise it seems quite gimmicky,
although some people may love it. The beauty
of having these creative modes in-camera
is that it eliminates the need to use a
computer to get the desired effect later
in post-production; it is also great fun.
Sometimes it is nice not to get caught up in
the technical side of taking an image but just

to focus on composition.
The night vision mode intrigued me. As the
megapixel war seems to be slowing down
among manufacturers, the ISO war continues.
When this option is selected, extremely high
ISO sensitivities are available (up to ISO
25600 equivalent), enabling you to shoot
under conditions of darkness. However, this is
available only in monochrome, and in normal
daylight it gives almost an infrared effect.
On the film front Nikon has made it
effortless to switch between shooting stills
and movies with the D-movie button which is
right next to the shutter release. As a
first-time film maker I found it simple and
straightforward. You can record in full (1080p)
HD at 24/25/30fps while using the range of
special effects and the AF-F ensures your
subject is always in focus. The Nikon
SOME OF THE EFFECTS

MODES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE D5100:
Miniature effect
Low key
High key
HDR
Colour sketch
Night vision
TEST ZONE
Camera review Nikon D5100
The camera
carries a similar
16.2-megapixel
DX-format CMOS
sensor with the
EXPEED 2 processor
as the D7000, with
an ISO 25600 and
14-bit RAW shooting.
97mm
TECHNICAL SPEC: NIKON D5100
The 3in vari-angle

LCD screens
improved
high resolution
(921,000-pixel TFT)
offers good results.
The new side hinge
makes it easier to
shoot with a tripod.
D5100 took away all the complications and

preconceptions I had of shooting film with a
DSLR. All I had to worry about was what to
film and keeping the camera steady. The fact
that I used this mode while in a biplane flying
over the West Sussex countryside did make
the task a little more difficult; however, it
produced stunning footage of a high quality.
If I were looking for my first DSLR and had a
big enough budget, I would consider the Nikon
D5100, especially for its video capabilities.
It is portable, accessible and does everything
it says on the tin. However, if you are serious
about your photography it is likely you will
quickly outgrow this camera and may look to
the Nikon D7000 to provide a more robust
design. The D5100 is 10% smaller and lighter
than the D5000 and in fact is the
smallest and lightest model in the Nikon
DSLR line-up so far. I would say that it is ideal
for someone buying their first DSLR or
current owners looking for
a back-up, everyday camera
that does not limit their
creativity. However, it
doesnt feature the built-in AF
motor which is found on the
Nikon D90, meaning you will
have to focus manually for older
lenses, which may also be a negative
for advanced photographers.
It is obvious that Nikon is keen to build on
the success of its previous models, but to
compete in todays crowded enthusiast
market a DSLR has to be so much more than
just a camera. Since the birth of compact
system cameras, there has also been
increasing pressure for DSLRs to be made
smaller and more portable but still include
incredible specifications. The D5100 delivers
just that; its a high specification camera in a
compact body and a lot of fun to use. PM
www.nikon.co.uk
ITS A HIGH
SPECIFICATION
CAMERA IN A
COMPACT BODY
AND A LOT
OF FUN TO USE.
WE LOVE
EASE OF USE
VIDEO FUNCTION IN FULL HD
AND AUTOFOCUS
CREATIVE MODES
WE HATE
OVERALL BUILD QUALITY
79mm (Depth)
128mm
LENS MOUNT
Nikon F mount (with AF

contacts)
EFFECTIVE PIXELS
16.2 million
IMAGE SENSOR
23.6 x 15.6mm CMOS
IMAGE SIZE (PIXELS)
4,928 x 3,264 (L)
3,696 x 2,448 (M)
2,464 x 1,632 (S)
FILE FORMAT
1) NEF (RAW), 2) JPEG,
3) NEF (RAW) + JPEG
MEDIA
SD (Secure Digital) SDHC
and SDXC cards
FRAME ADVANCE RATE Up to 4fps
ISO SENSITIVITY
ISO 100-6400 in steps of
1/3 EV. Can also be set to
approx 0.3, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV
(ISO 25600 equivalent)
above ISO 6400;
auto ISO sensitivity
control available
MOVIE
1,920 x 1,080p, 30p/
25p/24p; 1,280 x 720,
30p/25p/24p,
640 x 424, 30p/25p
FILE FORMAT/VIDEO
MOV, H.264/MPEG-4,
COMPRESSION
advanced video coding
AUDIO RECORDING
Built-in monaural
DEVICE
or external stereo
microphone
MONITOR
3in, approx 921k-dot
(VGA), vari-angle TFT
LCD with 170 viewing
angle
DUST REDUCTION
Image sensor cleaning,
SYSTEM
image dust off reference
data (optional Capture
NX2 software required)
POWER SOURCE
Rechargeable Li-ion
EN-EL14 battery, EH-5b
AC adapter; requires
EP-5A power connector
(available separately)
WEIGHT (APPROX)
560g with battery and
memory card but
without body cap
PRICE
669.99 (body only)
779.99 (18-55VR kit)
00 URE
,0 PICT
3THIS
R
FO
How photos like this can earn you s
ake a look at the photo

above: a fairly simple but
nonetheless highly appealing
shot, it has been published in
parenting magazines, a brochure
and an advertisement, earning over
3,000 for the BFP course student
who took it.
The BFP has been showing
photographers like you how to
make their pictures pay by selling
them to magazines, greetings card
and calendar publishers and many
other markets for over 40 years.
Yet theres rarely been a better time
to enrol on the BFP home study
ShootnSell Course and earn cash
from your camera. Today theres an
enormous market for pictures
pictures which you could supply
GET YOUR FREE FULLY ILLUSTRATED
COLOUR BROCHURE TODAY!
Post the coupon or phone our 24-hour Brochure
Hotline on 020 8882 3315 quoting reference
shown near foot of coupon.* Or e-mail
course@thebfp.com with your name and address
and quoting reference near foot of coupon.*
WHAT THE PHOTO PRESS SAYS

ABOUT THE BFP SHOOT N SELL COURSE
You submit photographs to your

personal tutor who gives you expert
advice and tips on how to make them
more saleable. The course represents
excellent value for money.
Practical Photography
Photographers looking to make money

from their photos should consider ...
the BFP course. It provides invaluable
information on how to sell your pictures
and comes highly recommended.
Photography Monthly
and the comprehensive BFP course

shows you everything you need to
know to get a share of the action.
But thats only part of the unique
BFP Course. Personal tuition in the
comfort of your own home is an
integral feature. You submit your
pictures by post or e-mail and
receive expert advice and appraisal
from your own personal tutor.
And theres more. Every month
you get the BFPs unique Market
Newsletter telling you about
markets looking for photos who
wants what and exactly where to
send your photos.
Dont wait a day longer. Get full
details by sending today for our free,
fully illustrated colour brochure.

Post the coupon or phone our
24-hour brochure hotline. Do it
today it could be your first step
to turning your pictures into s!
YES! Rush me your FREE colour brochure on

the BFP Freelance Photography Shoot n Sell
Course, and the special low introductory fees,
without obligation.
BLOCK CAPS PLEASE
NAME__________________________________
ADDRESS_______________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
__________________ Postcode ______________
*L06
Post to:
THE BFP SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Focus House
497 Green Lanes London N13 4BP
TEST ZONE
What makes a good lens Neil Turner
THROUGH
THE LOOKING
GLASS
If you want to get the most out of your
camera then your choice of lenses is vital,
which is why we asked NEIL TURNER to
speak to those in the know to find out
exactly what it is that makes a great lens
great and why old glass is still good glass.
I CAN VERY CLEARLY REMEMBER THE LIGHT BULB

MOMENT WHEN I FIRST UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE
TECHNICAL DIFFERENCE WAS BETWEEN A GOOD LENS
AND AN AVERAGE ONE. It was in late 1988 and I had just
broken my beloved 85mm f/2 Nikkor. I had rushed around to see
Mike Allen at Fixation who already had a stellar
reputation as the man who could fix anything and
fast. As he was carrying out open-heart
surgery on my lens I saw just how much
engineering there was inside and the
resemblance between his tool kit and
that of a watchmaker suddenly made
BUILD QUALITY:
sense. He fixed the lens and it worked
Great lenses are
better and took even sharper pictures
well-made from
than when Id bought it (second-hand) a
high-quality
couple of years previously.
materials.
All of this came as a revelation, despite
having worked for a small chain of camera
shops which at the time, in 1983 and 1984, had only
five outlets (Jessops of Leicester, remember them?) and then
spending two years studying photography at college.
In all that time taking pictures and handling equipment I
hadnt realised quite how much of my career would be
affected by glass.
Buying the odd new lens means a substantial investment for
most people and knowing why you want to buy lens A instead of
lens B is crucial. Having the right gear is important but, for most
of us, getting the right pictures is even more important and that
means having great lenses.
I would like to conclude this introduction by asking if you
have tried the latest Sigma 50mm f/1.4. If Nikon, Canon,
Sigma APO
Sony and the rest arent a little bit worried by that one, they
70-200mm F2.8 EX
should be.
DG OS HSM.
WHAT MAKES
A LENS GREAT?
DOES YOUR LENS

FEEL GOOD?
Trying to define what I mean by feel is
hard. I know what it means to me, but Ive
always struggled to convey it to other
people. I guess you can break it down into
two parts. The first is that certain lenses
are right for certain pictures and that is
often because they have a quality, a style
and a way of rendering pictures that suits
the occasion. If the lens you are using
delivers the image as you imagined it
would, then it has the right feel. Of course,
a lens that has the right feel for you may
well not have the same effect on me, and
vice versa. Feel is wonderfully and joyously
subjective in this instance.
The other kind of feel might well be
peculiar to me, but I suspect it isnt. I shoot
with two or three cameras and always have
done. I have always wanted my cameras to
match and my lenses to do the same.
Shooting news and feature stories has
always meant having a set of images that
belong together and I have always thought
that having lenses with similar
characteristics on my cameras was
important. These days I mostly use three
Canon L-series zooms (16-35mm, 24-70mm
and 70-200mm f/2.8s) which have total
IF THE LENS YOU ARE USING

DELIVERS THE IMAGE AS YOU
IMAGINED IT WOULD, THEN IT HAS
THE RIGHT FEEL.
consistency of tone, sharpness and
contrast. If it were not for the different
focal lengths, it would be impossible to
tell between them when bringing
pictures up on screen. Other days Ill
use a pair of non-L prime lenses (28mm
and 85mm f/1.8s) which have the same
symmetry but dont match the feel of
the zooms. Looking back on my
favoured lens combinations over the
years I have found exactly the same
relationship and its clear that
feel is hugely important to me as
a photographer.
WHAT MAKES
A LENS GREAT?
SHARPNESS:
A great lens can render
detail right across the
image from edge to edge
and from corner to
corner.
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM.
THE FIRST
MAGICAL PAIRING FOR
ME GOES RIGHT BACK TO MY PRE-COLLEGE DAYS WHEN
I FELL IN LOVE WITH MY OLYMPUS OM-1 CAMERAS,
A ZUIKO 100MM F/2.8 LENS AND KODACHROME 64 FILM.
IS YOUR LENS MAGICAL AND WHAT IS MAGICAL?

This doesnt just describe the qualities of
a given lens. It describes what happens
when you get the right lens on the right
body shooting with the right medium
and the right subject. All photographers
have these combinations but very few
realise it. In the digital age the difference
between magic and good can even come
down to the ISO they are shooting at
or even differing focal lengths within the
range of a zoom.
The first magical pairing for me goes
right back to my pre-college days when I
fell in love with my Olympus OM-1 cameras,
a Zuiko 100mm f/2.8 lens and Kodachrome
64 film. I still have a picture on my wall
taken with this setup. Back then various

Leicas and Nikons stole my heart
including the 85mm f/2 on a Nikon FM2
shooting Tri-X and a 35mm f/2 Nikkor
that I used around the same time.
Right now I mostly shoot with
Canon EOS 5D MkII bodies and zoom
lenses, but I have developed a soft
spot for a new magical combination:
a Canon EOS 7D with a Canon EF
85mm f/1.8 USM lens. I cant put my
finger on what it is about this pairing
and actually in my hands it doesnt feel
anything out of the ordinary, but the
pictures on screen leap out at me time
after time.
WHAT MAKES
A LENS GREAT?
HANDLING:
Great lenses feel right in the
hand and on the camera.
Their controls are
well-positioned and have
just the right amount
of adjustment.
TEST ZONE
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LENS FOR YOU

There are two ways of choosing which lens
to stick on your camera:
You could say, Theres my subject and
here I am, lets see which focal length on
my zoom works best. Sometimes at sports
matches and other events you have your
position and that is that, or
You could say, I want the effect that my
experience tells me a 28mm lens will give
me so Ill select that focal length and move
to the right position to make that happen.
Either of these could be a valid option and,

in many cases, the first is decided for you
by circumstances. Most news
photographers use zoom lenses because it
makes sense to have
fewer lenses when you
are never quite sure
what kind of work you
will be doing on any
given day.
Personally, I use a
combination of both
approaches. If a
position forces me to
choose a certain lens
then Im with option 1.
Given complete freedom to shoot what I

want I would go with option 2. More often
than not Ill go with, say, a 24-70mm lens
intending to shoot at the 24mm end and
get in a position to shoot that way. I will
shoot several frames and then start to
move around, zoom in and out and shoot a
variety of similar images, each with subtle
differences. I try to make a point of
shooting with just about every focal length
available to me on every job.
Answering self-set questions and
making compromises is the key to
successful photography. Choosing the right
lenses helps to reduce the number of
technical compromises that you are forced
to make, giving you more time to decide
on the creative
compromises
that you want
to make.
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM.

Canon EF 70-200mm
f/2.8L IS II USM zoom.
WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS ABOUT LENSES

BARRY EDMONDS IS THE NIKON
SERVICE MANAGER AT FIXATION UK.
HE STARTED OUT AS A TECHNICIAN
AT NIKON IN 1979 AND JOINED
FIXATION UK IN 1995. FIND OUT
HERE WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT
LENSES AND HOW THEY HAVE
CHANGED OVER THE 30-PLUS
YEARS HE HAS BEEN SERVICING
AND REPAIRING THEM.
NT: Ill start by asking you what differences you
see between older and newer lenses.
BE: Older lenses were made to perform in their
era. They were really well-made with simple

mechanisms. Lenses such as the 84mm f/1.4 and
the 35mm f/1.4 had simple helicoids construction
and it was pretty easy to see where the damage
was and fix it. Modern lenses might not be made to
the same mechanical and machining standards, but
they have come on in leaps and bounds as far as
design, optics, coatings and element configurations
are concerned. New stuff is often easier to repair
because it is so well-designed. Obviously, modern
lenses have a lot of electronics that the classic
stuff didnt and we use a lot of diagnostic
equipment to set up the autofocus and alignments.
We have evolved as a company using oscilloscopes,

software and a load of other kit to adjust lenses.
NT: You said old kit was better machined.
A lot of photographers would take that to mean
better made.
BE: In the old days there were pretty big
variations in lenses. If you took two 85mm f/1.4
lenses off the shelf and tested them there was a
decent chance one would be better than the other.
These days the standards are far higher and,
speaking as a Nikon technician, there is no real
difference between lenses. Imperfections in lenses
would be spotted in seconds on todays cameras.
The standards of design and manufacture are
higher now and the images you get from a D3X and
a D3S are so good that a bad lens would stick out a
mile. Older lenses could take the knocks, but they
didnt have the electronics, which the newer
materials are there to protect. If you had talked
30 years ago about making a lens that zoomed
from 18-200mm you would have been laughed at,
but the modern materials and the latest design
techniques have made it a reality.
NT: If you were to think about all of the Nikkor
lenses that have passed across your workbench, is
there one model that stands out as a favourite?
BE: (Short pause for thought) Yes, now you ask.

The 300mm f/2.8 AIS IF-ED Nikkor that was a
standard lens for sports and even news
photographers in the mid-1980s was a classic.
Beautiful design, top-quality manufacturing
and sharp too. It was so small and light compared
to the current model. Obviously it had no AF
(autofocus), no VR and no electronics at all, but it
was a great lens. A lot of those manual focus
lenses are back in great demand for video work
and all of those early IF-ED (internal focus,
extra dispersion glass) lenses were brilliant
in their day.
NT: If I were an aspiring photographer asking you
for the single best piece of advice you have for me
when buying lenses, what would it be?
BE: Think about the kind of pictures you want to
do, think about what focal lengths suit your work
the best and go and buy a couple of fixed lenses.
Dont get me wrong, modern zooms are brilliant,
but there is something special about fixed (focal
length) lenses.
Fixation UK is a professional service and retail centre

for both Nikon and Canon based in central London.
www.fixationuk.com
Canon EOS 5D MkII, Canon EF 16-35mm

f2.8 II USM, KOOD ND 16 SB270 82mm
Andy Wilson setting up the shot, andy210966@hotmail.co.uk
= 4 STO
16
P
Manufactured in Japan for KOOD using

Schott B270 optical glass with neutral
density coating on both surfaces to maintain
a true neutral with a 4 stop strength.
An exceptional high quality filter enabling slow
shutter speeds with better aperture selection.
KOOD JAPANESE MANUFACTURED
ROUND FILTER RANGE INCLUDES:
Skylight. Skylight 1B, UV, ND4, ND8, ND16, Polarizer,

Circular Polarizer, 4 x Star, 6 x Star, 8 x Star, Radial
Multi Image 3, Radial Multi Image 5, Centre Spot Clear,
Soft, Fog, Split Field, Close Up Sets +1 + 2 + 4, 80a,
80b, 81a, 81b, 82a, 82b, 85a, 85b, FLW, FLD, Red,
Orange, Yellow, Yellow/Green.
Many of these are available from 25mm 86mm.
A straight Polarizer though lower cost than a Circular
polarizer gives a better result but you might have to
focus manually, all auto focus systems work with the
circular polarizer.
Llanwryst Falls - ISO 100 f2.8 35mm 0,8sec
SLOT FILTERS MANUFACTURED BY KOOD

IN THE UK:
Over 110 different types in 67mm Cokin A Size, 84mm

Cokin P Size and 100mm Lee Hi-tech Cokin etc Size.
CAN BE ORDERED FROM ANY INDEPENDENT RETAILER
SQUARE FILTERS: COKIN A TYPE,

COKIN P TYPE AND 100MM
CAMERA LENS ADAPTORS,

MOUNTS AND CAPS
OVER 160 DIFFERENT

STEPPING RINGS
KOOD
KOOD International Limited, Unit 6, Wellington Road, London Colney AL2 1EY
Tel: 01727 823812 Fax: 01727 823336
E-mail: info@koodinternational.com / koodinternational@gmail.com
GLASS FILTERS
UNDERWATER FILTERS
GENERAL CAMERA FITTING

ACCESSORIES
www.koodinternational.com
KOOD BRAND PRODUCTS ARE EXPORTED WORLDWIDE
KOOD SUPPLIES EVERY PART OF THE PHOTO TRADE - HOME AND EXPORT.
EMAIL: info@koodinternational.com FOR DETAILS OF STOCKIST IN YOUR AREA OR, IF YOU ARE A CAMERA EQUIPMENT TRADER,
SEND YOUR DETAILS FOR ACCOUNT APPLICATION AND TRADE SUPPLY PRICES
TEST ZONE
blur than others and that is a product of the
design of the lens the shape of the
aperture, the coatings on the elements and
the way the lens is manufactured.
Whether you find the bokeh of any given
lens pleasing is a purely subjective
matter and you need to be
aware that the bokeh will
change with focusing
distance, how far the
aperture is closed down
CONTRAST:
and the quality of the
A great lens will render a good
light. What most people
range of light and dark, highlight
dont consider is that
and shadow, letting the
on a digital image, any
photographer capture the scene
sharpening used in the
in an accurate, pleasing and
camera or in the subsequent
tonally smooth way.
post-processing will have an
effect on the bokeh too.
DOES YOUR LENS

GIVE GOOD
BOKEH?
I dont think you can
talk about lenses
these days without
mentioning bokeh.
Its a Japanese
word that refers
to the way a lens
renders the
out-of-focus areas
of an image.
Some lenses have more
aesthetically pleasing
WHAT MAKES
A LENS GREAT?
WHEN BUYING
VINTAGE LENSES,
CHECKS MUST BE
MADE FOR PHYSICAL
DAMAGE TO THE LENS
BARREL AS WELL AS
THE GLASS. DO NOT
BUY A LENS WITH
ANY INDICATION OF
IMPACT DAMAGE.
WHAT THE COLLECTOR SAYS ABOUT LENSES

PAUL LIPSCOMBE IS A
PHOTOGRAPHY LECTURER AT THE
ARTS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AT
BOURNEMOUTH, A PRACTISING
PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE AUTHOR OF
THE USE OF HISTORIC LENSES
IN CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY
WHICH DETAILS HOW HE USES
OLDER LENSES IN HIS OWN
LONG-TERM PROJECTS.
NT: Paul, can I start by asking what makes a good
lens magical?
PL: With a modern multi-coated lens, we are pretty
much guaranteed a sharp picture with clearly defined
tones, provided we exercise the appropriate care.
Modern lenses, however sharp and for all their
crispness, do often lose the subtlety of tone apparent
to the careful user of early uncoated optics. If we
consider the work of James Ravilious, he deliberately
chose to use lenses made in the 1930s on his Leica,
working in the 1970s-1990s. Using great skill to avoid
flare, his early lenses produce an open quality in the
shadows, which is almost impossible with modern
equipment.
For similar reasons, I use a range of early lens
designs in my landscape work ones that were
favoured by the Pictorialists in the early 20th
century. With these lenses I can create a delicate level
of flare to suggest the brilliancy of the light, or open
up the darkest of shadow detail.
NT: What three things do you look for when buying
a lens?
PL: Even if the lens is to be used for soft focus
images, it must be able to create a core image which
is sharp and clearly defined. If I were to define three
qualities they would be the following:
Firstly, the most important quality to me is tonal
rendering. The lens must be capable of delivering the
full tonal scale, and not be too contrasty.
The second is sharpness. A lens which fails to

produce a sharp image is not a soft focus lens, its
simply low quality. When buying vintage lenses,
checks must be made for physical damage to the lens
barrel as well as the glass. Do not buy a lens with any
indication of impact damage.
Finally, there is coverage. This is only of real
relevance to the large format photographer, but a lens
should adequately cover a field wide enough for some
movements. Always test for this; some lenses have
supposedly mythical coverage it is probably just
that a myth! If you are adapting an old lens to a
camera of smaller format this will not be a problem.
WHAT MAKES
A LENS GREAT?
QUALITY GLASS:
Great lenses have the best glass
manufactured using the best
techniques and using the best
optical coatings
for the job.
NT: Why do you use old glass?

PL: Initially, I used older lenses because they were
a cheap way into large format photography that

would not really be true today as prices have climbed
dramatically. After realising their potential and
becoming interested in the history of the medium,
I started to investigate older lenses seriously.
In the 19th century there were literally dozens of
lens manufacturers, but it does simplify life to stick to
the higher quality makers, and then to their better
products. For example, from Britain, Dallmeyer made
Vintage Darlot and

Dallmeyer lenses.
a range of portrait lenses with adjustable softness,

and some of the earliest good telephotos and wide
angles. Ross also made superb telephoto and portrait
lenses. In France the best early maker was Darlot of
Paris and its lenses tend to be the most common on
the American market, hence their regular appearance
on eBay. Britain had an excellent optical industry in
this period; Germany was also among the leaders and
most lenses by Goerz the Dagor, Zeiss and notably
the Tessar are worth considering.
If you wanted to investigate these early lenses
without spending too much Id look for a good Rapid
Rectilinear from a maker such as Dallmeyer, Ross,
Busch or Meyer. These are the common standard lens
on a quality camera of the second half of the 19th
century and probably took most of the historical
images we see today. Prices for these are generally
very reasonable, from 50 upwards. Adapting them
for your use may require ingenuity but small ones can
often be fitted to a body cap and used in front of
extension bellows to allow focusing.
Pauls book, The Use of Historic Lenses in
Contemporary Photography, is available either as
a download or a printed book from www.lulu.com
or you can order the book at a special price
of 20, including UK postage, from the author
at paul@landskip.co.uk. PM
W W W. P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY.CO M [ 1 0 1 ]
THE HIGH
NUMBERS
The latest Canon EOS launch has a high number, price and specification list
and yet its apparently an entry-level model. PM Editor GRANT SCOTT
immediately wanted to know more. What he discovered was that the 600D
is a camera worth considering.
I AM GOING TO START THIS REVIEW AT THE

END. THERE IS NO REASON I CAN FIND WHY YOU
SHOULD NOT BUY THE CANON EOS 600D.
There you have it, a simple answer to the
question, Should I buy this camera?
But I realise you want to know more, so I
will do my best to oblige.
Lets start in Istanbul. The TIPA awards
are an internationally recognised series of
honours given to the years equipment
launches which have made people sit up
and take notice. I am a judge, along with
representatives from Japan, China,
Australia, Germany, Spain, Greece, France,
Spain and on and on. Im sure you get the
picture that winning one of these awards
is a prestigious achievement. And guess
what? The Canon EOS 600D won the best
entry-level DSLR award for 2011.
But hang on a minute, with an RRP of
679 is this really an entry-level camera?
Well Canon certainly thinks so, while
admitting the 600D is at the top end of its
offerings for this market. From my
perspective this fact means my approach
to the camera has to be one based on
appropriateness and value for money.
Coming after the launches of the
ground-breaking 5D, innovation-packed
7D and high-performing 550D my hopes
for the 600D are understandably high and
straight out of the box the camera seems
to feel and look exactly as I expected. Its
a Canon and feels like one, although on a
slightly smaller scale than I personally
like; but then I have said that about pretty

much every camera I have reviewed
over the past two years as DSLRs have
got increasingly smaller and lighter.
At first sight it looks just like the 550D
but with an articulated screen (not
something I like, I must admit, but I may
well be in the minority and, of course, you
dont have to use it). But its soon clear
that it also owes some of its DNA to the
lower-priced entry-level EOS 60D, most
notably the Basic+. This simple function
allows image adjustments in the
scene-based exposure modes so you can
change the overall look of images and
control background blur without needing
to know anything technical or that what
you have just done has been done!
In addition, the 600D includes a
multi-aspect ratio function plus the 60Ds
creative filters, a range of effects that
can be applied to images after shooting,
including toy camera, fisheye and
fake-miniature looks. Now Im starting to
get the entry-level tag.
The entry-level spec continues with the
fully automatic green square exposure
mode now becoming a scene intelligent
auto function which analyses the scene in
front of the camera and sets its exposure
and image-processing parameters
accordingly, including a colour tweak.
And a feature guide gives concise
explanations of what each function does
to help beginners learn how things work.
Canon EOS 600D

The camera comes equipped with a pop-up
flash which can be used creatively as fill-in
flash when shooting portraits, both indoors
and outdoors. There is also built-in wireless
multi-flash support, meaning you can shoot
with off-camera flash as well.
TOP 5 FEATURES
1 FEATURE GUIDE
Short explanations of what each
function does are easily reached.
2 VIDEO SNAPSHOT MODE

Shoot film in short bursts and the camera
will do all the hard editing for you.
3 GOOD-SIZED SENSOR
Its an APS-C CMOS with an ISO range of
100-6400, which is expandable to 12800.
TEST ZONE
Camera review Canon EOS 600D
THE 600D IS A GREAT LITTLE CAMERA AND
HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE NORMAL
EXPECTATIONS OF AN ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR...
There is also an innovative video
snapshot movie mode which comes from
Canons camcorder range. Its based on the
concept that amateur movies are usually
more interesting when stitched together
from a number of short takes, rather than
being one long continuous clip and on this I
have to agree. It works by limiting the user
to recording for only two, four or eight
seconds, which it then plays back
sequentially as a completed composite
movie, with the option of adding a
soundtrack in post-production. It may
seem like a strange concept but its one I
really like and if it encourages
people to make movies, its got
to be a great thing. Most
photographers now are
entry-level film makers,
however experienced they are as

photographers, so hats off to Canon.
Nevertheless, the cameras core
specification has not been upgraded from
the 60D, which makes it the first camera
in the EOS line that hasnt gained a higher
resolution sensor or new processor.
So the 600D is fitted with Canons tried
and trusted 18MP APS-C CMOS with
its sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400
(expandable to 12800) and 3.7fps
continuous shooting. The nine-point
autofocus and 63-zone metering systems
have also not been upgraded. What does
this mean? Well, basically, the core of the
600D is a no-surprises, no-thrills deliverer
of good-quality images. Like a Saab it
delivers all it promises, just without much
excitement, thrills or spills. I shot
with it, worked with it, pushed it and
experimented with it over the period
of a week and it just kept on delivering
A number of accessories
are available for your
600D, such as a
Speedlite 270EX II
flashgun pictured here.
Also worth considering
is a high-speed memory
card for quick and
safe transfer of stills
and video.
4 BUILD QUALITY
The camera sits well in the hands. Its the
right weight and feels tough.
5 IMAGE QUALITY
The camera will deliver good images
time and time again.
TEST ZONE
For more news and reviews visit our site

99.5mm
TECHNICAL SPEC: CANON EOS 600D
79.7mm (Depth)
133.1mm
The Canon EOS 600D has

an advanced HD movie mode
(1080p). The technology allows
clips of two, four or eight seconds
to be merged into a single movie file.
without any fuss or drama. The perfect

entry-level camera then, for the
photographer who just wants to feel
comfortable. The entry-level tag is
starting to make more and more sense.
As well as the borrowed video composite
function on the movie front, the 600D, just
and head and shoulders above the normal

expectations of the standard entry-level
DSLR. In reality it only differs from the
60D in the way in which it feels in the hand
(more curved and smoother of line).
But the 600D finds itself in a particularly
competitive section of the market,
ITS BASED ON THE CONCEPT THAT AMATEUR

MOVIES ARE USUALLY MORE INTERESTING
WHEN STITCHED TOGETHER FROM A NUMBER
OF SHORT TAKES, RATHER THAN BEING ONE
LONG CONTINUOUS CLIP...
like the 60D, offers full HD recording via a
dedicated position on the cameras mode
dial, with full manual control available for
those who want it. There is, however, a new
digital zoom function, offering 3-10x zoom,
and a built-in sound recording level
control, with a stereo sound meter to help
judge the right recording levels.
And that, I am afraid, is about all I have
to say. The 600D is a great little camera
especially with the continued growth

and development of the CSCs that it will
inevitably come up against. One thing may
help it, however. Remember the TIPA
awards in Istanbul and how the EOS 600D
was named best entry-level DSLR? As I
said, I cant find any reason not to
recommend this camera and neither could
the international panel of judges.
www.canon.co.uk
WE LOVE
CANON HERITAGE
MEGAPIXELS
SENSOR TYPE
AUTOFOCUS
CROP FACTOR
LENS MOUNT
METERING SYSTEM
FRAMES PER SECOND
ISO SENSITIVITY
SCREEN SIZE
CARD FORMAT
RESOLUTION
SENSOR SIZE
SCREEN RESOLUTION
FILE FORMATS
CONNECTIVITY
FLASH TYPE
FLASH SYNC SPEED
INTEGRATED CLEANING
LIVE VIEW
SHUTTER SPEED
VF COVERAGE
MOVIE MODE
PRICE
18.0
CMOS
Nine points
1.6x
Canon EF/EF-S
TTL 63-zone SPC
3.7
ISO 100 to 12800
3in
SD/SDHC/SDXC cards
5,184 x 3,456
aspect ratio 3:2
22.3 x 14.9mm
1,040,000
RAW, Jpeg
USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed),
Video out (PAL /
NTSC), HDMI mini
output
Built-in pop-up
1/200sec
Yes
Yes
Max 1/4,000sec
Min 30sec
95%
1080p
679 (body only)
WE HATE
MOVIE COMPOSITE
SOLID PERFORMER
MORE SAAB THAN AUDI
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A JACK OF ALL
TRADES AND A...
In the world of CSCs the Olympus, Sony and Panasonic Lumix are the names most often mentioned
but as PM Editor GRANT SCOTT discovered, Samsung is also a name to be reckoned with.
SAMSUNG CAMERAS HAVE INTERESTED ME EVER

SINCE THE COMPANYS EARLY BEGINNINGS IN
CAMERA PRODUCTION IN THE MID-1990S FOR THE
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY. They have a fine history
of placing importance on design, innovation
and intriguing collaborations (such as
with the designers at Porsche) and produce
interesting cameras so it is no surprise
that they have embraced the new world of
CSCs so enthusiastically.
Now, Im a fan of the CSC concept and
have been lucky enough over the past year
or so to be able to work with all of the
Samsung NX11s competitors, so it was
with some excitement and expectation
that I started to test the camera, as I had
not had the chance to try its predecessor,
the NX10. Straight out of the box, the
overall look and feel of the NX11 are good
(and not dissimilar to the NX10), and
its weight and balance feel right, with an
upgraded new hand grip providing a good
counterbalance to the bodys ergonomics
and control. Its not, however, either exciting
or innovative in its looks in the way that its
main rivals are. The NX11 feels and looks like
a no-thrills, miniaturised DSLR; its not retro
or minimalist in its styling, its an all-black
camera which looks like the kind of DSLR we
are used to seeing today, just smaller.
The NX11 comes fitted with an

18-55mm i-Function lens.
Other options include two new
i-Function lenses:
a 20mm pancake and a
20-50mm zoom.
mode control dial which feels less definite in

use than it should on a camera at this price.
As I have mentioned already, the NX11 is
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, THE OVERALL LOOK

AND FEEL OF THE NX11 ARE GOOD (AND NOT
DISSIMILAR TO THE NX10), AND ITS WEIGHT AND
BALANCE FEEL RIGHT..
This is not a criticism, just an observation,
as this kind of non-flashy camera may appeal
to many. The one thing, however, I do not
think will appeal is the new top-positioned
an upgrade based on the NX10, which means

that the new model is now compatible with the
Samsung i-Function lens system introduced
alongside the NX100. The NX11 comes fitted
with an 18-55mm i-Function lens, as well as

with the option to add one or two new
i-Function lenses: a 20mm pancake and
a 20-50mm zoom, which is not a bad selection
for a CSC system.
If youve never come across or heard of the
Samsung i-Function lens system, I had better
explain what it is. Basically, it allows you to use
your left hand to change settings through
a small button built into the lens so you can
toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV,
white balance and ISO. Thats the kind of
innovation I expect from Samsung and Im
sure for many it will give a great reason
to purchase. Personally I found it really easy
to use, but Im not sure how often I would
do so, which is an issue because this lens
TEST ZONE
Camera review Samsung NX11
87mm
TECHNICAL SPEC: SAMSUNG NX11
39.8mm (Depth)
123mm
LENS MOUNT
IMAGE SENSOR TYPE
SENSOR SIZE
DISPLAY SIZE
SHUTTER SPEED
FLASH
EXPOSURE METERING
EXPOSURE
COMPENSATION
EXPOSURE ISO
EQUIVALENT
WHITE BALANCE
MODES
SHOOTING MODES
SHOOTING QUALITY
PRICE
Samsung NX
CMOS 14.6-megapixel
23.4 x 15.6mm
AMOLED 3in display
Smart Auto: 1/4,000sec
to 30sec. Manual:
1/4,000sec to 30sec
(1/3 EV step). Bulb (limit
time: 8min)
TTL Auto pop-up flash
Multi, centre-weighted,
spot metering range:
EV 0-18 (ISO 100
30mm f/2.0)
3 EV (1/2 EV,
1/3 EV step)
Auto, 100, 200,400, 800,
1600, 3200 (1 EV or
1/3 EV step)
Auto, daylight, cloudy,
fluorescent (W, N, D),
tungsten, flash, custom,
K (manual)
Smart auto, program,
shutter priority AE,
aperture priority AE,
manual, night, portrait,
landscape, scene, movie
Super fine, fine, normal
RAW format
499.99 (with 18.55mm
i-Function lens)
WE LOVE
GOOD ALL-ROUND PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
WE HATE
LACK OF EXCITEMENT
The NX11 features a 14.6-megapixel

APS-C CMOS sensor, a built-in flash
and electronic VGA viewfinder.
THE NX11 IS A DECENT CAMERA
WHICH I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM

RECOMMENDING TO SOMEONE WHO
WAS LOOKING TO DIP A TOE INTO THE
BURGEONING WORLD OF CSCs.
compatibility is the main upgrade feature over
the NX10. The focus on lens innovation is
shown further with a lens priority mode dial to
help you make the right choices when shooting.
As with the NX10, the NX11 features a
14.6-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a built-in
flash and electronic VGA viewfinder, a 3in
AMOLED LCD screen to help reduce glare, a
new panorama feature and video functionality
with 720p HD recording. In all of these
respects the NX11 delivers everything that you
would expect it to do in both features and
quality of image. It does the basics well but
sadly does not offer much more than that.
Although the NX11s sensor features the
same processor as the NX10, Samsung has
cleverly raised the ISO 3200 capacity to ISO
6400, which has to be a good thing for any
photographer trying to avoid using flash.
However, the use of the same sensor does
suggest that image quality is not going to be
that different, if at all, to the NX10s.
However, Samsung has created an updated
autofocus system in the NX11 to make it faster
than both the NX10 and NX100 models.
This has been created through in-camera
software changes rather than mechanical
upgrade and, in truth, is a slight tweak rather

than a groundbreaking re-working; but it does
deliver the goods. It appears then that when
the dry facts are put down on paper the main
reason for the NX11s existence seems to be
the added i-Function lens compatibility.
But camera reviews should never just be
based on comparisons and, taken as a
stand-alone camera, the NX11 is a good, solid
choice which I found hard to find any fault
with at an extremely competitive price of just
under 500 for body and 18-55mm lens.
The NX11 is a decent camera which I would
have no problem recommending to someone
who was looking to dip a toe into the
burgeoning world of CSCs, but I dont think
that its going to get NX10 owners excited
enough to replace their current CSC and
re-invest, unless of course the i-Function is
enough of a pull for them. Ill be keeping
a close eye on Samsung and the NX system in
the future as, having mastered a camera
as solid in performance as this, the company
must surely be just a small step from
creating something truly exciting. Sadly, with
the NX11 they are not quite there yet. PM
www.samsung.com
THE BEST
BEGINNINGS
The EOS 1100D DSLR from Canon is aimed at those new to
photography, but having taken it for a quick spin,
PM deputy editor SEAN SAMUELS wonders why they
should have all the fun.
CAN CAMERAS EVER REALLY BE SEXY? CAN THEY

EVER REALLY BE DULL? No doubt there are
camera aficionados everywhere who would
answer yes to both of these questions, but for
many photographers a camera is just a tool.
After all, have you ever wandered into
a hardware shop and decided, Thats the
hammer for me, I just love its clean lines
and feel? Like me, you probably havent,
opting instead for a hammer that was right
for the job, which is the same requirement
that most photographers look for when
choosing a camera.
So what makes a camera right for the job?
Depending on your style of photography there
will be several factors, ranging from speed
and build quality to being able to shoot in
extremely low light and, of course, price.
Breaking down these factors further, lets
examine why the Canon EOS 1100D is good
and why it might not be right for everybody.
Straight away I have to say Canon, you have
done it again. Not only is the 1100D extremely
easy to use, but it is also capable of producing
images that would make anyone proud, for
419 body only.
Okay, so the camera feels slight.
The electronics are housed within a steel
frame encased by plastic. This is solid
enough, but not if you want to work in
extreme conditions. The plastic has a smooth
finish, but enough about how the camera
looks. What is more important is how the
camera works and reviewing the images taken
while testing the camera, I was impressed by
the quality that the 1100D was producing.
Canon EOS 1100D

This is a great little camera for anyone wanting to
start photography or those wishing to develop their
skills further.
The camera has a 12MP APS-C CMOS

sensor with an increased sensitivity range
from ISO 100 to 6400, a notable improvement
on its predecessor, the 1000D. It means that
even at this level you will be able to create
large prints shot in low light. While testing the
camera in manual I tried to create images
at a high ISO of 800 with different light
sources, including shooting through glass.
The images produced were exactly what I

wanted and how I wanted them. Any camera
that can do this easily, without forcing me to
navigate through layer upon layer of menu
options, giving me a headache at the same
time, is fine in my book.
I should add that this might have had
something to do with the second-hand 50mm
Canon prime lens I was using. On this
TOP 5 FEATURES
1 PRICE
At 419 body only this is great kit
to start shooting with.
2 EASE OF USE
The menu and function buttons are clear
and easy to navigate.
3 IMAGE QUALITY
This little powerhouse will reproduce the
images you want to make every time.
TEST ZONE
occasion I didnt have the kit lens that
normally comes with the camera, but in many
ways I am glad because it made me realise
that even an entry-level camera can quickly
become much more if it is used with good
glass (to find out what makes a great lens,
turn to page 97).
Increasingly I think photographers should
consider buying camera bodies only and then
hunt around for a second-hand lens suitable
for the type of photography they want to do.
The 50mm and 85mm lenses did not look out
of place on the 1100D body. Anything bigger
than this and the setup might become
unwieldy. The 1100D is small at just 130mm x
100mm x 78mm (W x H x D); too small for
some and I did wonder what might happen to
the plastic casing after it had endured a few
knocks. However, if you are a careful owner
and are unlikely to be using the 1100D in
extreme conditions, then a little care is not
a tall order and, given the image quality,
its a small price to pay for a camera that
shoots RAW and movies.
High definition (720p) footage can be
recorded at up to 30fps (frames per second),
which is perfect for those wishing to make
IN THE PORTRAIT MODE YOU CAN TAKE

CONTROL OF THE PICTURE STYLE AND WHITE
BALANCE SETTINGS, WHILE THE CAMERA TAKES
CARE OF EVERYTHING ELSE...
films with a DSLR. Continuous shooting is
possible at three frames per second, which
isnt the fastest speed on the planet, but its
good enough for most uses. Even the
exposure metering and autofocus have been
overhauled. The seven-point autofocus
system found in the 1000D has been replaced
with a nine-point array of focusing points;
changing the points was quick and easier to
do than on some more expensive cameras on
the market.
As the 1100D is an entry-level camera it
would not be complete without a range of
automatic scene programs. Included here are
the usual suspects such as portrait, landscape
and sports, but interestingly Canon has added
a Basic+ option, which allows users to set
certain parameters in each of the auto scene
modes. For example, in the portrait mode you
can take control of the picture style and
white balance settings, while the camera

takes care of everything else. I like this
feature; it should encourage people to come
off auto a lot more quickly and develop more
creative possibilities. Similarly, the creative
auto mode is a liberating change to aperture
priority, letting you select the depth of focus
in an image while the camera does the rest.
So who is the 1100D for? It is probably
easier to say who it is not for and that, quite
simply, means professional photographers,
who require kit that can take a beating.
However, throw on a reliable prime lens and
the 1100D becomes an interesting camera for
pretty much everyone else. It isnt sexy, but
then neither is it dull. It is the right tool for
the job if what you want is a camera that
will give good results and encourage you to
become a better photographer. PM
www.canon.co.uk
The controls and

functions on the Canon
EOS 1100D are laid out
well and easy to use.
The buttons are large
and feel sturdy.
Important camera
functions can be
accessed quickly
without entering the
menu, but if this is
required, the menu
panels are intuitive and
clear, enabling you to
change settings easily
without losing much
shooting time.
4 GOOD FOR LOW LIGHT

Inside is a 12MP APS-C CMOS sensor
offering ISO 100 to 6400.
5 SHOOTS RAW
The ability to shoot RAW means you can
be more creative with your final images.
W W W. P H OTO G RA P H Y M O N T H LY.CO M [ 1 0 9 ]
Phone one of our knowledgeable sales advisors
01444 23 70 63
available Monday - Saturday 8.45am - 5:45pm
1971 - 2011
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Cameras is designed to give you the very
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Park Cameras - one of the UK's Leading Professional Dealers

SUPERB DX-FORMAT SLR PACKED
WITH CREATIVE FEATURES
YOUR EOS ADVENTURE

STARTS HERE.
NEW!
Body Only: 619.00
D5100 + 18-55 VR: 739.00
EOS 600D + 18-55mm IS 729.99 | EOS 600D + 18-135mm IS 859.99
+ 4GB SDHC Memory Card and Nikon VA2201BB Bag 769.99
FIND YOUR OWN ANGLE

WITH THE EOS 60D.
to help you achieve superior results.
Body Price 569.99
Body Price 384.99
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439.99
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Body Only: 779.99
technologies and performance into a
EOS 60D + 17-85mm IS 1,019.99 | EOS 60D + 17-55mm IS 1,497.99
Body Price 995.00
2,479.98
3,159.98
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LENSES
1,913.99
649.99
408.99
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629.99
Body Price 1,179.99

1,439.99
1,689.99
609.99
776.98
For the latest low price on the Canon

EOS 7D, please visit our website
Body Only
3,499.00
For money saving deals on filters
& hoods, visit our website.
6,499.99
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In development
Our Price 3,699.99
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Our Price 5,249.99
For money saving deals with filters

& hoods, visit our website.
LENSES
Body Price 357.00
1,064.00
1,163.00
Body Price 1,849.99
1,458.99
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NEW!
Body Price 899.00
649.99
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OLYMPUS PEN - E-PL1 OLYMPUS PEN - E-PL2 OLYMPUS PEN - E-P2

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Kits from 479.00
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Our Price 439.00
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Our Price 679.00
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Our Price 1,069.00
SONY 580 + 18-55MM SONY NEX-5 + 18-55MM SAMSUNG NX11 + 18-55
494.99
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YOUR QUESTIONS
UPGRADE
I am a Nikon user thinking about
buying a Samyang 85mm f/1.4
Aspherical IF lens from a friend at a
good price. Any thoughts?
Made by a Korean company, this lens can also be
found under various import brand names, including
Vivitar, Walimex, Opteka and Rokinon. It was
designed as an affordable option for the lower end
of the market, and has attracted a lot of attention
since it first appeared in late 2008.
This ultra-large aperture 85mm f/1.4 lens sells
typically for less than 300 and has the look
of other manufacturers 85mm lenses that are
up to quadruple its price, which certainly makes the
Samyang an interesting proposition. It is
made from a combination of metal and plastic parts,
and, considering its low price tag, the build quality
is unexpectedly high.
While this lens offers a good central sharpness
wide open, the close focus may not be as good as
more expensive lens options, but this is to be
expected. It does deliver even illumination across
the frame although maybe it is slightly soft at
the edges when wide open. However, the bokeh,
which is a primary consideration for an ultra-large
aperture lens, is very effective overall.
As a Nikon user you are in luck as only the Nikon
AE mount has full aperture and metering coupling,
whereas the Sony and Pentax versions are the more
basic, manual preset aperture lenses. The Nikon
I am considering buying either the

Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD
MACRO 1:2 or the Tamron SP AF
70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD. However, I have
no idea what the difference is between these
lenses. Could you explain?
The Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD MACRO
1:2 is the more versatile telephoto zoom lens. It is
ideal for both portrait and nature photography
because it includes a macro 1:2 function which
allows a minimum focus distance of 0.95m within
the focal length range of 180-300mm. Di stands for
Digitally Integrated Design, meaning the lens can be

used on a digital APS-C sized or full frame camera.
It has a street price of 120. The Tamron SP AF
70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD (pictured) uses an
advanced optical design that features an LD (Low
Dispersion) and an XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) lens
element made from specialised materials that
prevent chromatic aberration and create a sharper
contrast. The lens also includes a USD (Ultrasonic
Silent Drive), Tamrons own autofocus drive
mechanism and VC (Vibration Compensation) image
stabilisation to help handheld photography in low
light. The street price is 349.95.
www.tamron.co.uk
Q
version has always had
auto-aperture operation and includes an Exif chip,
so focus confirmation works and the proper image
data is recorded.
The Samyang may not be the sharpest lens
around but it provides a reasonable and affordable
introduction to shallow depth-of-field photography.
The main drawback is the mechanical coupling, with
no camera-controlled aperture or autofocus, but
with a typical UK shop price of less than 300, a
high-end Nikon enthusiast cant go wrong.
www.samyang.pl/en
I am looking for accessories to use

for portrait photography with my
Canon flashgun. Any ideas?
Check out Strobies by Interfit, which has taken
the concept of large studio flash accessories and
reduced them in size to fit manufacturers
flashguns. Some of the attachments can then be
fitted directly on to your flashguns by using a flex
mount, eliminating the need for rubber bands or
Velcro. Two kits are available: an EFX kit for
background and product lighting, and a portrait kit
containing a beauty dish, softbox, globe diffuser,
barndoor set, snoot and honeycomb grid. The kits
are portable, making them ideal for photographers
who want to shoot on location, and will fit the
majority of popular manufacturers flashguns.
The portrait kit is available for 138.99 from:
www.interfitphotographic.com/Strobies
This month KELLY WEECH

answers your questions
about kit to help you
make the right choices.
I own a Canon EOS 550D which I am
very happy with but I have seen some
of Simon Marsdens infrared work and
fancy giving this technique a try. I dont want to
go to the expense of buying another DSLR body
and having it converted to do this. Could you tell
me any other ways I could try this technique?
Digital cameras have made infrared (IR)
photography more accessible and easier to achieve.
You can now experiment without incurring the cost
of processing film, which was why people often
avoided using this technique in the past.
Simon Marsden, www.simonmarsden.co.uk, has also
helped to raise the level of interest among
enthusiasts. He is known for his supernatural and
ghostly images which use infrared to encourage
people not to take everything at face value,
by offering an alternative version of reality.
Most digital camera CCD sensors are sensitive to
infrared light. This can be tested simply by pointing
your TV remote control directly at your camera
lens. Push any button and look on the LCD screen
for a spot of light. You should be able to see the
infrared beam from the remote. If you see white or
purple flashes, your camera is IR sensitive and will
be able to shoot IR images with your camera if the
visible light is blocked out.
Once you have checked if your camera is
compatible you will need to invest in an infrared
filter which you place in front of the lens.
The camera will then make adjustments to
accommodate this wavelength. The beauty of using
a digital camera is that you will also be able to
review the shot and decide the length of exposure
you need. The average light meter cannot read
for infrared light and the exposure will be much
longer than for visible light, so a tripod will be
needed to deal with the longer shutter speed.
If you want an infrared filter I would recommend
the Hoya R72 from www.hoyafilter.com. Prices start
from 44 depending on the size needed to fit your
lens. You could also use Photoshop to simulate the
look of infrared photography on images you have
already taken. If you want to learn how this is done
you can download a tutorial from www.photoshop
essentials.com/photo-effects/infrared-photo
For those looking to invest in a DSLR with
infrared capabilities then the Nikon D5100 should
be taken seriously. It features a DX-format
16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, ISO ranges from
100 to 6400 (which can be raised to ISO 25600 at
Hi-2), 11-point autofocus system and vari-angle
LCD monitor. A new night vision mode raises the
ISO sensitivity limit from its expanded maximum
of ISO 25600 equivalent up to ISO 102400
equivalent. However, you can shoot only
monochromatic images in this mode. The RRP
of the Nikon D5100 is 669.99 (body only) and
779.99 (with an 18-55VR kit). PM
www.nikon.co.uk
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Sekonic
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L308 S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135.74
L358 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225.39
L758D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394.54
Expodisk
If you own a digital slr or video camera, you
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Lastolite 1108 140.39

Manfrotto MN314B 209.52
All above have telescopic cross bars
Interfit COR756 101.21

Plus a range of Lighting Stands
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All prices are correct at time of going to press
and include V.A.T at the current rate. E&OE.
Studio Kit Direct. Bridgnorth. WV16 5JB
Heads & Accessories are

listed on our website
Improve your
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We carry huge stocks of Lee Filters - if
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Example prices...
Big Stopper 10xND Glass Filter . . . . 96.00
B+W Kaseman 105 mm circ polar . 219.13
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Adaptor rings from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.40
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Ind resins from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44.94
Multi filter pouch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34.80
105mm polariser ring . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.35
Standard lens hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.75
www.studiokitdirect.co.uk Tel: 01746 769 768
FOR THE BEST PART EXCHANGE DEALS!

D3100
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Canon 7D Body - 950
Nikon D50 Body 189
Canon 55-250is - 159
Sigma 2x DG EX C/AF - 99
Minolta 800si + Grip - 59
Minolta 7D + Grip - 269
Contax 167MT + Zeiss 50mm 1.7 - 199
Contax Zeiss 180mm F2.8 - 289
Panasonic GH2 + 14-140 (50 shots) - 999
Sony Alpha 350 + 18-70 -299
Sony 20mm F2.8 - 350
Nikon 70-300 AFG - 99
Nikon ED82 + 25-75x - 999
Nikon FSA-L1 - 179
Sony 18-200mm - 249
Sony Mavica MVC-CD500 - 129
Canon BG-E3 Grip59
Nikon MD-12 Motordrive - 39
Canon Powershot SX20is - 219

Panasonic 14-50mm F2.8-3.5 OIS - 499
Canon XM2 - 799
Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 N - 999
Canon 70-300mm USM IS - 299
Ricoh GR Digital - 179
Contax TVS Digital - 99
Leica M8.2 - 2499
Leica Elmar-M 24mm F3.8 ASPH - 1199
Leica Summarit-M 75mm F2.5 - 899
Leica Summicron-M 90mm F2.5 - 899
Nikon 200mm F4 Non AI - 79
Nikon 18-35mm F3.5-4.5 - 249
Minolta 85mm F1.4 AF - 599
Canon 17-85mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM - 199
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Ricoh R8 - 99
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FSTOP
DAVID WARD
David is a professional photographer with more
than 20 years experience. He shoots large format
and is drawn to the abstract image.
An unplanned meeting in a Finnish

car park has led to David wondering
this month why the medium of
photography is so often seen
as less of an art than other more
traditional forms.
A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A GERMAN IN A
FINNISH CAR PARK RAISED MY BLOOD PRESSURE
TO UNHEALTHY LEVELS. No one was physically hurt
in the encounter, though the ground was covered in
ice and snow, and a nasty fall was a serious
possibility. Fortunately neither of us was driving a
vehicle or it might have led to a drive-by shooting
incident with one of us armed with a clunky Cambo
and the other shouldering a lissom Linhof.
Shortly after breakfast I had wandered out of my
hotel in northern Lapland to find a group of four or
five people clustered round a very impressive large
format monorail camera. They were preparing
for a shoot of some kind with portable flash and
reflectors. My interest was piqued by finding
DAVID WARD
WHY CAN ONE NOT BE BOTH ARTIST AND

PHOTOGRAPHER? OR INDEED PHOTOGRAPHER
AND ARTIST! THE ARTIST VERSUS PHOTOGRAPHER BATTLE
IS AS OLD AS THE MEDIUM...
another 5 x 4 format user in such a remote place and
the choice of location (the car park seemed a bizarre
option given the endless miles of beautiful landscape
that surrounded the hotel). So I wandered across
the frozen Tarmac and introduced myself as a fellow
photographer and evolutionary denier, still with
those single-use sensors commonly known as film.
Apparently, judging by the camera operators
expression, Id said something either unfathomable
or rude to be fair this isnt an uncommon reaction
to my utterances. I turned to another member of
the group to see if my words had been lost in
translation but the camera operator interrupted me,
saying, Its okay, I speak English but Im an Artist,
not a photographer.
To say I was taken aback by her derogatory tone
would be an understatement of monumental
proportions. In a rare moment of wisdom I chose not
to enter into a discussion, but after a few more
pleasantries wished them good luck and left with
a cheery Tschs! But inwardly I was seething.
Why can one not be both artist and photographer?
Or indeed photographer and artist! The artist versus
photographer battle is as old as the medium, but I
have always felt that the distinctions only real
purpose is to suggest a hierarchy. The preference
for artist as photographer as opposed to

photographer as artist is intended to suggest
superiority. In the past, commercial art galleries
preferred to represent artists so this meant one
could reasonably expect to earn more for
ones work as an artist than as a photographer.
Over almost two centuries photography has often
seemed like a poor cousin when compared to other
visual arts. This view has been changing for at least
the past 30 years, but if our goal is the widespread
recognition of photography as an art form were still
not there. The prejudices against it mainly regard
the mechanical aspects of the medium; firstly, and
most importantly, its mechanical transcription of
reality. It was the mediums descriptive power that
was seen as both its raison dtre and its artistic
Achilles heel. Secondly, the potential for the infinite
reproducibility of the photograph also counts against
it in a society that habitually values a hand-made
object above a machine-made one of higher quality.
The real test of any object should be the quality of its
design and, similarly, in photography the test should
be the quality of the vision rather than the process.
I am proud to call myself a photographer. To me
the medium holds almost limitless possibilities
for exploring the way I see. It also presents huge
Finnish wood, northern Lapland.
challenges if one is to make an image that speaks of

more than it baldly describes to paraphrase David
Bailey, painters need less imagination because they
can make things up but I wonder if the Artist was
betraying a lack of confidence in the medium. Or am I
exhibiting a lack of faith and hypersensitivity by
making a fuss over her remark? After all, most
painters in oils would describe themselves as artists
first and only then talk about which medium they use.
Over the course of the next few days I glimpsed
the Artist at work making a series of formal
portraits of the indigenous Sami people. What struck
me as hugely ironic was that her art relied upon the
enormous descriptive power of large format
photography, harnessed to some overarching
concept, whereas my artistic ambition is to subvert
the photographs ability to describe. So in a way
shes more of a photographer than I am. Now theres
a thought. PM
www.into-the-light.com
To read more of Davids columns and for

more advice from the pros visit the
website www.photographymonthly.com
- -

Photography Monthly - June 2011

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EXPERIENCE LIFE - CAPTURE THE MOMENT

36 PAGES OF LANDSCAPE TIPS & TECHNIQUES

You could win our bumper prize

75 SECRETS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Inspired by the beauty and form of classic cameras from the

FROM THE EDITOR

JUNE 2011 | ISSUE 122

EDITORS IMAGE | MATT HALSTEAD

Every month we feature the best of

9-13 Each month we bring you all the essential

80-81 FILM SCHOOL

88-89 READERS CHALLENGE

97-101 WHAT MAKES A GOOD LENS?

Find out what PM Editor Grant Scott made

106-107 SAMSUNG NX11

108-109 CANON EOS 1100D

ALWYN R COATES / KARL SHAW / ALEX NAIL

102-104 CANON EOS 600D

IN THE JUNE ISSUE

WIN STUFF ON PAGES 22, 25, 67, 77, 88

Britain has some

MEET THE TEAM

David is a regular contributor to

Neil has worked in the photography

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All you need to know from the world of photography

AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN

Nude Behind Silk,

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For daily updates on news visit the website

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EXTREME VIDEO MAKER

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For anyone wanting to shoot videos

More than 100 images taken from the

This exhibition of new images by British

The Velbon Ultra REXi L is an

We love the images in the

ADRIAN PEACOCK / SIMON NORFOLK / ELIZABETH EVANS

The Malvern Hills are alive.

PUTTING THE GREAT IN

Fujifilm has launched two

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