Photography for Beginners - Issue 29, 2013

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@PFBMag PFBMag PFB Magazine [email protected] photoforbeginners.com

When we are learning to take better photos, it’s important to keep practising, but that needn’t become a chore. You can get some great shots around your home with a bit of know-how, so this issue we give you a beginner’s guide to still life photography on page 22. We also help you to take standout landscapes on page 40, as well as show you the best photography apps on page 30.

Find out how to speed up your editing with some easy tricks on page 60 and read our review of the smallest ever DSLR, the Canon EOS 100D, over on page 86. There’s so much to explore within the world of photography, and with our help you’ll be shooting like a pro in no time at all!

Amy SquibbEditor

Follow us at @PFBMag

When we are learning to take better photos, it’s When we are learning to take better photos, it’s important to keep practising, but that needn’t important to keep practising, but that needn’t become a chore. You can get some great shots You can get some great shots around your home with a bit of know-how, so this around your home with a bit of know-how, so this

Welcome

Photography for Beginners 3

WELCOMEIssue 29

5 essential skills you will learn in this issue

01 COMPOSING TRICKS Turn to p24 to discover how to get stronger shots

02 CONTROL DEPTH Learn to blur backgrounds using aperture on p40

03 CAPTURE CLOSE-UPS Head to p44 to read our top tips for great macro photos

04 PERFECT LIGHTING Make the most of natural lighting on p52

05 SPEED UP YOUR EDITS Learn to batch edit and quickly fi x shots on p58

AUTOContentsIssue 29

CAMERA SCHOOCAMERA SCHOO● Get to know your camera● Work with natural light● What is colour calibration?

Learn how to use your camera and take your best photos ever!

Shutter speed: The time your shutter is open for, in seconds

Compact system camera: Good image quality, lightweight

Cameraphone: Smartphones that are always with you

Compact: Small, low-cost and easy-to-use cameras

22Skills for great shots of found objects around your home

Still lifeshots

PRACTICAL STARTER SECTION! P50

40 Easy ways to vistas that really stand outEffortless landscapes

58

Aperture: The depth of field of an image, as an f-number

4 Photography for Beginners

ESSENTIALS06 Your photos

A showcase of photos sent in by PFB readers for you to be inspired by

10 Readers’ challenge Win some slideshow software by getting involved in our monthly shooting challenge

12 How to share your photosDiscover the best ways to share your photographs with the PFB team

13 Win a camera!Enter to be in with a chance of winning Samsung’s WB250F compact camera

14 Need to knowGet closer with Panasonic’s 60x optical zoom and discover a 41MP cameraphone

16 Join the debateShould you edit shots or keep them natural? Share what you think now

18 Ask the teamYour questions answered and problems solved by our panel of photo experts

76 Subscribe!Save money on your copy of Photography for Beginners with our exclusive offer

84 What’s in my kit bag? The essential landscape gear for great shots of scenery

86 Upgrade We test out Canon’s EOS 100D, the world’s smallest DSLR, among others

94 Accessory reviewsWhich is the best photobook for you?

98 The great photo huntWin a fantastic aluminium print by sending us your shots of the city

Your quick-start guide to all the icons you’ll see in Photography for BeginnersWhat the icons mean…

DSLR: Usually more expensive, but good image quality

Speed up editing

Fast ways to fi x shots

The essential settings for perfect shots

Learn how to focus and control aperture for stunning landscapes

Your photosA fantastic selection of inspirational images sent in by our readers. Send us your best shots fora chance to see them in print!

WIN!A Samsung 16GB memory cardEvery issue, one winner will receive a Samsung 16GB SDHC memory card or a prize of equal value www.samsung.com/uk

Your photosWIN!

Full terms and conditions available online

Warm Country Fields“This shot was taken just a fi ve minute drive from my home in Machen near Caerphilly. I sat in the fi eld alone waiting for the sunset before taking several shots. It was diffi cult to get the photograph right as it was done without a lens hood to reduce fl are or the use of any fi lters.” Shot on: Nikon D7000, ISO 250, f13, 1/400secSent in via: PFB website

Reader: Darren Thomas


yOUR PHOTOSReaders’ gallery


Reader: Gary BluemelFerrari 308“I took this picture back in 1988 at the F40 launch event. I scanned it into my computer and set to work using the tips from the magazine to edit the image."Shot on: Kodak Pocket Instamatic

Share your shots at...

photoforbeginners.comOr search for PFBMag on...


YOUR PHOTOSReaders’ gallery

Reader: Shaun Wa� ers Fistral Beach, Newquay“I saw the clouds coming in after a sunny day, so I headed down to Newquay on the lookout for some great sunset shots!”Shot on: Canon EOS 40D, ISO 100, f18, 2sec

Reader: Wayne Harris From The Rocks

“With the tide out, the sun setting and the backdrop of the derelict Hastings Pier, this shot was just

too good not to take.”Shot on: Nikon D3100, ISO 100,

f9, 20sec

Reader: Lynn Smith The Boathouse

“This was taken at Loch Leven, Kinross. I was out taking photos on a lovely sunny day when this

scene captured my eye.”Shot on: Canon EOS 1100D,

ISO 100, f22, 1/50sec

Reader: Ruth HoltKnotted“I was playing with the focus at close range and took this picture. I then used Photoshop to add a little contrast and vibrancy.” Shot on: Nikon D5000, ISO 400, f6.3, 1/60sec

Win cameraphone kit!Send us your cameraphone shots and you could win a Manfrotto KLYP kit worth £95/approx $150. For more info head to www.manfrotto.co.uk. Full terms and conditions available online.

Win cameraphone kit!Send us your cameraphone shots and you could win a Manfrotto

ENTER NOW: Send your shots to [email protected]

Reader: Sco� Viggars Title: Manchester Wheel


Reader: Julie Southgate Title: Buzzy Bee

Reader: Michelle Orrell-JonesTitle: Starfi sh

Reader: Julie Johnson Title: Scooby

Reader: Calum Stevenson Title: Santa Maria Cathedral, Palma

Reader: David Goff Title: In Flight

Reader: Philip Saville Sunset On The Reservoir

“We were waiting for Keane to come on stage at a festival when

a few balloons started to infl ate in the fi eld nearby."

Shot on: iPhone 5

An interesting or colourful backdrop can really enhance your people shots, and the outside world is full of fantastic settings. Explore your local area for suitable locations, or perhaps ask your model if they can suggest somewhere. If you shoot in a place that is familiar to them, then they are more likely to be relaxed and happy to smile for the camera. A place that means something to them will also make your fi nal shot more personal, helping you to tell a story with your images. The crucial thing is to make sure your subject remains

the main focus of your photo, so watch that the background isn’t too distracting. In our Beginner’s Guide in Issue 28, we showed you exactly how to take a stunning portrait on location. We then challenged you to send in your best shots. Here is a small selection of the beautiful images we received.

Outdoor portraits

Our Beginner’s Guide to outdoor portraits can be found in PFB Issue 28. Get back issues from…

WE CHALLENGED, YOU DELIVERED…

Little Fairy“This picture is one of many from a photo shoot at Tollymore Forest Park, Northern Ireland. The little model is my beautiful niece Lukne.” Shot on: Canon EOS 5D, ISO 200, f3.5, 1/250secSent in via: PFB website

Reader: Daiva Ziliute

Your next photo challengeStill life photography

Test out our tips for taking great still life shots in this issue’s Beginner’s Guide and send us your best photos

by 3 September 2013 for a chance to win a MAGIX PhotoStory on DVD 2013 Deluxe.

Prize may be substituted for an item of equal value. Full T&Cs available online.

WIN!PhotoStory on DVD software

Send us your shots for a chance to win a copy of MAGIX PhotoStory on DVD, courtesy of www.

magix.com. This software, which allows you to turn your photos into fantastic

slideshows, is worth £70/$70.

READERS’ CHALLENGEOutdoor portraits

Reader: Sudad Al-Ajili Title: Sinan 6

Reader: Benjamin DupontTitle: Thithi Happy

Reader: Vipul ChejaraTitle: At The Old Fort

Send us your shots at... photoforbeginners.com

Search for PFBMag on...

Reader: Jolanta MacionczykTitle: Julia

Reader: Carol Lockwood Title: Summer Girl


Share on our social sites Join the Facebook, Twi� er and Flickr communities

@PFBMagClick the Compose New Tweet box and select Add An Image. Find your shot and click Open. Write some text, include @PFBMag, then click Tweet and we will see your photo!

PFB MagazineHit Upload to add images. Click on the image you want to share, then click Share>Grab the link. Email it to [email protected] or post it to us on Facebook or Twitter.

PFBMag Search for ‘PFBMag’ and click the tab. On our page, hit Photo/Video, then Upload Photo/Video. Browse for your image, write a message and click Post for it to appear on our wall!

Also share on our website Head to www.photoforbeginners.com now

Share your shots at... photoforbeginners.com


Share your shotsHere’s how to show us your stunning snaps

Become our favourite!We pick our favourite shots to highlight in our Featured Image section. This could be you soon, so get uploading!

Create a galleryYou can showcase your favourite images by creating your own gallery page on our website. It’s quick and simple to set up.

The best of the rest on our great website

ALSO ONLINE…

Enter the Face-OffYour shots are entered into our Face-Off section and pitted against other people’s – have fun watching your score rise!

Be inspiredBrowse through all the different categories to be inspired by other readers’ photos and get ideas of your own.

Tips and tutorialsOur website is piled high with step-by-step tutorials and useful tips to help you take better photos of any subject.

News and debateWe help you keep up to date with the latest industry news and releases. You can also get stuck into hot topics with our debates!

CompetitionsHead to www.photoforbeginners.com and enter our weekly competitions to win some really fantastic prizes!


Samsung’s new SMART Camera WB250F puts great photo power at your fi ngertips. You can shoot fantastic images for larger prints with its 14MP sensor, plus instantly share them with built-in Wi-Fi options. Send shots when you’re out and about or back up images to your phone with MobileLink. You can even control the camera from your smartphone, which is handy for avoiding camera shake.

The WB250F boasts a slim and sleek body, which houses a great

touch screen interface, full auto or manual controls and full-HD video. The 18x optical zoom will allow you to get in close, while its 24mm lens is great for framing wide vistas. Plus there’s Low Light Shot mode, which selects the best settings and merges three shots for great performance in dim conditions.

To fi nd out more about this new SMART camera, simply visit www.samsung.com/uk. For a chance to get your hands on this fantastic camera, enter our competition now!

Terms and conditionsThis competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Imagine Publishing has the right to substitute the prize for a similar item of equal or higher value. Camera colours may vary. Employees of Imagine Publishing (including freelancers), Samsung, their relatives or any agents are not eligible to enter. The editor’s decision is fi nal and no correspondence will be entered into. Prizes can not be exchanged for cash. Full terms and conditions are available on request. From time to time, Imagine Publishing or its agents may send you related material or special offers. If you do not wish to receive this, please state clearly on your competition entry.

touch screen interface, full auto or manual controls and full-HD video. The 18x optical zoom will allow you to get in close, while its 24mm lens is great for framing wide vistas. Plus there’s Low Light Shot mode, which

performance in dim conditions.

Terms and conditionsThis competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

HOW TO ENTER:Send your name, contact details and your best shot to us by 19 September 2013.Email: [email protected]: www.photoforbeginners.com

A Samsung WB250FPlus three lucky runners-up will each get a Samsung 8GB SDHC memory card

WIN!PLUS!An 8GB Samsung memorycard


Get closer with a new Panasonic superzoom The FZ72’s 60x optical zoom makes action and wildlife photography easy Camera zooms have been getting longer and longer,and now Panasonic has set a new benchmark with the FZ72. The 16.1 megapixel bridge camera has a 60x optical zoom with an incredibly versatile focal range of 20-1200mm. Zoom out to shoot wide-angle landscapes or group shots and zoom right in to take close-up shots of wildlife or sporting action from a safe distance. You can increase the zoom even further with the 120x digital Intelligent Zoom technology or extend the optical zoom to 102x with the optional DMW-LT55 Tele Conversion Lens. The FZ72 also has Power OIS (Optical Image Stabiliser) to help you keep your shots steady at full zoom, and ‘Light Speed AF’ for keeping fast-moving subjects in focus. The Panasonic FZ72 is available now with an RRP of £370/$400.

Need to knowA snapshot of what’s exciting us this month

Start up quickly The fast start-up time of 0.9 seconds means that you won’t ever miss an unexpected photo opportunity


Capture HD moviesShoot Full HD video with Dolby® Digital Stereo Creator and the Wind Shield Zoom Microphone that minimises wind noise

Reasons why we can’t wait to get our hands on this camera…

01We’re going to see if images taken at full zoom

are still of high quality, even when the camera is pushed into digital Intelligent Zoom territory.

02We will fi nd out if the Power Optical Image

Stabiliser really keeps shots steady and helps prevent blurry images at night.

03The Light Speed AF will be put though its paces to

see if it really can keep up with fast-moving subjects and keep them in focus.

THE TOP 3…

Shoot at high speed Burst mode allows you to shoot 9fps in 16.1-megapixel full resolution and 5fps with continuous AF

Take control Full manual controls are available with P/A/S/M modes so you can get creative and practice your photography skills

DIY Photo FixesPhotography accessories can often be quite expensive, but they are very handy for improving your shots. If you are on a tight budget, use household items like desk lamps, milk cartons and even sweet wrappers instead.

This month on… photoforbeginners.comPlus all this…• Top advice for taking

photos through glass

• Master white balance

• News, debates

and competitions

Plus all this…• Top advice for taking

photos through glass

• Master white balance

• News, debates

and competitions

The Lumia 1020 captures high-resolution images

Shoot great photos with Nokia’s 41MP cameraphone

New camera accessories to help you get great shots

Cameraphones are incredibly handy for capturing shots and sharing them instantly over the internet. However, the image quality of smartphone snaps can often leave a lot to be desired. Nokia has attempted to tackle this problem by launching the Lumia 1020, a smartphone with a 41 megapixel camera designed for shooting high-resolution images. This means that your snaps will be high quality even when you zoom in or crop them afterwards.

As well as taking a high resolution image, Nokia’s Pro Camera also creates a smaller 5MP picture at the same time that is easier to share online. Optical Image Stabilisation is on hand to keep your photos sharp, and you can also take more control

over your captures as you are able to adjust the focus, shutter speed, white balance and more, or you can chose from a range of scene modes. A number of great apps are also available to aid you with shooting, editing and sharing.

In addition, Nokia has launched the new Nokia Camera Grip, an accessory that enables you to easily shoot one-handed, and also features a built-in, rechargeable battery for extending your shooting time and a tripod mount so that you can steady your shots. The Nokia Lumia 1020 is powered by Windows 8 and is currently on sale in US with an RRP of $300 on a two-year contract. It is expected to launch in Europe and China by the end of the year.

Handy additions to any beginner’s kit bag

NEED TO KNOWNews


THE TOP 3…

Hoya REVO fi lters From £35/$54 approx These multi-coated fi lters are water and stain-resistant, making them durable, easy to clean and guaranteed to last for years.

Refl ecta Macro Ring Light £84/$130 approxThis LED ring light provides shadow-free illumination that is ideal for macro, portrait and still life.

Sid Monopod £99/$150 approxMeet Sid, a new three-section magnesium alloy monopod that is super-strong, yet very lightweight and portable.

Refl ecta Macro Ring Light£84/$130 approxThis LED ring light provides shadow-free illumination that is ideal for macro, portrait and still life.

Sid Monopod Meet Sid, a new three-section magnesium alloy monopod that is super-strong, yet very lightweight and portable.

How to selectively colour a photo Discover how to convert your photo to black and white, but keep your main subject in colour using Photoshop Elements. Our easy-to-follow guide tells you how to achieve this fantastic creative effect in just nine quick steps.

Do you edit your shots or keep them natural?Editing software can be very useful for fi xing, improving and transforming your photos, whether you use a paid for or free editing programme or an app on your smartphone or tablet. However, it is sometimes diffi cult to know when to stop when editing your shots, so you can be left with

unnatural photos that are actually worse than the originals. So is it better to focus on capturing stunning results in-camera without spending time post-processing, or is editing software an essential tool for adding the fi nishing touches and creating the perfect photo? Let us know what you think.

Things we love…

The poll stands at 73% edit, 27% keep them natural. Cast your vote today!

OUR EDITOR AMY SAYS:“I always edit my photos. I regularly shoot in

RAW so I have to process my shots, but I only

make simple edits. I always try to get it right

in-camera, but a bit of editing is great for

enhancing the shot and correcting problems. I

don’t like spending lots of time editing though,

and too much tweaking can sometimes make

the shot look overdone. I experiment with

creative effects and fi lters sometimes, but I like

my shots to look as natural as possible.”

What Photography For Beginners readers have to say…

01Lytro Light Field camera

Web: www.lytro.comPrice: £400/$400Lytro’s camera is now available in the UK. You can refocus and change the perspective of an image after taking it.

02Aqua Canvas print

Web: www.yfcanvas.com Price: From £44You can now create a waterproof canvas print of your photos. Perfect for displaying your shots outside or in the bathroom.

03X-Project Micro projector

Web: www.xsories.euPrice: £239This portable projector from XSories attaches to your smartphone so you can display your photos and videos on the go.

04Instagram Print app

Web: www.metro-print.co.ukPrice: FreePhoto printing company Metro Imaging’s app lets you order high-quality prints from your Android or iOS device.

Join the debate#PFBLoves

Search for #PFBLoves on Twitter to see what we loveThe poll stands at 73% edit, keep them natural. Cast your vote today!keep them natural. Cast your vote today!

Mark McGimpsey “I would ideally prefer to leave my photos natural, but to me editing is like chocolate sprinkles; it makes a good thing better.”

Sent in via Facebook

Richard Neal“No one ever has issues with people manipulating images when developing fi lm, so why should digital manipulation be considered different?”

Sent in via PFB website

Kevin Thornton“I see photography as an art form – the photographer can use whatever tools they have at their disposal to produce an image.”

Sent in via PFB website

Jenna MacPheeI’d rather keep it natural. Some photos are edited so much that they basically become digital paintings, not photographs.”

Sent in via Facebook

Join the debate at... photoforbeginners.com


NEED TO KNOWJoin the debate


Focal length: 270mm Exposure: F/6.3, 1/640 sec, ISO 250

Focal length: 18mm Exposure: F/4.0, 1/2000 sec, ISO 250

www.tamron.co.uk

18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD

One lens for every moment

This Tamron Megazoom-Lens is an unbeatablecombination of flexibility and performance. Thanks to the 15x zoom the right focal length for every situation is available anytime. The VC image stabilization and fast, almost silent PZD autofocus completes the package. The low weight and compactness of this lens leaves even enough room in your travel bag for souvenirs. Available for your digital APS-C SLR from Canon, Nikon or Sony *.

* The Sony mount does not include the VC image stabilizer.

www.facebook.com/TamronUK

Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.com

4 OF THE BEST…Tips for taking colourful photographs

Choose useful modes Many cameras have handy modes to help you produce photos with bright colours. The Landscape scene mode will enhance blues and greens, while Vivid mode boosts all of the colours in the scene.

Correct the exposure Getting the exposure right will ensure that your colours are true to life. If your scene looks a little dark for your liking, then locate the Exposure Compensation function on your camera and set it to +1 or +2.

Use a fi lterPolarising fi lters help to increase the intensity, saturation and contrast of the colours in your photos. Screw one of them onto the end of your lens and shoot at a 90-degree angle from your light source.

Find enough light Shooting when a lot of light is available will have the effect of making your entire photo appear brighter. Shoot on a bright day or in a well-lit room in order to capture realistic colours with lots of punch.

I have wanted to buy a new camera for some time now, so I have been looking online in order to see what’s available. I keep seeing optical and electronic viewfi nders mentioned in the camera specifi cation sections, but I don’t really know what they are. Can you tell me what the difference is between them and give me some advice regarding which one I should go for?Russell Humphries, via Email

A viewfi nder is what you use to compose your photos. An optical viewfi nder (OVF) sits on top of your camera and shows you what the lens sees. It uses a system of mirrors and prisms to bounce the image up to the viewfi nder. An electronic viewfi nder (EVF) looks the same, but displays a digital copy of your image via a video feed from the camera’s sensor. You can also use Live View on the LCD screen to compose your shots. This displays a digital copy of your image, only on the back of your camera, not at the top.

What kind of viewfi nder is best?

Viewfi nders are found at the top of many cameras. Just put your eye up to them to look through and compose your shots

Optical Viewfinder (OVF)

✔ You can see the scene with no time lag and at full resolution

✔ It doesn’t use any charge, so your battery lasts for longer

✗ It shows a smaller portion of a frame included in your fi nal image

✗ A lot of space is taken up, so the camera will be bigger and bulkier

OVF vs EVF vs Live View… The pros and cons of each


Live View

✔ It displays all your shot info, in addition to a lot of other handy functions

✔ You can fl ip it out on some models in order to compose from unusual angles

✗ Glare makes it hard to compose your shots while in bright sunlight

✗ Displaying images on the screen is quite taxing on the battery life

Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)

✔ You can magnify an area of the image in order to check it’s sharp

✔ It displays a larger fi eld of view, enabling you to see the whole frame

✗ It can lag a little at times, meaning you may miss out on a great action shot

✗ Despite its smaller size, it uses up a surprisingly large amount of battery


I have seen some brilliant images using the miniature effect to make people and other objects look like tiny models. I know that some cameras have a special mode for creating these images, but mine doesn’t. Is there another way to get similar results? Valerie Moore, via email

The miniature effect, also know as tilt-shift photography, is a creative way to make the subjects in your photo look smaller. The term

derives from the tilt-shift lens typically used to produce this effect, but these days many cameras have a miniature fi lter for achieving similar results. It works by blurring the top and bottom of the photo to simulate a shallow depth of fi eld that is commonly associated with close-up photography. It is best used on photos taken from a high angle to emphasise the illusion that you are looking down on a miniature scene. The miniature look is easy to re-create in editing software, so let us show you how.

How do I create the miniature look?

LikeThis month we

Post your photo to our Facebook page and we’ll share it with the world

Search for ‘PFBMag’

Making miniatures Create the tilt-shift eff ect in Photoshop Elements

01 Add some blur Go to Layer>Duplicate layer and rename

it Blur. Then go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and set the Radius slider to around 28px before clicking OK.

Darren HoylandAdding miniature fi gures can create a fun image that plays tricks on the mind.

Karen GilksCandid portraits capture the true personality of your subject.

Simon BeedieThe Red Arrows put on some fantastic, colourful displays that you can capture.

Russ Lewis Russ has fantastically captured the golden glow created by a sunset in this shot.

03 Add a layer maskAdjust the Feather slider to 100px and

draw a rectangle over the centre of your shot. After this, click the Add Layer Mask option in the Layers palette.

02 Rearrange your layers Double-click on the Background layer

to unlock it and then drag it to the top of the Layers palette. Now, select the Rectangular Marquee tool.

Create a fantastic miniature look using editing software in just three easy steps!



Let us recommend

TwitpicsThe best photos

tweeted to us@pfbmag

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Twit

Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.com

Let us recommendThis church window looks spooky in back and white @CB_Photographs

photoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.com

Silhouettes against a sunset make

for dramatic shots @celicadave

Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.com

TwitpicsTwitpics

photoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.comphotoforbeginners.com

The fi eld is a lovely setting for this shot @KMBPhotography

Use a speedlight to create a powerful burst of light to illuminate your subject

External fl ashguns I’ve started to take lots of portrait photos, but when I use the pop-up fl ash on my camera the results are often harsh and unfl attering, and I have lots of problems with red-eye. I’ve heard that an external fl ashgun is good for combating these issues, so can you recommend any? Laura Collins, via Facebook

Flashguns give you lots of fl exibility as they often come with different settings. Many can also be angled to bounce the light, or used off-camera to light your subject in a more fl attering way. When choosing between models, compare how powerful they are by looking at the guide number. Here we give you our recommendations, so read on to fi nd out which is best for you.

What’s good about it…

✔ When used with an EOS DSLR, it detects the camera’s sensor size and zooms the fl ash head

✔ It emits an infrared focusing beam, providing contrast for the lens to focus on in low light

What could be better…

✗ It only swivels 180 degrees horizontally, but you can still bounce the fl ash off a wall or ceiling

✗ The price is quite high for a beginner, but there are plenty of functions to explore

Canon’s fl ashgun has a guide number of 43, and is tailored to work with EOS models. There are nine custom functions and it can be used wirelessly off of your camera.

Canon Speedlite 430EX II£300/$300


✔ It fully swivels 300 degrees and has a fl ip-out refl ector card, so it is perfect for bouncing fl ash

✔ The straightforward control panel with illuminated keys on the back makes it easy to use


✗ Many functions are subject to the camera you have, so you may not be able to use them all

✗ There is no screen on the back for viewing your settings, but it is still easy to use

This fl ashgun from Metz has a guide number of 44, making it very powerful. It is also compatible with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax and Sony cameras.

Metz 44 AF-1 Digital Flashgun £129/$195 approx


✔ The power zoom function covers a wide 24-120mm zoom range

✔ There is an LCD screen on the back, and the controls layout is designed for intuitive operation


✗ The guide number of 28 could be better, so you may need to stand closer to your subject

✗ Horizontal rotation is 180 degrees, but it tilts 90 degrees and it is easy to bounce the fl ash

This fl ashgun from Nikon has auto and manual controls, and you can sync it wirelessly with most Nikon DSLRs using the Creative Lighting System.

Nikon SB-700 Speedlight £267/$330

Let us recommendLet us recommend

This giraffe looks perfectly happy to pose for his photo @DazH1875

Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at Ask the team questions at

The best thing about still life photography is that you can really take your time to get it perfect. When shooting moving subjects, it can be tempting to stick your camera in Auto mode for fear of missing a shot, but if your subject is stationary then you can experiment until you get it right. That’s why it is a fantastic genre for practising with manual modes.

What’s more, there are subjects wherever you look. You don’t have to stick to a bowl of fruit or vase of fl owers, although they do make for beautiful shots; just let your imagination

run wild and get creative with whatever you can fi nd. Still life photography is also a great way of showing off your kitchen or craft creations, as once you have taken your shot you can share it with the world online.

Once you have found your subject, you can experiment with ways of shooting it. Try making use of shadows or refl ections and look for interesting angles. You can even give your shot an added wow factor with a bit of creative editing. Let us guide you through the process of capturing a still life masterpiece.

Still life Master the skills needed for se� ing

up a fantastic still life shot

Over the next seven pages: Discover how to master still life settings and lighting, create your own studio and edit your shots

Share your shots at...

photoforbeginners.com

Or search for PFBMag on...PFBMag

Shooting

Gear guide Essential kit for still life photography

A camera with manual controls Control of things like depth of fi eld by using manual. This Nikon D5200 (£720/$800) is a 24.1MP DSLR with P, A, S, M modes and a vari-angle LCD for composing.

A refl ector for bouncing the light Whatever your light source, a refl ector will let you bounce it back on your subject. This compact Interfi t 56cm refl ector (£20/$20) achieves a subtle effect.

Wide aperture lensA wide aperture lens like the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f1.8G (£208/$200) lets you create a shallow depth of fi eld. Find out more at www.nikon.co.uk.

Sturdy tripodUse a tripod to compose your shot and keep it straight. The Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod (£175/$223) with 804RC2 pan tilt head (£75/$89) is a solid option.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO


1/200sec F8


in association with

Get Creative with arranGements

Think of ways to position your subject, considering

patterns, shapes and symmetry. Once you’ve taken it, rearrange!

4

Style up your photo for a special occasion, whether it’s a birthday or Christmas, and then turn the shot into a unique greeting card

Create a fun greetings card

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Set the scene

Remove distractions 01 Make sure the background is clear of any

clutter, otherwise it will distract attention from your subject. Find a clear surface or put up a piece of card to act as a plain backdrop.

Fill the frame02 Get up close or zoom in to make your

subject fi ll the frame. This will make for a more dramatic shot. Make sure you don’t cut off an important part of your subject, though.

Try another angle 03 Once you have taken a shot, move around

and shoot the same subject from a different angle. You can also try rearranging your scene, or perhaps use another backdrop.

Add a prop 04 Introducing a prop such as a fork or vase

can add context to your image. Think about what will work with your existing subject and position it so it looks natural.

1/200sec F5

more dramatic shot. Make sure you don’t cut off an important part of your subject, though.

Try another angle 03Try another angle 03Try another angle

different angle. You can also try rearranging your

1/200sec F5

FOCUS CAREFULLY Take you time to focus your

shot and make sure the most important element is

perfectly sharp. Zoom in on your LCD screen to check

✔

Choose a theme04 Rather than just placing a few random

objects together, try to include subjects that follow a particular theme. You could work around an item you have already found, or decide on a theme fi rst and then fi nd subjects that will fi t it.

Create a mood 05 Shooting certain objects can help you create

a still life image with a specifi c mood: for example, happy or melancholic. The colours and backdrop can also give character to your photo, so think carefully about these as well as your subject.


Having plenty of time to set up your still life shot also gives you the opportunity to experiment with different lighting techniques. Make use of natural light by setting up your shot by a window or outside, or use artifi cial light from a desk lamp to allow yourself more control. You could even try out both options to see what works best.

To add some depth to your shot, light your subject from the side to create strong shadows across the scene. This can look particularly striking if your subject has an interesting shape, so consider this when deciding what to shoot. Anything goes with still life photography, so get really creative and see what different effects you can create.

Use natural or artifi cial light for top results 02. LIGHTING


SHOOTINGBeginner’s guide

1/4sec F16

LIGHT POSITIONIf light comes

from behind your subject it will appear

underexposed so reposition it or refl ect light back in

✔

Position your subject by a large window, or perhaps on a nearby table or the windowsill

Set your white balance to suit the lighting condition, otherwise your shot will have an unusual colour cast

✗


In association with


Put up the backdrop 01 Get a large sheet of plain paper or card. It will

need to be A3 size or larger, depending on the size of your subject. Tape one end of it to the wall and the other end to the table so that the paper curves.

How to assemble your studio

03. CREATE A HOME STUDIO 03. CREATE A HOME STUDIO

02

01

03

04

Studio lighting01 A desk-top lamp is a cheap

alternative to studio lights and is a great option as you can bend the neck to position it just how you want it to be.

Light diffuser02 Studios use softboxes to

reduce the harshness of a light. There are home alternatives you can use, though, such as putting tracing paper in front of your lamp.

Infi nity wall03 An infi nity wall is a seamless

backdrop where you can’t see any creases or folds. In studios they have expensive setups like coloramas but a large piece of paper works too!

Your subject04 Position your subject

exactly where you want it to be. You don’t need to worry about the background, as it is all taken care of.

Set up a desk lamp 02 Position your desk lamp to the side to

produce some dramatic shadows or put it at the front to light your subject more evenly. Moving it closer or further away will also affect the strength of the light and shadows.

Add some tracing paper 03 The light from your desk lamp can

sometimes be a bit harsh, so tape some tracing paper in front of it to diffuse it. This will soften the light and make any shadows appear much more subtle.

Place coloured translucent sweet wrappers in front of your lamp to alter the light’s colour. This can create some unusual effects

Get creative with your lighting

Get the most out of home alternatives

03. CREATE A HOME STUDIO

Studio lighting Light diffuser

01 Floating fi gure

pt u

Not only can you be really creative when shooting still life photos, but you can also experiment a great deal with editing. Applying various fi lters and effects can dramatically alter the look of your shot and produce some really striking results. You could even edit your captures to further portray a certain theme or mood, perhaps increasing the saturation for a fun and uplifting shot or boosting the blue tones for a more melancholic look. Many programs have preset effects that you can apply for quick and creative editing, so it is worth spending some time seeing what your software or app has to offer. Of course, editing programs are also on hand to fi x common photo problems, letting you tweak the exposure, colours and composition of your shot until it is perfect and ready to share.

Fix and alter your snaps 04. EDITING

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SHOOTINGBeginner’s guide

Adjust the levels 01 Go to Enhance>Adjust Lighting>Levels. To

automatically correct the exposure of your shot, use the black, grey or white dropper tool to click on an area that is supposed to be the corresponding colour. Alternatively, adjust the arrows underneath the histogram graph.

Fix problem shots

Correct the curves 02 Now go to Enhance>Adjust Colour>Adjust

Colour Curves. Select the Increase Midtones option from the Select a Style box and then boost the brightness and contrast sliders a little. Also, adjust the highlights and shadows until you are happy with the results.

Boost the saturation 03 To bring out the colours in your still life

shots, go to Enhance>Adjust Colour>Adjust Hue/Saturation. Boost the saturation slider just a little while making sure you don’t go too far. You can also experiment with adjusting the hue to correct your colours.


Create a vignette 01 Add a new Adjustment layer in the Layers

palette and select Gradient from the drop-down menu. Change the Style to Radial, the Angle to 180 degrees and tick the Reverse box, then change the colour to black and adjust the scale.

Get creative

Add a creative colour cast 02 Go to Filter>Adjustments>Photo Filter and

either choose a preset fi lter such as Warming, Cooling or Sepia, or a specifi c colour to layer on to your shot. You can then adjust the density slider in order to strengthen or weaken the resulting effect.

Use artistic fi lters 03 Experiment with a variety of different

creative effects by going to Filter>Artistic and choosing from the menu. You can select a specifi c preset, such as Film Grain, and subsequently make adjustments using the sliders to get it looking just right.

Make simple editing tweaks in Photoshop Elements

Use Photoshop Elements to transform your still life shots

SHOOTING20 top apps

or Beginnehotography for Beginnershotography for Beginners

20 APPS FOR BETTERSHOTS

TRANSFORM YOUR IOS AND ANDROID PHOTOGRAPHY

WITH THESE EXCEPTIONALLY USEFUL APPS

“Some apps can transform

your mobile photography”

can transform can transform your mobile

photography”

can transform

photography”

SHOOTING20 top apps


APPS FOR SHOOTINGSome fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photo

Clean the lensMake time to clean the lens whenever you can, because even a small amount of dirt can cause dust spots to appear on your photos

Find good lightTry to fi nd good lighting in which to take your shot, as you will fi nd that most smartphone and tablet-based cameras struggle in low-light scenarios

Avoid the zoomIf possible, avoid zooming in on your scene using the digital zoom. Doing so will degrade the overall quality of the photo, so move in closer if you can

Pick your focusAlmost all shooting apps provide you with the ability to touch the screen to set the focus point, allowing you to keep a particular area of the shot sharp

Set image qualityIf your app has this option available, set the resolution and picture quality settings as high as possible in order to get the best quality you can in your photos

Some fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photoSome fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photo

Pick your focusAlmost all shooting apps Almost all shooting apps provide you with the ability provide you with the ability to touch the screen to set to touch the screen to set the focus point, allowing you the focus point, allowing you to keep a particular area of to keep a particular area of the shot sharp

Some fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photoSome fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photoSome fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photoSome fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photo

Top shooting

tips & tricksWe show you how to get

the most out of your phone

and tablet snaps…

PowerCam PowerCam hides its feature-packed functionality behind a simplistic interface, but it comes with eight modes, lots

of effects, great editing features and the ability to create a collage. The list of options

is huge, but the capturing process is as natural as you could wish for, with a large shutter button and clear visual indicators. It could be slightly quicker when capturing diffi cult shots, but besides that it is hard to criticise in any area.

AVAILABLE ON: iOS/Android PRICE: £0.69/$0.99 (iOS), Free (Android)

01 Big focusingThe huge focus button

is excellent thanks to its size and transparency.

02 So many optionsIt offers a wide range

of options to help you capture special moments.

03 Special effectsFrom Solarize to

Washed, there’s a variety of clever effects on offer.

Snap Camera HDR AVAILABLE ON: Android PRICE: £1.19/$1.99

01 Many resolutionsThis great app lets you

choose from a number of possible resolutions.

02 Every modeIt also offers multiple

focus and scene modes to help create the perfect shot.

03 Great exposureYou can use exposure

compensation to brighten or darken shots easily.

3 OF THE BEST…Apps for capturing the moment

ProCapture – camera + panorama AVAILABLE ON: Android PRICE: £1.59/$1.99

SHOOTING20 top apps

ClearCam £0.69/$0.99 (iOS) The timer function gives you the option of applying a delay, which can be set at any length of time between 10 and 20 seconds. Being able to do this enables you to jump in the

shot or avoid camera shake from pressing the shutter.

Analog Camera £1.49/$1.99 (iOS) The speed at which you can capture and accurately focus in Analog Camera puts many of its rivals to shame, as well as making it stand out from the numerous other camera

apps that are available.

Paper Camera £0.69/$0.99 (iOS), £1.19/$1.99 (Android) The large capture button and real-time, cartoon and painting effects that are presented to you within the lovely Paper Camera app mean that you will be able to snap any moment in an instant and

with a good level of clarity.

3 OF THE BEST…Apps available for precision photosCamera+ £0.69/$0.99 (iOS)

The stabilisation, touch exposure, focus and digital zoom functions enable you to be as precise as possible with each photo you take, giving you a great deal of control for a smartphone app. There

are some great editing options too.

ProCam £0.99/$0.99 (iOS) The Anti-Shake and Burst modes alone make this worth the asking price, as they afford you the ability to accurately capture the action as it happens, with many more advanced features also

being included in this great app.

Camera ZOOM FX £1.79/$2.99 (Android) You can customise your hardware buttons with this app (for instance, telling the app what the volume button should do). This, along with the ability to capture ten photos per second, make it

extremely useful when taking considered photos.


iPhotoiPhoto is a highly ambitious app from Apple that packs in a huge number of features. It lets you edit your photos in myriad ways,

and everything from simple cropping to advanced colour management is available.

It will take some time to work out where everything is, as not every feature is presented in a clear and intuitive manner. Some tapping is required to locate tools, but once you know where they are, you will be able to make many fantastic changes. Touch is used throughout to great effect, and with some patience, pin-point changes can be made to make every photo as perfect as you originally intended.

The Events and Journals features enable you to organise your collection in a more personal fashion, and you can share these with friends with a couple of taps. This app works best when combined with iPhoto on a Mac, and can act as a mirror image of your collection, but one that you can manage and edit no matter where you are. It is complex, but impressive nonetheless.

AVAILABLE ON: iOS PRICE: £2.99/$4.99

Color Splash turns any photo into a black-and white version by default, after which you can choose which parts to return to

their original colours. With some patient use of your fi nger, you will be able to create artistic masterpieces from your photos. It’s a one-trick pony, but a good one all the same.

Color Splash AVAILABLE ON: iOS PRICE: £0.69/$0.99

Photo Editor Pro – Fotolr

From crop and rotation options to hair dyeing and lipstick, there are a huge number of editing features. A great app if you have

lots of people-centric snaps, and a free version with ads is available on Android too.

AVAILABLE ON: iOS PRICE: £1.99/$2.99 (iOS)

Jazz! Jazz! is designed to let you edit your photos and attach different fi lters. The engine behind it is extremely fast, and the results

can be impressive, but the lack of control may lead some to look for a more serious option. Its sheer speed and usefulness for social networking, however, make it a winner.

AVAILABLE ON: iOS PRICE: £0.69/$0.99

Color Splash turns any photo into a black-and white version by default, after which you can choose which parts to return to

their original colours. With some patient use of your fi nger, you will be able to create artistic masterpieces from your photos. It’s a one-trick pony, but a good one all the same.

AVAILABLE ON:

SHOOTING20 top apps


Muzy AVAILABLE ON: iOS/Android PRICE: Free

01 Photo editingAn excellent feature of Muzy

is the photo editing mode, which offers you the opportunity to play around with frames, fi lters and much more.

02 Create collagesThe app also lets you create

attractive-looking collages in seconds, simply by selecting photos and positioning them in a certain manner.

03 Organised collectionsYou can design organised

layouts of related photos from a wide range of options, as well as subsequently providing your own slant on them.

04 Time to shareOnce your personalised

creation is complete, you can share it instantly over multiple social networks, giving it a wider level of exposure.

“Mobli allows you to share your photos over multiple networks in seconds, as well as view other people’s shots”

01 Personalise One compelling

feature is the ability to snap photos and adjust them.

02 Share your workIt also lets you share

your photos over multiple networks in seconds.

03 Get inspired Use the social screens

to view others’ images, which is great for inspiration.

MobliAVAILABLE ON: iOS/Android PRICE: Free

3 OF THE BEST…Apps for stylish photography sharingInstagram Free (iOS/Android)

The ultimate hipster app, it has nonetheless gained its stratospheric level of popularity for a reason. One-tap custom fi lters and a network of millions let you share your stylised photos with

anyone in an instant.

Hipstamatic £1.49/$1.99 (iOS) Not quite in the same league popularity-wise as Instagram, but not far off. Realistic aged fi lters offer the best effects possible, which can subsequently be shared on all of the most

popular social networks.

Photo Grid – Collage Maker Free (iOS/Android)Create collages of your favourite photos, then share the results with others over social networks and email immediately. The results look highly professional, and provide a fun way to

share a collection of shots quickly.


SHOOTING20 top apps

Did you have any problems when taking the shot?My first attempt came out a little underexposed as the flower was in the shade, so I boosted my ISO up to 400 to brighten it. Focusing was also a little tricky as I was so close to my subject. It took a bit of time to manually focus on the correct part of the flower, but I am pleased that I managed to keep the flower’s stigma sharp.

What made you decide to take this lovely photo? I went for a day out at Exbury Gardens in Hampshire back in May. I had heard that the spring flowers were in full bloom, so I took my camera to get some colourful floral shots. I came across these pink azaleas, and decided that they would make a great macro subject due to the beautiful detail on the petals and in the centre of the flower.

What camera and settings did you use to get these results?I was using my Nikon D800 and Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro lens. I didn’t have my tripod, so had to set a fast shutter speed of 1/250sec to keep the shot sharp while shooting handheld. The aperture I used was f5, which kept the important parts of the flower in focus but created a shallow depth of field to blur out the background.

behindtheshot

StoryPhotographer James Sheppard lets us in on the secrets behind his beautiful fl ower shot

SHOOTINGStory behind the shot


SHOOTINGStory behind the shot



What do you like most about this photograph?I love the circular blur in the background that was created by using a wide aperture. I think it adds another element to the photo and disguises the distracting leaves in the background. I also quite like how not all of the flower is in focus, giving just a hint of its shape and colour and drawing the viewer’s attention to the detail in the centre.

Why did you decide to frame the image like this? I wanted to shoot just one of the flowers on the plant to keep the photo simple with just one point of focus, so I positioned it at the edge of the frame to cut the rest of them out. I think that this gives the shot more of an impact and guides the viewer’s eyes from one side of the frame to the other, for a more engaging composition.

Do you have tips for others wanting to take macro shots?A wide aperture is great for blurring the background, but you need to make sure that is it narrow enough to keep the important parts of your photo in focus, especially if you are filling the frame with your subject. Also, try to shoot the flowers on a still day, as it can be very difficult to focus if they are blowing about in the wind.

Capture the detail Use a macro lens, close-up fi lters or your camera’s Macro mode to focus

while you are close to your subject and capture the intricate details

1/250sec F5


Learn how to shoot scenery with a shallow depth of fi eldUnique landscapes

Foreground interestA shallow depth of fi eld draws attention

to the main foreground subject. In this case, it is a bright and colourful poppy facing the camera

✔

SHOOTINGBig project


Focus on the foreground

04 Focus on the part of the foreground you want to be sharp. If you have Live View,

zoom in, and with the camera in Manual Focus mode, turn the focusing ring until the image is sharp. Otherwise, use Autofocus and select the AF point on the part you want in focus.

Review the image

05 Take the shot and use Image Review to check the focus and exposure. The

histogram will show if your exposure is correct or not. If the histogram is bunched too far to the left, the shot is underexposed and if it’s too far to the right, the shot is overexposed.

Choose a location

01 You’ll need an interesting foreground, ideally one where there is a single

strong focal point. Even though it will be out of focus, the background is also important. Look for something that provides enough interest, but doesn’t have any distracting features.

The lens aperture is one of the three settings (along with shutter speed and ISO) that control exposure, as it determines how much light falls on the sensor. However, it also has an effect on the creative look of the image because it controls the depth of fi eld too – the zone of sharpness either side of the point of focus. The principle is quite simple: the smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of fi eld.

While that bit is straightforward, a little confusion is caused by the way apertures are measured in ‘f-stops’. As these numbers get bigger, the aperture gets smaller. For example,

f4 is a large aperture and f22 is a small aperture.

Normally, portraits are shot with wide apertures and a narrow depth of fi eld, while landscapes are most often shot with small apertures and an extensive depth of fi eld. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and in the right circumstances, using a narrow depth of fi eld can really add impact to a landscape.

Follow our guide to discover how to shoot scenery with a shallow depth of fi eld, for a shot that really stands out from the crowd. Then learn how to transform it into a lovely canvas that you can display at home.



SHOOT! We show you how to shoot an eye-catching landscape

Compose your shot

02 Use a tripod – this allows you to make small adjustments to framing and will

result in a better composition. Arrange the key elements in the shot according to the rule of thirds. If your camera has gridlines, turn these on to help you compose correctly.

Set to Aperture Priority

03 Shooting in Aperture Priority mode (A or Av on the mode dial) is the best choice

for landscapes, as you select the aperture, which controls the depth of fi eld. The camera will set the shutter speed for you. Choose the widest aperture (smallest f-number) available.

Adjust the exposure

06 If it is under or overexposed, apply Exposure Compensation and re-shoot.

This usually involves holding down the +/- button and turning the dial. Add positive compensation to brighten and negative to darken, then check your histogram again.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ Digital camera✔ Lens with a wide

aperture (f4 is fi ne)✔ Tripod ✔ Editing software

WE USED…✔ Canon EOS 5D MkIII ✔ 24-105mm lens✔ Adobe Photoshop

Elements 11

YOU COULD USE…✔ Any digital camera

with AP mode ✔ Adobe Photoshop

Lightroom

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ Shoot landscapes

with a difference

Using a narrow apertureAn aperture of f11 isn’t enough to completely defocus the background

SHOOTINGBig project


EDIT! Enhance your landscape shot in Photoshop Elements4 OF THE BEST…Ways to print and display

Boost the colours

08 To make the colours in your shot a bit brighter, go to Enhance>Adjust Color>

Adjust Hue/Saturation. Boost the Saturation slider until the colours look how you want them to, but avoid pushing it too far as your photo will look unnatural and cartoon-like.

Remove the colour cast

07 If your photo has an unusual colour cast, or if you think it could be a little warmer

or cooler, go to Filter>Adjustments>Photo Filter. Select a Warming or Cooling Filter depending on your preference, and then adjust the Density slider until you are happy.

Adjust the gradient

12 Double-click on the Gradient menu in the Gradient Fill box to open up the

Gradient Editor. Adjust the colour of your gradient and the Color and Opacity sliders to change its look. You can also change the Opacity and Location percentages. Click OK.

Add a gradient

11 In the Layers palette on the right-hand side of the screen, click the ‘Add New Fill

Layer’ button at the top. Select Gradient from the drop-down menu and in the Gradient Fill box that appears, set the Style to Linear, the Angle to -90 degrees, and the Scale to 100%.

Adjust the curves

10 Now go to Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Color Curves and choose Increase

Midtones from the Select a Style menu. Boost the Midtone Brightness and Midtone Contrast, then adjust Highlights and Shadows until your image has plenty of depth in the foreground.

Correct the exposure

09You can brighten up or darken your shot by going to Enhance>Adjust Lighting>

Levels. Use the Color Picker tool to correct automatically, or adjust the arrows under the histogram. Moving them right will darken it, and moving them to the left will brighten it.

Print on foam board A cheap yet attractive way to display your photos is on foam board – two thin plastic boards with a layer of rigid foam in between. Your prints will be incredibly light and have a lovely silk matte look. Pixum.co.uk offers forex prints in plenty of different sizes.

Frame your shotsThe traditional option of printing your photo and placing it in a frame gives you plenty of control over how your piece of wall art will look. Bonusprint.co.uk has a great range of frames and mounting options that can be delivered to your door.

Create acrylic prints You can get your photo printed and placed behind a layer of acrylic for a high-quality, glossy fi nish that makes your photo appear as though it is fl oating on your wall. WhiteWall.co.uk has an excellent range of acrylic printing options.


SHOOTINGBig project

Mount on aluminiumA great way to show off your shots in style is to mount them onto aluminium and hang them on your wall. PhotoBox.co.uk lets you order affordable aluminium prints in a variety of shapes and sizes, including rectangular, square and panoramic.

Upload your photo

16 Upload your landscape photo and you will see it displayed on a virtual canvas

print. You can change the orientation of your canvas and select whether you would like the image to wrap around the edges of the canvas, or display the entire photo with a white border.

Select a canvas style

14 Click on the Canvas tab at the top of the PhotoBox home page to see the

variety of canvas prints on offer. Each has a different thickness of frame and is printed on a different material. Select the one that suits your budget and click Create Canvas.

Change the shape and size

15 Now choose a rectangular, square or panoramic canvas and pick the size you

want it to be. Consider the shape of your photo, the space available on your wall and how much money you wish to spend to help you choose. Then click Create Canvas Now.

SHARE! Create a canvas print to display at home with PhotoBox

Edit your print

17 If you click on your photo, another menu will appear. Zoom in or out and rotate

your photo to reposition it, or open up the Photo Editing menu. This lets you adjust the contrast and brightness, fl ip the photo or add effects. You can then order your canvas.

Choose your print service

13 You can share your shallow depth of fi eld landscape photo in a number of

ways, such as online or by framing it to go on your wall. We have chosen to turn our shot into a canvas print, and we will show you how to do the same using www.PhotoBox.co.uk.




Consider the wrap Leave enough space around the edge of your photo so that the important areas are not lost

SHOOTINGBig project

The focal length of your lens

also affects depth of fi eld.

To get a shallow depth of

fi eld, use a longer focal

length (zoom in).

Zoom in to increase the blur

Special place You could choose a location that is personal to you, helping you to create a really special canvas print

Bright colours A scene with bold and bright colours will really stand out, and add interest to a blank wall

Avoid clashes Make sure that the colours in your photo will not clash with the colour scheme of your room

Learn how to shoot nature’s fascinating level of detail by ge� ing creative with light

five minute project

Learn how to shoot nature’s fascinating level five

Capture a fantastic backlit macro photo

SHOOTING5 minute project


WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ A camera with

Macro mode✔ A desk lamp✔ A see-through

surface ✔ A translucent

subject

WE USED…✔ A glass dish ✔ A leaf ✔ Canon EOS 100D

YOU COULD USE…✔ A camera with a

macro lens✔ A fl ower petal

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ How to capture a

macro shot with lots of detail

Secure your subject

01 Find a translucent macro subject and secure it to a see-through surface with

sticky tape. You could fi x it to a glass table or dish that you can easily position your light source behind or underneath, or tape it to a window with plenty of light shining through.

Set up your light source

02 Position a desk lamp behind your subject so that the light shines through

it. The closer it is to your subject, the stronger the effect will be, so move it closer if there’s not enough light. If your subject is taped to the window, use the natural light from the sun.

Select Macro mode

03 Switch to Macro mode to focus up close. It is usually indicated by a small

fl ower icon on a button on the back of your camera, your mode dial or in your camera’s menu. If you have a macro lens, close-up fi lters or extension tubes, use these instead.

Set your aperture

04 If you can control your camera settings while in Macro mode, select a narrow

aperture (high f-number) to keep your frame in focus. This is important, as you will need to shoot with your subject fi lling the frame so as not to capture any of your light source.

Correct the exposure

05 Use a fast shutter speed to prevent your shots being overexposed. If you

are in a semi-manual mode, your camera may be fooled into thinking the scene is too bright and underexposed. If so, set your Exposure Compensation to +1 to brighten it up.

Macro photography involves shooting with your camera very close to your subject, and enables you to capture intricate details that you may not normally be able to see with the naked eye. If your macro subject is translucent, then you can capture even more detail by lighting it from behind. Leaves, fl ower petals and even butterfl y wings are all fantastic subjects for practising this technique, as the light shining through them will help their tiny patterns to show up even more in your photos.

You could also have a go at getting your shot outdoors, positioning your subject so the sun is behind it. However, you can also try it at home, as you just need a see-through surface to fi x your subject to and a light source to shine behind it.

Technically, macro photography involves producing photos in which your subject is life-size with a 1:1 ratio, or bigger. Many compact cameras, even when in Macro mode, cannot achieve this, instead capturing close-up photos by using a shorter minimum focusing distance. To take a true macro photo, you will usually need a camera with a special macro lens or other accessory, but don’t let this put you off. You can still achieve fantastic results and record the tiniest of details with any camera.

Some cameras will not let you have any manual control over your settings in Macro mode, but if this isn’t the case, practise your skills and get the exposure and focusing right. Follow our simple steps to capturing a stunning backlit macro shot at home.

Capture intricate detail Shoot up close

Tips for macro photography

Steady your camera Camera shake becomes more evident when taking close-up photos, so rest your camera on a sturdy surface or use a tripod in order to combat this issue.



SHOOTING5 minute project


3 OF THE BEST…

Focus manually Your camera’s autofocus function can sometimes struggle when it is in close proximity to your subject, so switch to manual focus if you can.

Adjust the sensitivity Try to keep your ISO low to avoid noise creeping into the shot. However, you may need to raise it if you ever need to use a fast shutter speed in low-light conditions.

SHOOTINGBlack & white portraits



Pick the right focal lengthIf you use a wide focal length you will fi nd

their features begin to distort. Stand further back and zoom in so you are using

a length of around 80-120mm for more fl attering resultsfl attering results

Compose the shotWithout colour to draw the eye around

the shot, you should think about shapes, tones and textures. We have framed her

face with her hands, but experiment until you get the pose you want


You can use an in-camera picture mode, but you’ll have more control if you shoot in colour and edit it afterwards

Pick the right focal lengthIf you use a wide focal length you will fi nd

Select the ISOA low ISO is preferable to stop noise in

your shot. You may need to raise it if light is weak, and a small amount of

noise can be okay in black and white, but keep an eye on the amount

face with her hands, but experiment until you get the pose you want

You can use an in-camera picture mode, but you’ll have more control if you shoot in colour and edit it afterwards

Convert your photoIn Elements, go to Enhance>Convert to

Black & White, where you will fi nd a preset portrait option. You can adjust

the colour sliders until you get the desired result

5 tips for using props in portraits

Using props in portraits can make your shot that bit more interesting. It can also help your model to relax if they are surrounded by objects they are familiar with, or if you get them to interact with some fun, silly props. Read our tips to fi nd out how best to use them in your people pictures.

Get creativeProps don’t always have to be objects. Why not use chalk to draw designs around your model, create patterns in the sand or use a mother’s hands to form a heart over her baby bump? Get creative for a unique shot.

Personal selection Try and choose props that are personal to your model, whether it’s something from a hobby of theirs or their favourite fl ower. This will make the portrait speak more about who they are and what they enjoy.

Consider colours Check that colours don’t clash with other elements in the shot, like the model’s clothing or the background. Ideally, you don’t want more than three in the frame. Try contrasting colours for more impact.

Position your propDon’t let the prop detract attention from your model. Think about where it is placed and how it can be used to draw the eye to your subject – for example, by framing their face or leading in a line towards them.

Suggest a tone The props you are using can help to shape the mood of the image, so think about what they are adding to the shot. Something like a bright umbrella might add a fun feel to the shoot, for instance.

SHOOTINGQuick tips


Get creative with your model shots for standout results

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Get to know your cameraIf you’re using a compact camera, then most of your controls will be on the back. A DSLR or Compact System Camera will usually have a mode dial on top. Either way, the icons for setting the camera to shoot in different conditions and for basic operation such as deleting images are usually universal.

Jargon busterApertureAffects the amount of your image that is in focus – the ‘depth of fi eld’

CSCCompact system camera

DSLRDigital single lens refl ex camera

Drive modeContinuous or Burst mode, single shot and self-timer

Dynamic rangeThe term used to refer to the amount of detail in the highlights and shadows

ExposureA balanced exposure has detail in light and shadow areas alike

Exposure compensationAdjusts the tonal range of your photo, lighter or darker

Focal lengthsWide-angle – a wider angle of view than normal, eg 28mmTelephoto – a magnifi ed view of distant subjects, eg 200mm

FocusAutofocus means your camera focuses for you; Manual puts you in control

ISORefers to how sensitive the sensor is to light and affects the visible grain or ‘noise’ in a photo

LCDThe display screen on the rear of the camera used to compose images

Live viewAn electronic view of the scene in front of the lens

MeteringRefers to the way the camera reads the light in the scene

MegapixelsNumber of pixels on the sensor, in millions

NoiseRefers to the visible digital grain in a photo

Shutter speedFast speeds freeze action while longer ones blur any motion

Viewfi nderOptical – shows you the view through the camera lens and is good for accurate framingElectronic – shows the view on an LCD in the viewfi nder

White balanceAffected by the ambient light around you, your camera can alter this to ensure a natural colour result

ZoomOptical – the magnifi cation provided by the camera lensDigital – a camera crop factor


Viewfi nderAn optical viewfi nder

shows the image through the lens

ControlsUse the control panel to change settings,

scroll through menu options or move around a photo when in Playback mode

LCD screenDisplays an electronic view of the scene in front of the lens

Camera icons explainedMake sure your camera is always on the correct se� ing by following this guide

S

P

A

AUTO

LandscapeBoosts saturation in blues and greens for vivid outdoor shotsAuto

If all else fails, let your camera do the hard work for you

MacroFor shooting close-ups such as fl owers and insects

SportsUses a fast shutter speed to capture action without blur

PortraitFor super-fl attering

shots of your friends and family

ApertureSelect the aperture

while the camera chooses shutter speed

ProgramCustomise your most

used settings in Program

Shutter prioritySelect the

shutter speed and the camera will

change the aperture

ZoomZoom in on your image to check

it’s in focus

MenuFor options such as formatting your memory card

▼

+

Delete – found on all cameras

Playback – use to review photos

Flash – switch it on or off

Night-time/low-light scenes

Zoom in on your photos

Zoom out of your photos

–

+ –

Drive modes including Burst

Metering modes

Exposure compensation

Video mode on stills cameras

Macro or close-up modes

Sports or Action mode

Self-timer for self-portraits etc

Image stabilisation

Landscapes – for wide angles

Portrait – perfect for people

Manual mode – for control

Function button – for shortcutsFn


LIGHTLIGHT

CAMERA SCHOOCAMERA SCHOO

Good lighting is the key to great photography. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of natural light surrounding us. The trick is to work with it, and learn how it can be used effectively to illuminate your subjects in the best possible way.

In this feature, we will reveal what techniques, equipment and exposure settings you will need to get great shots. You will discover how to work around the sun so that your subjects stand out and your fi nal shots look professional. There’s no

need to pop up your in-built fl ash or invest in expensive studio lighting or fl ashguns. With the right knowledge and skills, you’re guaranteed to get some great shots.

To help get you started, we’ll be looking into the best time of day to shoot, how the sun compares to shade, refl ecting light, working with white balance and shooting stunning portraits indoors. So grab your camera and follow along as we uncover how to capture your shots using only natural light.


TOP TIPS FOR WORKING WITH

Discover how to get great photos using only natural light

NATURALLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHT

The sun naturally shifts its position throughout the day, which will affect the direction, colour and strength of the light. Working around the position of the sun will enable you to get better shots on location. The golden hours (early morning as the sun rises and late evening as it sets) are considered the best time of day to photograph a landscape, as the light is softer and the sky is full of vibrant and warm hues. As the sun sits lower in the sky at this time, it will also cast longer shadows, which will add depth to your shot. Midday, on the other hand, can be a lot more challenging to shoot in, given that the sun is positioned directly overhead, so shots can look a little fl at. You will fi nd that as the light is a lot stronger at this time of day, bright objects can overexpose easily and shadows will also appear much darker. If possible, return later in the afternoon with a tripod to get the best results using a longer exposure.


Midday Shooting at midday gives a stronger overhead light that creates

shadows and overexposed highlights

TIME OF DAY

Bright, sunny days are great for shooting portraits outdoors, but be wary of working in direct sunlight. Positioning your model opposite the sun, for example, will cause them to squint and make overexposing your image much more likely. Improve your portrait shots by positioning your model in front of the sun so that it sits directly behind them. This will enable you to get fl attering backlit shots. To avoid your model appearing as a silhouette, use a refl ector to bounce light back into their face or use your fl ash to fi ll in the light. Alternatively, move your model out of the sun altogether and work in open shade. Trees are fantastic to shoot under as shafts of light can still stream through the leaves and light up the surroundings of your shot.

Always experiment on a shoot and adjust your model’s position so that you get a selection of shots from a range of perspectives with different directions of light.

SHADE VERSUS SUN

Golden hours Waiting until the evening or early morning to shoot, when the sun is lowest in

the sky, will result in more picturesque shots

IF YOU’RE SHOOTING AT SUNSET OR EARLY MORNING, YOU MAY NEED TO SET A LONGER EXPOSURE. ALWAYS SET YOUR CAMERA UP ON A TRIPOD WHEN DOING THIS TO AVOID CAPTURING CAMERA SHAKE.

TOP TIP

WORK IN APERTURE PRIORITY MODE WITH A SMALL F-NUMBER (F4.5-5.6) TO BRIGHTEN UP YOUR PORTRAIT SHOTS AND CREATE AN ARTISTIC SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD EFFECT IN THE BACKGROUND.

TOP TIP


WINDOW LIGHTINGIt is still possible to get some great natural light shots indoors. Provided it’s a sunny day, you can work with what’s available inside while near to a window. You may fi nd that on occasion when you’re shooting indoors, the camera’s built-in fl ash will fi re to compensate for the lack of light. Results can be disappointing, with many shots appearing overexposed and some portraits even having red-eye. To avoid this in the future, work in a scene mode that enables you to turn off the fl ash or explore one of the manual modes such as Aperture Priority. You will need to position your model or still life subject next to a well-lit window and use a refl ector to bounce light into the shadow areas of the shot. Windows that have direct sunlight streaming through are great if you want to capture a backlit effect, just remember to meter the light on your model and use a refl ector in order to highlight their features.

CAMERA SCHOOCAMERA SCHOO

IF YOU’RE SHOOTING A PORTRAIT INDOORS BY A WINDOW AND YOUR SHOTS ARE STILL LOOKING A LITTLE UNDEREXPOSED, UP YOUR CAMERA’S ISO SETTING TO INCREASE ITS SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT, WHICH WILL RESULT IN BRIGHTER SHOTS.

TOP TIP


Your camera may automatically select fl ash if you’re working indoors with limited light, which can have an unfl attering effect

Positioning your model next to a window means you’ll be able to make use of all the natural light

and get some great results

The direction of natural light can have a considerable impact on the contrast in your images. Side lighting will create dark shadows on one side of your subject, while overhead lighting will cast them below. Refl ecting light back into the shadow areas will help reduce overall contrast by subtly illuminating them, allowing more detail to be captured. To do this effectively, you’ll need to use a refl ector. Some varieties come with different sides, including white, silver and gold. Use white for a softer fi ll-in and silver for a harder and cooler effect. The gold side is ideal if you want to refl ect light and warm up the shot. For the best results, always position your refl ector opposite the direction of incoming light to bounce it directly into the shadows. You may need a second pair of hands or a stand to hold it in place while you shoot.

REFLECTING LIGHT

IF YOU DON’T HAVE A REFLECTOR, YOU CAN ALWAYS IMPROVISE. WEAR WHITE OR POSITION YOUR MODEL NEAR A WHITE WALL. ALTERNATIVELY, USE WHITE PAPER OR TIN FOIL.

TOP TIP

Natural side lighting can cast strong shadows on one side

of your subject, like this

Use a refl ector to lighten the shadows

in side-lit shots & help brighten up

the overall exposure


USING WHITE BALANCEMost people will rely on their camera’s Auto white balance setting to reduce colour casts in their shots. However, it is possible to set the white balance manually in order to take more control over the outcome of your images, or even to add creative effects. You can set the white balance by selecting a mode that refl ects the lighting conditions you’re shooting in, such as daylight, cloudy, incandescent

or fl uorescent. Setting your white balance will prevent colour casts, which are created by different temperatures of light. Indoor incandescent light, for example, adds a warm glow to images, which the right white balance can even out. Most cameras come with a custom white balance setting, enabling you to select how cool or warm you want your shots to be yourself.

With the correct white balance, all colours will appear accurate in the highlight and shadow areas of your shot

An incorrect white balance mode will create a strong colour cast in your photographs

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It’s not uncommon to fi nd that your photo prints lack a little vibrancy when comparing them to the edited image on your computer screen. Some colours may even appear incorrect, with reds seemingly more magenta and greens looking a little yellow. This is often the result of your computer monitor not having been calibrated. Colour calibration is important if you want perfect print results, as it will ensure the colour hues that you see on screen match those that are produced by the printer.

All computer screens differ slightly in their level of brightness, contrast and colour representation. Although they are manufactured to produce the best possible picture, they still require some tuning. There are two methods you can employ to do this: one being by eye,

using built-in software within the screen; or the other, using hardware, which will do it automatically.

You can calibrate your computer screen to an extent by adjusting the monitor’s brightness and contrast settings. Some let you adjust resolution and calibrate colours using specialist settings. Serious shooters may want to invest in hardware, such as a ColorMunki or Spyder device, which attaches to your screen and automatically calibrates it for you with accuracy.

It works by using a colorimeter sensor, which is placed on top of the screen. This communicates with software that will then make any necessary adjustments to the monitor. For complete colour accuracy, you should calibrate around once every two months.

Why is it essential to colour calibrate?Discover why calibrating your computer monitor is necessary to achieve top results from your photos


A calibration tool can be used to automatically adjust your monitor, so that colours can be edited accurately


The environment you are editing in can have a considerable impact on how colours appear on screen. Ambient light and even window light can have an effect on how your eyes perceive colour tones. For complete colour accuracy while editing, work in a darkened room with only the light emitted from the monitor.

COLOUR ACCURACY

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Speed up your editing workflowWe unveil tips and tricks for speeding up common photo editing tasks over multiple platforms


WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ Editing program✔ Computer, tablet

or cameraphone

WE USED…✔ Photoshop

Elements 11 & Lightroom 5

✔ Snapseed app

YOU COULD USE…✔ Photoshop CS✔ Lightroom 4

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ Quick editing tricks

JARGON BUSTERBatch processing

This is the term used to mean making edits to multiple photos at the same time. If you use Photoshop, you can

apply an Action to multiple photos, but in Elements you can only make basic

adjustments to a batch.



Find more Actions

05 There are a limited number of Actions built into Elements, but luckily there are

thousands more to download. The Adobe website has some, or you can do a search. Many of these are free, but some will cost you.

Create your own

06 Photoshop CS users can create their own Actions. Hit the Record button to

capture all settings and tools applied to an image, and when you are done press the Stop button. You can then save it as an Action.

What is an Action?

01 An Action is an automated series of edits applied to an image. When you

add photo effects in Elements, you are essentially running an Action. There is a dedicated panel found in Window>Actions.

Run an Action

03 To see what an Action does, open a photo in the main window and click on

the Action that you are interested in. Next, hit the Play button in the top-right of the panel. The Action will run and you will see the effect.

EDITINGSpeed up workfl ow


Use Actions in Photoshop Elements Add eff ects and edits in seconds

Use built-in options

02 This is the Actions panel, where you will fi nd some built-in Actions. These are

categorised by what they do: some have practical applications and some have more fun effects. Click on the folders to see them.

Run loaded Actions

08 Any Actions that you load will appear in the Actions panel. You select them in

the same way as the built-in Actions and run them to apply the effect. This gives you loads of options to customise your snaps quickly.

Reset the panel

09 You can choose to reset your Actions at any time, which clears all of the loaded

Actions and reverts to just the built-in ones. This means you can experiment as much as you like without clogging up your Actions panel.

View the steps

04 See how they work by expanding the Action to view the steps involved. Do

this by clicking on the arrow next to the Action title. You will then see a list of everything that takes place and the settings used.

Load new Actions

07 When you fi nd an Action that you want to use, you need to download it and

save it to your computer. In the Actions panel, hit the top-right drop-down menu and select Load Action, then browse to the one you want.

Apply and edit

03 Click on a Preset to apply it to your image. You can also edit the effect

using the tools in the right-hand window. As with Actions, you can download new Presets from the web.

Use Lightroom preset effects

Find the Presets

01 Presets in Lightroom are essentially the same as Actions in Elements.

Open your image in Lightroom, then go to the Develop window. Presets are found on the left-hand side of the main window.

Preview effects

02 A handy feature of the Presets that you can’t do with Actions is being

able to hover over them to see a preview of the effect before you apply it, meaning you can experiment before committing.

Batch edit in Elements Process fi les in one go



Select the destination

02 Select the source folder where the images you want to edit are kept, and a

destination to save your edited images to. If you tick Same as Source, then your original fi les will be overwritten.

Select the image size

04 You can resize all your images in one go by entering a new resolution or size. By

default, the size of the image is constrained to prevent distortion, but you can turn this off. You can also save them as a different fi le type.

Add a copyright

06 Finally, you can add a watermark to your photos by choosing the text,

position and font. When you are happy with your edits, hit OK and they will be made. The fi les will be saved to your chosen destination.

Process multiple fi les

01 Open Elements and go to File>Process Multiple Files. This will let you batch edit

a folder of photos in one go. You can’t make major edits, but you can apply automatic corrections, rename fi les and resize them.

Name the fi les

03 You might want to give all your fi les a consistent title. You can enter a name

for them and then they will be numbered as well, so you would have MyFile1, MyFile2, etc. This can be useful for organising your pictures.

Apply quick fi xes

05 The Quick Fix box lets you apply automatics edits to all your images at

once. Just tick the check boxes for the edits that you wish to run. Auto Levels and Auto Contrast are the most commonly used here.

Fast fi xes with Snapseed Make quick changes with this free photo editing app




Open your image

01 Click the camera icon in the top-left of the window to select a photo from your

Library. You can also choose to take a photo. This will then open in Snapseed. You will see all of the edits down the left-hand side.

Manual adjustments

03 For more in-depth edits, select from a range of tools including Selective Adjust,

which lets you edit just part of your image. There is a handy help menu (the question mark in the top-left) to show you the controls.

Automatic adjustments

02 Opt for Automatic for a quick edit. Pick Color Correction or Contrast Correction

by swiping up and down, and left and right to alter the effect. Hit the bottom-right arrow to apply and the bottom-left one to cancel.

Special effects

04 If you want to get creative, you can add loads of effects, such as Black & White,

Vintage (shown here), Drama, Grunge, Tilt-Shift, Retrolux and Frames. Any changes can be undone if you don’t like them.

Share your snaps

05 When complete, use the Share icon in the top-right of the window and you will

see many options, including Google+, Twitter, Email and Facebook. You can also use the Save option to keep your edited version.

Share your shots at...photoforbeginners.comShare your shots at...photoforbeginners.comShare your shots at... Search for PFBMag on...


Reduce the noise

01 Once you have opened up your image, click on the Filter tab and then go to

Noise>Reduce Noise. The software will then automatically reduce the amount of noise in your photo.

Adjust the strength

02 If you’re not happy with the automatic noise reduction, you can increase or

reduce the effect applied to your shot by adjusting the Strength slider or inputting a specifi c percentage amount.

Digital noise is the grain that can sometimes appear in photos and reduce their quality. It’s a particular problem when shooting in low light. Increasing your ISO to make the sensor more sensitive to light and brighten up the shot can help to create a well-exposed image, but it

also has the side effect of creating digital noise. However, this also depends on the camera. You could brighten up your shots by using a slower shutter speed or wider aperture instead, but if this isn’t possible, editing software can help save the day.

Clean up shots Use Photoshop Elements 11 to remove grain

Make further adjustments

03 Boosting the Preserve Details slider will protect the edges and detail in

your shot, but also reduce the amount of noise removal. To target unusually coloured grain, boost the Reduce Colour Noise slider.

Learn to bring out detail in low-light photos Reduce noise



EDITINGReduce noise


WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ Editing software

WE USED…✔ Adobe Photoshop

Elements 11

YOU COULD USE…✔ Photoshop CS✔ GIMP

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ How to reduce grain

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PHOTO EDITING DIGITAL PAINTING BEGINNER TIPS TOOL GUIDES PHOTO ART

Striking imagery Step-by-step guides Essential tutorialsON SALE NOW


02 Hit Enter and the image will fall black. Next, select the Elliptical Marquee tool

(second button along in the Toolbox) and click and drag to draw an ellipse the full width and height of the image. You can drag the side handles to extend.

03 With the selection still active, hit the Delete key to reveal the dog in the

centre. We need to feather the edges now for a gradual transition. Go to Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Enter 1000 for Height and Width for a high-res image and press Enter.

04 Go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and run 500px of blur for a high-resolution

image. This is the maximum, but may not be enough, so you can run it again with the keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+F. Drop the opacity of the layer if it looks too heavy.

02 A random effect will be applied as default. Bring up the sub-menu and

choose Effect (currently set to Random). In the dialog box that appears, scroll all the way up to the Filter section and change Filter from Normal to Vignette.

03 Next, choose Customise Filter and set Vignette Amount to half and Filter

Intensity to full. Go back to the previous menu, choose Frame Type and select None (don’t crop the picture). Save this effect for future use if you wish.

04 Close the menu in order to see the results. To make changes, hit the Back

button and click Effect again. Otherwise, press Save and close, use Adjust to make other alterations and then Share, or simply press Discard to close without saving.

02 With the Layers palette on view, click the black and white circle button at the

top of the palette in order to create a new adjustment layer and select Brightness/Contrast. Move the Brightness slider all the way down to -150.

03 We want the darkening vignette to be applied outside the selection, not

inside, so invert the layer mask with the shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+I. The edge is too sharp, so the next step should be to feather it for a gradual transition.

04 The transition should now be nicely smooth. The effect is perhaps a little

heavy, so we can reduce its strength by dropping the layer opacity. Click in the middle of the Opacity slider at the top of the Layers palette to set it to 50%.

EDITINGAdd a vignette

Photography for Beginners 65Share your shots at... photoforbeginners.com


Make digital photos look like they have been processed from fi lm with DxO FilmPack 4

five minute project

Make digital photos look like they have been

five minute projectUse a creative film

effect on your photos


EDITING5 minute project

WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ Editing software

WE USED…✔ DxO FilmPack 4

YOU COULD USE…✔ Photo fx

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ How to add

analogue fi lm effects to your photos

Choose a fi lm preset

01 Select one of the preset fi lm effects from the menu and click on the

side-by-side preview button at the top. Now adjust the intensity of the effect under the Effects tab of the toolbar.

Add a fi lter

02 Staying in the Effects tab, click on the arrow next to Filter. Select a fi lter to

add to your photo and adjust its density. Similarly, you can apply a toning effect like Sepia and adjust the strength of that.

Create a vignette

03 Under the Creative vignetting heading in the Effects toolbar, adjust the

intensity slider. You can then change the Midpoint, Transition and Roundness of the vignette and even set your own centre point.

Add creative blur

04 Increase the intensity slider under the Creative blur vignetting heading to

blur the edges of your shot and give it depth. Just like with the standard vignette, you can fi ne-tune the effect with the various sliders.

Processing your images from a roll of fi lm used to be the only way to produce photos, and different makes of fi lm gave your captures a different look and feel. DxO’s FilmPack 4 editing software makes it easy to recapture the quality, style, colours and grain of some of the most famous analogue fi lms to give your digital images a classic look.

There are 38 colour and 26 black-and-white effects to choose from in the Expert edition, emulating the characteristics of fi lms from the likes of Kodak, Fuji and Polaroid. Once you apply an effect to your shot, you can then fi ne-tune it with a series of adjustments. Alternatively, you can select a Designer preset and have all the hard work done for you, or create your own custom preset that you can apply to future shots with one click.

FilmPack 4 can also be used to make standard photo edits. You can crop and rotate, then click the Settings tab to open up further editing options. Among other things, you can adjust the contrast, saturation, exposure, vibrancy and hue of your images, as well as remove digital noise. There is also a slider for converting to black and white, and a histogram for viewing the distribution of tones in your shot. You can view the before and after as a split image or side by side, and even create a snapshot of it at different stages of the editing process.

We used the Expert edition (£99/approx $150) as it has wide variety of effects on offer. The Essential edition (£59/approx $90) is still feature packed, including 35 effects. Both are available from www.dxo.com.

Go retro Recapture the analogue fi lm look

Create a print effect

05 To give your photo the look of a fi lm print, add a texture and light leak

under the corresponding heading in the Effects menu, then adjust the intensity to generate a slightly different effect.

Analogue fi lm effect apps


EDITING5 minute project



3 OF THE BEST…

Photo fx £1.99/$2.99 (iOS)Give your cameraphone photos one of 62 different colour or black-and-white fi lm looks, as well as applying interesting textures, patterns and

grain to your images.

Instagram Free (Android & iOS) Add various retro-looking fi lters to your shot that give them an analogue fi lm look, then share them with the millions of other Instagram users,

who are doing the exact same thing.

Pixlr-o-matic Free (Android & iOS) Add the fi lm look to your photos with the help of a variety of different effects and overlays, and fi nish them off with a stylish frame before you

share them with friends and family.

5 tips for learning from bad shotsWhile you are getting to grips with photography, it is inevitable that you will make mistakes. The important thing is that you learn from those errors and correct them next time. Editing software is really useful for working out what you did wrong, so here are a few things to look out for.

Analyse the focus Zoom into your image to clearly see if your subject is in focus or not. Most photos need a bit of sharpening anyway, but if it is very fuzzy then you need to practise your focusing technique.

Boost composition Use the gridlines displayed when using the Crop tool to see if your image is straight and has a balanced composition. The rule of thirds suggests that your main subject should fall where the lines cross.

Use auto functions Many editing programs let you make automatic corrections. Use them to look closely at what the software has changed to see what it thinks is wrong. You can then discover where you went wrong.

Note the exposure When adjusting Levels, check the histogram – a graph that shows the distribution of the image’s tones. If it is bunched to the left it may be underexposed, or if it’s to the right it might be overexposed.

Check the data If your image isn’t quite right, check the EXIF data to see which settings you used and find out where you went wrong. For example, your f-number may not have been low enough to blur the background.

EdiTingQuick tips


Use editing software to learn from your mistakes

“EXIF data tells you what settings you

used so you can find out where

you went wrong”

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When cameras went digital, every area of photography was completely revolutionised. We are now able to view, edit and eliminate photographs on the device itself; we can store our photo collections on a computer; but perhaps most significant is the fact that many of us have stopped printing our memories. The need to travel to a photo developing shop has diminished, and although it is easy enough to print digital photos, more and more people are creating digital albums and sharing their snaps on their computer, television, smartphone, tablet

or online. Consequently, photos from yesteryear remain in albums or developers’ packets collecting dust. It’s now possible, however, to resurrect those pre-digital shots, and store and share them just like new images you capture. At only £49/$59 (http://shop.lomography.com), the Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner is a compact device that requires a couple of batteries, your 35mm negatives and a smartphone – that is all! Once set up, it can scan as many negatives as you like, storing them on your smartphone for you to do with as you wish.

Scan and share old photos on your phone

Tech focus

Get to grips with Lomography’s Smartphone Film Scanner

Apps that scan your negatives


What you’ll need…4 Negatives4 Film scanner

We used…4 Lomography

Smartphone Film Scanner

you could use…4 iPhone or Android4 Epson Perfection

V700 Scanner

What you’ll learn…4 To scan negatives

3 of the best…

helMut Film scannerFree (Android) Digitising your old negatives is just one of the many features of this fantastic app. Sharing your old

memories is easy too.

helloPhoto £1.49/$1.99 (IOS)Use the app’s light table to view and organise negatives and slides and capture them on camera. You can then make adjustments to enhance

your shots before sharing them with the world.

digmypics Free (IOS)View your old slides and negatives, zoom in to see the images more clearly, and use your iPhone as a light table. A quick, easy and pricetag-free

way to re-discover the past.

Set up the device

01 In order to set up the Lomography smartphone fi lm scanner, fi rst remove

the stackers from the scanner base. Lift the battery door and insert two AA batteries. Remove the black light panel while you are there so you are left with a white square.

Insert the negative

02 Place the negative into the fi lm-loading slit where it says ‘Insert Film Here’. Turn

the wheel anti-clockwise to reel it through. You can tweak this later on to position it more accurately. If you keep turning the wheel, the negative will come out the other end.

Position the smartphone

03 Place the stackers back on top of one another and turn the switch on. Press

the button to open the clamp wings and secure your smartphone between them. Move the clamp until the phone’s camera lens lines up with the hole.

Get the app

04 Open your smartphone’s camera to check it’s in the right position. Best

results will be achieved with the LomoScanner app. Free on iTunes and Google Play, open the app and make sure this is also lined up. Press the red camera icon.

Reverse the colours

05 Once captured, press the fi lm reel icon to the left of the red camera icon in

order to edit and add effects, such as monochrome. Here, we want the negative to be reversed so that the shot appears the same as the original, therefore we press Neg.

Scan in negatives Rediscover pre-digital snaps

Store and share

06 Now you are able to digitally store your old images alongside your recent ones

in your Camera Roll or digital albums. You can easily share them with friends and relatives, whether to embarrass or reminisce. Attach your photos to email, Facebook or Twitter.

Get the most out of LomoScanner

Crop the negative01 If you want the image that you

capture to have a rectangular shape, like a standard photograph, press the fi lm negative icon above the red camera icon (as shown above).

SHARINGScan old photos


There are tricks LomoScanner lets you do that can help you to improve your photos more. Use our top tips below to get even better captures.

Zoom in or out02 Zoom in or out of the negative by

pressing the ‘+’ or ‘-’ symbol, and move the phone via the clamp for greater accuracy. Be aware that this may weaken the quality, though.

Add an effect03 Press the fi lm reel icon below the

red camera to add effects to your image. You can choose to revert to the negative effect, convert to black and white, add a slide effect and more.



There’s nothing quite like the feeling of capturing a head-turning shot. While you’re learning the ropes of photography, that feeling will occur more and more often as your skills constantly improve. But it’s a huge shame to get so much satisfaction from taking a photo without sharing the beauty of it with other people. When you’ve got something to shout about, why not tell the world?

This is where the photo-sharing website SlickPic.com can help you out. It’s completely free to sign up to and provides you with a versatile and intuitive platform on which to showcase your growing photo talents. You can upload albums, compile them into collections and share these on all manner of social networks. You can also

create your own personal photo blog alongside your image galleries and interact with the SlickPic community at the same time. Or, if you prefer, you can keep your shots private and share them with family and friends, or even simply use SlickPic as an online storage and organisation tool.

If you decide that you like SlickPic, download the free apps for iPhone and Android. You can also upgrade your account to take advantage of extra benefits such as more storage, video uploads and no pesky adverts. A yearly Plus account will cost you approximately £16/$25, and a Pro account is about £65/$100. Here, we’ll show you just a few of SlickPic’s brilliant features.

Share a collection of your shots on SlickPicGive your best images the exposure they deserve


What you’ll need…4 Plenty of images4 Internet connection

We used…4 SlickPic.com

you could use…4 Flickr.com4 Picasa4 Photobucket.com

What you’ll learn…4 How to go about

creating and sharing albums on SlickPic.com

SharingPhoto gallery

Share it!

03 Once your album has uploaded, you’ll see it under My Albums/Web Gallery in

the My Organizer screen. This contains all your options. Click on the bullseye next to your album for more actions, then hit Share Album for a choice of display methods.

Load up and sign up

01 Head to SlickPic.com and click Sign Up to create an account or log in with

Facebook or Google. You’ll then be taken to My Home. Here, you can access SlickPic’s features and privacy options. Your content is public by default, so change this if you want.

Create an album

02 Above your profi le info, hit Upload Photos. This takes you to a screen

where you can drag and drop images or select multiple fi les to upload. Give your album a name, and as each image loads you can fi ll in extra information about it in the boxes below.

Compile collections

05 To share shots, create a collection. In My Organizer, click the My Collections

options, then Create New Collection. Go back to an album, select shots to add and in the Actions tab hit Add To Collection. Then customise and share via Share Collection.

View your Web Gallery

06 All of the images you’ve uploaded are shown in your Web Gallery, which is

how your SlickPic albums appear to viewers. Check it out via the My Web Gallery tab in the top-right. You can view albums, edit captions, customise the layout, share and much more.

Show the world Get your images out there

Free apps for photo sharing

Fill your photo blog

04 To blog about an album, hit the bullseye symbol again and select

Create Photoblog Post. You’ll be taken to the editor, where you can add text and decide what images to use. Hit Publish and then click Share to let everyone know you’ve blogged.

Explore the community

07 Hit the Community button in the top-left corner to discover hundreds of excellent

images from SlickPic’s community of photographers. Explore a bit to search and favourite images, as well as message and follow other users.

SHARINGPhoto gallery



Flickr Free (Android & iOS) This app complements Flickr’s gallery site, where you can upload snaps to albums, in addition to searching through the rest of the site’s amazing

photography content.

SlickPic Free (Android & iOS) The app to complement the great website, SlickPic can be used on your Android device or iPhone in order to snap, upload, show off

images and more.

Tumblr Free (Android & iOS)An ideal way to keep your photo blogging alive, also ported down from the website. Post anything from anywhere to show the whole world

what you’re up to.

Path Free (Android & iOS) Path is a private social network which gives you the option to choose 50 of your closest friends and family with which to share photos with, instead of

hundreds of random acquaintances.

Twitter Free (Android & iOS) The original ‘mini-blog’ itself, Twitter lets you choose to snap, edit and post your best shots, after which you can sit back and wait for your followers to

give you some feedback.

Instagram Free (Android & iOS) You can’t beat the mighty Instagram app for the iconic retro edit option, not to mention the thousands of photos that are shared and loved

by people every day.

Blogger Free (Android & iOS)Although it is intended more for mobile blogging, you can upload your favourite images to your blog straight away when you’re on

the go using this great app.

7 OF THE BEST…

Scrapbooking is a great way to capture memories of fun times passed. Whether that’s a wedding, a trip, or simply a happy chapter in your life, documenting it on paper acts as a cheerful reminder. It also encourages you to print out photos that would otherwise be left lying around on your hard drive. All you need to do is pick a theme and a layout, choose and print the photos you want it to display, and finally decorate it with borders and embellishments according to your style.

While there is an array of scrapbooking accessories on offer online and from local hobby stores, you can also be very creative with bits and bobs you have lying around at home. Old envelopes, postage stamps, wrapping paper and birthday cards can all be recycled to bring life to plain pages. Don’t forget to hang onto used ticket stubs, postcards and maps from trips too – use them to embellish your scrapbook and they will help spark off memories when you’re flicking through.

Crafty tips for stylish photo scrapbookingA special way to savour memories for years to come


What you’ll need…4 Photographs4 Scrapbook4 Craft items

We used…4 White sketchbook4 Paper pack by

American Crafts

you could use…4 Stickers or stamps4 Maps

What you’ll learn…4 How to scrapbook

sharingScrapbooking

Test your layout

03 Now you need to plan where everything is going to go. Do this before you glue

so you can change your mind or swap things around if they don’t fi t the space. We worked with a spread (two pages facing one another) at a time for a unifi ed look across the two.

Pick and mix

01 Decide on a theme for your scrapbook. This could be a colour or genre, such as

travel or your wedding day. Collect all of your papers, stamps and embellishments up so you can check that the colours and textured elements work well together.

Photograph fun

02 Next choose the shots that you’d like to print out and feature in your scrapbook.

Consider their colours, subject matter and orientation (whether they’re landscape or portrait), as this will make an impact on the page. Try to avoid picking similar images.

Get gluing

05 Attach the larger elements onto your pages. Use glue, 3D sticky pads or

washi tape, depending on what you’re sticking down. Put adhesive in the corners rather than the middle of photos, as the latter can warp the surface of the images.

Apply embellishments

06 Now the bigger pieces are in place, you can see what room you have to play

with. Embellishments include things like mini pockets, 3D shapes and buttons. Be mindful of where you’re placing 3D elements – if it’s opposite a photograph, it’ll leave an imprint.

Scrapbooking tips and tricks Make the most of your memories

Scrapbooking resources

Time to trim

04 Now you have a rough layout, you can trim any images down to size. We

rounded the corners of our shots to add a quirky, vintage style to them. Do this with a craft knife, or buy a corner rounder (pictured) for a few pounds from your local craft store.

Add handmade touches

07 Scrapbooks are personal and creative accounts of your or your loved ones’

adventures, so don’t forget to add captions, annotations and doodles onto the pages to make it your own. Do it in pencil fi rst and then go over in pen to avoid making any mistakes.

SHARINGScrapbooking



Rhonna Designs £1.49/$1.99 (iOS) The Rhonna Designs app is gorgeous and enables you to add personality to your phone photos. Apply masks to any photo using the various designs.

There are free video tutorials on her site too.

The Paperclipping RoundtableFree (iOS) This free scrapbooking audio show features guests in the community and covers all areas of the craft. An informative, inspiring and

often funny podcast!

A Beautiful Mess £0.69/$0.99 (iOS)An app by blogger Elsie Larson and her sister Emma, which enables you to apply text, doodles and general loveliness to your phone shots. Print

and scrapbook with them for stylish results.

Adobe Photoshop Express Free (Android & iOS) Tweak your images on the go with Adobe Photoshop Express. Features include auto correct, red eye removal,

effects and sharing functionality.

Over £1.49/$1.99 (iOS) Apply cool borders, text (in a range of great fonts) and more onto your photos. There is also a free version of the app called Overgram, although

this watermarks your images.

PicFrame £0.69/$0.99 (iOS),£0.62/$0.99 (Android)If you’d like to combine a few different photos into one slick photo collage, check out PicFrame. It supports up to

nine photos, plus lots of fun editing features.

ScrapPad £2.99/$4.99 (iOS)If you have an iPad and are keen to try digital scrapbooking, ScrapPad combines backgrounds, borders and embellishments with an easy-to-use

interface and printing functionality.

7 OF THE BEST…

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The size of an image refers to how large it is in dimension, as well as how much information it has. Digital images are made up of thousands of tiny dots, otherwise known as pixels. The more pixels you have, the better the quality of the image and the bigger its size. If you’re working with images in print, it’s vital to use pictures that are of extremely high quality. When using them on the web, for example uploading and sharing images via Flickr or Facebook, or even sending an email, you want images that look great but are as small as possible. When you upload an image, you’re transferring all the information that it’s made up of over your internet connection, so keeping the amount of information to a

minimum means it’ll take up less time and data. Some sharing sites such as Flickr automatically resize your images to make them web-friendly, but doing it yourself is easy through web services such as JPEGmini.

You’ll fi nd the online software at www.jpegmini.com. To get the full benefi t of the software, you’ll need to create a free account. Once you sign in, you can upload full albums and process images in batches instead of one by one. The key function of JPEGmini is to preserve the look of your image while trimming its size. This means you should be able to see your original and compressed image next to each other without noticing a difference in the visual quality.

Easily compress shots using JPEGminiMake large fi les smaller without losing any quality at all


✔Space saver

Compressing your photos means

they will take up less space on your computer

WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ A large image✔ Web browser

WE USED…✔ www.jpegmini.com

YOU COULD USE…✔ Photoshop✔ Photoshop

Elements

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ How to compress

large images

SHARINGCompress photos

Upload images

03 Click on Select Photos. A fi nder window will open, so navigate to the image or

album you want to compress. Select and click Open. To choose more than one image, hold down Cmd/Ctrl and then click on each image until they are all selected. Again, choose Open.

Sign up to JPEGmini

01 Open a new browser window and type in www.jpegmini.com. Click the Try It Now

option, followed by Sign Up Now. You can choose to log in through Gmail or Facebook, otherwise enter your email address and a unique password to create a new account.

Verify and begin

02 JPEGmini will send you an email. To complete the sign up process, verify

your address by clicking on the link contained within the email. You will be redirected to your new account. To start, click on the blue button at the top that reads Upload Your Photos.

Download compressed shot

05 Once processed, you’ll see your image or album displayed in your account.

You’ll be able to see how much smaller the software has made it compared to the original image. To use the image, click the Download option to save it to your computer.

Share with Flickr or Picasa

06 With JPEGmini, you can upload your image directly to Flickr and Picasa

without having to save it to your computer fi rst. Click Send To Flickr and log in to your account. Once signed in, your resized image will start uploading to your Photostream.

Make images smaller Reduce your fi le sizes with online compression software

Start the process

04 The compression process starts as soon as you’ve uploaded the image or

image selection. You have the option to name your album while you wait for the image to process. Once completed, you will be sent an email to say that your photo is compressed.

Delete images

07 Your account gives you the option to keep all your compressed images

online, ready to use from any location. If you’d rather not have them saved, click the small Dustbin icon on each image to remove it from your account. Confi rm your choice to delete.

SHARINGCompress photos



3 OF THE BEST…Features of JPEGmini

Reduce by a thirdTake your fi le down to up to a third of its size with one easy click. While results may vary depending on the image, you will be given the smallest possible fi le without losing quality.

Instant uploadUse the software without creating an account. Simply upload a single image, wait for it to process and then download the result once the compression process is complete.

Desktop versionDownload a desktop version of the software that’s compatible with Mac and Windows from the B&H Store or Mac App Store. This is capable of compressing images by fi ve times.

5 secrets for sharing shots on Facebook Facebook is great for sharing your photos, as you can let all of your friends see, like and comment on them. You probably already know how to upload your photos and tag your friends, but there are also some handy lesser-known functions that you may not know about.

Non-Facebook usersYou can share a photo album with someone who doesn’t have a Facebook account by going to the album, clicking the gear icon and selecting Get Link. Then copy and paste the link into an email to send to your friend.

Photo commentingAs well as attaching a photo to a status update or posting one on someone’s wall, you can also attach it to a comment on another post. Just click the camera icon when you are writing your comment.

Upload in bulk You can upload a selection of photos to Facebook at once from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Just select more than one photo to create and share a new album, or share them as a single post.

Download an album Instead of downloading photos from your Facebook page individually, picknzip.com lets you get entire albums in one go. You can then share them without having to compile the originals from your computer.

Share with friends When you upload a photo to Facebook, you can select who you want to be able to see it. Make it completely public, share it with just your Facebook friends or upload it so that only you can see it.

sharingQuick tips


Top Facebook photo tricks you may not know about

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EDITINGxxxxxxxxx

82 Photography for beginners

★APP OF THE MONTH ★

Share creative photo messages with friendsUse Wacom’s Bamboo Loop app to draw on your photos and share them with others

When you’re taking photos on your smartphone, it’s easier than ever to share them with friends and family. There’s always the opportunity to post

them to social networks directly from your device, but sometimes your favourite photos are the ones you might only want to share with one or two people. Fortunately, photo sharing apps like Wacom’s Bamboo Loop are designed to solve this exact problem, allowing you to take any photos you’ve shot, draw on designs and annotate them, and then send them to a friend or family member. The drawing tools that Bamboo Loop provides make it the ideal step up from sending photos via a regular messaging app, creating personalised and funny results.

Bamboo Loop is available on iOS for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. We also used Wacom’s Bamboo Stylus mini – a miniature stylus that attaches to your key chain – to draw on our photos, as this part of the process can get a little fi ddly.

When you’re choosing a photo to send via Bamboo Loop, it’s worth remembering that the app will crop them into a square format, so choose one with your subject fairly central to avoid losing any important details. When you receive a photo, it’s also possible to add your own messages and designs to it before sending it back to your friend. Alternatively, you can just send them a smile to show your appreciation.

Bamboo Loop is free, so let your friends and family know about it and you’ll soon have a whole list of contacts to share your favourite snaps with. Once you’ve grabbed the app and selected the photo you want to share fi rst, read on and we’ll show you how to transform them into personalised digital cards.

Available on: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android Price: Free

01 Tap on the Loop logo and select a friend from

Facebook, your contacts or your friends list. If they don’t use the app it will invite them.

02 Select the Photo icon to choose a way to add

an image to your Loop. If you’ve already taken a photo, select Photo Library.

After

✔Personalise pics

There are plenty of image frames

(known as Shapes) to choose from

03 Use the drawing tools to add some style and

a unique message to your photo. It might take a little practice to get this part right.

04 Tap the tick in the bottom-right to review

your image before you send it on. Once you’re ready to send, tap the tick in the middle.

SHARINGApp of the month


WHAT YOU’LL NEED…✔ Bamboo Loop app✔ iOS device

WE USED…✔ iPhone 5✔ Wacom Bamboo

Stylus mini

YOU COULD USE…✔ iPhone 3GS/4/4S ✔ iPad✔ iPod touch

3rd/4th/5th generation

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…✔ How to share

photos using Bamboo Loop

OR YOU COULD TRY…

Snapchat FreeSnapchat for Android may be a little behind its iOS

equivalent when it comes to new features, but it’s still a simple and easy way to snap a photo, add your own drawings and send it on to friends. The only catch is that the photos you send to friends will self-destruct in seconds so screenshot any you want to keep!

Bonfyre App Free (iOS & Android)Bonfyre lets you share your photos privately and create a group chat. You can share a picture gallery of your shots

with just a select few people, which is great for your baby or wedding photos for example.

Rando Free (iOS & Android)Rando puts a unique twist on photo sharing by making it all anonymous. You can end up with some incredibly

interesting images! But remember – you must send a rando before you can receive one!

All gone wrong?If you make a mistake while drawing on your Loop, tap the Eraser icon to erase, undo or clear everything you’ve done

Fill it inUse a combination of both the Pen and Highlighter tools to help make your drawings really stand out from the image

Spread to zoomIf you’re struggling to add detail, try using a two-fi nger spread to zoom in on your drawing for more accuracy

SHARINGApp of the month


Get colourfulBamboo Loop gives you a selection of colours to choose from as well as a choice of pen types to work with

3 OF THE BEST…Apps for sharing your photos

Hipstamatic Oggl Free (iOS)As well as being able to shoot, edit and share retro-style photos, Hipstamatic Oggl lets you curate photos you love.

You can also preview the effects on an image before you’ve taken the shot!

Ideal landscape gearWe show you the essential items for landscape photography

WHAT’S IN MY KIT BAG?

01 Polarising fi lter

A polarising fi lter will help to increase contrast, especially in the sky, and it also reduces any refl ections in water.

Filters come in different

sizes. Look on your lens

barrel for the diameter

symbol (Ø) to fi nd out what

size fi lter it requires.

Make sure

your fi lter fi ts!

03

02 Portable backpack

Having something secure to carry kit in is a must, and a backpack allows you to evenly distribute weight on your back.

03Compact tripod

A sturdy tripod is needed for long exposures, but if it’s too heavy you may not want to carry it around all day!

04 Wide-angle lens

Using a wide-angle lens like this 10-20mm will help you to fi t more of the landscape into the frame.

02

04

KIT BAGLandscape gear

01


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Megapixels | 18MPAn admirable megapixel count means this is capable of producing large prints

Zoom | By lensTake advantage of the extensive range of EOS lenses available

Shutter speeds | 30-1/4000secCapable of long and fast exposures, making it great for night and action

ISO sensitivity | 100-25600Gives photographers greater fl exibility to shoot handheld

Exp. modes | 6 scenes, plus Auto, Creative Auto, P, A, S, MAuto modes for beginners, along with semi-manual/manual modes

Aperture ...............Lens dependent Flash modes ....A, MWeight ....................407gDimensions .......116.8 x 90.7 x 69.4mmBatteries ..............Lithium-ionScreen .................... 3 inchesStorage .................. SD, SDHC, SDXC

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Canon EOS 100D £580/$650 body only | 18MP CMOS sensor | Up to 4fps high-speed shooting | 3” touch screen ClearView LCD


Currently the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR, the 100D impresses in the entry-level marketThe Canon EOS 100D steps into the entry-level market as the most compact APS-C DSLR in the world. Keen to impress those looking for their fi rst DSLR, Canon has fi tted a great wealth of features aimed at aspiring enthusiasts, such as the high-resolution touch screen LCD, 4fps high-speed shooting, 1080p movie mode and a sensitivity range that extends from ISO 100 to 25600.

In terms of design, the 100D looks every inch the part, fi tted with easy-to-understand and reach controls and functions. As the unit is the smallest and lightest of its kind, it does have the trade off of feeling less durable than some of its competitors, but during our review the camera was as rugged and reliable as any of its peers. The only real downside to its size is that it can become uncomfortable to hold, especially when shooting for longer periods or for those with a larger grip.

As well as a bevy of creative fi lters and commonly used scene modes, photographers have the ability to utilise the full range of semi-manual and manual shooting modes, making it perfect for when they are ready to develop their skill set. The 1,040,000-dot touch screen is a pleasure to operate, and images are

Features .................................................★★★★★Design and handling......★★★★★Build quality................................ ★★★★★Image quality..............................★★★★★Value for money.....................★★★★★

An easy-to-use, feature-packed DSLR capable of shooting high-quality images, making it the ideal choice for photographers stepping up to the DSLR format

OUR FINAL VERDICT

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT…

★★★★★

✔ The superb touch screen LCD offers a very high resolution

✔ It is capable of producing fantastically strong image quality

✗ The viewfi nder only presents an 80 per cent fi eld of view – lower than expected

WHAT COULD BE BETTER…

Why is the LCD such a big deal?

WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS…

While the Canon EOS 100D’s LCD measures an average three inches in size, it offers an extraordinarily high resolution of 1,040,000 dots, meaning that LiveView and images in review are presented extremely clearly. However, the most impressive feature is the touch screen, usually reserved for compacts, which allows photographers to navigate menus, review pictures, focus and shoot all by tapping, pinching and swiping.

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR…Portraits Complete with a dedicated Portrait mode, beginners will be in safe hands

Landscapes The LCD allows users to get a handle on composition and focus

Sports The maximum speed of 1/4000sec is more than adequate for sports

Low light Offering high sensitivity, there’s the option to shoot at night handheld

Macro Users will appreciate the ability to focus with the touch screen

Have you used this camera? Share your shots at photoforbeginners.com


✗ Due to its small stature, shooting for long periods can be uncomfortable

presented with heightened clarity in almost all lighting environments and angles. Handling the device is relatively straightforward, and thanks to the logical layout of its commands and menu structure, photographers previously using rival brands’ cameras are unlikely to have problems with the DSLR. The nine-point AF system is simple to control and effective in its execution, focusing reliably and quickly on a range of scenarios.

Canon has a reputation for producing cameras with outstanding image quality, and the 100D upholds that tradition. Noise is expertly managed to a level of ISO 3200, but captures taken as high as ISO 12800 are arguably still usable. Captures are impressively sharp straight out of the camera and colours are exceptionally faithful, but as users have the facility to shoot in RAW, these aspects can also be tweaked later.

Above The world’s smallest and lightest DSLR produces images that are incredibly sharp, with faithful interpretations of colours and tone

Hands-on… Its small size can make shooting uncomfortable. The high-resolution touch screen goes some way to helping with this issue, though.

UPGRADECanon EOS 100D


Megapixels | 20.3MPA whopping number of megapixels for printing big with plenty of detail

Zoom | By lensWhatever you shoot, there’s an NX grade lens made for it

Shutter speeds | 30-1/6000secQuick enough for sports and capable of long exposures too

ISO sensitivity | 100-25600There are plenty of sensitivity settings suitable for low-light shots

Exp. modes | 14 scenes, plus Auto, P, A, S, M, and Lens Priority modeBeginners and experienced users will be satisfi ed with the modes available on the NX300

Aperture ...............By lens Flash modes ....A, A+RE, Fill-in, Fill-in+RE, 1st curtain, 2nd curtain, Foff, Smart FlashWeight ....................284g without batteryDimensions .......122 x 63.7 x 40.7mmBatteries ..............Lithium-ionScreen .................... 3.3 inchesStorage .................. SD, SDHC, SDXC

THE INFO…

BUYTHIS IF…you’re a sporty

snapper who

needs fast captures

Samsung NX300 BUY

THIS IF…you’re a sporty

Samsung NX300 £600/$700 including 20-50mm lens | 20.3MP | 3.3” screen | P/A/S/M modes

UPGRADESamsung NX300


Does this retro-styled camera from Samsung push all the right bu� ons for beginners?Among a steady wave of releases, the Samsung NX300 stands out for its DSLR quality and sheer usability. It comes with most of the features you could want from a compact system camera (CSC) – touch screen, large sensor and wireless connectivity – making it a superb option for anyone upgrading from a point-and-shoot.

It’s easy to switch shooting modes via the dial on top. The usual Auto, Program, and Manual modes are all present, joined by a new Lens Priority mode. This makes it easy for beginners to control how much of the frame is in focus. Just press the iFn button on the lens and use the slider to determine how sharp or defocused the image will be. You can achieve this by using the camera’s touch screen, which can be used like a smartphone to swipe through shots in playback and capture images. This slice of 21st Century tech extends to the camera’s built-in Wi-Fi that comes with features such as remote shooting, emailing and social sharing.

The NX300’s motto is ‘shoot fast, share faster’ for a reason, with Samsung claiming the 1/6000sec shutter speed is the fastest in its class. It takes 8.6 frames per second in burst mode and captures the entire sequence

Features .............................................. ★★★★★Design and handling....★★★★★Build quality................................★★★★★Image quality............................★★★★★Value for money...................★★★★★

This CSC has a large sensor, top-quality features and stunning design. An articulating screen and built-in fl ash would have made it the perfect package

OUR FINAL VERDICT


★★★★★

✔ The fast continuous shooting is great for sports, children and fast critters

✔ Its 20.3MP sensor is the largest used in a mirrorless camera currently

✗ We’d have liked a fully articulating AMOLED screen for added fl exibility


Can I easily share my shots?


The touch screen enables you to apply simple edits to your images so that your shots are ready to share wirelessly to a mobile, tablet, PC or Smart HDTV. The NX300 is also the only interchangeable lens camera that allows you to shoot stills and movies in 3D using the Samsung 45mm 2D/3D lens – making it great for 3D TV owners, who can upload and watch content immediately.

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR…Portraits Skin tones are fl attering and eyes are sharp, producing great portraits

Landscapes The colours are true to life with no purple fringing in bright light

Sports It’s quick to keep up with the action, making pet portraits a doddle

Low light A wide range of sensitivity settings makes for sharp low-light shots

Macro This camera is defi nitely ready for a close-up, packing in plenty of detail



✗ A built-in fl ash mode would be useful for shedding some light on scenes

of action with a series of sharp shots, making it suited to shots of your kids, pets or a sporting event.

It can be tricky to see the images on the screen in sunny conditions, but on the computer the scenes were just how we remembered them. This is thanks to the 20.3MP sensor, delivering DSLR quality in a compact-sized body. There’s a broad range of ISO settings, producing sharp shots with little noise until the far end of the sensitivity scale.

Incidentally, the design is completely on trend, with its retro-inspired chassis that’s curved and textured in all the right places. Put simply, the NX300 looks a million dollars, but it costs quite a bit too, and we would liked to have seen a built-in fl ash, viewfi nder and articulated screen for this price. If you’re after a compact model that delivers, however, it’s worth every penny.

Above The large sensor records stunningly detailed images with excellent colour rendition. It was great to see so many scene modes among the advanced features

Hands-on… Composing shots is always easier with an articulated screen but the large grip on the front makes it comfortable to hold.

UPGRADESamsung NX300


Megapixels | 16.05MPNot as high as the NX300, but still able to produce high-quality larger prints

Zoom | By lensA variety of lenses are available, including Olympus’s MFT range

Shutter speeds | 60-1/4000secThis is a great range for long exposures and fast captures

ISO sensitivity | 160-25600 The broad range allows for low-light shots and it handles noise well

Exp. modes | 26 scenes, plus iAuto, iAuto+, P, A, S, M, and PanoramaA great selection of beginner modes and manual options to advance to

Aperture ...............By lens Flash modes ....Auto, Auto+RE, Fon, Foff, Fon+RE, SS, SS+REWeight ....................340g without batteryDimensions .......122.45 x 84.6 x 71.4mmBatteries ..............Lithium-ionScreen .................... 3 inchesStorage .................. SD, SDHC, SDXC

THE INFO…

BUYTHIS IF…you want lots of

features to

expand your options

BUYTHIS IF…you want lots of

features to

£630/$750 including 14-42mm lens | Touch screen | 23 scene modes | Near Field Communication

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6

UPGRADEPanasonic LUMIX DMC-G6


With the looks of a small DSLR and many helpful features, is this the perfect beginner’s camera? The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6 looks, on paper, like a feature-packed camera that’s perfect for the aspiring amateur, and it certainly lived up to our expectations. The 16.05MP sensor might not be winning the megapixel race, and its Micro Four Thirds size is smaller than the APS-C sensors found in the likes of Samsung’s NX300, but its feature set makes up for that. While the smaller sensor may mean a small drop in image quality, this does mean it’s compatible with other MFT lenses.

In terms of design, the G6’s 1440K-dot touch screen is on an articulated joint, meaning it can fold out for diffi cult angles. It’s responsive and you can touch to shoot and focus. Unlike a lot of CSCs, it also comes with a built-in fl ash and electronic viewfi nder that is bright and clear, and allows you to see the effect that changes to settings have on the image. It has a matte plastic fi nish with a rubberised grip that feels of a high quality. The large moulded grip on the front allows for a fi rm purchase, and there are buttons for often-used options.

It’s a camera stacked with plenty of manual options for those wanting more control, as well as auto modes for beginners. These include 23 scene modes and

Features .............................................. ★★★★★Design and handling....★★★★★Build quality................................★★★★★Image quality............................★★★★★Value for money...................★★★★★

A great all-rounder that suits any genre and level of photographer, either beginners looking to take more control or enthusiasts wanting a smaller camera

OUR FINAL VERDICT


★★★★★

✔ It’s feature-packed, including a great NFC option for sharing

✔ It has high image quality for the sensor size, with rich detail and colour

✗ The Tracking AF could be slightly improved but it copes most of the time


What is Near Field Communication?


A standout feature of the G6 is the built-in Near Field Communication feature that allows you to share shots by literally bumping your camera to another NFC-enabled device. This currently only works with Android, as iOS devices are yet to feature NFC. However, it worked really quickly and was hassle-free to set up. The G6 also has Wi-Fi, so you can transfer shots and control your device from your cameraphone.

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR…Portraits Six scene modes allow you to shoot great portraits in any situation

Landscapes Panorama mode and accurate metering make for great vistas

Sports The G6 can shoot 7fps full-resolution, but didn’t always keep up in Tracking AF

Low light Handles noise well at the industry-standard ISO 800 and is usable at 1600

Macro Detail and colours are rich, but you need a macro lens to get in really close



✗ The many function buttons may confuse beginners, but they can be customised

Intelligent Auto mode, which determines the scene for you. It also works out whether to turn on Face Detection, Image Stabilisation and more. There’s Time Lapse for taking shots at intervals, Multi Exposure for combining exposures in one shot, a silent electronic shutter for quieter shooting and 1080p HD Video mode that lets you control aperture and shutter speed. There are 19 effects that you can add (to panoramas and RAW fi les as well) and it comes with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC (see boxout).

The G6 doesn’t let us down in terms of image quality either. The camera was quick to focus, with accurate results. Shots were noise-free up to ISO 800, with only a small amount appearing at 1600, so it’s great for low light. Colours were bright and details were rich. If you’re looking for a compact model that doesn’t skimp on options, this is a fantastic choice whatever your level.

Above Images were of a high quality and you could create some really fun shots using the creative fi lters too. The colours have plenty of punch and images were sharp too

Hands-on… You can change the default purpose of function buttons, and control settings using the lever on the top and control wheel on the back.

UPGRADEPanasonic LUMIX DMC-G6


Megapixels | 16.2MPThis is a great megapixel count for printing in larger sizes

Zoom | 5x optical, 5x digitalA larger focal range than 25-125mm would be useful

Shutter speeds | 16-1/2000secSuitable for both action shots and long exposures

ISO sensitivity | 80-3200 A good range for shooting in low-light conditions

Exp. modes | 6 scenes, plus Auto and ProgramA small choice of modes for beginners wanting more control

Aperture ...............f2.5-6.3 Flash modes ....A, A+RE, Fon, Foff, SS Weight ....................116.3g without batteryDimensions .......95.5 x 55.2 x 18.4mmBatteries ..............Lithium-ionScreen .................... 2.7 inchesStorage .................. micro SD, micro SDHC,

micro SDXC

THE INFO…

BUYTHIS IF…you want to get creative and have fun with photography

Samsung DV150F Samsung DV150F £100/$130 | Wi-Fi connectivity | Creative modes | Dual LCD screens

UPGRADESamsung DV150F


Is the front-facing LCD screen the only exciting thing this Samsung compact has to off er? Self-portraits have become a popular phenomenon of late, with people putting themselves in the picture. Samsung has responded with a camera that has dual LCD screens: one on the back, and one on the front for framing shots of yourself. The front display has some other useful functions too. In Children mode it plays an animation to hold your kid’s attention and in Self Timer and Jump mode it displays a countdown so your subject knows exactly when to smile or leap. These are not the only fun and useful modes available either: you can put your face on a billboard or postcard thanks to Magic Frame; Split Shot lets you create a photo collage and Motion Photo helps you animate a section of a still image. There is also an extensive range of creative fi lters that can be applied before or after you take the shot.

Sadly, this compact does not have full manual controls for beginners looking to advance their skills, but Program mode will let you change some manual settings such as exposure compensation and white balance. You can also manually adjust the shutter speed in Night mode so that you can capture enough detail in low-light conditions. The number of actual scene modes available is low, with

Features .................................................★★★★★Design and handling......★★★★★Build quality.................................★★★★★Image quality..............................★★★★★Value for money.....................★★★★★

With plenty of shooting, editing and sharing options available, this camera is great whether you want to get in front of the lens or not

OUR FINAL VERDICT


★★★★★

✔ Putting yourself in the frame is easy thanks to the forward-facing LCD

✔ You can have fun with the creative modes and share your shots instantly

✗ Selecting a shooting mode takes time, as you have to scroll though the menus


Is this good for snapping friends?


Taking perfect portraits, whether they are of yourself or someone else, is very easy to do. The Beauty Shot mode allows you to select the facial tone and amount of retouching that you wish to apply to your photo for a more fl attering result, and then Beauty Palette can be used in order to add different make-up looks, including adding lipstick and eye-shadow.

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR…Portraits Retouch and add make-up to people shots for incredibly fl attering results

Landscapes The Landscape mode makes the greens and blues pop

Sports There’s no Sports mode and a limited zoom, but focusing is fast

Low light Night mode lets you slow down the shutter speed, but you’ll need a tripod

Macro A minimum focusing distance of 50mm is not ideal for close-ups



✗ Some useful scene modes are missing, and there are no full manual modes

just a few of the useful ones included, but the extensive range of additional modes should be enough to aid you in most shooting situations.

The camera handles well, with useful pop-up explanations for most of the functions, but there is no mode dial, so scrolling through all the menus to fi nd the mode you want can be quite a slow process.

The image quality is good, with strong colours and detail, but a lot of noise appears at ISO 800. A longer focal reach would be useful, as going beyond the 5x optical zoom into digital leaves you with grainy shots.

The DV150F is certainly a very well-connected camera, with a dedicated Wi-Fi button on the back. You can link it to your smartphone to transfer images wherever you are, or share shots straight from the camera via email or social networks when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

Above Images are vibrant and detailed, and there are plenty of creative fi lters that you can apply in order to enhance them further

Hands-on… It is easy to get fi nger prints on the front display. The buttons are a small but well placed for accessing important camera functions.

UPGRADESamsung DV150F


Photobook services Create a personalised album

with these printing providers1 Albelli Price From £7/approx $11Albelli has just two options for creating your photobook: you can download the software to have full control over your book and use up to 120 pages, or create it online with ready-made layouts and up to 70 pages. You can also choose to create a Speedy Book where 24 of your photos are placed for you, but you can’t add any text. Ten photobook sizes are

available, including a tiny pocket book, but there are only two paper options. You also have to pay extra if you want to put a photo or text on the cover. Creating your photobook is easy and we were impressed with the price and quality. Head to www.albelli.com for more information on the service.

★★★★★


ACCESSORIESPhotobook services

02

01

2 Bob Books Price From £15/approx $23Download Bob Designer software to have complete control over your design, use the Online Book Creator with a choice of layouts, or plan the book in Adobe InDesign. There is even a Book Design Service option that lets a professional designer create your book for you. Bob Books are even developing an app for creating photobooks on your iPad or

iPhone and once you have created it, you can make an online version. There are seven hard or paperback book sizes to choose from and plenty of paper options. The quality is good, but the prices are higher than some. Go to www.bobbooks.co.uk for more details on the products.

★★★★★

04


ACCESSORIESPhotobook services

03

“A Book Design service lets a professional designer create your photobook for you”

3 One Vision Price From £12/approx $18To create a photobook with One Vision, you have to register on the website (www.onevisionimaging.com) and download One Vision Creator software. You can drag and drop photos or use Autofl ow to let the software create your book for you. It has plenty of customisation options, with a great choice of backgrounds, masks and frames. There is a

large selection of book styles and cover options to go for and you can also choose between a standard book and the elite range, as well as a gutter-free option. The quality is excellent and it even arrived in a presentation box, but the prices are much higher than the other services on test.

★★★★★

4 Blurb Price From £9/$13Head to www.blurb.co.uk and you’ll have three options for creating your photobook: you can use Bookify Online and choose from its templates, download Blurb BookSmart software to customise the design or use Adobe InDesign to take full control over the style of your book. There are fi ve sizes to choose from, with hard or soft covers, and once

you have created your book you can convert it into an eBook. As well as uploading shots from your computer, Blurb also lets you easily import photos from Facebook and several other sites. Our photobook was easy to create and the results are of a high quality for such a low price.

★★★★★

Cleaning kitCleaning kitGive your gear a good spring clean to keep it at its best

01

02

ACCESSORIESCleaning kit


3 Just Lens & Body Cleaning Kit Price £28/approx $43You certainly get a lot for your money with the Just Lens & Body Cleaning Kit (www.cameraclean.co.uk). It includes large and anti-static microfi bre cleaning cloths for wiping away dust and dirt, as well as a twin pack of lens cleaning tissues that you can easily keep in your pocket. There is also a 59ml bottle of Photographic Solutions Eclipse Cleaner to drop

onto one of the 25 Pec*Pads and clean your lens. All of this comes with a handy multi-pocket travel case, so you can store the kit in your bag. Unfortunately there are no instructions, and with so many items included, it is a little confusing and overwhelming for a beginner.

1 Vanguard 3-in-1 Cleaning Kit Price £19/$19As well as a microfi bre cloth and 30ml bottle of cleaning solution for wiping your lens, the pack also includes a triple-function lens cleaner. Unscrew the cap at one end and you will fi nd a fl exible polishing tip, which you can use to get right into the lens edges, then refi ll it with cleaning solution provided in the cap. The other end features a retractable brush for sweeping away dirt, which can also be unscrewed to reveal an air blower with a soft rubber tip that won’t scratch your lens. Simply squeeze the cleaning tool to blow away any dust. It is very easy to use, compact and excellent value for money. Find out more at www.vanguardworld.co.uk.

★★★★★

★★★★★

2 T’nB Cleaning Pen & Microfibre Cloth Price approx £6/$10The T’nB cleaning pen from www.t-nb.com has a retractable brush at one end for removing dirt and a 5ml screening spray for removing grime on the other. There is also a small microfi bre cloth for quickly wiping away marks. No instructions are included with the kit, but it is quite easy to work out how to use. However, using the cleaning spray without direction is a little daunting for beginners and it will need to be refi lled regularly. Nevertheless, the spray brush is very compact, so can easily fi t in your pocket or kit bag or even clip onto your camera strap. It feels plasticky but is also very cheap, and can clean your lens quickly and easily.

★★★★★

Imagine Publishing LtdRichmond House, 33 Richmond Hill,Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ☎ +44 (0)1202 586200Web: www.photoforbeginners.com www.greatdigitalmags.com

Magazine team Editor Amy [email protected]☎ 01202 586210

Senior Designer Annabelle SingStaff Writer Joanna StassSub Editor Alicea FrancisEditor in Chief Dan HutchinsonPhotographer James SheppardSenior Art Editor Duncan CrookHead of Publishing Aaron AsadiHead of Design Ross Andrews

ContributorsJulie Bassett, Mark Bauer, Ella Carter, Natalie Denton, Sarah Gane, Freddie Harrison, Sarah Harrison, Matt Henry, Angelica Jopson, Shaun McGill, Hayley Paterek, Jodie Tyley

Locations With thanks to BoConcept for the use of their premises.

AdvertisingDigital or printed media packs are available on request.Head of Sales Hang Deretz☎ 01202 586442Advertising Manager Jennifer Farrell☎ 01202 [email protected]

InternationalPhotography for Beginners is available for licensing. Contact the International department to discuss partnership opportunities.Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman☎ +44 (0)1202 [email protected]

SubscriptionsHead of Subscriptions Gill [email protected] all subscription enquiriesEmail: [email protected]☎ (UK) 0844 245 6957☎ (Overseas) +44 (0)1795 592 81513-issue subscription (UK) – £5213-issue subscription (Europe) – £7013-issue subscription (ROW) – £80

CirculationHead of Circulation Darren Pearce☎ 01202 586200

ProductionProduction Director Jane Hawkins☎ 01202 586200

FoundersGroup Managing Director Damian ButtGroup Finance & Commercial Director Steven BoydGroup Creative Director Mark Kendrick

Printing & DistributionPrinted by Wyndeham Heron, The Bentall Complex,Colchester Road, Heybridge, Maldon, Essex CM9 4NW

Distributed in the UK & Eire by Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT ☎ 0207 429 4000

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Distributed in the Rest of the World by Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU ☎ 0203 148 8105

DisclaimerThe publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used speci� cally for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not af� liated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to Imagine Publishing via post, email, social network or any other means, you automatically grant Imagine Publishing an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free license to use the images across its entire portfolio, in print, online and digital, and to deliver the images to existing and future clients, including but not limited to international licensees for reproduction in international, licensed editions of Imagine products. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Imagine Publishing nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage.

© Imagine Publishing Ltd 2013 ISSN 2046-9845

4 Hama 3-in-1 Lenspen Kit Price £25/approx $38Hama’s cleaning kit includes two cleaning pens – the Lenspen and the Lenspen Mini Pro II – as well as a microfi bre cloth. At one end of the Lenspen there is a retractable brush for removing dust, and on the other is a velvet cleaning pad for stubborn smudges. Just apply gentle pressure and move it in a circular motion. The tip is fl exible, so it will move with the

contours of your lens. When you replace the pen cap and twist it, the cleaning pad is replenished with cleaning agent ready for next time. The Lenspen Mini Pro II is a smaller version. There are no instructions, but there are guides to using the Lenspen on the Hama website, uk.hama.com.

03

04

★★★★★

Our cities make for great photography subjects, with a wealth of nooks and crannies that can give us some fantastic shots. There are towering buildings, statues and memorials, transportation and more. You can even have a go at street photography and grab some candid shots of people. Send us your city snaps to be in with a chance of winning a great prize!

Crouch down to get low-angle shots, or fi nd a vantage point for skylines

Send us your best shots today for your chance to win the prize!PHOTO HUNT: IN THE CITYSend us your shots to... [email protected]


WIN!

Send us your shots [email protected]


For a chance to win, send us your best city shot by 19 September 2013. Winning entries will receive an 18 x 12-inch aluminium print of one of your photos from Pixum. Visit www.pixum.co.uk for more info.

An aluminium print of one of your shots!

Please note, Imagine Publishing has the right to substitute the prize for a similar item of equal or higher value. Full terms and conditions available online.

A zoom lens lets you use a wide angle to fi t in buildings

and also zoom into details


Send us your best shots today for your chance to win the prize!PHOTO HUNT:

[email protected]

WIN!

Documents

Photography for Beginners - Issue 29, 2013