Photography For Beginners - Issue 29, 2013

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WELCOME Issue 29
Welcome
5
essential skills you will learn in this issue
Turn to p24 to discover how to get stronger shots
01 COMPOSING TRICKS 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 Learn to batch edit and quickly x shots on p58
When we are learning to take better photos, its important to keep practising, but that neednt 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 beginners 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. Theres so much to explore within the world of photography, and with our help youll be shooting like a pro in no time at all!
05 SPEED UP YOUR EDITS
Amy Squibb
Editor
Follow us at @PFBMag
For more great photo tips, head to photoforbeginners.com

Get in touch with us Ask questions, leave feedback on the magazine or share your shots via the following social sites
@PFBMag
PFBMag
PFB Magazine
pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk
photoforbeginners.com
Photography for Beginners 3
Contents
Issue 29
ESSENTIALS
06 Your photos
A showcase of photos sent in by PFB readers for you to be inspired by
AUTO
CAMERA SCHOO
Learn how to use your camera and take your best photos ever!

PRACTICAL STARTER SECTION! P50
Get to know your camera Work with natural light What is colour calibration?
Still life shots Skills for great shots of found

objects around your home
22
10 Readers challenge
Win some slideshow software by getting involved in our monthly shooting challenge
12 How to share your photos

Discover the best ways to share your photographs with the PFB team
13 Win a camera!
Enter to be in with a chance of winning Samsungs WB250F compact camera
14 Need to know
Get closer with Panasonics 60x optical zoom and discover a 41MP cameraphone
The essential settings for perfect shots
16 Join the debate

Should you edit shots or keep them natural? Share what you think now
18 Ask the team

Your 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 Whats in my kit bag?

The essential landscape gear for great shots of scenery
40 Effortless landscapes
Easy ways to vistas that really stand out
86 Upgrade
We test out Canons EOS 100D, the worlds smallest DSLR, among others
94 Accessory reviews
Which is the best photobook for you?
98 The great photo hunt

Win a fantastic aluminium print by sending us your shots of the city Learn how to focus and control aperture for stunning landscapes
Speed up editing
Fast ways to x shots
58
What the icons mean Your quick-start guide to all the icons youll see in Photography for Beginners
Cameraphone: Smartphones that are always with you Compact: Small, low-cost and easyto-use cameras DSLR: Usually more expensive, but good image quality Compact system camera: Good image quality, lightweight Shutter speed: The time your shutter is open for, in seconds Aperture: The depth of field of an image, as an f-number
4 Photography for Beginners
A fantastic selection of inspirational images sent in by our readers. Send us your best shots for a chance to see them in print!
Your photos
A Samsung 16GB memory ca rd
Every issue, Samsung 16one winner will receive GB SD a or a prize of HC memory card equal value www.samsu
WIN!
ng.com Full terms and conditi /uk ons available on line
Reader: Darren Thomas
Warm Country Fields This shot was taken just a ve minute drive from my home in Machen near Caerphilly. I sat in the eld alone waiting for the sunset before taking several shots. It was difcult to get the photograph right as it was done without a lens hood to reduce are or the use of any lters. Shot on: Nikon D7000, ISO 250, f13, 1/400sec Sent in via: PFB website
YOUR PHOTOS Readers gallery
YOUR PHOTOS Readers gallery
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: Wayne Harris
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
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: Lynn Smith
Reader: Ruth Holt
Knotted 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
photoforbeginners.com Or search for PFBMag on...
Share your shots at...
Ferrari 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
Reader: Gary Bluemel
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.
ENTER NOW: Send your shots to pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk

Reader: Sco Viggars Title: Manchester Wheel
Reader: Julie Johnson Title: Scooby
Sunset On The Reservoir We were waiting for Keane to come on stage at a festival when a few balloons started to inate in the eld nearby." Shot on: iPhone 5
Reader: Philip Saville
Reader: Julie Southgate Title: Buzzy Bee
Reader: David Go Title: In Flight
Reader: Calum Stevenson Title: Santa Maria Cathedral, Palma
Reader: Michelle Orrell-Jones Title: Starsh
READERS CHALLENGE Outdoor portraits
Outdoor portraits
Our Beginners Guide to outdoor portraits can be found in PFB Issue 28. Get back issues from
WE CHALLENGED, YOU DELIVERED

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 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 isnt too distracting. In our Beginners Guide in Issue 28, we showed you exactly how to take a stunning portrait on location. We then challenged PhotoStory on you to send in your DVD software best shots. Here is Send us your shots for a chance to win a copy of MAGIX PhotoStory on DVD, courtesy of www. a small selection of magix.com. This software, which allows you to turn your photos into fantastic slideshows, is worth 70/$70. the beautiful images we received.
WIN!
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, 1/250sec Sent in via: PFB website
Reader: Daiva Ziliute
Your next photo challenge

Still life photography
Test out our tips for taking great still life shots in this issues Beginners 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.
Send us your shots at... photoforbeginners.com
Search for PFBMag on...
Reader: Jolanta Macionczyk Title: Julia Reader: Sudad Al-Ajili Title: Sinan 6
Reader: Carol Lockwood Title: Summer Girl
Reader: Benjamin Dupont Title: Thithi Happy Reader: Vipul Chejara Title: At The Old Fort
Share your shots Heres how to show us your stunning snaps

Share on our social sites Join the Facebook, Twi
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!
er and Flickr communities PFB Magazine
PFBMag
Click 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!
@PFBMag
Hit Upload to add images. Click on the image you want to share, then click Share>Grab the link. Email it to pfbteam@imagine-publishing. co.uk or post it to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Also share on our website Head to www.photoforbeginners.com now

Create a gallery
You can showcase your favourite images by creating your own gallery page on our website. Its quick and simple to set up.
Be inspired
Browse through all the different categories to be inspired by other readers photos and get ideas of your own.
Become our favourite!

We pick our favourite shots to highlight in our Featured Image section. This could be you soon, so get uploading!
ALSO ONLINE
The best of the rest on our great website

Competitions
Head to www.photoforbeginners.com and enter our weekly competitions to win some really fantastic prizes!
Enter the Face-Off
Your shots are entered into our Face-Off section and pitted against other peoples have fun watching your score rise!
Tips and tutorials
Our website is piled high with step-by-step tutorials and useful tips to help you take better photos of any subject.
News and debate
We help you keep up to date with the latest industry news and releases. You can also get stuck into hot topics with our debates!

! IN WA Samsung WB250F
B Samsun g memory card
PLUS! An 8G
Plus three lucky runners-up will each get a Samsung 8GB SDHC memory card
Samsungs new SMART Camera WB250F puts great photo power at your 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 youre 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 theres Low Light Shot mode, which selects the best settings and merges three shots for great performance in dim conditions. To 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!
HOW TO ENTER:
Send your name, contact details and your best shot to us by 19 September 2013. Email: pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk Website: www.photoforbeginners.com
Terms and conditions

This 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 editors decision is 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.
Need to know
A snapshot of whats exciting us this month
Get closer with a new Panasonic superzoom

The FZ72s 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.
THE TOP 3
Reasons why we cant wait to get our hands on this camera
01
Were 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. We will nd out if the Power Optical Image Stabiliser really keeps shots steady and helps prevent blurry images at night.
Capture HD movies
02 03
Shoot Full HD video with Dolby Digital Stereo Creator and the Wind Shield Zoom Microphone that minimises wind noise
The 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.
Take control
Full manual controls are available with P/A/S/M modes so you can get creative and practice your photography skills
Shoot at high speed

Burst mode allows you to shoot 9fps in 16.1-megapixel full resolution and 5fps with continuous AF
Start up quickly
The fast start-up time of 0.9 seconds means that you wont ever miss an unexpected photo opportunity
NEED TO KNOW News
This month on photoforbeginners.com

DIY Photo Fixes
Photography 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.
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.
Top advice for taking photos through glass Master white balance News, debates and competitions
Plus all this
Shoot great photos with Nokias 41MP cameraphone

The Lumia 1020 captures high-resolution images
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, Nokias 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.
THE TOP 3
New camera accessories to help you get great shots Handy additions to any beginners kit bag
From 35/$54 approx These multi-coated lters are water and stainresistant, making them durable, easy to clean and guaranteed to last for years.
Hoya REVO lters
Reecta Macro Ring Light

84/$130 approx This LED ring light provides shadow-free illumination that is ideal for macro, portrait and still life.
99/$150 approx Meet Sid, a new three-section magnesium alloy monopod that is super-strong, yet very lightweight and portable.
Sid Monopod
NEED TO KNOW Join the debate
Join the debate
Do you edit your shots or keep them natural?

Editing software can be very useful for 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 difcult 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 nishing touches and creating the perfect photo? Let us know what you think.
Things we love
#PFBLoves
01
Lytro Light Field camera
Web: www.lytro.com Price: 400/$400 Lytros camera is now available in the UK. You can refocus and change the perspective of an image after taking it.
02
Aqua Canvas print
Web: www.yfcanvas.com Price: From 44 You can now create a waterproof canvas print of your photos. Perfect for displaying your shots outside or in the bathroom.
03
X-Project Micro projector
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 dont like spending lots of time editing though, and too much tweaking can sometimes make the shot look overdone. I experiment with creative effects and lters sometimes, but I like my shots to look as natural as possible.
Web: www.xsories.eu Price: 239 This portable projector from XSories attaches to your smartphone so you can display your photos and videos on the go.
04
Instagram Print app
What Photography For Beginners readers have to say

Kevin Thornton
I see photography as an art form the photographer can use whatever tools they have at their disposal to produce an image.
Jenna MacPhee
Id rather keep it natural. Some photos are edited so much that they basically become digital paintings, not photographs.
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.
Richard Neal
No one ever has issues with people manipulating images when developing lm, so why should digital manipulation be considered different?
Sent in via PFB website
Sent in via Facebook
Sent in via Facebook
Sent in via PFB website
Web: www.metro-print.co.uk Price: Free Photo printing company Metro Imagings app lets you order high-quality prints from your Android or iOS device.
The poll stands at 73% edit, 27% keep them natural. Cast your vote today!
Search for #PFBLoves on Twitter to see what we love

Join the debate at...
Focal length: 270mm Exposure: F/6.3, 1/640 sec, ISO 250
Focal length: 18mm Exposure: F/4.0, 1/2000 sec, ISO 250
18-270mm
One lens for every moment
F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD
This Tamron Megazoom-Lens is an unbeatable combination 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.tamron.co.uk www.facebook.com/TamronUK
Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.com
Tips for taking colourful photographs
4 OF THE BEST
Viewnders are found at the top of many cameras. Just put your eye up to them to look through and compose your shots
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
What kind of viewnder is best?

I have wanted to buy a new camera for some time now, so I have been looking online in order to see whats available. I keep seeing optical and electronic viewnders mentioned in the camera specication sections, but I dont 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 viewnder is what you use to compose your photos. An optical viewnder (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 viewnder. An electronic viewnder (EVF) looks the same, but displays a digital copy of your image via a video feed from the cameras 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.
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 lter
Polarising 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.
OVF vs EVF vs Live View The pros and cons of each
Optical Viewfinder (OVF)
Live View
Find enough light
You can see the scene with no time lag and at full resolution It doesnt use any charge, so your battery lasts for longer It shows a smaller portion of a frame included in your nal image A lot of space is taken up, so the camera will be bigger and bulkier
It displays all your shot info, in addition to a lot of other handy functions You can 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 its sharp It displays a larger 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
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.
This month we
Like
Create a fantastic miniature look using editing software in just three easy steps!
Post your photo to our Facebook page and well share it with the world
Search for PFBMag
Russ Lewis
Russ has fantastically captured the golden glow created by a sunset in this shot.
How do I create the miniature look?

Simon Beedie
The Red Arrows put on some fantastic, colourful displays that you can capture.
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 doesnt. 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 lter for achieving similar results. It works by blurring the top and bottom of the photo to simulate a shallow depth of 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.
Karen Gilks
Making miniatures Create the tilt-shift eect in Photoshop Elements
Candid portraits capture the true personality of your subject.
Darren Hoyland
01 Add some blur
Adding miniature gures can create a fun image that plays tricks on the mind.
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.
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.
03Add a layer mask
Adjust 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.
Twit pics The best photos

tweeted to us @pfbmag
This church window looks spook y in back and white @CB_Photograph s This giraffe looks perfectly happ y to pose for his photo @DazH1875
e mak nset a su adave t s lic gain es a ots @ce uett h Silho amatic s r for d
The e ld this sh is a lovely se ot @KM tt BPhoto ing for graphy
Let us recommend
External ashguns
Use a speedlight to create a powerful burst of light to illuminate your subject
Ive started to take lots of portrait photos, but when I use the pop-up ash on my camera the results are often harsh and unattering, and I have lots of problems with red-eye. Ive heard that an external ashgun is good for combating these issues, so can you recommend any?
Laura Collins, via Facebook Flashguns give you lots of 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 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 nd out which is best for you.
Metz 44 AF-1 Digital Flashgun

129/$195 approx This 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.
Nikon SB-700 Speedlight

267/$330 This ashgun from Nikon has auto and manual controls, and you can sync it wirelessly with most Nikon DSLRs using the Creative Lighting System.
Canon Speedlite 430EX II

300/$300 Canons 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.
Whats good about it
Whats good about it
It fully swivels 300 degrees and has a ip-out reector card, so it is perfect for bouncing 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
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 ash
Whats good about it
When used with an EOS DSLR, it detects the cameras sensor size and zooms the ash head It emits an infrared focusing beam, providing contrast for the lens to focus on in low light It only swivels 180 degrees horizontally, but you can still bounce the ash off a wall or ceiling The price is quite high for a beginner, but there are plenty of functions to explore
What could be better
Shooting
Master the skills needed for se ing up a fantastic still life shot
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. Thats why it is a fantastic genre for practising with manual modes. Whats more, there are subjects wherever you look. You dont have to stick to a bowl of fruit or vase of owers, although they do make for beautiful shots; just let your imagination run wild and get creative with whatever you can 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 reections 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
BEGINNERS GUIDE TO
photof Mag on... B F P r fo h c r Or sea
Share at... s om shotn your s.c orbegin er
Over the next seven pages: Discover how to master still life settings and lighting, create your own studio and edit your shots
Gear guideEssential kit for still life photography
A camera with manual controls
Wide aperture lens
Control of things like depth of 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 wide aperture lens like the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f1.8G (208/$200) lets you create a shallow depth of eld. Find out more at www.nikon.co.uk.
A reector for bouncing the light
Whatever your light source, a reector will let you bounce it back on your subject. This compact Intert 56cm reector (20/$20) achieves a subtle effect.
Sturdy tripod
Use 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.
In association with
1/200sec
F8
Think of ways to position your subject, considering patterns, shapes and symmetry. Once youve taken it, rearrange!
GET CREATIVE WITH ARRANGEMENTS
In association with
Set the scene
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.
Remove distractions
your photo for a special oc ca its a birthd sion, whether ay and then tu or Christmas, rn th a unique gr e shot into eeting card
Create a fu n greetings c a rd Style up
02
Get up close or zoom in to make your subject ll the frame. This will make for a more dramatic shot. Make sure you dont cut off an important part of your subject, though.
Fill the frame
1/200sec
F5
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
FOCUS CAREFULLY
03
Try another angle
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.
04
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 rst and then nd subjects that will t it.
Choose a theme
05
Shooting certain objects can help you create a still life image with a specic 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.
Create a mood
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.
Add a prop
SHOOTING Beginners guide
02. LIGHTING
Use natural or articial light for top results

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 articial 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.
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
1/4sec
F16
If light comes from behind your subject it will appear underexposed so reposition it or reect light back in
LIGHT POSITION
In association with
03. CREATE A HOME STUDIO
01
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.
Studio lighting
02
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.
Light diffuser
03
An innity wall is a seamless backdrop where you cant see any creases or folds. In studios they have expensive setups like coloramas but a large piece of paper works too!
Innity wall
Your subject
04
Position your subject exactly where you want it to be. You dont need to worry about the background, as it is all taken care of.
03 02 01 04
Get creativ e with you r lighting Place colo ured tran
sluc sweet wra ppers in fr ent ont of your lamp to alte colour. This r the lights can create some unus ual ef fects
How to assemble your studio
Get the most out of home alternatives
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.
Put up the backdrop
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.
Set up a desk lamp
03
Add some tracing paper
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.
SHOOTING Beginners guide
In association with
04. EDITING
Fix and alter your snaps

Not only can you be really creative when shooting still life photos, but you can also experiment a great deal with editing. Applying various 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 x common photo problems, letting you tweak the exposure, colours and composition of your shot until it is perfect and ready to share.
01 Floating gure Fix problem shots Make simple editing tweaks in Photoshop Elements
pt u
Adjust the levels Correct the curves Boost the saturation
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.
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.
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 dont go too far. You can also experiment with adjusting the hue to correct your colours.
Get creative
Use Photoshop Elements to transform your still life shots
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.
Create a vignette
02
Go to Filter>Adjustments>Photo Filter and either choose a preset lter such as Warming, Cooling or Sepia, or a specic colour to layer on to your shot. You can then adjust the density slider in order to strengthen or weaken the resulting effect.
Add a creative colour cast
03
Use artistic lters
Experiment with a variety of different creative effects by going to Filter>Artistic and choosing from the menu. You can select a specic preset, such as Film Grain, and subsequently make adjustments using the sliders to get it looking just right.
SHOOTING 20 top apps
20
R O F S APP
hotography for or Beginne Beginners
R E T T BE
TOGRAPHY O H P ID O R D N DA YOUR IOS AN SEFUL APPS U LY L A N IO T TRANSFORM P EXCE WITH THESE
S T O SH
Some apps can transform your mobile photography
Some fantastic options to help you capture the perfect photo
APPS FOR SHOOTING

Top g shootin s tips & trick
get you how to We show of your phone t u o the most let snaps and tab
Clean the lens
Make 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 light
Try to nd good lighting in which to take your shot, as you will nd that most smartphone and tabletbased cameras struggle in low-light scenarios
Avoid the zoom Pick your focus

Almost 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
If 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
Set image quality
If 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
PowerCam
AVAILABLE ON: iOS/Android PRICE: 0.69/$0.99 (iOS), Free (Android)
PowerCam hides its featurepacked 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 difcult shots, but besides that it is hard to criticise in any area.
ProCapture camera + panorama

AVAILABLE ON: Android PRICE: 1.59/$1.99
3 OF THE BEST
Apps for capturing the moment
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.
01
Many resolutions
This great app lets you choose from a number of possible resolutions.
02
Every mode
It also offers multiple focus and scene modes to help create the perfect shot.
03
Great exposure
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.
You can use exposure compensation to brighten or darken shots easily.
Snap Camera HDR

AVAILABLE ON: Android PRICE: 1.19/$1.99
3 OF THE BEST
Apps available for precision photos
Camera+ 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.
01
Big focusing
The huge focus button is excellent thanks to its size and transparency.
02
So many options
It offers a wide range of options to help you capture special moments.
03
Special effects
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.
From Solarize to Washed, theres a variety of clever effects on offer.
iPhoto
AVAILABLE ON: iOS PRICE: 2.99/$4.99
iPhoto 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.
Color Splash
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 nger, you will be able to create artistic masterpieces from your photos. Its a one-trick pony, but a good one all the same.
Photo Editor Pro Jazz! Fotolr

AVAILABLE ON: iOS PRICE: 1.99/$2.99 (iOS)
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.
Jazz! is designed to let you edit your photos and attach different 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.
Mobli
AVAILABLE ON: iOS/Android PRICE: Free
3 OF THE BEST
Apps for stylish photography sharing
Instagram Free (iOS/Android)

The ultimate hipster app, it has nonetheless gained its stratospheric level of popularity for a reason. One-tap custom 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 lters offer the best effects possible, which can subsequently be shared on all of the most popular social networks.
01 Personalise
One compelling feature is the ability to snap photos and adjust them.
02 Share your work 03Get inspired

It also lets you share your photos over multiple networks in seconds.
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.
Use the social screens to view others images, which is great for inspiration.
Mobli allows you to share your photos over multiple networks in seconds, as well as view other peoples shots
Muzy
AVAILABLE ON: iOS/Android PRICE: Free
01 Photo editing
An excellent feature of Muzy is the photo editing mode, which offers you the opportunity to play around with frames, lters and much more.
02 Create collages
The app also lets you create attractive-looking collages in seconds, simply by selecting photos and positioning them in a certain manner.
03 Organised collections 04 Time to share

You can design organised layouts of related photos from a wide range of options, as well as subsequently providing your own slant on them.
Once your personalised creation is complete, you can share it instantly over multiple social networks, giving it a wider level of exposure.
SHOOTING Story behind the shot
Story
behind
the
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.
Photographer James Sheppard lets us in on the secrets behind his beautiful ower shot
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 didnt 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.
shot
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 flowers stigma sharp.
SHOOTING Story behind the shot
1/250sec
F5
Capture the detail
Use a macro lens, close-up lters or your cameras Macro mode to focus while you are close to your subject and capture the intricate details
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 viewers 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 viewers 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.

SHOOTING Big project
Unique landscapes
Learn how to shoot scenery with a shallow depth of eld
Foreground interest
shallow depth of A eld draws attention to the main foreground subject. In this case, it is a bright and colourful poppy facing the camera

WHAT YOULL NEED
Digital camera Lens with a wide aperture (f4 is ne) Tripod Editing software Canon EOS 5D MkIII 24-105mm lens Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 Any digital camera with AP mode Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Shoot landscapes with a difference
WE USED
YOU COULD USE
WHAT YOULL LEARN
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 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 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 eld, while landscapes are most often shot with small apertures and an extensive depth of eld. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and in the right circumstances, using a narrow depth of eld can really add impact to a landscape. Follow our guide to discover how to shoot scenery with a shallow depth of 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.
Using a narrow aperture
An aperture of f11 isnt enough to completely defocus the background
SHOOT! We show you how to shoot an eye-catching landscape
01
Choose a location
Youll 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 doesnt have any distracting features.
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.
Compose your shot
03
Set to Aperture Priority
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 eld. The camera will set the shutter speed for you. Choose the widest aperture (smallest f-number) available.
04
Focus on the foreground
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.
05
Review the image
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 its too far to the right, the shot is overexposed.
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.
Adjust the exposure

4 OF THE BEST
Ways to print and display
EDIT! Enhance your landscape shot in Photoshop Elements
Mount on aluminium
A 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.
07
Remove the colour cast
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.
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.
Boost the colours
Create acrylic prints
You can get your photo printed and placed behind a layer of acrylic for a high-quality, glossy nish that makes your photo appear as though it is oating on your wall. WhiteWall.co.uk has an excellent range of acrylic printing options.
09
Frame your shots
You 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.
10
Adjust the curves
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.
The 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.
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.
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%.
Add a gradient
12
Adjust the gradient
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.
SHARE! Create a canvas print to display at home with PhotoBox
13
Choose your print service
You can share your shallow depth of 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.
14
Select a canvas style
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.
15
Change the shape and size
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.
Zoom in to blur increase the your lens

h of The focal lengt h of eld. pt also af fects de depth of To get a shallow r focal ge eld, use a lon . length (zoom in)
16
Upload your photo
Consider the wrap
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.
Leave enough space around the edge of your photo so that the important areas are not lost
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
17
Edit your print
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, ip the photo or add effects. You can then order your canvas.
Avoid clashes
Make sure that the colours in your photo will not clash with the colour scheme of your room


SHOOTING 5 minute project
Capture a fantastic backlit macro photo

five minute project
Learn how to shoot natures fascinating level of detail by ge ing creative with light
WHAT YOULL 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 A camera with a macro lens A ower petal How to capture a macro shot with lots of detail
YOU COULD USE
WHAT YOULL LEARN
SHOOTING 5 minute project

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, ower petals and even buttery 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 seethrough surface to 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 dont 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 isnt 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.
Tips for macro photography
3 OF THE BEST
Focus manually
Your cameras autofocus function can sometimes struggle when it is in close proximity to your subject, so switch to manual focus if you can.
Capture intricate detail
Shoot up close
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.
Steady your camera
01
Secure your subject
Find a translucent macro subject and secure it to a see-through surface with sticky tape. You could 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.
02
Set up your light source
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 theres not enough light. If your subject is taped to the window, use the natural light from the sun.
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.
03
Select Macro mode
Switch to Macro mode to focus up close. It is usually indicated by a small ower icon on a button on the back of your camera, your mode dial or in your cameras menu. If you have a macro lens, close-up lters or extension tubes, use these instead.
04
Set your aperture
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 lling the frame so as not to capture any of your light source.
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.

SHOOTING Black & white portraits
A 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
Select the ISO
Pick the right focal length
If you use a wide focal length you will nd their features begin to distort. Stand further back and zoom in so you are using a length of around 80-120mm for more attering results
Without 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
Compose the shot
In Elements, go to Enhance>Convert to Black & White, where you will nd a preset portrait option. You can adjust the colour sliders until you get the desired result
Convert your photo
You can use an in-camera picture mode, but youll have more control if you shoot in colour and edit it afterwards

SHOOTING Quick tips
5 tips for using props in portraits
Get creative with your model shots for standout results

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 nd out how best to use them in your people pictures.
Personal selection
Try and choose props that are personal to your model, whether its something from a hobby of theirs or their favourite ower. This will make the portrait speak more about who they are and what they enjoy.
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.
Position your prop

Dont 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.
Consider colours
Check that colours dont clash with other elements in the shot, like the models clothing or the background. Ideally, you dont want more than three in the frame. Try contrasting colours for more impact.
Get creative
Props dont always have to be objects. Why not use chalk to draw designs around your model, create patterns in the sand or use a mothers hands to form a heart over her baby bump? Get creative for a unique shot.
From shattered lenses to Conans new chewtoy

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your camera
Menu
For options such as formatting your memory card An optical viewnder shows the image through the lens
Viewnder
Zoom in on your image to check its in focus
Zoom
Camera icons explained

If youre 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.
Boosts saturation in blues and greens for vivid outdoor shots
Make sure your camera is always on the correct se ing by following this guide
Landscape
Auto
If all else fails, let your camera do the hard work for you
Customise your most used settings in Program
Program
AUTO
LCD screen
Displays an electronic view of the scene in front of the lens Use the control panel to change settings, scroll through menu options or move around a photo when in Playback mode
Controls Macro
For shooting close-ups such as owers and insects Select the shutter speed and the camera will change the aperture
Jargon buster
Aperture
Affects the amount of your image that is in focus the depth of eld
Focal lengths
CSC
Wide-angle a wider angle of view than normal, eg 28mm Telephoto a magnied view of distant subjects, eg 200mm
Megapixels Noise
Number of pixels on the sensor, in millions
Sports
Compact system camera
DSLR
Focus
Refers to the visible digital grain in a photo
Uses a fast shutter speed to capture action without blur
For super-attering Select the aperture shots of your friends while the camera and family chooses shutter speed
Portrait
A
Drive modes including Burst Metering modes
+
Digital single lens reex camera
Autofocus means your camera focuses for you; Manual puts you in control
Shutter speed
Drive mode
ISO
Fast speeds freeze action while longer ones blur any motion
Delete found on all cameras Playback use to review photos Flash switch it on or off Night-time/ low-light scenes
Dynamic range
The term used to refer to the amount of detail in the highlights and shadows
LCD
Optical shows you the view through the camera lens and is good for accurate framing Electronic shows the view on an LCD in the viewnder
Continuous or Burst mode, single shot and self-timer
Refers to how sensitive the sensor is to light and affects the visible grain or noise in a photo
Viewnder
Exposure
The display screen on the rear of the camera used to compose images
Exposure compensation Video mode on stills cameras Macro or closeup modes Sports or Action mode
White balance
A balanced exposure has detail in light and shadow areas alike
Live view Metering
Exposure compensation
An electronic view of the scene in front of the lens
Affected by the ambient light around you, your camera can alter this to ensure a natural colour result
Zoom
Zoom in on your photos Zoom out of your photos
Adjusts the tonal range of your photo, lighter or darker
Refers to the way the camera reads the light in the scene
Optical the magnication provided by the camera lens Digital a camera crop factor
button for shortcuts Fn Function
S
Shutter priority Aperture
Self-timer for self-portraits etc Image stabilisation Landscapes for wide angles Portrait perfect for people Manual mode for control
CAMERA SCHOO
LIGHT
Discover how to get great photos using only natural light
Good lighting is the key to great photography. Fortunately, theres 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 nal shots look professional. Theres no
NATURAL
need to pop up your in-built ash or invest in expensive studio lighting or ashguns. With the right knowledge and skills, youre guaranteed to get some great shots. To help get you started, well be looking into the best time of day to shoot, how the sun compares to shade, reecting 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
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
TIME OF DAY
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 at. You will 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.
TOP TIP
IF YOURE 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.
SHADE VERSUS SUN
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 attering backlit shots. To avoid your model appearing as a silhouette, use a reector to bounce light back into their face or use your ash to 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 models position so that you get a selection of shots from a range of perspectives with different directions of light.
TOP TIP
Midday Shooting at midday gives a
stronger overhead light that creates shadows and overexposed highlights
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.
CAMERA SCHOO
It is still possible to get some great natural light shots indoors. Provided its a sunny day, you can work with whats available inside while near to a window. You may nd that on occasion when youre shooting indoors, the cameras built-in ash will 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 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 reector 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 reector in order to highlight their features.
WINDOW LIGHTING
TOP TIP
IF YOURE SHOOTING A PORTRAIT INDOORS BY A WINDOW AND YOUR SHOTS ARE STILL LOOKING A LITTLE UNDEREXPOSED, UP YOUR CAMERAS ISO SETTING TO INCREASE ITS SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT, WHICH WILL RESULT IN BRIGHTER SHOTS.
Your camera may automatically select ash if youre working indoors with limited light, which can have an unattering effect
Positioning your model next to a window means youll be able to make use of all the natural light and get some great results
REFLECTING LIGHT
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. Reecting 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, youll need to use a reector. Some varieties come with different sides, including white, silver and gold. Use white for a softer ll-in and silver for a harder and cooler effect. The gold side is ideal if you want to reect light and warm up the shot. For the best results, always position your reector 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.
Use a reector to lighten the shadows in side-lit shots & help brighten up the overall exposure
TOP TIP
IF YOU DONT HAVE A REFLECTOR, YOU CAN ALWAYS IMPROVISE. WEAR WHITE OR POSITION YOUR MODEL NEAR A WHITE WALL. ALTERNATIVELY, USE WHITE PAPER OR TIN FOIL.
Natural side lighting can cast strong shadows on one side of your subject, like this
USING WHITE BALANCE

Most people will rely on their cameras 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 reects the lighting conditions youre shooting in, such as daylight, cloudy, incandescent or 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.
An incorrect white balance mode will create a strong colour cast in your photographs
With the correct white balance, all colours will appear accurate in the highlight and shadow areas of your shot
Why is it essential to colour calibrate?

Discover why calibrating your computer monitor is necessary to achieve top results from your photos
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Its not uncommon to 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 monitors 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.
A calibration tool can be used to automatically adjust your monitor, so that colours can be edited accurately
COLOUR ACCURACY
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.
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JARGON BUSTER
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.
Batch processing
WHAT YOULL NEED
Editing program Computer, tablet or cameraphone Photoshop Elements 11 & Lightroom 5 Snapseed app Photoshop CS Lightroom 4
WE USED
YOU COULD USE
Speed up your editing workflow
WHAT YOULL LEARN
Quick editing tricks
We unveil tips and tricks for speeding up common photo editing tasks over multiple platforms
EDITING Speed up workow
Use Actions in Photoshop Elements Add eects and edits in seconds
01
What is an Action?
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.
02
Use built-in options
This is the Actions panel, where you will 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.
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.
Run an Action
04
View the steps
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.
05
Find more Actions
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.
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.
Create your own
07
Load new Actions
When you 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.
08
Run loaded Actions
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.
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.
Reset the panel


Use Lightroom preset effects
Batch edit in Elements Process les in one go
01
Find the Presets
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.
01
Process multiple les
Open Elements and go to File>Process Multiple Files. This will let you batch edit a folder of photos in one go. You cant make major edits, but you can apply automatic corrections, rename les and resize them.
02
Select the destination
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 les will be overwritten.
02
Preview effects
A handy feature of the Presets that you cant 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.
03
You might want to give all your 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.
Name the les
04
Select the image size
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 le type.
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.
Apply and edit
05
Apply quick xes
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.
06
Add a copyright
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 les will be saved to your chosen destination.
Fast xes with Snapseed Make quick changes with this free photo editing app
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.
Open your image
02
Automatic adjustments
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.
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.
Manual adjustments
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 dont like them.
Special effects
05
Share your snaps
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.


EDITING Reduce noise
Reduce noise
WHAT YOULL NEED
Learn to bring out detail in low-light photos

Editing software
WE USED
Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 Photoshop CS GIMP How to reduce grain
YOU COULD USE
Digital noise is the grain that can sometimes appear in photos and reduce their quality. Its 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 isnt possible, editing software can help save the day.
WHAT YOULL LEARN
Clean up shots Use Photoshop Elements 11 to remove grain
01
Reduce the noise

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.
02
Adjust the strength

If youre 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 specic percentage amount.
03
Make further adjustments

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.

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EDITING Add a vignette
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
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
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
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%.
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 (dont 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.


EDITING 5 minute project
Use a creative film effect on your photos

five minute project
Make digital photos look like they have been processed from lm with DxO FilmPack 4
WHAT YOULL NEED
Editing software DxO FilmPack 4 Photo fx
WE USED
YOU COULD USE WHAT YOULL LEARN
How to add analogue lm effects to your photos
EDITING 5 minute project

Processing your images from a roll of lm used to be the only way to produce photos, and different makes of lm gave your captures a different look and feel. DxOs FilmPack 4 editing software makes it easy to recapture the quality, style, colours and grain of some of the most famous analogue 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 lms from the likes of Kodak, Fuji and Polaroid. Once you apply an effect to your shot, you can then 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.
Analogue lm effect apps

Photo fx 1.99/$2.99 (iOS) Instagram Free (Android & iOS)
3 OF THE BEST
Give your cameraphone photos one of 62 different colour or black-andwhite lm looks, as well as applying interesting textures, patterns and grain to your images.
Add various retro-looking lters to your shot that give them an analogue 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 lm look to your photos with the help of a variety of different effects and overlays, and nish them off with a stylish frame before you share them with friends and family.
Go retro Recapture the analogue lm look
01
Choose a lm preset
Select one of the preset 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.
02
Add a lter
Staying in the Effects tab, click on the arrow next to Filter. Select a 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.
03
Create a vignette
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.
04
Add creative blur
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 ne-tune the effect with the various sliders.
05
Create a print effect

To give your photo the look of a 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.

EDITING Quick tips
5 tips for learning from bad shots

Use editing software to learn from your mistakes
While 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.
Note the exposure

When adjusting Levels, check the histogram a graph that shows the distribution of the images tones. If it is bunched to the left it may be underexposed, or if its to the right it might be overexposed.
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.
Check the data

If your image isnt quite right, check the EXIF data to see which settings you used and nd out where you went wrong. For example, your f-number may not have been low enough to blur the background.
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.
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.
EXIF data tells you what settings you used so you can nd out where you went wrong
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Scan and share old photos on your phone

Tech focus
Get to grips with Lomographys Smartphone Film Scanner

WHAT YOULL NEED
4 Negatives 4 Film scanner
WE USED
4 Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner 4 iPhone or Android 4 Epson Perfection V700 Scanner 4 To scan negatives
YOU COULD USE
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 signicant 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. Its 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.
WHAT YOULL LEARN
3 OF THE BEST
Apps that scan your negatives

HELMUT Film Scanner HelloPhoto 1.49/$1.99 (IOS)
Free (Android) Digitising your old negatives is just one of the many features of this fantastic app. Sharing your old memories is easy too.
Use the apps 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.
SHARING Scan old photos
Scan in negatives Rediscover pre-digital snaps
Get the most out of LomoScanner

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.
01
Set up the device
In order to set up the Lomography smartphone lm scanner, 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.
02
Place the negative into the 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.
Insert the negative
01
Crop the negative
If you want the image that you capture to have a rectangular shape, like a standard photograph, press the lm negative icon above the red camera icon (as shown above).
03
Position the smartphone
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 phones camera lens lines up with the hole.
04
Get the app
Open your smartphones camera to check its 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.
02
Zoom in or out
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.
05
Reverse the colours
Once captured, press the 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.
06
Store and share
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.
03
Add an effect
Press the 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.


SHARING Photo gallery
Share a collection of your shots on SlickPic

Give your best images the exposure they deserve
WHAT YOULL NEED
4 Plenty of images 4 Internet connection 4 SlickPic.com 4 Flickr.com 4 Picasa 4 Photobucket.com 4 How to go about creating and sharing albums on SlickPic.com
WE USED
YOU COULD USE
WHAT YOULL LEARN
Theres nothing quite like the feeling of capturing a head-turning shot. While youre learning the ropes of photography, that feeling will occur more and more often as your skills constantly improve. But its a huge shame to get so much satisfaction from taking a photo without sharing the beauty of it with other people. When youve got something to shout about, why not tell the world? This is where the photo-sharing website SlickPic.com can help you out. Its 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 benets 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, well show you just a few of SlickPics brilliant features.
SHARING Photo gallery
Show the world Get your images out there
01
Load up and sign up
Head to SlickPic.com and click Sign Up to create an account or log in with Facebook or Google. Youll then be taken to My Home. Here, you can access SlickPics features and privacy options. Your content is public by default, so change this if you want.
02
Above your prole info, hit Upload Photos. This takes you to a screen where you can drag and drop images or select multiple les to upload. Give your album a name, and as each image loads you can ll in extra information about it in the boxes below.
Create an album
03
Share it!
Once your album has uploaded, youll 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.
7 OF THE BEST
Free apps for photo sharing

Flickr Free (Android & iOS)
This app complements Flickrs gallery site, where you can upload snaps to albums, in addition to searching through the rest of the sites amazing photography content.
04
Fill your photo blog
To blog about an album, hit the bullseye symbol again and select Create Photoblog Post. Youll 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 youve blogged.
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.
Compile collections
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 youre 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)
06
View your Web Gallery
All of the images youve 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.
07
Explore the community
Hit the Community button in the top-left corner to discover hundreds of excellent images from SlickPics community of photographers. Explore a bit to search and favourite images, as well as message and follow other users.
You cant 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 youre on the go using this great app.


SHARING Scrapbooking
Crafty tips for stylish photo scrapbooking

A special way to savour memories for years to come
Scrapbooking is a great way to capture memories of fun times passed. Whether thats 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 nally 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. Dont 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 youre icking through.
WHAT YOULL NEED
4 Photographs 4 Scrapbook 4 Craft items
WE USED
4 White sketchbook 4 Paper pack by American Crafts 4 Stickers or stamps 4 Maps 4 How to scrapbook
YOU COULD USE
WHAT YOULL LEARN
SHARING Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking tips and tricks
Make the most of your memories
01
Pick and mix
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.
02
Photograph fun
Next choose the shots that youd like to print out and feature in your scrapbook. Consider their colours, subject matter and orientation (whether theyre landscape or portrait), as this will make an impact on the page. Try to avoid picking similar images.
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 dont t the space. We worked with a spread (two pages facing one another) at a time for a unied look across the two.
7 OF THE BEST
Scrapbooking resources
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.
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.
05
Attach the larger elements onto your pages. Use glue, 3D sticky pads or washi tape, depending on what youre sticking down. Put adhesive in the corners rather than the middle of photos, as the latter can warp the surface of the images.
Get gluing
The Paperclipping Roundtable
Free (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.
06
Apply embellishments
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 youre placing 3D elements if its opposite a photograph, itll leave an imprint.
07
Add handmade touches
Scrapbooks are personal and creative accounts of your or your loved ones adventures, so dont forget to add captions, annotations and doodles onto the pages to make it your own. Do it in pencil rst and then go over in pen to avoid making any mistakes.
0.62/$0.99 (Android) If youd 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.
PicFrame 0.69/$0.99 (iOS),
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.


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SHARING Compress photos
Easily compress shots using JPEGmini

Make large les smaller without losing any quality at all
WHAT YOULL NEED
A large image Web browser
WE USED
www.jpegmini.com Photoshop Photoshop Elements
YOU COULD USE
WHAT YOULL LEARN
How to compress large images
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 youre working with images in print, its 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, youre transferring all the information that its made up of over your internet connection, so keeping the amount of information to a
minimum means itll 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. Youll nd the online software at www.jpegmini.com. To get the full benet of the software, youll 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.
Space saver
your Compressing photos means
they will take up less space on your computer
SHARING Compress photos
Make images smaller Reduce your le sizes with online compression software
01
Sign up to JPEGmini
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.
02
Verify and begin
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.
03
Upload images
Click on Select Photos. A 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.
3 OF THE BEST
Features of JPEGmini
Start the process Download compressed shot
04
The compression process starts as soon as youve 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.
05
Once processed, youll see your image or album displayed in your account. Youll 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.
Reduce by a third
Take your 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 le without losing quality.
Instant upload
Use 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.
06
Share with Flickr or Picasa
With JPEGmini, you can upload your image directly to Flickr and Picasa without having to save it to your computer rst. Click Send To Flickr and log in to your account. Once signed in, your resized image will start uploading to your Photostream.
07
Delete images
Your account gives you the option to keep all your compressed images online, ready to use from any location. If youd rather not have them saved, click the small Dustbin icon on each image to remove it from your account. Conrm your choice to delete.
Desktop version
Download a desktop version of the software thats compatible with Mac and Windows from the B&H Store or Mac App Store. This is capable of compressing images by ve times.


SHARING Quick tips
5 secrets for sharing shots on Facebook

Top Facebook photo tricks you may not know about
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. You can share a photo album with someone who doesnt 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.
Non-Facebook users Photo commenting

As well as attaching a photo to a status update or posting one on someones wall, you can also attach it to a comment on another post. Just click the camera icon when you are writing your comment.
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.
Download an album Upload in bulk

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. 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.
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SHARING EDITING xxxxxxxxx App of the month
APP OF THE MONTH
Share creative photo messages with friends

Use Wacoms Bamboo Loop app to draw on your photos and share them with others Available on: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android Price: Free
WHAT YOULL NEED
Bamboo Loop app iOS device iPhone 5 Wacom Bamboo Stylus mini iPhone 3GS/4/4S iPad iPod touch 3rd/4th/5th generation How to share photos using Bamboo Loop
WE USED
YOU COULD USE
WHAT YOULL LEARN
There are plenty of image frames (known as Shapes) to choose from
Personalise pics
When youre taking photos on your smartphone, its easier than ever to share them with friends and family. Theres 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 Wacoms Bamboo Loop are designed to solve this exact problem, allowing you to take any photos youve 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 Wacoms 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 ddly. When youre choosing a photo to send via Bamboo Loop, its 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, its 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 youll soon have a whole list of contacts to share your favourite snaps with. Once youve grabbed the app and selected the photo you want to share rst, read on and well show you to transform them into Aft r how personalised digital cards.
01
Tap on the Loop logo and select a friend from Facebook, your contacts or your friends list. If they dont use the app it will invite them.
02
Select the Photo icon to choose a way to add an image to your Loop. If youve already taken a photo, select Photo Library.
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 youre ready to send, tap the tick in the middle.
82 Photography for Beginners beginners
SHARING App of the month

Fill it in Spread to zoom All gone wrong?
Use a combination of both the Pen and Highlighter tools to help make your drawings really stand out from the image
If youre struggling to add detail, try using a two-nger spread to zoom in on your drawing for more accuracy
If you make a mistake while drawing on your Loop, tap the Eraser icon to erase, undo or clear everything youve done
3 OF THE BEST
Apps for sharing your photos
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.
Bonfyre App 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!
Rando Free (iOS & Android)
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 youve taken the shot!
Hipstamatic Oggl Free (iOS)
OR YOU COULD TRY

Snapchat Free
Snapchat for Android may be a little behind its iOS equivalent when it comes to new features, but its 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!
Bamboo Loop gives you a selection of colours to choose from as well as a choice of pen types to work with
Get colourful
KIT BAG Landscape gear
WHATS IN MY KIT BAG?
Ideal landscape gear

01Polarising lter
ure Makets tst! erdif l n r u fe o y Filters come in our re lens
A polarising lter will help to increase contrast, especially in the sky, and it also reduces any reections in water.
We show you the essential items for landscape photography
02Portable 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 its too heavy you may not want to carry it around all day!
04Wide-angle lens
Using a wide-angle lens like this 10-20mm will help you to t more of the landscape into the frame.
02
y ook on sizes. L r the diameter t fo l wha e rr a b nd out ( ) to . symbol lter it requires size
03
01 04
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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
BUY IF S THIu re an
yo oking a am teur lofi for your rst ra DSLR came
THE INFO
Megapixels | 18MP Zoom | By lens
An admirable megapixel count means this is capable of producing large prints Take advantage of the extensive range of EOS lenses available
Shutter speeds | 30-1/4000sec ISO sensitivity | 100-25600
Capable of long and fast exposures, making it great for night and action Gives photographers greater exibility to shoot handheld
Exp. modes | 6 scenes, plus Auto, Creative Auto, P, A, S, M
Auto modes for beginners, along with semi-manual/manual modes Aperture............... Lens dependent Flash modes .... A, M Weight .................... 407g Dimensions....... 116.8 x 90.7 x 69.4mm Batteries.............. Lithium-ion Screen .................... 3 inches Storage.................. SD, SDHC, SDXC
UPGRADE Canon EOS 100D
Currently the worlds smallest and lightest DSLR, the 100D impresses in the entry-level market
The 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 rst DSLR, Canon has 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, 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 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 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.
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, theres the option to shoot at night handheld
Macro Users will appreciate the ability to focus with the touch screen
WHATS GOOD ABOUT IT
WHAT COULD BE BETTER
The superb touch screen LCD offers a very high resolution It is capable of producing fantastically strong image quality
The viewnder only presents an 80 per cent eld of view lower than expected Due to its small stature, shooting for long periods can be uncomfortable
WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

Why is the LCD such a big deal?
While the Canon EOS 100Ds 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.
An easy-to-use, feature-packed DSLR capable of shooting highquality images, making it the Features................................................. ideal choice for photographers Design and handling...... stepping up to the DSLR format Build quality................................ Image quality.............................. Value for money.....................
OUR FINAL VERDICT
Hands-on Its small size can make shooting uncomfortable. The highresolution touch screen goes some way to helping with this issue, though.
Above The worlds smallest and lightest DSLR produces images that are incredibly sharp, with faithful interpretations of colours and tone
Have you used this camera? Share your shots at photoforbeginners.com

UPGRADE Samsung NX300
Samsung NX300
600/$700 including 20-50mm lens | 20.3MP | 3.3 screen | P/A/S/M modes
BUY IF THIS a sporty

youre o snapper wht needs fas captures
THE INFO
Megapixels | 20.3MP Zoom | By lens
A whopping number of megapixels for printing big with plenty of detail Whatever you shoot, theres an NX grade lens made for it
Quick enough for sports and capable of long exposures too There are plenty of sensitivity settings suitable for low-light shots
Exp. modes | 14 scenes, plus Auto, P, A, S, M, and Lens Priority mode
Beginners and experienced users will be satised 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 Flash Weight .................... 284g without battery Dimensions....... 122 x 63.7 x 40.7mm Batteries.............. Lithium-ion Screen .................... 3.3 inches Storage.................. SD, SDHC, SDXC
UPGRADE Samsung 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. Its 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 cameras 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 cameras built-in Wi-Fi that comes with features such as remote shooting, emailing and social sharing. The NX300s 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 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 compactsized body. Theres 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 thats 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 ash, viewnder and articulated screen for this price. If youre after a compact model that delivers, however, its worth every penny.
HOW GOOD IS IT FOR

Portraits Skin tones are attering and eyes are sharp, producing great portraits Landscapes The colours are true to life with no purple fringing in bright light Sports Its 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 denitely ready for a close-up, packing in plenty of detail
WHATS GOOD ABOUT IT
The fast continuous shooting is great for sports, children and fast critters Its 20.3MP sensor is the largest used in amirrorlesscamera currently
Wed have liked a fully articulating AMOLED screen for added exibility A built-in ash mode would be useful for shedding some light on scenes

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.
OUR FINAL VERDICT

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 ash would have made it the perfect package
Hands-on Composing shots is always easier with an articulated

screen but the large grip on the front makes it comfortable to hold.
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

UPGRADE Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6
Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6

BUY Ff IS Ilo TH want ts o
you features to expand your options
630/$750 including 14-42mm lens | Touch screen | 23 scene modes | Near Field Communication
THE INFO
Megapixels | 16.05MP
Not as high as the NX300, but still able to produce high-quality larger prints
Zoom | By lens
A variety of lenses are available, including Olympuss MFT range
Shutter speeds | 60-1/4000sec

This 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 Panorama

A 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+RE Weight .................... 340g without battery Dimensions....... 122.45 x 84.6 x 71.4mm Batteries.............. Lithium-ion Screen .................... 3 inches Storage.................. SD, SDHC, SDXC
UPGRADE Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6
With the looks of a small DSLR and many helpful features, is this the perfect beginners camera?
The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G6 looks, on paper, like a feature-packed camera thats 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 Samsungs NX300, but its feature set makes up for that. While the smaller sensor may mean a small drop in image quality, this does mean its compatible with other MFT lenses. In terms of design, the G6s 1440K-dot touch screen is on an articulated joint, meaning it can fold out for difcult angles. Its responsive and you can touch to shoot and focus. Unlike a lot of CSCs, it also comes with a built-in ash and electronic viewnder 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 nish with a rubberised grip that feels of a high quality. The large moulded grip on the front allows for a rm purchase, and there are buttons for often-used options. Its 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 Intelligent Auto mode, which determines the scene for you. It also works out whether to turn on Face Detection, Image Stabilisation and more. Theres 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 les as well) and it comes with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC (see boxout). The G6 doesnt 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 its great for low light. Colours were bright and details were rich. If youre looking for a compact model that doesnt skimp on options, this is a fantastic choice whatever your level.
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 didnt 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
WHATS GOOD ABOUT IT
Its 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 The many function buttons may confuse beginners, but they can be customised

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.
OUR FINAL VERDICT

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

UPGRADE Samsung DV150F
Samsung DV150F
100/$130 | Wi-Fi connectivity | Creative modes | Dual LCD screens
BUY THIS IF you want to

ge creative and t have fun with photography
THE INFO
Megapixels | 16.2MP
This is a great megapixel count for printing in larger sizes
Zoom | 5x optical, 5x digital
A larger focal range than 25-125mm would be useful
Suitable for both action shots and long exposures A good range for shooting in lowlight conditions
Exp. modes | 6 scenes, plus Auto and Program
A 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 battery Dimensions....... 95.5 x 55.2 x 18.4mm Batteries.............. Lithium-ion Screen .................... 2.7 inches Storage.................. micro SD, micro SDHC, micro SDXC
UPGRADE Samsung DV150F
Is the front-facing LCD screen the only exciting thing this Samsung compact has to oer?
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 kids 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 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 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 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.
HOW GOOD IS IT FOR

Portraits Retouch and add make-up to people shots for incredibly attering results Landscapes The Landscape mode makes the greens and blues pop Sports Theres no Sports mode and a limited zoom, but focusing is fast Low light Night mode lets
you slow down the shutter speed, but youll need a tripod
Macro A minimum focusing distance of 50mm is not ideal for close-ups
WHATS GOOD ABOUT IT
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 Some useful scene modes are missing, and there are no full manual modes

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 attering result, and then Beauty Palette can be used in order to add different make-up looks, including adding lipstick and eye-shadow.
With plenty of shooting, editing and sharing options available, this camera is great whether Features................................................. you want to get in front of the Design and handling...... lens or not Build quality................................. Image quality.............................. Value for money.....................
OUR FINAL VERDICT
Hands-on It is easy to get nger prints on the front display. The
buttons are a small but well placed for accessing important camera functions.
Above Images are vibrant and detailed, and there are plenty of creative lters that you can apply in order to enhance them further

ACCESSORIES Photobook services
Photobook services
1 Albelli Price From 7/approx $11
Albelli 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 readymade 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 cant 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.
Create a personalised album with these printing providers

2 Bob Books Price From 15/approx $23
Download 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.
02 01
ACCESSORIES Photobook services

3 One Vision Price From 12/approx $18
To 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 Autoow 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/$13

Head to www.blurb.co.uk and youll 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 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.
A Book Design service lets a professional designer create your photobook for you
04 03
ACCESSORIES Cleaning kit
Cleaning kit
Give your gear a good spring clean to keep it at its best
1 Vanguard 3-in-1 Cleaning Kit
Price 19/$19
As well as a microbre 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 nd a exible polishing tip, which you can use to get right into the lens edges, then rell 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 wont 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.
01
2 TnB Cleaning Pen & Microfibre Cloth Price approx 6/$10

The TnB 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 microbre 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 relled regularly. Nevertheless, the spray brush is very compact, so can easily 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.
02
3 Just Lens & Body Cleaning Kit Price 28/approx $43
You certainly get a lot for your money with the Just Lens & Body Cleaning Kit (www.cameraclean.co.uk). It includes large and anti-static microbre 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.
Imagine Publishing Ltd Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ +44 (0)1202 586200 Web: www.photoforbeginners.com www.greatdigitalmags.com
03
Magazine team
Editor Amy Squibb
amy.squibb@imagine-publishing.co.uk 01202 586210
Senior Designer Annabelle Sing Staff Writer Joanna Stass Sub Editor Alicea Francis Editor in Chief Dan Hutchinson Photographer James Sheppard Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook Head of Publishing Aaron Asadi Head of Design Ross Andrews
Contributors
Julie 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. Digital or printed media packs are available on request. Head of Sales Hang Deretz 01202 586442 Advertising Manager Jennifer Farrell 01202 586430 jennifer.farrell@imagine-publishing.co.uk Photography for Beginners is available for licensing. Contact the International department to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman +44 (0)1202 586401 licensing@imagine-publishing.co.uk Head of Subscriptions Gill Lambert subscriptions@imagine-publishing.co.uk For all subscription enquiries Email: p4bsubs@servicehelpline.co.uk (UK) 0844 245 6957 (Overseas) +44 (0)1795 592 815 13-issue subscription (UK) 52 13-issue subscription (Europe) 70 13-issue subscription (ROW) 80
Advertising
International
Subscriptions
04
Circulation
Head of Circulation Darren Pearce 01202 586200
Production Founders
Production Director Jane Hawkins 01202 586200 Group Managing Director Damian Butt Group Finance & Commercial Director Steven Boyd Group Creative Director Mark Kendrick
Printing & Distribution
Printed 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 Distributed in Australia by Gordon & Gotch Corporate Centre, 26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 + 61 2 9972 8800 Distributed in the Rest of the World by Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU 0203 148 8105
Disclaimer
4 Hama 3-in-1 Lenspen Kit Price 25/approx $38

Hamas cleaning kit includes two cleaning pens the Lenspen and the Lenspen Mini Pro II as well as a microbre 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 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.
The 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 specifically 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 affiliated 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
PHOTO HUNT: IN THE CITY

Send us your best shots today for your chance to win the prize! Send us your shots to... pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk
A zoom lens lets you use a wide angle to t in buildings and also zoom into details
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 nd a vantage point for skylines
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.
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.
WIN!
An aluminium print of one of your shots!
Send us your shots to...
pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk

Photography For Beginners - Issue 29, 2013

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MANFROTTO 290 CARBON FIBRE SERIES

Step into your passion for photography!

Up to ve years extended warranty. Visit manfrotto.co.uk for details

Enjoy the Photowalkers Guide experience on manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com

01 COMPOSING TRICKS 02 CONTROL DEPTH

Learn to blur backgrounds using aperture on p40

05 SPEED UP YOUR EDITS

For more great photo tips, head to photoforbeginners.com

PRACTICAL STARTER SECTION! P50

Still life shots Skills for great shots of found

12 How to share your photos

The essential settings for perfect shots

16 Join the debate

18 Ask the team

84 Whats in my kit bag?

98 The great photo hunt

4 Photography for Beginners

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Reader: Darren Thomas

6 Photography for Beginners

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Photography for Beginners 9

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Photography for Beginners 13

Get closer with a new Panasonic superzoom