Camera Bag Essentials 2015

GO ANYWHERE, SHOOT ANYTHING!
YOUR COMPLETE
PHOTO FIELD GUIDE
196 PAGES OF EXPERT ADVICE & IDEAS
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Contents
4 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

Contents
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6
8
Essential
accessories
Top 10 accessories
56
58
Creative
projects
Dramatic landscape
102
104 Metering
Field
guides
10 Digital SLR 59 Long exposure 108 Focusing
12 Additional lenses 60 Abstract landscape 112 Sharpness
14 Filters 61 Light trails in the city 116 Filters
15 Colour target 62 Spring flowers 120 Landscapes
16 Tripod & remote 63 Fruit splash! 130 Wildlife
18 Flashgun 64 Environmental portrait 134 Portraits
20 Reflector 65 Natural child portrait 138 Architecture
22 Spare battery 66 Extreme macro still life 142 Birds
23 Memory cards 67 Speeding car 146 Macro
68 Solarised still life 150 Low light
24 Quick
reference
69
70
Polarised still life
High-key flowers
154 Weddings
26
29
30
Exposure
Shooting modes
Aperture
71
72
73
74
Frozen leaf
Colour burst!
Water drops
Street candid
158 The
complete
dictionary of
75 Abstract cityscape
34 Shutter speed
76 Family portrait grid
photography
38 ISO sensitivity
40 Metering 77 Abstract architecture
42 The histogram 78 Forest at dawn
44 The viewfinder 79 Woodland montage
45 Angle of view 80 Wild deer
46 White balance 81 Worm’s eye view
47 The colour wheel 82 Garden birds
48 Autofocus 83 Interior architecture
50 Hyperfocal focusing 84 Extreme close-up
51 Digital processing 85 Colour grid
52 Studio photography 86 Point of view
87 Milky seascape
88 Mono landscape
89 Dewdrop macro
90 Landscape silhouette
91 Film-noir portrait
92 Abstract art
93 Monochrome plant art
94 Firework display
95 Star trails
96 Classic moon shot
97 Torch spirograph
98 Toy train
99 Focus stacked macro
100 Flash portrait
101 Surf action

CHAPTER 1
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Essential
accessories
Discover which camera accessories you
really need, and how to use them
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In this section
8 Top 10 accessories
10 Digital SLR
12 Additional lenses
14 Filters
15 Colour target
16 Tripod & remote
18 Flashgun
20 Reflector
22 Spare battery
23 Memory cards

Essential accessories
WorldMags.net
TOP 10
essential accessories
Discover the ten camera accessories
that will help you to take better shots
any of the techniques in this FILTERS touching the camera, so it’s useful for
M book require the use of one

or two key accessories that
any serious photographer
should have. A tripod is nigh-on
essential if you want sharp pictures in
3 Landscape experts will
often use a graduated filter
to tone down a bright sky along with a
polarising filter to intensify the
colours. Polarising filters intensify
longer exposures when the camera is
on a tripod because it avoids
introducing unwanted wobble.
FLASHGUN
almost any conditions or situation, for
instance. The following 14 pages
blue skies, but they also subdue
reflections and glare, so that leaves
7 The pop-up flash on your
camera is useful for adding
reveal our recommendations for the are greener. ND filters allow you to a little fill-in light, but you’ll get greater
best photography add-ons you’ll need include movement blur in your shots. power and more flattering results
to make the most of your images. from a flashgun. This can mount in the
COLOUR TARGET camera’s hotshoe, or for better
CAMERA BAG 4 If you’re photographing, say, results, be fired remotely via a cable or
1 If you’ve got a small camera
and a single lens, a bag may
clothing for a catalogue,
your colour reproduction has to be
wireless connection.
not seem essential, but it’s a good way perfect or you’ll have very unhappy REFLECTOR
to protect them in transport, and it
keeps rain and dust at bay. And as you
customers returning goods. We not
only show you how to use one of
8 Use this to ‘bounce’ light
into the shadowed side of
build up a collection of lenses and these, but provide one for you on the your subject’s face when you have just
accessories, you’ll find that you need inside front cover of this book! one light source. The silver cover gives
something to keep it all together and a neutral light; gold adds warmth.
make it easier to carry. Backpacks are TRIPOD
a great way to carry heavy equipment 5 A tripod is essential SPARE BATTERY
over long distances or uneven terrain. because it provides a
method of holding your camera at
9 The power meters on digital
cameras aren’t very
ADDITIONAL LENSES exactly the right angle and keeping it sensitive, so you never know exactly
2 The chances are that your
camera came with a
absolutely still so your images are
pin-sharp and full of detail. Don’t be
when you’re about to run out. A spare
battery can save you a lot of
standard zoom lens, which covers a tempted to buy a cheap, flimsy tripod, heartache, especially in cold weather,
focal length range of around 18-55mm though. You want something sturdy which drains batteries even faster.
on an APS-C format camera. This is a that will keep your camera still in a
great starting point, but it won’t be breeze and not wobble like a jelly MEMORY CARDS
long before you find you need
something a bit wider for shooting
every time you touch it or the camera. 10 Don’t waste time fretting
over image size and
landscapes or interiors, or you need a REMOTE RELEASE compression settings! It’s much
telephoto lens to allow you to frame
action subjects tightly.
6 A remote release allows you better simply to bite the bullet and
to trip the shutter without invest in some bigger memory cards.

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1
10
3
8
5
4
2
7
9 6

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Digital SLR 6
Understand each
of your digital
SLR’s dials, 5
buttons and 2
settings
4 1
mirror flips up out of the way so that

the light can be recorded by the
image sensor.
MODE DIAL
LENS RELEASE LENS 5 The mode dial is where you
1 To remove the lens press
this button and twist the
3 The beauty of owning an
SLR is that you can
access the camera’s
shooting modes. Here you
lens in an anti-clockwise direction. change the lens. This makes it far communicate with your SLR, telling it
Make sure you have the protective more versatile than a camera with a what you want it to control, and what
body cap or another lens to hand fixed lens because you can alter the you want to alter manually. For first-
when performing this task, because angle of view. time users, the Fully Auto mode is
you don’t want to leave the sensor appealing because it selects all the
exposed to dust. SENSOR camera settings for you.
SHUTTER RELEASE
4 The sensor is where your
images are recorded, HOTSHOE
2 To capture a photograph,
press the shutter release
before being processed and then
stored on your memory card. A mirror
6 If you wish to attach an
external flashgun, you can
button on the top panel. To focus and blocks the sensor and projects the do so here. To attach a flashgun, slot
meter the scene, half press the scene up through the viewfinder. it into place and secure it by
shutter release first. When you take a photograph, the tightening up the catch on the device.

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7
10
11
14
8
9
12
COMMAND DIAL VIEWFINDER shutter release here; handy if you

7 The command dial is used to
alter camera settings and to
10 To compose an image, you
look through the viewfinder
want to take a photo without
touching your camera.
adjust features. on the back panel. Next to the
viewfinder is the dioptre control, FLASH
LCD SCREEN which you can tweak to adjust the 13 All of the beginner models of
8 The LCD screen has lots of
uses, including displaying
screen inside your viewfinder to
your vision.
SLR and some in the
enthusiast ranges include a built-in
images while reviewing or composing, pop-up flash unit. Handy if you need to
and showing shooting information. MENU BUTTON shine a bit of extra light on to your
Some digital SLRs, such as the 700D,
include a Vari-Angle LCD screen for
11 To access all the shooting,
reviewing and other custom
subject matter, but not as good as a
proper flashgun. To activate it, you
creative framing. menu options, press the Menu button, press the button marked with a
then use the multi-controller and the lightning symbol. The built-in flash can
BACK PANEL CONTROLS OK button to navigate and select. also be used as a trigger for studio
9 The back panel multi-
controller is the handy CONNECTION POINTS
lights or external flashguns.
feature you use to alter settings and 12 To connect your camera to MEMORY CARD SLOT
navigate through the menus. These
buttons are also assigned to camera
another device, such as a
computer or a TV set, lift the rubber
14 On the other side of the
camera is the memory card
features. If you have a more advanced connection flap and insert the slot. Some SLRs include the memory
camera, you may have a mini joystick supplied cable into the correct port. card slot on the bottom of the camera
multi-controller. You can also connect to a remote in the battery compartment.

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Additional lenses Vibration reduction (VR)
The lens is the eye of your Image stabilisation technology
camera. We dissect one to uses gyroscopic sensors and a
micro-computer to detect and
show you what’s inside compensate for lens vibrations
caused by hand shake
Bayonet lens mount

Lens aperture
This attaches the lens to your
This opening controls
SLR. Contacts supply power
how much light is let in
from your camera to drive
the autofocus and VR, and
enable the camera and lens
Front element to communicate
The big piece of glass
on the front collects the Lens motor
light – and is also the most Autofocus lenses have
exposed to dust and motors to move the
vulnerable to scratches elements. Silent Wave
Motor (SWM) lenses
are quiet and fast
Zoom ring
When you turn the Focal length
zoom ring, internal The focal length currently
groups of lens elements set is indicated by the
move, changing the number on the zoom
focal length ring that lines up with
the central mark
major benefit of a digital 70mm and upwards, say – excel at the image. In SLRs, it’s one of two sizes.
A SLR is the availability of a

variety of lenses suited to
particular photographic
situations. You may already know
that ‘long’ lenses make distant
close-ups, portraits, and sports and
wildlife photography.
Focal length is closely related to
‘angle of view’. This directly describes
how much or how little of the scene
Most SLRs use smaller sensors (about
24x16mm), designated ‘DX’ or ‘APS-C’.
Pro models have larger ‘FX’, or
‘full-frame’, sensors (36x24mm).
The larger sensor sees more of the
subjects appear closer, or larger in you can see in your SLR’s viewfinder. image projected by the lens. This
the picture, while ‘wide-angle’ The term ‘wide-angle’ is helpfully means that the same lens gives a
lenses take in more of the scene. descriptive – these lenses have short wider angle of view on an full frame
Specifying the focal length focal lengths, such as 18mm. At the camera than on an APS-C model. In
numerically makes it easier to other end of the scale, we don’t speak fact, focal length is effectively
compare different lenses. of ‘narrow-angle’ lenses, although it magnified by 1.5. We describe this as
Focal length is measured in would be logical for long lenses such the ‘crop factor’. With telephoto focal
millimetres. The range around as 200mm. lengths, this brings you even closer to
35-50mm is considered ‘normal’, or However, to complicate things the action. For instance, it means that
‘standard’, because it roughly matches slightly, the angle of view in your a 200mm lens has an effective focal
your field of vision. Wide-angle lenses viewfinder (and in the final picture) length (EFL) of 300mm (200x1.5).
have shorter focal lengths than this. isn’t solely determined by the focal This is often helpful for wildlife
Their wider view enables you to get length of the lens. This is because photography. Conversely, the crop
more of a scene into your shot – not all D-SLRs are alike – they factor reduces the ‘wide-angle-ness’ of
good for big landscapes and tight have different-sized sensors. The wide-angle lenses. For example, an
spaces. Long (or ‘telephoto’) lenses – sensor is the digital chip that captures 18mm lens has an EFL of 27mm.

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f/1.4
f/1.6
Which ones go widest?
f/1.8 Prime lenses and ‘pro’ zooms offer much wider
apertures than regular consumer lenses
f/2
f/2.2
f/2.5
f/2.8
f/3.2
f/3.5
f/4 18mm
f/4.5
f/5
70mm
f/5.6
f/6.3 55mm 300mm
f/7.1
f/8
f/9
f/10
f/11
f/13
f/14
f/16
Pro prime lens Consumer Pro ‘kit’ Consumer ‘kit’ Pro telephoto Consumer
prime lens zoom lens zoom lens zoom telephoto zoom
Maximum aperture key points

Not all lenses have constant, wide maximum apertures…
Q Lens aperture values follow a same focal length. Professional
fixed sequence of values from f/16 zoom lenses also usually have
to f/11 to f/8 and so on. Your SLR constant maximum apertures
can also set intermediate values, throughout the zoom range.
which represent fractions of a stop. Obviously, they cost more too.
Q Professional-quality lenses Q Cheaper ‘consumer’ zoom

usually offer wider maximum lenses will usually have a lower
apertures than cheaper ‘consumer’ maximum aperture at full zoom
lenses – even with lenses of the than at the shortest length.

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Filters
Filters come in different shapes and sizes, but which
system is right for you and your lens collection?
ilters come in two varieties; transferred between lenses by using when you want to shoot with a very
F round and square (or

rectangular). Round filters
screw into the filter thread on
the front of a lens and need to be
bought in a specific size, whereas
different sized adaptor rings, and are the
only real choice when using graduated
filters because the gradation needs to be
located in exactly the right spot over the
scene in the viewfinder.
wide aperture in bright light.
Polarising filters are used to cut down
on reflections and boost saturation
and contrast. They are especially
useful for landscape photography.
square filters slide into a holder that Neutral density filters are popular ND grads, or graduated neutral
mounts on the end of a lens. Round because they enable you to take long density filters, block light in only part
filters are quick and easy to use, but you exposure shots in daylight to blur of the image, so you can shoot a
need to buy them in the correct size for cloud or water movement in landscape without overexposing
every lens you use. Square filters can be landscapes. They also come in handy the sky, for example.
Polariser ND grad ND filter

Saturates blues and greens, Darkens the top or bottom Darkens the entire image,
eliminates reflections part of an image enabling long exposures

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Colour target
Sometimes, accuracy is more important than going with
personal preference. Here’s how to use a colour target…
ertain colours are familiar
C to us either because we
see them so often, like the
colour of grass, or are
important for cultural and
psychological reasons, like skin 05
tones. Most of us are so attuned to what
they ought to look like that we are highly
sensitive to colours that are ‘off’. Skin
tones – and there are many subtle
variations in even one face or one hand
– probably top the list of what are called 01
memory colours, and we don’t need a
spectrometer to see if they look right in a
photograph, or in some way ‘wrong’. 03
When you judge colour balance in, say,
raw processing, these are the colours to
pay attention to, and none of them are
highly saturated. This is why they occupy
pride of place on the top row of a colour
target (see the inside front cover of this
book for your target). Setting the white or
grey in a scene to neutral works for most commercial shoot where the product patch should register around 245 on
purposes, but it’s still a rough-and-ready colours have to be spot-on, the way to the 0-255 Levels scale, and the black
approach, with the software simply go is to include a set of known colours patch around 50. 02 Open the image
‘dragging’ other colours and tones in the in the shot – or rather, in one of the in your raw processor, do nothing to it,
same general direction of your shots. This can then be used to correct and save it as a DNG file. 03 Open DNG
adjustment. You can use the grey card any colour mismatches. Profile Editor. 04 Click Chart, and
we’ve provided inside the front cover for To use the target you have someone open the image you just shot, dragging
this purpose. hold it up to the camera once you’ve and centering the four colour circles
The top row of the colour target got the lighting on the scene the way on the four corners of the chart you
contains memory colours that include you’re going to shoot it. You then shoot photographed. 05 Choose either or
skin tones, blue sky, and foliage, the it, and process the image in DNG both tungsten-balanced lighting or
second medium-saturated colours, Profile Editor, free for Windows and daylight-balanced depending on the
the third the three primaries and Mac from www.adobe.com. Use the lighting. 06 Click the Create Color
secondaries, and the bottom row a chart as follows, and remember, the Table button to create the colour
grey scale from white to black. profile you create is good for only that profile. 07 Now export the profile from
When getting all of the colours in a scene and its lighting: the File menu. 08 When you open
photo exactly right is the most 01 Photograph the target large in the any of the raw images shot during
important thing, such as if you’re frame, face-on, and at an average that session in ACR, choose your
photographing a painting or doing a exposure setting. Ideally, the white custom profile.

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Tripod and
remote release
A sturdy tripod helps you stay
steady. Coupled with a
remote release, your shots
will be as sharp as possible
Remote release Tripod head

Maintain camera stability You can buy different types
by firing the shutter with a of tripod head for different
remote release unit types of shot. The ball design
is the most convenient for
everyday use
ripods are all but essential
T when there’s very little light,

keeping the camera steady
when the shutter speed is
slow. But that’s just the start of the
benefits. Taking time to adjust the
camera position very precisely can
make a world of difference when it
comes to good composition, for
example. Tripods are also great for
taking self-portraits; for time-lapse
photography; and for using neutral
density filters to enable long exposures. the price range, any savings you get from Bulb switch
Most releases feature a catch
Further possibilities include keeping the buying a kit instead of separates will be that will hold the shutter open
camera locked in position for a series of negligible, even if kits are available. as long as necessary, for use
with your SLR’s Bulb mode
exposures that you combine to create an Buying separates also gives you the
HDR image, or for precision panning for freedom to mix and match the legs and
capturing a sequence that will form the head, so you get the components you You’ll make the most of your tripod by
basis of a panorama. In short, they are really want. Most current tripod designs using it with a remote shutter release.
essential for anyone serious about have legs that can lock at varying angles These devices enable you to fire the
making great images. to the centre column, which is useful for shutter without touching the camera,
You can save money on a tripod by maintaining stability in low-level shooting. thereby avoiding camera shake. They
buying a ‘kit’ that includes both legs and Some also have pivoting centre columns cost just a few pounds, and come in
head in one package, but as you move up and twist locks for speed. wired and wireless versions.

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Remote release in action
Three types of photo made easier by a remote shutter release and tripod
01 Landscape
For landscapes you need to use a narrow aperture such as f/11 to ensure that most of the scene is as sharp as possible.
This will usually require a slow shutter speed. Using a remote reduces the chances of camera shake during the exposure.
02 Waterfalls
You’ll need to use a slow shutter speed if you want to capture moving water as a blur, such as when shooting rapids
or seascapes. Again, the remote reduces the chances of camera shake.
03 Light trails
Light trails usually require extremely long shutter speeds to render the light as desired. A remote release enables
you to trigger and end the exposure without your having to touch the camera.

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Flashgun
Where that intense burst
of light comes from
Diffuser screen
A translucent plastic screen in front of the tube
is designed to spread the light so that the coverage
is as even as it can make it
Flash tube
A glass tube filled with xenon gas, which the high
voltage charge passes through to create the
flash. An electrical coil around the tube excites
the gas particles to help the process
Reflector
A silvered surface ensures that as much light
as possible is directed towards the subject
Capacitor
A reservoir of electrical charge. A transformer
increases the voltage from the batteries to the
300 volts needed by the flash tube
here’s a time and a place for The maximum power
T flash. It will often kill the

atmosphere at a party, but
there are other times when
it’s the essential ingredient for a
successful shot. The secret to
varies – the built-in flash
has much less power than
add-on units – but once the
subject is more than a few
paces away, flash has little
means
that you
can’t use the full
success is to use the built-in flash on effect. If your subject is within range, shutter speed
most SLRs with caution. The key to you can leave the camera to set the range – ordinary flash won’t work with
getting good results is often a matter flash exposure automatically, or speeds faster than the maximum
of exposure, ensuring you use switch the flash to manual mode ‘sync speed’ for your camera. If you’re
settings that make the flash look as (if available) and work it out for using the built-in flash or a dedicated
natural as possible. Using flash yourself using the camera’s Guide external flash, most of the factors that
complicates the usual problems of Number. You take the distance to your need to be considered when
exposure. You not only have to choose the subject and divide this into the Guide calculating flash exposure are handled
shutter speed, aperture and ISO to suit Number to get the lens aperture you by the camera. Inevitably, automatic
the scene, you have to add the flash need for the correct flash exposure. flash will not always give the results
power into the exposure equation too. The ISO setting is also a factor – the that you want. It’s possible to switch
A flashgun provides a brief burst of higher the sensor sensitivity, the less the flash to manual mode, then
light – but the duration can be varied flash power is required. More power choose the power you need to suit the
to alter how much flash ‘power’ is means you can shoot at greater subject distance or the aperture
added to the scene. The amount of distances, too. The shutter speed is setting. You can choose ½ power, ¼
power needed will depend on the often not a significant factor in the power and so on – the power is
aperture used (the wider the f/stop flash exposure calculation, although adjusted in the same ‘halving’ and
setting, the less power required) and the shutter speed matters for other ‘doubling’ steps as regular exposure
how far away they are. The power of reasons. The ‘focal plane’ shutter of settings. Some of the time, though,
the flash falls away with distance. your camera works in a way that it’s best to leave the flash set to auto.

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Split-second timing
Guide
numbers
The shutter speed and flash mode define the flash timing
01 First curtain sync flash explained

The flash briefly pulses before the shutter fires (01) to set the flash
CAMERA SUBJECT
exposure. The shutter is made up of two metallic ‘curtains’ (02 & 03). As
soon as the first is open and the sensor is fully uncovered, the flash fires 1
(04). At the end of the exposure the second curtain closes.
START FINISH
Curtains First curtain Both curtains Second curtain Curtains 2
closed opening fully open closing closed
03 3
02
1 Guide number
(see your manual) 2 Lens
aperture 3 Distance
01
Preflash 04 Flash fires
The guide number indicates a
flashgun’s maximum power
output, and helps you work out
02 Second curtain sync flash manual flash exposures. You do
If the camera or flash is set to second-curtain sync, the flash will fire at this by dividing the subject
the end of the exposure (01) where the shutter blinds are fully open – distance (in metres) into the
rather than at the beginning of this exposure. This is useful with moving guide number:
subjects, and with slower-than-usual shutter speeds
START FINISH Aperture = guide number/
Curtains First curtain Both curtains Second curtain Curtains subject distance
closed opening fully open closing closed
For example, if your flash has a

guide number of 12 and your
subject is 2m away, the correct
01 aperture would be 12/2, or f/6.
Flash fires
Preflash The guide number is dependent
on the ISO – at higher ISOs the
flash power, and hence the guide
03 High-speed sync flash number, increases. Guide
At shutter speeds above the SLR’s normal ‘sync speed’, the shutter is numbers are usually quoted at
never fully open and the exposure is therefore made by a moving slit, ISO100, although on some
created by the two shutter curtains. In high-speed mode, the flash cameras it’s ISO200. Modern
continually fires, or ‘pulses’, throughout the exposure (01). flash systems use automatic
exposure measurements, and
START FINISH control the flash duration in a
Curtains First curtain Second curtain Curtains way that makes manual
closed opening closing closed
calculations largely obsolete,
although guide numbers are still
useful for comparing the power
of flashguns.
01
High-speed
Preflash sync flash

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Reflector
Bounce light where it’s needed with one of these…
Sunlight bounced back

onto subject’s side
Natural single-
light source
through
the window
Helper
with single
circular
reflector
hatever we do in
W photography, we
need light to make
our images happen.
A reflector is simply a tool that
helps us put that light where we
Camera angle
of view
The type you need depends on what
type of photography you do and how
often you’d use one. If you just do
general photography with occasional
want it. A reflector allows you to portraits, then a small circular pop-up
bounce available light – whether together for easy storage, while reflector that has both silver and
natural or artificial – back others are large and difficult to handle. white sides may be the best option.
towards your subject, so you can You can even make your own reflector You can get these with different covers
change the way the light from white card. All photographers so that you have a choice of white,
illuminates it. Reflectors come in should have at least one reflector at silver and gold. Our favourite is a
various shapes and sizes, although their disposal, even if it’s just a small 32-inch diameter circular reflector
the most common shapes are circular one. In certain circumstances it will that folds down small enough to slip
and rectangular. They are made from come to your rescue and make a big into the side of a camera bag. Larger
reflective material, usually in white, difference to the quality of an image. reflectors will generally give you a
silver or gold for different effects. When you see the difference they can better spread of softer light, but aren’t
Some have handles or can be folded make, you’ll be instantly convinced. so easy to carry or handle.

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Which colour do you need?
All reflectors work in the same way, but the colours make a difference in your shots
Silver reflector
A silver reflector reflects a large amount
of light. It’s best to use these at some
distance if you’re working in the studio
otherwise the light can look too harsh.
If you want to make your own, silver foil
works a treat. However, they’re not
too expensive and most reflectors
come with several covers, such as
white, silver and gold, so getting one
is a good investment.
Silver reflector
Gold reflector
Gold is best avoided with studio
flashlights, which are usually balanced
to daylight, because the warm glow that
it radiates is likely to create mixed
lighting in your final images. This will
only mean more work in the digital
darkroom later on. If you’re working
outside, using a gold cover warms
skintones up beautifully.
Gold reflector
White reflector
A white reflector is ideal when working
in the studio because it creates a softer,
colour-neutral fill light. You don’t have
to use a specially-made reflector, a
large piece of white card can be just as
effective. Professional studios often use
huge sheets of white foamboard. While
they’re not that expensive, they take up
a lot of space.
White reflector

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Spare battery
Never leave home without back-up power!
Twin cells Size matters

Your camera’s battery contains Different SLRs use different
not one cell but two, each with batteries – an important factor
a nominal output of 3.7 volts, to consider when it comes to
and giving a combined output upgrading your SLR
of 7.4 volts
Heat vent
On-board computer Each individual cell has its own
Hidden inside your heat vent and terminals, and they
rechargeable battery pack are linked together in series to
is a circuit board that helps create a connecting circuit
regulate the output of the
battery and ensures correct Layers
charging. It also has safety The battery is made up of
features, such as a heat alternating layers of two chemicals,
sensor, built in between which the reaction
occurs. Each of these layers is
separated by a micro-perforated
Making contact plastic so that they don’t touch,
These areas make contact but through which the ions can
with the terminals inside the pass freely
camera’s battery
compartment and
Chemical composition
the battery charger. These
The anode chemical is normally
need to be kept clean, and
graphite, and the cathode material
should be kept away from
is most often lithium cobalt oxide.
metal objects to avoid a
An electrolyte material is also
short circuit
added to aid electrical flow
e take it for granted, powered from this one battery. Then used, and if they are left idle to
W but you simply can’t

take pictures with
digital cameras
without a battery. While some
old-fashioned film cameras can use
there’s the built-in flash, which drains a
significant amount of power from the
cells to fill the high-voltage capacitor
needed to provide the charge that
creates its spark of light. A flash-lit picture
self-discharge they may not recover,
so try to use your spare batteries in
rotation. One of the big advantages
of lithium-ion batteries is their lack
of ‘memory’ effects. You don’t need to
human mechanical power to cock takes almost twice the power of a charge your battery fully before using
the shutter, lift the mirror and wind flash-free image to create. it, or discharge it fully before charging
on the film, all digital cameras have We might think of rechargeable it. Complex monitoring circuitry in the
so many electronic components that batteries as a renewable energy charger and the battery ensures that
they become little more than a source with a low running cost, but the charging process is optimised and
paperweight when they run out of they don’t last forever. Typically, you typically takes a couple of hours. Don’t
electricity to run on. Powering the can expect your battery pack to last worry about overcharging; the
LCDs, processors and circuitry is one for around 500 charge cycles before it circuitry will detect when the battery
thing, but the cells also provide power for will need to be replaced, but this is full. Temperature plays a role too. In
a number of high-drain motors, because longevity can vary significantly in warm climates, a battery won’t give
your camera is still a very mechanical practice. Lithium-ion cells will lose you as much service as in a cold one.
machine. The shutter, mirror, image about five to ten per cent of the If you live in a hot country, it may pay
stabilisation and lens focusing are all charge a month even if they aren’t to ensure you keep your batteries cool.

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Memory cards
Your camera will use one or more of these card types to store images
Transfer speed UDMA Capacity Transfer speed

The faster the speed, the better The latest generation of Storage space is Some cards measure
the performance at continuous CompactFlash with the measured in gigabytes data transfer as
shooting, for stills or video. The fastest transfer speeds (Gb). Older memory an ‘x factor’ rather
maximum data transfer speed use the UDMA (ultra direct cards may be measured than
han
an in Mb/s. 133x is
is often measured in megabytes memory access) protocol in megabytes (Mb) MA s
equivalent
quivvalent
vallen
va len
lent
ntt to 2
20Mb/s
per second (Mb/s) U D M B/
0 6
Compact Flas
8GB
h®
16 GB
Class
SD cards also come
in different classes,
designed to give you
H SeSérieries 6 ® an idea of sustained
32
sh write speed (which
la
6 0 MB/s GB 133x is important when
ctF
recording video).
Speed a
UDM A mpA Class 2 card will
deliver a write speed ofCo
at least 2Mb/s; a Class 6
card (as in the diagram)
gives a performance
CompactFlash XQD SD
of at least 6Mb/s, and
The traditional SLR memory card once Billed as a newer, Now the most popular
a Class 10 card offers
came in two thicknesses – 3.3mm (Type faster replacement for memory card format.
speeds of over 10Mb/s
I) or 5mm (Type II). These days, all CF CompactFlash cards, these It comes in three types:
cards are the thinner Type 1 have had limited take up SD, SDHC and SDXC
our SLR enables you to to how many pixels you want your continuous shooting, you can shoot
Y record your images as two

different file types – raw
and JPEG. But if you switch
between the two using your
camera’s image quality menu you
picture to have. To choose the
select large. To get the smallest file

longer sequences without the buffer
maximum number your sensor allows, filling up if you switch to JPEG.
The reason for all these file size and
sizes and to fit the most shots on your quality adjustments is to enable you
memory card, you could choose the to make the most of your memory
will see a range of options. JPEG is the small size and basic quality settings, card space. But memory is a lot
world’s most popular digital image but in almost all situations, you should cheaper than it used to be, so while it’s
format. These files can be opened by record large images at fine quality or worth picking the most efficient size
many different computer programs, and choose the superior raw format. and quality settings for your needs,
the file size is scalable. Images can be The raw option stores the data in a it’s not worth compromising on
compressed so that the file size is smaller semi-processed state (like a digital quality to get more images on the card
– a property that is particularly useful with negative). It captures more tonal – instead, get a bigger card! Card
email. Compression comes at a price: the information than a JPEG, which makes capacity isn’t the only consideration,
more compressed a file is, the more the raw images invaluable for editing because today’s SLRs combine higher
image quality deteriorates. You usually purposes. Raw files are larger in size resolutions with higher continuous
get three levels of compression to choose than JPEGs, so they fill up your card shooting speeds, which means large
from – high quality, medium, and low. quicker, and take longer to process in amounts of data must be saved to the
Your camera also gives you a choice as the camera. For high-speed memory card quickly.

400MM CHAPTER 2
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35MM 63°
70MM 34°
400MM 6°
200MM 12°
50MM 47°
Quick
reference
Key photographic concepts explained
with easy-to-follow diagrams
20MM
WorldMags.net
15MM FISHEYE 180°
In this section
26 Exposure
29 Shooting modes
30 Aperture
34 Shutter speed
38 ISO sensitivity
20MM 94° 40 Metering
42 The histogram
44 The viewfinder
45 Angle of view
46 White balance
47 The colour wheel
48 Autofocus
50 Hyperfocal focusing
51 Digital processing
52 Studio photography

Quick reference
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Exposure
Master the art of exposure and get
pictures with punch by balancing
Aperture
aperture, shutter speed and ISO Think of the aperture as
how many turns the tap is
Shutter speed
U
turned on by – do you want a
nderstanding how This corresponds to the amount trickle of light or a torrent?
exposure works is of time the tap is left on for.
probably the most It works hand in hand with
aperture – you can have the tap
fundamental
on full for a short time or open
photographic skill you need to just a little bit for longer to get
master. Learn how to control your the same volume of water
camera’s aperture, shutter speed
and ISO and you’ll be able to take Intensity of light
control of how your images look. This is like the water pressure.
Whether you want to isolate the If the pressure is high, you don’t
need to turn the tap on so far,
subject of your photo from the
or for so long, to fill the glass
background with a shallow depth
of field, or capture the misty
effects of moving water as part of
a moody seascape, you’ll need to
understand the basics of exposure.
At first it might seem that there
are just too many options with
apertures, histograms, ISOs,
metering modes, f-stops and so on
ISO setting
to juggle. However, once you ISO is like the size of the glass. A small vessel
understand the basic principles (a high ISO) will fill more quickly than a big one
you’ll have all the tools you need to
take control and get creative. A matter of taste
Today’s digital SLRs come with Exposure isn’t all about science, it’s also
functions and features to help you about artistic interpretation. Exactly how
full do you prefer your cup of water to be?
get the best out of your exposures,
and they are all without doubt
useful, but concentrate on the
fundamental relationship between
aperture, shutter speed and ISO, element, you’ll need to shutter speed (how long the
and maybe even restrict yourself compromise with another. The camera’s sensor is exposed to the
to manual mode to begin with, trick is get all three elements light), aperture (how much light
and you’ll learn the essence of working together so you get the the lens lets in, which also affects
creative photography. results you want and not what the depth of field) and ISO (the
Creating a harmonious exposure camera tells you you can have. sensitivity level of the sensor).
using the aperture, shutter speed Because of that, it’s really worth Once you know how to do this,
and ISO is a juggling act. As soon putting in the groundwork and there’s nothing you can’t do.
as you make a decision about one getting to grips with the basics of Of course, getting a correct

Quick reference
WorldMags.net Understand how exposure works by following this

simple three-pointed guide
The relationship between shutter
100
speed, aperture and ISO is at the
heart of all photography. At one time,
shutter speed and aperture were the
LO W
RE )
only exposure variables you could
(LE
O SU
change from one shot to the next
SS
as the ISO was set by the type of
E XP
E XP
film you were using, but the RE
O SU
introduction of digital
MO
RE )
W(
cameras has made it

S LO
possible to change ISO

on the fly rather than
D
unloading film or
PEE
THE
switching bodies.
ISO
Photographers
RS
now have more
EXPOSURE
TTE
control over
exposure
U
than ever
SH
TRIANGLE
before
HIG
H(
RE )
MO
O SU
RE
E XP
E XP
SS
O SU
(LE
RE )
T
FAS
160
WIDE (MORE EXPOSURE) NARROW (LESS EXPOSURE)
0
APERTURE
exposure relies on the camera measured in stops: the exposure represent half-stops or third-stops,
having achieved the optimum indicator scale you see in the depending on how your camera is
exposure reading to begin with, but viewfinder or on your camera’s set up. Although exposure can be
this doesn’t always happen. This is rear display has stops clearly shifted in full stops, you get much
where exposure compensation marked on it. You can usually finer control by adjusting the
plays a part. increase or decrease the exposure exposure in these smaller
Exposure compensation can be by up to five stops. increments. You’ll learn how to
applied in aperture priority, shutter You’ll see that there are smaller judge the adjustments needed
priority or program mode. It’s also marks on the scale, too. These once you understand histograms.

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ONE EXPOSURE, THREE WAYS
There are three camera settings that enable you to control
the exposure of a picture: aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
exposure in terms of stops helps, as you can see in our
examples of ‘exposure maths’. The three exposures below
All three elements need to be balanced to produce an would produce three images that have the same level of
acceptable exposure. This is where thinking about overall brightness, but each will look slightly different.
Aperture Shutter ISO Aperture Shutter ISO Aperture Shutter ISO
f/2.8 1/30 3,200 f/2.8 1/30 3,200 f/2.8 1/30 3,200
f/4 1/60 1,600 f/4 1/60 1,600 f/4 1/60 1,600
f/5.6 1/125 800 f/5.6 1/125 800 f/5.6 1/125 800
f/8 1/250 400 f/8 1/250 400 f/8 1/250 400
f/11 1/500 200 f/11 1/500 200 f/11 1/500 200
f/16 1/1000 100 f/16 1/1000 100 f/16 1/1000 100
This setting offers a reasonable depth Increasing the aperture to f/4 means Alternatively, a slow shutter speed
of field with some risk of visual noise the shutter can be open for less time means a narrower aperture is possible
EXPOSURE COMPENSATION
Full stops of exposure compensation Camera’s suggested exposure Third stops of exposure compensation
-3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3
Negative exposure compensation Positive exposure compensation

Histogram moves to the left Histogram moves to the right
Darker picture Brighter picture
It’s not uncommon for your camera’s function enables you to rectify this aperture priority mode, the aperture
exposure meter to make mistakes. It’s – or simply make a picture a little that you set remains fixed, so it’s the
calibrated to produce a balanced brighter or darker if that suits the shutter speed that’s increased or
exposure, but bright or dark scenes subject or your tastes better. decreased. In shutter priority mode,
can fool it into dishing up images that The exposure setting that’s it’s the aperture value that’s altered to
are underexposed (too dark) or adjusted when you use exposure give a brighter or darker result. The
overexposed (too bright). Your compensation is determined by the ISO may also be adjusted if you’ve
camera’s exposure compensation shooting mode the camera is in. In set it to Auto ISO.

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Shooting modes
The shooting mode you choose affects the amount
of control you have over camera settings
Auto mode Sports mode Shutter Priority
If you’re a complete novice, The flash is switched off and Use this if you want to choose
this mode is ideal because the the camera uses faster shutter the shutter speed yourself.
camera takes care of all speeds to help freeze The camera will set the
the settings automatically fast-moving subjects aperture automatically
Auto Flash Close-up mode Program

Off mode This favours a narrow aperture AE mode
The same as Auto, but for to improve depth of field. Ideal for general use. The
museums, theatres or indoor Consider using a tripod when camera sets the shutter
sports venues there’s a risk of camera-shake speed and aperture
Portrait mode Night Portrait

The camera softens skin mode
tones and uses a wide The flash lights the subject,
aperture to throw the and a slower shutter speed
background out of focus captures the background
Landscape mode Manual mode

Designed for vivid landscape This is designed for experts.
shots taken in daylight. The You choose the shutter speed
built-in flash is switched off and aperture yourself, and the
and you might need a tripod camera suggests settings
Child mode Aperture GUIDE

In this mode, the camera Priority A special feature on some
makes backgrounds and Use this if you want to choose Nikon cameras that shows you
clothing colourful but the aperture yourself. The what to do as you’re taking
keeps any skin tones camera will set the shutter pictures. It’s a great way for
present soft and natural-looking speed automatically for the correct exposure beginners to learn about photography
S ome camera modes are

more useful than others
– it depends on how
much control you want
to have over settings. When you
choose a shutter speed (or aperture),
the aperture (or shutter speed) has to
mode you use dictates how the
particular pairings of shutter speed
and aperture are chosen, and the
exposure modes on a typical D-SLR
can be broken into three types.
The traditional ones are known as
the ‘PASM’ modes. Each enables
you full creative control. The
second group consists of the
Scene modes, such as Portrait,
Landscape and Sports. These are
fully automatic exposure modes
that set the shutter speed and
aperture for you. The third group of
change as well in order for the overall you to specify exactly what shutter modes are ‘point and shoot’ ones
exposure to be right. The exposure speed or aperture you use, giving designed for beginners.

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Aperture
Understand aperture and f-stops and
you’ll get sharper, more creative shots
The concept of aperture

can be tricky to grasp. The
physical side of it is incredibly
simple. Here’s what’s going
on inside your lens barrel,
where a motor keeps
aperture under control…
Iris blades
The aperture is created by a diaphragm
formed by intersecting blades.
These usually number between
five and nine on any one lens
Lens component
The aperture assembly is located
in the barrel of each lens you use,
between the lens elements
Motor
This opens and closes the aperture
when the shutter fires. It matches
the f-stop set by you or the camera,
and the focal length you’re using
N o matter what camera

or exposure mode you
use, there are just two
main ways to regulate
how much light reaches an image
sensor. One is shutter speed,
which we’ll examine on page 34.
distance when you’re using flash,
and maximum aperture is an
important factor in differentiating
lenses. Yet the concept of aperture
can be confusing. For example, it’s
described by irregular numbers such
as f/2.8 and f/5.6. And in topsy-turvy
aperture is an opening located
within each lens. Its size is
controlled by a diaphragm that
performs in a similar way to the iris
in your eye. Maximum aperture
varies between lenses.
It’s easy to understand that a
The other is aperture. Aperture has fashion, big figures relate to small small opening will admit less light
an important effect on depth of field, apertures and vice versa. than a big one. However, the idea
which we explore on page 33, but it So what is aperture anyway? can get confusing because of the
can impact on the sharpness of your Well, it’s not just a bit of jargon system used to describe the
images in other ways, too. It’s also – the word means a hole, or aperture’s size. There is logic to
directly related to the working opening. More specifically, the it, though!

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Making sense of f-stops
Your at-a-glance guide to aperture scales and what the numbers mean
Full stops 1/2 stops 1/3rd stops

f/2.8
f/2.8 2.8 2.8
Wide apertures
Wide apertures
3.2
3.3 The widest apertures have
Less depth of field
f-stops with the smallest

3.5 numbers. The maximum aperture
f/4 4 4
More light
available depends on the lens you’re

4.5 using. On many zoom lenses, for
ONE STOP
4.8 example, the maximum aperture

gets smaller as you zoom in
5
f/5.6 5.6 5.6
6.3 Medium
6.7 apertures
7.1 The middle apertures on your
f/8 8 8 lens tend to give you the best-quality
9 images. However, they might not give
More depth of field
you the amount of depth of field you

9.5
require. Think of it as a balancing act,
TWO STOPS
10 with some compromise required

Narrow apertures
Less light
f/11 11 11
13
Narrow
13
apertures
14 Most lenses have a minimum
f/16 16 16 aperture of f/22, although some stop
18 at f/16 while others go down to f/32. As
19 aperture gets narrower, depth of field
increases. Ultimately, though, the image
20
resolution deteriorates due to diffraction
f/22 22 22
The crucial point is that aperture However, the amount of light that includes seemingly irregular
numbers are fractions: f/2 means can pass through an aperture is numbers such as f/2.8 and f/5.6.
focal length (f) divided by 2. So on proportional to the opening’s area, In traditional photographic
a 50mm lens, for example, f/2 not its diameter. If you halve the terminology, halving or doubling
means the diameter of the diameter (from f/2 to f/4, for the amount of light is called a
aperture is 25mm. On a 200mm example) the area decreases by a ‘one-stop’ change. We often refer
lens at f/2, the aperture would be factor of four. It’s the in-between to it as 1EV, or exposure value, but
100mm wide. This helps explain setting of f/2.8 that gives half the it means the same thing. It comes
why bigger numbers refer to area and half the amount of light. in useful when working out
narrower apertures. This is why the aperture scale exposure compensation.

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Aperture range
What apertures are on offer, and what
happens when you move between them?
T he majority of lenses
use a standard scale of
f-stops to indicate the
size of the aperture,
although the range of settings
available varies depending on the
lens being used. For instance, a
(from f/11 to f/8, say), twice as much
light is let in. The reverse is also true:
close the aperture by one stop and
half as much light makes it to the
camera sensor.
There are two key reasons for
changing the aperture. First, it
fast-moving subject, then you may
need to use a wider aperture to let
in more light. If you’re shooting in
the daytime or you want to use a
slow shutter speed for a creative
blur effect, then you may need to
use a narrower aperture. The other
100mm macro lens typically offers an ensures the sensor receives the reason to change the aperture is to
aperture range of f/2.8 to f/32, while right amount of light. If you’re change the depth of field. Wide
a 28mm f/1.8 lens typically offers a shooting in the dark, for example, apertures create a shallow depth of
range of f/1.8 to f/22. Each time the or you want to be able to use a fast field, whereas narrow apertures
aperture is opened by one stop shutter speed to freeze a create a deep depth of field.
APERTURE RANGE
f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22
Wide aperture Medium aperture Narrow aperture

Wide apertures produce a narrow band of The apertures in the middle of the Narrow apertures provide a deep depth
sharpness. This might not be enough f-stop range offered by your lens will of field, enabling you to make more of a
to ensure all the parts of the scene generally offer the best blend of overall scene appear sharp even though the lens
you’re photographing appear crisp sharpness and good depth of field is only sharply focused at one point
Shallow DOF Medium DOF Deep DOF

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Depth of Diffraction
field Why narrow apertures can
lead to soft-looking shots
How the choice of aperture can
affect the look of a picture
D epth of field is an important consideration

when you take a photo. It’s a measure of
the extent to which the scene or subject
looks sharp, and extends both in front of
A s light waves pass through the aperture,
they are deflected by the hard edges of
the diaphragm blades and spread out.
This effect is called diffraction, and it
occurs at all aperture settings. However, at narrow
apertures the effect is more pronounced, and details
in the image become progressively softer despite the
and beyond the point you’ve focused on. There are a lens being focused accurately. There comes a point
number of factors that affect this, such as the distance at where the depth-of-field gain that comes from using a very
which the lens is focused and the combination of the focal narrow aperture is cancelled out by the lack of overall
length of the lens and the size of the sensor in the camera. sharpness. The precise aperture at which diffraction starts
However, the choice of aperture plays a significant role. to become a problem varies according the lens being
In the examples here, the focus distance remains the same used, but apertures beyond f/16 are generally best
– somewhere in the middle distance – and it’s the change avoided if sharpness is crucial. The sweet spot is often
of aperture that makes more or less of the image appear somewhere in the middle, between f/8 and f/11.
sharp. However, the closer you focus, the shallower the
depth of field becomes. In macro photography, even
narrow apertures may only produce a depth of field that’s
measured in millimetres. Conversely, the further you focus, Narrow aperture
the greater the depth of field. Focus far enough into a The diverging rays cause
landscape, and it will be sharp using mid-range apertures. a loss in sharpness
Normally, the image displayed in the viewfinder is at
the lens’s maximum aperture. This can make it Very narrow
impossible to judge the depth of field. aperture
Greater proportion of
Narrow aperture Wide aperture light rays bent by the
edge of the aperture
Blurred
Blurred Incoming light rays
Wide aperture
The straighter rays
preserve the sharpness
Blurred
Wide aperture
Blurred
More light rays pass through

the aperture unobstructed
Camera Camera
set at f/22 set at f/8

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Shutter speed
Choosing the right shutter speed is the key to
getting your shots sharp, but also to creating blur
Sensor
When you press the shutter release button, there are a number of mechanical
processes that have to happen before the light reaches the camera sensor
and a picture is recorded. First, the mirror, which reflects the image into
the viewfinder and allows you to focus and compose the shot, has to flip
out of the way, which is why the viewfinder goes dark. Next, the shutter
curtains, which prevent light from hitting the sensor, open and close…
Front shutter curtain

When the front curtain opens, the exposure
begins. It’s ended by the rear curtain moving
back into place, followed by the first curtain
Light passing
through the lens
Mirror Rear shutter curtain

The mirror moves out of the way The rear curtain opens first, before
at the start of the exposure the exposure begins, but the sensor
is still blocked by the first curtain
P hotographers work very

hard to get their subjects
perfectly sharp, and to
create just the right
degree of background blur in their
images, but it’s a mistake to
imagine that focusing and lens
different dimension – time. If you’re
photographing an object that’s still,
the shutter speed may not be a factor,
but most everyday subjects show
some kind of movement, and this is
where the shutter speed becomes
important. When you’re working out
enough. That’s why action
photographers ‘pan’ with the subject
to keep it centred in the frame. It’s the
subject’s speed across the frame that
causes the blur, not its speed in real
life, and following your subject in the
viewfinder is the secret to pin-sharp
aperture are the only controls that what shutter speed you need, many shots. When you take a panning shot,
count. In fact the shutter speed factors come into play, such as the it’s the background that comes out
plays an equally important part in speed your subject is travelling at, its blurred, and this is just one example
controlling sharpness. The lens distance, and the angle you’re of a situation where you can use
aperture can control the sharpness shooting from. For some subjects, relative movement for creative
with depth, but the shutter speed such as a speeding race car, there effects. Waterfalls and seascapes
does the same thing with an entirely may not be a shutter speed fast are other classic examples.

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HOW THE SHUTTER WORKS
Discover how shutter speed affects the
build up of the image on the sensor
Slower shutter speeds

When you’re shooting at shutter speeds slower than the
camera’s flash sync speed, the front curtain fully opens (B)
before the rear curtain closes to end the exposure (C)
Image falling
LIGHT ENTERING on sensor
SHUTTER
EC
T AT 1/20 S
MEN
TER MOVE
SHUT
Faster shutter speeds
At shutter speeds above the flash sync speed, the
rear curtain starts to fall before the front curtain
has finished opening. This means the sensor is
exposed in stages rather than all in one go
Image falling
LIGHT ENTERING on sensor
SHUTTER EC
1/2,000 S
NT AT
MOVEME
TER
SHUT
D igital SLRs use a pair

of ‘vertical-run focal
plane’ shutter curtains
or blinds, positioned
just in front of the sensor. These
open and close to expose the
sensor to light; the front blind
curtain has fully opened. This means
that the sensor is effectively exposed
through a moving slit, which can
prove a problem when shooting with
flash, because only part of the sensor
will be exposed when the flash fires.
This is why you need to consider
relationship between flash sync
speed and shutter speed.
Using two shutter curtains
ensures that exposures are
consistent. Even though the top
part of the sensor is exposed first
as the front curtain opens, it’s this
opens to start the exposure, the ‘flash sync speed’ when using area that’s covered first by the rear
before the rear curtain drops flash: this is the fastest shutter curtain. If you notice
down to end it. At slower shutter speed at which the entire area of inconsistencies in exposure across
speeds, both curtains will be open for the sensor can be exposed at the a picture, this may be a sign that
some of the exposure, but at faster same time (usually 1/200 sec or the shutter needs replacing. Over
shutter speeds, the rear curtain 1/250 sec). See pages 18-19 for time, wear and tear takes its toll on
begins closing before the front more information about the this rapidly moving element.

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PHOTOGRAPHING ACTION
Learn how to control your shutter speed, and
understand how it affects the other camera settings
Blurred subject Frozen in time Tracking the subject

Camera is stationary Camera is stationary Camera is panned
Shutter speed is 1/100 sec Shutter speed is 1/2,000 sec Shutter speed is 1/100 sec
Result Result Result:

Background is sharp Background is sharp Background is blurred
Moving subject is blurred Moving subject is sharp Moving subject is sharp
S hutter priority is a good

mode when you’re shooting
active subjects. It enables
you to ‘lock in’ a suitable
shutter speed and ensure you get
sharp results. If the light changes, the
camera will choose a different
aperture, and if you have Auto ISO
selected, a different ISO setting.
But what is a ‘suitable’ shutter speed?
Too slow, and the subject will be
blurred; too fast and you’ll rob the
image of any sense of speed. Often, a
better option is to choose a slower
shutter speed, then use a panning
technique. The trick here is to move
the camera and track the subject, so it
stays more or less in the same place
within the frame, and is rendered
sharply, while the fast-moving
background is captured as a blur.
CAMERA SHAKE
How shutter speed can help you avoid the effects of wobbly cameras
When you’re taking pictures without the support of – so if you’re using a 500mm lens, aim
a tripod, you need to consider the shutter speed, for a minimum of 1/500 sec.
not just in terms of freezing subject movement,
but also in terms of concealing the effects of If you’ve got a teleconverter attached to the
camera shake. It’s easy to neglect the shutter lens, take this into account when working out
speed when you’re shooting in aperture priority the equivalent focal length. Do the same with
mode, but it can make the difference between a a crop-sensor camera.
keeper and an image destined for the trash.
You can get sharp results at slower shutter
Use the reciprocal of the focal length as a guide speeds using image stabilisation. 1/500 sec 1/30 sec 1/8 sec

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HOW TO FREEZE A FAST-MOVING SUBJECT
It’s not just the speed of your subject that counts, it’s
where you stand and the angle you shoot from, too
Heading straight at you

If you shoot your subject head-on there’s
no movement across the frame at all,
only movement towards the camera, so a
shutter speed two to three times slower
is often possible. It becomes more of a
focusing problem than a shutter speed
issue – you need to get your camera’s
autofocus system set up correctly
Moving across the frame

This is where your subject’s speed across the
frame is highest. If you check our table below
you’ll see that a high shutter speed alone won’t
always be enough to get a sharp shot – you
will need to pan with your subject too
45-degree angle
Your subject might be travelling at exactly the same speed The key factor with
as it was when seen side-on, but its speed across the frame moving subjects is
will be halved. This means you can use a shutter speed half their speed across
the camera frame,
as fast to freeze its movement, and it will be easier to keep not their speed in
your subject centred in the frame. It’s now moving towards real life
the camera, though, so the autofocus will need to keep up
Sharpness depends on just how far the subject moves during the time of the exposure. For a typical action subject such as
a bike or car, you need the subject to have moved less than 2mm for a sharp shot, and less than 10mm for it to be any good
MPH Metres 1/8000 1/4000 1/2000 1/1000 1/500 1/250

per sec sec sec sec sec sec
second
5 2 0.3mm 0.6mm 1.1mm 2.2mm 4.5mm 8.9mm
10 4 0.6mm 1.1mm 2.2mm 4.5mm 8.9mm 17.9mm
25 11 1.4mm 2.8mm 5.6mm 11.2mm 22.4mm 44.7mm
50 22 2.8mm 5.6mm 11.2mm 22.4mm 44.7mm 89.4mm
100 45 5.6mm 11.2mm 22.4mm 44.7mm 89.4mm 178.8mm
150 67 8.4mm 16.8mm 33.5mm 67.1mm 134.1mm 266.2mm

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ISO sensitivity
You can use your
camera’s ISO setting
to shoot in poor light, Strong current
Strong light creates more signal from the
but what is ISO? sensor, so less amplification or ‘gain’ is needed
GAIN
LOTS OF LIGHT LITTLE
BIG SIGNAL
ISO
Weak signal Electrical boost

Less light means less electrical One solution to compensate for N
GAI
current from the sensor the weak signal is to amplify it
BIG
LITTLE LIGHT SMALL SIGNAL ISO
Other options
You don’t need to increase ISO with
a weak signal. You could simply
decrease the shutter speed
Gain = grain
The less the signal is amplified by the
gain circuitry, the cleaner the picture
will be, with less grain in the image
T he ISO scale is used to

measure the camera’s
sensitivity to light.
Although the sensor
cannot be changed to suit the
subject (unlike film), its sensitivity
can effectively be boosted by the
helping you to get sharp shots in a
variety of lighting conditions.
The base sensitivity of D-SLRs
varies according to the model –
some start at ISO100, some at
ISO200. Some cameras have an
ISO button; you press and hold this
Low grain camera’s circuitry. This is done while turning the main command
with the ISO control. The signal dial to change the ISO setting. On
from the sensor is simply others, you adjust the ISO using
amplified, and this helps you get menus on the rear LCD display.
the fast enough shutter speed you Doubling the ISO number doubles
want in low light. The ISO can be the sensitivity of the sensor. So
altered for each shot. This makes ISO increasing the ISO from 100 to 200
High grain a powerful tool for the photographer, means that, to get the same overall

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ISO VALUES WorldMags.net

Here’s the typical standard range
GET SHARPER
RESULTS
you’ll find on your digital SLR Boosting the ISO
can help you to
HIGH ISO
HIGH NOISE
25,600 Nocturnal freeze movement

photography
Use ISO 12,800 or higher when and add depth
12,800
3200 you want to ‘see in the dark’
during twilight or at night ISO 100, 1/125 sec at f/2.8
6,400
3200 Low-light
photography
3,200
3200 For low light pictures without
flash, use a setting between
ISO 3,200 and ISO 12,800
1,600
3200
ISO 1,600, 1/2,000 sec at f/2.8
Sports
800
3200 photography
Push the ISO up to 400-6,400
for action-stopping shutter
400
3200 speeds in decent light
LOW NOISE
Landscape
LOW ISO
200
3200 photography FAST ACTION
To capture detailed landscapes, In this example, 1/125 sec is too slow to
use a tripod and set the ISO freeze the subject. However, by increasing
100
to a low setting of 100–200 the sensitivity by four stops from ISO 100
(200 – 400 – 800 – 1,600), a shutter speed
four stops faster can be used. Note that
the overall exposure level remains the same.
exposure, you can use a shutter Boosting the picture signal also ISO 100, 1/20 sec at f/4
speed half as long. Each doubling amplifies random variations in the
of the ISO also increases the signal, known as ‘noise’. This shows
sensitivity by a full exposure ‘stop’, up as grain and colour mottling in
or EV value, with the typical the image, and gets more
full-stop ISO scale going through noticeable the higher the ISO
100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and so setting. D-SLRs have noise
on. The top ISO setting varies reduction options, but the
ISO 1,600, 1/20 sec at f/16
Designed by Freepik.com
depending on the age and cost of side-effect of these is some
your D-SLR. softening of the detail.
However, the top ISO settings, Some photographers resist
and sometimes the lowest, on increasing the ISO to get the most
many cameras are displayed as ‘Hi’ grain-free images, but pumping up
or ‘Lo’ values. This is because they the ISO often actually increases
don’t conform strictly to the ISO the image quality overall, as it lets
standard but still offer an effective you use a faster shutter speed, LANDSCAPES
ISO increase. It’s best to avoid thereby eliminating any camera Here, 1/20 sec gives a sharp handheld
using high ISOs where possible, shake. A grainy picture is always photo, but the wide aperture gives a shallow
depth of field. Increasing the ISO by four
because each time you increase better than a blurry one! A higher stops enables an aperture four stops smaller
the ISO setting, you get a small ISO can also enable you to use a to be used at the same shutter speed,
decrease in image quality. narrower lens aperture. providing a more extensive depth of field.

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Metering
What are the matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering modes?
Light source
For the meter to work,
there needs to be at least
some incidental light
Reflected light reading

The camera suggests an exposure based
on the light reading and the ISO setting
Reflected light
The camera measures how much
light is being reflected into the lens
T he camera meter
measures a subject’s
brightness so that the
camera can determine
how long the sensor needs to be
exposed to record a picture. The
problem is that the metering
shutter speed and ISO – manually.
Camera meters are calibrated to
what’s called ‘18% grey’. The theory
is that a mid-tone grey, halfway
between black and white, reflects
18% of the light falling on it. Point
your camera at a grey card or a
will reflect much more light, while a
black cat in a coal cellar reflects
much less. This is why photos of
these subjects can look too dark or
too bright: the metering system is
trying to bring the overall exposure
closer to mid-tone grey. The
system doesn’t always work rough mid-tone equivalent, such exposure for the swan will be
flawlessly, and you may end up as a field of grass or a pavement, decreased, so it comes out looking
with pictures that are either too and the camera will produce a dull and grey, while the exposure
dark or too bright. For more refined well-exposed result. Obviously, not for the black cat will be increased,
results, you can correct these errors everything you photograph falls so it comes out looking grey.
using exposure compensation, or dial neatly into this mid-tone range. For Digital cameras typically have
in the exposure settings – aperture, instance, a swan in a snowy field three metering modes. The default

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WHEN METERING GOES WRONG
Dark or light subjects can easily fox the system
The tonality of the subject being metered makes a big of light reflected by a mid-tone subject – so anything that
difference to the exposure reading. The camera meter is reflects significantly less or more light than this can cause
calibrated to target 18% reflectance – roughly the amount problems with the metering system.
Dark subject
A dark subject in a dark scene The camera sees a mid-tone The camera incorrectly
reflects relatively little light subject receiving too little light increases the exposure
Light subject
A light subject in a bright scene The camera sees it as a mid-tone The camera incorrectly
reflects much more light subject receiving too much light reduces the exposure
Midtones
A neutral grey subject reflects This matches what the camera As a result, the camera makes no
about 18% of the light meter is calibrated for adjustment to the exposure
‘pattern’ metering mode takes a isn’t a magic bullet: low light, Finally, there’s spot-metering.
range of readings across the entire bright or dark subjects or ones This mode measures the
picture, then calculates the that are very small in the frame can brightness in a very small part of
optimum exposure according to still throw the metering out. the frame. This is a great option
the brightness of the scene or Your camera also comes with a when you want to lock the
subject. Canon calls this mode centre-weighted metering mode. exposure on a small subject, or to
Evaluative, while Nikon plumps for As the name suggests, this meters take a number of readings from
Matrix – but they effectively do the the whole scene, but gives priority across a scene and then calculate
same thing. This metering mode to the centre of the frame. the optimum exposure yourself.

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The histogram
Discover how to interpret the chart on your SLR’s
LCD preview to get better exposures
HIGHLIGHTS
MIDTONES
SHADOWS
NUMBER OF PIXELS
TONAL RANGE
BRIGHTNESS OF PIXELS
Histogram Dark to light

The shape and position of this black-and-white graph The graph plots the brightness of each pixel in the picture, from
provides instant information about the exposure darkest on the left to brightest on the right. Vertical lines partition
of the shot, and of the contrast of the scene the graph into four segments, designed to make it easier to read
H istograms look like

rather daunting
technical graphs at
first glance, but they
are the most useful tool you have
to help you capture the exposure
you want, every time. And they are
the range of tones in your image,
from black on the far left to white
on the far right with a mid-tone
(18%) grey in the middle. As soon
as you fire the shutter, a preview of
your picture flashes up on the
camera’s LCD. You can instantly see if
suitability of your exposure settings.
So why should you bother looking
at the histogram?
First and foremost, displaying the
histogram isn’t a replacement for
looking at the image itself when you
evaluate a picture on your camera.
actually not nearly as daunting as the shot is too bright or too dark, so it Obviously, you need to assess the
they appear. The histogram is seems unnecessary to have a second, picture’s composition, colour and
essentially a graph that illustrates more scientific, way of judging the tonal balance. But the qualitative

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HOW TO MEASURE
DYNAMIC RANGE
SHUTTER
SPEED
1 sec
Use your measurements and this 1/1.3 sec
table to work out the best exposure
1/1.6 sec
1/2 sec
Measure the
brightest area 1/2.5 sec
Switch to manual shooting mode and 1/3 sec
select spot metering mode. Position
the AF point over the brightest area. 1/4 sec
1/5 sec
Measure the darkest area 1/6 sec
Adjust the shutter speed to centre the
exposure bar, and make a note of the shutter 1/8 sec
speed. Do the same for the darkest area.
1/10 sec
1/13 sec
Check them on the chart 1/15 sec

If the two readings are no more than 4EV 1/20 sec
apart (check the table on the right), choose
a shutter speed right in the middle. 1/25 sec 1 2 3
1/30 sec
1/40 sec
Less than four stops difference means you can afford 1/50 sec
1 to bias the exposure towards one or the other
1/60 sec
Exactly four stops difference – you need to set a shutter 1/80 sec
2 speed exactly in the middle of the two you measured
1/100 sec
More than four stops difference – shoot a series of
3 exposures and combine them into one in software
1/125 sec
1/160 sec
nature of the preview image means the next image you take. More 1/200 sec
it can be hard to see if an area of the importantly, it also tells you about the
shot is slightly too dark or slightly too contrast in the scene. This enables
1/250 sec
bright. The histogram gives you this you to avoid, or take special care with, 1/320 sec
additional, and invaluable, subjects that have a greater dynamic
information in a way that’s easy to range than your sensor can cope
1/400 sec
interpret at a glance. with. It also ensures that you get the 1/500 sec
Once you learn to read them, a best-quality results from your sensor
histogram clearly shows the exposure when shooting low-contrast subjects.
1/640 sec
of a shot, and whether you need to To get the right exposure in tricky 1/800 sec
use exposure compensation to scenes, you need to know the
darken or lighten the exposure in brightness range you’re dealing with.
1/1000 sec

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The viewfinder
Your SLR’s viewfinder provides lots of information about
the photo you’re about to take. Here’s how to read it…
The image Focus

Through the finder points
you can see the Your camera’s
scene reflected by focusing system is
the mirror in front made up of a grid
of the sensor of focus points. The
point or points of
the image that are
in focus light up
Symbols Number of
The symbols on shots
the left-hand side The number next to
of the screen vary the focus indicator
depending on what light indicates the
feature or button total number of
is engaged. For shots the camera
example, if you pop can fire in a
the flash, a lightning sequence. This will
symbol will appear vary depending on
here. Note that how you have your
some models of camera set up
SLR switch the
position of this
symbol with the
position of the focus
Exposure settings
confirmation light
In the middle of the screen, starting on the left is the shutter Focus confirmation
speed setting followed by the aperture. We then have the exposure A green circular LED will light up when
compensation scale in the middle. When the needle is right in the the autofocus has locked on to a subject.
centre of the scale, the camera considers the image to be well- It will blink if the AF cannot lock onto
exposed. To the right of this, the ISO sensitivity setting is displayed the subject, or if you are too close
Y our SLR’s optical

viewfinder enables you
to see through the lens
you’re going to use to
take your photo. The light coming
through the lens is reflected up
into the viewfinder using a mirror,
which means that it may not
exactly match the appearance of
your final shot. On many SLRs the
viewfinder doesn’t quite show you
the whole of the frame, because
there’s an area around the edges of
the image that isn’t visible in the
than holding the camera to see
the Live View screen.
The viewfinder gives you much
more information than simply
showing you what the camera is
pointing at. On top of the image
there’s a display to indicate the
which you can see when you take viewfinder. But because of the area that the camera is going to
the lens off your camera. design and shape of an SLR, using focus on, and there’s also a display
Normally, the image that you see in the viewfinder with the camera along the bottom of the screen
the viewfinder is shown with the held up to your eye is often a more that gives you loads of information
lens at its maximum aperture, stable way of holding the camera about the settings on the camera.

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Angle of view
When framing, it’s not just the focal length that matters. Here’s
how to choose the optimum lens to get it all in, or to get up close
400MM 20MM
15MM FISHEYE 180°
35MM 63°
70MM 34°
400MM 6°
200MM 12°
50MM 47°
Focal lengths
and angles of
20MM 94° view visualised
A ngle of view is the

maximum view a
camera is capable of
‘seeing’ through a
lens, expressed in degrees. The
choice of focal length is obviously
key here, with longer lenses
on a full-frame camera. When it
comes to zoom lenses, the angle of
view changes according to the focal
length the lens is zoomed at.
However, the size of the imaging
sensor inside the camera also affects
the angle of view.
(as we’ve done above). Focal
length and sensor size affect the
maximum angle of view possible,
and the angles of view illustrated
here are for lenses attached to a
full-frame camera. For cameras
with smaller sensors, you need to
having a narrower angle of view The angle of view can be take the sensor’s crop factor into
than shorter lenses. For instance, measured horizontally, vertically account, so for an APS-C sized
a 200mm lens has an angle of view of and diagonally, but lens sensor (called DX on Nikon
12 degrees, while a 20mm lens offers manufacturers often list just the cameras), you need to multiply
a wider angle of view of 94 degrees diagonal, corner-to-corner angle the focal length by 1.5.

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White balance
Learn how to remove colour casts from your
pictures, or add them for creative effect
T he white balance
control enables you to
adjust the ‘colour
temperature’ of
images. Light sources vary in
colour temperature, which is
measured in kelvins (K). At one
Flame
Colour temperature
Light sources
Sunrise/sunset
(kelvins) Presets
The Auto White Balance setting
continuously adjusts the
camera’s colour temperature
over a range between
approximately 3,000K and
end of the kelvin scale is the 7,000K. The white balance
warm glow from a candle and at presets offer a shortcut to
Light bulb specific settings in the same
the other is the cool blue light restricted range.
seen in shadows on a sunny day.
By adjusting the white balance, Electronic flash
you can fine tune this colour Tungsten: 3,200K
temperature. It’s called white

balance because it enables you to Midday sun White fluorescent: 4,000K
ensure any whites in the image are

rendered as ‘pure’ white. For instance, Daylight: 5,200K
without a calibrated white balance Overcast sky
setting, a sheet of white paper would Flash: 5,900K
appear orange when photographed Shade on a

under candlelight. White balance clear day Cloudy: 6,000K
should really be called ‘light balance’,

because the small icons you see Clear blue sky Shady: 7,000K
when you scroll through your

camera’s white balance options all
represent different lighting
conditions. It’s the job of the camera’s This AWB setting does a orange when shooting in your front
white balance system to compensate surprisingly good job of getting the room at night, or when
for the colour differences in the colour of your shots right in most photographing a floodlit building
lighting – so that the colours in the lighting situations. However, as (as the colour temperature of
scene look exactly as we would with all your camera’s automatic these light sources is lower). It will
expect them. settings, it’s not foolproof. Most similarly struggle just before dawn
Your D-SLR has a wide range of importantly, it can only operate or on a foggy day, when the light is
options for controlling the white within a confined range of colour blue-toned and requires a colour
balance to suit the colour temperatures. Colour temperature temperature higher than 7,000 K if
temperature of the light in the is measured on the Kelvin (K) you want to avoid blue-rinsed
scene. However, your camera is scale, and the AWB system can imagery. Your D-SLR, therefore,
supplied set to Automatic White only adjust from around 3,000 to has a number of manual white
Balance (AWB) – which will 7,000 K. It will struggle to get a balance options that allow you to
cleverly look after all this for you. picture that doesn’t look all-over take full control.

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The colour wheel
Give your photos instant oomph by focusing on different
colours and colour combinations in your compositions
Use warm shades with care

Cheerful yellows and oranges are classed as ‘warm’ colours.
These have a big impact, and are best used in small doses.
Tread with caution when using red – it has strong
positive and negative connotations, signifying
passion and love but also danger and sin.
Blues evoke feelings of tranquillity
Primary colours
For a really strong effect try mixing
primary colours (red, yellow and blue)
to make a bright, bold statement
Restful hues
Matching together shades of ‘cool’
colours like blue and green creates an
instantly calming effect. Or for instant
contrast, mix a warm colour such as
orange or red with a cool green or blue
Cultural Colours
Colour connotations vary around the world. In the
western world, for example, the colour of mourning is
black, but it’s yellow in Egypt, and purple in Thailand
M ost of us use colour

in our photography
without really
thinking about it.
As soon as you stop and really
consider which shades you use in
your shots and how you match
artists and designers, these rainbow
circles show how different colours
interact with each other. Primary
colours (red, yellow and blue) are
spaced evenly around the circle, with
secondary colours (made by mixing
primary colours together) falling in
complementary to each other. It’s
also worth keeping in mind when
matching colours that different
shades evoke strong psychological
reactions in the viewer, and even
small flashes of one colour can really
change the mood and message of a
colours together, though, you’ll between. As a rule of thumb, colours photograph. Used correctly, colour is
see a drastic change in your that sit next to each other on the one of the easiest ways to create
photos. The most useful tool for colour wheel work harmoniously really dynamic, eye-catching shots.
experimenting with colours is the together, and colours that are directly It’s worth keeping a small colour
colour wheel. Used for centuries by opposite each other are wheel in your camera bag.

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Autofocus
Everything you need to know about your camera’s
autofocus system, from how it works to how to use it
Subject Lens AF sensor
FRONT CORRECT BACK

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS
The phase detection autofocus sensor can detect how far out
of focus a subject is, and whether the lens needs to focus nearer
or further – it knows the correct adjustment before it focuses
F ocusing is one of those

tasks that sounds like it
ought to be easy, but
often it’s not. In the old
days, you simply turned the focus
ring until the image looked sharp,
or turned a ring on the lens to line
and for that we need the precision
and speed of a modern multi-point
autofocus system.
All these autofocus options can
look daunting, but there’s a simple
way to look at them. First of all, you
need to choose when your camera
know them all inside out. Once
you’ve got the hang of what they
do and why, you’ll probably find
you just use one mode for almost
all your shots.
Your focusing options range
from the clever and complicated
up the index marker with a picture focuses – just once, when you Dynamic area AF modes to the
of some mountains, a group or a half-press the shutter button, or all perfectly straightforward
single person. But today’s digital the time for as long as you keep single-point mode – choosing an
SLRs offer much higher levels of the button pressed. autofocus mode is really only as
resolution, and the old techniques of Second, you need to choose complicated as you want to make
guesswork and estimates aren’t good where in the frame it’s focusing. it. See the diagrams on the right
enough any more. We want our Your camera offers you an array of for detailed descriptions of the
photographs to be razor-sharp, choices, but you don’t need to modes available to you.

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WorldMags.net FOCUS MODES

What happens when you
Auto Area AF Single-point AF half-press the shutter button?
Best for snapshots (51 points)
In Auto Area AF mode, you’re Best for precision AF-S: SINGLE-SHOT MODE
leaving it to the camera to decide In single-point AF mode, you pick This is the best mode for everyday photography.
what to focus on. It will check all the focus point yourself. This
its focus points and choose either
You half-press the shutter button (2) to activate
gives the most control, provided
the object nearest to the camera you’ve got time to select the
the autofocus, the camera focuses once and then
or, on later cameras, any faces the correct point (or you could use holds this focus until you press the button the
camera detects in the scene. This the ‘focus lock’ method). Single- rest of the way to take the picture or until you
mode is a good fallback for novices, point AF is ideal for relatively release your finger.
but the camera will sometimes static shots where you’ve got a
focus on the wrong thing. little more time to get set up.
AF-C: CONTINUOUS AF MODE
This is the best mode for sports and action
photography. As soon as you half-press the
shutter button (2) the autofocus is activated,
but it stays active all the time until you release
the button or take the picture.
Single-point AF Dynamic area AF AF-A: AUTO MODE

(11 points) (nine points) AF-A mode will automatically switch between
Best for everyday Best for action single-shot or continuous modes, depending on
If you have a camera with a large Dynamic area AF mode is designed whether the camera detects subject movement.
number of AF points, you have a to make the autofocus system It’s a reasonable fall-back for novice users, but it
sophisticated autofocus system at more responsive and more reliable can be unpredictable and it’s usually better to
your disposal, but it can take too for moving subjects. You still
long to select between them. On select the focus point manually,
choose the mode yourself according to what
cameras with 39-point or 51-point but the surrounding AF points act you’re shooting – this is the best way to make
AF systems, you can restrict the as backups to keep the subject sure the camera is going to react predictably.
number of AF points to 11 for quick in focus if it moves briefly away
manual focus point selection. from your chosen AF point.
AF-ON BUTTON:
‘BACK-BUTTON FOCUSING’
Pro D-SLRs have an ‘AF-On’ button on the back.
This takes over the AF from the shutter release –
it’s a technique that sounds odd but makes sense
when you try it. You can use it for single-shot AF,
but it’s more often used for moving subjects in
continuous AF mode.
Dynamic area AF Dynamic area AF
(21 points) (51 points)
Best for erratic action Best for tracking 1 2 3
You can include more AF points You can use all the camera’s focus
in Dynamic area AF mode. Nine points in Dynamic area AF mode.
points offers greatest accuracy Some models offer 3D tracking,
if you can follow your subject in which uses information from
the viewfinder, but for subjects multiple AF points to predict your
that move more erratically, the subject’s movement. This suits FOCUS SHOOT
21-point option may be more shots where you want to keep the Press halfway Press all the way
effective. Try out the options to see camera framing the same while
which best suits your subjects. shooting a moving subject.

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Hyperfocal focusing
Discover how to calculate the best distance
to focus at in your landscape photos
FOCUS POINT 2.8FT
A Focusing on the foreground

FOCUS POINT
B Focusing at infinity
FOCUS POINT 5.8FT
C Focusing at the hyperfocal distance
H yperfocal focusing is
an old-school
technique that helps
you maximise
sharpness in a photo. A camera
lens can only focus to a single
distance at any one time, but
focal length and the aperture you set.
The distance to which the lens is
focused makes a big difference,
which is where hyperfocal focusing
can help. The hyperfocal distance is
the point at which everything from
half of this distance through to infinity
distance back and decreasing the
depth of field. Typically, the depth of
field doesn’t stretch as far towards
the camera from the focal point as it
does towards the background. Only
about one third falls in front. This
means that if you focus on an object
there’s an area that extends from falls within the depth of field, and so close to the camera, you’ll essentially
that point, both towards the looks acceptably sharp. Shorter focal waste one third of the depth of field.
camera and towards the horizon, lengths and narrower apertures bring To fix this, you could focus further
where things still look sharp. This the hyperfocal distance closer to the away, to sharpen more of the
area is known as the depth of camera, increasing the depth of field background but still ensure the
field. The depth of field isn’t a fixed as a result. Longer focal lengths and foreground object falls within the
distance: several factors can make it wider apertures have the opposite depth of field. This is the theory
wider or narrower, including the lens’s effect, pushing the hyperfocal behind hyperfocal focusing.

Quick reference
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Digital processing
Your digital SLR might look like a film camera, but
inside is the equivalent of a digital processing lab
Y our digital camera does

a lot more work to turn
what you see in the
viewfinder into a
finished image than you probably
give it credit for. Understanding a
little of what goes on deep inside
The sensor is made up of millions
of light-sensitive units, often
referred to as pixels, but more
accurately called photo sites.
These can measure as little as
0.004mm across (around 1/16th
of the width of a single human
miniature coloured filter, either
red, green or blue. A pixel with a
green filter will only see colours
that have some green light in
them. But as practically all colours
can be made by mixing red, green
and blue light together, this still
your camera’s circuitry will help hair). Each one creates its own provides valuable information.
you understand some of the many electrical signal in proportion to The clever bit is how the pixels
options that you have to play with. the brightness of the part of the work together to assign colours.
Perhaps the most important thing image that it covers.
to appreciate is that your image is But these individual photo sites
only converted into digital form can’t see colour – only luminance. Image
storage
well after it has left the sensor. The To produce a full-colour
sensor itself is an analogue image, each photo
Buffer
component, creating an old- site has a
fashioned electrical signal that can Digital image processing
be tweaked by electronic circuitry
Analogue/digital converter
to increase the ISO, for instance,
amplifying the signal in much Analogue electronics
the same way as you crank
up the volume on
Image sensor
your radio.
Mosaic filter
Lens The A/D D-SLRs use image

Light reflected off the converter processing systems
subject is captured and turns the to help crunch the
focused by the lens analogue electrical huge amount of
signal into digital data, digital data created
using the same binary for every image
language as computers you shoot
Subject
R G R
The colour filter array G B
G R G R
G B G
The photo sites on the sensor only measure the R G B
R G G
brightness of the light, not its colour. So that R G
G B R
colour information is gathered, each photo site G B
R G G B
has a red, green or blue filter. These are arranged R G G
R G
in a mosaic known as a Bayer pattern, after the boffin R
that came up with it. He found that by using twice as many green
filters as blue or red, you got a sharper image. A demosaicing process turns
this raw data into the full-colour grid of pixels in the recorded images.

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Studio photography
Discover how to set up a simple home studio
and get professional-looking results
Backdrop
Most backdrops come in the form of a roll of
paper. They’re available in a variety of sizes
and colours. You’ll need support stands and a
pole to keep the backdrop in place. If you don’t
have one, try a large sheet or piece of fabric.
Black velvet is a great choice, it has light-
absorbing qualities and gives a nice rich black
Hair light
The hair light is positioned behind the model
with a snoot attached. The snoot concentrates
the light, and here we’ve got it pointing at
the hair. Not only does this light the hair, it
creates a separation from the background
Main light
Use this with a diffuser, like a softbox. A softbox
softens the light so the shadows are less harsh,
and gives window-shaped catchlights in the eyes.
The angle, height and distance of the main light are
vital to getting the look you want. The power of the
flash is controlled using buttons on the flash head
Model
If you don’t have a friend or family member you
want to photograph, you can often find willing
models via networking websites such as www.
modelmayhem.com and www.purpleport. Reflector
com. New models are keen to build their A reflector is used to bounce light Camera
portfolios and increase their experience, so back from the main light into the You’ll need to connect your camera to the studio
you can usually come to mutually agreeable shaded side of the subject’s face. lights. This can be done through a sync cable (if
arrangements – for a small fee or trading their This ensures the shadow is still there your SLR has a PC socket) or with wireless triggers.
time in exchange for use of your photos. to define the shape of the face. You’re best off switching to manual shooting mode.
T here’s a lot of
complicated sounding
equipment that comes
with studio
photography, but don’t get too
bogged down with this. Our basic
studio set-up above shows you
the essential items that you’ll
actually need. And all of it can be
packed away into a small bag.
When you’re working with two
lights, a reflector is still
surprisingly useful because it will
effectively act as a third light. It can
be used to bounce one of the
existing lights back at the subject.
If you’re working outside with
natural light, a reflector is
extremely handy. Reflectors come
in many shapes and sizes, and
different colours and surfaces will

Quick reference
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Studio flash heads are much more powerful than
Speedlights or other on-camera flashguns. They’re
powered either directly from the mains or by portable,
FLASH MODIFIERS
rechargeable battery packs for location work
These change
and control the
quality of the light
Lighting stands
You’ll need stands for your flash units – they are Softbox
included in most kits. You can adjust the angle of the A softbox produces
flash with a locking knob near the top, and to change a large, soft and
the direction, you just pick up the stand and turn it uniform area of light
that works well for
portraits and still lifes
Honeycomb
Flash head 2 This focuses the beam
Most kits come with from the flash more
two flash heads: the tightly, and helps
first provides the main prevent light ‘spillage’
illumination and the into other areas
second is used to
provide fill-in light, Snoot
background lighting or Softbox A snoots produces
other more sophisticated This is one of the a very tightly
lighting effects more common light focused beam of
‘modifiers’ you can light that illuminates
use with studio flash a small area for
units – you can see dramatic effect
Umbrella more examples in the
This is another lighting ‘modifier’, and you Flash Modifiers box, White
right. This is what
should check to see what you get with
makes studio flash so
umbrella
any lighting kit you’re considering. Some You fire the flash
come with two umbrellas, others like this powerful and versatile
through the umbrella
might come with a brolly and a softbox for a soft light source,
although there is
some spillage
Height adjustment Silvered

Precise positioning is at the heart of Umbrella
any studio lighting setup, and studio You fire the flash into
lighting stands are designed to make the brolly to bounce
height adjustments quick and simple it back towards your
using tripod-style locking clamps. subject for a broad
but crisp light
have different effects on a subject. you’ll be able to create several control of lighting so you can go
Just like the studio lights, the studio set ups, from a classic into a studio shoot with
height, angle and distance at which Rembrandt to a more confidence. See page 20-21 for
a reflector is positioned will all have contemporary clamshell more information on how
an impact on the end result. arrangement. These easy-to- reflectors work, and on the effects
Using nothing more than a simple arrange strobe combinations will on the model of the different
two-head home studio lighting kit enable you to take complete colours available.

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LIGHT POSITIONS
Choose where you want the shadows to fall
High Eye level Low

In most cases you’ll want to have your With the flashlight to the side and at There are unlikely to be too many
main light positioned above the the same height as the model, the situations when a low light is going to
model. Notice how the shadow from light falls across the face, causing a work well as your primary light source.
the nose falls down the face, shadow that widens the features. If It gives a spooky look, so Halloween is
elongating the features. Ideally, you this light is balanced with one of equal probably the only time you’re even
want the shadow of the nose to point strength on the other side, it can be going to think about using this
towards the end of the lips. The quite effective, but as a sculpting technique. As you can see from our
triangle of light on the cheek on the technique, height would be better. example, it’s not very flattering even
shadow side is often referred to as Keep your flashlight’s modelling lights on a young model. With underlighting,
‘Rembrandt’ lighting; get your model switched on so you can see how the the nose shadow is clumpy and bags
to move her head to achieve this. shadows will lie. under the eyes will be amplified.

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CAMERA HEIGHT
It’s not just your subject that needs to know where to stand
High Eye level Lying down

Positioning your camera slightly With the right lighting, eye level should Generally, the lower you go with your
higher than the subject’s eyes can be fine in most situations. Be aware camera angle, the less flattering the
often produce a more flattering image. that your camera height will affect photo. It certainly won’t make large
It generally creates a slimming effect. how the portrait looks. Your camera’s folk look any slimmer. It does,
Notice how the neck recedes and the LCD screen will be vital in helping you however, create a striking effect and
jaw looks more defined. But don’t go assess this. If you’re shorter than your your subject will seem important.
over the top – go too high and your subject, consider using a box or a step Corporate shots of business leaders
subject will look like they’re in some ladder to reach the right height, but be are often shot from a low angle to
strange yoga position. extremely careful! create precisely this illusion.

CHAPTER 3
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Creative
projects
Over 40 inspirational images and the quick
techniques you can use to recreate them
WorldMags.net In this section
58
59
Dramatic landscape
Long exposure
60 Abstract landscape
61 Light trails in the city
62 Spring flowers
63 Fruit splash!
64 Environmental portrait
65 Natural child portrait
66 Extreme macro still life
67 Speeding car
68 Solarised still life
69 Polarised still life
70 High-key flowers
71 Frozen leaf
72 Colour burst!
73 Water drops
74 Street candid
75 Abstract cityscape
76 Family portrait grid
77 Abstract architecture
78 Forest at dawn
79 Woodland montage
80 Wild deer
81 Worm’s eye view
82 Garden birds
83 Interior architecture
84 Extreme close-up
85 Colour grid
86 Point of view
87 Milky seascape
88 Mono landscape
89 Dewdrop macro
90 Landscape silhouette
91 Film-noir portrait
92 Abstract art
93 Monochrome plant art
94 Firework display
95 Star trails
96 Classic moon shot
97 Torch spirograph
98 Toy train
99 Focus stacked macro
100 Flash portrait
101 Surf action
Creative projects
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KEY SETTINGS
F 22 2
1/ 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s.$&),4%2
Dramatic landscape
The weather is the driving force behind the mood and atmosphere
of your landscapes, so here’s how to make the most of it
he weather, lighting and action can make it almost impossible to help to keep you dry enough to wait for
T subject are key to getting

atmospheric shots, but nature
sometimes needs a bit of help
to achieve the most eye-catching
results. Using filters such as ND grads
keep shooting, so you’ll often find it easier
to shoot just before, or just after, the worst
of the stormy conditions. Even if you avoid
shooting at the height of a storm, you’re
likely to have rain and wind to contend
the worst of the weather to pass.
The fast-moving clouds that often
accompany a storm are perfect for using
slow shutter speeds to add some motion
blur to the sky. Clouds appear to move at
can help you get more dramatic with when capturing more dramatic different speeds depending on their
results, but there are also plenty of weather conditions. Make sure that both distance from the camera. Faster moving
adjustments to make the most of the you and your camera kit are well foreground clouds should blur more than
mood in your images. Dark and protected from the elements. those on the horizon. Even when the
angry-looking clouds, along with shafts of A rain cover will help to keep your clouds are moving quickly, you’ll need to
sunlight and amazing colours, will help to camera dry, but you’ll also need to make use a shutter speed of at least 15
produce dramatic landscapes. But sure that your camera bag is waterproof seconds. If you’re shooting during the
capturing this drama can be a challenge. to keep the rest of your gear safe. A good day, use a strong or variable neutral
The rain and wind at the height of the waterproof coat and over-trousers will density filter.

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Long exposure
By restricting the flow of light into your camera, neutral density
(ND) filters enable you to use longer shutter speeds
o shoot with the kind of
T shutter speeds you need to

blur clouds, a tripod is
essential. If, like us, you
opt to use a 10-stop ND filter, get
your focusing and composition
sorted before you attach it, then
switch to manual focus. Take a test
shot without any filters attached to
work out an initial exposure. Use
manual mode, ISO100 and a narrow
aperture like f/22, then adjust the
shutter speed while keeping an eye
on the exposure scale on the rear
screen until your images are correctly
exposed. We eventually settled on a
shutter speed of 1/40 sec. Once your
composition and focusing are
spot-on, attach your ND filter to your
lens. If you’re using the filter in
combination with a polariser, be
careful not to adjust the polariser’s
rotation when you screw on the ND
filter. With a 10-stop filter you might
find you’ll need a shutter speed
longer than your camera’s maximum
setting of 30 seconds, so lower the
shutter speed until it shows as Bulb
mode. Attach a cable release to your
camera too. This way, you can lock KEY SETTINGS
the shutter open for as long as you
like and time the exposure manually.
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s F 22 2 mins 100
With Bulb mode set you can keep 42)0/$s2%-/4%2%,%!3%s.$&),4%2
the shutter open as long as you
like. Every stop blocked by the filter
enables you to double the shutter
speed, so increasing our 1/10 sec
In strong winds you might only need a shutter speed of
exposure by 10 stops gave an a second or two to capture good cloud blur, and that
exposure of 100 seconds. We can usually be achieved with a three- or four-stop ND
finally settled on 127 seconds.

Creative projects
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KEY SETTINGS
F 22 3 secs 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s.$&),4%2
Abstract landscape
Master the camera-dragging technique to creatively blur
a landscape scene and create an abstract work of art
he camera-dragging Set your camera to aperture- A landscape location
T technique involves simply

panning or dragging your
camera across a scene –
usually a landscape – while
capturing a shot. By moving the
priority mode, and set the aperture
to f/22. Set the ISO to 100, and set
your lens to autofocus. In the
middle of the day you may find you
can’t use a slow enough shutter
that offers lots of colours
arranged in layers, such
as a field or a beach, is
camera with the shutter open you’ll speed without over-exposing your best for this technique.
create an abstract painterly effect. shots. If so, try dragging your
The shutter speed and the speed of camera faster, or use a neutral
Consider the time of year,
your pan will affect the outcome, so density filter to stop down the light. and think about what will
the technique involves a fair amount For the best results keep the
trial and error, but it’s also a lot of fun! shutter speed between 1/6 sec
be on offer – golden
Choose a landscape that will offer and three seconds. Alternatively, cornfields and green
lots of colour variation that you can you can hold your camera for a grass make good results
capture as layers. more wavy and organic look.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 10 3 secs 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%
Light trails in the city

Create stunning urban night scenes with a twist by
combining a long-exposure with a zoom burst
ou can capture wonderful stationary lights into colourful streaks, best if you face oncoming traffic, so
Y urban images when the sun

has gone down and the city
streets are illuminated by a
colourful array of lights from
buildings, cars and street lamps.
and which you create by rotating the
barrel of your lens while the shutter is
open. You’ll need to find a good location,
so head for a busy area that has lots of
street lights and moving vehicles (avoid
that the headlights are in the
foreground of the frame.
Set your SLR to manual shooting
mode, and start with the aperture
setting at f/10. Keep the ISO low, at
Night-time cityscapes lend traffic jams). Try to get set up just after 100, and set the shutter speed to 3.2
themselves to all kinds of photographic sunset, when the light is starting to secs. These are good ‘ballpark’
effects, and for this image we shot change. There’s about a 15-minute settings, and you’ll need to tweak them
two images using different window when the sky has a bluish tint as required. As our shoot progressed,
techniques, then combined them in that will add colour, and looks great! we narrowed the aperture to f/13, and
Photoshop. The first image is a long Set up your tripod next to a road, dropped the shutter speed to 2.5 secs.
exposure of the scene, which captures making sure that you’re safely out of Experiment with the timing, but you’ll
light trails from moving cars. The second the way of oncoming traffic and need to leave the shutter open for at
is a zoom-burst effect that will turn bicycles. The light-trail effect works least two seconds to capture the trails.

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Spring flowers
Take wonderful shots of the delicate, sculptural spring
flowers that pop up in your local parks and gardens
ou don’t need an expensive
Y macro lens to get great

shots of wild flowers in all
their colourful glory,
especially if you don’t mind
getting a bit muddy! If you’re lucky
enough to have a well-looked-after
garden then you won’t have to
venture far to find a flower to practise
on. Otherwise, stately homes, parks
and public gardens will be bursting
with colour in spring. You don’t need
any special kit for this project, but
using a tripod will help make sure that
your camera and backdrop is
perfectly still, and will also mean that
you really concentrate on your
composition. Just like children,
flowers look best when you
photograph them on their level. Get
parallel to your subject – you’ll
probably have to lie down to line up a
good shot, so take a waterproof coat
to avoid getting muddy.
You don’t actually need a macro
lens if you can get in close to your
chosen flower. However, you will
need to zoom in as close to your
subject as your lens allows so that
you can get a good composition KEY SETTINGS
without too much background.
A wide aperture, such as f/5.6, will
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s-!#2/ F 5.6 500
1/ 400
give you a shallow depth of field ,%.3s42)0/$
and knock your background nicely
out of focus. Switch your mode dial
to aperture-priority mode and
adjust the aperture. Your camera
Sunrise will add a soft warm light to your images, and
will take care of the shutter speed there will be less wind first thing, which will keep the
itself, freeing you from having to flowers still enough to capture sharp images
fiddle too much with settings.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 18 250
1/ 400
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s&,!3('5.
Fruit splash!
Capturing the exact moment a falling object splashes into liquid
can produce amazing photos – all you need is a little patience…
o get an image like this you flash off-camera. You also need to make pop-up flash. First set the flashgun to
T need to freeze the motion

of the falling strawberry at
the split second it breaks
the surface of the milk for a
spectacular close-up splash. It’s not
sure the flash duration is short, in order to
freeze the motion without blur.
Mount your camera on a tripod and
compose the shot, using a long focal
length so you can keep the camera
act as a slave – this means it’ll fire
when another flash triggers it. Next
open the pop-up flash, go to the
Built-in Flash options in the Flash
Control menu, and dial in a low manual
an exact science. You might nail the away from the spray of milk. Pre-focus flash power setting of 1/128. The
shot on your first try or your on the spot where you intend the pop-up flash will trigger the main
hundredth, but that’s all part of the strawberry to hit by placing a small, flashgun, and act as a fill flash. Fire
fun! As well as the strawberries and milk, heavy object in the milk, then focus on some test shots to determine the
you’ll need a tripod and a flashgun. it and switch the lens to manual focus exposure. Keep the ambient light as
Frontal flash destroys depth, and depth is to lock it. Use a flashgun to light the low as possible by turning off lights
exactly what you need in order to capture scene, positioned to the left and and closing curtains, so the flash alone
the contours of the splashing milk, so angled down from above. You can captures the action. When you’re
light the splash from the side by firing the trigger the unit using your SLR’s ready, drop the fruit and fire away!

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KEY SETTINGS
F 8 200
1/ 400
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s&,!3('5.
Environmental portrait
Environmental portraits are photos of people in their everyday
surroundings that ‘tell the story’ of your subject at work or at play
he aim of an environmental is the setup we chose for the portrait, with the camera, and used the camera’s
T portrait is to include things

that tell us something about
the person, and the
background becomes their ‘back
story’, so you need to show details
the glowing furnace in the background.
When going into an unknown
environment like this, it makes sense to
start out by observing for a while, looking
for interesting angles and details. Set your
pop-up flash to trigger it.
You need a good line of sight, so make
sure the sensor on the front of the
flashgun is angled back towards you.
The key with using off-camera flash is
and objects that help to explain who SLR to aperture-priority mode, and that rather than changing the
they are and what they do. For this increase the ISO until your shutter speed exposure to suit the power of the flash,
image we photographed a talented is up to 1/200 sec or faster. Look for good we change the flash power to suit the
glassblower as he produced one of his spots of light, such as next to a window or preferred exposure. So first set the
beautiful and delicate creations. We door, and if the light isn’t right, add some camera to manual, and fire a couple of
began the shoot by taking some candid of your own. After shooting a few candids, test shots without the flash to work out
shots while observing the glassblowing settle on a composition and set up an an exposure for the background. Then
process. Most of the work of shaping the off-camera flash. For this image we pop up the flash, and work out a power
glass was done on the bench, so this positioned a flashgun off to the right of that exposes the subject correctly.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 2.8 125
1/ 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3
Natural child portrait

Photographing kids is challenging but rewarding. Learn how
to capture the magic of children at play the natural way
apturing the magic of an and the children won’t get so frustrated action. Use a fast shutter speed (such
C exploding smile, the emotion

of a child in thought or the
expressiveness of a
mischievous grin far outweighs the
risks of tears and tantrums. Forget
with adults pointing cameras in their
faces or shouting at them to “say cheese”.
There’s an art to successfully
capturing a real winner. You need to
make sure you’ve got the right location
as 1/125 sec or faster). If you have to
increase your ISO to 400 or 800, do so.
A wide aperture such as f/2.8 helps
you to achieve a fast shutter speed and
creates a shallow depth of field, which
about formal settings and posed shots. for photography as well as for play, and will throw the background out of focus.
Those aren’t the ideal situations for taking that your camera and equipment is Switch your camera’s shooting mode
shots of children that also express their ready to go because the children won’t to Continuous. Keep the button
personalities. For a natural look, create a wait for you to tweak your settings and pressed to fire several shots in
relaxed and casual environment in which setup. Natural light is the best, so try succession and you’ll be more likely to
children can simply play and be to create a shooting environment capture a winner. It’s usually a good
themselves, and while they’re playing, outside using available light. The idea to use exposure compensation.
capture some candid images. This is a settings you’ll need are similar to About half a stop overexposed retains
great way to capture natural expressions, those you’d use for shooting sports or light and detail in the shadows.

Creative projects
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KEY SETTINGS
F 8 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s/,$,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s2%6%23).'2).'
Extreme macro still life

To get close-up images of tiny subjects, you’d normally reach for a
macro lens. But what if you want to get closer? Try reversing rings…
eversing rings enable you and then attach this combination To make it easier to
R to attach a lens to your

camera the wrong way
around, allowing you to
focus at much closer distances.
They cost around £10 ($15). There’s
onto your camera. Set the camera’s
exposure and focus to manual. If your
camera has the facility, turn on the
mirror lock-up mode to minimise
motion blur. With the camera set up,
position the lighting, use
small lights. We used two
small LEDs on moveable
no mechanical or electronic contact fix it to a tripod and move it into place, arms – you’d normally
between the lens and the camera, so close to a table. Position the subject.
you lose autofocus, exposure When you’re shooting tiny things,
attach these to a laptop.
metering (on most cameras) and any you’ll need to juggle the subject, To get the multi-coloured
opportunity for the camera to control tripod and camera a little in order to
the lens aperture, so you need to use get the composition just right, so take
effect, we covered one
an old lens that has a mechanical your time. Depth of field will be tiny at light with a blue gel and
aperture ring. Screw the reversing such high magnifications so use an the other with a red gel
ring into the filter thread of the lens, aperture of f/8.

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KEY SETTINGS
3 secs 100
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Speeding car
Giving vehicle shots a sense of action doesn’t always mean driving at
speed. Take action-packed car images without getting out of first gear
ith a little ingenuity and the camera to move, creating the wrong Once you are happy with the set-up,
W some simple techniques

you can create the illusion
of speed with the car
travelling at walking pace. This
technique, known as a ‘bolt-on’, involves
sort of blur. Some objects fairly close to
the car will create the right sort of blur
and give a sense of speed.
Use a dedicated mount such as the
Delkin Fat Gecko to mount the camera
get the driver to move the car slowly
and smoothly while you fire the
camera using a remote. You can trigger
the camera from a distance, but try to
stay close to the car to keep a watch
attaching the camera to the car and then around 30cm from the car. You’ll need to on the camera and mount for any
using a long shutter speed to blur the use a shutter speed of between one and movement or loss of suction.
background so that it looks like the car is three seconds to get plenty of blur, so Once you’ve got some straight shots,
travelling at speed. The first task is to find before attaching it to the car, hold the try different effects. You could set the
a safe location to take your shots. camera roughly in position and check the camera at an angle to get a more
You’ll need a location where there exposure. If it’s too bright you’ll need to dynamic composition. Also, if you have
aren’t any other vehicles, such as a attach an ND filter to the lens to reduce space around the car you can shoot
dead-end road. You’ll also need a smooth the exposure. Once the camera is when the car is turning to give a curved
surface, because any bumps will cause attached, check that it’s totally secure. shape to the blurred background.

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KEY SETTINGS
100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s0(/4/3(/0
Solarised still life

Getting an inanimate scene to look interesting can be difficult.
Make stylish images by mimicking colour solarisation
olarisation was one of the grab the highlights point at the top When it comes to still
S first special effects in

photography, being
recognised as early as the
1840s – but now it’s easy to do. It
adds interest by giving the tones
right of the Curve and drag this
right down to the baseline so the
Curve forms an arch rather than
the usual diagonal line. Flatten and
duplicate the layer using Cmd/
lifes, lighting is key. Even,
flat lighting will pick out
all your subjects’ tone and
an almost negative and metallic Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E, then invert it texture, but it can create a
look. The process is simple: take using Cmd/Ctrl+I to create a
your shot, then adjust the Curves in negative. At this point it might look
dull image. Solarisation
Photoshop to flip the tones. a little flat, so to improve the tones was one of the first
Open your image in Photoshop go to Image>Adjustments>
and create a new Curves Shadows and Highlights and boost
photographic special
adjustment layer. Create a point at the shadows to lighten the tones. effects, and it can give
the centre of the line and move this Finally, tweak the Levels to boost your photos real oomph!
up to the top of the curve, then the colour and tone further.

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KEY SETTINGS
1250
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s0/,!2)3%2
Polarised still life

Polarising filters do more than just darken blue skies.
You can also use them to cut through reflections…
olarising filters are often focusing on the reflection in the Polarising filters come in
P used to enhance blue

skies, but this is only one of
their uses. The light
reflected from smooth and glossy
surfaces is ‘polarised’ too, and you
glass rather than the object behind
it. Your best chance of avoiding this
is to make sure you set the focus
when the polarising effect is
strongest, not while you can see
different types, and it’s
important to get the right
one. You can get older,
can use a filter to cut through glare on the glass. Turn the simpler ‘linear’ polarisers,
these reflections to show what’s polarising filter while watching the
beneath. This is really useful if you image in the viewfinder. You’ll see
but they’re not suitable
need to shoot objects that are the reflections in the glass grow for digital SLRs because
displayed behind glass. Set the fainter and disappear altogether.
camera to single-point AF mode, and Tiny adjustments make all the
they interfere with the AF
use the multi-selector to choose the difference, and it’s worth taking a systems, so make sure
best focus point within the scene. few moments to check you’ve you get a circular one
Make sure the camera isn’t found the optimum shooting angle.

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High-key flowers
Let your highlights blow out to pure white with
this refreshing and unusual take on floral photography
apturing the perfect
C exposure with detail in

highlights and shadows is
an aspiration that many
photographers become obsessed
with. While there are many
instances when it’s an admirable
goal, sometimes you just have to
let them go and revel in the
sumptuous rich, black shadows or
beautifully blown highlights.
One look at this image on the SLR’s
rear display revealed a mass of
flashing red clipped highlights.
However, once the raw file had
been processed, the light, airy
tones and mass of clipped
highlights took on a beauty of their
own. Combined with a shallow
depth of field, the result was a light
and ethereal image in which the
delphiniums appear to be almost
dancing in the light. It’s not a
difficult technique to master, either
– with this image it was just a
matter of overexposing the shot.
Set up a small vase of flowers
against a window. Any flowers and
plants will work, but look for
something with petals that have a KEY SETTINGS
lovely translucent quality, which
will help to create the light and airy
feeling in the shot. Switch your SLR KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s F 2.8 20
1/ 100
42)0/$s2%-/4%
to manual mode and use a wide
aperture such as f/2.8 to create a
shallow depth of field. You’ll need
to blow the highlights, so choose a
When processing your flowers, don’t be afraid to take
slowish shutter speed; we used liberties. For this image we increased the contrast on
1/20 sec. Don’t panic when your the stamens of the flower so they became darker
highlight alert goes bonkers!

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Frozen leaf
Capture striking, wintry still lives through ice,
and you won’t even need to get your feet wet!
he vivid colours of autumn
T leaves are obvious

photographic subjects.
While the oranges, reds
and yellows make for ideal
landscape shots, the leaves that
provide such amazing colour can
easily be brought home for a more
detailed photographic study.
For this project we shot a leaf in a
block of frozen ice. Before you can
take your photograph, you need to
prepare your block of ice with a leaf
embedded inside. Take a glass tray
with no logo on the base, and
stretch cling film across it – this
will make it easier to remove the
ice block from the tray prior to
shooting. Fill it with boiled and
cooled water to a depth of 3-4mm,
then freeze it. Boiled water
contains less oxygen, so you’ll get
fewer bubbles in your shot. When
the water is solid, add your leaf and
more cooled water, and freeze the
whole lot again.
Once your ice has frozen, place
the tray upside down in a basin and
run some cold water over the base
until the ice block drops out. KEY SETTINGS
Now you’re ready to shoot. Put a
macro lens if you have one on your
camera, and use manual focus so KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s-!#2/,%.3s F 8 25
1/ 100
42)0/$
you can focus on the leaf, not on
the surface of the ice. If you want
extra light to bring out details in
the leaf, position a flash to the side
Backlighting your leaf gives it a bright, translucent
of the block of ice. You can also try quality. If you don’t have a lightbox for this, simply
backlighting the ice on a lightbox place your ice block against a window
to bring out the detail.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 8 2 secs 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s,)'(43
Colour burst!
Turning your lens’s zoom ring while taking a long exposure
of fairy lights can create a striking abstract zoom burst
or this project, all you need Take a shot while smoothly Time the rotation of the
F is a set of fairy lights or

cheap coloured light sticks.
The technique is just as
simple, but the results can be
amazing! Arrange your fairy lights or
rotating the lens to the widest focal
length. Check the results for
exposure. Switching on highlight
warnings is a good way to check for
any burnout. When you’re ready to
zoom ring to last through
the full exposure for the
best results, and try to
light sticks on a surface. Set your take your proper shots, set the rotate evenly. Hold the
camera to manual, with an aperture self-timer for two seconds and
of f/8 and a shutter speed between start to rotate the zoom ring just
zoom for a split second
½ and 1 sec. Make sure your camera before the shutter releases, after exposure starts for a
is firmly attached to a tripod and face continuing the movement
it down towards the lights. Use AF to throughout the exposure.
different effect. Decrease
focus on the lights, then switch the AF Adding a weight to the bottom of the aperture if you need
mode to manual and zoom the lens to the tripod will help to keep things to use a longer exposure
the narrowest angle of view. stable as you zoom.

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Water drops
Discover the skills and techniques you need to freeze time
and make stunning images of water drops in motion
iquid can be a wonderful
L subject to shoot. With a

little trial and error, you can
create stunning results in
no time. The basic idea here is to
suspend a container of liquid and
let drops fall through a small hole.
The art is in capturing the splash
as the drop hits the liquid below.
It’s the ‘up-splash’ that’s most
interesting, especially if it collides
with a second drop. It’s relatively
easy to set this up with a home-made
container that drips regularly. But we
got our hands on the SplashArt Kit
(£179 from www.phototrigger.co.uk),
a helpful accessory that regulates the
size and frequency of drops, and
triggers the camera’s shutter. We
used water mixed with Xanthan gum
to make a more viscous solution. Milk
is also a good liquid to start with. For
translucent liquids, you need to light
the background.
The real art is in getting your
timing just right; this can be
frustrating and rewarding in equal
measure. Use one or two
speedlight-type flashguns set to
their lowest power (usually 1/128). KEY SETTINGS
This will effectively give you the
fastest possible flash exposure. For
a transparent liquid like water, you KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s F 14 250
1/ 200
42)0/$s2%-/4%s&,!3('5.
should light the background; for an
opaque liquid such as milk, light
the subject. Switch to manual
focus and use a marker to
Timing is vital, whether you’re using a trigger or a home-
pre-focus on a point where the made rig. The trick is studying the timing of the drop, so
drop falls. Use a narrow aperture you can better predict when to fire the shutter
for maximum depth of field.

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Street candid
It may sound unintuitive, but often a candid snap can be best
achieved when your eye isn’t up against the viewfinder…
he standard tropes of
T framing mean classically

captured images can seem
too traditional – even
clichéd – when it comes to street
photography. Taking a shot from a
slightly unusual position, such as
when your camera’s at chest height
or down by your hip, has the dual
benefits of a creative angle and
catching a subject unawares.
Not looking when you’re taking a
picture doesn’t mean simply firing
the camera and hoping for the best.
Shooting from the hip is all about
capturing candids without people
noticing. The technique involves
being discreet, which is why a
wide-angle lens is necessary – an
image can be shot with fairly loose
framing and still capture the subject.
A wide-angle prime in the 24mm-
35mm range is best, to avoid any
distortion – and ideally with a focus
range display. This is so you can use
manual focus rather than autofocus,
because the latter can take a second
or so to react. Hang your camera on
its neck strap so it balances on your
chest. Hold the grip as if you’re KEY SETTINGS
looking for a subject to capture, but
haven’t found it yet. Point the camera F 8 100
up slightly, and use your peripheral KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s7)$% !.',%,%.3
vision to catch a subject walking past.
In aperture-priority mode, set an
aperture of around f/8 or f/11 to
ensure that subjects closer or further
Walking around town while shooting incognito takes
than four metres will still be tolerably practice, and can be derailed by taking too many shots
sharp. The camera will then set the at once. Bursts of one or two seconds are best
shutter speed for you.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 11 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s0(/4/3(/0
Abstract cityscape
An overcast sky over a city makes for a boring, ordinary photograph.
Here’s how to turn a dull cityscape into an intriguing urban scene
ou can make striking urban effectively. Getting up high enables you them in Bridge and go to Tools>
Y abstracts by taking multiple

photos, changing the angle of
view slightly for each one,
then bringing them together in
Photoshop. This method will produce an
to look down on buildings. Make use of
angular structures; something with lots
of straight lines such as a tower block or
car park might not seem like an exciting
subject, but will be perfectly suited for
Photoshop>Load File into Photoshop
Layers to place all your images into one
work space. Select your images in the
Layers panel by clicking the top frame,
holding down Shift, and then clicking the
angular, patterned image, with repeated this project. frame second from the bottom. Next,
straight lines, reminiscent of the early Take a sequence of shots while moving adjust the Fill and Opacity sliders at the
Cubist style. When picking what to the camera. Capture the images close top of the Layers panel. The more you do
photograph, avoid overly complex areas. together and try to keep your motion this, the more drastic the edit. As the
Straight lines work best, so look for plain even. Moving diagonally is best because it layers pile up, details can blend together
buildings. Trees will be difficult, because shows the variation in angles both and look too bright. Create a Curves layer
they usually look blurred when merged. horizontally and vertically, and it’s better on the top by selecting the Curves icon
Grid-style architecture, such as blocks of to move the camera rather than step to above the Layers tab. Pull the line into an
apartments and offices, will replicate the side. Download your images, select S-shape to increase the contrast.

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Family portrait grid
Shoot a selection of expressive, action-packed portraits
to produce a colourful and candid photo montage
hoto grids are a fantastic
P way of displaying
a collection of portraits.
You can download both
grid templates and software
for creating grids from the
internet, but it’s easy to create
your own in Photoshop. Shoot your
headshots against a plain
background so that they’re easy to
cut out. Ask your subjects to wear
brightly coloured tops – you can then
choose backdrop colours to contrast
with these. Talk to your subjects and
make some jokes to put them at ease,
so that you can capture more
natural-looking shots. Set your
camera to aperture-priority mode,
and set the aperture to f/5.6 to
ensure your subjects’ heads and
shoulders are in focus. Keep an eye
on your shutter speed. Anything
slower than 1/60 sec may result in
blurred images. Get your subjects to
strike a range of poses and
expressions, looking in different
directions, so you have plenty of
options for your grid.
Open the images in Photoshop
and use the Quick Selection tool to
select the background. Go to
Layer>New Fill Layer>Solid Color
and click OK. Choose a colour from
the Color Picker, then drag the Fill
layer below the cut-out layer.
Repeat for all 12 portraits, create KEY SETTINGS
a new document, and place the
portraits in a grid pattern.
Reposition and resize each shot as KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s F 5.6 60
1/ 100
0(/4/3(/0
required once they’re in place.

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Abstract architecture
Discover the visual potential of modern buildings by looking
at modern architecture from a different angle
here’s no ‘magic bullet’ for
T abstract architectural
photography. Some extra
lenses will help, and you
need a location with inspiring
architecture, but most of all you
need to be able to see lines,
shapes and perspectives in a
particular way. These shapes and
lines are the real subject, not the
buildings themselves. You can make
a great picture out of something as
mundane as a row of windows in a
concrete office block. With abstract
photography, it’s not the subject itself
that makes the picture, but the way
you shoot it.
How do you train your eye to see
interesting shots in details? This is
where changing lenses will help.
Use telephotos to shoot distant
subjects, and they change the
relationship between near and far
objects. They alter perspectives,
and they can make ordinary
objects look very different.
You should also break the rules.
Classical architectural
photography rejects ‘converging
verticals’, but in abstract
photography you can turn these
into a feature. You can use
telephotos to make distant objects
bigger, separating details in
buildings from their surroundings
so that any sense of scale or KEY SETTINGS
context is lost. Finally, the simplest
compositions can be the most 11
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3 F 100
successful. A shot of a single detail 4%,%0(/4/,%.3s42)0/$
can work really well.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 16 1/4 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s0(/4/3(/0
Forest at dawn
Make an atmospheric forest shot by heading into the woods
to capture the first light streaming through the canopy
ou’ll need to find a bit of forest tones, from highlights to shadows, avoid touching the camera, because
Y where the canopy isn’t too

dense for a shot like this, so
the sunlight can get through,
and that has attractive ground cover.
You’ll want a mostly clear sky, although
in a single exposure, so shoot three
bracketed exposures, then combine
them in Photoshop.
Find some woodland where the
trees are closely spaced, but the
this can create vibrations that will
cause blurred images. It’s useful
to have a remote shutter release to
fire the shutter, but if you don’t have
one you can use the self-timer mode
if there’s a bit of early morning mist, canopy isn’t too dense – tall pine on your camera.
this will add some atmosphere to the trees are ideal, because the tall, thin Set your camera to aperture-
scene. You need to check the sunrise trunks allow plenty of sunlight to get priority mode, and set the aperture to
time, and you need to know where the through. You’ll need a tripod because f/16. In addition to ensuring front-to-
sun is going to rise, so you can work on you’ll be shooting relatively long back sharpness, the narrow aperture
your composition beforehand. exposures, and because you’ll want also creates a starburst effect in the
Woodland scenes like this inevitably your images to align perfectly when rays of sunlight, caused by light
have very high contrast, and it’s virtually you combine them. When you’re diffraction around the aperture blades
impossible to capture the full range of shooting long exposures you need to in the lens. Keep the ISO at 100.

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Woodland montage
Fed up with the same old way of shooting landscapes?
Why not look at new ways of spicing up your scenics?
ore often than not when
M you go for a walk, you

find your eyes darting all
over the place. Perhaps
it’s a fleeting shimmer of light that
catches your eye here, a gnarled
old piece of bark that catches it
there, or maybe just the beautiful
hues of wild garlic carpeting a
woodland floor. Whatever it may be,
the chances are that you’ll be soaking
up all these little details
subconsciously, and that they’ll form
your overall ‘sense of place’.
Naturally, as photographers we
want to capture this. Usually, we
try to do it in one shot, skilfully
choosing the perfect location at
the ideal time when the light is at
its most sublime. There’s no
denying there’s an art to doing this,
but it’s not the only way to
approach the challenge.
Why not look at new ways to
explore the landscape with a
camera? You could deconstruct it
and make a beautiful composite of
multiple glimpses of a wood.
A 20-minute stroll is all you need.
Keep your kit and settings simple, KEY SETTINGS
and don’t get bogged down with
tripods, filters or complicated 100
techniques. Shoot anything that KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s0(/4/3(/0
catches your eye in aperture-
priority mode. Look for details high
up in the canopy and low down on
the ground, so you’ve got a range
For this montage, the images are arranged from a high-
of viewpoints. When you get home, to-low viewpoint in a 3x4 grid, but you can mix them up if
use Photoshop to combine the they look better that way, or you could use a smaller grid
images in a grid.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 8 500
1/ AUTO
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s4%,%0(/4/,%.3s42)0/$
Wild deer
Capturing wildlife is a test of patience and dedication, and
a chance to observe beautiful creatures behaving naturally
here’s always an element also one of the best times of the day Your position and camera
T of luck involved in wildlife

photography, because you
can never be sure that the
animals will play ball, but with
perseverance you can make your
for light, especially if you’re lucky
enough to get the magic combination
of morning sunlight and low mist.
Wild deer get spooked easily, so
stay downwind, wear dark clothes
angle are often dictated
by the deer, but work the
angles if you can. If the
own luck. Wildlife photographers will and keep quiet. Alternatively, head to deer are lying down, you
visit the same location time and time a deer sanctuary or park where the
again, waiting for the right moment animals are used to people. Here you
might be able to move
when animal, light and composition can usually get in closer or use around them and create
all come together to create the dedicated viewing areas. Ideally, you’ll
perfect shot. It pays to be up and in need a focal length of at least
interesting shapes with
position very early, because deer 400mm, and as a rule of thumb, your foreground and
activity is usually most intense just shutter speed should be at least one background detail
after dawn. Of course, this is often over the focal length of your lens.

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Worm’s eye view
Get a unique view of the world by seeing it from a worm’s-eye
perspective using a wide-angle lens to widen the scope
etting down as low as
G possible when you shoot

gives a slightly surreal
‘worm’s-eye view’ of the
world. It’s a quick and easy way
liven up your shots of flowers,
buildings and even people.
You’ll need to lie down for this
technique. It’s pretty difficult to
frame up a shot with the eye-level
viewfinder when you’re flat on the
ground, so switch to Live View (if
you have it), so that you can use
the main LCD to compose the shot
accurately. If your camera has one,
use the flip-out screen to make it
easier. Fit a wide-angle lens, such
as a 12-24mm. When it’s used
close up, a wide-angle lens will
distort perspective for an even
more dramatic look. Switch to
aperture-priority mode so that you
can concentrate on getting a wide
aperture while your camera
adjusts everything else for you
automatically.
Clumps of flowers are perfect for
attempting a worm’s-eye effect.
Look for lower ground to position
yourself on, because lying a little KEY SETTINGS
below the flowers will make
composition easier. Make sure you 100
get your camera right under your KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s7)$% !.',%,%.3
subject and shoot at an upwards
angle. Another method for
shooting a worm’s-eye view photo
is by setting the self timer and
If you’re struggling to get a shot like this to work
placing your camera lens-up on because your camera doesn’t have a flip-out LCD,
the ground. This technique works try lying on your back and shooting upwards
really well with tree canopies.

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Garden birds
Capture our feathered friends at a distance
with a long lens attached to a spotting scope
ormal 400mm or 500mm
N telephoto lenses aren’t

powerful enough to get
close enough to many wild
animals. However, digiscoping,
where you attach your SLR to a
spotting scope, can give an
equivalent magnification to an
800mm lens or more. To do this
you’ll need an adaptor, which are
made by many of the main scope
manufacturers. Most adaptors have
a ‘universal’ attachment that are
available in a range of camera fittings.
Spotting scopes don’t offer the
automatic functions such as focus
or a variable aperture that you’d
have with a telephoto lens, and the
effective aperture of most is
between f/8 and f/16, so you’ll
need plenty of light to use them
effectively. And you’ll need to use
high ISO settings to get shutter
speeds fast enough to prevent blur.
With no electronic connections,
the range of exposure modes and
metering using any adaptor is
limited. On most cameras you can
use manual or aperture-priority
modes, and centre-weighted KEY SETTINGS
metering. In changing light
conditions, aperture-priority mode 1000
1/
AUTO
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s4%,%0(/4/,%.3s
is best. You can’t adjust the 30/44).'3#/0%s42)0/$
aperture when using a spotting
scope, but the automatic ISO
setting allows your camera to
adjust the exposure without relying
You’ll have to use manual focus, and this can be difficult
on the shutter speed. Limit the ISO to judge due to the limited depth of field and the narrow
to 1600, and set the minimum maximum apertures of most spotting scopes
shutter speed to 1/500 sec.

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Interior architecture
Shoot a spiral staircase from the bottom up to get this classic
interior shot, then mix it up with a creative twist…
piral staircases have long
S been a staple of
architectural photography.
The graphic shapes
create a sense of harmony, and
provide a feeling of depth that
leads the eye into the frame. Once
you’ve nailed a traditional shot,
however, why not give it a
different spin? With most spiral
staircases, the key is to get down low
with a wide-angle lens, because this
will maximise the number of spirals
you’re able to include. If there’s
enough light to shoot handheld, the
easiest way to do this is to lie on your
back and shoot straight upwards.
For our shoot, it was too dark to
shoot handheld, so we had to set
up a tripod for the traditional shot.
We set up the tripod as low as
possible (while still being able to
peer through the viewfinder) and
composed the image so that the
banister swirled in from the corner.
It was very dark, so we needed a
shutter speed of 30 secs at f/16
and ISO100. Once we had that in
the bag, it was time to experiment!
For the next shot we were able KEY SETTINGS
to shoot hand-held. Using a
24-70mm f/2.8 lens, we focused
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s F 16 30 secs 100
on the edge of the stairs nearest 42)0/$
the camera and zoomed in while
the shutter was open. We
experimented with shutter speed,
but settled on 1/8 sec at f/4 and
If you try the spinning-camera method, take care to
ISO800. For the last shot, instead keep the spin as smooth as possible, and ensure it’s
of zooming in while the shutter was centred on the middle of the frame
open, we span the camera around!

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KEY SETTINGS
100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s4%,%0(/4/,%.3s42)0/$s#,/3% 50&),4%2
Extreme close-up
There are lots of ways to get your SLR really close to
the subject. Here’s a lightweight, low-cost method…
lose-up lenses (also be combined to increase As with all close-ups,
C known as a close-up
filters) attach to the front
of an existing lens, and
work in the same way as a
magnifying glass or a pair of
magnification – you just add the
dioptre values together to get the
resulting magnification. The optical
quality of these filters is not as high as
a macro lens – you tend to get more
depth of field gets more
limited the closer you get
to the subject, and can be
reading glasses. They are both softening at the edges and more as little as a couple of
cheap and lightweight. They are colour fringing. However, they are
available in different strengths, more than capable of giving you a
millimetres. Use a tripod
measured in dioptres. The higher the different view of a miniature world. for stability, and try to
number, the higher the magnification, They can provide record shots of
and the closer the minimum focus of stamps, coins and jewellery, for
keep the camera
the lens becomes. These lenses are instance – but can be used for artistic perpendicular to the
often sold in sets with a +1, +2 and +4 shots that show texture and detail face of the subject
dioptre lens. Two or more filters can that more distant shots fail to show.

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Colour grid
Look at the world in monochrome
and create vivid composite grids
ere’s an assignment that
H will help you see the

world differently!
Monochromatic photos
focus on just one colour, and
they’re a great way to create art
prints. Simply head out with your
camera and see what colours you
can find. Urban environments are
best for bright shades, but a
country walk will give you the
opportunity to mix different
shades of one colour. Start with
the obvious pops of colour – the veins
in a green leaf make a striking subject,
as does a bright red pillar box, for
example. Then look for more
unconventional ways to portray
colour – how about a brightly painted
front door or a detail shot of
someone’s clothing?
The key is to look for unusual
crops and detail, and to avoid
including any jarring detail or
different colours. If you’ve
exhausted the bright colours in
your immediate surroundings, why
not set up your own shots?
Balloons and flowers are ideal for
playing with monochrome because KEY SETTINGS
they come in all shades of the
rainbow. We batted pale blue 100
balloons against a clear blue sky KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s0(/4/3(/0
for a summery final shot. If your
subject’s natural background
clashes with the colour you’re
focusing on, fake it with some
A great way to show off the different shades and subjects
coloured card. We popped an you’ve collected is to edit them into a collage. It makes
orange envelope behind a for a great print that tells the story of where you’ve been
sunflower, for example.

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KEY SETTINGS
100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s7)$% !.',%,%.3s#(%34342!0
Point of view
Give your travel and action photos a fresh perspective
with a dynamic first-person point of view
oint of view or first-person everything in shot, but you could use your camera stable. Get hold of an SLR
P shots are fun to photograph,

and make great additions to
your travel albums. They’re
also great for sharing what you’re up
to without taking a selfie. There’s no
kit zoom lens at its widest zoom setting
instead. Hands-free shots require a bit
more preparation, but with the right
equipment you’ll be able to take a shot
of yourself performing any activity at all.
chest strap, which wraps around your
waist and holds the camera snug
against you. They cost around £20
($35) on eBay, or you could make your
own from some stretchy material.
need to invest in a GoPro sports Photographing your feet or just one The aim of a shot like this is to keep
camera – with an ingenious SLR hand is easy – you can simply point your hands in focus while the rest of
accessory you can get brilliant and shoot. If you want to include both the scene slightly blurs, creating a
images of your adventures. It’s easy to your hands, hang your camera around sense of speed. Switch to shutter-
get started. Shoot your hands and feet in your neck, switch to Live View and priority mode and pick a speed around
different situations, such as patting a dog, compose the shot, then use the 1/300 sec, then select the interval
dangling over a wall or buying an ice self-timer to get your hands into the timer and start shooting. With a large
cream. At such close range, a super position you want. If you want to shoot enough memory card, you’ll have
wide-angle lens is a big help for getting sports then you’ll need to keep your plenty of shots to choose from.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 22 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s.$&),4%2
Milky seascape
Expose your seascape shots for minutes rather than seconds
to smooth out water and skies, producing dreamy images
ong-exposure photography protective filters you have on the lens it might otherwise do when you fit the
L enables you to capture fantastic

images that would never be
visible to the naked eye. Use the
sturdiest tripod you have, and don’t raise
the centre column. It’s best not to
first, and make sure the front element and
ND filter are clean. You’ll often get more
lens flare with filters, so use a lens hood
or shade if you can, or try to ‘flag’ or shade
your lens from any bright light with your
filter. Set the camera to manual
exposure mode and choose the
aperture for the depth of field you
want. Now half-press the shutter and
set the shutter speed to get a good
attempt this technique on a very windy hand or a piece of card. exposure – you can always capture a
day; if you do you’ll need to shield your Setting the ISO to 100 not only gives test shot to check your settings.
camera and tripod from gusts with your you the best quality, but it helps you to When you’re ready to take the shot,
body, a building or a wall. Compose, focus maximise your shutter speed. If you’re lock the shutter open with a remote
and meter the shot without an ND filter using a zoom lens, then compose or release, time the exposure, then
fitted. With the filter fitted, so little light will work out the zoom setting before you close the shutter. You may need to
reach the sensor that the camera will focus. You can then autofocus on your examine the histogram and optimise
have problems focusing accurately. subject and switch the lens to manual the exposure length for your particular
It’s also a good idea to remove any focus to keep it from refocusing, which filter, however.

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Mono landscape
Bright sunny days can be perfect for mono shots. Here’s how
to create beautiful monochrome images in virtually any lighting
hooting great black-and-
S white images isn’t just

about converting your
images in Photoshop.
It starts before you press the
shutter release. It’s essential to
set up your camera correctly for
the best results and get a better
idea of how the final image will
look before you shoot. Shooting
black and white when it’s bright and
sunny may seem counter-intuitive,
but there are plenty of reasons it’s a
great option. Bright sunshine creates
strong shadows, which produce really
striking black-and-white images.
Similarly, fluffy white clouds against a
blue sky can look stunning in mono.
However, the high-contrast light
produced by intense, direct sunshine
means that you have to pay attention
to your exposure.
In general, you should try to keep
detail in the highlights, in the same
way that you would when shooting
colour images. One of the trickiest
aspects of shooting in black and
white is understanding how the
colours in the subject will translate
into different shades of grey in your KEY SETTINGS
final image. Selecting the mono
Picture Style or Picture Control will
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s42)0/$s://- F 16 100
1/ 200
give you the ability to see exactly how LENS
your shot will look. Once you’ve
selected the mono Picture Style, you
can preview how the image will look
by using Live View, rather than an
As well as strong graphic elements, the more subtle
optical viewfinder. You can also review appearance of textures and tones can also help to add
your images in black and white to give depth and interest to monochrome images
you instant feedback.

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Dewdrop macro
Glistening raindrops add the finishing touch to macro
flower shots. Liven up yours with drops of artificial rain
hiny raindrops catch the
S eye, and act as miniature

lenses that magnify the
detail in leaves and petals.
There’s no need to wait for a
downpour to achieve the look –
you can recreate this effect
without getting your camera wet.
You can find a floral subject in your
local park or buy a potted one. A
macro lens will let you get in really
close and capture minute details in
the flower’s petals, while
maintaining a shallow depth of
field for that dreamy macro look.
A tripod isn’t essential, but it will
keep you steady and leave your
hands free to create the effect you
want. Use a watering can to create
a falling rain effect, or mist petals
with a hand sprayer for delicate
dew drops.
Switch to the direct sunlight
white balance mode if you’re not
shooting on a sunny day, because
this makes plants look fresher.
Also, use a low ISO to ensure a
crisp final image. A shallow depth
of field that blurs out the
background works best, so pick an KEY SETTINGS
aperture of f/5.6 or wider. Position
your flower against a clean F 5.6 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s-!#2/,%.3s
background such as a grassy lawn. 42)0/$
(Pick up any leaves or twigs that
might show up in the shot.) Stay
parallel to the flower and use Live
View to check how the shot is
Add sugar to the water – this helps the droplets adhere
looking. Make sure you focus to the flower’s leaves and petals, and takes longer to dry,
manually on the rain drops to get giving you more time to compose your picture
them pin-sharp.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 8 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3
Landscape silhouette
Take a minimalist approach to your subjects and shoot
into the sun to describe shape alone
ometimes it’s the simplest that can be identified by its To get a clear silhouette,
S pictures that work the

best. And in terms of
composition and lighting,
shots don’t come any simpler than
a silhouette. A silhouette is a subject
two-dimensional shape. You need to
photograph the subject from the right
angle to accentuate this shape.
A silhouette of a person, for instance,
works better if you shoot the profile
you need a subject that
can be isolated against a
plain bright backdrop –
that’s been photographed with rather than shooting head on. For a it’s much harder to get a
backlight so that you only show its bigger subject, such as a building,
outline. As the subject is thrown into you’ll need to hunt out the best angle
silhouette of a building in
shadow due to the position of the to shoot from. Set your camera to a built-up area. They look
lighting, you can’t see texture, you aperture-priority mode, and use ISO
can’t see its three-dimensional form, 100 to avoid noise. Set a mid-aperture
more impressive when
and you can’t even see its colour. of around f/8. To darken the shot against a deep blue
To shoot a successful silhouette silhouette, dial in a setting of between sky or a dramatic sunset
you first need to choose a subject -1 to -3EV exposure compensation.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 8 250
1/ 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s&,!3('5.s'/"/s0(/4/3(/0
Film-noir portrait
Apply cool film-noir styling to a portrait using a few props
and some simple tonal adjustments in Photoshop
ith a few simple props A gobo is an object that comes When retouching faces,
W and adjustments to
tones in Photoshop,
you can turn an
ordinary portrait into something
resembling a film still from the
between a light source and the
subject that changes the
characteristics of the light. You can
buy one of these, or make your own
out of cardboard. Load your portrait
it’s useful to think of
the face as a set of areas
that each need a separate
early twentieth century. This and go over to the HSL/Grayscale adjustment. For example,
moody film-noir effect is done by panel and click Convert to Grayscale,
converting the image to black and then set Oranges to +15 and Yellows
areas of skin might
white, then making subtle toning to +30. Click OK to return to benefit from softening,
tweaks. First, capture your portrait Photoshop. Make a new layer and
with your model styled appropriately, grab the Gradient tool. Set the colour
while eyes could usually
using a period hat and coat. Light the to black, and choose Foreground to use a boost in sharpening
model using a ‘gobo’ to create the Transparent. Drag in from the edges and contrast
blinds effect. to darken them.

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Abstract art
Drop ink or paint into an ordinary casserole
dish to create an arty abstract masterpiece
bstract art and
A photography have a close

relationship. Since
cameras were invented,
painters and photographers have
combined both media to create
stunning results. If you’re not much
of a painter, don’t worry: you don’t
need any painting skills to try out this
simple project, only a little creativity
and imagination to get the ball rolling.
You’ll also need to get hold of some
black ink or paint and a white dish.
Other essential items are a tripod,
flashgun and a jug of water.
If you fancy a more colourful result,
don’t feel restricted to just black.
Think of colours that mix well. For
example, yellow and blue to make
green, or yellow and red to make
orange. For the final image, assemble
the shots in Photoshop.
It helps to shoot a few extra shots
so you have more to work with at the
editing stage. It’s also worth shooting
in raw so you can batch-convert your
images to black and white in Camera
Raw, and also make any final tweaks
to exposure and contrast.
Mount your camera on a tripod KEY SETTINGS
and frame the dish from a bird’s-eye
view. Place a flashgun next to the dish
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s 250
1/ 100
and angle the head up to bounce the &,!3('5.s0(/4/3(/0
light for an even distribution. Put your
camera into manual shooting mode.
Set the shutter speed to 1/250 sec
and the ISO to 100, then balance the
To process the images, open them in Camera Raw and
aperture setting with the flash convert them to greyscale, then create a new document
intensity. Keep shooting as you add in Photoshop and drop them into a grid
drops of paint, then a little water.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 11 6
1/ 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s0(/4/3(/0
Monochrome plant art

Delight in delicate plant structures and make a striking monochrome
triptych from common garden weeds and grasses
ometimes the most simple orientation. Set up a clean white pipette. Click the background to
S approach can get you the

best results. By stripping
away distractions and
shooting a subject against a plain
white background, you can bring
background behind your subject.
We used the diffuser side of a reflector,
but a piece of white card will suffice.
Hunt for weeds and grasses that have
interesting shapes and structures.
lighten. Add a Black & White
adjustment layer. Select Layer>
Flatten image. Repeat for the other
shots. Create a wide, thin new
document, then make three equal-
attention to the delicate designs of Secure your subjects in front of the sized rectangles using the Shape tool
these plant structures. We used background, and you’re ready to go. in the document. Import the images
nothing more than a basic table-top Import all three images into Camera into these shapes. In the Layers panel,
studio with a clean white background, Raw. Click Select All to do a batch move one image above each rectangle
natural light from a north-facing window process. Boost Exposure to lighten and layer. Right click each image and select
and a 50mm lens, although a standard kit tweak the contrast in the images. Click Create Clipping Mask, then position
zoom lens would be just as good. Open Images when you’re happy. them as desired. Rotate them if
Set up your camera on a tripod and In Photoshop, add a Curves necessary, but resist the temptation
put your camera into the portrait adjustment layer. Select the white to resize them.

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Firework display
Make your night-time fireworks shots go with a bang!
Here’s how to capture a burst of multicoloured pyrotechnics…
ithout the right settings,
W fireworks photos can

end up looking blurry
or smoky, but luckily, a
bit of planning and technique is all
that’s necessary to learn how to
get some really stunning final
images. Trying to shoot displays that
only last a few minutes can be chaotic
in the middle of an excited crowd, so
turn up early to scope out the location
and find a good place to set up. Chat
to the fireworks technicians if they are
available when you arrive – they can
keep you up to date on when and
where to expect the action.
You’ll need to pack a tripod to
keep things steady. A long shutter
speed is the key to great fireworks
photos, allowing you to capture
well-defined trailing lines of light
and different bursts of fireworks in
one dynamic picture. An ultra-wide
lens like the Sigma 10-20mm is
best, but a kit lens will do if you’re
not too close. Switch the mode dial
to manual and set a low ISO, such
as 100 or 200. If you use
autofocus, your camera won’t have
anything to lock on to, so switch to KEY SETTINGS
manual using the button on the
side of the lens and focus on a
distant point before you start to KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s F 8 30 secs 100
42)0/$s2%-/4%s4/2#(
shoot. Aperture is a case of trial
and error, so start with f/8 and
adjust for exposure as you go.
A shutter speed of 1 sec will
Setting a longer exposure of 15 or 30 seconds will
capture a single firework. Setting enable you to capture lots of bursts in one picture,
an exposure of 15 or 30 secs enables building up a dramatic pattern of multiple explosions
you to capture multiple bursts.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 5.6 30 secs 800

KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s7)$% !.',%,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s4/2#(
Star trails
Spend a night under the heavens with your camera and
a remote release to produce an amazing star trail image…
tar-trail photography captures angle lens on your SLR, and set your be out all night, but if you want to get
S the drama of the stars’

movement in what looks like
an extremely long exposure.
The paths these heavenly bodies travel
create long circular arcs in the night
SLR on a tripod. Point your camera at
the North Star, so that all the other
stars spin around it. You’ll also need
a remote release to lock the shutter
button down to set the camera for
really long trails, four hours or so is a
good length of time.
Set your camera to manual focus
and focus on a strong foreground
subject with the stars behind. Take one
sky. Depending on your angle of view continuous multiple-exposure or two images where you paint the
and lens choice, star trail photography shooting. Shoot in raw for the best foreground with torchlight.
can produce hundreds of arcs rotating quality and for extra noise reduction, When you return home, download
around a central point in the scene. and choose manual exposure mode. Startrails from www.startrails.de/
The best technique is to capture a Set a shutter speed of 30 secs, an html/software.html and use this to
large sequence of ‘short’ exposures, aperture of f/5.6 and ISO800 as a assemble your star trail composite.
then merge them together in software. starting point. Startrails handles both JPEG and TIFF
A clear, cloudless sky in the You can capture shorter trails in files, but not raw, so you’ll need to
countryside is best. Mount a wide- about an hour, so it’s not necessary to convert them first in Camera Raw.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 10 200
1/ 200
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Classic moon shot

Moon photos leaving you blue? Get started with astrophotography
with this guide to getting beautiful lunar pictures
hots of what looks like a capturing the moon’s surface The moon is, of course,
S huge full moon to the

naked eye can often end
up showing a tiny white
blob dotted on a black
background, but it isn’t
detail. A 50-500mm lens is ideal.
A tripod will keep your camera still,
and a remote shutter release will
reduce shaking further – if you
don’t have one, set the camera’s
constantly in motion, so
you’ll need to use a
reasonably fast shutter
complicated to set up your SLR self timer to a few seconds in the speed to capture it in
to take a clear, well-defined shot setup menu. Switch your camera
of the moon. Check a lunar calendar to manual mode and your lens to
sharp detail. Switch to
to see which phase the moon is going manual focus. When choosing your manual shooting mode
to be in. Moonconnection.com will camera settings, there are two key
show you pictures of the moon factors to remember: the moon is
and set a shutter speed
according to which hemisphere you bright, so a low ISO is fine, and it’s of 1/200 sec. Set an
live in, so you can plan ahead. actually moving slowly, so a fast aperture of f/10
A zoom lens is essential for shutter speed is called for.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 16 200
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s4/2#(
Torch spirograph
Capture the movement of a swinging torch in darkness
to create beautifully abstract physiogram images
ight trails can look really shutter being open for a good length card, ideally black and about 10cm
L impressive, and are normally

associated with shooting
outdoors. But an equally
impressive result can be achieved
at home. Physiograms are geometric
of time, the light from the torch is
captured as a complete trail, enabling
you to create patterns that are
recorded by your camera.
Attach a piece of string to the end of
long, and tape it to the side of the
torch. This will allow for a much
smoother arc. Changing the shape
of this tail will alter the torch’s path.
Set your camera to Bulb mode.
patterns that have been created and the torch so that the light hangs down. Swing the torch, then press the shutter
captured with a torch. The resulting Make sure the string is at least a metre button and keep it held down to take a
image shows a light trail that takes on long, and that it’s long enough for the test shot. Release the button to close
the look of a Spirograph drawing. torch to swing in the position you’ve the shutter. Now check the preview.
In principle, the technique is easy. chosen. Using a drawing pin or tape, If the path looks dark, increase the ISO
Just find a darkened room, or wait for attach the loose end of the string to to 400 and try again. Still too dark?
the night to draw in, and then use a the ceiling. Test that the pin is secure, Increase the aperture to f/11. If it’s
long shutter speed to capture the and that the torch can move freely. too bright, reduce the ISO or decrease
movement of a torch. Due to the Cut a rectangular piece of paper or the aperture.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 16
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$
Toy train
A fresh perspective is sometimes all that’s needed to kick start
your creativity and add interest and originality to your images
laying with perspective is part technique that’s perfect for a Using masking tape, attach the tracing
P and parcel of photography:

manipulating a two-
dimensional form to create the
illusion of depth is, after all, what
much photography is all about.
bad-weather day or quiet night in.
Your project could feature any subject,
such as making an apple shape out of
red peppers, but it’s best to start with a
simple shape featuring block colours,
paper to your rear LCD and line it up so
the image covers it; the backlit screen
should shine through so that any test
images are visible through it. Put your
SLR on a tripod and then use a
The off-shoot of this is that the as in this image of a train made from tabletop as your 3D canvas. Any lens
perspective of the viewer is controlled toy cars and other trains. The first step will work, but a macro lens will provide
by you, so you can have some fun with is to trace a rough design on a life-size reproduction of your setup.
what they see by manipulating this greaseproof or tracing paper, on a You don’t need to be exact, but the end
perspective. For this project, we’ll use piece the size of your SLR’s LCD product needs to be recognisable or
the rules of perspective to trick the screen. Use an instantly recognisable the effect won’t work as well. Use
eye into seeing something in two design, and don’t colour in the traced aperture-priority mode set to around
dimensions that only actually exists image, but have a coloured image f/16, to get as much of the ‘train’ in
in three. It’s a simple, home-studio close to hand to use as a reference. focus as possible.

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KEY
KEY SETTINGS
SETTINGS
F 8 100 100
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s42)0/$s2%-/4%s0(/4/3(/0
Focus stacked macro

Extend the depth of field on your favourite lens by shooting
multiple images and blending them in Photoshop
ocus-stacking is a crafty create one super-sharp macro shot. to f/8. At this setting, you shouldn’t
F photographic method that

will help you extend depth of
field in your close-ups. With
macro photography, it’s difficult to
create a deep depth of field. Even with
Start by mounting your camera on a
tripod. It’s important you keep the
camera in the same position throughout
the sequence of shots, so you can easily
edit them together. A tripod also enables
encounter any diffraction issues. Next, set
the ISO low – we had ours set to ISO100
– then balance the shutter speed to the
other two exposure settings. Frame up
your shot and fire away using a remote
narrow apertures such as f/16, you you to shoot using a slow shutter speed, release, changing the focus setting for
simply won’t be able to get an image so you can keep your ISO setting low to each exposure. To blend the layers and
fully sharp from front to back. The idea eliminate noise. It’s best to shoot in make your subject sharp from front to
behind focus-stacking is to shoot a set of manual mode, so you’re in complete back, go to Edit>Auto-Blend Layers and
images (nine in this case) from exactly control. When it comes to the editing select the Stack Images option.
the same position, but with a different stage later, you’ll want your images to Photoshop will do all the hard work for
point of focus between each shot. You’ll match up exactly, so it’s best to keep the you. It’s best to flatten the image
end up with lots of shots, but these can be exposure settings the same throughout afterwards. We added a retro look using
combined in image-editing software to the shoot. Start by setting your aperture Curves and a Gradient Map.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 5.6 125
1/ 400
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s://-,%.3s&,!3('5.
Flash portrait
Use a flashgun off-camera to light your subject from any direction,
adding drama to your portraits when shooting outdoors
ne of the most creative our case by decreasing the aperture Experiment by lighting
O things you can do with

your flashguns is to get
them off your camera’s
hotshoe and learn how to fire
them remotely. Set manual mode on
setting to f/5.6. This gives a darkened
image, which is, in effect, the base
exposure for the image. From here,
you can use your flashgun to pick out
your subject. Attach the flash to a
the subject from different
angles. We moved the
flashgun behind the
your camera and select a shutter stand or tripod, or get someone to tree to backlight the
speed of 1/200 sec or less (most hold it – if your flash isn’t triggered
flashes won’t work at speeds higher wirelessly by your camera’s built-in
model’s fantastic hair.
than this). Take a test shot to work out flash, now’s the time to attach your Combined with the
the correct aperture and ISO for the sync cord or wireless flash trigger.
ambient light – we set a shutter Set your flashgun to manual mode,
dappled sunlight through
speed of 1/125 sec at f/2.8 and then take a few test shots while the tree, the flash light
ISO400. The next step is to adjusting the power. We used a looks entirely natural
under-expose the ambient light, in flash output of ¼ power.

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KEY SETTINGS
F 14 1000
1/
400
KIT REQUIRED: 3,2s4%,%0(/4/,%.3s7!4%202//&#!3%
Surf action
Get up close to the surfing action with a waterproof
housing and take cracking watersports shots
urf photography is fast-paced the shores of Hawaii or Bali, but your local the waist-deep water and zooming to
S and fun, and it’s easier than

you might think to get
action-packed shots. All you
need is a waterproof housing. You
could always stand on the beach with a
beach is fine for learning the basics.
Good surf conditions aren’t
guaranteed, so you’ll need to keep an
eye on the forecast and the size of the
waves. Start off by standing in shallow
200mm to get up close to the subject.
Remember, only change lenses on dry
land! Set up your camera before you
get into the water, because you won’t
be able to do much more than point
zoom lens and get decent pictures of water and shooting the surfers and shoot once you’re in the sea.
surfers, but if you want to shoot like the head-on, then get in deeper and shoot Switch to program mode and set the
pros do, you’re going to need to wade into parallel to your subject. The key, like ISO to 400 to make sure the shutter
the sea. Waterproof camera housings are with any sports photography, is to get speed stays high and that you won’t
specifically designed to keep your camera your surfer pin-sharp. have issues if the light changes.
completely dry even when submerged in The lens you choose depends on When a surfer catches a wave you’ll
water, so you can shoot confidently while how close you can get to where surfers only have a few seconds to get a great
in the ocean. Pro surf photographers are are catching waves. We started out shot. Improve the odds by switching
most likely to be shooting big breaks on using a 70-300mm lens, standing in your release mode to Continuous.

CHAPTER 4
WorldMags.net
Field
guides
Learn how to shoot virtually
anything with foolproof step-
by-step flow diagrams

WorldMags.net In this section
104 Metering
108 Focusing
112 Sharpness
116 Filters
120 Landscapes
130 Wildlife
134 Portraits
138 Architecture
142 Birds
146 Macro
150 Low light
154 Weddings

Field guides: metering
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Dark subjects
Do your pictures of dark and black subjects look
grey? Follow this flowchart to fix the problem
Switch to aperture priority mode. Looking at

the scene through the viewfinder, is the dark
subject large or small in the frame?
Large Small
With your camera set to Switch to spot metering.

multi-zone metering, dial-in 2/3 or one stop Are there any midtone
of negative exposure compensation so that subjects in the same light?
the exposure indicator moves towards the ‘-’
end of the scale. Fire off a shot No Yes
Dial in one to two stops (for dark subjects) Point the spot meter
or two to three stops (for very dark subjects) at the midtone subject
of negative exposure compensation. and hold down the
Point the spot meter at the dark subject Auto Exposure Lock
and hold down the Auto Exposure Lock button. Now fire off a
button. Fire off a quick test shot quick test shot
Check the histogram on the rear LCD. Is the graph roughly in the middle,
to the left, or so far to the left that it looks like it’s been cut off or ‘clipped’?
Middle Left Far left
A
perture, shutter speed
and ISO are the three
building blocks of
exposure, and the
exposure meter inside your
This indicates that This indicates that This indicates that
the image is mostly the image is mostly the darkest parts camera essentially brings them all
midtones, so the shadows, so the of the image are together. The meter measures the
dark subject will subject should look pure black, with no
probably look too dark, but detailed. texture detail. To amount of light in the scene, and
washed out. To make Some clipping of recover it, reduce the then selects the combination of
the subject appear shadow detail is okay, negative exposure
darker, dial in more because it’s easier to compensation so the aperture, shutter speed and ISO to
negative exposure reveal lost shadow exposure indicator produce a balanced exposure. Most
compensation and detail than rescue moves back right and camera meters work on the
take another shot lost highlights take another test shot
assumption that a scene should be
exposed as if it’s 18% midtone grey.
This is because it is generally
Once the histogram is distributed
as you want it to be, you can go
considered that most scenes will
ahead and take your shot reflect 18% of the light that falls on
them. But in reality the world is not
full of midtones.

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Bright subjects
Follow these steps to ensure your shots of bright
and white scenes look fresh and clean
Switch to aperture priority mode. Looking

at the scene through the viewfinder, is the
bright subject large or small in the frame?
Large Small
With your camera set to multi-zone Switch to spot metering. Are

metering, dial in one or two stops of there any midtone subjects
positive exposure compensation so that – grass, trees, buildings or
the exposure indicator moves towards similar – in the same light?
the ‘+’ end of the scale. Fire off a shot
No Yes
Dial in up to two stops of positive Point the spot

exposure compensation so that the meter at the
exposure indicator moves towards midtone subject
the ‘+’ end of the scale and half-press and
hold the shutter
release to lock the
exposure setting.
Point the spot meter at the bright Recompose and
subject, half-press and hold the take a test shot
shutter release to lock the exposure,
then recompose and take a test shot
Check the histogram. Is the graph roughly in the middle, to the right,
or so far to the right that it looks like it’s been cut off or ‘clipped’?
Middle Right Far right
M
ost current SLRs
feature systems that
can effectively boost
dynamic range, such This indicates that This indicates that This indicates that the
as Canon’s Auto Lighting the image is mostly the image is mostly brightest parts of the
made up of highlights, so the image are pure white,
Optimiser and Nikon’s Active midtones, so the subject should look with no texture detail.
D-Lighting, but there’s no bright subject will bright, but detailed To recover it, reduce
probably look dull. the positive exposure
substitute for nailing the correct To make it appear compensation so
exposure setting. This is where the brighter, dial in more Once the histogram is that the exposure
positive exposure where you want it to indicator moves back
histogram comes in. This is a small compensation and be, you can go ahead left and take another
graph that illustrates the range of take another shot and take your shot test shot
tones in the picture, from shadows on
the left to highlights on the right.

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Highlights
Photos can be ruined by over-exposed
highlights. Here’s how to rescue them
First, make sure you’re shooting in the raw

image quality mode, because this will give you
a better chance of recovering highlight detail in
raw-processing software later
Using your camera’s multi-zone metering, take a test shot and

review the image with the brightness histogram alongside. If the
graph indicates that highlights are clipped, is this slight or severe?
Slight Severe
Switch on your camera’s Dial in one or two stops

highlight alert (found in the of negative exposure
playback menu) and check the compensation so that the
image again. Parts of the image exposure indicator moves
will be flashing black and white towards the ‘-’ end of the scale
T
he majority of SLRs Do the flashing areas correspond
offer three metering with specular highlights (those that
you’d expect to see on shiny objects
modes: Multi-zone, like metal, windows and water)
Centre-weighted and or areas that shouldn’t be over-
exposed (like skin and clothes)?
Spot. The default Multi-zone mode
takes individual light readings Specular Other Highlight alerts warn you of areas
from multiple segments across that are at risk of over-exposure,
rather than areas that are
the entire frame before the camera over-exposed, but it pays to be
sets an exposure. Also taken into cautious. Dial in a little negative
exposure compensation (try 1/2
account are the active autofocus or 2/3 stop) and take another test
point, the size and distance of the shot. Repeat until the important
subject and any backlighting. areas are no longer flashing
Centre-weighted takes its reading
across the entire frame, assuming the As long as the rest of the Take the final shot. When you open
subject will be towards the centre of histogram indicates an the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw,
exposure that’s correct for Lightroom or similar software, use
the picture. For precise the Highlights or Recovery slider to
the rest of the scene, you can
measurement, Spot metering is best. ignore this clipping warning restore further detail in the highlights
It takes its reading from a very small
area of the frame.

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High contrast
If the sky is much brighter than the land, you’ll
need to take steps to restore the balance
Y
Take a test shot and check that the shadows our camera’s exposure
reach the far left of the graph without being
severely clipped. Activate your camera’s level scale, measured in
highlight warning: is the display blinking? stops, is visible in the
Not blinking Blinking viewfinder or on the LCD
screen. The marker in the middle
of the scale represents the
Contrast levels fall The exposure exceeds the dynamic range of your
within the dynamic camera, which means it can’t record the whole ‘correct’ exposure, according to
range of your camera, brightness range. Are you shooting raw or JPEG? the meter. To make the next shot
meaning that the
image will hold detail Raw JPEG brighter, press and hold the button
from the shadows marked ‘+/-’ and rotate the control
to the highlights. dial so the indicator moves towards
Take the shot!
the ‘+’ end of the scale. To make it
Is one large area of the Activate your
darker, move it towards the ‘-’ end.
scene brighter than the camera’s contrast How much compensation you need
rest, such as the sky in control feature, to apply depends on the subject.
an open landscape? if it has one. In the
Do you own a set of Canon system,
graduated neutral Yes No this is called Auto
density filters? Lighting Optimiser,
Yes No while the Nikon
equivalent is called
Active D-Lighting
Is the horizon line Consider making an HDR (high dynamic range)

between foreground and image. Take at least three shots (one under-
sky very straight, or is it exposed, one correctly exposed and one
uneven/hilly? over-exposed) then combine these using Merge
to HDR Pro in Photoshop. Or try software such
Straight Uneven as HDR Efex Pro 2 or Photomatix
Use a Use a
hard ND soft ND
grad grad Start with a one-stop ND grad. Looking through
the viewfinder, slide the filter down so the
transition just kisses the horizon. Take a test
shot and check the histogram. If it’s still cut off,
or ‘clipped’ on the right, try a stronger ND grad,
or a combination of them. Once you’re happy
with the histogram, take a shot with a
well-exposed sky and foreground

Field guides: focusing
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Portraits
Learn how to select the right autofocus mode
to ensure pin-sharp eyes in people shots
You’re taking portraits, but are you shooting

head shots or full-length photos?
Head shots Full length
Select single shot focus mode, Are the people you’re

so that the camera will only let photographing sitting relatively
you take a photo once the image still, or are they active?
is sharply focused
Still Active
Select an AF point that’s closest Select single Select

to one of your subject’s eyes. shot mode continuous
This way you’re less likely to lose so that the mode. This
the focus, as you won’t have camera will will track the
to move the camera as much. only take a movement
If your subject is angled away photo once of the people
from the camera, focus on the the image to keep them
closer of the two eyes is focused sharp
Will the subject be close to the middle

of the picture, or far off to one side?
Middle One side
P
icking the right focusing
mode for your subject is
essential if you want
Manually select the Manually select one
centre focus point of the off-centre sharp results. Most SLRs
and use this to focus points and come with one manual focusing
highlight the use this to highlight mode and three auto options,
subject’s face the subject’s face
including single shot, continuous
and an automatic mode that
Manually selecting a single focus point means that the switches between the two.
camera will only focus on the area that you choose. But it These auto modes all work the same
does mean that, if the person’s moving, you’ll have to move
the camera in order to keep the focus point locked on them way (lightly press the shutter release
and the lens will focus) but each suits
a different type of subject. Single shot
Lightly press and hold the shutter-release AF is perfect for most shooting
button to activate the autofocus system.
Fully press the button when the image snaps situations. The picture will be sharply
into focus in the viewfinder focused, unless you move closer or
further away from the subject after
locking focus. Use single shot AF
when you’re shooting static subjects.

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Action
Choose the right AF point set-up so you can
stay on target with fast-moving subjects
A
I Servo AF (Canon) and Is your subject moving along a predictable
Continuous-servo AF path, or is it moving erratically?
(Nikon) adjusts the Predictable Erratic
focus as long as you
press the shutter release, so it’s
the best mode to use when Manually select the centre AF Switch to continuous AF. Is the
point in single shot mode. Point background of your photo going
shooting moving subjects. The the camera at a spot that the to be full of detail (like a bird
focus position is never locked, and the subject(s) pass across regularly in front of trees), or is it clean (like
camera will let you fully press the and half-press the shutter a bird flying against the sky)?
release to focus. Switch to MF
shutter to take a picture even if the to lock the setting in Detailed Clean
subject isn’t in focus.
Follow the subject through the Activate all the AF

viewfinder and fire the shutter points – across the
when they’re about to pass by frame, catching
the point you pre-focused on anything that moves.
The camera will
automatically choose
If you let the camera decide the focus point(s) that
where to focus, it could lock on correspond with the
to the background. You’ll need area it believes should
to manually select a focus point be in focus (generally
and then keep that on the the closest or the
subject as it moves highest-contrast point)
If the camera struggles to maintain focus,

try activating just the centre focus point. This
is the most sensitive point, so it will react faster
and track movement better (as long as you keep
the focus point over the subject)
As well as using continuous focus for photographing action, use the

continuous drive mode as well. This will allow you to capture a sequence of
shots once you fully press the shutter while tracking the subject

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Close-ups
Use manual focus and your camera’s Live View
mode when you’re shooting on a small scale
L
ive View is best reserved For precise focusing at close distances, use manual
for slower-paced focus. Make sure the lens is in manual focus mode
(move the slider from A to M (or AF to MF) on the lens
photography. In fact, it’s barrel, or switch the focus mode on the camera to M)
perfectly suited to
close-ups, landscapes, portraits,
still lifes and other types of Will you be looking through
the viewfinder or using Live View
pictures where precision is more to take the picture?
important than split-second
reaction times. With the camera Viewfinder Live View
mounted on a tripod, manual focus is
a breeze with Live View. By moving
the small frame around the screen to
highlight an area you want to check
for precise focus, and then pressing Turn the focus ring on the Move the frame you see on the
lens until the image appears screen over the part of the
the magnification/zoom button on in sharp focus. Even though picture you want to appear
the back of the camera, you can you’re using manual focus, precisely in focus
zoom to see if it’s sharp. You can then the camera will help you –
twist the focus ring on the lens to an LED light at the bottom
of the viewfinder will appear
fine-tune the focus. when the camera detects that Press the zoom button on the
the picture is sharp, based on back of the camera to magnify
information from the active this area (you may need to press
focus point it more than once)
Rotate the focus ring until the magnified

image looks sharp, then press the zoom
button again to view the image as normal
If you’re having trouble getting the picture

in focus, you may be too close to the subject.
Lenses have a minimum distance at which they
can focus, and the longer the lens, the further
away you’ll need to be
When you’re shooting extreme close-ups – insects or flowers, for

example – the focusing distance determines the magnification of the
subject. Instead of turning the focus ring to fine-tune the point of
sharpness (which would also change the size of the subject in the frame),
gently move the camera backwards and forwards to do this instead

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Landscape detail
Follow our advice to make sure you capture
your entire scene in focus, from front to back
Most of the time when you’re photographing

landscapes, you’re likely to want to get as much of the
scene as sharp as you can – from the foreground right
through to the distant horizon. Setting a narrow aperture
of f/16 or f/22 in aperture-priority mode can help here,
but where you focus within the scene makes a big
difference. Using the hyperfocal focusing technique is the
answer. First, does your lens have a distance scale?
Yes No
Download a hyperfocal Switch to single shot

distance chart from the autofocus and lightly press
internet (try www.dofmaster. the shutter release to
com) and manually focus at activate the focus system.
the distance indicated on Autofocus around 1/3
the chart for the focal length into the frame, then take
and aperture of the lens your finger off the shutter
you’re using. The image release. Switch the lens to
through the viewfinder MF (or M) for manual focus,
will look soft, but the image to lock the setting in.
will be sharp Focusing around 1/3 into
the frame will ensure that
you get maximum depth
of field, so that the image
is sharp from foreground
to background
AF can fail when faced with When you use autofocus, is the
low-contrast subjects, such lens focusing backwards and
as a green field or rolling hills. forwards, as if it’s trying to search
AF sensors use contrast for something to lock onto?
to determine sharpness,
A
adjusting the elements in Yes No ll cameras enable you to
the lens until they measure activate the autofocus
a high-contrast image. system by lightly
Low-contrast subjects
provide little to lock onto, pressing the shutter-
and lenses can ‘hunt’ for release button, but many also
focus. Taking your finger off To ensure you retain feature an AF button that does the
the shutter release and the sharpness that
your careful focusing
same thing. You can usually
half-pressing it again can
rectify this problem, but it’s has guaranteed, fire customise the operation of both of
often easier to lock focus on the shutter using the these buttons, such as removing the
a higher-contrast area at the camera’s self-timer autofocus from the shutter release
same distance as the subject or a remote release
altogether or enabling the rear AF
button to stop autofocus instead.

Field guides: sharpness
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Handheld
When a tripod isn’t convenient, use these simple
tricks to steady your camera for sharper shots
Check the shutter speed on the camera.

Is it faster than the effective focal length of the lens –
1/80 sec for an 80mm focal length, for example?
Yes No
Choose a wider aperture

to increase the shutter
Does your lens or camera speed. If you can’t select
have image stabilisation? a wider aperture, or you
don’t want to, increase
Yes No the ISO setting to give
you the necessary
shutter speed
Switch this on and set it to the Stand with your legs slightly
default mode that stops apart and keep your arms down
wobbling in all directions. by your sides. Cradle the
Stabilisation can help you get camera and lens with your left
sharp images at shutter speeds hand and press the shutter
that are slower than release smoothly to minimise
recommended movement
T
here are many factors
Are you shooting on open,
featureless ground? that contribute to how
sharp your pictures are,
Yes No including the quality of
the camera lens and how
accurately it’s focused, and the
Do you have a You can stabilise yourself and choice of aperture and shutter
camera bag or your camera quite effectively by speed. Camera shake remains the
backpack with you? finding a tree, fence, wall
or even your car to lean on
biggest concern though. Camera
Yes No while you take your shot shake is the result of the shutter
speed being too slow to hold the
camera steady. In terms of
sharpness, there are two
Try resting your camera If you can’t hold the camera steady
and lens on top of your standing up, you’ll find that kneeling considerations: is the shutter speed
camera bag. Fire the shutter down will provide a more stable fast enough to a) stop the subject’s
using a remote release platform. This technique is useful if movement and b) ensure that you
– or the camera’s built-in using lenses with long focal lengths,
self-timer – in order to keep because you can rest your left elbow on
can hold the camera steady during
everything completely still your knee for greater stability the exposure? If the shutter speed
isn’t fast enough, increase the ISO.

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Monopod
Lightweight and mobile, monopods give you
extra stability without slowing you down
The key to getting the most from a monopod is how

you stand and support the camera. You need to ensure
your stance is balanced and comfortable, and that you use
your body as an integral part of the monopod
Will you be using a short or long lens?
Short Long
When you’re shooting with If you’re using a large

a wide-angle or standard lens, telephoto zoom, attach it to
simply screw the monopod the tripod collar on the lens.
directly into the base of the This produces a more
camera balanced setup
Will you be taking horizontal

or vertical shots?
Horizontal Vertical
Stand so that you are Many monopods enable the use of

comfortable and balanced. Put a moveable head. With a small lens
one foot in front of the other you’ll need a head to shoot vertically,
rather than standing square on but if you’re using a large lens with a
to the subject, and place the foot tripod collar it’s easier to do it without
of the monopod almost
alongside your leading foot
If your lens or camera features image stabilisation,
N
activate it to reduce any slight shaking when shooting
arrower apertures (such with a monopod. Will you be moving the camera
as f/11 and f/16) to photograph a moving subject?
increase the depth of
Yes No
field (the amount of the
picture that appears sharp). The
trade-off is that they require
Make sure that you are free to Press down on the monopod slightly by
longer shutter speeds – and this twist your body to allow you to cover placing your hand on top of
increases the chance of a blurred the area the subject is likely to be the lens rather than holding on to
photo caused by camera shake. moving through. Try to find a the monopod itself
position where you can cover the
Wider apertures can give you the greatest area without having to
faster shutter speeds required to move your feet. Make sure the
pan arc tracks the subject before
freeze any camera movement, but and after the area you want to
the depth of field can be less. shoot, for smooth results

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Tripod
There’s more to getting the best from a tripod
than attaching your camera and firing
Do you need to raise the tripod higher

than the height of the first leg sections?
Yes No
Always make sure that you use the The lower you can keep the
thickest sections of the legs first. tripod, the less potential
These are stronger and offer more there will be for the legs to
stability than the thinner, lower flex, and the greater the
sections, which you should only use if stability it will provide
you really need the extra height
When you adjust the height of the tripod, use all of the
leg sections first to avoid using the centre column if
possible. Even the thinnest leg sections will
be more stable than extending the centre column
Are you shooting on soft

or hard ground?
S
upporting your camera Soft Hard
and lens on a tripod or
similar will give you the
sharpest pictures. That is,
as long as the support is sturdy On grass or soft ground, push the On rock or hard ground make
enough to hold the combined feet down into the surface to give sure that the feet aren’t going to
weight of your lens and camera, it extra stability. Some tripods slip or slide. On these surfaces
have spiked feet to make this you’ll find that keeping the legs as
and you follow good technique. easier vertical as possible helps
If you’re in the market for a new
tripod, consider getting one with
fewer leg sections, because these
tend to provide more stability. Make Add some weight to the setup by hanging your
sure that you get one that extends to camera bag from the central column. Some
tripods have a handy clip designed for this
your eye level without the need for purpose. If it’s very windy, attach a bungee cord
the centre column, and choose a between the hook and bag, and then adjust the
head that locks up firmly. A bubble length so that the bag is just touching the ground
level can help you get the camera
and lens centred, ensuring that the
load is balanced.

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Smooth video
Follow these steps to eliminate the shakes
when shooting HD video on your SLR
Do you have time to plan your video

shoot, or are you just grabbing some
footage on the fly?
Grabbed Planned
Does your camera have its

strap attached?
Yes No
A quick fix when shooting for short periods Does your lens or
is to use the camera strap to brace the camera feature image
camera. Find a position where you can stabilisation?
comfortably watch the rear screen, then
adjust the strap so that Yes No
it’s taut at this point
Switching on image stabilisation will Find a suitable support

provide steadier results for static to brace your camera
shots. But it isn’t ideal for panning or and lens. The
tracking because the picture can traditional solutions for
appear to judder as the stabiliser stills photography
adjusts the image – such as resting the
camera on a nearby
fence or a wall, or using
a normal photographic
tripod – will work for
static footage
T
Use a tripod for shake-free footage. Consider swapping he longer the lens, the
the head for a dedicated video one though. This will greater the risk of
provide a smoother motion when shooting action
camera shake. Not only
are telephotos more
cumbersome, making them more
If you want to follow a moving subject with the camera, buy or hire a
stabilising mount. These devices enable you to produce smooth video while difficult to hold steady, but their
moving by using a counterbalance and floating mount to steady the narrow angle of view means that
camera. They take some getting used to, and cost from £190 to over £600,
but they do work well
any small movement will be
magnified. Nudge a 50mm lens and
you’ll see the image jiggle in the
viewfinder. Do the same with a
500mm lens and the image jerks
about all over the place.

Field guides: filters
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ND grad
Learn how to balance your landscape exposures
with the correct type of graduated filter
Before you buy a graduated ND filter system, you need to

know the diameter of your lens. If you’re unsure, you’ll find it
printed on the inside of the lens cap, or look at the number
on the front of the lens next to the small circular symbol
Finalise the composition of the scene and lock the camera

on a tripod. Carefully screw the bracket onto the front of
the lens and attach the holder. You should be able to rotate
the main body of the holder once it’s in place
Before adding a filter, use aperture-priority

mode and point the camera at the foreground.
Take a note of the shutter speed
Now point the camera at the sky and take a note of the
shutter speed. How many stops difference is there
between the two readings? Work this out by doubling
or halving the shutter speed – for example, between 1/100
sec and 1/200 sec is one stop
Two stops Three stops Four stops
You’ll need a 0.3 ND You’ll need a 0.6 ND You’ll need a 0.9 ND

or ND2 grad or ND4 grad or ND8 grad
B
If additional filters are required then extra slots can be
ack in the days of film, filters
used to build up the effect. It’s generally not a good idea to were essential for creating
use multiple filters, because this can affect the quality and any kind of special effect.
contrast of the image. Does the scene you’re shooting have
a clear, straight horizon, such as a seascape? Although we now have
Yes No digital filters available in imaging
software like Photoshop, traditional
filters still have their place. It’s just
Choose an ND filter with a Choose a filter with a that you don’t have to carry around
hard-edged gradient soft-edged gradient
quite as many. Graduated neutral
density (ND grad) filters are grey at the
Slide the filter into the holder so that the dark area of top, blending to clear at the bottom, so
the filter only just covers the bright area of the scene.
Use Live View to position it accurately, or press your they can balance the (sometimes huge)
camera’s Depth of Field Preview button to make difference in exposure between a bright
the transition easier to see in the viewfinder
sky and a landscape. Without a filter,
the landscape would be too dark, or the
Use manual exposure mode and evaluative or matrix
metering to take a test shot. Check the histogram to see
sky would be far too bright and hold no
whether the shot’s too dark (the histogram is shifted to the left) detail. Square ND grad filters need a
or too light (the histogram is shifted to the right). Then adjust the
exposure to retain the maximum tonal detail possible
holder and an adaptor ring to attach
them to the lens.

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Standard ND
Fit one of these to use super-slow shutter speeds
or wide apertures in very bright sunlight
N
D filters reduce the Are you using a standard ND filter (which reduces the
light levels by two or three stops) or a strong ND filter
amount of light entering such as a Lee Big Stopper or Cokin Z-Pro ND8?
the lens, and are
Standard ND Strong ND
available in various
strengths. They’re often used to
create milky water and blurred These are much easier to use than stronger ND With the filter attached
cloud effects, or to reduce the filters because you can still meter, compose to the lens you won’t
and focus with the filter in place in bright be able to use the
chances of over-exposure when conditions. Are you using one to allow you to viewfinder to compose
using wide apertures in very bright use wide apertures in bright conditions, or for your image, so you need
light. They come in two types: extending the shutter speed at dawn or dusk? to set up your shot
beforehand. With the
variable and non-variable. The Wide aperture Long exposure camera on a tripod,
variable ones enable you to increase compose your image,
then lock down the tripod
or decrease the opacity of the filter.
Using aperture Using aperture
priority, dial in a priority, use a
wide aperture and narrow aperture In many conditions,
set the lowest ISO. and set the lowest the metering in the camera
Check the ISO. Support the won’t be able to measure the
histogram after camera on a tripod exposure once the filter is
taking the shot (for landscape attached, so you’ll need to
– you may need to photography) work out the exposure
add an additional or a monopod manually. Switch to manual
ND filter if the (for panning with exposure mode and meter
shot’s still too bright moving subjects) for the scene
Attach the filter and adjust the shutter speed – for each
stop of ND strength, you need to double the exposure
time. For example, using a nine-stop filter like the Light
Craft Workshop ND500MC, you need to multiply the
original exposure time by 512 to get the correct exposure
Once the filter is attached, try using Live View to check your
composition. Because the filter cuts out so much light, the image
on the screen can be quite difficult to see clearly, but you should
be able to see the general composition
NUMBERS EXPLAINED
Different manufacturers use different numbering systems to show
the strength of their ND filters. Here’s an easy-to-read conversion
table for the commonly used systems…
EV or stops 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Lee 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.7 3.0
Cokin & Hoya ND2 ND4 ND8 ND16 ND32 ND64 ND128 ND256 ND500 ND1000

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Circular polariser
Give your pictures a professional sheen by boosting
contrast and removing reflections with a polarising filter
P
olarising filters are Polarising filters are expensive, particularly those for the Cokin
available in either round or Lee 100mm square systems. We’d recommend buying a
screw-in polariser to fit the lens with the largest filter thread in
or square/rectangular your collection, then using step-up rings for your smaller lenses
designs. The round filters
simply screw onto the front of
your lens, while the square type Attach the filter to your lens. If the front of the lens rotates as the camera
need a holder and an adaptor ring focuses, the effect will change. In this case, focus first, then adjust the
filter. Don’t overtighten the filter, because it can be tricky to remove later.
to attach them. Which system you Make a note of the direction you rotated the filter to attach it
should choose depends on the
type and number of filters you’re
likely to use, and also the lenses Polarising filters feature two lenses that can be rotated to
increase or decrease the strength of the effect. Turn the
you’ll want to use them with. front element in the same direction as you used to attach
The polarising filter’s ability to deepen the filter to the lens, otherwise you’ll inadvertently loosen it
blue skies and reduce harsh
reflections on water and glass make it
an indispensable tool for any Are you using the polariser to darken blue skies and make clouds
look crisp, or to remove reflections and glare in a scene?
photographer who loves shooting
landscapes. For compatibility with a Enhance blue skies Reduce reflections
digital SLR, get a circular type.
The effect will be at its most dramatic when
you’re shooting at right angles to the sun. Point
your index finger at the sun and extend your
thumb out at 90° to find the ideal position
Look through the viewfinder and Look through the viewfinder.

rotate the filter to see how the When it comes to shooting
image changes. Does one area of water, you’ll see reflections in
the sky look darker than the other? the surface disappear and
appear as you rotate the filter,
Yes No and you need to stop when the
effect looks best. This can take a
little practice because the
changes can be subtle, so take
The problem with Adjust your time
using these filters the effect
with wide-angle lenses to taste
is that the effect is and shoot
quite direction One final consideration is
specific, so one large that polarisers can reduce
expanse of sky tends the exposure by up to two stops,
to be much more so it can have a similar effect
heavily polarised than to an ND filter, allowing you
other areas. to use slower shutter speeds
The answer is to switch than without the filter attached.
to a less extreme You may need a tripod if you’re
wide-angle lens shooting in low light

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Filter solutions
Common issues that can affect your images
when using filters, and how to avoid them
Play back an image you’ve shot with a filter on the camera’s rear
screen. Zoom in and check the edges of the frame.
Does your picture have dark corners?
Yes No
This is usually caused when using filters with wide-angle

lenses, especially at wide apertures, because the wider
field of view means the filter holder is included in the
image. The best way to overcome this is to zoom in
slightly until the edge of the holder is no longer in the
frame, or to decrease the aperture. If you’re using
multiple filters you may need to remove some of them
Can you see any circles of light on the image, or does the
picture lack contrast and look generally washed out?
Yes No
Strong light striking a filter at an oblique angle is likely

to cause ghosting and flare, in much the same way
as light striking the front element of your lens. The
solution is to simply clean the filter if it’s dirty. Use a
lens hood to shield screw-in filters, and for square
filters use your hand or a small piece of black card
Does your picture have a strange colour cast?
Yes No
Y
our camera’s internal
Some cheaper filters may not be light metering system,
neutral in tone, and can often
give your pictures an unwanted warm which measures light
or pinkish appearance. Use the highest- ‘through the lens’, will
quality filters you can afford – you’re automatically correct for filters in
likely to only buy them once, so see
them as a long-term investment. Shoot the vast majority of cases.
raw files and you can neutralise colour However, a little fine-tuning is often
casts without degrading image quality needed, so it’s best to review shots on
after the shoot
the camera’s LCD screen with the
histogram overlay, dial-in any
Your image shows none of the key problems that can occur exposure compensation that’s
when shooting through filters – carry on taking pictures! required, then re-shoot the subject.

Field guides: landscapes
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Composition
Before you even think about exposure,
you need to frame your scene
In aperture-priority mode (A or Av),

select a wide enough aperture to shoot
handheld, and then decide if you want to
shoot wide or crop in on a specific area
Shoot wide Crop in
Imagine a noughts and crosses Are there repetitive patterns or

grid in your SLR’s viewfinder. Is shapes in the scene, such as hills
there anything in the scene that receding to the horizon, or lines
you can position along one of the of hedgerows, that could form
lines, or at one of the intersections? part of your composition?
Yes No No patterns Patterns
Once you’ve placed a If there are no obvious thirds, or shapes or

horizon line or subject patterns, is there any clean, empty space
on a ‘third’, are there that you can use for a more abstract shot?
any other features or
foreground objects No space Space
that can lead the eye
into the frame?
Lines Objects Are there any isolated elements,
W
such as a lone house or prominent
church steeple, that would make
hen it comes to
an obvious focal point? landscapes,
weather is key. The
Get as close as you No focal point Focal point mistake many of
can to the object and us make is deciding we want to
position or tilt your SLR
so that it dominates the shoot a landscape, and then
bottom third or two Make the Position this heading out when the weather
thirds of the frame and space/shapes focal point on a looks half decent and hoping for
exaggerates perspective the subject to ‘third’, or near the best. A landscape pro, on the
create a more the edges of the
abstract shot frame, and crop other hand, will keep an eye out not
Position the leading line right in so that just for good weather, but for weather
or feature so that it leads the patterns/
the viewer’s eye in from
that suits a particular location: a clear
If there are no obvious shapes are the
the bottom corner(s) of dominant night may spell early morning mist
thirds, no shapes or
the frame towards the feature over some nearby hills, for example.
patterns, and no clean
subject or the horizon
empty space, you’ll need This means thinking weeks ahead,
to recompose the shot and having a checklist of locations
that suit specific conditions. Getting
great shots often involves going back
to the same spot again and again.

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Foreground exposure
Make friends with your histogram and
you’ll never take a bad exposure again
R
olling hills receding into Set ISO100 and f/16 in manual mode and take a
shot with the exposure level needle central.
the distance may look Ignoring any sky for now, does the landscape
drab and grey when it’s look too dark, okay or too bright?
overcast, but breathtaking
Too dark Okay Too bright
when the light is right. It’s
important to keep your eyes peeled
even when you’re not out shooting,
To brighten the landscape, To darken the landscape,
and to make a note of any locations decrease the shutter speed increase the shutter speed
that look promising, so that you can by up to a stop (so that by up to a stop (so that the
come back when conditions are the exposure level needle exposure level needle moves
moves right) and take left) and take another test
suitable. Knowing what conditions another test shot. shot. Is it still too bright?
suit a particular location is largely Is it still too dark?
down to experience. Okay Too bright

Too dark Okay
Once the landscape looks right on the LCD,

check the histogram. Looking at your scene, is
the landscape mostly darker than midtone,
midtone or mostly brighter than midtone?
Darker Midtone Brighter
The main part of the The main part of the The main part of the
histogram should be histogram should be histogram should be
over to the left, but not centred. If it’s too far over to the right. If it’s
so far over it’s to the left, decrease not over to the right,
cut off or ‘clipped’. the shutter speed to decrease the shutter
If it’s not, increase the let in more light. If it’s speed to let in more
shutter speed to let in too far right, it may be light. If it’s too far right,
less light. If it’s cut off, because the sky is it may be because the
decrease the shutter blown out - if so, go to sky is blown out – if so,
speed to let in more the next page go to the next page
Once the histogram is where you want it

to be, take an exposure with the
landscape correctly exposed

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Sky exposure
Over-exposed skies are a common
problem. Here’s how to avoid them
N
D grads are essential Is the sky brighter than the landscape,
or of a similar tone?
if you’re serious about
landscape photography. Brighter Similar
When shooting an hour or
two either side of sunrise or sunset,
the sky will invariably be much Do you own a set of Ignoring the Use the landscape
brighter than the landscape; expose graduated neutral landscape for now, exposure determined
density filters? increase the shutter on the previous page
for the sky and the landscape will be speed by a stop to to expose the whole
in silhouette; expose for the Own ND Don’t darken the sky. Take a image, making sure
landscape and the sky will be blown grads own test shot and check that the histogram
the histogram. Does it tapers down near the
out. An ND grad is dark at the top and taper down at the far highlight end, and isn’t
clear at the bottom, enabling you to right, or is it still cut cut off or clipped
off, or clipped?
darken the sky without affecting the Is the horizon line
landscape. It can be hard to balance between foreground
and sky very straight, Tapers Clipped
the exposure between the foreground This suggests that the
or is it uneven/hilly?
sky is still too bright.
and the sky when you shoot a sunrise Increase the shutter
or sunset, even using ND grads. For a Straight Uneven This suggests that the speed by another
balanced result, try the Graduated sky is well-exposed, stop. If it’s still too
with plenty of bright bright, try three stops
Filter adjustment in Camera Raw. highlights but no loss or more. Once the
of texture or detail. histogram is okay,
Use hard Use soft Take a shot with the take a shot with the
ND grads ND grads sky correctly exposed sky correctly exposed
Start with a one-stop This suggests that the Once you’ve taken
ND grad. Looking sky is still too bright. two exposures, one
through the Replace the one-stop for the landscape and
viewfinder, slide it filter with a two-stop one for the sky, use
down so the transition filter. If it’s still too layers and layer
kisses the horizon. bright, try the three- masks to combine
Take a test shot and stop, or several grads them in Photoshop
check the histogram. stacked together
Does it taper down at
the far right, or is it still
cut off, or clipped?
Tapers Clipped This suggests that the Once you’re happy

sky is well-exposed, with the histogram,
with plenty of bright take a shot with the
highlights but no loss sky and landscape
of texture or detail correctly exposed

WorldMags.net
Moving water
If you want to blur water, you need to find
a way to increase exposure times
Do you want to freeze the

motion of the water,
or blur it?
Freeze Blur
Using the chart on p121 to establish Using the chart on p121 to establish
the exposure for the foreground, is the exposure for the foreground, is
the suggested shutter speed fast the suggested shutter speed slow
enough to freeze the water’s enough to blur the water? (that is,
movement? (that is, at least 1/250 at least 1 sec for waterfalls, or
sec for waterfalls or seas) 5 secs for choppy seas)
No Yes Yes No
Ensuring that your

tripod is placed firmly
Increase the aperture on solid ground, and
(smaller f-stop) or that mirror lock-up is Do you own an
increase the ISO, or set, take a shot using ND filter?
both, until the a remote shutter
suggested shutter release or your SLR’s No Yes
speed is fast enough self-timer function
If possible, decrease ISO to 50, and Make sure your shot is composed
aperture to f/22 or f/29, and then (this can be tricky once the ND is
decrease the shutter speed until attached, as they’re so dark), and
the histogram is back in the right then attach the ND. Decrease the
place for a correct exposure shutter speed the number of
W
(see the chart on p121) stops specified by the ND hen photographing
landscapes you
want your image to
be as sharp as
Take a test and check the amount of possible, from every little detail in
blur. If the water’s not blurred enough, the foreground to tree tops on the
decrease your aperture further, use a
darker ND, or wait until conditions are
distant horizon. The best way to
dark enough to set a slower shutter achieve this, of course, is to set a
speed (that is, take a longer exposure) narrow aperture to ensure good
depth of field. However, you need to
couple this with an ND filter if you’re
shooting a seascape and you’d like
the water to render as a blur.

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The coast
Master composition, focusing and exposure
to get super seaside shots
First, check the tide times to make sure the location is going to be
safe to explore, and that the sea isn’t going to be too far out or too
close to the shore. Is your chosen spot a beach or rocky shore?
Beach Rocky
Is there an obvious focal point, Which part of the scene holds

or are you faced with featureless the most interest: the land
sand and sea? or the sky?
Featureless Focal point Land Sky
Add interest Position the Position the Position the

by using focal point horizon close horizon close
a high vantage close to one of to the upper to the lower
point to shoot the ‘points of third of the third of the
downwards power’ picture picture
Do you want to take

a straightforward image
of the scene, or try something
more creative?
Straight Creative
O
ne of the key steps to
creating a well-
balanced scenic shot
Use the focusing points in your Use a narrow aperture and use is deciding where to
viewfinder and/or the built-in the lowest ISO setting. This will
electronic level to make sure the lead to a longer exposure and place the horizon. Letting it run
horizon is straight. Is the sky brighter blur the motion of the sea. You straight through the centre of the
than the land or sea? may have to fit a solid neutral frame splits the image in half.
density filter to extend
Sky brighter Same tone exposure times into seconds This may suit subjects that are
mirrored in lakes and ponds, but
otherwise it rarely creates a balanced
Fit a Once you’re happy with result. Instead, imagine a 3x3 grid
graduated the composition, set the overlaid on the image (or activate
neutral autofocus on the most
density filter important detail, then set your your camera’s built-in framing guide)
to the lens to lens to MF to lock the focus. Fire and place the horizon along one of
balance the the shutter using the self-timer the grid lines. Place the horizon one
exposure or a remote release
third from the top of the frame if the
foreground is the focus, and one third
from the bottom of the frame if the
sky is where the interest is.

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Woodlands
Head for the forest and think about composition
for powerful shots of trees and woodlands
W
ithout foreground, With your camera mounted on a tripod, set the ISO to 100
and select an aperture of f/16 in aperture-priority (A/Av)
your photos will mode. Are you shooting within a forest, or at the edge?
appear flat and
two-dimensional. Within forest At the edge
Adding interest at the foot of the
frame gives balance and depth to Is there an isolated element you Do you want to emphasise the
a scene. When you take pictures in can use to provide an obvious height of the trees or their
focal point, such as backlit expanse within the frame?
woods and forests, keep an eye out leaves, a flowering plant or a tree
for ‘hotspots’, where the sky can be with interesting bark? Height Expanse
seen through breaks in the tree cover.
Yes No
The viewers’ eyes will be drawn to any
bright areas, and this may take
attention away from the focal point. Position the Fit a wide-angle Zoom in to fill
camera so that lens, rotate the frame with
this focal point your camera to trees. Exclude
falls on a ‘point shoot vertically the sky and
of power’, and then tilt it forest edge
according to the upwards, so to give an
rule of thirds that the trees impression
appear to soar that the trees
up through go on forever
the frame
Check the Are there any patterns or lines of repetition (such as rows
background for of trees) that could become the focal point of your
distractions: composition?
if there are any
bright patches Yes No
of sky visible
through the trees,
consider shifting
your shooting Shoot from a spot where Try looking straight up
position slightly the natural lines lead the and shooting the canopy
viewer’s eye through the of the forest above.
frame. Alternatively, use This can be a particularly
a telephoto lens to effective technique when
compress the trees and photographing
add a sense of depth deciduous trees in winter
Use a polarising filter to remove distracting glare from shiny or wet foliage
and saturate the colours. This will also cut the amount of light entering the
lens, resulting in longer exposure times. On windy days,
this may lead to blurred branches and leaves, so open the aperture
or increase the ISO to get a faster shutter speed

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Mountains
Heading for the hills? Use our tips to get
dramatic shots of mountains big and small
F
oreground interest can Do you want the mountains to
dominate the frame or would you
improve landscape images rather show the wider scene?
in a number of ways – it’s
more than just filling an Wider scene Fill the frame
empty space. It helps to give the
scene a sense of scale, and it
Use a wide-angle or standard Use a telephoto lens and zoom
makes the progression from the zoom lens and find some in to compress the scene. Is
near to the middle and far foreground interest. Will there an obvious focal point
elements clearer, creating a this include water? to provide a sense of scale?
journey for the viewer’s eye. Yes No Yes No
Commit to a foreground and you’re
saying to the viewer: “Of all the things
in this great picture, I want you to look
If mountains are The further the Use your
at this ahead of all others!” Don’t, reflected in the lake, focal point is camera’s
then, sell them short. Look for that find a position where positioned from self-timer and
boulder with the most brightly the reflection isn’t your lens, the place yourself
clipped off by the greater the sense in the scene.
coloured lichens or the most wavy edges of the frame or of scale will be Pack a bright
lines on it. And don’t forget to find the banks of the lake. fleece or
the best position to shoot from. Try to place the jacket – the
horizon through the colours will
middle of the picture leap out of
for a balanced the frame
composition
To avoid the Is the foreground interest Use off-camera flash

subject becoming brighter or darker than to brighten the
over-exposed, the mountains? subject, or expose for
take a spot meter the mountains and let
reading from it Brighter Darker the subject become a
before you shoot silhouette instead
Clouds and wind go hand in hand

with mountain photography. Add
interest to your composition by
turning the movement of clouds
into a creamy blur with the help
of a neutral density filter

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Countryside
Use natural features and clever composition
to get eye-catching countryside shots
With your camera mounted on a tripod, set the ISO to 100 and
select an aperture of f/16 in aperture-priority (A/Av) mode. Find
a focal point, such as a church or tree. Would the picture look more
balanced if it was in the middle or off to one side?
Middle Off-centre
Tall features such as church Frame it according to the rule of

spires and trees often work best thirds. Activate your camera’s
with the camera rotated to Live View grid display or use
shoot vertically – there’ll be less the off-centre focus points in
‘dead space’ at each side the viewfinder as a guide
Are there any roads, walls or streams that can be used

to lead the viewer’s eye through the scene?
Yes No
Frame the scene so that the Is the sky overcast and

leading line runs into the picture, featureless, or blue and
from the bottom corner(s) full of white clouds?
towards the subject or horizon
Blue skies Featureless
Fit a polarising filter to the lens and Consider cropping

turn it to boost the contrast between out the sky
the clouds and the blue sky. Avoid altogether. Try
this technique with ultra-wide using a telephoto
lenses, because the effect lens to pick out
W
will be uneven details in the hen we’re out in
landscape instead
the countryside or
at the coast we
look at the view in
If your camera’s viewfinder gives less than 100%
coverage (check the manual), zoom out slightly to a very different way to the way we
check no distractions will creep into the edge of the look at a photograph. Our eyes scan
frame, then zoom back in to take the shot
around and we home in on small
details or the horizon, ignoring things
in our peripheral vision – often not
seeing what’s immediately in front of
us. Yet when we look at a photograph
of the scene, the foreground
becomes much more important.

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Winter snowscapes
If your landscape is covered in snow, follow
the steps below for spot-on exposures
With your SLR on a tripod, set ISO100 and

f/16 in aperture-priority mode, and take a
quick test shot. Ignoring the sky for now,
does the landscape part of the image
look too dark, okay, or too bright?
Too dark Okay Too bright
To brighten it, dial in one To darken it, dial in one stop

stop of positive exposure of negative exposure
compensation (so that the compensation (so that the
exposure indicator moves exposure indicator moves
one full notch to the right), one full notch to the left),
and take another test and take another test
shot. Is it still too dark? shot. Is it still too bright?
Too dark Okay Okay Too bright
Once the landscape looks right on the

LCD, check the histogram. Looking at
your scene, is the foreground mostly
darker than midtone, midtone or
mostly brighter than midtone? Lots of
snow on the ground may skew the reading
T
he key consideration
when photographing
winter landscapes, and
more specifically
landscapes that feature a lot of
snow and ice, is exposure.
The main part of the The main part of the The main part of the
histogram should be histogram should histogram should be Left to its own devices, a camera’s
over to the left, but be roughly near to the over to the right, but light meter will always try to produce
not so far across that middle. If it’s too far to not cut off. If it’s not,
it’s cut off or ‘clipped’. the left, try dialling in dial in another stop
an image that’s made up mostly of
If it’s not, dial in more positive exposure of positive exposure midtones. This is because 95% of the
negative exposure compensation. If it’s compensation. If it’s scenes we shoot, at least in daylight,
compensation. If too far right, it may too far over, it may be
it’s clipped, try less be because the sky because the sky is are made up of midtones. Problems
negative exposure is blown out – if so, blown out – if so, arise when you try to shoot
compensation go to the next page go to the next page
something that isn’t made up of
midtones: whether it’s a bank of
Once the histogram is where you want it to white snow or a sheet of black
be, take an exposure with the snowy landscape velvet, your camera will set the
part of your image correctly exposed
exposure to produce an image
dominated by midtones.

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Winter skies
If the sky is much brighter than the landscape,
you’ll need to take this into account too
O
nce you’ve got your Is the winter sky brighter than the
foreground landscape, or of a similar tone?
essential settings
sorted, the next step is Brighter Similar
to establish a routine
that will work when shooting Do you own a set of Ignoring the main Use the exposure
almost any winter landscape. graduated neutral landscape for now, determined on the
density filters? dial in a stop of previous page to
Your approach should be broken negative exposure expose the whole
down into four distinct sections: Own ND Don’t compensation to image, making sure
grads own darken just the sky. that the histogram
composing, exposing for landscapes
Take a test shot and tapers down near
covered in snow, exposing for check the histogram. the highlight end
landscapes with limited snow, and Does it taper down at
the far right, or is it still
exposing skies that are much brighter cut off, or ‘clipped’?
Is the horizon line This suggests that
than the landscape itself. between foreground the sky is still too
and sky very straight, or
Tapers Clipped
bright. Try two stops
is it uneven/hilly? of negative exposure
compensation. If it’s
Straight Uneven This suggests that the still too bright, try
sky is well exposed, three stops or more.
with plenty of bright Once you’re happy
highlights but no loss of with the exposure,
Use hard Use soft detail. Take a shot with take a shot with the
ND grads ND grads the sky well exposed sky well exposed
Start with a one-stop ND grad. Looking through the Once you’ve taken
viewfinder, slide the filter down so the transition two exposures – one
just kisses the horizon. Take a test shot and check for the foreground
the histogram. Is it still cut off, or ‘clipped’, and one for the sky
or does it now taper down to the right? – use layers and
layer masks to
Tapers Clipped combine them in
Photoshop
This indicates that the This indicates that the sky is correctly exposed,
sky is still too bright. with plenty of bright highlights but no loss of
Replace the one-stop texture or detail in the clouds or highlights
filter with a two-stop
filter and take another
test shot. If it’s still too
bright, try a three-stop Once you’re happy with the histogram, check
filter, or two filters the filter is where you want it and take a shot
stacked together with the sky and foreground correctly exposed

Field guides: wildlife
WorldMags.net
Wildlife parks
Nature reserves and captive animal collections
are great places to practise your long-lens skills
Is there any fencing or glass obscuring your

view of the subject?
Fencing No fencing
Place the front of your lens as Once you’ve established a

close to the fence or glass as rough composition, check the
possible. In the case of wire background for distractions.
fencing, point it through the Is it cluttered or clean?
centre of an opening and select
your lens’s widest aperture Cluttered Clean
to blur out the wire
Reposition yourself so that the background is Does the animal

clean, and free of any signs, fencing and man-made have any sign of
objects such as feeding bowls and ankle rings ‘the hand of
man’, such as
identification
rings or clipped
wings?
Do you want to take a tight head shot of
the animal, or a full-length image? Yes No
Head shot Full length
W
ildlife photography
requires patience,
persistence and
Focus on the animal’s eyes and Make sure you don’t crop the skill.
try framing the shot according to shot awkwardly. For example, Photographing wildlife is
the rule of thirds, so that the don’t trim off the animal’s feet, inherently difficult – arguably far
eyes are positioned where the or the tips of ears or tails. You more so than a posed portrait or
lines of the 3x3 grid cross can always crop the shot later
landscape – and there will be
times when you come back from a
shoot with nothing to show for
Once you’re happy with the composition, switch to
single-shot autofocus and continuous shooting mode.
your efforts. But it isn’t impossible,
Wait for a peak moment – whether that’s feeding, a look and the rewards for your patience
in your direction or a simple yawn – and fire away when working with such unwilling
subjects are powerful images that
give an insight into rarely seen
moments of their natural life.
Knowing your subject and its
behaviour is key – but don’t forget
the photography basics.

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Safari parks
How to get close to a wild animal and make
sure you get the perfect shot in the bag
Is the animal one that’s easily

approachable, or is it very timid?
Approachable Very timid
Are you shooting during the Wear camouflaged clothing and

day, or at dawn or dusk? stay low (below the treeline) as
you edge closer, so that your
Day Dawn/dusk outline is obscured. Make sure
you’re downwind, so that they
can’t smell you, and stop moving
if they look in your direction
If light levels are Low light levels mean slow shutter speeds, so
good, you might be you’ll need to set the widest aperture on the lens
able to stop down and increase the ISO to freeze both the animal’s
the lens to its movement and the signs of camera shake. Use
optimum aperture a monopod to provide manoeuvrable support
(which is often f/8)
for sharp shots. If
the background is
cluttered, use the How bright in tone would you say the animal
longest zoom and the background are overall?
setting and widest
aperture to make it Dark Midtone Bright
disappear into blur
The camera may over-expose the shot. The camera may

Take a shot and check the histogram – under-expose the
if it’s pressed up against the right- shot. Take a shot
hand side of the graph, add some and check the
negative exposure compensation histogram – if it’s
W
ith some fast- pressed up against
the left-hand side of
moving subjects, the graph, dial in
just getting them positive exposure
in the frame is hard compensation
enough, but always think about
the composition of the shot – if Mammals will become alert and look in your direction after
you’ve been in a hide for a week you take the first frame, so shoot short bursts of images
with the camera set to its fastest drive mode
waiting for the magic moment,
make the picture worthy of the
effort you’ve gone to. The rule of
thirds works for wildlife, so consider
placing your subject on the
intersection of the thirds lines.

WorldMags.net
Wild birds
Choose the right camera settings, and with
practice you’ll get cracking shots, guaranteed
Are you photographing an individual bird

or a flock of birds?
Individual Flock
Is the bird flying or perched? Are the birds static or flying?
Flying Perched Static Flying
Select your camera’s Select single shot Select your

continuous AF mode AF and an AF point camera’s
so it can adjust its that sits over a bird’s continuous AF
focus as the bird eye, or in a group mode to enable it to
moves. Manually select shot, a bird’s head. continually adjust
the central AF point to If you’re shooting its focus as the
target the bird, as this flighty garden birds, birds move.
is the most sensitive use the fastest drive Manually select the
point in your camera’s setting and take a central AF point and
AF system. If the bird is burst of frames to use this to track one
flying against a clear boost your chances of the birds
sky, rather than trees
or foliage, make all the
AF points active and let
the camera track the
bird’s movement
M
ost wild animals
naturally blend into
their surroundings, Is the subject you’re photographing
and it’s not always in shade or in direct sunlight?
possible to frame your subject Shade Sunlight
against an uncluttered
background. However, you can
prevent the background from Select aperture-priority mode, Select aperture-priority mode,
becoming a distraction by your lens’s widest aperture and a wide to mid-range aperture
a low- to mid-range ISO setting and your camera’s lowest native
controlling the depth of field to (100-800) depending on the ISO setting (100 or 200). Strong
throw it out of focus. Set your level of brightness. Check that sunlight creates high-contrast
camera to aperture priority mode so the corresponding shutter speed images, so keep the sun directly
you can change the aperture and is fast enough to freeze the behind you to minimise dark
movement of the subject shadows in your photos
control how much of the picture
appears sharp. The precise aperture
setting will depend on your focal Take a test shot and check the histogram. An overall dark bird/
length, distance from the subject and background should show a histogram with most detail on the left.
A white or pale bird shot against a neutral background (grass/blue
the subject-to-background distance. skies) should show most detail in the centre and right of the graph
Always ensure the eyes are sharp.

WorldMags.net
Garden wildlife
Leave the big guns indoors and capture the
natural world on a small scale instead
W
Most insects, particularly dragonflies and butterflies, will only hen taking animal
be prepared to ‘sit and pose’ for you when they’re cool. portraits, try to
In mid-summer, this means there’s no alternative but to
get out and about with your camera at dawn or dusk take pictures from
their eye level for a
more intimate and engaging
Do you have a dedicated macro lens, or result. Manually select a focus point
will you be using a different type of lens?
that corresponds with the subject’s
Macro lens Other lens eye – if you leave the camera to select
the focus point automatically, it may
latch on to the nearest feature to the
These lenses allow you to focus To enable your lens to focus camera, such as the edge of a wing.
incredibly close to the camera. closer than normal and achieve
Depth of field becomes a greater magnification, fit Use continuous focus for tracking
shallower the closer you focus, extension tubes between the moving animals in the frame, and
so you’re likely to be working lens and the camera. The don’t be afraid to increase the ISO –
with a depth of field that’s downside? They reduce the
measured in millimetres, even amount of available light, a noisy picture is better than nothing.
at narrow aperture settings making shutter speeds slower
Focusing is critical in macro photography, and the tiniest

movement of the subject or camera can make a massive
difference to what does, and doesn’t, appear sharp. Autofocus
may struggle at such close range, so switch to MF and focus by
hand to achieve the desired magnification. Now move the camera
backwards and forwards until your subject is sharp
Working in aperture-priority mode, check the shutter speed

that the camera has selected for the exposure. Is it fast
enough to avoid camera shake if you’re shooting handheld?
No Yes
If you want to stay mobile, fix Check the frame for

the camera on a monopod. distractions. Press the Depth of
Alternatively, use a flashgun to Field Preview button to reveal
allow you to use a relatively fast background clutter you might
shutter speed, a low ISO and a have missed. Shift the camera
narrow aperture. Firing the flash position to get a cleaner
off-camera and triggering it backdrop if you need to – it may
wirelessly can produce a more only take a micro-movement
interesting modelling effect to get a better shot

Field guides: portraits
WorldMags.net
Indoors with natural light
A window and a reflector are all you need
to shoot beautifully lit portraits indoors
Are there any nearby windows

you can use to light your subject?
Go to the
Windows No windows next page
Do you want your subject to be

Position the lit from the front, or backlit? Position the
subject facing subject with the
the window
Front lit Backlit window behind
In aperture-priority mode, set Do you have a reflector or a

your widest aperture and ISO100, large sheet of white card?
then check the shutter speed. Is it
fast enough to shoot handheld Yes No
without camera shake? If not,
increase the ISO until it is
Position the
reflector below
the subject and
Do you want your subject to be lit angle it slightly
head-on, to soften features, or up, as most of
from an angle, to model them? the light from
the window will
Head-on Angled be from the sky
W
here you shoot
depends on the
style you want to
For even For strong In aperture-priority mode, set use, the time of
lighting, modelling, your widest aperture and ISO200,
position position then check the shutter speed. Is it year and what you want to achieve.
your subject your subject fast enough to shoot handheld But starting inside is a great way
facing the at an angle without risking camera shake? to get everyone accustomed to
window to the light If not, increase the ISO until it is
your camera. If the room feels
cramped around your subject, try
Select the focus point closest to If possible, try to position your placing them in a corner and shooting
your subject’s nearest eye, subject so that the light from the from a low angle. This vantage point
compose your shot so it sits window is coming from directly gives a greater emphasis to the lines
over the pupil, then fire away behind them, to create a rimlight
where the floor meets the walls,
which will travel from one central
point out to the lower corners of your
frame, giving the exaggerated
appearance of open space. Using a
wide-angle lens for this type of shot
will enhance the effect even further.

WorldMags.net
Indoors in poor light
In gloomy interiors, you’ll need to
combine flash and ambient light
P
osition yourself close to a If there’s not enough light, you either have to increase the ISO to
get fast enough shutter speeds to shoot handheld, or use flash,
window for lovely, soft or both. Do you want to keep things natural, or use flash?
illumination, and use a
reflector to fill in any Natural light Flash light
shadows. The more light you can
get onto your subject, the lower
In aperture-priority mode, set Before you even turn on the flash,
ISO rating you can set, enabling your widest aperture and ISO100, you need to expose for the
you to produce a higher quality then check the shutter speed. Is it ambient light to avoid dark,
fast enough to shoot handheld featureless backgrounds
image. If you really have to use flash,
without camera shake? If not,
another option is to use a flash increase the ISO until it is
diffuser: the bigger and softer the
diffuser, the less noticable the flash In aperture-priority mode, set
your widest aperture and
burst will be. increase the ISO as high as you
If flash isn’t an option, dare without adding too much in
the only way to get the way of unwanted noise/grain
sharp shots is to
increase the ISO as
high as needed. This
will mean increased Turn on or pop up your flash. Take a test shot
noise, but better a and check the background. Is it still too dark,
noisy shot than a or is there enough background detail to give
blurred one. On a sense of setting and/or ambience?
current SLRs, anything
up to ISO1600 is fine Too dark Enough detail
Select the focus point Check the subject. Are they well-exposed,
that’s closest to your or badly exposed?
subject’s nearest eye,
compose your shot Well-exposed Badly exposed
so that it sits over the
eye, then fire away,
keeping an eye on
shutter speed,
especially if the Using the relevant button on your SLR or
subject is moving or flash, dial in positive or negative flash
walking towards you exposure compensation as required

WorldMags.net
Outdoors with natural light
Shoot in the shade or with the sun behind
your subject to avoid unflattering shadows
W
hen photographing Is it cloudy/overcast or bright and sunny?
portraits, the sort Overcast Sunny
of image you take
– and the settings
you need – will largely be down to
Do you have a reflector or a large Do you want your subject to be lit
lighting conditions, and sheet of white card? from the front, or backlit?
specifically whether you’re
No Yes Front lit Backlit
shooting indoors or outdoors, and
with or without flash. The first thing
to bear in mind is that you should
always try to focus on the eyes. With
Position the If possible,
this in mind, it’s usually a good idea to reflector below position the
select the autofocus point nearest to the subject and subject so they’re
your subject’s eye manually, rather angle it slightly up, in the shade, to
to bounce light avoid the direct
than let your camera decide using from the sky into sunlight creating
auto AF point selection (and nearest any shadows harsh shadows
to the closest eye if you’re using a
wide aperture and the face is at an
angle to the camera).
Do you want a shallow depth of Position your subject with their
field, or a deep depth of field? back to the sun, and if possible so
the sun creates a striking rimlight
Shallow Deep around the hair and/or features
In aperture- In aperture-
priority mode priority mode Do you have a reflector or a large
and IS0100, and ISO100 sheet of white card?
set aperture set aperture
to around f/4 to around f/8 No Yes
and check the and check the
shutter speed shutter speed
If necessary, increase the ISO to Position the reflector below the

ensure a fast enough shutter subject and angle it slightly up, to
speed to shoot handheld bounce light back into shadows
Select the focus point closest to

your subject’s nearest eye,
compose your shot so it sits
over the eye, then fire away

WorldMags.net
Outdoors with flash
Don’t just use flash for indoor portraits –
use it to add impact to outdoor shots too
Do you want your subject to be

lit from the front, or backlit?
Front lit Backlit
Do you want the background Before you turn on the flash, you
to be correctly exposed for a need to expose for ambient light ,
balanced shot, or slightly to avoid the flash looking harsh
under-exposed to create a
more mean and moody feel?
Moody Balanced
In aperture-priority mode, set
ISO to 100 and aperture to f/4 or
wider for a shallow depth of field,
In manual mode, set ISO to 100 or f/8 or narrower for a deep depth
and aperture to f/4 or wider for a of field. Check the shutter speed.
shallow depth of field, and f/8 or If it isn’t fast enough to shoot
narrower for a deep depth of field handheld, increase the ISO until it is
Set a shutter speed that will Once the subject is correctly

ensure the background is exposed (check the histogram if
well-exposed, then increase the necessary), turn on your flash –
shutter speed by two stops (eg ideally, with a diffuser attached.
1/125 to 1/500 sec). If this isn’t fast Dial in a stop or two of negative
enough to shoot handheld, flash exposure compensation to
increase the ISO until it is add a subtle burst of fill-in flash
Once the background is Select the focus point closest to

under-exposed (check the your subject’s nearest eye,
histogram if necessary), turn on compose your shot so it sits
your flash. Increase flash power over the eye, then fire away
Y
manually, or by dialling in positive ou don’t have to go far to
flash exposure compensation,
until the subject is well-exposed take cracking outdoor
portraits – your own
back garden makes the
perfect location for a shoot.
Finding a neutral background or
blurring it out with a wide aperture,
such as f/4 or wider, is crucial to avoid
distractions. Things such as washing
lines, hanging baskets or garden tools
in the background take the emphasis
off the subject, and will make your
pictures look messy.

Field guides: architecture
WorldMags.net
Composition
Shoot handheld to explore every angle
before getting all set up on a tripod
In aperture-priority mode (A or Av), set your camera’s

widest aperture (lowest f-stop) to shoot handheld
for the time being. Do you want to shoot most or all
of the building, or a small detail or abstract?
Whole building Detail/abstract
Is the building or structure Are there any patterns, shapes

that you’re photographing or structural details, such as
symmetrical? columns or windows, that
could become the focal
Yes No point of your composition?
Patterns No patterns
Do you want to make the most of If there are no

this symmetry and shoot a strong patterns,
symmetrical image, or go for try shooting from
something more off-centre? a different angle,
or use a wider
Symmetrical Off-centre angle to include
most/all of the
subject within
the frame
W
hen architectural
Will you need to shoot horizontally Do you want to shoot a
or vertically to get the whole straightforward image of photographers
building (or the part of it an architectural detail, or take a photo of a
you’re shooting) in the frame? something more dynamic?
building, their aim
Horizontally Vertically Straight Dynamic is to capture it at its best. They try
to shoot it in the best light, at the
best time of day and from the best
Rotate your camera to For a straight shot, try to keep your
shoot vertically, but camera level. For a more dynamic possible angle – and preferably
be aware that this will composition, angle your camera without any people cluttering it up.
increase the risk of to create a strong diagonal. This What they’re trying to produce is a
converging verticals in needs to be obvious, otherwise it
your image might look like it was accidental perfect, almost idealised view
that’s all crisp, clean lines and
pristine surfaces. Of course, when
Position your camera so the Once you’ve decided on a rough
subject is symmetrical. Use the composition, mount your camera most of us photograph buildings
focusing points in your viewfinder on a tripod, autofocus on the most we’re not doing it to keep a client
and/or a spirit level to ensure the important detail and then set your
building’s horizontals are perfectly lens to manual mode. Fine-tune
happy, so we don’t have to be so
horizontal. Don’t worry about the the composition, then lock the particular, but the same principles
verticals at this stage tripod and go to the next page apply: the idea is not to just fill the
frame and hope for the best.

WorldMags.net
Exterior exposure
Use an image’s histogram to help you
evaluate and fine-tune your exposure
Y
ou need to work out what With your camera on a tripod, set ISO100 and f/16 in aperture-
priority (A/Av) mode. Are you shooting in daylight, or at dusk/night?
time of day – and even
what time of year – the Day Night
light will be at its best for
your chosen view. If you decide to
Is the building you’re photographing Does your scene
include pedestrians in your image, or brighter than midtone, midtone, contain lots of
if there’s simply no way of keeping or much darker than midtone? street/city lights?
them out of shot, you need to set a Brighter Midtone Darker No Yes
slow shutter speed to blur them
slightly – if they’re sharp, there’s the
the risk that they, rather than the Dial in one stop of Dial in one stop of Leave the camera’s
building, will end up becoming the positive exposure negative exposure exposure settings as
compensation, so compensation, so they are for now and
focus of your image. the exposure level the exposure level take a test shot
indicator moves a indicator moves one
stop to the right, stop to the left,
and take a test shot and take a test shot
Check the histogram – is the graph to the

left, roughly in the centre, or to the right?
Left Middle Right
This is what you’d This is what you’d This is what you’d

expect to see if the expect to see if the expect to see if the
building is darker building is made up building is lighter
than midtone, or of midtones. If it’s than midtone. If it’s
was shot at night. If darker or was shot at midtone or darker,
it’s lighter and was night, or if it’s lighter, or was shot at night,
shot in daylight, dial dial in some negative try dialling in more
in positive exposure or positive exposure negative exposure
compensation and compensation and compensation and
take another test take another test take another test
Once the histogram is where you’d expect it to be, set Auto

Exposure Bracketing (AEB) to take three exposures, each a
stop apart (see your camera’s instruction manual for more).
This will maximise your chances of getting a perfect exposure

WorldMags.net
Interior exposure
For interiors, similar rules apply, but there’s not much
you can do about bright windows!
A
s with landscape shots, With your camera mounted on a tripod, set ISO100
and f/16 in aperture-priority (A/Av) mode. Is the
when you’re shooting interior quite dark, bright, or mostly midtone?
architecture you
generally want your Dark Midtone Bright
scene to be as sharp as possible
from front to back. The best way to
ensure this, of course, is to set a Dial in one stop of Leave the camera’s Dial in one stop of
negative exposure exposure settings as positive exposure
small aperture to provide a decent compensation, so they are for now and compensation, so
depth of field, but that’s not to say the exposure level take a test shot the exposure level
your should set the lens’s smallest indicator moves a indicator moves
stop to the left, a stop to the right,
aperture. This is because at very and take a test shot and take a test shot
narrow apertures, light rays passing
through the lens are diffracted by the
edges of the aperture opening. This Check the shot’s histogram – is the graph
results in a softening of the image, mostly to the left of centre, roughly
in the centre, or mostly to the right?
even at the point of focus. Because of
this, most architecture pros tend to Left Middle Right
use an aperture of around f/14 or f/16
rather than f/22 or f/29.
This is what you’d This is what you’d This is what you’d

expect to see if the expect to see if the expect to see if the
interior is quite dark. interior is mostly interior is very bright
If it’s very bright, try midtone. If it’s very and airy. If it’s mostly
dialling in some more dark or very bright, midtone or darker,
positive exposure try dialling in some try dialling in more
compensation and more negative or negative exposure
take another test positive exposure compensation and
compensation and take another test
take another test
If there are lots of

Once the histogram is where you’d expect it to be, bright windows, the
set Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) to take three histogram may even
exposures, each a stop apart (see your camera’s be cut off or ‘clipped’
instruction manual for more). This will maximise at the right, but this
your chances of getting a perfect exposure isn’t really a problem

WorldMags.net
Convergence
Converging verticals are hard to avoid,
but there are ways of minimising them
Are you using a standard lens, or do

you own a specialist tilt-shift lens?
Standard Lens Tilt-shift lens
Are you happy to edit shots in With the lens centred,

Photoshop CS or Elements, or compose your shot and use
would you prefer to minimise a hotshoe or in-camera
converging verticals in camera? spirit level to ensure the
camera is level
Photoshop In Camera
Turn the ‘shift’ dial on the

To minimise converging verticals, keep lens so that the front of it
your camera as level as possible, and ‘shifts’ upwards , parallel to
where possible shoot from an elevated the camera sensor. Use
position so that you’re not looking up your viewfinder or Live View
at the building, but straight across at it to decide how far to shift it
With wide-angle zooms, straight lines Check that the verticals in

tend to bow outwards at very wide the shot are parallel to the
angles (this is less of an issue with edges of the frame – if they
fixed lenses). To minimise this, try to aren’t parallel, the camera
avoid the lens’s widest focal lengths probably isn’t perfectly level
To correct converging verticals, select To correct any bowing lines,

the whole image using the selection go to Filter>Distort>Lens
tool in Photoshop, then go to Edit> Correction (in CS), or Filter>
Transform>Skew (in CS) or Image> Correct Camera Distortion
O
Transform>Skew in Elements. Drag in Elements. Drag Remove ne of the biggest
the bottom corners in to straighten Distortion right until the challenges facing the
the verticals, then crop as needed lines are parallel with the grid
aspiring architectural
photographer is
ensuring that any verticals are
actually vertical. If you shoot a
building from straight on, all of the
verticals will appear vertical, as the
architect intended. If, however, you
point your camera upwards – to get
the top of a building in the frame, for
example – the sides of the building
will tend to lean in, or converge.

Field guides: birds
WorldMags.net
Captive birds
Bird centres are a great place to get started,
but be aware of distracting backgrounds
Is it possible to put out bait or

bird-feed where you want it?
No Yes
Where possible, wait until Try to position the bird seed or bait
feeding time, or arrange to visit to give you as clear a view of your
when the birds are due to be fed subject as possible, and as clean a
background as possible
Once you’re in position, is there

any fencing or glass obscuring
your view of the subject?
Fencing No fencing
Place the front of your lens as

close – and as square – to the Once you’ve established a
fence or glass as possible. In rough composition, check the
the case of wire fencing, point it background for distractions.
though the centre of an opening, Is it clean or cluttered?
and set your lens’s widest
aperture to blur out the wire
Clean Cluttered
F
or those new to bird
photography, the easiest
place to start is a local
aviary or bird of prey Does the bird have any Reposition yourself so that the
centre. While shooting captive rings on its ankle? background is clean, and free of
any signs, fencing and man-
birds isn’t without its challenges, No Yes made objects such as ankle rings
the obvious advantage is their
behaviour is more predictable,
especially at feeding time! Many
bird of prey centres offer dedicated Once your composition is as clean and clutter-
photography sessions, in which bait is free as possible, proceed to the next page to help
determine exposure and focusing settings
placed in a pre-determined spot,
enabling photographers to track birds
as they swoop in for the kill. The next
easiest option is to shoot birds in your
garden, but this usually requires more
preparation, both in terms of
habituating birds to a feeder, and
staying hidden while you’re shooting.

Field guides: birds
WorldMags.net
Static birds
Make sure your subject is in shade or
backlit to bring out feather detail
Is the subject you’re photographing in

shade/backlit or in direct sunlight?
Shade Sunlit
Set aperture-priority mode, If possible wait until the bird is in

ISO100 and your lens’s widest shade, or position yourself so
aperture. Using centre-weighted that it’s in shade or backlit,
metering, take a test shot of the because direct sunlight will
subject (or the background if the result in high-contrast images,
bird isn’t in the frame yet), and with limited or no detail in
evaluate the shot’s histogram brightly lit feathers
If necessary, dial in positive exposure compensation to

nudge it right or negative exposure compensation to
nudge it left, until it’s roughly where you’d expect it to
be, given the tones of the subject or background
Once your exposure is set, check the

shutter speed. Is it fast enough to
freeze motion, or avoid camera
shake if shooting handheld?
Yes No
Is the bird already in the frame, Increase the ISO to 200 or

or do you have to wait for it to higher until it’s fast enough
land on a twig or feeder?
In frame Not inframe
U
nless you’re shooting
very large birds, or large
Set the focus point Pre-focus on something the same distance flocks of birds, there’s
closest to the bird’s away, such as a twig or feeder, then frame
eye and fire away your shot so that the bird will be in roughly
no getting around the
using single-shot AF the right place when it lands. If necessary, fact that you’re going to need a
and continuous fine-tune the focus when it lands and fire long lens to photograph them well.
shooting mode away using single-shot AF
Even if your chosen subject is very
tame, or you’re in a hide that’s very
close, you’ll struggle to get frame-
filling shots with anything shorter
than a 300mm telephoto lens, and
even at 300mm you’ll have your
work cut out.

Field guides: birds
WorldMags.net
Flying birds
Capturing birds in flight isn’t as hard as it
sounds – you just need the right settings
Do you want to freeze the motion of the bird,

or blur the bird or the background?
Freeze Blur
Set aperture-priority mode, Set shutter priority mode,

ISO200 or 400 and your lens’s ISO100 and a shutter speed of
widest aperture to ensure a fast between 1/30 sec and 1/125 sec,
enough shutter speed to freeze depending on the amount of blur
the movement of your subject you want in the bird/background
Are you shooting against a background of

greenery or foliage, or against the sky?
Greenery Sky
Take a test shot of the Take a test shot of the

background and then check background and then check
the histogram. For foliage in the histogram. For clear blue
sunlight the peak should be skies the peak should be near
near the middle; for foliage in the middle; for bright or cloudy
shade or overcast light the peak skies, the peak should be over
should be to the left of centre to the right of the histogram
M
ost of the time you’ll
want to blur the
background as much
If your histogram isn’t where it should be, dial in a stop or so as possible to
of positive exposure compensation to nudge it right or minimise any distractions and
negative exposure compensation to nudge it left
make the subject stand out. The
way to achieve this is to set as
Select the central focusing point, then set focus tracking and continuous
wide an aperture as possible – the
shooting. Pan with your subject, keep the shutter release half-pressed to wider the aperture, the softer the
focus continuously, and fire off a burst when appropriate – a slow shutter background. Setting a wide aperture
speed will blur out the background, a fast shutter speed will freeze it
also has the added bonus of allowing
you to shoot at fast shutter speeds,
because the wider the aperture, the
faster the shutter speed can be. When
shooting handheld, you should aim
for a shutter speed that’s faster than
1 over the effective focal length of the
lens you’re using. Don’t forget to
include the crop factor!

Field guides: birds
WorldMags.net
Flocks of birds
With groups of birds, try getting creative
with depth of field and motion blur
Is the flock you want to photograph

static or flying?
Static Flying
Do you want your shot to have a Do you want the motion of the
shallow or deep depth of field? birds to be frozen or blurred?
Shallow Deep Frozen Blurred
Set aperture- Set aperture- Set shutter- Set aperture-

priority mode, priority mode, priority mode, priority mode,
IS0100, and IS0200 or ISO200 or ISO100 and a
your lens’s higher, and an higher, and a shutter speed
widest aperture of shutter speed of 1/30 to
aperture f/8 or f/11 of 1/500 sec 1/125 sec,
or faster depending on
how much
motion blur
To fine-tune the exposure, take a test shot and you want in
check the histogram. If needed, dial in positive the shot
or negative exposure compensation until it’s
where it should be. Check the shutter speed. If it
isn’t fast enough to avoid camera shake,
increase the ISO until it is
Decide where you want to direct To fine-tune the exposure, go to

the attention. Do you want the the Greenery or Sky option on
viewer to focus on a bird in the the previous page. Once
foreground, middle-ground or exposure is sorted, set focus
background of the scene? tracking and continuous
T
he only time when you shooting to pan with a single bird
Fore Middle Back (and therefore keep it in focus
may want a narrower and blur the rest); or single-shot
aperture is when you AF and continuous shooting (to
want to maximise depth blur all the moving birds for a
more random effect)
of field – if shooting flocks of
Select the focus point that
birds, for example. Similarly, the one overlaps the individual bird you
time when you may want a slow want to focus on, set single-shot
shutter speed is when you’re panning autofocus and continuous
shooting mode, then fire away
(to blur the background), or when you
want to blur the motion of the bird
itself. Exposure-wise, spot or
centre-weighted metering works well
for subjects that are backlit.

Field guides: macro
WorldMags.net
Composition
When it comes to composition, the essential
ingredients are angle, crop and background
Find the best specimen of your chosen subject and study it

from every angle, including above and below, to work
out the angle that best captures its colour and form
Once you’ve decided on the angle, do you want

to fill the frame or crop in even tighter to
isolate a specific part of the subject?
Fill the frame Crop right in
With your SLR on a tripod, roughly With your SLR on a tripod, roughly
compose your shot using the compose your shot using the
viewfinder or Live View, making viewfinder or Live View, making
sure the subject fills the frame, but sure your crop is tight enough that
still has room to ‘breathe’ it doesn’t look accidental, and that
there’s still a suitable focal point
for the viewer’s eye to latch on to
Before going any further, check

the background. Is it clean and If possible, reposition the subject,
free from any distractions, or the background or the camera so
does is look fussy or cluttered? that the background is clean. If
this isn’t possible you’ll need to
Clean Cluttered set a wide aperture
D
irect sunlight can help
make colours sing in
landscape images, but
Set the AF point closest to To fine-tune the focus so that it’s precisely when it comes to
the part of the subject you where you want it to be, turn the focusing
want to focus on, half-press ring back and forth until the edge that you close-ups, it’s often more of a
the shutter release button want to be sharp snaps into focus. If your hindrance than a help. This is
to focus, and then switch camera features Live View, magnify the because direct sunlight tends to
your lens to manual focus preview to focus even more accurately
produce bright highlights and harsh
shadows. This is fine if you want to,
say, emphasise the texture of bark,
but not if you want to bring out the
details of leaves and berries. Once
you’ve got the right conditions, the
next important consideration is
composition. The trick is to think of a
macro shoot in much the same way
as you would a portrait shoot, and to
try to capture the character or
personality of your subject.

Field guides: macro
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Exposure
Knowing how to read a shot’s histogram
is the key to getting spot-on exposures
Set your SLR to spot-metering mode, aperture priority and

ISO100. Do you want a very shallow depth of field, or do
you want as much of the subject as possible to be sharp?
Shallow Deep
Set your lens’s maximum aperture Set an aperture of say, f/8, to get
to blur out all but a very narrow more of the subject in focus, take
band, take a test shot, and then a test shot, and then check the
check the histogram on the LCD histogram on the LCD
Looking first at the scene you’re shooting, is it

predominantly darker than midtone, mostly
midtone, or mostly lighter than midtone?
The histogram should The histogram should The histogram should

be over to the left, be central. If it’s too be over to the right,
but not so far over far to the left, apply but not so far over
E
xposure is best evaluated that it’s cut off or positive exposure that it’s cut off, or
using the histogram. ‘clipped’. If it’s not compensation (plus ‘clipped’. If it’s not
over to the left, use button); too far right, over to the right, use
Macro images often have negative exposure try negative exposure positive exposure
backgrounds that are compensation (the compensation compensation (plus
minus button). If it’s (minus button) button). If it’s clipped,
darker or lighter than the subject, cut off or clipped, try negative exposure
so if this is the case, set spot- try positive exposure compensation
metering mode, and tweak compensation (the (minus button)
plus button) Once the histogram is
exposure compensation. The where you want it to
background is every bit as important be, take your shot, or
turn to the next page
as the subject you’re shooting, and to fill in any shadows
this is where many macro shooters
come unstuck – it’s so easy to miss
a cluttered, distracting background.

Field guides: macro
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Lighting
A reflector or a burst of fill-flash can help
to give your macro images added punch
Do you have a reflector or a sheet of white card that’s

at least as big as the subject you’re photographing?
Reflector No reflector
Position the reflector below the Do you have a built-in flash, or

subject and angle it slightly up, do you have a hotshoe flash?
to bounce light from overhead into
shadows below the subject Built-in Hotshoe
Set flash exposure compensation Have you got an

to -2EV, and try taping a rectangle off-camera flash cord,
of plastic cut from a milk bottle or a remote flash trigger?
over the flash, to act as a diffuser
and soften the light No Yes
Attach a diffuser to the Position the flash off to one

flash, or tilt or swivel it to side of the subject to model
bounce the light off a the subject, and bring out
reflector or a sheet of texture (for backlighting,
white card, or do both proceed to the next page)
W
hen you’re
shooting close-
ups, the most
important setting Once the reflector and/or flash are in position, set the flash to
manual mode and adjust the power output to get the effect
is usually aperture: if you only you’re after. The lower the power, the more subtle the effect
want a tiny fraction of your subject
to be in focus, with everything else
blurred, you’ll need to set a very
wide aperture; if you’d rather have
more of the subject in focus, you’ll
need to set a narrower aperture.
The temptation is to set as wide an
aperture as possible as a matter of
course, but if you’re shooting
close-ups, depth of field is so limited
that even at relatively narrow
apertures such as f/11 or f/16 the
background will still be blurred, and
much of the subject may be blurred.

Field guides: macro
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Backlighting
Position a light source behind your
subject to add a striking rim-light
S
Do you have a hotshoe flash? et your camera’s optimum
ISO (100 or 200) for every
No Yes
shot, safe in the
knowledge that you won’t
have to worry about camera shake.
If possible, position the subject or Do you have a remote flash trigger?
camera so the main light source If you’re holding the camera, you
(eg the sun) is behind the subject No Yes may need to bump up the ISO to
400 or above, and this will
inevitably result in more grainy
images. When it comes to focusing,
Make sure the metering mode is Position your flash a few feet
still set to spot, and that the focus
autofocus is fine as far as it goes, but
directly behind your subject, or at
point overlaps the subject. Take a a slight angle (making sure it’s well at very close range, macro lenses
test shot and check the histogram out of shot!) to provide a rim-light have a tendency to hunt for a focus
point, and will sometimes fail to focus.
The answer is to switch to manual.
If the backlighting is very Once the flash is in place,
bright, you can expect a set it to manual and
peak at the far right of adjust the power as
the histogram, but most needed. The lower the
of the graph should be power, the more subtle
in the middle the rim-light. You can
also move the flash
closer or further away
If the histogram is too far to the left or right, or if the image looks too dark or
light, apply positive exposure compensation (plus button) to lighten it up
slightly, or negative exposure compensation (minus button) to darken it

Field guides: low light
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Night city scenes
How to use long exposures after dark to
capture colourful light trails in your images
Look out for street lamps, light trails from cars

and sunsets that will add colour and interest.
Head out when it’s been raining, as lights
reflected in puddles can double the impact
of your pictures. Will you be using a tripod?
Yes No
Tripods help you to consider The amount of light

image opportunities more generated by shops, street
carefully. As long as you’re lights and signs can deliver a
not worried about subject fast enough shutter speed
movement, you’ll be free for holding your camera.
to use low ISO settings, Increase the ISO setting and
narrower apertures and use your lens’s widest
slower shutter speeds aperture to get faster
shutter speeds. Brace your
camera by leaning against
a wall or similar, and turn
Would you like to on the high ISO noise
capture light trails as part reduction feature
of your picture?
No Yes
In manual mode (M), choose the Find a good spot near traffic lights
widest aperture (lowest f-stop) to or where the volume of traffic
give you the fastest shutter speed. increases. Choose the lowest ISO
G
Increase the ISO to between 400 setting and use manual mode (M) etting great low-light
and 800 and take a test shot to dial in a shutter speed of ten pictures means
seconds. Take some test shots and
view the results on the LCD – using applying the same
Choose a slower shutter the histogram to check exposure. attention to light and
speed (try 20 secs) and Are the light trails long enough? composition as you do in daylight.
take another shot. Repeat
until you’re happy with No Yes But before you head out into the
the length of the trail night, it will pay dividends and
save you time later if you plan
Are the results too bright (with the histogram bunched to the ahead. Pick good locations
right) or too dark (with no detail on the right of the graph)? beforehand by scouting out local
Too bright Too dark spots that have interesting lights
and architecture, or if you’re looking
to shoot traffic light trails, check
Choose a narrower aperture Choose a wider aperture (lower
setting (higher f-stop) and take f-stop) and take another test
which roads are busiest, when is the
another shot. Check the shot. Check the histogram and best time for traffic, and which is the
histogram and repeat the repeat the process until best (and safest) position to take
process until the highlights can the histogram just touches the
be seen to the right of the graph right of the graph your photos from. Don’t forget to
check the weather forecast
beforehand as well!

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Moonlit landscapes
Give your scenic shots a magical twist
by shooting them under the stars
C
arefully study the scene Choose a location far from the
sodium glow of street lights. Find a
before you start taking suitable focal point for your moonlit
photos. Are some parts landscape, such as a church, standing
in complete darkness? stones or dramatic headland. Try to start
shooting three hours after ‘moonrise’
Do areas of the shot become more for the best results
interesting, brightly lit or colourful
as it gets darker? If so, don’t be
afraid to zoom in on the most With your camera on a tripod, choose manual (M)
photogenic areas. If you’re shooting mode and select ISO800. An exposure of 30 secs
at f/4 is a good starting point. If your lens aperture
landscapes, arrive at the location with doesn’t offer this wide setting, increase the ISO
plenty of time to set up. The best to compensate. Take a test shot with the lens set
to manual (M) and focused at infinity. Do the results
pictures are often taken when there’s look okay, or are they too brown?
still some light left in the sky.
Okay Too brown
Zoom into the shot to check the Try your camera’s Tungsten
focus. Are foreground details white-balance setting, or make a
sharp or blurred? custom setting of around 3,200K
Sharp Blurred
Check the histogram. The shot’s Try to avoid including any

graph should be bunched to the subject that’s too close to
left, because the scene is full the camera in your
of dark tones and shadows. composition. Depth of field
If it’s not, decrease the ISO is limited at wide apertures
If your shot is severely under-exposed, increase the ISO setting.

Don’t choose a slower shutter speed, because at longer exposures
the stars will be rendered as short streaks of light

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Portraits
The flash settings and techniques you need
to get well-lit pictures of people at night
F
or the best results, shoot Do you want to use flash to light your subject,
in raw. This way your or just capture the mood of the ambient light?
images will retain the Flash Ambient light
most ‘information’, which
gives you greater scope for
By using low ISOs and fill flash, you’ll In aperture-priority mode (A
enhancing your shots in Adobe get cleaner pictures. Are you shooting or Av) choose the lens’s widest
Camera Raw and other raw- in an environment that’s mostly lit by aperture and increase the ISO
processing software. Raw is tungsten lights or fire? to a setting that will allow you to
get sharp pictures. Take test
especially beneficial when taking Yes No shots and evaluate the results,
night shots, because it gives more adjusting the ISO as necessary.
flexibility when you want to change Expect the results to be noisy
things such as colour temperature,
or brighten or darken your exposures.
You might be tempted to increase the
ISO to access faster shutter speeds, Try placing a warming gel Choose the camera’s
but you’ll get the cleanest pictures if over the flash, so that its slow-sync flash mode. To
burst of light blends with activate slow-sync flash
you stick to a setting of around the scene. Alternatively, on a Nikon SLR, set the
ISO100-200. If you move to higher shoot a single raw file, flash mode to Slow. On
settings, your pictures will suffer. then save it out with Canons, just set the mode
different white-balance dial to Av and flip up the
settings and blend the flash. For other brands,
images together check your manual
Take a shot. Are the results blurred or sharp?
Blurred Sharp
In slow-sync mode, the camera automatically

uses flash to light the subject, and a longer
exposure to capture background detail. If the
camera or subject moves during this longer
exposure, the photo will feature blurred
elements. The answer is to use a tripod
Does your subject appear too dark or too bright?
Dark Bright
Get closer to the subject, use a Reduce the power of the flash, use a
wider aperture or set a higher ISO narrower aperture or set a lower ISO

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Light painting
Grab a torch and get creative – ‘painting’
your subjects for dramatic effects
With your camera mounted on a tripod, manually focus on

the subject. Switch to manual (M) mode, then set the ISO
to 100 and aperture to around f/8. For the shutter speed,
choose the camera’s Bulb setting. Using a lockable remote
release, lock open the shutter and ‘paint’ the subject with
a strong spotlight torch. Try a 120-sec exposure, unlocking
the release to close the shutter. Check the results on the
rear screen. Is the image too dark or too bright?
Too dark Too bright
Use a wider aperture (lower Use a narrower aperture

f-stop) or try a longer (higher f-stop) or try
exposure time. Take further a shorter exposure time.
test shots until you’re happy Take further test shots until
with the exposure you’re happy
You’ve probably been wandering

around the scene with the torch Are there flares or streaks of light
still switched on. Make sure you throughout the frame?
switch it off when you’re not
‘painting’. Take another test shot Yes No
Are some parts of the subject much brighter than others?

Yes No
You need to keep the torch beam
C
in motion, just like painting with hoose a tripod with a
a brush, otherwise you’ll have Zooming in on the image,
patches and blotchy lighting over does it look blurred? sturdy set of legs and a
the subject. With this in mind, rock-solid head. Padded
take another test shot Yes No
leg wraps (or pipe
insulation trimmed to size) make
tripods more comfortable to carry
Your tripod isn’t sturdy Take your shots. Don’t take
enough. Long exposures and risks while working in total
and use in cold weather. A torch
wind are a volatile mix, so try darkness. Arrive in daylight won’t cost you much, but can help cut
hanging your camera bag so you can check out the down on time spent hunting for
from your tripod or weighing terrain, keep another torch
it down with a jacket to keep handy and carry a phone equipment in the dark. It will also
it rock steady for emergencies allow you to check your settings
without having to activate your
camera’s rear or top-plate LCD.

Field guides: weddings
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The bride’s arrival
Exposure compensation is the key to ensuring that
the bride and her dress look their very best
Is the bride in direct sunlight or in shade?
Sunlight Shade
There’s little you can Are you shooting wide,

do in bright sunlight, or cropping in tight so
but if possible add that the bride or her
some fill-flash to Is the background dress fills the frame?
eliminate any harsh much brighter than
shadows or ask the the bride (i.e. is she Wide Crop
bride to pause in backlit), or is the
some shade (such as background a similar
the shadow of the tone to the bride?
church), then go
to the next step Brighter Similar
If the bride’s dress fills

Set your widest the frame, dial in +1 to
aperture and dial +2 stops of exposure
in +1 to +2 stops compensation to
of exposure Set your lens’s widest avoid a grey-looking
compensation, to aperture to blur out dress. If the bride’s
ensure the bride isn’t the background and face fills the frame,
silhouetted against then use evaluative dial in +0.5 stops to
the brighter metering to expose prevent under-
background for the whole scene exposure
W
hether you’re just
a friend who’s
been asked to be
Set your SLR’s focus Is the bride walking Select the AF point the ‘unofficial’
tracking mode and towards you or closest to the nearest
shoot in burst mode, standing still? of the bride’s eyes wedding photographer, or an
or walk backwards as and use single shot AF aspiring pro who’s been asked to
the bride approaches Walking Still to focus on it rather shoot the whole wedding, it’s vital
to maintain the than what’s in the
focusing distance centre of the frame to spend some time with the bride
and groom well before the big day.
This is important because it enables
you to get an idea of what they
expect, and to manage those
expectations. If you prefer to shoot
reportage-style images and they want
you to plough through a long list of
formal group shots, this is the time to
address it. A pro photographer can do
both, of course, but even established
pros have their own style.

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Inside the church
To ensure sharp shots inside a gloomy church you’re going
to have to bump up your camera’s ISO or use a tripod
A
rguably just as Set aperture-priority mode and your
lens’s maximum aperture. Is the shutter
important as meeting speed fast enough to shoot handheld?
the bride and groom is
visiting their chosen Fast enough Too slow
venue or venues, preferably at the
same time of day as the wedding is
due to take place. This will give you a Fire away, but keep an Increase your ISO to 400 or
chance to experiment with different eye on the shutter speed even 800 and check the
in your viewfinder, and if shutter speed again. Is the
settings and to check what will work it drops too low, go right shutter speed fast enough
and what won’t. Will the bride be in to shoot handheld now?
direct sunlight when she arrives? Will Fast enough Too slow
there be enough light in the church to
shoot handheld?
Fire away discreetly Is flash allowed in the Do you mind if your

with your flash on church or registry shots are a bit noisy?
auto, but keep your office, either during (Bear in mind that a
ISO at 400 or 800 to or after the grainy shot is usually
include some ceremony? better than a blurred
ambient light, and one, and always
avoid the background Flash No flash better than nothing)
being plunged into
darkness Grain No grain
Increase your ISO

as high as necessary Do you have a tripod
to get a fast enough that you can set up at,
shutter speed, and Is it important that say, the back of the
be aware that if the the images are colour, church, or discreetly
bride is walking up the or would black and off to one side of the
aisle, you may need white be an option? bride and groom?
an even faster shutter
speed to prevent Colour B&W No Yes
motion blur
Increase your ISO as high as necessary Use your tripod and a

and convert to black and white in remote shutter
post-processing. With any luck the grain release to reduce the
will make it more atmospheric! risk of camera shake

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The bride and groom
As with the bride arriving, exposure is key, but just as important
is capturing a moment between the bride and groom
N
o matter what the To avoid high-contrast images with
bride and groom’s harsh shadows, position the bride (or
bride and groom) in the shade and
expectations are, there decide whether you want to shoot wide
are certain key and include the setting, or crop in tight
moments throughout the day
they’re sure to want images of. Wide Crop
When you find a set of images you
like, try to work out what it is Is the background Dial in between +1 Is the dress filling the
about them that appeals, and print also in shade, or is the and +2 stops of frame, or is it just a
a contact sheet of thumbnails to subject backlit? exposure part of the overall
compensation to composition?
give you inspiration on the day.
Shade Backlit prevent the bride
But with the bride and groom, you from being too dark Dress Overall
have more time to be creative. Try to against a bright
background, or to
find somewhere shaded and quiet, ensure the dress
away from the other guests, where If the newlyweds and looks white, not grey
they can stroll, pose and gaze at each the background are
other. This can bring on a fit of in the shade, expose Expose as normal,
as normal, but keep but keep an eye on
giggles, which can make for a an eye on the Do you want the the histogram to
natural-looking shot. histogram to ensure groom to kiss the ensure there’s a peak
there’s a little peak bride or to look near the highlight
near the highlight lovingly into her eyes? end, which indicates
end, which indicates that the dress will
that the dress will Kiss Look look white
look white
Ask the bride and groom to rub Try to get the bride and groom to
noses rather than kiss. This will relax by keeping things light-
ensure their faces and expressions hearted, and shoot in burst mode
won’t be obscured by the kiss itself to capture fleeting moments of
spontaneous laughter or emotion

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Family and friends
Formal shots and candids require a different approach,
but taking control of depth of field is the key with both
Are you shooting formal shots

or more candid portraits?
Formal Candids
Are you shooting Use a long lens to fill Are you shooting
individuals and pairs, the frame, set a wide individuals and pairs,
or bigger group shots? aperture to minimise or bigger group shots?
depth of field, and
Group Pairs focus on the eyes. For Pairs Group
posed images, ask the
subjects to turn in
towards each other
Use as long a lens as

space will allow to get
everyone in. Wide Are the subjects in Crop in tighter than
zooms may distort direct sunlight or in with formal group
people at the edges. shade or backlit? shots and use a wide
Ask people near the aperture. Also, use
edges to turn inwards Sunlight Shade foreground people to
and set an aperture of frame the shot and
f/8 to get good depth shoot in bursts to
of field and edge-to- capture fleeting
edge sharpness expressions
Wherever possible, move the Use a large reflector to bounce

subjects into the shade, or shoot overhead light into faces and
so any direct light is coming from reveal extra detail, and use flash
behind them. Failing that, use a set to -2 stops of flash exposure
S
reflector, or add a burst of fill-flash compensation to create a catch hooting outdoors is
light in the subjects’ eyes always a challenge. The
key is to be discreet (turn
off any autofocus beep,
for instance), and don’t be afraid
to bump the ISO right up if you
need to; better a grainy shot that
an indistinct blur. Ask the best man
to take charge of organising the
various groups that need to be
photographed. Shoot in burst mode
to maximise your chances of getting
a shot without anyone blinking.

CHAPTER 5
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The complete dictionary of

photography
The ultimate guide to photographic
jargon and acronyms

The complete dictionary of photography
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A AF
Stands for autofocus, a function first
Aberration introduced on cameras in the late 1970s,
An optical fault in a lens that creates a in which the lens is adjusted automatically
less-than-perfect image. to bring the designated part of the image
into sharp focus. Almost all modern
Abstract lenses for digital SLRs have AF, which is
In photography, this term refers to images achieved via one or more sensors and a
that concentrate on aspects of a subject motor either integrated in the lens itself
such as shape, form, colour and texture, or the camera body.
instead of a straightforward representation
of a subject. AF illuminator
This is a system used by some cameras Adjustment layer
Adams, Ansel and flashguns to assist autofocus operation This is a layer containing an image
Adams (1902-1984) was an influential in poor light. A pattern of red light is adjustment or effect instead of image
American photographer, acclaimed for projected on to the subject, which aids the content. Like a red Cellophane
his black-and-white landscapes of the contrast-detection autofocus to adjust the overlay on a print, an adjustment
American West, and particularly Yosemite lens correctly. layer will alter the appearance of
National Park. Together with Fred Archer, layers below it, but not actually alter
he formulated the Zone System as a way AF-S their content, making adjustment
to determine the optimum exposure for This stands for ‘autofocus-silent’, and refers layers a cornerstone of reversible,
a negative. to Nikon lenses that use a silent motor to ‘non-destructive’ editing. The
control the autofocus system. adjustment can be altered, hidden or
Adobe Camera Raw removed at any point. When you add
A plugin included with Photoshop and AL an adjustment layer, a mask is also
Photoshop Elements that enables users to See aspherical lens. automatically created, so that the
process and edit raw files. Adobe Camera effect can be applied to a lesser
Raw is frequently updated to support the Albumen print extent (or not at all) in particular
newest camera models. A type of photographic print, invented in areas of the image.
1850 by Frenchman Louis Désiré
AE Blanquart-Evrard (1802-1872). It consists
An abbreviation for automatic exposure. of a sheet of paper coated in egg white
This camera feature enables the user to (albumen) and salt, then dipped in a
determine the shutter speed and aperture light-sensitive silver nitrate solution.
for an image, usually via a TTL (through-the- The paper, when dried, is overlaid with
lens) exposure meter. a glass negative and exposed to the sun.
The albumen print was widely used until
AEL the late 19th century.
Automatic exposure lock. This is a
push-button control that enables you to Alternative processes
select the part of the scene from which the This term refers to a range of photographic
camera takes its meter reading, and then processes, mostly dating from the late 19th
lock this setting while the image is and early 20th century, which devotees
re-framed for better composition. The continue to use for their unique qualities.
button can also be used for focusing. They include the daguerreotype, gum

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A
bichromate, cyanotype, salt print, bromoil, was housed in a drop-in cartridge, and lenses or elements. Many of these
platinum and palladian processes. could be shot in three different formats. elements are spherical, as if cut from a
B
It was mainly used in compact cameras, sphere. Aspherical elements are less
Ambient light but also a small number of SLRs. rounded and are used in wide-angle and
C
The existing light in a particular scene, wide-apertured lenses to help provide

which may be sunlight, moonlight or an APS-C distortion-free images.
D
artificial light already providing This refers to the size of sensor used in
Astrophotography
E
illumination. It excludes any light source some digital cameras, measuring around
added by the photographer, such as flash 22.5x15mm, and with a 3:2 aspect ratio. It Photography achieved by attaching a
F
or studio lighting. gets its name and dimensions from the camera to a telescope, and concerned with
APS (Advanced Photo System) film format, recording images of astronomical objects
G
Angle of view used in its Classic (C) aspect ratio. in the night sky such as stars, planets,
A measurement of how much a lens can comets, and the moon. Astrophotography
H
see of a scene from a particular position, Artefacts can also be used to record astronomical
usually measured in degrees. The longer Flaws in an image caused by limitations in objects invisible to the human eye by using
I
the focal length of the lens, the narrower the recording or manipulation process. long exposures.
J
the angle of view. Zoom lenses have Examples include colour and tonal banding,
adjustable angles of view. random blotches or a mottled, grainy AT-X
K
appearance. Stands for Advanced Technology

Antialiasing Extra – the branding used on all current
L
A method of smoothing diagonal or curved ASA Tokina lenses.

M
lines in digital images to avoid a ‘staircase’ A method of measuring and specifying film
or ‘stepped’ appearance (also called speed, or a film’s sensitivity to light, as Autobracketing
N
‘jaggies’), caused by the fact that the devised by the American Standards A feature on some cameras that enables
pixels making up an image are discrete Association in 1943. It was replaced by you to automatically shoot a sequence of
O
blocks of colour. the ISO (International Organisation for shots of the same scene at slightly different
Standardisation) film speed system in shutter speeds (or aperture settings) from
P
Aperture priority the 1980s. Also, see ISO. the ‘correct exposure’. This feature can be
Q
Semi-automatic exposure system, where used if there’s some doubt that the meter
the aperture is set by the photographer. AS and Asp reading is accurate for a particular subject.
R
The shutter speed is then set by the Abbreviations for aspherical. See It can also be used to shoot a sequence
camera to suit the light level reading taken aspherical lens. that’s combined into one high dynamic
S
by the camera’s own meter. range image. See HDR. Other

Aspect ratio autobracketing features available on some
T
APO The relationship between the width and cameras include automatic flash, ISO or
U
Abbreviation of apochromatic. This is used height of a picture, which describe the white balance bracketing.
to describe Sigma lenses that use proportions of an image format or a
V W X
super-low dispersion (SLD) lens elements photograph. The aspect ratio of most Autochrome
to reduce chromatic aberration. D-SLRs is 3:2, while on most other digital The name of the first colour photography
cameras, it’s 4:3. process, invented by French brothers
APS Auguste and Louis Lumière, and patented
The initials of the Advanced Photo System, Aspherical lens in 1903. A glass plate was coated in
Y
a short-lived film photography format A lens element that has a surface that microscopic grains of potato starch,
introduced by Kodak and other isn’t perfectly spherical. All camera lenses coloured red, green and blue, overlaid with
Z
manufacturers in 1996. The 24mm film are made up of a number of individual a black-and-white silver halide emulsion.

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The process was widely used until dramatic, or to make a silhouette or
Kodachrome and Agfacolor films were rim-lighting effect.
introduced in the 1930s.
Backup
Autofocus A copy of a digital file that’s kept in case
See AF. of damage to, or loss of, the original
digital image.
Available light
See ambient light. Ballhead
A type of tripod head in which the head
Avedon, Richard mount, which holds the camera, is attached
Avedon (1923-2004) was one of America’s to a ball-and-socket joint. When the socket
most famous fashion and portrait is tightened using the ball lock knob, it locks Aperture
photographers. He was the chief the head in place. The opening in the lens that restricts
photographer for Harper’s Bazaar magazine how much light reaches the image
in the 1940s and Vogue from the 1960s. His Barn doors sensor. In all but the most basic
portraits are famous for their intimacy as Four hinged doors fixed on the front of cameras, the size of the aperture is
well as their stark and minimalist quality. studio lights. The doors are used to modify adjustable. The aperture setting used
the shape and direction of the light. has an important role to play in both
AWB exposure and depth of field.
Automatic white balance. This is a system Barnack, Oskar
that automatically adjusts the colour Barnack (1879-1936), an optical engineer
balance of an image, according to the and industrial designer, is known as ‘the
colour temperature of the light source, to father of 35mm photography’ for his work
make it look as natural as possible to the as the head of development at the Leitz
human eye. camera company. He designed the first
Leica camera, which went on sale in 1925,
and introduced the 24 x36mm format (now
B known as 35mm) for still photography.
B (Bulb) Barrel distortion

A shutter speed setting that enables you to Barrel distortion is a lens fault or aberration
keep the shutter open for as long as the that causes straight, parallel lines in an
shutter release is held down, usually with a image to bow outward, and is seen when
remote release. It’s used for long exposures shooting with wide-angle lenses. The wider
of up to several minutes. the lens, the greater the distortion. The
appearance is similar to the effect you’d
Backlighting see if an image was wrapped around a
An image is backlit when the light source is barrel. It can be corrected using post-
on the far side of the subject in relation to capture software.
the camera. It means that there’s more light
coming from behind the subject than is Beauty dish
directly on the subject itself. It’s often used A studio lighting device used to give a
to separate the subject from the flattering effect in portrait and fashion
background to make a subject more photography. It consists of a large circular

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A
dish-shaped reflector, usually around relaxed and spontaneous style, and American Civil War and his portraits of
40-50cm in diameter, with a light source in became the leading fashion and portrait prominent Americans, including
B
the centre. The light usually has an opaque photographers of the period. Abraham Lincoln.
cover so that only the diffused light
C
reflected from the dish reaches the subject. Blending mode Brandt, Bill
Blending modes determine how the pixels Bill Brandt (1904-1983) was an important
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Bellows in a layer interact with the underlying pixels British photographer who began his career
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A concertinaed tube made of flexible, on other layers instead of simply covering documenting the British class system in
light-proof material that separates a lens them. Some blending modes are much the 1930s. He went on to photograph
F
from the camera body. Bellows were first more useful for photo editing than others. London in the war years before bringing his
used on very early cameras in the mid-19th Multiply is used to darken an image, and unique style to landscapes, portraiture and
G
century, and are still used on large-format Screen to lighten it; Overlay and Soft Light finally abstract nudes.
equipment (such as the Ebony view boost contrast.
H
cameras) today. They allow the plane of Bridge camera

focus to be adjusted via a swing and tilt Blown out A camera that is claimed to bridge the gap
I
mechanism. Bellows are also used Bright areas in a photo that are over- between compacts and D-SLRs. They are
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instead of extension rings on SLR exposed are said to be blown out. similar in appearance and handling to small
cameras for making more finely They don’t hold any detail and will be D-SLRs, but they have a fixed, usually
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adjustable macro images. bleached white. ‘superzoom’ lens, with some models
offering up to a 50x optical zoom. They are
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Bit Bokeh also usually a little smaller. Instead of a

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The basic unit from which any digital piece Derived from the Japanese word for ‘blur’, D-SLR’s optical viewfinder, they have an
of data is made. Each bit has a value of this term is used to describe the aesthetic electronic viewfinder.
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either 0 or 1. The sizes of digital files are quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas of
usually counted in bytes, which are each a picture, or the lens creating them. Brightness range
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made up of eight bits. Smooth, circular out-of-focus highlights This is the difference between the
are a feature of ‘good bokeh.’ brightness of the brightest part of the
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Bit depth subject and the brightness of the darkest

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The number of bits used to record the Bounding box part of the subject. Also known as Subject
colour of a single pixel. Digital cameras In Photoshop, a rectangular border around Brightness Range (SBR).
R
usually use at least eight bits for each of a selected part of an image that can be
the red, green, and blue channels, providing dragged to transform, rotate, scale or move Bromoil
S
a 24-bit depth, and a possible 16,700,000 a picture element. A photographic process in which prints
colours. Many digital SLRs offer higher bit made on silver bromide paper are
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depths when set to record in the raw Bracketing chemically bleached and hardened before
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shooting mode. A system for increasing the chances of an oil pigment is applied. It was popular
getting the correct exposure by taking a among Pictorialist photographers from its
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Black trinity sequence of pictures with a slightly invention in 1907 until the 1930s.
A derogatory name given by fashion and different exposure setting for each. See
portrait photographer Norman Parkinson autobracketing. Brownie
(1913-1990) to three photographers who The name of a series of simple box
emerged in the late 1950s and early 1960s: Brady, Mathew cameras made by the Eastman Kodak
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David Bailey (born 1938), Brian Duffy Mathew Brady (1822-1896) was a company. The first Brownie went on sale in
(1933-2010), and Terence Donovan pioneering American photographer, 1900, and was intended to make
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(1936-1996). This trio worked in a more famous for his photographs of the photography simpler and more affordable

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for everyone. The cameras were named
after the cartoon characters created by C
illustrator Palmer Cox.
Cable release
Buffer A mechanical or electronic device for firing
Temporary memory used by a digital SLR. a camera from a short distance away,
The size of the buffer in a camera helps without physically pressing the shutter
dictate the maximum burst rate, and the release. It’s often used as a way to minimise
number of shots per burst. In general, the vibration when using a slow shutter speed
bigger the buffer, the longer the burst. and a camera support, such as a tripod.
Burn tool Calibrator

A tool that can be used to darken parts of A device used to standardise the colour and Bounce flash
an image selectively during digital image brightness of a computer monitor so that Indirect flash-lighting technique,
manipulation. The tool gets its name (and images can be accurately adjusted. where the flashgun is angled to
its hand-shaped icon) from ‘burning-in’, a bounce off a wall, ceiling, or other
traditional darkroom process in which parts Calotype reflector. This scatters the
of a print could be made darker by giving One of the earliest photographic processes, illumination, creating a softer
some areas of a print more exposure than announced by William Henry Fox Talbot lighting effect.
others. Also, see Dodge tool. (1800-1877) in 1841, in which a negative
image was recorded on a sheet of
Burst rate translucent paper coated with light-
The continuous shooting speed of a digital sensitive chemicals. The earliest surviving
camera, which enables a sequence of example is an image of a window at Lacock
images to be taken in rapid succession, Abbey, made in 1835. Using the process,
measured in frames per second (fps). The multiple positive images could
rate can only be sustained for a certain subsequently be produced by contact-
number of shots. printing the negative.
Butterfly lighting Camera shake

A technique for lighting portraits achieved Blurring of the image caused by movement
by pointing the flash down towards the front of the camera during the exposure.
of the face and creating a distinctive Handheld cameras are prone to camera
butterfly-shaped shadow under the nose. shake, and the fastest available shutter
A reflector is used to soften the shadow. speed needs to be used to reduce or
This technique is also known as ‘Paramount eliminate the problem.
lighting’ after the movie studio’s glamorous
portraits from the 1930s. Camera trap
A remotely activated camera used for
Byte documenting the behaviour of wild animals
The standard unit for measuring the in a natural environment without the
memory capacity of digital storage devices. photographer being present. The camera’s
Each byte can have one of 256 different shutter is usually triggered when an
values, and is equal to eight bits. Also, see animal’s movement is detected by an
bit and bit depth. infrared or motion sensor.

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Cameron, Julia Margaret Chromatic aberration
A
APS film, used their own specially

Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) was designed cartridges. A lens fault common in telephoto lenses in
B
a British photographer who made portraits which different colours of white light are
of some of the major figures of the Catch light focused at slightly different distances,
C
Victorian period as well as her relatives and A white highlight in the eye of the subject, creating ugly coloured haloes around the
friends. She was one of the first people to which is a reflection of the light source. The edges of a photographic subject. Software
D
see photography as an artistic medium shape, size and intensity of the highlight, as can remove or reduce the effect.
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open to interpretation, rather than simply well as the number of highlights, will vary
a mechanical process for recording reality. depending on the lighting setup. Chromogenic film
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Her portraits often make a creative use of A fine-grain photographic film

soft focus. CCD that produces black-and-white images, but
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(Charge Coupled Device) is processed using C41 colour chemistry.

Canvas A type of imaging sensor commonly used
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A Photoshop term for the overall in digital cameras, and an alternative to the Circular polariser
dimensions of the image file you are using. CMOS sensor. See CMOS. A type of polarising filter. Circular polarisers
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Like the canvas used for a painting, the can be used with modern cameras without
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Canvas may be the same size as the actual Centre-weighted interfering with the operation of exposure
size of the picture, or it may be larger. A type of built-in light metering system, metering and autofocus systems, unlike
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provided as an option on some cameras. older and cheaper linear polarisers.

Canvas Size Centre-weighted meters measure light
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The Canvas Size control enables you to intensity across the entire image area, Clipping
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increase the size of the canvas without but bias the average in favour of light Clipping occurs when the dark parts of an
affecting the pixels that make up the image measured towards the centre of the image become pure black or the light parts
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itself. It can be used to add a border to a frame. The system isn’t foolproof; it’s become pure white, so that image detail is
photo, for example, or to add a blank area easier to predict when it will make an lost in these areas. On a histogram, a
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into which more sky can be cloned. inappropriate reading than more clipped shadow or highlight is indicated by
sophisticated metering systems. the graph being ‘cut off’ on the left-hand
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Cartier-Bresson, Henri (shadows) or right-hand (highlights) side.

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Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004) is Channel mixer

regarded as one of the most influential A feature in Photoshop that enables you to Clone Stamp
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reportage and street photographers. He adjust the red, green and blue channels to An image-editing tool that enables you to
was one of the co-founders of the Magnum increase or decrease colour saturation, or replace an area of the image with pixels
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Photos agency in 1947. He was one of the to convert an image to monochrome. taken from elsewhere in the image (or even
first to exploit the advantages of the Leica another image). It’s commonly used for
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35mm camera, and used it to capture Chiaroscuro removing blemishes and other unwanted
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brilliantly timed and composed images A term that originated in Renaissance art. objects from a picture.
throughout his long career. It refers to a style of image that features a
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strong contrast between the light and dark Close-up lens

Cartridge film areas of the picture. A filter-like accessory that fits on the front
A type of photographic film housed in a of the camera lens to magnify the image.
plastic cassette. Because it’s light-tight, Chimping This low-cost and lightweight macro
film can be loaded into a camera in This is a short form of ‘checking image accessory can be used on most types of
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daylight. 126 cartridge film was introduced preview’. It refers to the act of looking too cameras and lenses. Close-up lenses come
by Kodak in 1963, followed by 110 film in frequently at your camera’s LCD, rather in a variety of different strengths, usually
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1972. Two later formats, Disc film and than concentrating on the subject. measured in dioptres.

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CMOS (Complementary Metal the colours of an image are displayed and
Oxide Semiconductor) output in exactly the same way, whatever
This is a type of imaging sensor used in the device being used.
digital cameras. Located at the focal plane,
it converts the focused image into an Colour profile
electrical signal. It’s similar in function Description of how a camera, printer,
to the CCD sensor. monitor or other device displays or records
colour. It provides a universal way in which
CMYK different devices can produce similar-
Cyan, magenta, yellow and black (or ‘key’), looking results. This is sometimes known
the four primary inks used in commercial as an ICC profile, because the standards
colour printing. CMYK also refers to the are set down by the ICC (International
printing process itself. Colour Consortium). Colour cast
A colour tint in an image, caused by
Collodion process Colour negative film shooting in a particular kind of light.
This is an early technique for making Film on which all original colours are Tungsten light causes a yellow cast,
photographic prints, invented by Frederick recorded as their complementary colours. while fluorescent light causes a green
Scott Archer (1813-1857) in 1851, which When the image is printed on photographic cast. Casts can be corrected using the
used collodion (cellulose nitrate) to stick paper, the colours are again reversed to camera’s white balance feature, or at
light-sensitive chemicals on the surface of a their original hue. Colour negatives have the post-capture stage.
glass plate. The plate was exposed, an orange tint or mask, which helps to
developed and fixed while still wet. The control contrast and improves the
process produced good results and was reproduction quality.
used widely until around 1880.
Colour reversal film
Colour channels Film processed to produce a colour positive
Every colour you see on a screen is created image on its transparent base. Traditionally,
by a specific mix of red, green and blue light, images are mounted in card or plastic
and every printed colour by a specific mounts. Also commonly known as slide
formula of ink colours. In Photoshop, the or transparency film.
component colours can be represented and
seen as separate colour channels – RGB for Colour space
most digital photos. See Channel mixer for The theoretical definition of the range of
more on this. colours that can be displayed by a device.
Colour filter array (CFA) Colour temperature

The pattern for red, green, and blue filters All light sources have a characteristic colour
used over the photo sites in an imaging temperature: artificial (tungsten-filament)
sensor. Usually, half the photo sites in a lights are warmer (more orange) than
digital camera (which define pixels) have daylight, which is warm near dawn, turns
green filters, a quarter have red filters, and cooler (more blue) during the day, then
quarter have blue filters. warms again at nightfall. Our eyes adjust for
colour temperature much of the time
Colour management without our realising it, so that colours look
An overall system that tries to ensure that pretty consistent. Digital cameras can make

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Crop
A
electronic adjustments using a white made by laying one or more film negatives
balance system to neutralise colours. When on a sheet of photographic paper, usually To remove unwanted parts of an image.
B
they get it wrong (or you use the wrong under a sheet of glass, and exposing it to
white balance setting on your camera), light. In the traditional wet darkroom, a Crop factor
C
a colour cast results. contact sheet is usually the first stage of Sensors of several different sizes are
printing an image. used in digital SLRs, and this size affects
D
Combination printing the angle of view offered by a particular

Continuous autofocus
E
The use of two or more negatives to make lens. The smaller the sensor, the narrower
one print. The technique was first used This is an autofocus setting in which the the angle of view. The ‘crop factor’ is to
F
in the mid-19th century to overcome focus is constantly adjusted until the convert the actual focal length of a lens
exposure limitations in early photographic shutter is actually fired. It’s especially to the effective focal length (EFL – see
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processes, although photographers such useful for moving subjects such as in below). The crop factor for Four Thirds and
as Oscar Gustave Rejlander (1813-1875) wildlife or sports/action photography, Micro Four Thirds models is 2x; the crop
H
could use dozens of images to make one where it would be unhelpful for the factor for most popular digital SLRs (DX
epic scene. focus distance to be locked as soon and APS-C) is 1.5x or 1.6x. Full-frame digital
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as it’s initially found. SLRs need no focal length conversion, so

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Compact they have a crop factor of 1x.

A type of camera with a shutter mechanism Continuous lighting
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built in to the lens. Compacts are generally Lighting that remains on throughout Cross-processing
point-and-shoot designs that are easy to a photo shoot, as opposed to the brief Sometimes called ‘X-Pro’, in film
L
carry around. Most digital compacts have burst of illumination given by flash or photography this refers to processing
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built-in zoom lenses. strobe lighting. colour negative film in reversal film (E6)
chemicals, or colour reversal film in
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CompactFlash Contrast-detection negative film (C41) chemicals. The

This is a type of removable memory card autofocus resulting colour shifts gave images a
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commonly used in digital SLRs. See passive autofocus. distinctive look. The technique was once
especially popular in fashion photography.
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Complementary colours Contrast range A similar appearance can be created in

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Also known as ‘opposite colours’, these A measurement of the difference Photoshop by boosting contrast and
are pairs of colours that create a strong in brightness between the very darkest tweaking colour channels.
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contrast. On the traditional colour wheel and lightest parts of an image. See
they are red/green, yellow/violet and brightness range. Curves
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blue/orange, while the CMYK and RGB This powerful Photoshop feature enables
models use red/cyan, green/magenta Contre-jour you to adjust the exposure and contrast of
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and blue/yellow. In French, literally ‘against the light’. See an image. By altering the shape of the
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backlighting. curve, different areas of tone can be

Compression lightened or darkened by varying amounts.
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The process of reducing the sizes of files Converging verticals By altering the curves for each of the
such as digital images, so that they use less A term used to describe the effect of different colour channels, the colour
storage capacity and are faster to upload parallel lines getting closer together, balance of the image can also be altered
and download. See lossless compression particularly the two sides of a building, to create special effects, or simply to
and lossy compression. or a section of a building, when shooting correct for unwanted colour casts.
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from a low angle of view. The phenomena Elements’ version of Curves, called Adjust
Contact print/sheet occurs when the camera is tilted up or Colour Curves, is more limited than
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Contact prints are photographic images down to fit the entire building in the picture. Photoshop’s Curves.

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Cyanotype Daguerre, Louis
A printing process that creates a distinctive Louis Daguerre (1787-1851) was an artist
cyan-blue print, discovered in 1842 by and inventor who devised one of the earliest
scientist Sir John Herschel (1792-1871). photographic processes, the
It was first used in photography by Anna daguerreotype, announced in 1839. It was
Atkins (1799-1871), who produced a book made by coating a silver-plated copper
of cyanotype photograms made using sheet with light-sensitive silver iodide,
seaweed in 1843. and exposing it in a camera to create a
positive image.
D DC
This features on the range of Sigma lenses
D that are designed specifically for use with Compact System
A type of Tokina lens that’s compatible with crop-factor SLRs, and which can’t be used Camera (CSC)
full-frame SLRs. with full-frame models. These are cameras with no mirror
mechanism, and are therefore smaller
DA Decisive moment and lighter than D-SLRs, but still offer
Stands for Digital Auto, which features on The split-second when all the elements similar controls, high-quality images
a range of Pentax lenses that (unlike some of a photograph simultaneously come and interchangeable lenses.
earlier ranges) don’t have a manual together. The decisive moment is Depending on the model, there’s
aperture ring. They have a ‘Quick Shift’ associated with Cartier-Bresson, who either an electronic viewfinder or no
mechanism that enables you to override described photography as “the viewfinder and only the LCD screen.
focus manually, even when the lens is set simultaneous recognition, in a fraction CSCs are also referred to as MILCs
to autofocus. of a second, of the significance of an (mirrorless interchangeable lens
event as well as of a precise organization camera) or EVILs (electronic
DA* of forms which give that event its proper viewfinder, interchangeable lens).
The premium lens range from Pentax, expression.”
which combines weatherproofing with
the advantages of the DA range. Dedicated flashgun
A type of flashgun that’s designed to
Dark cloth provide direct one-way or two-way
A sheet of black material, mainly used in communication with the camera. The
large-format photography. It covers the amount of dedication varies enormously
photographer’s head and the camera, depending on the flashgun and camera.
and allows the relatively dim image on Increased dedication tends to provide
the ground-glass screen to be seen a more accurate flash metering, as
more clearly when composing and well as making the flash system easier
focusing an image. to use successfully.
Darkroom Depth of field

A light-tight room for processing and A measure of how much of a picture is in
printing traditional photographs. Negatives focus, from the nearest point in the scene
are loaded into the processing tank in to the camera that looks sharp, to the
complete darkness, while a red/orange safe furthermost point that looks sharp. Depth
light can be used at the printing stage. of field is dependent on the aperture used,

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DG Diffuser
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the distance that the lens is focused at,

and the focal length of the lens. This refers to the Sigma lens range suitable Any material that scatters the light as it
B
for full-frame SLRs (but that can also be passes through it, softening the
Depth of field preview used on crop-factor models). illumination and making shadows less
C
A device, usually a button, found on some distinct. Diffusers are commonly used with
digital SLRs that enables you to see the Di artificial light sources such as strobes and
D
viewfinder image at the actual aperture Tamron’s ‘Digitally Integrated’ lenses have a flashguns. On sunny days, clouds act as
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you’ll be using for the exposure. This gives full-size image circle, so they are suitable natural diffusers.
a visual indication as to how much depth of for full-frame and crop-factor SLRs.
F
field there is, and which parts of the Dioptre

resulting picture will be sharp or blurred. Di II Optical measurement used to describe the
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This is necessary because the viewfinder Tamron’s second-generation Digitally light-bending power of a lens. The dioptre
normally only shows the image as it Integrated lenses are designed for use on value of a lens is equal to the number of
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would appear if the widest aperture popular crop-factor SLRs, and are not times that its focal length will divide into
available were used. suitable for full-frame models. 1000mm. Dioptres are used to measure
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the magnification of close-up lenses, and

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Depth of field scale Diaphragm of viewfinder lenses.

A scale found on some lens barrels that can Another term for the aperture. These
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be used to work out the depth of field for are the adjustable blades that regulate Disc film
particular apertures, and that can be used how much light enters the lens and A short-lived format introduced by Kodak
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for manual focus adjustments to maximise reaches the sensor. in 1982. The disc-shaped film, housed in
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or minimise the depth of field. a plastic cartridge, contained 15 negatives

Dialog measuring 11x8 mm. After each exposure,
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Depth program A window that pops open when you select the disc rotated to the next frame. Poor
A program exposure mode in which the certain commands, usually to give you the image quality made it unpopular, and it
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aperture and shutter speed are set opportunity to configure settings or enter was discontinued in 1999.
automatically in order to provide the further preferences. In Photoshop and
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maximum depth of field, while maintaining Photoshop Elements, menu commands DNG (Digital Negative)
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a shutter speed that’s fast enough for that will open a dialog for further DNG is a raw file format invented by Adobe
hand-held photography. With some instructions before applying their effect are and used by some camera manufacturers.
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cameras, the different subject distances usually indicated by an ellipsis (…) after the An advantage of DNG is that, unlike other
measured by the multipoint autofocus name, such as File>Save As… Those raw formats, it isn’t specific to just one
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system are also taken into account, and without this, such as File>Save, will work camera manufacturer or model, and it isn’t
the focus is adjusted to suit. immediately, with no dialog. just a read-only format – you can save your
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files in DNG format too. A free DNG

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Developer Differential focusing converter application available from Adobe

A mixture of chemicals used to convert or Controlling depth of field to ensure that at www.adobe.com/products/dng enables
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amplify a latent image on a photographic one element in the picture is sharp, while you to convert any raw file into a DNG.
film or print to make it visible. It’s made others are as out of focus as possible.
permanent using fixer. DO
Diffraction Diffractive Optics is used on a handful of
DFA Scattering of light caused by deflection at Canon telephoto lenses. The technology
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This features on the range of Pentax lenses the edges of an opaque object. Diffraction enables these long lenses to be made
that will work with full-frame 35mm film causes slight fuzziness in the image when smaller and lighter than equivalents using
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cameras as well as crop-factor digital SLRs. the narrowest apertures are used. conventional optical designs.

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Dodge tool by converting a colour image to greyscale,
A way of lightening selected areas of the then choosing Image>Mode>Duotone.
image during digital manipulation. The tool
gets its name (and its spoon-shaped icon) DX
from the traditional darkroom technique of Tokina’s and Nikon’s way of marking lenses
‘dodging’, where parts of a print are shielded that are only suitable for crop-factor (or
from exposure and therefore given less light APS-C) digital SLRs.
than other parts. See also Burn tool.
Dynamic range
Doughnuts A term used to describe the range between
The name given to the ring-shaped bokeh the lightest and darkest points in a
created by the unique construction of a photograph. The range that can be recorded
mirror lens. by a digital camera is relatively small Dioptric correction
compared with the range that the human The facility provided on some
DPI eye can perceive. digital cameras for adjusting the
Dots per inch. Strictly speaking, viewfinder to suit the user’s eyesight.
a measure of the density of dots of ink that Limited adjustment is built-in, and
a printer lays down on paper. Compare E some cameras permit further
image resolution (density of pixels) of a modification with the use of additional
print or on-screen image at a certain size, Eastman, George dioptre lenses.
measured in pixels per inch. George Eastman (1854-1932) was an
American entrepreneur and philanthropist.
DPOF He patented the first paper negative roll film
(Digital Print Order Format) in 1884 before establishing Eastman Kodak
A facility available on some digital cameras in 1892, which went on to become one of
that enables users to mark the images from the world’s largest photographic
which they wish to have prints made. companies. The popular Kodak ‘Brownie’
series was launched in 1900, with the
D-SLR famous slogan, ‘You push the button,
(digital single lens reflex) we do the rest’.
See single-lens reflex.
ED
DT A lens featuring Extra-low Dispersion glass
A Sony lens with a smaller image circle, in one or more of its elements, to help
designed for use on crop-factor cameras. correct chromatic aberration. This
abbreviation is used by Nikon, Panasonic,
Duotone Olympus and others.
A duotone image is one made from two
inks (usually black and another colour), Edgerton, Harold Eugene
and is often used in printed books to Harold Eugene Edgerton (1903-1990) was
increase the tonal range of an image. a professor of electrical engineering at
It’s also used by some fine-art Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who
photographers to add subtle colour to conducted innovative experiments with
black-and-white photographs. A similar high-speed flash photography. He
appearance can be achieved in Photoshop developed a flash tube that fired for

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A
one-millionth of a second, recording for the darkroom. Negatives are placed in the hybrid cameras, bridge cameras,
first time subjects such as a bullet piercing carrier, and a light inside the enlarger head camcorders, and some compacts. The
B
an apple. projects the magnified image onto a sheet image seen by the lens is electronically
of photographic paper on the baseboard. projected onto the screen.
C
EF When the exposure is complete, the

Stands for Electro Focus. This is the name photograph is developed and fixed. EVIL (electronic viewfinder,
D
of the lens mount Canon introduced on its interchangeable lens)

E
first autofocus SLR cameras in 1987. EF Environmental portrait A type of hybrid camera that combines
lenses can be used on all Canon SLRs. A portrait shot in a subject’s home or work features of a traditional SLR with those of
F
environment in such a way that it gives an a compact camera. Unlike a digital SLR,
Effects filter insight into the subject’s character. The this type of camera has an electronic rather
G
See filter. American photographer Arnold Newman than optical viewfinder. See compact
(1918-2006) is considered the father of system camera.
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EFL environmental portraiture.

(effective focal length) EXIF
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A measure for comparing the angle of view EV (exposure value) (exchangeable image file)
J
and magnification of different lenses and The scale used to denote the exposure Camera settings recorded by many digital
lens settings, whatever the size of imaging required without the need to specify cameras as part of the image file. This data
K
chip being used. The actual focal length is either shutter speed or aperture. automatically notes a wide range of
converted to the equivalent focal length A particular EV setting has its own set pairs information about the picture, including the
L
that would give the same angle of view on of possible shutter speed and aperture. date and time it was recorded, aperture,
M
a camera using 35mm. See focal length. Exposure values are often quoted in shutter speed, model of camera, whether
combination with an ISO speed to denote flash was used, number of pixels used,
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EF-S a specific light level. metering mode, exposure mode, exposure

Stands for Electro Focus Short back focus, compensation used and zoom setting.
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a lens mount introduced by Canon in 2003. Evaluative metering The information can then subsequently
EF-S lenses have a small image circle so A metering system used on many be read by suitable software. To access
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they are only suitable for use on crop-factor cameras, in which light readings are this information in Photoshop and
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SLRs. A modified mount means that they taken from a number of different areas, Photoshop Elements, go to File>File Info.
can’t physically be fitted onto incompatible or zones, across the image. These
R
(i.e. full-frame) Canon models. readings are then compared to data Exposure
programmed into the camera, so it can The total amount of light used to create
S
EX work out an appropriate exposure setting. an image. The term is also used to describe
Sigma’s designation for its premium Information from the multipoint autofocus a single shutter cycle, that is, the process
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lens range. system is also used, to ascertain the likely of the camera’s shutter opening, closing
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position of the subject. This ‘intelligent’ and resetting.

Element metering system can avoid many of the
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An individual optical lens. Most failings of simpler systems. However, it’s Exposure compensation
photographic lenses are constructed using impossible to second-guess, so it can be A control for manually overriding the
a number of lens elements, placed parallel difficult to predict the occasions where it built-in exposure meter of a camera to
to each other along a single axis. Some are will get the exposure wrong. It’s also known provide more or less light to the sensor.
placed together in groups. as matrix metering.
Y
Eyedropper
Enlarger EVF (electronic viewfinder) A Photoshop tool used to sample the
Z
A projector used in a traditional wet An eye-level LCD screen, as found on colour of an area, typically changing the

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foreground colour to the same shade. It can FA
also be used in some adjustment tools for A Pentax lens that’s compatible with
setting exposure or colour balance, by full-frame SLRs, and that features an
clicking a particular area of tone as a old-fashioned aperture ring.
reference point.
False colour
Eye relief A colour shown in a digital image that’s
A measurement of the optimum viewing different from the actual subject colour, and
distance between the photographer’s eye that often appears together with a moiré
and the camera’s viewfinder. pattern. See moiré pattern.
Eyepiece correction Fast ISO setting

See dioptric correction. An ISO setting that makes the sensor more Extension tube
sensitive to light than usual, and thus An accessory used in macro and
requires less exposure than usual. Fast close-up photography that fits
F settings are useful in low-light situations between the D-SLR body and the lens.
where long shutter speeds are not suitable. The extra extension between the lens
F-stop A drawback is that grain-like noise within and sensor enables the lens to focus
The aperture setting on a lens. The number the image becomes more pronounced as closer and to provide a higher image
is the focal length of the lens divided by the the ISO speed is increased. See ISO. magnification than would otherwise
diameter of the aperture. As a result, larger be possible. Extension tubes are
f-stop numbers represent narrower Fast lens usually sold in sets of three, and are
aperture sizes. F-stop numbers are used so A lens that has a wider maximum aperture used singly or in combination to
that exposure settings for a particular scene than is usual for that particular focal length provide a total of seven different
can be expressed without having to know or zoom range, allowing a shorter shutter magnifications.
the focal length of the lens used. The term, speed. Fast lenses are not only useful in low
F-stop, comes from the Waterhouse stop (a light; they can be invaluable for throwing
series of circular holes in strips of metal that backgrounds out of focus to a greater
‘stopped’ some of the light passing through extent than usual.
the lens). The system was invented by John
Waterhouse (1806-1879) in 1858, but the Fast shutter speed
hole sizes don’t correspond with modern Relative term for an exposure that is shorter
f-stop numbers. than average, usually set to avoid the blur
that would otherwise be created by
f/X.X movement of the subject.
The f-stop number is the size of the
lens’s maximum aperture, measured Feathering
as a fraction of the focal length of the lens. A way of softening the edges of an area that
On some zoom lenses there may be two you’ve selected to work on in Photoshop. It
apertures quoted: f/4-5.6, for example. adds a transition zone of transparent pixels,
This means that the maximum aperture of which enables any background to partially
the lens gets narrower as the lens is show through (like with the edges of a
zoomed in. The maximum aperture on the feather). It’s used so that the join between
lens barrel may also be expressed as a ratio, manipulated and non-manipulated areas is
such as 1:4-5.6. rendered less obvious.

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Fenton, Roger Flash synchronisation
A
view. On 35mm cameras, the term

Roger Fenton (1819-1869) was a British refers to lenses with focal lengths of A process that ensures that the peak
B
photographic pioneer who took some of around 8-15mm. output from the flash tube coincides with
the earliest war photographs on the the shutter being fully open. On digital
C
battlefields of the Crimean War in 1854. FireWire SLRs with focal plane shutters, full
He was also the founder and first secretary A method of transferring data such as synchronisation is only possible at certain
D
of The Photographic Society, later renamed digital images or video between devices. shutter speeds.
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to The Royal Photographic Society. FireWire 400 was first introduced by Apple
in the 1990s. The most recent version is Flattening
F
File format FireWire 800. A FireWire 400 cable can be A Photoshop term for merging all the
The way in which a digital image is stored. connected to a FireWire 800 socket using visible layers to the background layer,
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When you’ve finished editing your images, an additional adaptor. reducing the file size.
you usually get a choice of formats to use
H
while saving. Common file types include Fixed focal length lens Fluorescent light
JPEG, TIFF, and PSD. A lens that doesn’t have a variable focal The lighting produced by strip light tubes.
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length, and that has a single angle of view. The colour balance can vary enormously,
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Fill light depending on the type of tube, and manual

In studio lighting, a fill light is used to give Fixer white balance settings therefore often offer
K
more detail to dark or shadow areas, and A chemical mixture used in the wet several fluorescent settings. Daylight-
reduce contrast. darkroom to stabilise negatives and prints balanced fluorescent tubes are used in
L
after development and make them some studio lighting systems.

M
Film insensitive to light.

In photography, film is a transparent plastic FO
N
perforated strip or sheet that acts as a Flare Stands for Focus-One-touch mechanism,
base for microscopic, light-sensitive silver Stray, non-image-forming light that on Tokina lenses. It enables you to switch
O
halide crystals coated on one side with a reaches the sensor, creating unwanted between autofocus and manual focus
gelatin emulsion. Black-and-white film has highlights or softening the image. Lens by snapping the focus ring backwards
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a single layer of silver salts, while colour coatings and hoods are designed to and forwards.
Q
film has a minimum of three layers of dye minimise flare. However, flare can still prove
(blue, green and red), which sensitise the a problem when shooting towards a bright Focal length
R
salts to different colours, as the scene light source. Optical term describing the distance
being photographed dictates. between the optical centre of a lens and its
S
Flash focal point. In practice, the focal length is a

Filter A burst of artificial light used to provide all measure of the magnification and angle of
T
A general term used within Photoshop or some of the illumination for an image. view of a given lens or zoom setting. It’s
U
for a wide range of artistic effects and Most cameras have built-in flash units, usually measured in millimetres. However,
other utilities. Many are special effects, while some allow a separate flash unit to be its usefulness as a way of comparing
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such as those that add grain and texture attached via the hotshoe, or used different lenses is diminished by the fact
to an image. Others, such as the off-camera. In studio work, large that the exact focal length required to give
sharpening filters, are more utilitarian. standalone flash units or strobes use mains a particular angle of view will depend on
Also, see optical filter. power, and are triggered by a flash sync the size of the imaging chip used by the
cable or radio signal. Flash durations are camera in question. See EFL.
Y
Fisheye lens usually between 1/200 sec to 1/1000 sec

An ultra-wide-angle lens that distorts the and have a colour temperature of around Focal plane
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image in order to maximise the field of 5,500-6,000K. The flat surface upon which the image is

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focused in a camera. This is the plane where models, and more manufacturers are due
the photo sites of the CCD or CMOS image to follow suit.
sensor are positioned.
Four Thirds system
Focal plane shutter A standard image sensor format introduced
A shutter mechanism that sits just in front by Olympus and Kodak in 2002. It has a 4:3
of the image sensor, in the lens’s focal plane. aspect ratio (the sensor size is usually 18 x
It consists of two light-tight curtains that, 13.5mm), while other D-SLR systems use a
when using fast shutter speeds, travel larger sensor with a 3:2 aspect ratio.
across the focal plane with a thin slit
between them. Light passes through this Format
slit to expose the image sensor or film. In film photography, ‘format’ refers to a
Using shutter speeds lower than the flash photographic film size and its associated Fill-in flash
sync speed, one curtain crosses the focal camera systems. Miniature Format is 35mm Flash used as a secondary light
plane to expose the whole sensor or frame or smaller, Medium Format is any film size source. A fill-flash feature is an
of film, followed separately by the second higher than 35mm, but lower than 4x5, option on many cameras with a
curtain. This type of shutter is commonly while Large Format is anything larger than built-in flash unit. With it you can
used on D-SLR cameras. 4x5. For file formats, see image file format. soften shadows on foreground
subjects, helping to avoid problems
Focus peaking Fox Talbot, William Henry with backlighting. Fill-in flash can also
An electronic visual aid in which the parts of An inventor and pioneer of photography, be used to enhance the colours and
an image in sharp focus are highlighted on a Fox Talbot (1800-1877) introduced the contrast of foreground subjects in
Live View screen. This function was included calotype or talbotype process in 1841. dull lighting conditions.
on Sony’s NEX mirrorless cameras in 2011. His book, The Pencil of Nature (published
It has since been introduced on other in instalments from 1844-1846) was
companies’ new camera models, including the first commercially published book
the Leica M (typ 240) and the Olympus to be illustrated with photographs.
OM-D E-M1. One of his most famous photographs,
made in 1844, showed Nelson’s Column
Focusing screen in Trafalgar Square, London, still
The surface upon which the viewfinder under construction.
image of a digital SLR is projected. Its
textured surface is designed to accentuate Fps (frames per second)
the degree by which the image is sharp or Measurement of the continuous shooting
not, thereby providing assistance when rate of a camera.
you’re focusing.
Framing
4K A technique for highlighting a subject and
An ultra-high-resolution video format giving depth to an image by using another
that delivers four times the amount of feature within the image to form a frame
detail as 1080p full HD. It means that around it. Examples include shooting a
individual video frames, which have eight church tower through an archway, or a
million pixels, are of a high enough quality portrait of someone looking through a
to be printed as still images. Panasonic and window frame or standing under the
Sony have both announced 4K-capable bough of a tree.

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Frontal lighting
A
high-resolution large format inkjet scenes, usually landscapes, with the dark
Lighting directed towards the subject, and printers, coined by the printmaker Jack area placed over the bright sky and the
B
therefore positioned behind, or level, with Duganne in 1991. It comes from ‘gicler’, clear section over the dark foreground.
the camera. the French word meaning ‘to spray or
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squirt’. The name originally referred to Grain

Full-frame prints made on a prepress Iris printer, Metallic silver particles, random in shape
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Used to describe a digital SLR sensor that but now also includes those made on and distribution, particularly visible in
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has a light-sensitive area the same size as other large-format printers that use images made with black-and-white
a frame of 35mm film – around 24x36mm. pigment-based inks and archival paper. photographic film. It’s present to a lesser
F
See sensor size. degree in colour film. Grain is more

GIF noticeable in higher ISO film, but it’s also
G
FX (graphic interchange format) visible in lower ISO film when making big
A Nikon (or Nikkor) lens that’s compatible A digital file format that uses lossless enlargements.
H
with its full-frame SLRs, as well as compression. GIFs are sometimes used for
crop-factor ones. graphics and images for use on the web. Its Grey card
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image palette is limited to 256 colours – A neutral grey card, usually with 18%
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much fewer than a TIFF, JPEG or raw file reflectance, is used as a standard reference
G can contain – so its use to show when determining consistent photographic
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photographs isn’t recommended. exposure. It’s used by placing it in a scene

G to be photographed and taking a reading
L
Stands for Gold – a designation found on Gigabyte (GB) from it with a reflected light meter. This
M
top-class Sony lenses. It’s also used for Unit for measuring computer memory, avoids problems of over-exposure and
current Panasonic Lumix compact system roughly equivalent to 1,000 megabytes. under-exposure.
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cameras and lenses.

Guide Number (GN) Greyscale
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Gain A number on a flash unit that measures its A digital image in which all the colour
Amplification of an electronic circuit. It’s capacity to light a subject at a particular information has been removed, leaving
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used in digital cameras and camcorders as distance and ISO setting. Usually, based only black, white and shades of grey.
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a way of electronically boosting the on a setting of ISO100, the guide number

sensitivity of the imaging chip in low light. is determined by multiplying the Grip and rip
R
See ISO. flash-to-subject distance by the f-stop A slang phrase for setting the camera to
setting needed to correctly expose the its highest continuous drive mode and
S
Gamut subject at that distance. A flash with keeping the shutter button held down to
The range of colours that can a lower guide number produces a shoot as many frames as possible in a
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be printed or displayed by a particular much weaker flash than one with a short space of time. ‘Spray and pray’ has
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electronic device. higher guide number. the same meaning.

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Gelatin emulsion Grad Ground glass screen

A thin coating on one side of a roll See graduated. A sheet of glass, ground to a matte finish,
of photographic film, which contains which is used to look at images on
microscopic light-sensitive silver Graduated large-format cameras. The image from the
halide particles. A type of optical filter that has a dark lens is projected upside-down on the
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section and a clear section. These filters – screen. The image is examined and focused
Giclée commonly known as ND grads – are used more easily by blocking out all other light
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A name for digital prints made on to balance the brightness in high-contrast with a dark cloth.

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Group f/64 Hand tool
A group of like-minded San Francisco-based A tool for moving your image around when
photographers, formed in 1932, which was you’re zoomed in and can’t see all the image
dedicated to making clear, sharply focused at once, by dragging on the image. Press the
images of landscapes and other natural H key, or hold down the space bar, to switch
forms. The group included Ansel Adams, to this tool quickly.
Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham.
The group’s name is a reference to its HDR
members’ preference for using a very (high dynamic range)
narrow aperture for increased depth of field. A digital imaging technique where a series
of identical pictures of a scene are taken at
Golden hour different exposures and then combined into
Although not necessarily an hour long, one image. This brings out detail in shadow Gradient tool
this is the period of time after sunrise or and highlight areas that usually can’t be Fills the image or selection with a
before sunset in which landscape captured in a single exposure, and is colour that fades into another colour
photographers particularly enjoy working particularly useful for high-contrast (or into transparency). It’s particularly
because of the favourable effect of the light subjects, such as brightly-lit landscapes, useful for creating masks with
on their images. The main reason for the interiors and night scenes. seamless edges, but can also be used
term is the warm colour of the sunlight, to add colour to a drab sky.
which, together with its reduced contrast, Healing Brush tool
gives outdoor scenes an especially An image-retouching tool that lays down
attractive appearance. The low angle of copied pixels like the Clone Stamp tool, but
sunlight also creates longer shadows and in addition it analyses nearby colour and
reveals more texture in a landscape. tone and attempts to blend the cloned
pixels in with the surrounding area.
GPS Sometimes it produces better results than
Stands for global positioning system. the Clone Stamp, but not always, because
This geotagging feature is built into many its blending effect will tend to blur detail.
more recently introduced camera models. For seamless cloning, it’s often a good
Using satellite-based navigation, it records option to use both tools.
the camera’s position when an image is
made. This information can then be HID
embedded in the image’s metadata, Stands for High Index Dispersion, a type of
allowing some software to show maps of glass used in Tamron lenses that helps to
where you took each photo. minimise chromatic aberration.
H High key
An image in which the bright, white tones
Haloes dominate the picture.
A term used to describe the glow that’s
created around the edges of objects when Highlights
they’ve been over-sharpened in Photoshop The brightest (whitest) areas of an image.
or other similar photo-editing software.
They are even more prevalent in high High speed sync (HSS)
dynamic range images. Flash feature that allows the use of shutter

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A
speeds with flash, faster than the usual to infinity for a given aperture and focal In practice, it’s usually used to mean
sync speed. The flash pulses at high length. When focused at the hyperfocal objects that are on or near the horizon.
B
frequency to ensure an even exposure, length, the depth of field will stretch Represented on lenses by the
even though the shutter blinds are never from exactly half the hyperfocal distance mathematical symbol, .
C
fully open during the exposure. The facility to infinity.

is useful for freezing close-up action in Instamatic
D
daylight, and for allowing the widest The name of a hugely popular series of
I
E
apertures even in bright light. low-cost, easy-to-use cameras made by

Kodak. First sold in 1963, Instamatics used
F
Histogram Incident light meter Kodak’s cartridge-based 126 film. In 1972,

A graph that provides an instant guide A hand-held light meter that measures the the company introduced the Pocket
G
to the contrast and exposure of a picture. amount of light falling on a subject. Instamatic, which used the smaller 110 film.
It maps the distribution of tones, from
H
the darkest on the left to the brightest IF Inverse square law

on the right. The scale runs from 0 (solid Stands for internal focusing, and is found This law particularly relates to the use of
I
black) to 255 (pure white), and the height on many lenses from many manufacturers. studio lights or flash, and says that if an
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of the graph at any point represents the The lens is constructed so that it doesn’t object is twice a particular distance from a
relative number of pixels in the image with change in length as the lens is focused. point source of light, it will receive a quarter
K
that brightness level. The overall shape of It also means that the front element of the illumination. For example, if your
the histogram gives you an at-a-glance doesn’t rotate – which can help with subject is two metres away, and you
L
indication of the tonal range of the image the use of some lens attachments, such increase it to four metres, the resulting
M
and the presence of any clipping. You can as petal-shaped lens hoods and fall-off means you’ll need four times the
use tools such as Levels to adjust the polarising filters. amount of light to keep the same exposure
N
shape of the histogram and thereby settings. Alternatively, you’ll have to

improve the contrast and exposure of Image file format increase the exposure by two stops.
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the image. A standard way of encoding information

for storage in a computer file. File formats Iris
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Hotshoe used in photography include JPEG, TIFF, Another name for the diaphragm, or
Q
An accessory shoe with an electrical PSD, DNG and GIF, all of which are suitable aperture, of a lens.
contact, for mounting and connecting for particular uses. See the separate
R
a flashgun. entries for those formats for details of how IS

they differ. The abbreviation used for Image
S
HSM Stabilization – the optical camera

Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor is used in some Image sensor shake-reduction system found in
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of its lenses to provide faster and quieter An integrated circuit chip that converts an a wide range of Canon lenses.
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AF operation. optical image into an electronic signal. In

current digital cameras, most are either ISO
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Hue CCD (charged coupled device) or CMOS Stands for International Organisation for
Another term for colour. It tells you where (complementary metal-oxide- Standardisation. In photography, it refers to
a colour lies on the colour wheel without semiconductor) sensors. a system for measuring and specifying the
telling you how bright or dark it is. sensitivity of digital imaging systems and
Infinity photographic films. The higher the ISO
Y
Hyperfocal distance Optical term to describe objects that are number, the greater the sensitivity to light.
The shortest distance at which a lens can so far away from the lens that light from Cameras have an ISO range, enabling you
Z
be focused so that depth of field stretches them reaches the lens as parallel rays. to choose an ISO setting that suits the

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situation in which you’re shooting.
Also, see ASA. K
Kelvin (K)
J Unit used for measuring the colour
temperature of light sources, named after
Jack the 19th century physicist and engineer
A socket into which a plug is inserted to William Thomson, first Lord Kelvin
make a connection, also known as a ‘female’ (1824-1907). Average noon daylight
connector. A jack on a camera is used for usually has a colour temperature of
connecting an accessory such as around 5500K.
headphones or a remote shutter release
unit. A 3.5mm mini-jack is used for Key light Infrared
connecting an external stereo mic or to The main light on a subject used in photographs
connect to old TVs. studio photography. Images recorded on an image sensor
or photographic film that’s only
Jaggies sensitive to infrared (IR) light, beyond
See antialiasing. L the spectrum visible to us.
Black-and-white IR landscapes have a
Joiner L ‘dreamlike’ quality’; grass and foliage
A term coined by the artist David Hockney Stands for Luxury, and is used to designate is recorded as almost white, while blue
(born 1937) to describe his photo-collage Canon’s best professional lenses, which skies become black. Digital cameras
work in the 1980s. Hockney’s joiners have superior build quality and can be converted to only shoot IR
combined overlapping prints, made at weatherproofing. images by removing the IR blocker in
slightly different times and from multiple front of the sensor in the camera body
viewpoints, to make landscapes and Lange, Dorothea and replacing it with a filter that
portraits. His most elaborate joiners Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) was an instead blocks visible light.
used hundreds of individual prints to American photojournalist and documentary
make one collage. Other photographers photographer. Her most famous image was
creating joiners (also called ‘panographs’) taken in the 1930s, when she recorded the
have followed Hockney’s method of plight of sharecroppers and migrant
assembling prints, or have combined labourers during the Depression era for the
digital images on screen using photo- American government’s Farm Security
stitching software. Administration. Her best-known picture,
Migrant Mother (1936) has come to
JPEG (Joint Photographic symbolise the era.
Experts Group)
A file format used for digital images. Large format
A variable amount of compression can be See format.
used to vary the amount of detail stored
and the resulting file size. It’s the standard Lasso tool
format used by digital cameras (although A pencil-like Photoshop tool that you can
raw or TIFF formats may also be options). use to select an area you want to work on
It’s a ‘lossy’ file format, which means it simply by drawing around it. It’s used to
tends to degrade with each save. make very rough selections.

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Layer Light trails
A
part of the image in focus while the rest

The digital counterpart of the cut-out becomes increasingly blurred. The point Lines of light recorded in an image by a
B
pieces of paper in a collage or decoupage of focus can be moved by pushing or moving light source during the exposure.
work. Layers containing cut-out objects pulling the lens. Examples are vehicle lights on a motorway
C
can be stacked on top of an original at night, lights on a fairground Ferris wheel

image or background layer in order to Lens hood or someone moving a hand-held torch.
D
create a composite image. Adjustments Attaches to the front of the lens to prevent They can also result from shooting images
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and effects can also be applied in the stray light from outside the image area of still lights and moving the camera during
form of adjustment layers, enabling you entering the lens. The lens hood is the exposure.
F
to alter the exposure, colour, and so on, important for preventing flare, and needs
without actually altering the original. to be designed for a specific lens so as not Lomography
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Layers can be opaque, translucent, or to cause image falloff. A photographic style originally inspired by
merged with layers in the stack below the images produced using the low-cost
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in a number of ways. Levels Russian-made 35mm Lomo LC-A camera,

A tool used in digital image manipulation introduced in the 1980s. Lomography
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LCD to adjust exposure, contrast and colour enthusiasts include lens blur, light leaks
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(liquid crystal display) balance. Histograms are used as a guide and other camera quirks as an important
Type of display panel used widely on to the corrections that need to be made part of their images. These defects are
K
cameras to provide information to the user. to the image. often introduced into digital photos for
High-resolution colour LCDs are capable of stylistic effect.
L
showing detailed images, and are used as Light-field camera

M N
viewing screens on digital cameras. Also known as a plenoptic camera, this Long exposure
device uses microlens-array technology to An exposure in which the camera’s shutter
LD record images in a completely different way is open for an extended time period. It may
This features on Tamron lenses that use to a conventional camera. Uniquely, this be used at night to capture movement,
O
one or more Low Dispersion lens elements allows images to be re-focused after they such as car lights on a motorway or star
to help reduce chromatic aberration. have been shot. The first light-field camera trails, or during daylight to blur water
P
was introduced by Lytro in 2011. movement in a river running through a

Q
Leaf shutter scene. Long exposures in daylight are

Also known as a diaphragm shutter, it uses Light meter usually made using a neutral density (ND)
R
overlapping ‘leaves’ of metal, which open A device used to measure the amount of filter to prevent over-exposure.
and close to allow light to reach the image light and determine the correct exposure.
S
sensor or film. It’s usually located between Most cameras have built-in light meters Long-focus lens
lens elements, and is commonly found on that measure the reflected light from a A lens used to magnify distant subjects
T
medium- and large-format cameras. subject, as do hand-held reflected light that has a focal length longer than the
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meters. Incident light meters measure diagonal measurement of the image sensor
LED the light falling on the subject, and or film being used. In 35mm terms, this is
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(light emitting diode) readings are taken from the subject’s any lens with a focal length longer than the
Coloured indicator lamp used on position with the light meter pointing back ‘normal’ 50mm.
many cameras. towards the camera.
Lossless compression
Lensbaby Light modifier A process whereby the size of a digital
Y
A selective focus lens with a flexible bellows Any one of a number of devices that alters image file is made smaller without losing
tube section used for creating special the direction and intensity of light. See information. Lossless formats include TIFF
Z
effects. It allows the photographer to keep reflector, softbox, snoot, and barn doors. and PNG.

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Lossy compression included. A Contiguous option defines
A process in which information is lost from whether only adjacent pixels will be
a digital image file to make the file size included in the selection.
smaller. This reduces the image quality,
although the result may not be noticeable. Magnification ratio
JPEG is the most common file format to use The relationship between the size of the
lossy compression. focused image and the size of the subject.
If the image is life-size, the magnification
Low key ratio is 1:1.
An image that is dominated by dark tones.
Manual exposure
Lytro An exposure made after the photographer
See light-field camera. has selected a shutter speed and aperture Layers panel
of their choice, usually after taking a reading Formerly known as the Layers palette,
from a built-in or hand-held light meter. this Photoshop feature enables you to
M manage and organise the layers in a
Manual focus multi-layered image, add new layers
Macro Adjusting the camera’s focus by turning the or adjustment layers, and change the
Term generally used to describe equipment focusing ring on the lens barrel by hand. It’s way in which layers interact with each
for taking pictures at a closer shooting often used to choose a particular focus other (such as their opacity and
distance than usual, to provide a bigger point in macro photography. It can also be blending mode).
image of the subject. Historically speaking, essential in certain lighting situations, for
the term ‘macro’ refers to when the example low light or mist, when autofocus
recorded image is life-size or larger than can struggle to lock on to a subject.
life-size, with a magnification ratio that is
1:1 or greater. Marching ants
The dotted lines that flicker around areas
Maddox, Dr Richard Leach that have been selected with a Marquee tool
Maddox (1816-1902) was an English in Photoshop.
photographer and doctor who invented the
first successful gelatin dry plate for Marquee
photography in 1871. Until then, The Marquee tools enable you to make
photographers used wet plates, which had regular-shaped selections such as ellipses
to be coated, exposed and developed in or rectangles. The term ‘marquee’ is also
hazardous chemicals while still wet. Leach’s used to refer to the animated dotted
invention made photography much less outline that indicates the border of a
dangerous and complicated, and laid the selection, which is also often referred
basis for early film emulsions. to as ‘marching ants’.
Magic Wand tool Matrix metering

A tool that selects pixels on the basis of See evaluative metering.
their colour. Click a pixel, and more pixels of
a similar colour or tone will be selected. The Maxwell, James Clerk
Tolerance setting will dictate how close in James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) was a
colour other pixels must be in order to be theoretical physicist who collaborated with

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photographer Thomas Sutton (1819-1875) is provided by the camera’s own light- a handheld camera. Used widely by sports
to create the first colour photographic metering system. photographers due to its manoeuvrability.
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image in 1861. They photographed a tartan

ribbon through red, green and blue filters. Micro Four Thirds system Motion blur
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Then, at a lecture at The Royal Institution of A standard for compact system cameras Out-of-focus streaking effect caused by the
Great Britain in London, the three negatives (CSCs) created by Olympus and Panasonic movement of the subject or camera during
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were projected together on a screen, using in 2008. It uses the same sensor as Four the exposure. Examples include a long
E
the same coloured filters, and combined to Thirds system D-SLR cameras, but doesn’t exposure of a moving object passing
make one colour image. use the mirror box or pentaprism. This through a static street scene at night, or
F
allows a smaller, lighter and more compact panning the camera with a moving subject
Medium-format camera body and lens design. to create a background with blur.
G
Any camera that uses film larger than

35mm, but smaller than 4x5 (large format) Midtones Motor drive (or motorwind)
H
film. In digital photography, the term refers All the areas of an image that aren’t A camera facility for taking a number of
to cameras that use sensors larger than a shadows or highlights. These are areas pictures in rapid succession. The camera
I
36 x 24mm image sensor. Current of brightness that, if the image were continues to take pictures as long as your
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examples include the Pentax 645Z and converted to black and white, would be a finger keeps the release down, or until it
Hasselblad H5D-200c (both with a sensor shade of grey rather than black or white. runs out of memory.
K
size of 43.8 x 32.8mm) In a histogram, they correspond with the

main central parts of the histogram graph. Move tool
L
Megabyte (MB) A tool used for aligning a layer by moving

M N
A unit for measuring the size of computer Moiré pattern it around the canvas.
memory and storage capacity in hard In photography, moiré occurs when a
disks. Largely outmoded by the larger detailed or repetitive pattern in the subject Mugshot
gigabyte unit (roughly 1,000 megabytes) is overlaid with the pattern of pixels on a Taken from ‘mug’, the established slang
O
as technology has improved to offer digital sensor. The interaction of the two word for ‘face’, the term originally applied
larger sizes. patterns produces a separate, often wavy, to the stark police photographs of
P
moiré pattern. The effect is reduced by the criminals, taken after arrest. It now refers
Q
Megapixel camera’s optical low pass filter. to any simple head-and-shoulders portrait
A measurement of the resolution of a such as those found on a driving licence
R
digital camera, equal to 1,000,000 pixels. Monochrome or passport.

Although the term applies to images made
S
MemoryStick using only one colour, or shades of one Multiple exposure

Family of removable memory cards used by colour, in photography it usually refers to An image created by two or more
T
some digital cameras. Pioneered by Sony. black-and-white images. The ‘monochrome superimposed images.
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mode’ on digital cameras enables you to

Metadata record directly in black and white, instead Multizone metering
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Text information that describes an image of converting colour images at the See evaluative metering.
file, such as EXIF camera settings and post-capture stage.
user-added captions.
Monopod N
Metered manual A one-legged camera support. This doesn’t
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An exposure mode in which shutter speed provide complete stability to the camera, Naturalistic photography
and aperture are set manually by the user, but enables slower shutter speeds to be An approach put forward in the 1880s by
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although information as to their suitability used than would otherwise be possible with the English photographer Peter Henry

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Emerson (1856-1936). He said that sensitive Bitumen of Judea. His
photographs should be direct and simple groundbreaking ‘heliograph’, View from a
and reflect nature. He also said they should Window at Le Gras, showed a courtyard and
be produced from a single negative (as buildings at his house.
opposed to the use of multiple negatives
in combination printing), without being Noise
staged or retouched. Unwanted interference in an electrical
signal, which is seen as a grain-like pattern
Negative in dark areas of a digital image. Noise
An image made on a strip or sheet of film increases in digital photos when a higher
made of transparent plastic. Tones are ISO setting is used.
reversed on black-and-white negative film,
while on colour negative film, colours are North light Minimalism
recorded as their complementary colours. The diffuse, reflected light that comes As with minimalism in art, music and
Negatives are converted to positive images through a north-facing window, which literature, this is a style of
when printed on photographic paper. The is therefore not directly lit by sunlight. photography that uses a small
first negative was recorded on paper by Its soft, flattering quality makes it popular number of elements to create its
William Henry Fox Talbot in 1835, using his in portrait photography. effect, and is often calm and
calotype process. contemplative. One contemporary
photographer who consistently uses a
Neutral-density (ND) filter O minimalist style in his landscape work
An optical or electronic filter that reduces is Michael Kenna.
the amount of light reaching the image OIS
sensor equally across the entire field of Optical image stabilisation, the system
view. It permits longer shutter speeds or used on Panasonic lenses to reduce
wider apertures than would otherwise be camera shake.
possible in the lighting conditions.
OLED
NFC Stands for organic light-emitting diode.
Stands for near-field communication, a OLED screens use a thin film of organic
short range wireless technology that has compound between two conductors that
been introduced on many new camera emits a bright light when an electric current
models. It enables devices to communicate is applied. These screens make flexible,
by using interacting electromagnetic high-quality displays that are lighter, thinner
radio fields. Images can be transferred and faster to respond than LCDs. They are
wirelessly between a camera and a becoming increasingly common on
smartphone with NFC, simply by placing high-end cameras.
the devices close together.
1080p
Niépce, Joseph Nicéphore A format for recording full HD video with a
Niépce (1765-1833) was a French inventor resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, offered on
who made the earliest surviving permanent many current digital cameras.
image from nature in 1826. He used a
camera obscura to project an image onto a Optical filter
pewter plate coated with light- A glass or plastic accessory placed in a

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A
holder or attached to the front of the both horizontal and vertical planes, giving
camera lens. They are used to alter the P the photographer greater flexibility.
B
image being recorded by allowing light

of particular wavelengths to pass Pack shot Panning
C
through while blocking others. Most of A short form for ‘packaging shot’, this is a Moving the camera along a horizontal
the traditional optical filters are only photograph of a product with labelling plane during the exposure to follow a
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used in film photography, because their clearly displayed, and is usually taken for moving subject.
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effects can be replicated by in-camera advertising or other commercial reasons.

digital filters or by using post- Studio setups for pack shots can vary from Panograph
F
processing techniques on a computer. the simple to the elaborate. See joiner.

The types of optical filters still used
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widely in digital camera capture include Paint Bucket tool Panoramic

the polariser, UV filter, ND filter, ND grad A Photoshop tool that fills a complete area An elongated image in which the width is at
H
and infrared filter. with a particular colour. As with the Magic least twice the height. Panoramas are
Wand tool, you can adjust the Tolerance to made by cropping one image, made using a
I
Optical low-pass filter change the effect. It can be useful for specially designed panoramic camera, or
J
A filter built into many digital cameras and creating masks. by combining several images together
located in front of the image sensor. It using ‘stitching software’. Aspect ratios for
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reduces the combined effect of moiré and Painting with light panoramic images can be 4:1 or higher.
false colour in digital images. Creating images with a mobile light
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source. One way of painting with light is Partial metering

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Orientation sensor to shoot a scene in the dark, whether A type of metering system where the
A sensor used in some cameras that indoors or outdoors, with the camera on exposure reading is taken from a small area
detects when you turn the camera to take a the B (bulb) setting. While the shutter is in the centre of the field of view. It’s similar
vertical shot. It stores this information so open, objects in the scene can be ‘painted’ to spot metering, but the reading is taken
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that it displays the image correctly when with light from a hand-held flash or other from a larger area of the image.
played back on the camera LCD or light source. The other technique also
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computer screen. involves shooting in the dark with the Passive autofocus
Q
shutter open, but in this case the light An autofocus system that adjusts the focus
OS source is moved while being pointed of the lens by analysing the image itself,
R
Stands for optical stabilisation, the system towards the camera, often to create rather than actively measuring the subject
used on some Sigma lenses to reduce a ‘light trail’ shape in the final image. distance. Passive autofocus is used by
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camera shake. most digital cameras, and is also known as

Palette Bin / Panel Bin phase-detection or contrast-detection
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Over-exposure Area on the right of the interface for autofocus.

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Exposing an image for too long to suit keeping various dialogs and information
the subject in given lighting conditions. displays in Photoshop and Photoshop Parallax
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As a result, details in highlight areas are Elements. Later versions tend to use the An effect in which the image seen through
lost or ‘blown out’. Some photographers term ‘panel’ instead of ‘palette’. The a camera’s lens is not the same as that
choose to over-expose when creating a feature can be minimised to buttons or seen through the viewfinder, resulting in
particular effect. They may also use hidden completely. parts of the scene missing in the
over-exposure to compensate when the photograph. It’s found in any camera in
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camera’s light meter gives an incorrect Pan-and-tilt head which the viewfinder and lens are separate,
reading – when shooting snow scenes, A tripod attachment that provides such as Leica rangefinder and twin-lens
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for example. independent movement of the camera in reflex cameras.

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PC-E interpret the size and distance between
Stands for perspective control-electronic. objects, relative to the camera’s viewpoint.
It’s used to designate Nikon’s range of
tilt-shift lenses, which enable you to move Phase-detection autofocus
the front elements on the lens to avoid or See passive autofocus.
exaggerate lens distortion. These lenses are
commonly used in architectural Photobomb
photography to ensure vertical lines remain To appear in the background of an informal
parallel in the picture. portrait and upstage the person being
photographed, without them being aware.
PC lens
Stands for perspective-control lens, another Photo book
name for a shift lens. A book largely consisting of photographs. Pentaprism
It’s a means by which photographers have The five-sided prism used in the
PC socket displayed their work since the earliest eye-level viewfinder of SLR and D-SLR
A simple electrical connection socket found days of the medium. Landmark photo cameras. It ensures that the image
on some D-SLRs for connecting a flash to a books of the past have included Robert appears the right way up and the right
camera to enable synchronisation. It’s Frank’s The Americans and Cartier- way around in the viewfinder, correcting
widely used for connecting studio flash. Bresson’s The Decisive Moment. More the effects of the mirror and the lens.
recently, the ability to create a personalised
Pellicle mirror photo book has come within everyone’s
A lightweight, thin, translucent mirror used reach via online companies such as Blurb,
in Sony’s Single Lens Translucent (SLT) Snapfish and Photobox.
cameras. In this design, part of the light
coming through the lens is diverted to an Photogram
autofocus unit, and part goes to the digital A photographic image created by placing
sensor. This allows the photographer to see an object on a sheet of light-sensitive
a continuous image through the viewfinder paper and exposing it to light. When the
during exposure. It also avoids vibration and paper is developed, parts of the object that
noise from the movement of a mirror. light rays cannot pass through are recorded
as pure white, while translucent parts
Pentamirror might be recorded as shades of grey.
A low-cost alternative to the pentaprism The technique goes back to photography’s
(see next entry) used in the construction of earliest days. The artist and photographer
some D-SLRs. They offer the same Man Ray (1890-1976) later produced many
functionality, but use mirrors for the such images, which he called ‘Rayographs’
viewfinder construction rather than a prism. or ‘Rayograms’.
Perspective Photojournalism
Perspective is used to translate News journalism using a camera to record
a three-dimensional scene into a events. The ‘golden age’ of
two-dimensional image. It gives the viewer photojournalism’s lasted from the 1930s
a sense of depth in the image, for example, to the 1950s, before television took over
through the use of converging lines in a as the main source of news, but it still plays
landscape. Perspective allows us to an important role in the media.

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Photomerge Polariser
A
brushes, pigments and inks, were popular

A group of ‘automated’ features designed among Pictorialists. A filter that only transmits light vibrating in
B
for combining a number of similar or one plane. It can be used to deepen the
related shots together, including Pincushion distortion colour of part of a picture, such as the sky.
C
Photomerge Panorama for combining an A lens fault or aberration that causes It can also be used to eliminate or reduce
overlapping sequence to create a parallel lines in an image to bow inwards reflections on non-metallic surfaces, such
D
panoramic view. Elements includes towards the centre, and is seen when as water or glass. It must be rotated in front
E
additional Photomerge tools not included shooting with telephoto lenses. The effect of the lens until you achieve the desired
in Photoshop, such as Photomerge Group is similar to one you’d see if an image was effect. See circular polariser.
F
Shot (for combining the best features from printed on a pincushion. It can be
a series of near-identical group portraits). corrected using post-capture software Positive
G
such as Photoshop. An image that gives an accurate

Photomicrography representation of the composition, tones
H
Photographic images of things invisible to Pinhole camera and colours of the original subject being
the naked eye, created using a microscope. A camera that uses a small hole instead photographed, as opposed to a negative in
I
D-SLR cameras are connected to a of a lens to project an inverted image which the subject’s composition, tones and
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microscope using an adaptor, and the on to photographic film or a digital colours are reversed.
degree of magnification is determined by sensor. Exposures are usually manually
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the power of the microscope. operated and can range from several PPI
seconds to hours in duration. D-SLRs can Pixels per inch. A measure of the resolution
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Photoshop be converted to pinhole cameras by (density of pixels) in a photo print or

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Industry-standard software program replacing the lens with a piece of plastic on-screen image.
produced by Adobe that enables drilled with a hole of around 0.3mm in
photographers to edit digital images on diameter. Alternative pinhole cameras have Predictive autofocus
screen and save them as a JPEG, TIFF, been made with anything from wheelie- A sophisticated autofocus setting on
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PNG or GIF. It was initially named Display, bins to shoe boxes. cameras where the focus is not only
and was created by Thomas and John adjusted until the shutter is actually fired,
P
Knoll in 1988. Pixelated but continues to be adjusted during the

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A digital image in which individual pixels delay between pressing the shutter and the
PictBridge can be clearly seen, either due to very low picture actually being taken. This enables
R
A system for printing directly from resolution or high magnification of a small the camera to focus more accurately on
a camera to a compatible printer part of an image. Pictures are sometimes moving subjects.
S
without the need for first uploading deliberately pixelated, for example when
images to a computer. someone’s face is obscured in a newspaper Prefocusing
T
for legal reasons. A manual focusing technique used for

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Pictorialism photographing moving subjects. The lens is

An artistic approach to photography, Plugin focused on a point or at a distance, which
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dominant during the late 19th and early A piece of software that adds functionality you anticipate the subject is going to move
20th century. Instead of being to an existing computer program. Plugins through. The shutter is released when this
straightforward documents of reality, are available for many digital image- point is reached.
photographs were given a more painterly, manipulation programs, including
soft-focus appearance. Processes such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Previsualisation
Y
bromoil, gum bichromate and platinum Lightroom, providing an increased range A term first introduced by pioneering
printing, which involved manipulating a of effects and transformations. One such photographer Ansel Adams, which he
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photograph’s tones and texture using plugin is Adobe Camera Raw. defined in his book The Camera (1980) as

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“the ability to anticipate a finished image conditions, but increases the grain size.
before making the exposure”. Pull processing means using longer
exposures than recommended and
Prime lens reducing development times, to give a
A non-zoom lens, that is, a lens with a single negative with reduced contrast and grain.
and fixed focal length.
PZ
Program exposure Stands for power zoom, a servo-assisted
Any exposure mode where the camera zoom facility found on some Panasonic
defines both the aperture and the compact system camera lenses.
shutter speed.
PZD
Program shift Stands for piezo drive, a type of ultrasonic Pixels
A program exposure mode in which the motor used in Tamron lenses to provide Every digital photograph is made up
camera sets the shutter speed and aperture fast, quiet AF. of millions of square-shaped dots
automatically, but the photographer has called pixels (the term derives from
the option of altering the bias between the “picture elements”). Like the tiles in a
two readings to set a preferred shutter Q mosaic, they blend together to create
speed or aperture without changing the a photorealistic image. Zooming into
overall exposure. Le Querrec, Guy your images using the Zoom tool in
Guy Le Querrec (born 1941) is a French Photoshop/ Elements enables you to
PSD photographer best known for his see, and then edit, each of these
Photoshop’s (and Photoshop Elements’) documentary work with jazz musicians. building blocks if you choose.
own file format, which preserves He joined Magnum Photos in 1976 and
components such as layers and began experimenting with film shortly
transparency that aren’t supported by after. He won the Grand Prix de la Ville
some formats (including JPEG). It’s worth de Paris in 1998.
saving an edited photo as a PSD if you
might want the option to revisit layers or Quick-release plate
adjustment layers at a later time. A facility for attaching and removing a
camera from a tripod. A plate attaches to
Puppet Warp tool the camera using the traditional screw-in
First introduced in Photoshop CS5, this arrangement, then the plate slots into a
tool allows you to adjust or radically change recess on the tripod.
the shape of parts of an image. Subjects can
be selected and altered without affecting
the background. R
Push/pull processing Rangefinder
In film photography, push processing A camera with a separate lens and
means increasing the film’s speed by viewfinder, linked by a rangefinder
shooting with shorter exposures than mechanism. When looking through the
recommended and increasing the viewfinder, two separate images are shown,
development time proportionately. This one of which moves when the focus ring is
allows photographers to work in lower light turned. When the two superimposed

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Red-eye Resize
A
images are perfectly aligned, the image

is in focus. An effect often caused by a camera’s To create a new copy of an image with a
B
built-in flash. The flash light reflects from different file size or resolution (pixel count).
Raw the retina of a subjects’ eyes and gives
C
A file format option provided by digital them a bright red colour. It can be reduced Resolution
SLRs and some other top-end digital or corrected in-camera, or at the A measure of the density of pixels in a
D
cameras. Image data is stored in a post-processing stage. printed or on-screen image, usually
E
semi-processed state and needs to be expressed in terms of pixels per inch (ppi).
fully processed on a computer. Raw files Reflected light reading A resolution of 300ppi is widely regarded
F
enable exposure compensation, image The most frequently used type of exposure as the optimum for professional-quality
contrast, colour balance and other meter reading, which measures the printing. Monitors typically display images
G
settings to be altered after the initial amount of light reflecting from a subject. at between 72 and 96ppi, although this can
exposure, while still retaining maximum An alternative approach is to use an vary with monitor size and other factors.
H
image quality. Raw images also offer a incident light meter, which measures the Changing a photo’s resolution in the Image
greater tonal range than the alternative amount of light falling on a subject. Size dialog in Photoshop won’t change how
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JPEG recording quality options. Raw isn’t big it looks on-screen, only in print.
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an abbreviation, or even a single file type Reflector

like JPEG; the format varies from A piece of card or other flat material that RF
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manufacturer to manufacturer, and reflects and increases the amount of The rear focus feature is found on super
sometimes from camera to camera. Most illumination from a light source. Reflectors telephoto lenses. With rear focus, the group
L
current Canon models use CR2, and Nikon can be white, silver or gold, and are often of elements nearest the camera are used to
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models use NEF. used to ‘bounce’ light into shadow areas determine the point of focus, providing
and make them brighter. An umbrella- faster autofocus.
Reciprocity shaped reflector on a studio light is used to
The reciprocity law states that the density create softer and more diffuse illumination. RGB
O
of a photographic image is in direct Stands for red, green and blue. These are
proportion to the intensity of light Rembrandt lighting the three primary colours used by a digital
P
(aperture setting) and the duration A studio portrait lighting technique named camera to record a picture. Some tools can
Q
(shutter speed). For example, if the correct after the Dutch painter Rembrandt van access and edit each of the three colour
exposure for a subject is 1/125 sec at f/4 Rijn (1606-1669), who often used it. It channels separately.
R
and the aperture is increased by one stop refers to lighting one side of the face so
to f/2.8, the shutter speed must be that it creates a triangle of light on the Rim lighting
S
correspondingly decreased by one stop to opposite cheek. A reflector is sometimes Light from behind or to the side of a subject
1/60 sec to maintain the same image used to bounce light on to the side of the that gives a thin line of light around some
T
quality, and vice versa. face in shadow. or all of the subject’s edge, which sets it
U
clearly apart from the background.

Reciprocity failure Reportage
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In film photography, when shooting with The act or technique of news reporting. In Ring flash
very long or very short exposures, the photography, the term refers to the art of A flash lighting system that uses a circular
reciprocity law (see above) can break down, telling a news story through pictures. Many flash tube attached to the front of the lens
leading to reciprocity failure. In these cases, wedding photographers offer ‘reportage to provide even, shadowless lighting. Ring
extra exposure might be needed to style’ pictures. This simply means that the flash is often used in macro photography,
Y
compensate, as specified by the film day’s events are approached as if it were a but is sometimes used in other kinds of
manufacturer. Reciprocity failure doesn’t news event, and recorded in an informal photography including portraiture.
Z
occur with digitally captured images. and unobtrusive way. See photojournalism. Oversized ring flashes are available for

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studio use, providing doughnut-shaped at the printing stage because photographic
catch lights when used for portraits. paper isn’t sensitive to red/orange light.
Rule of thirds SAM

One of the best-known compositional Stands for smooth autofocus motor, which
‘rules’, in which an image is divided, has been used in recent Sony Alpha lenses.
horizontally and vertically, into three parts,
using two equally spaced lines. Important Saturation
elements of the picture are then placed on The strength of a colour or hue. An increase
one or more of these lines, which creates a in saturation gives a more intense colour.
stronger and more visually appealing Too much saturation, and the image will
composition than simply centering the look unreal. An image with no saturation
subject. The term has its origins in painting, whatsoever will be black and white. Rear-curtain sync
and was first written down by the artist John Flash feature found on some D-SLRs
Thomas Smith in 1797. Scale and flashguns that synchronises the
Scale gives us a sense of the size of an flash output when the second shutter
Roll film object or environment in an image, by curtain is about to close. Usually, the
A photographic film wound on a spool and using another object in the scene as flash fires at the point where the first
protected from light with paper backing. a frame of reference. For example, by shutter is fully open. The facility gives
The most commonly used type is 120 roll including a person in a landscape, the more natural-looking images when
film. It’s used in cameras shooting 6x4.5, viewer is given a strong idea of the relative using flash in conjunction with slow
6x6, 6x7 and 6x9 negative sizes, plus size of that landscape. shutter speeds.
panoramic cameras.
Scheimpflug principle
Theodor Scheimpflug (1865-1911) stated:
S “If the lens plane is tilted down, when the
extended lines from the lens plane, the
Sabattier effect object plane and the film plane intersect at
A wet darkroom effect in which an image the same point, the entire subject plane is in
is processed so that it’s partly a normal focus.” This principle comes into play when
positive image and partly a negative. It was using tilt-shift lenses or tilt-and-swing
first described in the 1860s, but became movements on view cameras. In practice,
well-known in the work of Man Ray it means that if you’re photographing a
(1890-1976). His assistant, Lee Miller landscape, the lens can be tilted forwards
(1907-1977) accidentally turned on a light until the plane of focus runs parallel to the
while developing a print, but Ray liked the ground. As a result, depth of field is vastly
effect and consciously used it in his work. He increased, even when shooting with the lens
called it ‘solarisation’. The Sabattier effect is wide open.
easily recreated using Photoshop, and looks
best applied to a black-and-white image. Scratch disk
Hard disk space used by Photoshop while
Safelight processing an image to temporarily store
A red/orange lamp used to light information and make the process faster. It’s
a traditional wet darkroom when printing used, for example, to store the history states
black-and-white photographs. It’s safe to use that are essential for using the History panel.

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Screen grab
A
tones may range from red-brown to sulphide. It has the effect of changing
Also called a screen shot or screen capture, purple-brown. The appearance of the effect shades of grey into shades of reddish-
B
this is an image of all or part of a computer can now be simulated in post-capture brown. The appearance can easily be
monitor display that can be saved as a software on a computer. Photoshop CS6 created in digital images, either in-camera
C
graphics file. and CC includes selenium toning among or using Photoshop.

its range of toning presets.
D
SD 720p
E
Super-low dispersion, the glass used in Selfie A high-definition video recording format
Tokina lenses to reduce chromatic A modern term for self-portrait, a genre with a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels,
F
aberration. becoming increasingly popular in the age offered on many of the more recent
of the smartphone camera. digital cameras.
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SD (Secure Digital) card

A type of removable memory card used Self-timer Sharpening
H
in some digital cameras. A camera facility that incorporates a delay Sharpening boosts the contrast around the
between the pressing of the trigger and edges of objects to increase definition,
I
SDHC the beginning of the exposure. It has which helps counter the inherent softening
J
(Secure Digital High Capacity) traditionally been used to enable the effect of digital capture. Inkjet printing has
A type of SD card that has a higher photographer to appear in the shot. It can a further softening effect, so if you’re going
K
maximum capacity than standard SD also be used as a way of minimising the to print your image, it will need more
cards (up to 32GB). vibration caused by pressing the camera sharpening than it would need for
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shutter, when shooting a long exposure on-screen viewing. Over-sharpening can be

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SDM with the camera mounted on a monopod a problem, leading to undesirable haloes.
Supersonic drive motor, Pentax’s fast, quiet or tripod.
focus motor. Sheet film
Sensor size Film used in large-format cameras,
O
SDXC (Secure Digital The dimensions of the CCD or CMOS including 5x4 and 10x8 equipment, which
Extended Capacity) sensor in a digital camera vary greatly is supplied in boxes of individual sheets.
P
A type of SD card that has an even higher according to the type of camera. This has a
Q
maximum capacity than SDHC cards major impact on image quality. Larger Shutter
(up to 2TB). sensors collect more light and produce A device for allowing light to pass through a
R
images with greater dynamic range and camera lens to the digital sensor or film,
Second curtain sync less noise than smaller sensors. usually for a precise period of time. See
S
An alternative term for rear-curtain sync. Smartphone camera sensors measure also leaf shutter and focal plane shutter.
around 4.5 x 3.4mm; compact camera
T
Secondary mirror sensors are around 6.1 x 4.5mm; D-SLR Shutter lag
U
A mirror used in digital SLRs to project sensors are around 23.5 x 15.6mm, The delay between the photographer
some of the light passing through the lens while a ‘full frame’ 35mm sensor measures physically pressing the shutter and the
V W X
to exposure and autofocus sensors. around 36 x 24mm. A medium-format exposure actually being made.
sensor (such as in the Pentax 645Z)
Selenium tone measures around 44 x 33mm. Shutter priority
A chemical treatment applied to a A semi-automatic exposure mode in which
silver-based black-and-white print in a wet Sepia tone the shutter speed is set by the
Y
darkroom that changes some of the A chemical treatment used in traditional photographer. The aperture is then set by
metallic silver to silver selenide. Depending photography that converts metallic silver the camera to suit the metered light
Z
on dilution and the type of printing paper, in a black-and-white photograph to silver readings taken by the camera.

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Shutter speed maximum aperture are longer than with
Also called exposure time, this is the length ‘faster’ lenses.
of time the camera’s shutter is open to
allow light coming through the lens to reach Slow sync flash
the image sensor or film. Technique in which a slow shutter speed is
used in conjunction with flash. The flash
Side lighting usually provides the main source of
This is illuminating a subject from one side illumination, but the ambient light creates
across the camera axis, either using natural a secondary exposure that can be useful in
or artificial light, while the other side suggesting movement, or for providing
remains in shadow. It’s often used in detail in a background that would otherwise
portraiture to give texture and depth to have looked unnaturally dark.
a subject. It can give a dramatic look, Shift lens
especially against a dark background. SLT An interchangeable lens available for a
If desired, shadow areas can be lightened Stands for Single Lens Translucent. This is small number of D-SLRs and
by using a reflector. a proprietary name for Sony Alpha cameras medium-format cameras. The lens
that use a pellicle (fixed, translucent) mirror, provides a limited range of camera
Silver halide electronic viewfinder and phase-detection movements, including a facility for the
The light-sensitive chemical compound autofocus system. lens to be shifted upwards to avoid
that, when coated on photographic film or converging verticals when
paper, enables images to be recorded. Smc photographing tall subjects, especially
Stands for super multi coating, buildings. Also known as a PC lens.
Single lens reflex (SLR) a seven-layer coating used on Pentax lenses
A camera that uses a pentaprism and to reduce light reflected by the lens itself.
mirror to show the exact image being seen
through the lens. When the shutter is Snapshot aesthetic
released, the mirror flips up to allow the A style of fine-art photography that uses a
image to pass through to the sensor or film. seemingly casual, snapshot appearance,
and focuses on everyday subject matter.
Slave Photographers using this approach have
Device that triggers a flash unit included William Eggleston (born 1939),
automatically when another flash is fired. Nan Goldin (born 1953) and Wolfgang
The slave uses a light-sensitive Tillmans (born 1968). It was particularly
photoelectric cell, and cuts down on the popular in 1990s fashion photography.
number of cables needed in a studio.
Snoot
SLD A tube-like attachment in the shape of a
Stands for super-low dispersion – lens cone or cylinder, which fits on the front of a
elements in Sigma lenses that reduce flash unit or studio light. It enables the
chromatic aberration. photographer to control the direction and
width of the light so that it concentrates on,
Slow lens or isolates, a subject.
A lens with a narrower than average
maximum aperture for the focal length. Social documentary
As a result, shutter speeds at the Photographic genre that concentrates on

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Soup
A
recording the everyday lives of people of still-life painting, still-life photographs

from different nationalities, cultures and Slang term for developer. focus on single or small groups of objects.
B
social classes. Social documentary They can be shot indoors or outdoors,

projects often have a particular purpose, SP using daylight or artificial light, and are
C
such as the photographs of Lewis Hine Stands for super performance, a usually carefully arranged by the
(1874-1940) highlighting child labour in the long-standing tag found on top-of-the- photographer. Notable still-life
D
early part of the 20th century, or Sebastião range Tamron lenses. photographers include Edward Weston
E
Salgado’s 1993 project on the conditions (1886-1958) and Irving Penn (1917-2009).
endured by workers in different countries Spot meter
F
around the world. Exposure metering system in which a Street photography

meter reading is taken from a very small Photographs taken in public places that
G
Softbox area in the centre of the frame. record human behaviour or interaction in
An enclosure around a flash or continuous a way that comments on society or life in
H
light. The insides are lined with reflective sRGB general. Street photographers aim to
material while the square or round front RGB colour space frequently used by capture life as it happens and usually take
I
screen is made of a white opaque material digital cameras, but providing a narrower pictures when people are unaware. Those
J
that diffuses and softens the light. range of colours, or ‘gamut’, than the who have worked in this broad genre
Softboxes can measure anything from Adobe RGB space. include Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-
K
40cm to 2m across the front, and are 2004), Robert Frank (born 1924) and Garry
often used instead of umbrellas for SSM Winogrand (1928-1884).
L
diffusing harsh flash light. Stands for supersonic motor, used for
M N
high-speed autofocus in top-of-the-range Stieglitz, Alfred

Soft focus Sony lenses. An important advocate for photography
Slightly blurred and lacking in sharp as an artistic medium, Stieglitz (1864-
definition. Images can be ‘soft’ due to a lens Standard lens 1946) formed the Camera Club of New
O
flaw, or made deliberately so to give a A focal length of lens roughly equal to the York in 1896 and edited the magazine
romantic ‘glow’ to an image. It can be diagonal of the image sensor area. Camera Notes. He formed the Photo-
P
achieved in-camera by attaching Typically, standard lenses have an effective Secession in 1902, a group of leading
Q
a soft-focus or diffuser filter to the lens, focal length of around 50mm. photographers that argued that artistic
or by shooting through a piece of expression was the most important thing
R
translucent material (for example, a Steichen, Edward about photography. His ideas influenced
section cut out from a pair of tights). Edward Steichen (1879-1973) was an a generation of photographers.
S
It can also easily be added using American fashion and portrait

post-capture software on a computer. photographer. As Chief Photographer at Stitching
T
Condé Nast publications in the 1920s and Combining two or more overlapping
U
Solarisation 1930s, he was the most famous (and images of a subject to create one seamless
See Sabattier effect. reputedly the highest paid) photographer panoramic or high-resolution image. It can
V W X
in the world. He was Director of be achieved via dedicated software

Sontag, Susan Photography at the Museum of Modern Art programs such as Autostitch or Canon’s
Susan Sontag (1933-2004) was an in New York from 1947-1962 and in 1955 Photostitch, or using the Photomerge
American writer, filmmaker and prominent organised the Family of Man exhibition, feature in Photoshop.
activist, whose series of essays collected in seen by over nine million people.
Y
the book, On Photography (1977), was a Stop

groundbreaking critique of the Still-life photography A unit of exposure. Changing exposure by a
Z
photographic medium. Following in the centuries-old tradition single stop is equivalent to doubling or

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halving the amount of light reaching the SWM
image sensor. The distance between each Silent wave motor, the high-speed
of the standard aperture settings (f/2.8, f/4, quiet autofocus motor used on Nikon’s
f/5.6, f/8, f/16 etc.) is a full stop. Digital AF-S lenses.
SLRs usually provide a number of
intermediate half-stop or third-stop Sync speed
settings. Also, see f/X.X. The fastest shutter speed that can be set on
a camera that enables synchronisation with
Stop down the flash. See flash synchronisation.
Close down the camera’s aperture. The
oposite term is ‘open up’.
T
Strobe light Telephoto
Also called a stroboscopic lamp, this light Table-top photography A term generally used to describe any
source produces flashes of light (usually Images of small objects or a miniature long-focus lens (in 35mm
around 200 microseconds in length) at scene, arranged on a table top. photography, a lens with a focal length
regular intervals. In photography, it’s been of 85mm upwards). However,
used to make high-speed images of Talbotype telephoto technically refers to a
subjects that move too fast for the eye to See calotype. long-focus lens in which the physical
see, such as a bullet zipping through the air. length of the lens is shorter than its
Strobe lights have also been used to Teleconverter focal length, a design feat achieved by
capture multiple images of a moving A supplementary lens used between its internal lens assembly.
subject in one image, for example in the a primary lens and the camera body to
photographs of dancers by Gjon Mili increase the focal length range of the
(1904-1984). primary lens. For example, a 1.4
teleconverter on a 200mm lens will
Superzoom increase the focal length to 280mm, but
A lens with an unusually large focal length causes a corresponding reduction in the
range. Current superzoom examples maximum aperture size.
available for D-SLR cameras include the
Tamron 80-270mm f/3.5-6.3 and the Terabyte (TB)
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3. Some of the Unit for measuring computer memory or
largest superzooms are found on bridge disk storage capacity, which is roughly
cameras; the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70 equivalent to 1,000 gigabytes.
has a 60x optical zoom, for example,
which is equivalent to 20-1,200mm. TFT (thin film transistor)
Bridge cameras themselves are sometimes High-quality colour LCD technology, widely
called ‘superzooms’ or ‘ultrazooms’. See used for rear displays on digital cameras.
bridge camera.
Thumbnail
Swinger, Polaroid A small, low-resolution version of a larger
A name used on some of the affordable and image. It’s often used in image management
easy-to-use range of instant cameras applications such as Adobe Bridge and
produced by the Polaroid Corporation Organizer to make it easier and faster to
in the 1960s and 1970s. search through and preview your photo

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Toy camera
A
collection. The small representations of of cameras, used for attaching tripods and
each layer in the Layers panel in An inexpensive and easy-to-use film other accessories.
B
Photoshop and similar software are also camera, such as the Holga, Lubitel, Lomo
referred to as thumbnails. LC-A and Diana. Their lens quality and TS-E
C
general build leads to vignetting, image Tilt-shift electronic – Canon’s range of

Three-quarters lighting blur, distortion and light leaks, but many perspective control lenses. (See PC-E.)
D
Used in portraiture, this style of lighting is photographers enjoy incorporating these

E
created by placing a light at approximately flaws into their images for artistic effect. TTL
45 degrees from each side of the centre (through the lens) metering
F
line of the face. It lights three quarters of Tone mapping An exposure metering system in which the
the face, leaving a shadow area along the A technique used in image processing to intensity of light is measured through the
G
side opposite to the light that gives the face reduce the range of tonal values in a high camera lens.
depth and volume. dynamic range image, so it looks more
H
natural when shown on a computer Tungsten lighting

TIFF (Tagged Image File monitor or in print. A type of bulb lighting that has
I
Format) a warm colour temperature of between

J
Digital image format used to record files Toning 2,600 and 3,500K.
with maximum available detail. Files can be Changing the colour of a black-and-white
K
large, although this can be reduced using print or digital image. In traditional Tv (time value)
lossless compression. photography, black-and-white prints Abbreviation used for shutter priority on
L
are usually toned using chemicals to some cameras.

M N
Time exposure change the metallic silver in the print

See long exposure. emulsion to a silver compound. This
happens in sepia and selenium toning. U
Time-lapse Other processes, such as platinum and
O
Technique where pictures are taken gold toning, are known as metal- UD
of the same subject at regular intervals, replacement toners. Similar effects can Stands for ultra-low dispersion,
P
then combined into moving video footage. be produced in digital images using a type of glass used in Canon lenses to
Q
Some time-lapse photographers record post-processing techniques. reduce chromatic aberration in the image.
an event that takes place over a long
R
period of time, such as a butterfly Transform Umbrella

emerging from a chrysalis or a flower A Photoshop tool used to scale, rotate, An umbrella is used in a studio to reflect
S
opening its petals. reduce, enlarge, distort or change the and diffuse light from a flash unit,
perspective of a layer, selection or shape. creating a softer and more even light.
T
TLR The most common types are the white

U
Stands for twin-lens reflex. A TLR camera Travel photography shoot-through umbrella, which is used
has two lenses of the same focal length; A genre of photography that concentrates between the flash and the subject, or the
V W X
one is used for taking the picture while the on documenting the landscape, people, black umbrella with a reflective silver or
other provides the image for the waist-level culture and customs of a country. white underside that bounces flash light
viewfinder, seen via a 45-degree mirror. The back on to the subject.
two lenses are connected so that focusing Tripod
is the same on both lenses. A three-legged camera support. Under-exposure
Y
An insufficient exposure for the subject to

Tog Tripod bush retain all the shadow details, so that darker
Z
Short form for ‘photographer’. Threaded socket found on the base areas become black or almost black.

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The greater the under-exposure, the darker changing the colour of the filter in the
the image. This may be a conscious choice enlarger head.
for artistic reasons.
VC
Underwater housing / Stands for vibration compensation,
waterproof housing the name of the optical camera shake-
A sealed container specifically made to reduction system fitted on some
protect particular cameras from damage Tamron lenses.
in underwater photography, and that
allow controls to be accessed and operated Vibrance
as normal. A slider available in Adobe Camera Raw and
Photoshop that enables you to increase the
Unsharp Mask saturation of colours. It doesn’t increase UV filter
One of the most popular Photoshop tools saturation universally – it concentrates on An optical filter that absorbs
for increasing sharpness in a digital image. colours that are not saturated already, with ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It can be
It gets its curious name from a traditional a more limited effect on colours that are used to improve visibility and quality
print process, where a soft focus negative already intense. This often leads to a more in mountain and maritime landscapes.
is sandwiched with the sharp original in visually pleasing result. Many use them to protect the front
order to increase edge contrast. of the lens.
View camera
USB 3.0 A large-format film camera that uses sheet
The third version of the Universal Serial film. Depending on the camera design, film
Bus standard for connection and sizes can range from 5x4 inches to 20x24
communication between computer inches. All view cameras have a front
peripherals (including digital cameras and standard with a lens mount and a rear
printers) and personal computers. It was standard with a film holder and ground
released in 2008 and was further updated glass screen for focusing. Both standards
to USB 3.1 in 2013. can be moved backwards and forwards and
at different angles to alter perspective,
USD focus and depth of field. They are
Stands for ultrasonic silent drive, Tamron’s connected by a flexible and extendable
fast, quiet AF motor. bellows. View cameras can be used with
digital backs instead of film.
USM
Stands for ultrasonic motor, a fast, Vignetting
low-noise autofocus motor used by some Darkening of the corners of an image.
Canon lenses. This appearance is often deliberately
created to highlight a subject in the centre
of the image, and can be applied by
V digitally burning in corners in Photoshop.
It’s also commonly seen in images taken
Variable contrast with toy cameras such as the Holga.
A type of photographic printing paper If vignetting is unintended, it’s usually due
that, in the wet darkroom, allows a range to lens fall-off, and can be corrected using
of contrast grades to be produced by post-processing software.

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VR
A
‘normal’ lens (that is, the lens that gives the

Stands for vibration reduction, Nikon’s most true-to-life field of view) for a given Y
B
name for its image-stabilisation system. format. In the 35mm format, focal lengths
from 35mm to 24mm are considered Yellow filter
C
wide-angle, while lenses from 21mm to In film photography, yellow filters were
W 14mm are generally described as ultra often used by black-and-white landscape
D
wide-angle. photographers to darken a blue sky and

E
WB brighten the landscape.

An abbreviation for white balance. See WR
F
white balance. Weather resistant – a term found on Yevonde, Madame

certain Pentax lenses. Madame Yevonde (1893-1975) popularised
G
Watermark the use of colour in portrait photography

An element embedded in a digital image, Wratten number in the early 1930s. She’s most famous
H
such as the photographer’s name or a A code for labelling optical filters, for her studio portraits of the mid-1930s
symbol, to show ownership and prevent named after the inventor Frederick that made creative use of costumes
I
images being used without the copyright Wratten (1840-1926). Each separate and props.
J
owner’s permission. colour has a number (orange filters, for

example, have the number 81) and some
K
Weston, Edward have letters to indicate the strength of the Z

Edward Weston (1886-1958) was one filter (an 81EF is much stronger than an
L
of the major American fine-art 81A, for example). ZA

M N
photographers of the 20th century. His Stands for Zeiss Alpha – a range of Sony
aim was, he said, to “make the lenses designed by Carl Zeiss.
commonplace unusual.” His photographs X
were clear and detailed representations of Zone system
O
landscapes, portraits, nudes, and, most XLD The Zone system is a systematic technique
famously, still-life subjects such as Stands for extra low dispersion, the glass for calculating the best possible film
P
seashells and peppers. used in some Tamron lenses to reduce exposure and development. It was
Q
chromatic aberration. formulated in around 1940 by

White balance photographers Ansel Adams (1902-84)
R
Digital camera system that sets the colour XMP and Fred Archer (1889-1963).
temperature for the scene being Stands for extensible metadata platform.
S
photographed. This can be set A labelling technology used by a number of Zoom

automatically, with the system attempting image-editing programs, including the A lens with a variable angle of view. On a
T
to set the colour so that it looks normal to Photoshop family. It records information zoom lens, the focal length can be changed
U
the human eye. Most D-SLRs also offer a about a file, and is usually embedded within while the focus remains the same. Typical
wide selection of manual white balance the file itself. With raw files, the XMP zoom lenses have focal lengths between
V W X
settings – where the WB can be set from a information is recorded separately. 17mm and 80mm.
reference source (such as a piece of white
card), or to a particular Kelvin value, or to a XR Zoom ratio
lighting type (such as sunny daylight or Stands for extra refractive, a type of The relationship between the shortest and
tungsten bulb lighting). glass used in Tamron lenses. It can bend longest focal length setting of a zoom lens.
Y
light at wider angles than normal glass, For example, a 14-42mm lens has a zoom
Wide-angle lens helping to make the overall size of the ratio of 3:1, or 3x; a 50–500mm lens has a
Z
A lens with a focal length shorter than the lens smaller. zoom ratio of 10:1, or 10x.

9000
9001
DEPTH OF FIELD THE SPEED SCALE UNDERSTANDING WIDE-ANGLE TO

EXPLAINED EXPLAINED THE ISO SCALE TELEPHOTO
The aperture you use is the main factor in dictating Just like aperture settings and ISOs, shutter The focal length of a lens and its angle of view
ISO settings go up in fixed values, with intermediate
how much of the scene appears sharp. The narrower speeds go in a fixed sequence, although sometimes go hand in hand. Wide-angle lenses have shorter
settings available too. High ISOs can be useful in low
the aperture opening (and the larger the f-stop intermediate values are used too focal lengths, while telephoto lenses have long focal
light, although the ‘noise’ in the image increases
number) the more of the image will be in focus lengths. The effective focal length, or EFL, is also
given for APS-C sized sensor SLRs
ISO 12,800
1/4000
One stop = ISO 10,000
shutter 1/3200 400mm
ISO 8000 (EFL 600mm)
open twice 1/2500
f/4 as long
1/2000 ISO 6400
1/1600 ISO 5000 200mm
(EFL 300mm)
1/1250 ISO 4000
Fast shutter
f/5.6 speeds = 1/1000
MORE NOISE
Wider apertures = less depth of field sharp images 1/800

ISO 3200 135mm
of moving ISO 2500 (EFL 200mm)
1/640
HIGH SENSITIVITY
subjects
1/500 ISO 2000
FAST SHUTTER SPEED

60mm
LESS DEPTH OF FIELD

1/400 ISO 1600 (EFL 90mm)
f/8 1/320 ISO 1250
1/250 ISO 1000 30mm
(EFL 45mm)
1/200
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1/160
ISO 800
TWO STOPS
f/11 ISO 640 18mm

Mid-apertures = best image quality 1/125 (EFL 27mm)
1/100 ISO 500
10mm
1/80 ISO 400 (EFL 15mm)
1/60 ISO 320
f/16 1/50
ISO 250
1/40
MORE DEPTH OF FIELD

LOW SENSITIVITY
LESS NOISE
Slow shutter 1/30 ISO 200

SLOW SHUTTER SPEED
speeds = ISO 160

1/25
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blurred
images of ISO 125
ONE STOP
f/22 1/20
Narrower apertures = more depth of field
moving
subjects 1/15 ISO 100
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Camera Bag Essentials 2015

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GO ANYWHERE, SHOOT ANYTHING!

The text paper in this magazine is totally chlorine

WorldMags.net CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS 3

4 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS 5

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M book require the use of one

8 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

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mirror flips up out of the way so that

10 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

COMMAND DIAL VIEWFINDER shutter release here; handy if you

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Bayonet lens mount

A SLR is the availability of a

12 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

Maximum aperture key points

Q Professional-quality lenses Q Cheaper ‘consumer’ zoom

WorldMags.net CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS 13

F round and square (or

Polariser ND grad ND filter

14 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

ertain colours are familiar

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Remote release Tripod head

ripods are all but essential

T when there’s very little light,

16 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

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here’s a time and a place for The maximum power

T flash. It will often kill the

18 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

01 First curtain sync ﬂash explained

For example, if your flash has a

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Sunlight bounced back

20 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

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Twin cells Size matters

W but you simply can’t

22 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

Transfer speed UDMA Capacity Transfer speed

Y record your images as two

select large. To get the smallest file

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26 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net Understand how exposure works by following this

cameras has made it

possible to change ISO

now have more

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Aperture Shutter ISO Aperture Shutter ISO Aperture Shutter ISO

f/2.8 1/30 3,200 f/2.8 1/30 3,200 f/2.8 1/30 3,200

f/4 1/60 1,600 f/4 1/60 1,600 f/4 1/60 1,600

f/5.6 1/125 800 f/5.6 1/125 800 f/5.6 1/125 800

f/8 1/250 400 f/8 1/250 400 f/8 1/250 400

f/11 1/500 200 f/11 1/500 200 f/11 1/500 200

f/16 1/1000 100 f/16 1/1000 100 f/16 1/1000 100

Negative exposure compensation Positive exposure compensation

28 CAMERA BAG ESSENTIALS WorldMags.net

Auto Flash Close-up mode Program

Portrait mode Night Portrait

Landscape mode Manual mode